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7 football managers who were once a player

By Sports Analyst December 12, 2022 0

Footballers turning into a coach is not a rare sight in the footballing world. There are many players who have been exceptional players and later on transitioned into a manager.

Frank Lampard is one of the latest examples that comes to my mind. He is one of the greatest midfielders in the history of England and Chelsea and is now a full-time manager at Everton. The midfield maverick has successfully transitioned from being a player to a manager.

Another example can be Liverpool’s great Steven Gerrard. Gerrard is an all-time Liverpool great who played for Liverpool from 1998 to 2015, winning nine trophies, including the UEFA Champions League, two FA Cups, and three League Cups. After retirement, the central midfielder became a manager. He started his managerial career with Scottish side Rangers FC and then Aston Villa, a club in English Premier League.

So, in this article, we take a look at the top 7 football players who transitioned into successful managers.

Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane was a star player for clubs like Juventus and Real Madrid before becoming a manager and leading Real Madrid to multiple Champions League titles.

Zidane was super successful as a player, with many accolades under his name, including FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003, and winning the 1998 Ballon d’Or. Capped 108 times by France, Zidane won the 1998 FIFA World Cup, scoring twice in the final, and was named to the All-Star team. This triumph made him a national hero in France, and he received the Legion of Honour in 1998. He won UEFA Euro 2000 and was named Player of the Tournament. He also received the Golden Ball as Player of the Tournament at the 2006 World Cup, despite his infamous sending-off in the final against Italy for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest. He retired as the fourth-most capped player in French history.

Real Madrid’s French coach Zinedine Zidane gesures during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid CF against Villarreal CF at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Valdebebas, on the outskirts of Madrid, on May 22, 2021. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP) (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)

After retiring as a player, Zidane began his coaching career at Real Madrid Castilla. He remained in the position for two years before taking the helm of the first team in 2016. In his initial two and a half seasons, Zidane became the first coach to win the Champions League three times in a row, won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup twice each, and a La Liga title and a Supercopa de España.

He resigned in 2018 but returned to the club in 2019 and won another La Liga and a Supercopa de España title before leaving again in 2021.

Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola, who played as a midfielder for Barcelona and other teams before becoming a highly successful manager, is known for his attacking, possession-based style of play.

As a player, Guardiola was a defensive midfielder who usually played a deep-lying playmaker’s role. He spent most of his career with Barcelona, forming a part of Johan Cruyff’s Dream Team, winning the club’s first European Cup in 1992 and four successive Spanish league titles from 1991 to 1994. He captained the team from 1997 until he departed from the club in 2001. Guardiola then had stints with Brescia and Roma in Italy, Al-Ahli in Qatar, and Dorados de Sinaloa in Mexico. He was capped 47 times for the Spanish national team and appeared at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000. He also played friendly matches for Catalonia.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 03: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City looks on during a press conference at Manchester City Football Academy on May 03, 2022 in Manchester, England. Manchester City will play their UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match against Real Madrid on May 04, 2022 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images)

He began his tenure as a manager with Barcelona B, with whom he won a Tercera División title. He took charge of the first team in 2008. In his first season, he led Barcelona to the treble of La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, and the Copa del Rey, becoming the youngest manager to win the aforementioned European competition. In 2011, after leading the club to another La Liga and Champions League double, Guardiola was awarded the Catalan Parliament’s Gold Medal, their highest honour. He was also named the FIFA World Coach of the Year the same year. He ended his four-year Barcelona stint in 2012 with 14 honours, a club record.

After Barcelona, Guardiola shifted his base to Bayern Munich. Guardiola won the Bundesliga in each of his three seasons as Bayern manager, including two domestic doubles. He left the Bavarians for Manchester City in 2016 and guided them to a Premier League title in his second campaign in charge, breaking numerous domestic records as the team became the first to attain 100 league points. To date, he has won four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups, and the FA Cup, including a domestic treble in the 2018–19 season. He also led the club to its maiden UEFA Champions League Final in 2021.

Diego Simeone

Diego Simeone was a defender for teams like Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid before becoming the manager of Atletico and leading the team to multiple domestic and international titles.

In his club career that started in 1987, Simeone played in Argentina, Italy, and Spain for Vélez Sarsfield, Pisa, Sevilla, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, Lazio, and Racing Club. He won a domestic double with Atlético Madrid in 1996, the UEFA Cup with Inter in 1998, another domestic double with Lazio in 2000, the 1999 UEFA Super Cup and the 2000 Supercoppa Italiana. Simeone was capped over 100 times for the Argentina national team and represented the country at 1994, 1998, and 2002 FIFA World Cups and in four editions of the Copa América, winning the tournament in 1991 and 1993.

Atletico Madrid’s Argentinian coach Diego Simeone addresses a press conference in Madrid on February 22, 2022, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match against Manchester United. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP) (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images)

After retiring as a player, Simeone coached Argentine sides Racing Club, Estudiantes de La Plata, River Plate, and San Lorenzo and Italian club Catania before joining Spanish club Atlético Madrid in 2011.

He won the Argentine Primera División both with Estudiantes and River Plate and has had his biggest managerial success with Atlético Madrid, winning La Liga twice, the Copa del Rey, two UEFA Europa Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups, as well as being runner-up of the UEFA Champions League twice. Simeone is the longest-serving manager in La Liga, having stayed over a decade at Atlético.

Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho played as a midfielder for various Portuguese clubs before becoming a manager and winning league titles with teams like Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester United.

As a player, Jose Mourinho was a part of a lot of Portuguese teams, including Rio Ave B, Belenenses B, Sesimbra and Comércio e Indústria. Mourinho didn’t quite have a great playing career. However, his managerial career flourished better than expected.

RAZGRAD, BULGARIA – SEPTEMBER 08: AS Roma team coach Jose Mourinho reacts ahead the UEFA Europa League group C match between PFC Ludogorets Razgrad and AS Roma at Ludogorets Arena on September 08, 2022 in Razgrad, Bulgaria. (Photo by Vasile Mihai-Antonio/Getty Images)

Mourinho started his managerial career with Benfica and later had a term with the Portuguese club União de Leiria. After impressing with brief stints at Benfica and União de Leiria, Mourinho returned to Porto as a manager in 2002, winning the Primeira Liga twice, a Taça de Portugal, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League, Porto’s first European Cup title since 1987.

The success made him a big name in the coaching world. After winning the Champions League with Porto, Mourinho was approached by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to manage the club in 2004. With the club, he won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups in his three seasons at the club, before he departed in 2007 amid reports of disagreements with club owner Roman Abramovich.

In 2008, Mourinho joined the Italian club Inter Milan, where he won Serie A twice, including a European treble of Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Champions League in 2010, a first for an Italian club. This made him one of five coaches to have won the European Cup with two clubs, and later that year, earned him the first FIFA World Coach of the Year. Mourinho then moved to Real Madrid, where he won La Liga in 2011–12 with a record points tally, becoming the fifth coach to have won league titles in four countries. He also won a Copa del Rey and a Supercopa de España.

Mourinho left Real Madrid in 2013 and rejoined Chelsea, where he won another league title and League Cup, but was dismissed in 2015 after a poor run of results. Remaining in England, he was appointed at Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively, but his tenure at both clubs was relatively short-lived and ended acrimoniously. Despite this, he won the UEFA Europa League, League Cup and FA Community Shield in his first season with Manchester United and led Tottenham to the final of the League Cup. He was soon hired by Roma, leading them to win the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League — this made him the first manager to both reach and win the final of a major European competition with four different clubs, the third manager to have won all three major European club competitions and the first to achieve the UEFA treble by winning the Champions League, UEFA Cup/Europa League and Europa Conference League.

Once dubbed “The Special One” by the British media, Mourinho is one of the most decorated managers and is widely considered among the greatest managers of all time.

Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp was a professional player in Germany before becoming a manager and leading Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool to numerous titles.

