World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz ended Novak Djokovic’s hopes of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam to claim his maiden Wimbledon title in a five-set epic, 1-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 3-6 6-4.

The young Spaniard looked to be on his way to victory when he recovered from a nervous start to take a two-sets-to-one lead, only for Djokovic to show once again his remarkable powers of resilience.

It was he who appeared in the ascendancy at the start of the fifth set but back came 20-year-old Alcaraz to claim victory after four hours and 42 minutes, finally landing a meaningful blow for the young guns against the man 16 years his senior.

Just a 20-year-old living his dream ????????#Wimbledon | @CarlosAlcaraz pic.twitter.com/cQw3zWnLWs

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 16, 2023

Alcaraz slumped to the court after Djokovic’s final forehand dropped into the net before sharing a long embrace with the vanquished Serb.

Alcaraz, who has added Wimbledon to his US Open title, said: “Well it’s a dream come true for me. It’s great to win but even if I had lost I would have been really proud of myself, playing a final against a legend of our sport.

Sport.#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/c9tN67w9Do

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 16, 2023

“After the first set, I thought ‘hmmm… Carlos increase the level’. I have to congratulate Novak.

I started playing tennis watching you. When I was born you were already winning tournaments. But 36 is the new 26. It’s amazing.”

Spain’s King Felipe was in the royal box supporting his country’s new star.

The first man not named Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray to win the #Wimbledon Gentlemen's Singles since 2002.@CarlosAlcaraz ???? pic.twitter.com/RAzrGluV2q

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 16, 2023

The longtime FC Barcelona superstar and World Cup winner Lionel Messi was introduced as a new Designated Player for Inter Miami on Sunday night -- the culmination of a long process intended to bring the game's greatest player to North America.

Messi: "I have no doubt that we are going to have a good time"

But it wasn't easy. The unveiling saw delays due to storms in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Metropolitan Area, and it appeared for a time as if the ceremony would have to be postponed -- if not canceled altogether.

However, the league's biggest-ever transfer was indeed introduced as planned -- and it sounds like Messi is happy to form a part of Major League Soccer history.

Messi: "I have no doubt that we are going to have a good time"

Walking out in the rain at DRV PNK Stadium, Messi explained his happiness at having arrived in Miami and said he couldn't wait to get started.

"I want to thank all the people in Miami for this welcome, this affection since I arrived here. I am very excited to be with you," he said. "I want to thank Jose (Mas), Jorge (Mas), and David (Beckham) for this recognition, for making everything easy, for making us feel at home. I really want to start training, competing, I really want to win and for this club to keep growing."

Messi played the previous two seasons at PSG and was unable to add a fifth European Cup to his already-expansive trophy cabinet. Despite links with Saudi Arabia -- as well as a return to Barcelona --, the 36-year-old has opted for a fresh challenge in MLS, which is experiencing significant growth as it nears its 30th season.

"When David and I first met and we dreamt of what Inter Miami represents, it started off with the freedom to dream," principal owner Jorge Mas said Sunday. "And we dreamed of not only bringing elite players and the best players but the best player to ever don boots - and his name is Lionel Andrés Messi."

Messi, who also won La Liga 10 times, instantly becomes Major League Soccer's marquee player -- albeit on its worst team, which is hoping his arrival will correspond with an immediate surge up the standings.

"I hope that throughout the tournament you (the fans) will continue to accompany us," Messi continued. "Personally, I believe that my teammates are going to give everything to build this project and I am very happy to have chosen this city, have chosen this project I have no doubt that we are going to have a great time and we are going to experience very nice things."

Inter Miami gained a few thousand new supporters in the wake of the Messi announcement, and fans turned up in droves at DRV PNK Stadium to welcome the soccer legend on Sunday -- even though the weather was less than ideal.

"Tonight is a typical Miami welcome for one of the greatest players to ever have played the game," Beckham said. "The fact that we have our fans in here, celebrating this moment ... This is what we have created and we're very proud of that."

The fan culture at Inter Miami is becoming more solidified given it has shown an ability to attract players of Messi's stature -- as well as his longtime Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets, who was also introduced on Sunday night.

Inter Miami are also due to move into a new stadium by 2025, with hopes that more top-tier talent will accompany Messi as club leadership tries to engineer a dramatic turnaround.

Soource 234sportsng.com

Ghana’s female boxer, Dr. Ornella Sathoud has been awarded the Most Outstanding Boxer at the Vicente Shelito's Female Championship & Invitational Tournament

She represented the Albany Boxing Club and really beat her opponent, Jillian Pethroglia of Inferno Boxing Club 5-0 in the Middleweight division.

