Rafael Nadal proved that he would still be the man to beat when the French Open begins later this month after he humbled Novak Djokovic 6-0 4-6 6-1 in the Italian Open final on Sunday to win a record 34th ATP Masters 1000 title.
The
Spaniard, who had shared the record of 33 Masters titles with the Serbian world
number one, warmed up for the defence of his Roland Garros crown by securing
his ninth Rome title.
Nadal got off to a flying
start by whitewashing Djokovic in the opening set. It was the first time there
has been a 6-0 set during a meeting between the two rivals.
Djokovic took the second by
breaking Nadal's serve for the first time while leading 5-4, but the second
seed responded in style by storming through the decisive set.
When Nadal's previous three
claycourt tournaments had ended in semi-final defeats, it no doubt gave his
rivals hope that his long reign at Roland Garros could be coming to an end this
year.
However, the way he
demolished the world's top ranked player in the opening and third sets on
Sunday would have once again struck fear into any of those challengers who had
been harbouring hopes of lifting the Musketeers' Cup on June 9.
The Spaniard heads into
Roland Garros in top form after seeing his serve broken just twice en route to
claiming his first title of 2019 in his 50th Masters final.
The 32-year-old left Djokovic
in a daze as he stormed through the opening set in 39 blistering minutes.
The top seed fought back in
the second as he saved four break points before winning the decisive game on
Nadal's serve to take the set 6-4.
But the Serb, who had
survived three-set battles against Argentines Juan Martin del Potro and Diego
Schwartzman to reach the final, faded in the final set as he dropped his
opening service game before Nadal surged clear.
In two days, March 3rd – 4th, the Women's Union of Hoa Binh city coordinated with the Center for Culture, Sports and Information of the city to organize the 1st Women's Steam Volleyball Tournament in Hoa Binh in 2024.
Since early 2024, high-achievement sports athletes have received intensive training in preparation for provincial and national tournaments this year.
Whenever Tet holiday and Spring comes, people of all ethnic groups in Hoa Binh province join in the vibrant atmosphere of exchange activities and sports competitions. In which, traditional sports have become indispensable "spiritual food” for many people. Thereby contributing to creating a joyful and bustling atmosphere in the first days of the new year, strengthening solidarity and community attachment, enhancing cultural and spiritual life, and improving people's health...
A wide range of folk games and traditional sports competitions, including archery, tug-of-war, stick pushing, and men's volleyball, have taken place in Phu Nghia commune, Lac Thuy district, as part of the opening ceremony of the local Tien Temple Festival on February 13th and 14th (the 4th and 5th day of the Lunar New Year).
For the people in Doc Lap commune (Hoa Binh city), crossbow shooting is a folk game, and over the time it has become an indispensable national sport in the major local holidays and festivals. In May 2020, the crossbow shooting club of Doc Lap commune was established, satisfying the passion of the crossbow lovers. This is a playground for the members to exchange and share experiences, contributing to promoting the spirit of community cohesion and enriching the cultural life of the people in the area at the same time.
On February 5th, the Organizing Committee of Hoa Binh Marathon in 2024 held a meeting to discuss and agree on the contents of the tournament and assign the tasks to the members of the Organizing Committee.