As a player, Klopp spent most of his playing career at Mainz 05. He was initially deployed as a striker but was later moved to defence. He was part of clubs like 1. FC Pforzheim, Eintracht Frankfurt II, Viktoria Sindlingen, Rot-Weiss Frankfurt and Mainz 05.

Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on November 20, 2021. – – RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE.

After retiring, Klopp started assisting Mainz 05 and secured their promotion in 2004. After suffering relegation in the 2006–07 season and being unable to achieve promotion, Klopp resigned in 2008 as the club’s longest-serving manager. He then became manager of Borussia Dortmund, guiding them to the Bundesliga title in 2010–11 before winning Dortmund’s first-ever domestic double during a record-breaking season. Klopp also guided Dortmund to a runner-up finish in the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League before leaving in 2015 as their longest-serving manager.

After managing a couple of German clubs, Klopp decided to try his luck in Britain. Klopp was appointed manager of Liverpool in 2015. He guided the club to successive UEFA Champions League finals in 2018 and 2019, winning the latter to secure his first – and Liverpool’s sixth – title in the competition. Klopp’s side finished second in the 2018–19 Premier League, registering 97 points, the then third-highest total in the history of the English top division and the most by a team without winning the title. The following season, Klopp won the UEFA Super Cup and Liverpool’s first FIFA Club World Cup before delivering Liverpool’s first Premier League title, amassing a club record of 99 points and breaking a number of top-flight records. These achievements won him back-to-back FIFA Coach of the Year awards in 2019 and 2020.

Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Beckenbauer is considered one of the greatest footballers of all-time and matched that success as a manager. He is one of only three men to win the World Cup as a player and manager.

Beckenbauer had a terrific playing career. He is widely regarded to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. A versatile player who started out as a midfielder, Beckenbauer made his name as a central defender. He is often credited with having invented the role of the modern sweeper.

Twice named European Footballer of the Year, Beckenbauer appeared 103 times for West Germany and played in three FIFA World Cups and two European Championships. He is one of three men, along with Brazil’s Mário Zagallo and France’s Didier Deschamps, to have won the World Cup as a player and as a manager; he lifted the World Cup trophy as captain in 1974 and repeated the feat as a manager in 1990.

Antonio Conte

Antonio Conte is an Italian professional football manager who currently manages the English Premier Club Tottenham Hotspur.

Playing as a midfielder, Conte began his career at local club Lecce and later became one of the most decorated and influential players in the history of Juventus, having won, among others, five Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, one UEFA Champions League and one UEFA Cup, also becoming the team’s captain from 1996 until 2001. He also played for the Italy national team and participated in the 1994 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000, where Italy finished runners-up on both occasions.

2JNYEM3 London, England, 14th August 2022. Antonio Conte, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, London. Picture credit should read: Paul Terry / Sportimage

His managerial career started in 2006, leading Bari to a Serie B title, and Siena to promotion from the same division two years later. He took over at Juventus in 2011 and won three consecutive Serie A titles before taking charge of the Italian national team in 2014 until UEFA Euro 2016, where he led them to the quarter-finals. He then became Chelsea manager and led them to the Premier League title in his first season in charge, then winning the FA Cup in his second season but being dismissed as they finished fifth in the league.

Conte joined Inter Milan a year later, leading the team to the UEFA Europa League final in his first season, then winning the 2020-2021 Serie A title in his second season before stepping down in mutual consent. He is currently managing the English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.

So who among the managers who were once a player is your favourite?

Categories: Sports360

Footballers who were once a part of AS Monaco

By Sports Analyst December 9, 2022 0

AS Monaco is one of the most successful clubs in French football, having won eight league titles, five Coupe de France trophies and one Coupe de la Ligue. The club is among the best in European football and was runners-up in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1992 and the UEFA Champions League in 2004.

The French club has seen numerous star players among their ranks. The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Thierry Henry and Bernardo Silva have all passed through the club’s doors. Starting their journey at AS Monaco, these players have gone on to become some of the finest players the game has ever seen.

Here are the incredible players who were once a part of the French club AS Monaco.

→ Fabinho

Fábio Henrique Tavares, known as Fabinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Liverpool and the Brazil national team. A versatile player who mainly plays as a defensive midfielder, Fabinho can also be deployed as a right-back or centre-back.

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – MARCH 10: Fabinho of Liverpool poses for a photo with his Player of the match award after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between Liverpool FC and RB Leipzig at the Puskas Arena on March 10, 2021 in Budapest, Hungary. Sporting stadiums around Germany remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Laszlo Szirtesi – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

He spent five years at Monaco, playing 233 games, scoring 31 goals, and winning Ligue 1 in 2016–17. After that, he went to Liverpool and won the Champions League during his debut season. He also won the UEFA Super Cup in 2019 and also played a key role in guiding Liverpool to the Premier League title in 2020, the club’s first league title in 30 years.

→ Youri Tielemans

Youri Tielemans spent just 18 months in Monaco but showed everyone why he is considered one of the best. Tielemans has been tipped for greatness since his days at RSC Anderlecht, where he became the club’s fourth-youngest player ever when he made his debut at just 16 in 2013.

CARDIFF, WALES – JUNE 11: Youri Tielemans of Belgium during the UEFA Nations League League A Group 4 match between Wales and Belgium at Cardiff City Stadium on June 11, 2022 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

The Belgian footballer scored 5 goals in 47 appearances for AS Monaco. The footballer is currently playing for Leicester City.

→ Bernardo Silva

The Portugal midfielder, who was once a part of AS Monaco, has enthralled the audience with his stunning dribbles and free-kicks at his current club Manchester City.

Bernardo Silva was a part of AS Monaco’s “Class of 2017”, who won the Ligue 1 and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League that year.

Monaco’s Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva celebrates after his team scored a goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 football match between Monaco and Manchester City at the Stade Louis II in Monaco on March 15, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Valery HACHE (Photo credit should read VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)

His time at Monaco saw him play a more expansive role, but an equally crucial one on the right wing, progressing the ball in wide areas before supplying the lethal frontmen. He has also established himself as a key player in the national set-up for Portugal, lifting the UEFA Nations League trophy in 2019.

Silva scored 24 goals in 101 appearances during his time at Monaco.

→ Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe is one of the most popular footballers who was sold by the French club. The French attacker joined Monaco Youth in 2013 and later played with the Under 19, UEFA Under-19, reserve, and senior teams. During his time at AS Monaco, Kylian Mbappe scored 16 goals in a total of 41 appearances.

Monaco’s French forward Kylian Mbappe smiles after the French L1 football match between Monaco (ASM) and Marseille (OM) on August 27, 2017, at the Louis II Stadium in Monaco. / AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHE (Photo credit should read VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)

Mbappe is now plying his trade for his hometown club, Paris Saint-Germain, after joining from AS Monaco in a deal which saw him become the second-most expensive player ever.

→ Thierry Henry

Very few people knew about this. Thierry Henry, France’s talismanic striker, was once a part of AS Monaco.

Henry started his career by playing for the youth side of AS Monaco. Then he played for Monaco B. The all-time great made his debut for the senior squad in 1994 and played until the summer of 1999.

23 Apr 2000: Thierry Henry of Arsenal celebrates during the FA Carling Premiership game between Watford and Arsenal at Vicarage Road in Watford, England. The game finished 2-3 to Arsenal. Mandatory Credit: Gary M Prior/Allsport

During his time at the club, he appeared in 124 football matches scoring 26 goals with 2 assists.

→ Radamel Falcao

Widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, Radamel Falcao controversially signed for newly promoted Ligue 1 side AS Monaco in 2013 for a club record €60 million, despite interest from top European clubs. In the second half of his debut season, an ACL injury ruled him out for six months, and he spent the next two seasons on loan at Premier League clubs Manchester United and Chelsea.

Rejoining AS Monaco in the summer of 2016, he regained his best form and led them to their first Ligue 1 title in 17 years.

The striker has scored 65 goals in 108 appearances for the club.

→ James Rodriguez

Did you know the Colombian wonderkid who lit up the 2010 FIFA World Cup with his amazing goals was a part of AS Monaco?

