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sports Diaranson 7 september 2022

Ruud 1st Norwegian to reach Open semis

(AP) – Casper Ruud is the first Norwegian to make a
U.S. Open semifinal.

The fifth-seeded Ruud knocked off No. 13 Matteo Berrettini
6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (4) to continue his strong run this year in Grand
Slam events.

Ruud must reach at least the final to have a chance at ending
the U.S Open as the top-ranked player in the world. Ruud
says he "doesn't want think too much" about the potential ac-
complishment and he didn't know the milestone was even in
the cards until the draw started, but says the chance of leaving
New York as world No. 1 is "extra motivation."

Ruud improved to 12-2 this season in his Grand Slam events.

Ruud was the runner-up at the French Open this year. He
will face Nick Kyrgios or Karen Khachanov in the semifinals.

Tyson Fury offers Joshua 40% of purse for all-British fight

(AP) — World heavy- Fury said. "He can't say I've in Saudi Arabia last month, stood up. and the offer over to us and
weight champion Tyson low-balled him and offered were dashed when the I'll take it to AJ."
Fury has parked a po- him 20 or 30%. I've offered Ukrainian said he did not "Personally, I don't believe
tential unification fight (his) people 40% — take it intend to fight again this Fury is serious about this," "We didn't expect this op-
with Oleksandr Usyk and or leave it." year. Hearn told British radio sta- portunity, but it's a great
moved his sights toward tion talkSPORT, "but if he opportunity to fight for the
fellow British heavy- The unbeaten Fury appears Joshua had intended to is … 100% we will sit down world title in the biggest
weight Anthony Joshua. to have gone back on his de- work his way back up to be- and make the fight. fight in boxing and we will
cision to retire in the wake ing a three-time champion, definitely look at it," Hearn
In a video published on so- of beating another British maybe facing opponents in "I would love to get really ex- said.
cial media on Tuesday, Fury fighter, Dillian Whyte, in the second tier of the heavy- cited about this, because it's
— the WBC champion — front of around 90,000 spec- weight division after losing the fight that I get stopped in Fury's British promoter,
said he was willing to offer tators at Wembley Stadium three of his last five bouts. the street for more than any Frank Warren, said they were
Joshua 40% of the purse for in April. fight that could be made and set to send a written offer
a title fight before the end of Fury's offer might turn his it's a fight that AJ has wanted across to Hearn on Tuesday,
the year. Fury's hopes of landing a head, though, and Joshua for a long time." with the proposed bout to
fight with Usyk, who re- promoter Eddie Hearn sug- take place "in the U.K. and
"He doesn't have any ex- tained the WBA, WBO and gested the all-British fight Hearn said he has told Fury's hopefully in November."
cuses now not to take it," IBF belts by beating Joshua could happen if Fury's offer promoters to "get the details

Viktoria Plzen meets giants again in Champions League return

(AP) — Viktoria Plzen Four years ago, Real Madrid In 2011, Barcelona's lineup vidual skills of the players."
is in familiar waters as it won 5-0 at Plzen and 2-1 in included Xavi Hernández, Horváth expects a similar
prepares to play Barce- Spain. the current coach who is re- game "with lots of short pass- Plzen eliminated Helsinki,
lona, Bayern Munich and building the club with a goal es, and a pressure imposed Tiraspol and Qarabağ in the
Inter Milan in the Cham- All three previous campaigns to become as dominant as on us when they lose the ball. qualifying to reach the group
pions League. looked like mission impos- it was when he was on the Those are the key features, stage of the Champions
sible but Plzen each time pitch. and, of course, also the indi- League for the fourth time.
The Czech champion has managed to finish third, se-
faced European heavyweights curing at least a spot in the
before in the group stage but second-tier Europa League.
hopes the results will be dif- It claimed a valuable 2-1 vic-
ferent this time. tory over Roma in 2018 and
a 2-2 draw with AC Milan in
Plzen will play Barcelona at 2011.
Camp Nou on Wednesday.
But to emulate at least the
Viktoria reached the group partial success of the previous
stage for the first time in campaigns might be too hard
2011 and was immediately to handle for Viktoria. With
tested by Barcelona, which three multiple Champions
won 2-0 at Camp Nou and League winners to play, their
4-0 at Plzen. Group C is a true "group of
death."
Two years later, Bayern rout-
ed the Czech club 5-0 in Mu- Horváth, currently an assis-
nich, handing Plzen its big- tant to coach Michal Bílek,
gest defeat in European com- believes his team is now ready
petitions, and won 1-0 win at to surprise the favorites.
Plzen. Manchester City was
another tough opponent and In its first match at Camp
won both encounters. Nou, defending will be key,
he said.