SINAKO ni Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal ang titulo matapos idispatsa si Novak Djokovic sa French Open. Inukit ni Nadal ang iskor na 6-0, 6-2 at 7-5 para makulimbat ang kanyang 20th Grand Slam title. Naging agresibo si Nadal sa unang set hanggang nagtala ng mga unforced errors. Bumawi si Djokovic sa last round hanggang nagtala siya ng double fault at tuluyang nakuha ni Nadal ang kaniyang 100 panalo sa French Open sa pamamagitan ng ace.

DALAWANG buwan na lang ang nalalabi sa taong 2020, pinangunahan ni Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez ang pangungumusta sa kasalukuyang Olympics-bound athletes’ na sina Carlos Yulo, EJ Obiena, Eumir Marcial at Irish Magno via Zoom call kamakalawa ng gabi.
Tulad ng isang amang kumakalinga sa mga supling si Ramirez ay nagsagawa ng ‘call to check’ sa kasalukuyang kondisyon ng apat na elite athletes ng bansa, upang masuri kung ano pa ang maitutulong ng ahensiya.
“This is nothing formal. Gusto lang namin kayong makita kasi noong nag-pandemic, we were worried. I’m happy that all of you are alright and well,” ani Ramirez, na sinamahan nina Commissioners Arnold Agustin, Ramon Fernandez, Celia Kiram at Charles Maxey, DED-FAS Merly Ibay, Acting DED-BCSSS Queenie Evangelista and PSI National Training Director Marc Velasco, pati sina Chef de Mission Nonong Araneta at POC Secretary General Atty. Ed Gastanes.
“Joining in from Italy, six hours behind Manila time, Obiena informed us that he gained some weight during the pandemic,” ani pa Ramirez.
“My nutritionist and I are paring down since I started the season a little bit heavy. I will get back in shape,” saad naman ng pole vaulter Obiena na nag-eensayo sa Formia, Italy.
“Caloy, who just came back from school in Tokyo congratulated Obiena for his historic gold medal win in Ostrava Gold Spike. He related that he also gained weight during the lockdown, but has since rebounded and is now maintaining his weight,” wika naman ni Ibay.
Sinabi naman ni Marcial na handa na siya sa kanyang US training para sa preparasyon nito sa Tokyo Olympics 2021.
Pabiro naman ng female boxer na si Irish “namiss ko na ang English mo Kuya Eumir!”
“We expressed our support to the four qualifiers. Commissioners Maxey, Agustin and Kiram expressed their firm belief in the talents of the four qualifiers and pushed them to keep training hard. The best time to win that Olympic gold is now and assured the athletes that they have the President, the PSC and the people’s support,” pahayag naman ni Comm. Fernandez.
Nagpasalamat ang apat na Olympic bound athletes sa suporta at kalingang ipinagkaloob sa kanila ni chairman Ramirez at ng kanyang pinamumunuang PSC. (Danny Simon)