The attacking midfielder was a part of AS Monaco during the 2013-14 season, where he played 38 games and scored 10 goals and 14 assists.

HALEWOOD, ENGLAND – April 21: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) James Rodriguez during the Everton Training Session at USM Finch Farm on April 21 2021 in Halewood, England. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

In 2014, James moved from AS Monaco to Real Madrid for a transfer fee of £63 million, which beat the record set by Radamel Falcao and made him the most expensive Colombian football player and one of the most expensive players at the time.

→ Patrice Evra

Patrice Evra is a French football coach and former professional player. Originally a forward, he primarily played as a left-back.

SWANSEA, WALES – MARCH 03: Patrice Evra of West Ham United arrives prior to the Premier League match between Swansea City and West Ham United at Liberty Stadium on March 3, 2018 in Swansea, Wales. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)

Vieira, who began his career at Marsala, was once a part of AS Monaco. The former Manchester United captain played for the French team from 2002 to 2006 for a total of 120 games. With his solid defensive skills, the footballer managed to get his team to the 2004 Champions League final.

→ Dimitar Berbatov

Another former Manchester United player makes the list. Dimitar Berbatov, the Bulgarian footballer, was also a part of AS Monaco once upon a time.

The athletic attacker played for Monaco during the 2014-15 season, scoring 13 goals in a total of 38 appearances.

→ Yaya Toure

Gnégnéri Yaya Touré is an Ivorian professional football coach and former player who played as a midfielder. He is an academy coach for Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

A dejected Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast is comforted by Yaya Toure after missing his penalty during the 2012 African Cup of Nations Final between Zambia and Ivory Coast at the Stade de l’Amitie in Libreville, Gabon. Photo: Ben Radford/Visionhaus (Photo by Ben Radford/Corbis via Getty Images)

The Ivory Coast midfielder was a part of AS Monaco during the 2006-07 season, playing a total of 27 matches and scoring 5 goals.

Notable Mentions

Some of the notable mentions who were a part of AS Monaco include Emanuel Adebayor, Lilian Thuram, Takumi Minamino, Abdou Diallo, Benjamin Mendy and Ludovic Giuly.

Which player do you think was the most successful? Comment down your replies.

Categories: Sports360

Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal: A rivalry for the ages

By Sports Analyst December 6, 2022 0

A great rivalry makes a sport more interesting, and there is no denying that. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have single-handedly divided the football world into two halves. Every sport needs a classic rivalry to make the game better, and Tennis has its own in the name of Federer and Nadal.

However, Federer and Nadal are a different breed of rivals, unlike competitors in any other sport. While the two legends used to go for each other’s throats on the tennis court, the world saw both of them shredding tears together when Roger Federer played his last official tennis match in September 2022.

Arguably, the two greatest tennis players of the modern generation re-defined athleticism, longevity and rivalry. They made each other better while entertaining millions of their fans. The tussle, which went on for 18 years, ended in 2022, but it has given the world of tennis so much to talk about. Let’s have a look at one of the greatest opponents in the history of tennis, the “Federer-Nadal” story.

Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal: A rivalry for the ages

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer played each other for the first time in 2004 in the third round of the Miami Masters. A 17-year-old Rafael Nadal, who was ranked 34 at that time, managed to beat no.1 ranked Roger Federer in straight sets. Rafael Nadal became an overnight sensation, and that’s how it all began.

Creator: Clive Brunskill Copyright: 2017 Getty ImagesNadal and Federer faced each other a total of 40 times, with Nadal leading 24–16 overall, which includes 14–10 in finals. Out of the 40 matches played between them, 20 were played on a hard court, 16 on clay, and a total of 4 matches on grass.

Nadal leads Federer (14–2) on clay and (8–6) on outdoor hard court. Federer leads Nadal (3–1) on grass and (5–1) on an indoor hard court. Nadal leads Federer 3-1 at the Australian Open and 6–0 at the French Open, while Federer has the upper hand at Wimbledon (3-1). Nadal and Federer have faced each other a total of 14 times in majors, with Nadal leading 10–4.

Rafael Nadal ranks no.1, while Roger Federer ranks no.3 on the men’s all-time list for the most major singles titles. Rafael Nadal has won a total of 22 major titles, while Roger Federer has claimed 20 to his name. Novak Djokovic is second on the list with 21 titles. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have shared a total of 11 consecutive majors between them, from the 2005 French Open to the 2007 US open.

Federer and Nadal are the only duos to finish as the top two ranked players for six consecutive calendar years on the ATP Tour, from 2005 to 2010. The 2008 Wimbledon final game between Federer and Nadal is touted as the greatest match to be ever played in the history of Tennis. 2005 Miami Open final, 2006 Italian Open final, 2007 Wimbledon final, and 2009 Australian Open final are some of the other matches between these two, which are considered to be the epitome of Tennis.

As Nadal won the first match between the two, Roger Federer won the last match played against the Spaniard in the Semi-finals of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships. It can be rightly said the greatest tennis rivalry on earth was started by Nadal but ended by Federer. Poetic.

What did Rafael Nadal say about Roger Federer’s retirement?

“Someone I have admired, who I have rivalled, and also I have shared many beautiful things on and off the court was leaving. In that sense, all those moments, those feelings you have before playing a final of a grand slam, of an important tournament, everything that was in the air before those matches. It was different from other matches.

You know you’re not going to live that again, and a part of my life left with him [when he retired]. It was also the emotion of saying goodbye to someone who has been so important to our sport.”

My time will come when it has to come. “I’m quite prepared for my next life outside tennis. I don’t think it’s going to be a problem for me beyond what will be an adaptation to the changes. My life has things equally or more important than tennis.”

What did Roger Federer say about Rafael Nadal after his retirement?

“It showed once again what we mean to each other and how much respect we have for each other. The feeling of having a tough rivalry but still showing: It’s just tennis – also a sign that both wanted to set. “It was an incredible effort from Rafa, and I will never forget what he did for me in London.”

Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer (all matches)

2019 Wimbledon (winner: Roger Federer)

2019 Roland Garros (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2019 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Roger Federer)

2017 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Roger Federer)

2017 Australian Open (winner: Roger Federer)

2015 Basel Switzerland (winner: Roger Federer)

2014 Australian Open (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2013 ATP Finals (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2013 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2012 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Roger Federer)

2012 Australian Open (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2011 ATP Finals (winner: Roger Federer)

2011 Roland Garros (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2011 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2010 ATP Finals (winner: Roger Federer)

2010 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2009 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Roger Federer)

2009 Australian Open (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2008 Wimbledon (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2008 Roland Garros (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2008 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2007 Tennis Masters Cup (winner: Roger Federer)

2007 Wimbledon (winner: Roger Federer)

2007 Roland Garros winner: Rafael Nadal

2007 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Roger Federer)

2007 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2006 Tennis Masters Cup (winner: Roger Federer)

2006 Wimbledon (winner: Roger Federer)

2006 Roland Garros (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2006 ATP Masters (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2006 Dubai (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2005 Roland Garros (winner: Rafael Nadal)

2005 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Roger Federer)

2004 ATP Masters 1000 (winner: Rafael Nadal)

Categories: Sports360

close-up-football-scene-night-match-with-player-red-uniform-kicking-fiery-ball-with-power

Footballers Who Didn’t Play For Their Birth Nation at the World Cup

By Sports Analyst December 5, 2022 0

It is a dream for every player to represent their country at the highest level. Playing for a top club is a major achievement, but nothing can match the ecstasy of representing one’s country at a major global event like the FIFA World Cup. From a rookie to a legend, no footballer will ever want to miss the opportunity to play for their national sides. However, not every player gets the national call, and sometimes they are forced to change their nationality just for the sake of playing at the international level.

Players are left with no options but to represent other countries due to a lack of opportunities on their national side. Many players opt for a stronger nation that has a better chance of winning a major trophy. Almost 16 percent of the players are representing other countries in the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Let’s look at some of the big names from the list.

