Venus Williams became the second oldest woman to win a WTA Tour-level singles match by beating Peyton Stearns at the Washington Open. Williams, 45, overcame world number 35 and fellow American Stearns, who is 22 years her junior, 6-3 6-4 in the first round. Williams is the oldest woman to win a singles match on tour since Martina Navratilova at the age of 47 in 2004. Seven-time singles Grand Slam winner Williams, who gained entry to the tournament via a wildcard, had not played since March 2024. Asked if she felt satisfaction in proving people wrong, she said: “No, because I’m not here for anyone else except for me.” “I have nothing to prove. Zip. Zero. “I’m here for me because I want to be here. And proving anyone wrong or thinking about anyone has never gotten me a win and has never gotten me a loss.” Williams, who won 14 Grand Slams in the doubles alongside sister Serena, last won a singles match in August 2023. Although Williams never said she had retired, she was listed by the WTA as ‘inactive’ after 16 months out. On Monday she made her return in the doubles alongside compatriot Hailey Baptiste as they beat Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue 6-3 6-1 in the last 16. Williams, a former world number one, had won four Grand Slam titles by the time Stearns was born in 2001. “She played some ball tonight,” Stearns said. “She was moving really well, which I wasn’t expecting too much, honestly. Her serves were just on fire.” Williams will face Polish fifth seed Magdalena Frech in the second round. Source: bbc.com

Former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor has begun an appeal against the finding of a civil rape case. In 2024 a woman who accused him of raping her won her claim against him for damages. A jury found McGregor sexually assaulted Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. He was ordered to pay her more than €248,000 (£206,000) in damages. Ireland’s Court of Appeal was told on Tuesday morning that McGregor had withdrawn an application to have new evidence entered at the appeal. The proposed evidence was from a couple, Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins, who are former neighbours of Nikita Hand. A previous preliminary hearing was told that they claimed to have witnessed a row between Ms Hand and her former partner Stephen Redmond in December 2018. The court heard McGregor believed the new evidence suggested that bruising on Nikita Hand’s body could have been caused by her former partner. In an affidavit, Ms Hand had described the allegations as untrue and lies. | A group of people, including TD (Irish MP) Ruth Coppinger (second from right) , gathered outside the court in support for Nikita Hand A lawyer for Ms Hand said she had responded to the suggested new evidence by saying it was “all lies” and that had now been conceded. He also said McGregor should be referred for “subornation of perjury”, meaning inducing people to commit perjury. McGregor has also abandoned an application to introduce new evidence from the former state pathologist for Northern Ireland Prof Jack Crane. What is the basis for McGregor’s appeal? The appeal is based around several issues arising from the civil trial at Dublin’s High Court last year. They include reference to the question “did Conor McGregor assault Nikita Hand?” being asked of the jury on the issue paper. Conor McGregor’s legal team say it should have specified sexual assault. However, a barrister for Ms Hand said “assault” covers a wide variety of assaults adding “what we were dealing with was assault by rape”. He added the question put to the jury “was agreed and the jury could not have been confused by it”. McGregor is also appealing an issue around the handling of his answers in interviews with gardaí (Irish police officers). His legal team explained that the jury heard McGregor gave about 100 “no comment” answers to gardaí. His barrister said he had a right to silence in police interviews and it was “left hanging”, allowing the jury to draw an adverse inference. Ms Hand’s legal team countered this argument by saying that if this was such a serious issue for McGregor at the time “surely an application to discharge the jury would have been made”. Her barrister said such an application was not made. McGregor’s legal appeal is also raising an issue about the judge’s charge to the jury during the civil trial. The appeal is being heard before three Appeal Court judges. Ms Hand attended Tuesday’s hearing along with family and friends. Source: bbc

Arsenal have confirmed that negotiations are ongoing to extend the contract of Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey, whose current deal expires on June 30, 2025. The update comes as the club prepares for a major squad reshuffle ahead of the 2025/26 season. Partey, who arrived at the Emirates in 2020 from Atlético Madrid, has been the subject of transfer speculation in recent months, with reported interest from clubs across Europe and Saudi Arabia. However, his consistent performances last season appear to have convinced Arsenal to retain him. The 31-year-old enjoyed his most productive season yet in an Arsenal shirt, featuring in 52 matches across all competitions — his highest tally since joining the club — while registering four goals and three assists. In an official club statement, Arsenal provided clarity on the status of players whose contracts are set to run out next year, noting that discussions are ongoing with Partey and other players. “The following players’ contracts also expire on June 30, 2025. Discussions are ongoing, and once matters are finalised between all parties, we will communicate in due course,” the statement read. The contract negotiations with Partey come as Arsenal prepares for a major squad reshuffle ahead of the 2025/26 season. The club is set to bid farewell to four senior players — Raheem Sterling, Kieran Tierney, Neto, and Jorginho — at the end of this month. With Partey’s potential extension, Arsenal fans will be hoping that the Ghanaian midfielder will continue to play a key role in the team’s future. Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen

