Nigeria’s table tennis team defeated hosts Australia 3-1 in the men’s team quarter-finals event at the ongoing Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. The Nigerian team had earlier defeated Belize 3-0 and Malaysia 3-1 respectively in their group games. In match 1, Bode Abiodun defeated Heming Hu 3-2 (11-9,10-12,11-4,8-11,11-8) while Olajide Omotayo lost 3-1 (9-11,11-6,7-11,8-11) to Xin Yan in match 2.
Novak Djokovic has split with his coach Radek Stepanek and also confirmed that he is no longer working with Andre Agassi. Djokovic, a 12-times grand slam winner, is battling back from a long injury lay-off and lost his opening match at the Miami Masters two weeks ago. Agassi said on Saturday that he was no longer working with the former world No 1, adding: “We far too often found ourselves agreeing to disagree.”
The Nigerian table tennis team began their campaign in the men’s Team – Group 4 at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia on a bright note by defeating Malaysia and Belize in their opening two ties on Thursday.
Olajide Omotayo defeated Chee Feng from Malaysia in three straight sets recording a 13-11, 15-13, 11-7 in his second match of the day.
Omotayo had earlier defeated Rohit Pagarani from Belize 11-4,11-2,11-2 in his first game.
Nigeria's table tennis coach Bello Nosiru is tipping Quadri Aruna to cope with the pressure of being favourite for gold at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Aruna is the highest ranking player competing at GC2018 and his coach is confident the 29-year-old will thrive under the bright lights.
Three-time champion and eighth seed Venus Williams has been knocked out of the Miami Open in the quarter-finals by qualifier Danielle Collins. The 24-year-old, ranked 93rd in the world, needed only one hour 29 minutes to come through 6-2 6-3 against fellow American Williams, 37, a seven-time Grand Slam winner.
Rafael Nadal could soon be making his return from injury after being included on Spain's team for the Davis Cup quarterfinals against Germany next month, according to ESPN. Nadal hasn't played since January, when a muscle injury in his left leg forced him to retire in the Australian Open quarterfinals.
