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Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side have begun to show what they are capable of in the Premier League under his stewardship, currently sitting fourth with the cards in their hands for a Champions League place next season.

https://eplreport.com/mikel-arteta-eight-year-arsenal-masterplan-may-explain-william-saliba-decision/

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Olivier Giroud exit claim has solidified Chelsea transfer trick which embarrasses Arsenal - Daniel Childs

There was a bittersweet feeling as Olivier Giroud departed Chelsea this summer to join AC Milan. The forward undoubtedly goes down as one of our best signings in recent years, scoring big goals on route to winning the FA Cup in 2018, Europa League in 2019 and Champions League in 2021. Across his 39 goals for Chelsea, many were memorable, filled with class and elegance that only the beautiful beard of the Frenchman could produce. After starting his new chapter in Milan well with two goals in his first five appearances for the Rossoneri, the striker has reflected on his Blues departure. Read the full article

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What Arsenal's Takehiro Tomiyasu did for Japan as world-record run is finally ended

Arsenal will have gone into the international break in high spirits after maintaining a four-match unbeaten run in the Premier League ahead of the break. Wins against Norwich, Burnley and Tottenham were followed by a 0-0 draw away to high-flying Brighton and the Gunners will be eager to continue that fine form when Crystal Palace visit the Emirates. One player who has made an impressive start to life in north London is right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu. Signed from Bologna on deadline day by Mikel Arteta, Tomiyasu has slotted in seamlessly to an Arsenal defence that had struggled badly at the start of the campaign. Read the full article

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Chelsea's January transfer priorities as Antonio Rudiger decision made amid Jules Kounde rumours

Thomas Tuchel will be hoping that Chelsea can continue their good start to the season with reinforcements in January that could help them finish the season strong. The Blues added striker Romelu Lukaku and midfielder Saul to their squad in the summer (as well as third choice keeper Marcus Bettinelli) and have made a great start to their campaign at the top of the table. Despite the side’s great form, Tuchel could dip into the winter market to help bolster his squad for the second-half of the season.  Read the full article

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Abramovich leads Hazard transfer pursuit as Alonso gives honest opinion of Lampard at Chelsea

Chelsea sent plea to save Gilmour from Norwich loan Billy Gilmour has been hailed 'world-class' after his impressive display in Scotland's dramatic 3-2 win over Israel despite having struggled for game time while on loan at Norwich from Chelsea. The 20-year-old was showered with praise by fellow countryman John McGinn before the Aston Villa midfielder revealed that Gilmour has become growingly frustrated with his loan at the Canaries. Read the full article

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Chelsea fans make Cesar Azpilicueta comparison after Nations League final defeat for Spain

Chelsea fans have made a brave Cesar Azpiliceuta comparison after he was part of a Spanish side that fell just short of Nations League success after France's comeback denied Luis Enrique his first major silverware of his tenure. Azpilicueta, 32, nearly topped off the brilliant week with a trophy on the international stage after his shock but well deserved Ballon d'Or nomination. Unfortunately for himself and fans of the Spanish national team, it wasn't to be as Didier Deschamps' side showed their comeback ability once again after falling behind to Mikel Oyarzabal's low driven attempt which nestled into the far corner of the net. The lead only lasted two minutes as Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema wrong-footed the Chelsea defender and curled his effort into the far top corner of Unai Simon's net from the edge of the area to bring parity straight back into the game. Read the full article

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Murray Grinds Down Alcaraz At Indian Wells