Players who don’t play for their birth nation at the FIFA World Cup

1) Kalidou Koulibaly

DOHA, QATAR – NOVEMBER 29: Kalidou Koulibaly of Senegal controls the ball during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group A match between Ecuador and Senegal at Khalifa International Stadium on November 29, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Matteo Ciambelli/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Born: France

Representing: Senegal

The Chelsea superstar was born in Saint-Die-des-Vosges, France but plied his trades with Senegal at the international level. Koulibaly was born in a Senegalese household that allowed him to represent either France or Senegal on the national level; the centre-back chose the latter.

Interestingly, Koulibaly represented France at the 2011 U20 World Cup in Colombia. However, he later decided to switch sides and started his international career with Senegal in September 2015.

2) Pepe

MADRID, SPAIN – JUNE 04: Pepe of Portugal reacts during the international friendly match between Spain and Portugal at Wanda Metropolitano stadium on June 04, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Born: Brazil

Representing: Portugal

Pepe has been the backbone of the Portuguese national team for 15 years now. The 39-year-old became the second oldest outfield player in the history of the World Cup after representing Portugal against Uruguay in the 2022 World Cup group stages. However, Pepe could have played for Brazil as he was born in Marceio.

According to Pepe’s father, the former Real Madrid centre-back refused the opportunity to represent Brazil in 2006 when he was offered the chance by the Brazilian coach Dunga. Nevertheless, Pepe made history with Portugal after winning UEFA Euro 2016.

3) Alphonso Davies

Picture Credit:
Creator: Vaughn Ridley
Copyright: 2021 Vaughn Ridley

Born: Ghana

Representing: Canada

The Bayern Munich starlet could have represented Ghana, but Canada left no stone unturned to grab the raw talent. The Canada national team signed him up for their U15 team. Davies was born in Buduburam and was a Liberian citizen by birth.

4) Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

ROME, ITALY – MAY 21: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of SS Lazio greets the fans at the end of the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Hellas Verona FC at Stadio Olimpico on May 21, 2022 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Silvia Lore/Getty Images)

Born: Spain

Representing: Serbia

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was born in Lleida, Spain. Sergej’s father, Nikola Milinkovic, played for UE Lleida. However, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic decided to represent Serbia. Milinkovic-Savic has been a crucial part of the Serbian national team.

5) Giovanni Reyna

SWANSEA, WALES – NOVEMBER 12: USA player Giovanni Reyna beats Chris Gunter to the ball during the international friendly match between Wales and the USA at Liberty Stadium on November 12, 2020 in Swansea, Wales. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Born: England

Representing: USA

Giovanni Reyna has already made a name for himself at the young age of 20. However, not many people know that the Borussia Dortmund academy graduate was born in Sunderland, England. Giovanni Reyna’s father, Claudio Reyna, played for Sunderland FC. However, the Reyna family moved back to the USA when Giovanni was just 5 years old. Giovanni Reyna later joined the USA national team.

6) Raheem Sterling

2JCDP43 11 Jun 2022 – England v Italy – UEFA Nations League – Group 3 – Molineux Stadium
Raheem Sterling during the match against Italy.
Picture Credit : © Mark Pain / Alamy Live News

Born: Jamaica

Representing: England

Raheem Sterling is one of the most established English footballers of the modern generation. He is a regular starter for Gareth Southgate in the English side as he is a very critical part of the Three Lions in their 2022 Qatar World Cup campaign.

However, Sterling was born in Kingston, Jamaica and not in England. Nevertheless, his family moved to England when he was just five and made it to the top of the English football scene with the abundance of talent he holds.

7) Luuk de Jong

Netherland’s forward Luuk de Jong warms up before the UEFA EURO 2020 Group C football match between North Macedonia and the Netherlands at Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam on June 21, 2021. (Photo by Peter Dejong / POOL / AFP) (Photo by PETER DEJONG/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Born: Switzerland

Representing: Netherlands

Luuk de Jong is as Dutch as any Dutch can get, just going by his name. Interestingly, the former Barcelona striker was born in Aigle, Switzerland. However, Luuk de Jong was very sure about representing the Netherlands from the start and earned his first senior team call in 2011. Luuk de Jong has scored 8 goals in his 28 appearances for the Netherlands.

8) Eric Choupo-Moting

TOPSHOT – Cameroon’s forward #13 Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group G football match between Cameroon and Serbia at the Al-Janoub Stadium in Al-Wakrah, south of Doha on November 28, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Born: Germany

Representing: Cameroon

Eric Choupo-Moting has been the key striker for Bayern Munich since Robert Lewandowski left for Barcelona in the summer of 2022. Choupo-moting has spent a large chunk of his career in Germany, the country where he was born. However, as unrealistic as it sounds, Choupo-Moting decided to play for Cameroon in 2010 and has been representing the country since then.

Other Players who didn’t represent the country they were born in

Simone Perrotta

Born: England

Represented: Italy

Mauro Camoranesi

Born: Argentina

Represented: Italy

Eduardo Da Silva

Born: Brazil

Represented: Croatia

Marcos Senna

Born: Brazil

Represented: Spain

Lukas Podolski

Born: Germany

Represented: Poland

Eusebio

Born: Mozambique

Represented: Portugal

Deco

Born: Portugal

Represented: Brazil

Diego Costa

Born: Brazil

Represented: Spain

Alfredo Di Stefano

Born: Argentina

Represented: Spain

Marcel Desailly

Represented: France

Born: Ghana

Miroslav Klose

Born: Poland

Represented: Germany

Patrick Vieira

Born: Senegal

Represented: France

John Barnes

Born: Jamaica

Represented: England

Categories: Sports360

7 cricket records that won’t be broken anytime soon

By Sports Analyst December 2, 2022 0

“Records are made to be broken”, true! but not all can be broken. Imagine someone breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 international centuries. Some records are just too good to be true; those can just be acknowledged but can not be shattered. Now, do you think any athlete will ever be able to break Usain Bolt’s record of 9.69 seconds? Sounds impossible to us and a lot of scientists who recently studied his transcendent record. Like in any other sport, many cricketing records are next to impossible to be beaten. Let’s have a look at it.

7 Unbreakable cricket records:

1) Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 international centuries

This record by Sachin Tendulkar tops our list. No batter can even come close to this record, be it the Indian legend Virat Kohli itself. At one point, everyone was convinced that Virat Kohli might break this record, but it now looks like a long shot. Sachin Tendulkar scored 100 centuries in a total of 782 innings, a feat no cricketer can imagine achieving.

Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar raises his helmet in the air to celebrate scoring a century during the Tri-Nation Championship Trophy final One Day International (ODI) match between India and Sri Lanka at The R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 14, 2009. Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first. AFP PHOTO/Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI. (Photo credit should read LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP via Getty Images)

Sachin Tendulkar’s record came with time and pure dedication for the sport. The “God of Cricket” played the sport for 24 years and gave every inch of his soul to build record after record. Virat Kohli and Ricky Ponting are second on the list with 71 centuries each.

Most International centuries:

Sachin Tendulkar: 100
Virat Kohli: 71
Ricky Ponting: 71
Kumar Sangakkara: 63
Jacques Kallis: 62

2) Rohit Sharma’s 264 vs Sri Lanka

Now, this is one of those records which comes once in a lifetime. Indian ace Rohit Sharma faced 173 balls, smashed a total of 42 boundaries, and amassed 264 individual runs in a one-day match; that’s incredible.

Photo Credit: cricket Addictor Hindi

Rohit Sharma looked like a beast on the pitch, and the Sri Lankan bowlers had no answers to his prowess that day. To spend an entire day on the pitch and get to this total is not something that happens regularly.

