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 Australian Open champ Sinner draws comparisons to Djokovic

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Zverev (right) with Sinner after the Australian Open final

 Alexander Zverev has said that Jannik Sin­ner is “very similar” to tennis legend, Novak Djokovic, following his Australian Open triumph on Sunday.

Sinner won the Australian Open for the second consec­utive year in Melbourne with a straight-sets victory against Zverev, 6-3 7-6(4) 6-3, to claim the third Grand Slam of his career.

A pivotal moment in the final came in the second set where Sinner managed to win the tie-break before coasting in the third to secure victory.

Speaking in his press con­ference after the final, Zverev compared Sinner to Djokovic and explained how difficult it can be when both players are playing with confidence.

“He’s very, very similar to Novak when he was at his best,” he explained. “They barely miss, like barely miss. They make you think like you have to over-hit all the time to have a chance in a rally against them.

“It’s very, very difficult to win a point from the back of the court against them, against Novak and him. Move obvi­ously tremendous. They’re con­stantly on the baseline. They don’t give you any space. They don’t give you any time.

“Yeah, I mean, just right now, too good for me. Again, I’ll do everything I can to be able to compete with them and to lift the trophy, but today was nowhere near good enough.”

Zverev knows how difficult it can be to overcome the Serbian legend as he has only won five out of their 13 meetings.

The most recent of those victories came in the Australian Open semi-final when Djokov­ic was forced to retire with inju­ry after losing the opening set.

When asked to respond to Zverev’s comments, Sinner detailed how he continues to look up to Djokovic on and off the court.

“Well, it’s an amazing compli­ment from Sascha Zverev,” the Australian Open champion explained. “I think everyone is different in a way. Obviously, I have some similarities with Novak’s game style. I still believe when Novak plays at his best, it’s very, very, very tough to beat him.

“But game style-wise, I looked up to him, trying to un­derstand what he’s doing, how he handles the pressure mo­ments and important moments. I still believe we are different as players because everyone is different, but for sure we have similarities.

“The similarities are having quite clean ball striking from the baseline, having good movement, understanding a little bit where your opponent plays the ball. Yeah, obviously, I aim to improve as a player because I feel like I still can improve in certain areas, and that’s where we are going to work on. That’s it.” -Eurosport

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FA releases final 2024-25 Ghana Premier League table

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• Kurt Okraku - GFA President

The curtains came down on the thrilling 2024-25 Premier League season on Sun­day, with Bibiani GoldStars clinching their first-ever league title.

After a challenging 2023-24 cam­paign that saw them flirting with relegation, Heart of Lions mount­ed a stunning resurgence to claim a second-place finish this season.

Joining them in the top four were Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak, with Kotoko edg­ing their archrivals to third place based on the head-to-head rule, as stipulated in Article 7(4) of the Premier League regulations.

The Porcupine Warriors secured a 1-0 victory over Hearts in Kuma­si and held their rivals to a goalless draw in Accra, giving them the advantage in the direct encoun­ters and ultimately determining their superior position on the final league table.

Dreams FC achieved their highest-ever league finish, securing sixth place. Their final surge saw them overtake former champions, FC Samartex 1996, Medeama SC, and Aduana FC.

The season ended in disap­pointment for Accra Lions, Legon Cities and Nsoatre­man FC, all of whom were relegated to the Access Bank Division One League.

Meanwhile the Ghana Football Association (GFA) president, Mr Kurt Okraku, sent a message of appreciation to the 18 clubs that participated in the 2024-25 Premier League season.

“To our new champions, Gold­Stars FC, congratulations on a well-deserved title. To those who fell short, I urge you to take pride in your journey and come back stronger,” he said in the statement.

“The statement also acknowl­edged the invaluable work of match officials, administrators, medical teams, grounds men, vol­unteers, and media partners, who are the backbone of the football ecosystem, for their invaluable con­tribution throughout the exciting campaign,” he stated.

“To our loyal supporters, your energy continues to breathe life into the league. You are the soul of Ghana football, and your love for the game remains our greatest source of inspiration,” Mr Okraku added.

He called for a sober reflection on a few unfortunate incidents that occurred at some match venues.

These moments, while regret­table, he emphasised, served as critical reminders of the work that still lies ahead in shaping a safer, more respectful football culture.

Moreover, he said the FA remains firmly committed to strengthening education at the club level and enhancing match day pro­tocols to ensure a more secure and inclusive environment for players, officials, and fans alike.

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Police Ladies set to represent Ghana in CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers

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Malta Guinness Women’s Premier League champions Police Ladies will represent Ghana at the upcoming WAFU B CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers.

The tournament is scheduled to take place in Cote d’Ivoire from Saturday, August 19 to Sunday, August 24, 2025.

This marks a significant opportunity for Police Ladies to showcase their skills, make Ghana proud and fight for the sole ticket for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League.

They follow in the footsteps of Hasaacas Ladies and Ampem Darkoa Ladies, who have previously represented Ghana in the championship.

With their talent and determination, Police Ladies are poised to make a strong impression and bring glory to Ghanaian football.

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 Gold Stars to be crowned GPL champions Saturday

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Mr Kurt Okraku presenting the trophy to the skipper of Hohoe United while officials of the club watch on in adminiration

 Gold Stars on Sunday closed the chapter on what could be their finest football season ever, demolishing already rele­gated Accra Lions 4-0 to emerge champions of the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League (GPL).

The win confirmed the Timber giants as a new entity among GPL winners. They also drilled the final nail into the coffin of Accra Lions as they head to battle for a return to the elite stage of football from the Division One League (DOL).

On Saturday, a carnival atmo­sphere is anticipated around the precincts of Bibiani as they host Medeama in a coronation match at the Dun’s Park with kick-off set at 3pm.

A game between the two under normal circumstances would have produced a lot of fireworks as they chase the bragging rights for their emerging rivalry.

However, Saturday’s game would be one more for celebration as the hosts are crowned champions of the just ended season.

Expected to be in attendance are executive members of the Football Association led by its president, Mr Kurt Okraku, top officials of the club as well as officials from their sponsors.

A similar exercise is expected to take place at Swedru where local side, Swedru All Blacks, will be crowned champions of Zone Two of the Access Bank Division One League on Saturday.

They would take on Soccer Intellectuals in a game expected to thrill their audience and show their preparedness for life in the Premier League.

The Black Magicians, as they are known, secured the title with a game to spare, finishing with 66 points from 30 matches (21 wins, 3 draws, 6 losses).

Meanwhile, Hohoe United were officially crowned champions of the Access Bank DOL Zone 3 after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Home Stars in a coronation match last Saturday at the Hohoe Sports Complex.

All three goals were scored in a pulsating first half exchanges.

The triumph marks a historic milestone for Hohoe United, who have now secured promotion to the Premier League for the first time since their rebranding from Liberty Professionals.

This long-awaited qualifica­tion comes in their third attempt, following the club’s change of ownership and relocation from the capital to Hohoe.

In attendance were GFA presi­dent, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, Executive Council member Samuel Aboabire, club owner and former Member of Parliament for Hohoe, Mr John Peter Amewu, and revered traditional leader Togbega Gabusu VII.

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