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray has claimed a battle of the generations, rebounding to see off Carlos Alcaraz at the BNP Paribas Open in three sets on Sunday. In his 13th Indian Wells appearance, the Scot advanced to the third round of an ATP Masters 1000 for the first time since he won the Paris Rolex Masters in 2016 with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 victory over the #NextGenATP Spaniard. Murray finished with 18 winners to his opponent’s 36, but his 29 unforced errors were 13 fewer. “He’s obviously got so much potential, so much firepower and these conditions it’s not easy to finish points off quickly, but he’s able to because he has so much pace from the back of the court so I had to fight extremely hard, coming back from a set down," Murray said in his on-court interview. "I felt like in the second set he played maybe better. First set I felt like I had more of the opportunities but didn’t get it so yeah, happy with the way I fought. He's a top-drawer young player." In only his second ATP Masters 1000 event of the season, Murray made the sharper start as he broke the Spaniard’s opening service game and carried the advantage to 4-2 before his younger opponent pegged back level. Murray held a set point on his opponent’s serve at 5-4 but could not convert as an emboldened Alcaraz took it up a gear to break. The Spaniard then served out the opening set at the 66-minute mark on the back of 18 winners to Murray’s seven – 13 of those off the forehand wing. Such was the strength of his opponent’s baseline game, Murray opted for an underarm serve to catch Alcaraz off-guard and hold for 2-1 in the second set. “He started returning from further back, so it was even harder to get free points on the serve,” Murray said. “I thought if he's going to stand that far back and I'm getting no love from the court and the conditions, why not try it and see if I can bring him forward a little bit again. Wasn't expecting obviously to get an ace out of it.” As was the case in the first set, the Scot was the first to break in the second set. The World No. 121 – who required a wild card for a main draw berth – built on a 4-2 advantage as he levelled at a set apiece after two hours and five minutes. Where Alcaraz had dominated on winners in the opening set, he had now committed 14 unforced errors in the second set to Murray’s eight. There was an early letdown from the 30th seed when he immediately dropped serve to start the third set and when four break points when begging in the ensuing game, Murray snatched the ascendancy with the consolidation. A double break gave Murray an added buffer and he improved his record in the desert to 27-12 when he served out the victory after three hours and four minutes. His reward is a third-round showdown against third seed Alexander Zverev. Former quarter-finalist Karen Khachanov, the 24th seed from Russia, recovered from 0-3 down in the second set en route to beating Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland 6-2, 7-5 in one hour and 37 minutes. With his 30th match win of the season, Khachanov will now challenge No. 12 seed Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain. Source link Read the full article

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SAFF Championship 2021: India's Igor Stimac responds to Nepal coach over 'celebration dance'

Igor Stimac was a relieved man after India beat Nepal 1-0 in their third match of the SAFF Championship 2021 at the National Football Stadium in Male, on Sunday. The win put them in the third position in the table with five points from three matches and in contention for a spot in the finals.  However, the Croatian was visibly concerned with the way the forwards missed chances throughout the match. Even Sunil Chhetri wasted a couple of them until he scored in the 82nd minute. 

What did Igor Stimac say?

"I am very happy with the three points, which is keeping us until the very end with a great possibility of finishing in the finals. I am very happy and grateful for how our boys responded today, in nearly everything. I say nearly because scoring is an area where we need to improve. From chances like that we need to score. Otherwise, you have to suffer until the very end. But we need to be patient," he stated. 

What did Stimac say about Sunil Chhetri's performance? 

The Indian skipper missed two golden opportunities, one in each half. However, he did redeem himself after scoring the winner in the 82-minute. With that goal, he equalled Brazilian legend Pele's tally of 77 strikes.  Editors' Picks "He could have made the difference earlier (laughs). He kept us all nervous till the end. We are all very happy for him and for the record. All the team are working so that he can score more goals."

Stimac hits back at Nepal's coach Abdullah Almutairi

Igor Stimac was seen doing a little jig immediately after after India took the lead through Sunil Chhetri. Although it was all in jest, Abdullah Almutairi perceived it as being 'shameful'. The Croatian responded to him in kind.  "I’m not sure what’s wrong with my celebration. Can you tell me? I think he should ask himself what he meant when he said India is 95 per cent favourite. That’s disrespectful to his team. He shouldn’t be thinking about myself and my celebration. I’m sorry that he mentioned this because nothing was wrong with my celebration. Or maybe, I don’t have the right to celebrate. “I’m doing my job and I’m a professional doing the best I can. I’m trying to stay concentrated on what my players are doing on the pitch, not about how I’m going to celebrate my goals. Maybe, some other coaches think about how they celebrate goals. They’re becoming like players,” Stimac expressed.  Source link Read the full article