Highest ODI scores by an individual:

Rohit Sharma (264) v Sri Lanka, 2014
Martin Guptill (237*) v West Indies, 2015
Virender Sehwag (219) v West Indies, 2011
Chris Gayle (215) v Zimbabwe, 2015
Fakhar Zaman (210*) v Zimbabwe, 2018
Rohit Sharma (209) v Australia 2013
Rohit Sharma (208*) v Sri Lanka 2017
Sachin Tendulkar (200*) v South Africa 2010
Charles Coventry (194*) v Bangladesh 2009

3) Sir Don Bradman’s 3-over century

It is said that the great Don Bradman once scored a 3-over century in a match between Lithgow and Blackheath in 1931. The report further reads that 32-year-old Sir Bradman scored 100 runs in a span of just 18 minutes. However, in 1931, a single over consisted of 8 deliveries. So this is how it happened.

One of The Best Cricketer Sir Don Bradman

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The abovementioned match was being held in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales. Bill Black, a local bowler, came on to bowl for Lithgow. Bradman thrashed Bill Black for a total of 33 runs in the very specific over. The over read- 66424461. The Australian ace kept the strike in the next over as he took a single off Black’s last ball. Horrie Baker was the new bowler for Lithgow. Don Bradman smashed Baker for a total of 40 runs (64466464). Black was bought into the action again as Bradman completed his century in that very specific over. Black went for 16611446 in his last over.

4) Rohit Sharma’s 3 ODI double hundreds

There are only 6 players in the history of cricket who have scored 200 or more runs in the ODI format. Rohit Sharma is the only player who has achieved this massive feat more than once. In fact, the Indian superstar has scored 200+ runs a total of 3 times in the one-day format.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 31: Rohit Sharma of India hits runs during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match between India and NZ at Dubai International Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

It is an incredible achievement, and we don’t think any player can break this record of Rohit in the coming future. Rohit Sharma has scored double hundreds against Australia and Sri Lanka (twice against the Lankans). Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Martin Guptill, Chris Gayle, and Fakhar Zaman are the other players to score double hundreds in ODI.

5) Wilfred Rhodes’ career spanning 30 years

Sachin Tendulkar is known for his longevity and admired for his ever-lasting form. However, one player has had a bigger career than Sachin Tendulkar. We are speaking about the English all-rounder Wilfred Rhodes who enjoyed a career of 30 years. Rhodes played around 1110 first-class games and scored 39969 runs, including 58 centuries. Rhodes also clinched a total of 4204 wickets in first-class cricket. Rhodes made his debut against Australia on 1st June 1899 and played his last game against West Indies on 3 April 1930.

6) Dr. Willian Grace becomes captain at the age of 50

Dr. William Gilbert Grace captained England at the age of 50, and we think this record is never going to get broken. Dr. Grace captained England against Australia at the age of 50. The modern-day cricketers consider retirement in their early 30s to forget captaining a side at the age of 50.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Dr. William Gilbert Grace has held this record since 1899, and it looks like it will be the same for centuries to come. Gubby Allen is the 2nd oldest captain in the history of cricket, who captained England against the West Indies in 1948. Gubby Allen was 45 years old at that time.

Oldest captains in cricket:

WG Grace (50y 320d) England v Australia
GOB Allen (45y 245d) England v West Indies
WR Hammond (43y 279d) England v New Zealand
W Bardsley (43y 233d) Australia v England
Misbah-ul-Haq(42y 351d) Pakistan v West Indies

7) Bapu Nadkarni’s 21 consecutive maiden overs

Indian spinner Rameshchandra Gangaram Nadkarni holds the record for bowling 21 maiden overs in a row. Rameshchandra Gangaram Nadkarni, who was also known as Bapu, achieved this feat against England on January 12, 1964, in Madras. No one has come close to this excellent spell by Bapu.

He bowled 27 maidens out of his 32 overs in that specific spell against England. He allowed only 5 runs in his 32 overs. Bapu played a total of 41 Tests between the years 1955 and 1968, in which he took 88 wickets and scored 1414 runs.

So, these were the top 7 cricket records which won’t be broken anytime soon. Please let us know in the comments section which records besides the one listed above won’t be beaten by any cricketer soon.

Categories: Sports360

How Pep Guardiola transformed Manchester City into a giant

By Sports Analyst December 1, 2022 0

“Sometimes you have a noisy neighbour. You cannot do anything about that. They will always be noisy” is what the great Sir Alex Fergusen had to say about Manchester City back in 2009. 13 years later, Manchester City changed their status from the “noisy neighbours” to the dominant ones. Manchester City has won 4 of the last 5 Premier League titles, which might give an idea about their dominance in recent times. What changed? The answer is simple, Josep “Pep” Guardiola Sala.

Many might argue that the “Oil Money” is the real reason behind City’s recent success. But that’s not it; a stat shows that Chelsea and Manchester United have also spent close to Manchester City in the last decade, but the returns have not been the same. Pep Guardiola joined Manchester City in 2016 and took no time to take over the Premier League. Let’s have a look at how Pep Guardiola transformed Manchester City.

How Pep Guardiola transformed Manchester City into a giant?

Before Pep Guardiola, there was Manuel Pellegrini, who enjoyed a successful run of 3 years at the helm of Manchester City. During his term, Pellegrini won a Premier League title in the 2013-14 season and two Carabao Cups. However, Pellegrini faced a fair share of tactical problems as he went through long spells of sticking to the same formation despite poor results.

Pep Guardiola took over an ageing City squad that lacked pace and couldn’t press aggressively. Manchester City initially wanted to sign Pep Guardiola in 2012 but missed out on the deal as the Spaniard went on to lead Bayern Munich in Germany.

However, Manchester City was well prepared to sign Pep Guardiola in 2017. The Blues got in some major names from Barcelona, with whom Pep Guardiola was comfortable working in the past. Man City signed Ferran Soriano as their CEO, Txiki Begiristain as their Director of football, and Dr. Mauri to make Pep Guardiola feel at home in Manchester.

Pep Guardiola was arguably one of the best managers in the world with his legendary run with Barcelona and Bayern Munich. However, many of the English media were not convinced whether his methodologies would work in the Premier League. Nevertheless, Pep answered all their queries.

2016-17

Pep Guardiola identified some major setbacks in the City squad as soon as he arrived at the club. They had an old squad under their belt. In fact, only Watford, Stokes, and West Brom had higher average squad ages than Manchester City. Adding to that, Pep Guardiola was not happy with some of the names in the squad who didn’t suit his playing style.

Wilfried Bony was not technically strong. Joe Hart and Eliaquim Mangala were not good enough on the ball. And as per reports, Manchester City’s superstars Yaya Touré and Samir Nasri didn’t have the required discipline to be in Pep Guardiola’s team.

Pep Guardiola bought in players like Ilkay Gundagon, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Nolito, Leroy Sane, Claudio Bravo, and Gabriel Jesus in his very first season. At the same time, Guardiola got rid of players like Mangala, Jovetic, Martín Demichelis, Nasri, Joe Hart, J Navas, and Bony. Guardiola let go of the ageing players and replaced them with some of the best young talents in the world at that time.

However, despite some major changes, Pep Guardiola still struggled to find his best XI in his first season. He used a total of 8 different formations in 38 matches. However, City saw some major improvements in Pep’s first season itself. Guardiola’s side scored more goals, allowed fewer goals, and kept more possession than Pellegrini’s.

Having said that, Pep Guardiola didn’t win any silverware with Man City in his first season and finished 3rd in the Premier League. It was a decent season, but there was still pressure mounting over Guardiola as he was accused of not adapting to the style of the Premier League.

What did Pep Guardiola say about the start he got in his first season?

“Yeah. I don’t know what would have happened had we not been able to win the games. I can assure you something, my players always run. And after that, we must try to play as well as possible to achieve the result and win the games. But first is to play good, and to play good, you have to run, and I was pretty sure we could do that. In some moments, we played really well; it’s just the quality of the intelligence of these players.”

“You can make a training session; you can say this or that. Some understand quickly; some need more time. Most get it quickly. That is why we are a little surprised about how fast, in some moments, we have been in our three games: we played really well. Not for 90 minutes – that is not normal – but how stable they [the players] are. In terms of full games, we have to improve a lot.

