Australian tennis ace Alex De Minaur, currently ranked seventh in the world, faced another tough outing on clay following a couple of promising performances in Monte Carlo last week.
Hazlewood claims Player of the Match – and wins hearts
Josh Hazlewood made a triumphant return to competitive cricket after a lengthy injury absence that caused him to miss both the Ashes series and the T20 World Cup. The veteran paceman showcased his remarkable T20 bowling skills for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as they now sit at the top of the IPL standings with a 4-1 record.
Hazlewood set the tone by bowling three of the initial overs, conceding just one boundary and six singles, and played a vital role in restricting Lucknow Super Giants to a mere 146 runs in what has been a high-scoring IPL season. His teammates complemented his performance admirably, intelligently executing their roles throughout both the middle and death overs.
During the match, the 35-year-old Australian unintentionally struck Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant on the left elbow with a 140kph delivery after Pant attempted a swing and miss.
Rishabh was visibly distraught as he tried to continue playing despite what appeared to be a serious injury. He returned later in the innings but was dismissed shortly thereafter for just 1 run off 6 balls. Hazlewood received praise for his considerate support of the Lucknow captain in the aftermath of the incident.
Sam Kerr in scorching form with sixth goal for the Matildas
Fuelled by the disappointment of the Matildas’ Asian Cup final defeat to Japan last month, Sam Kerr has displayed stunning form for both Chelsea and her national team.
In her last seven matches for Australia or Chelsea, Kerr has found the net in five of them, including an impressive FA Cup quarter-final win over Tottenham. She also provided assists in matches against Aston Villa and Arsenal during this international window.
Kerr has been in sensational form during the Matildas’ two recent FIFA Series victories over Malawi and Kenya. Notably, the goal she scored in the final against Kenya was likely one of the simplest of her career…
Nonetheless, it marked another positive development for Australia as they continue their preparations for the upcoming World Cup scheduled for June-July 2027, which will be hosted by Brazil.
De Minaur bows out of Barcelona Open
In his opening match of the Barcelona Open, Alex De Minaur struggled to find his rhythm against Austria’s Sebastian Ofner, despite a notable first-round win. We anticipated he would need to elevate his performance against the in-form Serbian clay player Hamad Medjedovic.
Unfortunately, that proved not to be the case.
Medjedovic seized the momentum, breaking De Minaur to lead 5-3 in the first set before serving it out with ease. He then dominated the latter stages of the match, winning the last five games to secure a 6-4 victory, overcoming a 4-1 deficit in the second set.
De Minaur managed to convert only one of his nine break points, recorded five double faults, and finished with a disappointing first serve percentage of just 36% on what was not his finest day on the court.
This performance is far from ideal as he heads into crucial ATP 1000 tournaments in Madrid and Rome, which will be his primary focuses before the 2026 French Open.
Compiled by SportArena.au
Fanpage: SportArena.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
