US Open, Zverev: Alexander Zverev grabbed three balls after his turbocharged performance, threw them into the jubilant audience and then let his strong self-confidence speak for itself. “It’s great that it took me less than an hour and a half to win,” said Germany’s top player after completing his second mandatory US Open task with a title contender dominating. The energy, the strength I hope to play for a Grand Slam title, that’s what I’m here for.”
The Olympic champion from Hamburg overtook Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas in just 1:14 hours with 6:1, 6:0, 6:3 in just 1:14 hours, and increased his winning streak in the Tour to 13 games and still is. He has a chance to win the first Grand Slam title of his career. The next contender for the preferred partner is American Jack Sock, who started with a wild card, or Kazakh Alexander Bublik, who was 31. Zverev is the second German professional in the third round after Munich qualifier Peter Gojowczyk.
U21, international: Three months after winning the European Championship, the German national under-21 team kicked off the upcoming European Championship qualifiers with a clear win over San Marino outside. Coach selection Stefan Koontz won 6-0 (5-0) at Serravalle on Thursday. Tom Krause of Nuremberg (4th minute), captain Jonathan Burkhardt of FSV Mainz 05 (20/43), BVB talent Yosef Mukoko (39/41) and Jimmy Loehling (68) of Forth scored in the DFL selection foot.
16-year-old Moukoko holds the records as the youngest German national under-21 player and the youngest German scorer in this age group. The Kuntz selection should compete in Latvia on Tuesday. The nine group winners and the best runner-up in the group will qualify directly for the 2023 tournament to be held in Georgia and Romania. The other contenders for the qualifiers are Poland, Hungary and Israel.
Third League, Saarbrücken: Defender Dennis Erdmann is not allowed to play for third tier club 1. FC Saarbrücken at the moment following the allegations of racism against him. On Thursday, the German Football Association (DFB) Sports Court acknowledged “sufficient suspicions that the player had made racist remarks on the field” and banned the 30-year-old temporarily. The final verdict is still pending. Several third-tier players 1. FC Magdeburg accused Erdmann of racially insulting them during the league match on August 25 (2-1 to Saarbrücken). This denies the allegations.
“Given the importance and the explosiveness of the matter, the German Football Association’s Court of Sports has given Dennis Erdmann the required opportunity to review the video material after he testified and provided further evidence,” said Stefan Oberholz, Vice-President of the DFB Sports Tribunal. The session will continue on September 9th.
The FCS “categorically” rejected the allegations last week. Saarbrücken confirmed that Magdeburger did not accuse the referee during the match or at the following press conference of racist remarks.
Radsport, lap: Slovenian cyclist Primoz Roglic has shown no weakness on the stage royale at the Tour of Spain and is close to the Vuelta trilogy. In today’s victory for Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez after 162.2 kilometers with a brutally difficult final climb to Altu d’El Gamoniteiru, the 31-year-old Olympic Trials champion came second and extended his lead.
In the thick fog, Jumbo captain Visma Roglic reached the finish line 14 seconds later than Lopez and was eight seconds ahead of his toughest opponent Enrique Mas (Spain/both Movistar), who finished third. In the overall standings, the defending champions are 2:30 ahead of Mas after another tough mountain stage, and Lopez (2:53) finished third. On the last climb of the day at 14.8 km and 1,400 meters in altitude at an average 9.8 percent incline (17 percent at the top) Lopez attacked about four kilometers from the highest point. Roglic did not follow behind and checked what was going on on Mas’s rear wheel, which he separated shortly before the finish.
The 31-year-old Roglic managed to win the Volta title as the third professional after Swiss Toni Rominger (1992 to 1994) and Spain’s Roberto Heras (2003 to 2005) for the third time in a row. With four wins, Heras is the record winner in the youngest of three major national tours. At the Tour in June, Roglic withdrew early as a result of a serious fall.
Gamoniteiru, located on the same massif as the legendary Angliru, was first part of the Vuelta. The nearly 4,500-meter section was the last great test of the strength of Spain’s 76th round. Somewhat challenging sections follow on Friday and Saturday, and the Vueltaa ends on Sunday with a solo experience in Santiago de Compostela.
“Twitter advocate. Proud student. Devoted internet specialist. Pop culture aficionado.”