She is a key member of the Ghana Black Bombers who are preparing for the Africa Olympic boxing qualifiers slated for Dakar, Senegal in September.

According to the Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF) Communications Department, she is a very important member of the national team, and they are monitoring her progress in the USA.

They said Boxing must make a statement once again as the hope of the nation.

Jojo Ephson, PRO of the GBF said they wish more Ghanaian boxers will qualify at the Paris Qualifiers.

Meanwhile the National Individual championship in Accra for selection of the Black Bombers has been suspended due to hooligans who stormed the Sports Hall during the justification event.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The Netball Federation of Ghana on July 15th and 16th organised a successful annual national championship to select players for the national team at the Accra Sports Stadium tennis court.

The justify your inclusion programme saw a lot of budding talents and skilful players.

Seven (7) out of the Nine (9) teams expected for this championship battled it out for bragging rights and also for their players to be selected to feature in the upcoming 13th African Games and other international tournaments for Ghana.

Spice Girls, Blazing Hands, Future Stars, Hunters, Generations Netball Academy, Shalom, and GUSA were the teams that featured in this year's championship.

The recruitment exercise saw a single round robin and 4 teams made it to the semifinals namely, Hunters, Generation, Shalom, and GUSA.

Generations Netball Academy stole the show by beating Shalom 20-11 in the semifinals and booked a slot in the grand finale.

The second semifinal game was between Hunters from Winneba and Spices girls. Hunters had an easy game against Spices girls and booked a place in the finals

The GUSA select team played a 3rd and 4th place game against Shalom. A final scoreline of 15-12 secured team GUSA a 3rd place in this year's championship.

One of the tournament's favorite, Hunters from Winneba came face to face with Generations Netball Academy in the finale but could not survive Generations from the start of the game to the final whistle. 6-10 was the final scoreline in favor of Generations but Zita Mensah from Hunters Winneba was adjudged the best shooter with 93%.

In an interview with the media, President Rev. Nikoi highlighted the importance of the championship for the federation, the technical, and the playing body.

Rev. Nikoi seized the opportunity to call on corperate Ghana, stakeholders, and other benevolence out there to reach out to their federation and make the sport great again.

The General Secretary of the Federation Mr. Ernest Nana Owusu was impressed by the performance of the players, coaching, and umpires and called for more opportunities for them to get the exposure.

"Financial constraints are our major challenge and it affects the development and the growth of the game" the secretary added.

Some notable persons in the sports fraternity graced the two-day championship and include Madam Gloria Commodore, President of Women in Sports Association, Mrs. Joyce Mahama President of Women Sports Association of Ghana (WOSPAG), and Mr. Bawa Fusini of Ghana Athletics among others.

The two-day championship was heavily sponsored by the Ghana Olympics Committee and supported by some stakeholders.

By: Victoria Nana Adwoa Kwofie

Two time Ghana's Billie Jean King Cup coach Albert Arthur has been upgraded from ITF level 2 to level 3 by International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) license B certificate by the Association of ATP coaches led by Coach Alberto Castellani cementing Ghana's reputation in tennis coaching development.

The coaching event was organized by the Tunisia Tennis Federation with support from the ATP coaches Association at Hamamet Tunisia.

The award places coach Albert Arthur as the first Ghanaian to attain this coaching level.

Speaking to ghanatennis.org Mr. Albert Arthur expressed his happiness in achieving this, now  back in Ghana and is hoping the federation can organize a summary training to help more local coaches. He could assist with this.

He thanked the Tunisia Tennis Federation for providing the opportunity to do this course.

By Gabriel Amoakoh

Juvenile boxing star, Prince 'The Buzz' Larbie makes his movie debut alongside legendary Ghanaian actor, Fred Amugi

The WKU Women’s Initiative is a first of its kind initiative designed to create inclusiveness and gender diversity in combat sport.

We are focused on empowering, supporting, and providing equal opportunities to women in martial arts as well as bringing in new women into the sport.

The Canada-wide initiative offers seminars, keynote speaking events, charity alignment, workshops, and self-defence classes and other fundamental martial arts for women of all ages.

WKU is in over 70 countries.

Klaus Nonnemacher, the WKU President from Germany is in Ghana.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

The exciting MTN Ashantifest Soccer Festival Quarter-Final was played at Dechemso Otumfuo Park on 13th & 14th July 2023

In the first Quarter-Final match Ejisu beat Ashtown 1-0 with Evans getting the goal.

