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sports Dialuna 11 Juli 2022

Erling Haaland welcomed by Man City fans, pledges goals, fun

(AP) — Erling Haaland “My dad, of course. But in
joined in the singing and City I have many jerseys at
chanting by Manchester home from (Sergio) Aguero I
City fans as the new sign- have to say. So of course him.
ing was presented outside From City, him.”
the stadium of the Pre- Haaland inherits the No. 9
mier League champions jersey vacated by City’s all-
on Sunday. time leading scorer, Aguero,
who left last year for Barcelo-
It is a month since the Nor- na only to be forced into re-
way striker completed his tirement by a heart problem.
move to City from Borussia
Dortmund for 60 million eu- There is a new Argentine for-
ros (then $63 million) to seal ward at City. Julian Alvarez
his return to England, the has arrived from River Plate
country of his birth. after being loaned back to the
Asked what he would bring Buenos Aires club after sign-
to the Premier League, the ing a deal with City in Janu-
21-year-old Haaland said: ary.
“Hopefully some more qual- The 22-year-old Alvarez was
ity with me as a striker. I want also presented to fans outside
to have fun. When I have fun the Etihad Stadium.
I score goals, I smile, I enjoy “I came here to create my
playing football, I smile a lot.” own history, create my own
path and help City reach the
Haaland has scored 20 goals and then Salzburg in Austria, His father, Alf-Inge, played club’s former home — with top and continue the success
in 21 appearances for Nor- where he initially grabbed for and briefly captained City his mother to watch his fa- it has been having,” he said.
way and netted 86 goals in the attention of Europe’s ma- in the Premier League from ther play.
89 games in 2 1/2 seasons jor clubs thanks to his per- 2000-03 and Erling support- City opens its Premier
with Dortmund. Before that, formances in the Champions ed the team as a kid, often Asked who his idol was League title defense against
he was at Molde in Norway League. going to Maine Road — the growing up, Haaland replied: West Ham on Aug. 7.

Kyrgios showed he belonged on Slam stage in Wimbledon loss

(AP) — Wearing a back- being up 40-love Kyrgios be- the best players in the world,
ward cap with the brim gan talking to the people in particularly on this surface,”
bent skyward, Nick Kyr- his guest box, which included Djokovic said. “I wish you all
gios hit a between-the-legs his father and his girlfriend the best. I really respect you
shot while warming up ( but no coach, because he a lot.”
for the Wimbledon final doesn’t have one ). He would
against Novak Djokovic. yell in that direction. Or mo- Kyrgios said he found the
tion dismissively. He threw a past two weeks stressful. The
Kyrgios was just getting start- water bottle. attention — and comments
ed. Once play began, he tried — on social media. And since
an underarm serve. He con- The chair umpire heard a lot learning he would be partici-
jured up a pair on-the-run, from Kyrgios, too, such as a pating in a Grand Slam final
back-to-the-net ‘tweeners complaint that a woman he after Nadal withdrew Thurs-
on consecutive points, one a thought had been drinking day from the semifinals with
passing shot, one a lob. And was talking to him during the an abdominal injury, Kyrgios
for one full set Sunday, in match. couldn’t sleep at night.
the biggest match of his life, become a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 said Kyrgios, who pounded “I mean, look, I’ve been on a
on one of the most famous (3) loss to Djokovic at the All 30 aces. couple nights out in my life,” He said about 1 1/2 months
courts in the world, at as pres- England Club. He generates as much — Kyrgios said at his news con- ago, he was playing basketball
tigious tournament as there OK, let’s be honest, more ference, “and I knew that she with some pals in Australia
is, against one of the greatest This was the 32nd Grand — attention for his attitude had too many.” and told one of them: “Look,
players in tennis history, Kyr- Slam final for the top-seed- and behavior, on and off the I think I’m going to have
gios played brilliantly. ed Djokovic — he’s won 21 court, as he does for his con- There were those who have some fun and maybe win
such titles, including seven at siderable talent. wondered during his career Wimbledon.”
Oh, did he ever: Seven aces, Wimbledon — and the first Most seriously, word came whether Kyrgios would ever Came so close.
14 winners, just four un- for the unseeded Kyrgios. during Wimbledon that be able to harness his tre-
forced errors. Completely “You cannot prepare (for a) Kyrgios is supposed to be in mendous skills and make it to “I look back at it,” Kyrgios
composed. No distractions. match against Nick Kyrgios,” court back home in Australia the final weekend of a major said, “and I’m just like, ‘How
Talk about meeting the mo- said Djokovic’s coach, 2001 next month to face an assault tournament. The ability has am I here?’”
ment. Wimbledon champion Goran allegation. long been there; that’s why
Ivanisevic. “Nick Kyrgios is a he was 2-0 against Djokovic
“I felt,” Kyrgios would say genius, tennis genius.” He spat in the direction of before Sunday, and also has
later, “like I belonged, to be a heckling spectator during victories over Rafael Nadal
honest.” The 27-year-old Australian is one match this fortnight. He and Roger Federer.
ranked 40th and hadn’t even got in trouble for cursing “Everything is starting to
For a set, anyway. Then, as been to a major quarterfinal during another — and again come together for you,”
so often happens, he allowed in 7 1/2 years. Hasn’t won a on Sunday. Djokovic told Kyrgios during
little things to bother him. tour-level title since 2019. the trophy ceremony at Cen-
He let his opponent gain the But he did not perform that Once his advantage on the tre Court.
upper hand. He began be- way at the start. scoreboard began to dwindle, “It’s tough to find consola-
rating himself. And so, ulti- and after he lost one return tion words after a tough loss
mately, Kyrgios saw his early “I felt like the trophy was game after being up love-40, like this, but you showed
lead vanish in what would definitely attainable today,” and one service game after why you deserve to be one of