“Yesterday I saw the game v Stoke City again and thought about many things we must improve. But in the short time, we have spent together, we have made many good things. That is why I am confident that it will remain this way and we will have solidarity and help each other. We can achieve good things.”

2017-18

However, Pep Guardiola didn’t waste time rejuvenating Manchester City’s squad. Pep got talents like Ederson, Bernardo Silva, Danilo, Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy, and Aymeric Laporte in the very next transfer window. And with that, Manchester City transferred out players like Nasri, Nolito, Sagna, Bony, Clichy, Iheanacho, and Kolarov. With this transformation, Man City became the 6th youngest squad in the league.

Pep Guardiola had the team he needed to begin his supremacy in English football. Pep Guardiola won his first Premier League title with City in his second season with 100 points on the table. Man City were 29 points clear of the second-placed Manchester United in that very specific season. Manchester City asserted their hold in the upcoming seasons and went on to win 3 out of the 4 league titles.

Pep Guardiola built and created one of the best teams in the history of the Premier League. However, he still has one trophy missing from his cabinet: the Champions League. He had come close to winning the Champions League in 2021 but eventually lost to rivals Chelsea in the final.

With the inclusion of Erling Haaland this season, we might see Pep Guardiola achieving his long-lasting dream of winning the Champions League trophy since 2011.

Trophies won by Manchester City since Guardiola became their manager;

Premier League (2017/18, 2018/19 and 2020/21)
The FA Cup (2018/19)
The League Cup (2017/2018, 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21)
The FA Community Shield (2018/19 and 2019/20)

Categories: Sports360

Top 10 Female Tennis Players you must know about

By Sports Analyst November 29, 2022 0

In the matter of women and sports, the world has witnessed that “tennis” has an extremely important role to play with its record of great accomplishments and achievements as well.

Talking about the past few decades, various iconic & exemplary female tennis players have been highly successful in creating history with their outstanding performances & procurement!

There have been a wide number of excellent female tennis players till today. Some of them are known to dominate the sport for a really long period of time, and others have achieved greater success in respective contests or Grand Slams.

Well, for us, deciding on the top 10 greatest female tennis players was an extremely difficult job to do! As we know, there have been numerous tennis players serving their countries with glory & utmost pride in the history and even today.

In this blog post, we will read about the greatest female tennis players and how they have successfully left their mark on the sport and continue to encourage new generations worldwide!

Let’s not wait any longer!! Here we go…

Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza, I mean, who doesn’t know this name? Even words will fall short of explaining her achievements. She is unquestionably India’s best female tennis player ever! Santa Mirza has been an inspiration to billions of females in India and across the globe as well.

HOBART, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 17: Sania Mirza of India prepares to serve during her semi final doubles match against Maria Bouzkova of Czech Republic and Tamara Zidansek of Slovakia during day seven of the 2020 Hobart International at Domain Tennis Centre on January 17, 2020 in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

She has won 6 Grand Slam Titles and is the first Indian Female Player to win a Grand Slam of any kind! Additionally, in 2013, she was ranked No. 1 in her doubles career. She is the only Indian who entered the top 100 WTA singles rankings, being at World No. 27.

She has also done commendable work in many multi-national matches, as she has won medals in the singles & doubles categories and the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and the Afro-Asian Games.

Serena Williams

She is known as the strongest & influential female tennis player and has inspired millions of us throughout her journey. Serena, as well as her sister Venus Williams, have proved to be a dominant force in the sport of tennis since the late 90s. They both have won fourteen Grand Slam Doubles titles, which is commendable. Serena Williams, at present, holds the “Open Era Record” for Grand Slam Singles Titles by a tennis player as she owns 23 Grand Slam Singles titles, including the 2017 Australian Open.

The world has seen that Serena’s game has clearly withstood the ordeal of time, hard work, competition, and commitment. The achievement of owning the Grand Slam titles came over an 18-year long period, starting from 1999, with her latest win at the 2017 Australian Open.

Out of competitive tennis for most of 2017, while pregnant, Serena reached 4 Grand Slam finals without securing that coveted 24th title to tie Margaret Court before retiring after the 2022 US Open. The point can now be brought in to raise up Serena Williams to be the most remarkable tennis player of all time!

Martina Navratilova

She was considered to be one of the toughest competitors by many players out there. Martina Navratilova dominated the sport of women’s tennis from the late 1970s to the 1980s. She is specifically known for her intense physical activity. Plus, she got the big serve & volley back to the sport.

Moreover, she made the Open Era record for career titles, holding 167 of them, and also has 59 Grand Slam titles, which comprise singles, doubles, & mixed doubles! Isn’t it incredible? You must know that Martina Navratilova also possesses the record for career Wimbledon titles with an extraordinary nine titles.

Karman Thandi

Karman Thandi is known to be one of the very few Indian tennis singles players to reach the top 200 of the WTA rankings. She was the sixth tennis player who has been successful in doing so! On 20th August 2018, Karman Thandi caught up with her career high-ranking of 196, which was amazing. At present, she holds the rank of 447 and owns 107 points to her credit. On 23rd June 2018, the 24-year-old achieved the maiden singles title in the $25k Hong Kong tournament.

Plus, in the Fed Cup, she was one of the players to represent India. She also retains a win-loss track record of 3-6 in singles in this specific tournament. Karman Thandi is known to be the first tennis player since Sania Mirza to gain a victory in a WTA main draw match. At the 2018 Jiangxi International Women’s Tennis Open, she won against Lu Jiajing.

Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf, having a 17-year-long career, became an inspiration for so many people all over the world. Her record of ranking number 1 for continuous 377 in the world is a history for any player, be it male/female.

In the year 1988, Steffi held the position of the first player to accomplish what is considered as the calendar year Golden Slam by gaining a victory in all four majors, along with the Olympic Gold Medal in the same year! If we observe, no one was better than Graf from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s.

Rutuja Bhosale

Rutuja Bhosale, who hails from Maharashtra, is one of the most talented and skilful Indian tennis players! She actually had blown away everyone with her performance as a junior tennis player. She is best known for her achievement of securing the 55th rank as a junior competitor, and she also holds four titles on the ITF circuit.

Rutuja Bhosale is at present ranked 476 on the WTA circuit. But she has dropped more than a hundred spots because previously, she was ranked at 342. Nevertheless, if you look at her career graph, then you will observe that her doubles career has proliferated in the past few years.

Margaret Court

A lot of experts out there believe that Margaret Court is one of the best tennis players of all time! She has made an outstanding record of 24 Grand Slam Singles titles, so it’s hard to deny experts’ beliefs, right? Margaret Court has an astonishing record of 62 major tiles, including 19 doubles and 19 mixed doubles.

In the year 1970, Court was the first ever woman who was in the Open Era to win the singles Grand Slam. Plus, she is the only female (other than Daniela Hantuchova) to win a Grand Slam in mixed doubles, and she won it twice! Also, Margaret Court was the first ever female to integrate weights and fitness training into her daily routine to enhance her skills.

Ankita Raina

Next is Ankita Raina, a 29-year-old tennis professional from Ahmedabad. She is one of the most successful and inspiring Indian women’s tennis players. She has been quite amazing in slowly climbing the ranks and going after the footsteps of none other than “Sania Mirza” as she has also achieved the titles in the ITF circuit, with an excellent record of 18 doubles titles and 11 singles titles.

Ankita Raina has also won the title on the WTA tour and one at the contests in the WTA 125K series. She is even defined as one of the best Indian female tennis players because she is only the 6th Indian ever to embark on the WTA Top 200 in singles. Moreover, in 2021, she also cracked up in the Top 100 in doubles.

Chris Evert

Chris Evert, have you heard of any player more graceful on the tennis court than her? No, right! In the 1970s & 1980s, with her two-handed backhand shot, she successfully dominated the sport of tennis. Chris Evert is one of the players who still holds the track record for catching up with the most Grand Slam singles finals with 34.

Chris Evert attends the 30th Annual Chris Evert Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic at Boca Raton Resort & Club on November 22, 2019 in Boca Raton, Florida.

