Nigeria Premier League

Wozniacki has ‘nothing to lose’ ahead of tennis comeback

Caroline Wozniacki has put in the hard yards ahead of her return to tennis, but she is not “stressing” or “worried” before finally stepping onto the court at the Canadian Open.

More than three years after “retiring” following her exit from the 2020 Australian Open, Wozniacki will make her comeback at the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal on Tuesday when she takes on Kimberly Birrell of Australian in the first round.

Since announcing in June that she is to return to the Tour, the former world No 1 has been getting in a lot of practice sessions to make sure she is ready – even playing against fellow Dane and world No 6 Holger Rune.

Although she is ready for the big match, Wozniacki refuses to put too much pressure on herself.

“Tennis-wise, I feel like I’m doing great in practice and it’s going to be just fine when I’m out there,” the 2018 Australian Open champion said. “So I’m not stressing. I’m not worried. It’s just about getting more and more matches in and the more I play the better I’m going to play. I hope that I’m going to be at my peak for the US Open.

“Realistically when you haven’t been on tour and haven’t played a match in so long, no matter how much you practice, how many practice sets you’ve done, you can never replicate being on a match court.”

During the past 43 months on the sidelines, the 33-year-old became a mother of two as she gave birth to her daughter Olivia in June 2021 before her son James joined the family in October the following year.

Travelling with young children is never easy, but Wozniacki and her husband David Lee are enjoying the challenge.

“It’s not easy logistically with having children and travelling with them and doing all of that, but it’s so worth it,” she said

“Olivia has had a blast so far, these last four or five days we’ve been here. I’ve experienced more of Montreal in these last five days than I have in the many times I’ve been here before. So it’s exciting for me too.”

As a former world No 1 and a Grand Slam champion, Wozniacki has already achieved a lot in tennis and her return is not too much about goals, but more about her love for the sport.

“At this point in my career and a lot of the players’ careers that have been on tour for a long time, you know how to play your game,” she said.

“You know what you need to improve on or what you’re doing great. But at the end of the day, a lot of it is mental and in important moments you need to be able to step up and play your best and not fear failure. You’ve got to want to take your opportunity to take your chances.

“I’m here. I’ve got nothing to lose. I have already done so much in my career and basically ticked off most of the goals that I had set. But I’m here because I love to compete. I love the sport, and I feel like I still have a lot to give to the sport. And doing it with the family just makes it so much more enjoyable.”

Nigeria Premier League

Rangers’ Coach Rues Defeat At El-Kanemi, Says My Boys Lost Concentration When It Mattered

Rangers International FC’s coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, attributed his team’s 2-1 defeat to El-Kanemi Warriors FC in Maiduguri on Wednesday to lapses in concentration within his defence.

The NPFL matchday 21 clash saw El-Kanemi secured the win at the El-Kanemi Stadium, Maiduguri.

Ilechukwu, who also serves as an assistant coach for the Nigerian national team, acknowledged his players’ overall performance but highlighted two critical moments of defensive inattentiveness that allowed El-Kanemi to score.

He expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a positive mindset and focusing on future achievements.

He described the current situation as a temporary setback and reassured fans that Rangers would soon return to winning form while urging his players to remain confident as they prepare for their next game against the high-scoring Ikorodu City.

El-Kanemi’s goals came from Nasiru Salihu, who scored in the 18th and 73rd minutes. Isaac Saviour scored the lone goal for Rangers in the 63rd minute.

Despite Rangers’ efforts to equalize, including the introduction of former World Cup star Michael Uchebo, El-Kanemi’s goalkeeper, Abine George, made crucial saves in extra time to secure the victory.

The win moved El-Kanemi Warriors into 4th place on the league table, while Rangers dropped to 6th.

Rangers will face Ikorodu City, who are currently 5th with the same number of points, at home on Monday, February 3, 2025, at 4:00 pm at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

Nigeria Premier League

Ogunmodede reflects on Emo Stars’ win over Abia Warriors

Emo Stars technical adviser Daniel Ogunmodede admitted his side was fortunate to secure a 3-2 victory over Abia Warriors in Ikenne on Wednesday.

Abia Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the first half, with goals from Ayodele Eziekel and Anthony Ijoma. However, Emo Stars responded with three goals from Olamilekan Adebayo, Jabbar Malik, and Franck Mawuena to clinch the win.

Ogunmodede acknowledged that his team had underestimated their opponents but managed to turn things around. “The game was tense and shocking in the first half on our home ground. Not every time you will be lucky against a great team we played against,” he said in the post-match interview.

“We underestimated the qualities of our opponent, and we were punished for it. But luckily, we identified the problem and readjusted to get the victory.”

Emo Stars will now aim to build on this win as they continue their campaign

Nigeria Premier League

Kano Pillars eye maximum points in midweek showdown with Ikorodu City

Kano Pillars are determined to secure all three points in their upcoming fixture against Ikorodu City in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The Sai Masu Gida will face Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Wednesday.

Usman Abdallah’s side is upbeat and focused ahead of the match, with the players in high spirits.

“Done and dusted with the shake-ups ahead of our NPFL25 Matchday 21 clash against Ikorodu City this Wednesday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos,” Kano Pillars wrote on X.

“The boys are in high spirits and determined to secure maximum points as we aim to continue our impressive run this season.”

Kano Pillars currently sit in eighth place on the league table with 28 points.