World Cup champ i o n L i o n e l Messi expressed remorse over his actions during the World Cup quarterfinals, including wild celebrations and gestures towards Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal. Messi and his teammates received criticism for their behaviour following their 2-2 draw on December 9 and subsequent win on penalties. The Paris SaintGermain player ran in front of Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal as he cupped his hands over his ears in celebration of his 73rd-minute penalty goal. Messi had mentioned that the Netherlands manager used derogatory remarks about Argentina during the pre-match press conference. “I knew what Van Gaal had said but it [the goal celebration] happened on the spur of the moment. I didn’t like what I did, I didn’t like what happened after. These are moments of nervousness and everything happens very quickly,” Messi said in an interview in Paris with Andy Kusnetzoff ’s “Perros de la Calle” as quoted by ESPN. At full-time, the Argentina captain was spotted arguing with Van Gaal and Edgar Davids, his assistant. During a post-game interview, Messi allegedly yelled at Netherlands goal scorer Wout Weghorst. Meanwhile, Messi stated he wouldn’t have it any other way despite the long wait to win the World Cup. In Messi’s sixth World Cup, Argentina defeated France on penalties in Qatar to win their first World Cup in 36 years. “I think if I had to choose the moment, it would have been this one. It’s at the end of my career, closing a circle. I achieved everything with the national team I always dreamed of. I got everything in my career, individually. It was closing my career in a unique way. I never imagined that all this was going to happen to me when I started and getting to this moment was the best. I have no complaints and I can’t ask for more. We won the Copa America [2021] and the World Cup, there’s nothing left,” stated Messi. Messi stated that he wanted for Diego Maradona to witness Argentina’s first World Cup victory since the Napoli icon assisted his country in winning the trophy in 1986. Maradona, Messi’s World Cup 2010 coach, passed away in December 2020. “I would have liked that Diego Maradona would have handed me the [World] Cup or at least to have seen all of this. To have seen Argentina as world champions, considering how much he desired it and how much he loved the national team. I think he from above, as well as many other people that love me, gave me strength,” Messi said. QF AGAINST the dutch TDG NETWORK Paris Messiexpressesregretover hisactions infifa World Cup REPORT FINDS Margaret Court’s hometargetted in burglary on Australia Day Australian tennis legend Margaret Court’s Perth home allegedly got targeted during a burglary on Australian Day. Two people from Edgewater, aged 33 and 34, have been charged after medals and awards were stolen during the burglary at former world No.1 tennis star and conservative Christian minister’s City Beach home, The Age reported. A Western Australian Police spokeswoman said that thieves allegedly broke in through the front door and rummaged through the property on Thursday evening. “Perth detectives have charged two men in relation to an aggravated home burglary. “It will be alleged about 8pm, two men gained access to the premises via the front entrance door,” she said. “Once inside, it will be further alleged that the accused rummaged through the victim’s property and stole a number of items including awards, medals and jewellery,” she added. According to the police, a number of the items were located in nearby bushland and gardens. The 80-year old is considered one of the sport’s all-time greats, having won 24 major singles titles in the Open era. She retired from tennis in 1977 and has a tennis court named after her at Melbourne Park, which hosts the Australian Open. tdg network Melbourne ATP RANKINGS Djokovic dethrones Alcaraz to regain World No 1 spot The 22-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic on Monday became the World No. 1 men’s player for the first time since last June after winning his 10th Australian Open title. Djokovic returned to World No. 1 in the ATP Rankings after he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas to win a recordextending 10th Australian Open title, while doing so the 35-year-old Serbian rose four places to dethrone Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, who missed the Australian Open tournament through injury and dropped to second. After claiming his 10th Australian Open title on Sunday, Djokovic returned to World No. 1 and in doing so made the biggest jump to the top of the men’s tennis mountain between two editions of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in history (since 1973). The Serbian will climb from World No. 5 to World No. 1. If Djokovic remains World No. 1 through the week of 20 February, he will tie Stefanie Graf’s record for most weeks as World No. 1 in history (men and women) at 377. In the Australian Open final, the 35-year-old wasn’t the only player vying for the top spot in the world rankings. Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece had a chance to overtake the leader, but he fell short by one victory. After reaching his second Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, the 24-year-old player moved up one rank to No. 3. To advance to the final, the Greek defeated Jannik Sinner and Karen Khachanov, both seeds. Rafael Nadal drop four places to sixth. Andrey Rublev of Russia climbed to a career-best position of fifth. The 26-year-old Karen K h ach a n ov, wh o h ad reached the semi-finals at the US Open in September, played some of his greatest tennis in Melbourne to advance to his second major final. Before being stopped by Tsitsipas, Khachanov defeated seeded Frances Tiafoe, Yoshihito Nishioka, and Sebastian Korda. In 2019, the four-time tour-level champion attained a career-high ranking of No. 8. The Americans delivered at the Australian Open, with Tommy Paul, Korda and Shelton all reaching the quarter-finals. It marked the first time since 2000 that three American men had advanced to the last eight in Melbourne — and the first time at any Slam since the 2005 US Open.
