Novak Djokovic: Equal. But Better
A sexism battle breaks out in tennis, the USA gear up for Guatemala, as a couple of coaches face fights for their futures. This and a heck of a lot more for a manic Monday.
By Tim Stannard (@stannardsports)
1) Tennis hit with sexism claim as Serena stumbles again
Tennis has been stirring up some more than salubrious storylines over the past few months with doping and match-fixing making one or two headlines as well as action on the court. A new concept was added to that mix – sexism. The Indian Wells Chief Executive, Raymond Wells, was forced to apologize for rather unfortunate comments, made on Sunday whilst channeling his inner Trump, that lowly women should “get down on their knees and thank God” for Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, for helping carry the women’s game in its “coattails”. The eventual winner of the superior men’s Indian Wells tournament, Novak Djokovic, sort of agreed with this notion but in politer language, claiming that men should be paid more for their tournaments wins, but that women should get what they rightfully deserve. As long as it is less than men. This one is going to get prickly.
Meanwhile, one of the greatest athletes ever seen, Serena Williams, had another stumbling performance in 2016, losing the final to Victoria Azarenka. But who cares about that, Raymond?
2) Dempsey back in business for USA as Tim Howard comes home from warm beer exile
This must be what if feels like when an astronaut on a spacewalk gazes into infinity and sees nothing but their own mortality and sense of insignificance. There is no football today. Nada. Well, there is some, if a clash in France’s second division floats your boat or the Kazakhstan Cup is of interest. There isn’t even much going on at even lower levels than that such as the Scottish League, or MLS. That’s because everyone who is any good at playing football – or called up by England – is off for a bout of international matches. Teams on this side of the pond are getting busy with some CONMEBOL and CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, Africa are beginning their qualifying process for the next Africa Cup of Nations, whilst the Europeans are involved in friendlies. So in order not to be Un-American and face protests, SB is going to wave a flag and lead with the news that rapper-extraordinaire, Clint Dempsey, has been recalled by Jurgen Klinsmann for the first time since the failed CONCACAF play-off against Mexico and should be in action in a double-header against Guatemala. “The roster is strong enough to get the job done,” says Klinsmann. And you can find out if that’s the case with the first match up live on beIN SPORTS. Coverage begins from 9PM on Friday.
One of those players called up is Tim Howard, as the US keeper is set to have a lot less travelling in future, as he is leaving Everton at the end of the season to join up with the Colorado Rapids. “Timing just felt right” claimed Tim, after ten years stuck with the Toffees.
3) Pastore misses Argentina action as Cuadrado caught in club tug-of-war
Arguably the biggest game of the week falls on Thursday in a repeat of the Copa America final between Chile and Argentina. Both sides are back in Santiago but one player who will not be there is PSG’s Javier Pastore. The Argentinean midfielder, missed out on his team’s home defeat to Monaco on Sunday, with Laurent Blanc confirming that Pastore will remain in the French capital for treatment. Remember that beIN SPORTS is the home of the CONMEBOL qualifiers. You can catch all the build-up, all week on Xtra at 10PM.
Juan Cuadrado will be in action for Colombia, however, the midfielder’s club future is very much up in the air with Juventus wanting to keep the football after a loan deal expires after a ‘gentleman’s agreement – as those exist in the football – but Antonio Conte keen on bringing the football back to Stamford Bridge once he takes over.
Spain’s Thiago Alcantara is also in the papers on Monday with the unsurprising story that Pep Guardiola wants to bring the midfielder with him to Man City, having brought him over to Bayern from Barcelona.
4) Neville stays to fight for future with Valencia as Aston Villa plan changing of the Garde
There are two coaches, whose futures hang in the balance over the international fortnight whilst everyone watches all the international fare. Gary Neville has actively ignored suggestions from most Valencia fans to go home to England (and not come back) by delaying his link up with the England squad until Thursday. The Valencia boss has a second role as assistant to Roy Hodgson and will hang on for a few more days before imparting the same wisdom that has taken Valencia from the fight for European places to a relegation battle.
Meanwhile, Remi Garde’s days at Aston Villa are very numbered with the Frenchman expected to be kicked out by the end of the week, with the EPL club rooted to the bottom-of-the-table and looking to start their forthcoming Championship campaign, six months early.
5) Sharapova-itis spreads across Russia
Maria Sharapova’s brave, brave confession to a positive dope test for Meldonium, may have shone light on medical condition that is shared by many of the unfortunate people of Russia. A drug taken by Sharapova on and off for ten years for such ailments as a magnesium deficiency, has seen four track and field stars fail tests according to an announcement made on Monday, to make the total at least 16 since the drug was put onto the banned list at the beginning of the year. A Russian news agency puts the number higher at 40. Hopefully doctors are on the case, now that Sharapova has helped highlight this condition which only seems to exist with elite Russian athletes.