She actually won 18 titles which also includes all of the majors twice. Chris Evert was proven to be the number one player in the world continuously for seven years, and moreover, she had a career-winning percentage in singles tournaments of over ninety percent.

Rushmi Chakravarthi

Rushmi Chakravarthi is a former Indian tennis player with a record of winning 52 ITF titles, which are the most titles by any Indian tennis player to date. She started her career in 2005 and has only featured in two WTA matches.

In the year 2003, she won a total of four medals at the Afro-Asian Games; her performance was applaudable as, two of which included gold medals. In the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Rushmi won the bronze medal in doubles along with Sania Mirza.

All these tennis players are regarded as the most excellent female tennis players in the world. They have all stretched for a really long career; it’s quite remarkable that these female tennis players have all excelled in their own ways, and all of them will always be remembered for their precious contribution to the field of sport.

Their legacy and hard work shall never be ignored or forgiven, as each one of them laid the foundations for so many women across the globe and also for all our future generations!

Categories: Sports360

How to take care of your badminton racket?

By Sports Analyst November 23, 2022 0

The racquet is the most important tool for a badminton player. Every player, be it a professional-level athlete or just a beginner, needs to take care of their racquet to maintain their form. It is very difficult to find the perfect badminton as per your strengths and weakness. Adding to that, a good quality badminton racquet does not come for cheap. So taking utmost care of the racquet is very important.

Changing the strings of the racquet and keeping the badminton clean is one of the few steps to maintain it. However, there are a couple of other things as well which you need to learn in order to keep your badminton in top condition. If you learn these steps it will be easier to keep your racquet ready whenever a vital match is coming up.

1) Maintain the strings

Your badminton is only as good as its strings. To make your badminton give you 100% performance on the court, it is very crucial to change its strings at regular intervals. An uneven string tension or a broken string can put your entire effort on the drain. The strings are the first things to be checked in the racquets. You need to remember to constantly restring your badminton at regular intervals to ensure full use of the racquet. The string eventually becomes loose after a while. As advised by the experts, one should restring their racquet after every 2 weeks. However, it also depends upon one’s playing style.

2) Storage of the Racket

The lifespan of your racquet also depends majorly on how and where you store it. If you store your badminton casually with other equipment in a backpack, then your badminton will not be at your service for a longer period. Do not leave your badminton in humid conditions. Make sure to place your badminton in a cool dry room where it is cushioned properly. Keep your badminton in a bag of its own. Used a thermal-lined bag while travelling.

3) Replacing the Grommets

The grommets on a Badminton are the small black blocks of plastic that are placed around the corners of the racquet head. The strings are pierced through the grommets in order to protect the racquet head. The grommets basically act as a cushion between the frame and the string. The grommets should be replaced immediately once broken or it can damage the frame or the strings of the badminton.

The grommets usually break near the badminton’s head and body. The strings are in danger to come in direct contact with the frame of the racquets if the grommets are broken. You can increase the life of your strings by simply replacing the grommets on time. A stringer will let you know when it is the right time to change the grommets of your racquets.

4) Regular replacement of grip tape

A grip tape is essential to maintain your grip on badminton. After every game, the grip tape becomes weaker due to all the sweat in your hand. You should make sure to replace the grip tape every 1 to 2 months, which also depends on the level of your game. Remember to keep the badminton in a dry place before putting it back in the bag after every session.

5) Racket Frame

The frame is the most harmed part of badminton as it is always in danger of getting damaged. The frame can get damaged if the racquet is smashed on the ground while playing a shot or a smash. You might throw your badminton out of frustration which might also lead to damaging the frame. It is very important to fix the frame as soon as it gets damaged or it can cause you the entire badminton racquet.

6) Cracks on the frame

The cracks on the frame are one of the main reasons which shorten the durability of the badminton racquets. You should look for a crack where there are paint chips. If the impact of the damage is so powerful enough to create a crack, the paint will surely come off. The cracks on the frame are easy to notice as they occur as a thin black line on the frame. However, once the racquets are cracked it becomes difficult to string them.

7) Don’t exceed the specified tension

Keep an eye on the maximum allowed tension of our badminton when stretching the racquet strings. You need to make sure to remove every old string when they are broken and stretch them with new ones. Remember to not fix it by rejoining the cords as it will disrupt the racquet’s balance. Overstretched strings can cause warping, distortion or even result into the damaging the racquet.

Categories: Sports360

The History of Badminton

By Sports Analyst November 23, 2022 0

Crafted in the British India colony, the origination of Badminton tracks back to the mid-19th century. It was modernized in Asia in the 1800s but the origins of the sport go back 2000 years. Badminton is one of the most famous sports in the world, which is widely played in the Asian sub-continent and is amongst the top 10 most-watched sports in the world. Here is a brief history of badminton.

History of Badminton:

As mentioned above, Badminton was modernized in India by British Indian officers. Badminton was the improved version of the sport “battledore and shuttlecock”, battledore being an old term for the racquet. However, many different games involving shuttlecocks were being played across Eurasia for centuries. The name Badminton is derived from the Duke of Beaufort’s Badminton House in Gloucestershire.

In 1860, a London-based toy dealer who went by the name Isaac Spratt published a brochure with the title “Badminton Battledore- A New Game”. However, there is no copy of the booklet present in the world right now. The Cornhill Magazine published an article in 1863 which described badminton as “battledore and shuttlecock played with sides, across a string suspended some five feet from the ground”.

Badminton became hugely popular in India by the start of the 1870s. The game “Ball badminton”, in which a woollen ball was used instead of a shuttlecock, was known to be played in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu around the 1850s. The game “Ball Badminton” was played interchangeably with badminton by the expatriate British officers.

Badminton was famously known as Poonah or Poona across the town of Poona, Maharastra. It is also said that the first rules of Badminton were written in Poona around the year 1873. The game became so popular that the returning officers set up a badminton club in Folkestone, England.

Badminton became a part of the Summer Olympic sport in 1992 with four main events: men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, and women’s doubles. Mixed doubles were added to Summer Olympics in 1996.

Badminton Rules:

Badminton is a breakneck sport that involves a racket and a shuttlecock. Badminton can be played in singles or doubles. The main objective of Badminton is to put the shuttle on the opposition’s court over the net.

Basic Rules of Badminton:

In competitive matches, all games of badminton are played to a best of three.
A game of badminton can be played between two individuals (singles) or between 2 pairs of players (doubles).
Every match consists of 21 points.
When the score reaches 20-all, the player or the pair who bags a 2-point lead wins the game.
The player or the pair who wins the game serves first in the next one.
At the start of every rally, the server and receiver are supposed to be standing diagonally opposite service courts.
A serve is considered to be legal when it’s hit diagonally across the court over the net.
Unlike Tennis, the Badminton rules do not allow second serves.
A player can not touch the net with their racket, nor with any part of their body in the middle of the game.
A player can not intentionally distract their opponent.

Best tournaments in Badminton

1) BWF Thomas Cup

BWF Thomas Cup is touted as the oldest and the most esteemed badminton tournament in the world. The competition is also known as Men’s World Championship. BWF Thomas Cup is played between the male teams who are part of the BWF countries. The first BWF Thomas Cup was held in 1948. BWF Thomas Cup was played every three years until 1982, after which it is been played every two years.

2) BWF Uber Cup

BWF Uber Cup is the women’s edition of the Thomas Cup. The BWF Uber Cup is regarded as the Women’s World Cup. The BWF Uber Cup was founded in 1956 and is currently in its 26th edition.

3) BWF Sudirman Cup

The Sudirman Cup is the world championship between mixed teams. The Cup is played between the member countries of the BWF federations. The tournament is played every two years. It takes place in a different BWF country in each edition. The BWF Sudirman Cup was first played in the year 1989 in Indonesia. The winners of the competition are not awarded any cash prize as the sole purpose of the tournament is to play for the pride of their respective countries. However, the winner of the competition earns more points in the BWF world ranking.

