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Andy Murray faces make-or-break period to close in on Australian Open hopes | Tennis | Sport

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Andy Murray is set to return to competition in Basel next week with time running out this season. The Brit is defending just 55 ranking points until the end of the year and has the opportunity to build up his ranking in an effort to be seeded for the Australian Open come January. But Murray is currently on a three-match losing streak, meaning he will have to start winning now or miss out on the chance to climb back up the rankings.

Murray had a disappointing Asian swing, winning just one match across three events. After getting through his opener in Zhuhai he crashed out to Aslan Karatsev before suffering first-round defeats in Beijing and Shanghai. The world No 39 is now expected to play the Swiss Indoors Basel, the Paris Masters and the Moselle Open before the end of the year.

12 months ago, the final stretch of the season was a difficult one for Murray as he won just one match in Basel and lost in the opening round in Paris. It means that even just a couple of wins for Murray at each event could make a huge difference to his ranking as the Brit bids to enter the top 32 before January’s Australian Open so he can be seeded.

Currently ranked at No 39 in the world, Murray has 45 points to defend in Basel from winning a match last year and 10 in Paris that he received for playing in the opening round. With his last tour event of the year – the Moselle Open – ending on November 11, the 36-year-old has less than a month to string together some wins in a bid to boost his ranking.

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But it will be easier said than done for Murray, who is out of form coming into the European indoor swing following some tough losses in Asia. The three-time Grand Slam champion had a difficult draw at the China Open in Beijing, where the field was so strong that he was the lowest-ranked man to make it into the main draw without a wildcard, a qualifying run or a special exemption.

Murray faced Alex de Minaur in his opening contest and had three match points in the final set, serving for the win before he was dragged into a tiebreak where it was the Australian who just edged him. The Brit then ran into a red-hot Roman Safiullin in Shanghai.



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Luke Littler reveals the ‘next big step’ to catapult him to even greater stardom | Other | Sport

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Luke Littler has revealed what he feels will be the ‘next big step’ on the road to establishing himself as the greatest player in history. The teenage superstar has enjoyed an unprecedented rise since his incredible run to last year’s World Darts Championship final. He went on to win the Premier League in his debut season before securing Alexandra Palace glory at the second time of asking.

The reigning world champion will be hoping to make a successful defence of his title in 2026, where a huge amount of prize money will likely be up for grabs. Littler received £500,000 for beating Michael van Gerwen back in January but is expected to take home significantly more if he achieves back-to-back wins.

It has been widely reported that next year’s champion will receive a £1million payday, with the amount of prize money set to be doubled. The PDC are yet to announce the proposed changes but Luke Humphries all but confirmed them in a recent interview.

Littler believes that winning seven figures would help to propel him towards even greater stardom while also helping the sport in general by increasing its profile.

“I’ve not been told anything, but obviously, it’s been going around for many years,” said Littler. “It’s been £500,000 for the past however many years, but I think that’s the next big step for us players.

“Obviously, whoever wins it, they’ll obviously go straight to number one. So, if it’s this year or if it’s next year, I do feel 99.9 per cent sure it’ll happen.”

Only time will tell if Littler can secure back-to-back titles at Alexandra Palace next year, with Humphries likely to be his closest challenger once again. Cool Hand recently claimed that a potential increase in prize money is already common knowledge despite the lack of any official announcement.

He told talkSPORT: “I’m not fighting desperately to be world number one. I’d rather be world champion, which he [Littler] is, so for him, I’m sure he’d be happier to be world champion than world number one.

“For me, it doesn’t matter what happens in the next six, seven, eight months. It’s all about the world championships. We all know that the world champion is going to get a million quid.

“So, whoever wins that is going to be world number one. If I win that, I’ll be world number one for a long time. If Luke wins that, he’s going to be world number one for a long time.”



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Chelsea target was snubbed by Saudi Arabian club but failed £58m transfer left him ‘happy’ | Football | Sport

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Chelsea are reportedly eyeing a move for Victor Boniface three months after he failed to secure a transfer to Saudi Arabia. The Nigeria international seemed destined for a move to Al-Nassr towards the end of the January window but the Saudi outfit pulled the plug on a deal.

Al-Nassr were desperate to sign a new striker to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. They lined up deals for Boniface and Jhon Duran before making a late decision. It was Duran whose £64million switch was given the green light by officials, with Boniface forced to remain with Bayer Leverkusen. However, the 24-year-old is said to have been ‘happy’ and did not allow missing out on signing a lucrative contract ruin his mood.

Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said a week after deadline day: “He’s very good now and I think he’s happy. He’s happy with the guys. That’s what I feel every day when I see him.

“He’s laughing in the locker room with the other crazy guys. They have a lot of fun together and he knows he has a bright future, so it’s not a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”

Now, a move to Chelsea could be on the cards. CaughtOffside report that the Blues are eyeing a move for the forward as an alternative to Alexander Isak.

Chelsea are expected to sign a new centre-forward in the summer transfer window. Nicolas Jackson’s inconsistency has been a source of frustration. The Senegal international has also spent large periods of the season out injured, with Enzo Maresca struggling to find a replacement.

Isak and Benjamin Sesko have been strongly linked with the west Londoners. Both players have interest from other Premier League and European clubs, with Chelsea facing a major battle to sign either player. An alternative such as Boniface could be an ideal agreement to strike.

Jackson had scored nine Premier League goals before suffering a hamstring injury in February. He is expected to miss a large part of the remainder of the season.

To return to the top of the Premier League, Chelsea need a player who can match the scoring exploits of the likes of Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah. Boniface has scored seven Bundesliga goals in only 837 minutes this season – the equivalent of just under 10 matches. He would provide excellent competition to Jackson.



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Chelsea target was snubbed by Saudi Arabian club but failed £58m transfer left him ‘happy’ | Football | Sport

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Chelsea are reportedly eyeing a move for Victor Boniface three months after he failed to secure a transfer to Saudi Arabia. The Nigeria international seemed destined for a move to Al-Nassr towards the end of the January window but the Saudi outfit pulled the plug on a deal.

Al-Nassr were desperate to sign a new striker to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. They lined up deals for Boniface and Jhon Duran before making a late decision. It was Duran whose £64million switch was given the green light by officials, with Boniface forced to remain with Bayer Leverkusen. However, the 24-year-old is said to have been ‘happy’ and did not allow missing out on signing a lucrative contract ruin his mood.

Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said a week after deadline day: “He’s very good now and I think he’s happy. He’s happy with the guys. That’s what I feel every day when I see him.

“He’s laughing in the locker room with the other crazy guys. They have a lot of fun together and he knows he has a bright future, so it’s not a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”

Now, a move to Chelsea could be on the cards. CaughtOffside report that the Blues are eyeing a move for the forward as an alternative to Alexander Isak.

Chelsea are expected to sign a new centre-forward in the summer transfer window. Nicolas Jackson’s inconsistency has been a source of frustration. The Senegal international has also spent large periods of the season out injured, with Enzo Maresca struggling to find a replacement.

Isak and Benjamin Sesko have been strongly linked with the west Londoners. Both players have interest from other Premier League and European clubs, with Chelsea facing a major battle to sign either player. An alternative such as Boniface could be an ideal agreement to strike.

Jackson had scored nine Premier League goals before suffering a hamstring injury in February. He is expected to miss a large part of the remainder of the season.

To return to the top of the Premier League, Chelsea need a player who can match the scoring exploits of the likes of Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah. Boniface has scored seven Bundesliga goals in only 837 minutes this season – the equivalent of just under 10 matches. He would provide excellent competition to Jackson.



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