Djokovic crushes Nadal to retain Tour Finals title

 

Tennis | ATP

The message from Novak Djokovic could not have been more emphatic after the Serb retained his title at the ATP World Tour Finals with a crushing victory over Rafael Nadal on Monday.
Nadal deservedly ends the year on top of the rankings after an incredible comeback from injury but Djokovic delivered an ominous show of force at the O2 Arena, running the man who replaced him as world No 1 ragged.

It was a one hour, 36 minute masterclass in power and precision from Djokovic and if anything the 6-3 6-4 scoreline flattered Nadal, who spent most of the match dancing to his opponent's tune.

After a week of sell-out crowds at the spectacular Thames-side arena it was fitting that the world's top two players should meet for the 39th time in the most prolific rivalry in the modern era and one that is eclipsing the great battles between Nadal and Roger Federer.

Both players had won all their round-robin matches before cruising through Sunday's semifinals.
Nadal was bidding to land the title for the first time to cap a year that saw him roar back to the top of the rankings with 10 titles, including the US Open and French Open, while Djokovic was finishing the season like a runaway steamroller since losing to Nadal in the Flushing Meadows final.

Fifa replace Nigeria/Ethiopia official

Football | Ethiopia

The world football governing body Fifa have made changes to the officials lined up to handle the much anticipated much between hosts Nigeria who will be facing Ethiopia in the second leg of the World Cup 2014 playoff in Calabar.

Kenyan referee Aden Marwa Range will now replace Rwandese Felicien Kabanda who was assigned as the second assistant referee.

Training ground 'bug' upsets England’s plans

Football | England

A suspected stomach virus at the St George's Park national football centre means the England senior side will no longer assemble there on Tuesday ahead of friendlies against Chile and Germany.
England's Under-21s, who are preparing for Euro 2015 qualifiers against Finland and San Marino, were already at the Burton venue in central England but have now been moved to new accommodation.

The Football Association insisted it was merely taking a precautionary measure in removing staff, stressing no players had yet shown any signs of illness.
It is believed the virus was brought into the hotel from outside and the Football Association and Hilton acted immediately in taking the precautionary measure to remove players and staff.

"The FA has been advised of a suspected stomach virus that has been discovered on site at St George's Park and affected a small number of visitors over the weekend," said a statement issued Monday by English football's governing body.
"To date, the England Under-21 squad has not experienced any symptoms related to the virus. They have been on site since Sunday.

Division In ASUU Over Move To Call Off Strike

 

The hope that the four month old strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, may be called off this week, following President Goodluck Jonathan’s intervention last week, may be dashed as the 61 chapters of the union are divided over the move to call off the strike.

Italy names crack team for Nigeria friendly

 

Italy coach Cesare has named a 28-man strong squad ahead of the friendlies with Germany and Nigeria.

Italy host Germany in Milan on Friday and then travel to London where the Azzurri will meet Nigeria at Fulham’s Craven Cottage stadium next Monday.

Top on Prandelli’s list are Juventus’ Gianluigi Buffon, Thiago Motta of PSG, AC Milan’s Mario Balotelli, Daniele De Rossi of AS Roma and Angelo Ogbonna of Juventus, who gets a chance to face a team from his fatherland for the first time.

Zenit Saint Petersburg defender Domenico Criscito and Parma’s Marco Parolo are among the few fresh faces in the squad.

ASUU strike: Students hopeful of early resumption

 

Students holding a rally in support of the ASUU strike.

Many undergraduates are hopeful that the over four-month-old strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities may be called off this week.

Some of them who spoke to our correspondent on Monday said they look forward to resuming for academic activities, especially since some of them were preparing for their examination before the strike commenced.

A 400-Level Theatre Arts student of University of Abuja, Miss Ronke Adefalujo, said she was excited when she heard in the news that ASUU might call off the strike this week, because, according to her, she was preparing to sit for her final examination when the strike began.

She said, “I was to commence my final examination in August, before the strike began in July. In fact, the time table was already out, and I looked forward to graduating in September but that was not possible.

Mikel, Moses nominated for BBC award

 

Moses and Mikel

Nigeria’s duo of Mikel Obi and Victor Moses have been nominated for this year’s BBC African Footballer award alonside three other Africa’s best in the Eurpean leagues.

Ivory Coast’s Yaya Toure is making the shortlist for the fifth consecutive year, while Burkina Faso’s Jonathan Pitroipa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon complete the list.

The winner, who will be unveiled on December 2, will be decided by African football fans via SMS.

No player on this year’s shortlist, drawn up from votes by 44 journalists across Africa, has won the BBC award before and two – Pitroipa and Aubameyang – are the first nominees from their respective countries.

FG targets N32bn from private jet owners

Coordinating General Manager (Communications) for Aviation Parastatals, Mr. Yakubu Dati

The Federal Government will rake in about N32bn annually as luxury tax from owners and operators of private jets in Nigeria.

This is if the attempts by the government through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to impose luxury tax on private jet owners and operators sailed through.

The NCAA had in September directed the operators of private jets to pay the sum of $4,000 (N634,000) for every flight departure within the country.

FIFA assures Ghana over Cairo security

FIFA President, Sepp Blatter

FIFA assured Ghana officials on Monday that security “guarantees” are in place for next week’s World Cup playoff in Egypt. The assurance comes a day after police and fans clashed in Cairo at the African Champions League final.

Plans for the playoff were unchanged after FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke met Sports Minister Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi in Togo. Ghana leads 6-1 entering the second leg on Nov. 19.

Eagles stars in, head for Calabar

 

Shola Ameobi

Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi leads the list of Super Eagles players spotted in Nigeria on Monday as the camping resumes in Calabar for the final qualifying match against Ethiopia on Saturday. The PUNCH checks at the Metropolitan Transcorp Hotel in Calabar by 9.45pm on Monday confirmed that none of the foreign-based players had arrived in the city even though Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi and his assistants had already moved in days before the arrival date.