Quarter-final two resulted in a 1-1 draw between Dechemso 1-1 Amakom. The goals came from  Amos and Marvin Owusu. Dechemso won 4-3 on penalties

On Friday, 14th July 2023 Quarter-final 3 was played and Suame lost  0-2 to Kwadaso. The goals came from Emmanuel Duah and Emmanuel Owusu Boakye .

In the fourth Quarter-final, Santasi won by a lone goal from Stephen Owusu Banahene against Bantama.

The first Semi-Finals is on Friday, 21st July 2023 at the Dechemso Otumfuo Park between Ejisu and Kwadaso.

Semi-final 2 will another decider between Dechemso and Santasi

Overall top scorers are Emmanuel Owusu Boakye - 6 (Kwadaso), Richmond Antwi - 6 (Atonso), Alhassan Chibsah - 2 (Santasi), Tahiru Awudu - 2 (Ejisu), Lizarazu - 2 (Dechemso), Ramos - 2 (Dechemso).

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Jonathan Lamptey and Serlom Darko stole the show at African Open Martial Art and Combat Sports Tournament at the Korean Sports Complex in Tema on Saturday.

The two day event involved Taekwondo, Karate Do, Judo, Kickboxing and MMA.

Other best performers were Evelyn Dzato, Isaac Williams and Dallas Awenyese in Judo, Edmund Amoako, Emmanuel Agyei and Humu Yusif in Karate Do, Henritta Armah, Grace Amankwah, Angel Woizborn and Jemima Adu Donde in Taekwondo.

The Taekwondo Teams who exceled were Fighters, Stadium Club, Maxi Lane and WAM,

It was organized by WKU Ghana president Steavano Tuekpe.

He said “a beginning of everything has its end but most importantly a successful continues end. I want to thank everyone for making this event a success. WKU Ghana is proud to host another tournament soon,, The future is bright and athletes can be rest assured that their talents have boundless limits”

Winners got title belts for keeps, certificates, medals, trophies and equipment; gloves, shorts and other gears which were presented by Mr. Sammy Heywood Okine, President of Boxing Writers Association of Ghana and Deputy Communications Director of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), Nii Dr. Adote Dzata 1, former President of the Ghana Kickboxing Association, and his wife as well as Klaus Nonnemacher, the WKU President who came from Germany to supervise the Tournament.

Some journalists, National Ambulance and Die Hard Sports Supporters who graced the tournament were honoured.

Pictures from event by Emmanuel Ashong of ISD

...Selorm Darku takes title home from Kickboxing

The final day of the African Open Tournament at the Korean Sports Complex in Tema was charged, action packed and explosive.

Jonathan ‘Karma’ Lamptey defeated Cossa Rashid in the Mix Martial Arts MMA, when the referee stopped the fight after round one. Lamptey was too good to beat Rashid in a TKO result.

In the Kickboxing, Selorm Darku who had Torado Bruce in his corner and cheer by his fans from Swalaba won against Edmund Akator.

It was a battle as both fighters fought with all their might, skill, speed and strength, but Selorm took the night with his powerful kicks, turning punches and experience.

Akator who is trained by Jonathan Euro is a rising star who really gave a good show. He also had powerful punches, but lacked in defence.

After the 3 rounds it was a draw at 86-86 so the officials decided for another round as stipulated in the rules where Selorm got the winner.

Referee Derek Macaire had a lot of work to do and he also performed marvelously, together with the judges and organizers.

In Karate Do, Emmanuel Kobina Agyei took the most outstanding player, he won Kumite at o67kg as Felix Annan took the second position. Nasiru Alhassan was third as Kingsford Dabo took fourth position.

Daniel Lamptey - Mills won the most promising star, he also took the Kumite at 60kg, Abdul Zad Quartey was second.

Edmund A. Amoako was first in male Kata, he was followed by Peter Tokpertey, and Issah Osman. Humu Yusif won the female category.

In Taekwondo, Fighters Team Stadium Team, Maxi Lane and WAM shared the honours.

Winners got title belts for keeps, certificates, medals, trophies and equipment; gloves, shorts and other gears which were presented by Nii Dr. Adote Dzata 1 and his wife as well as Klaus  Nonnemacher, the WKU President who came from Germany to supervise the Tournament.

Die Hard Supporters were there to cheer the fighters at the two day event which involved Taekwondo, Karate Do, Judo, Kickboxing and MMA.

By Sammy Heywood Okine