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Matteo Berrettini, Jannik Sinner Boost Turin Hopes In Indian Wells | ATP Tour

Italy’s hopes of having two players in Turin for the Nitto ATP Finals were bolstered Sunday, with Matteo Berrettini and Jannik Sinner winning their opening-round matches at the BNP Paribas Open. Berrettini advanced in straight sets, defeating Chilean qualifier Alejandro Tabilo 6-4, 7-5. Sinner showed no signs of fatigue following his title in Sofia last week, as he eased past John Millman 6-2, 6-2. 🇮🇹 Forza 🇮🇹Two matches, two wins 👌#BNPPO21 pic.twitter.com/IAbfrixQTG BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) October 10, 2021 Berrettini, 25, had not won a match at Indian Wells before taking the court, losing in his two previous appearances. He is a two-time champion this year, winning the Serbia Open and the cinch Championships. "It’s been a little bit of time to get the first win, but I’m so happy," said Berrettini. "I love the conditions here, the place, it’s amazing. It’s called Tennis Paradise and it feels like that. "I didn’t know Alejandro that well. I knew that he was a tricky player. He played three matches here so he was feeling confident. He believed that he could win and I felt it, so it was even tougher to beat him." Berrettini sits in sixth place in the FedEx ATP Race to Turin, while Sinner is 10th. FOLLOW THIS WEEK'S ACTION Sinner dictated proceedings against Millman in his first-career match at the BNP Paribas Open, breaking the Australian’s serve four times and not facing a break point. The 20-year-old Italian's serve was dominant, as he won 86 per cent (18/21) of first-serve points and 74 per cent (14/19) of second-serve points. “Today, I played very well. I didn’t miss many shots and I felt great on court,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “I had one week of practise here so it was quite long to prepare, which is very good.” Berrettini will take on the winner of an all-American contest between Taylor Fritz and Brandon Nakashima, while up next for Sinner is 20th seed John Isner or Yoshihito Nishioka. Source link Read the full article

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‘We’re having a lot of fun’ – Ezekiel Elliott and Erin Andrews discuss the Cowboys’ hot start

Erin Andrews sat down with Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott to discuss his team's hot start to the 2021 season. Hear Zeke's thoughts on Dak Prescott, his relationship with Tony Pollard and much more. Source link Read the full article

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‘We’re having a lot of fun’ – Ezekiel Elliott and Erin Andrews discuss the Cowboys’ hot start

Erin Andrews sat down with Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott to discuss his team's hot start to the 2021 season. Hear Zeke's thoughts on Dak Prescott, his relationship with Tony Pollard and much more. Source link Read the full article

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Gervinho, Mustafi & Arsenal's 15 worst signings of all time

Goal takes a look at some of the worst signings made by the Gunners, including the likes of Park Chu-Young and Andre Santos Source link Read the full article

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Chelsea make approach for Inter Milan star as Jude Bellingham is told to join Blues’ title rival

Welcome to our football .london CareFree Chelsea daily news round-up. Maybe not the first, we've definitely done transfer round-ups before, and European round-ups, so I guess in some ways it's not that new at all. Anyway, we thought we would enter the world of football in a broad and roundabout manner for you and have some fun with some of the stories and captions doing the daily rounds.

Chelsea make a serious approach to sign Brozovic

According to FCInterNews, Chelsea have made a serious approach to sign Croatian Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan. Brozovic turns 29 next month and is out of contract at the end of the season with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain reportedly requesting information. In January it will be six years since he joined the Italian giants. Brozovic will be free to speak to either club in January should Inter Milan fail to tie him down to a new contract. It is rumoured that Brozovic's preference is to remain at Inter and that a meeting is scheduled next week to discuss his options. He also wants to be given a respectable offer, something which has seemingly not happened so far.