4) BWF World Championship

The first BWF World Championship was played in 1977. The shuttlers participate and represent their respective countries in the competition with the aim of improving their rankings. The winners of the BWF World Championships are awarded the title of world champions and are given gold medals instead of cash price. BWF World Championship was initially played every once in three years until 1983, then the duration changed to 2 years till 2006. However, since 2006, BWF World Championship is being played every year.

5) World Grand Prix Finals

The first World Grand Prix Finals was played in 1983 in Indonesia. Till 2001, the competition was played every year in a different Asian country, which was associated with the International Badminton Federation (IBF). The tournament got cancelled after 2001. The main motive of the tournament was to award the best badminton players of the year. Only the top 8 ranked countries were invited to play in the tournament.

The best players in the history of the badminton

Lin Dan
Lee Chong Wei
Gao Ling
Taufik Hidayat
Rudy Hartono
Li Lingwei
Tony Gunawan
Morten Frost Hansen
Peter Gade
Han Aiping

The Strongest Countries in Badminton

China
Japan
Indonesia
Korea
Malaysia
Chinese Taipei
India
Thailand
Denmark
Hong Kong
Spain

Categories: Sports360

The best exercises to cool down after a badminton game

How to cool down after a Badminton game?

By Sports Analyst November 23, 2022 0

Giving importance to health has become a necessity in today’s age. What can be much better than getting involved in a sport covering all aspects of being healthy, fit, and good at something? That’s why those who play some kind of sport are always fit. Playing badminton requires immense strength and energy. Running around and hitting the shuttle makes the body exhausted. Playing this kind of sport can have a lot of advantages for the body, but there are certain aspects to keep in mind. Cooling down is a process that should be followed religiously after playing badminton, and the reasons are discussed further in the article.

What is a cooldown?

Those who have just started working out or playing an intense sport like badminton might find this term new. Cooling down is necessary after a session of a game or exercise to let the body feel relaxed. It is a workout that is usually slow compared to other ones. This lasts for only 5-10 minutes. It helps the body to reach back to a normal state as the heartbeat becomes regular.
Cool down usually consists of stretches and mild exercises. It aids people in getting ready for their next match once as they are now in a much better state to tackle it when they are comfortable.
To make your game better in badminton, it is essential to take precautions and follow the required cooldown techniques along with the others rather than just buying expensive equipment and getting disappointed if you see no results.
A workout session should be made correctly to see the effects on the body. Warm-up, exercise, and cooldown should be planned so that the body gets the right treatment.

The benefits of cooling down after a badminton game

Before doing anything, it is necessary to learn the reasons or benefits that the process involves, so people have logical reasoning behind performing it. People believe that cooling down after an intense exercise is unnecessary, or maybe are simply very lazy to do so because we all know how tough it is to push oneself for a workout and then a cool-down session may appear impossible, but while playing an intense sport like badminton, you must continually activate your muscles to support your body. A good cool down and stretch can help you perform better during the game. These are some of the advantages which are why cooldown is so essential after a game or workout.

1) Avoides damages

When engaging in the process of long and engaging matches, muscle tear is something that can happen to people. It is a painful experience that the body has to go through and may give nightmares to many. There is a way to ensure that it does not happen, and that is through doing the cooldown process. Those who end their day by not doing this can notice that they do not gain major benefits as opposed to those who religiously follow the cooldown exercises.

2) Regulates heartbeat

This is one of the major reasons why cooldown is essential to adapt to the schedule. The body may experience dizziness due to exhaustion or other reasons, and it can be dangerous if there is no one around to handle the person. To ensure that light-headedness does not happen after a game, cooldown can play a good role as it helps the body to get the heartbeat back to a regular rate.

3) No muscle cramping or stiffness

The reason for cramping and stiffness in the body is the accumulated lactic acid. Getting this is not a treat, as they can make a person scream in pain. To make sure that you do not experience any of it, cooldown stretches can be your option as they aid the body in releasing the acid faster. This leads the body not to slow down the process as it gets into recovery mode more quickly.

4) Stress release

Dopamine and serotonin are the hormones in the body that make a person happy. While doing these cooldowns, it is observed that these are released, which makes the body feel relaxed and gets rid of all the stress. You will surely feel your mood improving after finishing the session with a cooldown.

5) Good flexibility

Cooling down can make you believe that you see a positive change in your body as it helps with being more flexible. As mentioned above, any tear and back pain can be avoided by doing it. Having good flexibility can also impact your overall game, which is why these stretches are advised by experts as well.

6) Helps to meditate better

In cooling down it is advantageous if you hold the stretch that you are in for a longer time, this will help you to stay focused and aid your muscles lengthening in your body. Meditation also helps you to clear your mind and focus better which cool down provides. This may be a winning deal for players who have back-to-back matches as they can concentrate with a calm mind.

7) Regulation of blood flow

There is more blood pumped when the body engages in sports or exercise. Cool down gives veins the ability to regulate normal blood back to the body along with making sure that the blood pressure drops. According to the doctors, there are no negative effects that are found in the process of cooling down; it just has numerous benefits contributing to making players better at the game.

8) Reduces soreness

Nobody wants a sore body the next morning after playing an intense game as the soreness lasts for 2-3 days and forces you to stay in bed due to the discomfort that the body experiences. Stretching out can get rid of this soreness in no time as it helps in releasing the muscles and gives you instant relief.

What are some regular cooldown exercises?

These are some detailed cooldown exercises that people across the age can do. They are explained in a simple manner for better understanding. Carefully read the instructions so that you can experience how your body gets back to normal after engaging in it.

Seated foot forward

Sit on a yoga mat with your feet outstretched.
Put your arms up and go forward with it.
Hold your feet with your hands. You have to be in this position for a minute or as long as your body is comfortable and not experiencing any pain.

Downward facing dog

First, go into a plank position with your body. From here, you have to go up and down with your hips.
If you want to do this right, then it is crucial to keep the spine straight.
To distribute the weight of your body proportionally, spread your fingers widely.
Your legs have to be pedalled out and in. Your body must switch between an inverted “V shape” and go back to normal and plank position.
This should be done for a minute.

Butterfly stretch

Sit on the mat with your soles touching each other (if you want to make it more difficult, bend forward and try touching your head to the mat).
For a regular butterfly, stretch, erect your spine and take deep breaths, while you exhale you can let your body relax.
This stretch can be done for 2-4 minutes.

Other common cooldown exercises

Some of these exercises are self-explanatory, or there are tutorial videos that can be followed to look at how to do them. It is necessary to learn how to do them so that your body does not go through any accidents of tear and dislocation. People can look at some fun-cool-down exercises on the various internet platforms to make this end-session more exciting.

Toe touching
Shoulder-stretch
Lunge stretch
Child pose
Split toe touch
Floor touch
Side stretch

Easy exercises to follow

As we all know it gets difficult for someone who is older or in that case even younger for the above-mentioned stretches. For minors and older adults, it can be challenging to do some difficult cooldowns. These few stretches can make the process much easier.

Breathing

Breathing or even walking can be the easiest form of cooling down or stretching for such people.

Corpse position

Lie down on the mat with your arms alongside your body. Keep your feet facing upwards and not bent. Your palms must be open.
Feel relaxed by closing your eyes and letting all your body lose on the mat entirely. You do not have to hold any of the body parts tightly.
This position can be held for 5 minutes or more.

Arms circles

Extend your arms to the sides and keep them on shoulder level.
You have to move your arms forwards 8-10 times in circles. Do the same process backwards.

Follow these methods to give your body a much-deserving session of resting through this session! The next time you finish an intense game like playing badminton make sure to follow a cool-down routine. To revise the benefits that it has, the body gets back to how it was, it regulates the blood pressure, you feel more relieved and happier and you are more flexible than ever.

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History of Badminton:

Badminton Rules:

Best tournaments in Badminton

The best players in the history of the badminton

The Strongest Countries in Badminton

What is a cooldown?

The benefits of cooling down after a badminton game

What are some regular cooldown exercises?

Other common cooldown exercises

Easy exercises to follow

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