Inaki Williams and Abdul Mumin have been shortlisted for the prestigious 2024/25 La Liga African Player MVP award, which honors the best-performing African player in Spain’s top flight each season. This year’s list features 20 nominees from 13 African countries, showcasing the continent’s rich talent. The winner will be decided through a collaborative voting process that includes fans from Sub-Saharan Africa and a panel of 25 prominent African sports journalists. Inaki Williams, who clinched the award last season, is eager to defend his title following a remarkable campaign with Athletic Bilbao. Throughout the current season, he has netted six goals and provided six assists, making him the club’s second-highest scorer after Unai Sancet, and securing his spot as the third-highest assist provider in La Liga overall. His impressive contributions have been critical to Bilbao’s aspirations for a Champions League berth, with the team currently sitting fourth in the league as they enter the final stretch of three games. Williams also played a pivotal role in Athletic Bilbao’s run to the Europa League semifinals, where he scored five goals and provided one assist before they were eliminated by Manchester United. Source: Apexnewsgh.com

In the region of Upper East where football is more than just a game, the Prestigious Zorkor United SC, has captured the hearts of many fans and the attention of the middle league with an astonishing unbeaten streak of 17 games including games from the zonals . As they prepare for a pivotal match against their fiercest rivals, Bolga All Stars, the stakes have never been higher. A victory could propel the Prestigious SC into the Division one league, a dream that has eluded the club for many years. Zorkor United FC, founded in 2017, has always been a community-driven team, but this season, they have transformed into an unstoppable force. Under the guidance of care taker coach Solomon Amoah-tule, with support from the team’s CEO, George Afari, the team has displayed a blend of tactical brilliance and raw talent, with standout performances from their young and energetic players and most experienced and most decorated goalkeeper Bright Akabari, whose incredible saves have kept the opposition at bay. The upcoming match against All Stars, scheduled for Sunday at the Kurt Okreku technical Center in Winkogo is being dubbed the “Battle of the Titans.” All Stars, currently sitting just one point behind Zorkor United in the league standings, is known for its briliant style of play and has historically been a pride of the region’s football. As the match approaches, the atmosphere in Region is electric, the stakes are high, not just for the teams but for the entire region. A win by either side would not only secure promotion to Division one league but also bring much attention to the clubs and the region at large. As kickoff approaches, fans and football lovers are buzzing with anticipation. Will Zorkor United SC continue their remarkable unbeaten streak and secure their place in the Division one league for the first time in history? Or will the former premier League side Bolga All Stars prove to be the ultimate hurdle in their quest for glory? One thing is certain: this match will be one for the history books, and the entire region will be watching, cheering, and believing in both teams until the final whistle blows. Source: Apexnewsgh.com

Kurt Okraku has stepped down from his position as the President of WAFU Zone B, citing the demands of his new role as 2nd Vice-President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and his ongoing commitments to the Ghana Football Association. Apexnewsgh reports In a statement, Okraku explained that he could no longer balance the responsibilities of his three roles, given the significant workload each entails. “Due to my recent assumption of the role of 2nd Vice-President of…CAF, coupled with my continuing commitments to my home federation, the Ghana Football Association, it has become clear to me that I would be unable to give my best to all three roles,” he said. Okraku was reelected in 2022 to serve another four-year term as WAFU Zone B President. His resignation marks a significant change in the leadership of the football organization. Read the statement on his resignation below: After being given the honour to serve as your President (of WAFU Zone B) over the last couple of years, it has become necessary that I step down from this role. Due to my recent assumption of the role of 2nd Vice-President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), coupled with my continuing commitments to my home federation, the Ghana Football Association, it has become clear to me that I would be unable to give my best to all three roles due to the huge workload that these roles place upon me. In the next few days, I will commence the process of handing over my role as WAFU Zone B President to a new leader who, I am sure, will continue the good work we have started in the group; including maintaining the peace we are experiencing in the Zone while continuing to work to build unity within the region. I thank our staff for the wonderful job you have done so far and for the sterling effort you put into the task of our moving to our beautiful new headquarters facility. I urge all of you to continue along this pathway, and we will continue to be successful. As I leave the role of being your President, let me assure you that I will always remain a true disciple of the Zone. Thank you for the awesome experience of leading the Zone, and I wish us all well in our future endeavours. Source: Apexnewsgh.com