Ex-Chelsea defender gives Bellingham Liverpool tip

Former Chelsea and Liverpool defender Glen Johnson opts for Liverpool move ahead of Chelsea. He told BettingOdds.com. “I’d probably say Liverpool,” “Even though Liverpool do have superstar players, they also have a smaller squad and they don’t have those superstar players sitting on their bench banging the door down, so it’s easier to keep the squad happy. “If Jude was to make the move to Liverpool then I believe they can nurture him better than his other suitors and will give him more time as that’s what he will need. “If he was to go to Chelsea or Manchester City and didn’t perform straight away then the pressure would be immediately on him and he would be stepped aside and somebody else would come in and take his place.

Ten Ballon d'Or shortlist nominees

Chelsea get a respectable 20 per cent of the shortlist nominees. Chelsea have five men shortlisted for the 30-man nominees shortlist - Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount and Romelu Lukaku. While there are five players – Magda Eriksson, Jessie Fleming, Pernille Harder, Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby– nominated for the 20-strong Women’s award. Although he missed out on the Ballon d'Or nomination Edouard Mendy is part of the 10-man strong shortlist for the Yashin Trophy, which is specifically for goalkeepers. The winners of all awards will be announced in Paris on 29 November. Just like you, we can’t get enough of Chelsea! That’s why we’ve decided to supplement our expansive Chelsea coverage on football.london with a more fan-oriented platform catered specifically to Chelsea fans - CareFreeChelsea. Writers and presenters who share your passion for the Blues will be producing written, visual and audio content to reflect the mood in the stands as well as the press box. Follow @CarefreeYouth, @SonOfChelsea and @FLWN_ on Twitter to ensure you don’t miss out on the full launch coming very soon!

Kante back training

The images all Chelsea fans wanted to see got released this morning on the club's official Twitter account. N'Golo Kante is back training at Cobham.

All smiles for N'Golo Kante and Will Tullett as the Frenchman returns to training The French international has missed the international break with his nation due to a positive covid test for coronavirus. Thomas Tuchel confirmed Kante must "quarantine and follow the government protocols." ahead of the Juventus and Southampton matches. He followed that statement up days later with "N’Golo has symptoms but not a lot of symptoms, so he’s okay, ‘I don't want to go into more details. He's okay. He's doing well. Chelsea and Thomas Tuchel will be hoping they can now keep Kante fit and rearing to go for the busy schedule ahead. Follow our CareFree Chelsea trends writer Scott Clayton on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below. Read the full article

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Spain vs. France bold predictions: Why Sergio Busquets could be difference-maker in UEFA Nations League final

The first piece of silverware of the new season is up for grabs on Sunday as France take on Spain in the UEFA Nations League final. Following two thrilling semifinals that saw these two emerge victorious over Belgium and Italy, respectively, the stage is set for an intriguing contest. Here are three things to keep an eye on.

