Tennis, US Open: At the US Open, two teenagers are sensationally in the tennis final for the last Grand Slam title of the year. After 19-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez, 18-year-old British Emma Raducanu also won her semi-finals on Thursday evening. Raducanu is the first female qualifier in US Open history to make it into the final of the hard court classic. There were two teenagers in the final seven times before, most recently in 1999 in the duel between Serena Williams and Martina Hingis.
Fernandez, who had prevailed against Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka in the previous rounds, defeated Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus 7: 6 (7: 3), 4: 6, 6: 4 in the semifinals. Raducanu then won her duel with number 17 seeded Greek Maria Sakkari 6: 1, 6: 4. The final is on Saturday (10:00 p.m. CEST). “It’s years, years, years of hard work and tears and blood and everything. I really wanted to get into the final,” said Fernandez. “I’m happy to be in the final.”
Athletics, Diamond League: Javelin thrower Johannes Vetter shone with a victory after the Olympic bankruptcy of Tokyo at the Diamond League final in Zurich even without a 90-meter throw. The 28-year-old World Cup third from Offenburg won with 89.11 meters. He not only secured the prize money of 30,000 dollars, but also the starting place for the World Cup in July 2022 in Eugene / USA. Julian Weber from Mainz made the German double success on Thursday perfect with a season best of 87.03 meters. After the disaster in Tokyo, where Vetter flew there as the world’s best and returned home in ninth place, he has now already won four meetings, but could not break the 90-meter mark in each case.
European champion Christin Hussong rehabilitated herself for her extremely bad Olympic appearance in Tokyo, where she, like cousin, was only ninth. With 65.26 meters, the 27-year-old from Zweibrücken won ahead of Olympic third, Kelsey-Lee Barber (Australia / 62.68). European obstacle course champion Gesa Krause, on the other hand, could not keep up with the African runners in the Letzigrund Stadium and only came in ninth. The 29-year-old Olympic fifth from the New Year’s Eve Trier club crossed the finish line in 9: 32.69 minutes. “It was a long time. Then every obstacle was work for me,” said Krause, commenting on her race. Norah Jeruto from Kenya secured victory in 9: 07.33 minutes.
Soccer, South America: Argentine striker Lionel Messi has overtaken Brazilian football legend Pelé as the record goal scorer in South America. In the World Cup qualifier against Bolivia in Buenos Aires, Messi scored three times on Thursday, scoring 79 goals wearing the Albiceleste’s shirt. As a result, the PSG professional overtook Pelé, who scored 77 goals for Brazil’s selection, in the international goals. Messi also snatched the record for the most goals for the same club at his long-time club FC Barcelona from the Brazilian legend (643 goals for FC Santos) in December 2020. The most dangerous national player in history is Cristiano Ronaldo with 111 goals in the jersey of the Portuguese national team. He is followed by the former Iranian Bundesliga professional Ali Daei and the Malaysian Mokhtar Dahari.
Football, 3rd division: TSV 1860 Munich reports a corona case. As part of the routine tests, midfielder Kevin Goden tested positive for Covid-19 and had to go to the mandatory quarantine. The “lions” therefore had to play in the games scheduled for Wednesday evening in the Toto Cup at SV Wacker Burghausen without Goden. The non-vaccinated players from the 1860 squad and non-vaccinated members of the functional team also had to go into quarantine for the time being, as the club announced. This also affects head coach Michael Köllner, who, according to the club, has not yet fully completed the waiting period after the vaccination. The next steps, also with regard to the 3rd league, are to be decided as soon as possible. Next Sunday the “lions” have to play away at Halleschen SC.