After a 25 years absence, the female National Handball Team return to the Nations Cup  beaming with confidence.

The 16 players,  coach and few officials  departed the Nnamdi  Azikiwe International ,Airport,  Abuja on Friday for Yaounde,  Cameroon  to take part in the Women Handball Nations Cup.

The team  played their last training match on Tuesday where they were out classed  46-28 by an Abuja-based Men’s National Division 1 Side, Arise Stars.

Coach Rafiu  Salami  in naming  his final squad  dropped two players, Alawaye Ramat and  Onyinye Ilo.

The final list of 16 players and HFN Officials had their 2nd Covid-19 tests on Wednesday.

The Confederation of African Handball during a Virtual meeting  confirmed that only Nigeria and  DR Congo complied with its requirement of undergoing  the first test 7 days before departure to Cameroun.

Nigeria’s opening Group B match is on  Sunday, June 6 against DR Congo.

Thereafter they will play Cameroun, before facing Kenya, a team Nigeria defeated at the last Africa Games.

The draw for next year’s tournament was initially scheduled to be held in the host country, Cameroon on June 25

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has announced the postponement of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations draw due to ‘logistical relations related to the coronavirus’.

Following the conclusion of the qualification round in March with 24 countries confirmed for next year’s tournament in Cameroon, the group stage draw was first planned for June 25 in the host country.

However, qualified teams will now have to wait for a new date to know their fate in the competition after the Cameroon Local Organising Committee accepted Caf’s request for rescheduling.

“At the request of Caf, the Cameroon Local Organizing Committee (LOC) has agreed to postpone the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021 final draw for logistical reasons related to the Covid-19 pandemic,” the statement read on Caf’s website.

“The draw was initially scheduled for 25 June 2021 and a new date will be announced in due course.

“Caf continues to work together with its partners, the Cameroon government and the LOC with the objective of making the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021 a successful event and a great celebration of African football.”

After playing into the early hours of Sunday in a match that lasted over three hours and ending 12:45am, Roger Federer had given a hint he may not continue playing in the French Open as he looked to protecting his knee.

He struggled to beat Dominik Koepfer after a pulsating three and a half hours.

The Swiss who turns 40 on August 8, underwent two knee surgeries in 2020 and is targeting a ninth Wimbledon title later this month on his favourite grass court surface.

He has won 20 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, an all-time record shared with Rafael Nadal. Federer has been world No. 1 in the ATP rankings a total of 310 weeks – including a record 237 consecutive weeks – and has finished as the year-end No. 1 five times.

Federer has won 103 ATP singles titles, the second-most of all-time behind Jimmy Connors and including a record six ATP Finals.

He won the French Open once in 2009.

After discussions with my team, I’ve decided I will need to pull out of the French Open today.

After two knee surgeries and over a year of rehabilitation it’s important that I listen to my body and make sure I don’t push myself too quickly on my road to recovery.

I am thrilled to have gotten 3 matches under my belt. There is
no greater feeling than being back on court.

See everyone soon!

Roger Federer

-PRESS RELEASE-

ROGER FEDERER WITHDRAWS

THE ROLAND-GARROS TOURNAMENT ORGANISERS HAVE LEARNED THAT ROGER FEDERER HAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE FOURTH ROUND OF THE TOURNAMENT.

“AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH MY TEAM, I”VE DECIDED I WILL NEED TO PULL OUT OF ROLAND-GARROS TODAY. AFTER TWO KNEE SURGERIES AND OVER A YEAR OF REHABILITATION IT’S IMPORTANT THAT I LISTEN TO MY BODY AND MAKE SURE I DON’T PUSH MYSELF TOO QUICKLY ON MY ROAD TO RECOVERY.

I AM THRILLED TO HAVE GOTTEN 3 MATCHES
UNDER MY BELT. THERE IS NO GREATER FEELING THAN BEING BACK ON COURT”, SAID ROGER FEDERER.

“THE ROLAND-GARROS TOURNAMENT Is sORRY ABOUT THE
WITH DRAWAL OF ROGER FEDERER, WHO PUT UP AN INCREDIBLE FIGHT LAST NIGHT. WE WERE ALL DELIGHTED TO SEE RoGER BACK IN PARIS, WHERE HE PLAYED THREE HIGH-LEVEL MATCHES.

WE WISH HIM ALL THE BEST FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON”
SAID GUY FORGET, TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR.

Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina played some high quality tennis to end 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams journey at the French Open 2021.

After dominating the first set, Rybanika broke Serena twice in the second to win the match 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 17 minutes and qualify for the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time.

The 21-year-old with the win made Williams’ already long wait for her record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title longer.

Williams’ defeat came hours after Roger Federer withdrew from the tournament, saying he needed to let his body recover after a long third-round victory.

Three-time Roland Garros champion Williams, who has been stuck on 23 Grand Slam titles, one behind Margaret Court’s all-time record, was far more assured in the second set and managed to claim the victory without further fuss.

Williams has been agonisingly close to matching Court’s record since winning the 2017 Australian Open in her last Grand Slam event before becoming a mother.

She has fallen in four Grand Slam finals and earlier this year lost in the semi-finals at the Australian Open.

An electric Elena Rybakina moved really well on the court and converted 5 of the 7 break point opportunities. She hit 21 winners in comparison to Serena Williams’ 15. Rybakina was also successful in firing 4 aces. Ahead of the match, she had called Serena Williams a legend.

“The legend of the sport. Of course I want to be with her on the court, to feel this power and everything. I was watching her matches when I was growing up, and it will be nice to play with Serena. Why not?”