1. France revert to type

What was all the more remarkable about France's comeback from two goals down to beat Belgium in Turin on Wednesday was how out of type it felt. A team with Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba playing front foot, aggressive football? Not for nothing did L'Equipe label the revival as "extraordinary as it was unexpected" with La Voix Du Nord adding that the result had been "staggering surprising." It has been a long time indeed since Didier Deschamps' side have played with such elan.In that second half, you could see a blueprint for a France side of the future. Mbappe and Karim Benzema were not just lights out in front of goal, without the ball they were leading a press that hemmed the Belgians into their own half, forcing them to go long to Romelu Lukaku and/or concede possession, often near their goal. According to Wyscout tracking data, Belgium lost possession near their goal on 30 occasions in their 3-2 loss. Of those, 22 came in the second half.France's high press leaves Belgium with few easy options to get up the pitch Wyscout The image above is a sight all too rarely seen in the France side. With the front three pushed high up, the midfielders behind them resolve to push Belgium back into their defensive third, leaving precious few ways to escape. Even the left back in the corner of the shot is not really an option with Pogba pushing towards. Teams have become used to playing against a French opponent that sits deep, inviting them to advance the ball up the field with Les Bleus aiming to win the ball back from there and attack.  With a brisk back three of Jules Kounde, Raphael Varane and Lucas Hernandez behind them, there was no reason why Pogba, Adrien Rabiot and the French wing backs could not squeeze the upper regions of the pitch throughout. Only in the second half did they really resolve to. Match winner Theo Hernandez said: "At halftime, we spoke to each other and said 'we're better than them' and we saw that in the second half. We ate them up in the second half and, thanks to that, we won the match." He was right. This is a team perfectly capable of winning individual duels across the pitch, both against the Netherlands and Spain.However, the chances of Deschamps sticking with what worked on Thursday seem rather slim. It is not as if it is news to anyone that France have the players to play a more assertive and expansive style. The default approach under their current management has been reactive, one designed to mitigate risk while trusting that Mbappe or Griezmann can make a feast off scraps at the other end. It has worked to the tune of a World Cup win. It is also perhaps true that Spain might be able to play through the French press with an ease that Belgium did not always show. Only if France are really struggling are we likely to see a reversion to the template that brought them to the final. Still, it will be useful for Deschamps to know he has it in his back pocket.

2. Busquets to roll back the years

At the highest level of club football, Sergio Busquets increasingly struggles. Rarely the most fleet of foot in recent years, he has struggled to hold the fort against top opposition in his preferred position, the link man between midfield and defense, particularly when he is asked to cover huge tracts of space when other teams are countering. Yet on the international stage, where the pressure is not as organized and the pace of the game drops down somewhat, Busquets can still dictate a match like few others.That much was apparent against Italy, one of the few teams that do attempt to put pressure on their opponents at the international level. It did not upset Busquets in any way. According to Wyscout, he attempted 96 passes. He completed 96 passes. This was a clinic in setting the tempo for the Spanish attack, with the No. 5 drawing Italian pressure onto him before switching play into the space his man had vacated.Busquets turns away from three Italian defenders with a drop of his shoulder, opening space out on the Spanish left Wyscout This passage of play might well have resulted in a goal for Mikel Oyarzabal, but for an excellent block from Leonardo Bonucci. It all stems back to Busquets ability to get the ball away from pressure and into a dangerous area. As he moves away (not in the most explosive fashion) the Italian right flank comes inside to pressure, opening space for Marcos Alonso. With Federico Chiesa drawn infield, Giovanni Di Lorenzo has to cover the Spain full back, opening a lane for Pablo Sarabia to drive into. Busquets run opens up space for Spain to attack, ultimately leading to a dangerous shot on goal Wyscout That left flank could be an intriguing battle ground for the final, not least because Alonso is likely to be as adventurous on Sunday as Yannick Carrasco was in the semis. When Belgium were at their best late in the first half, it came when their wing back was advanced up the pitch to attack his opposite number Benjamin Pavard, who looks ill at ease in a back three/five, with Roberto Martinez moving Eden Hazard infield to occupy right-sided center back Kounde. It is easy to see how Spain could similarly exploit that spot with their fluid frontline in which Oyarzabal, the nominal starter on the left, drifts around and switches with Sarabia. Alonso is less of a natural in attacking one vs. ones than Carrasco but certainly has the physicality to impose himself on any defender. As for Busquets, it seems unlikely that he will face the same pressure from France that he did from Italy, at least until Bonucci's sending off just before the interval. If Deschamps reuses his tactics from the Belgium win, then it would be Griezmann tasked with picking up his former Barcelona teammate; the Frenchman certainly does not press with the energy of the Italian midfield and that is assuming he is asked to do anything like that. If France set up in their low block again, then there will be even more time for the veteran Spaniard to pick his passes and apply a stranglehold on the opposition.

3. This will not be the last winter final

After two semifinals of high drama among four of the best teams in Europe, who could blame UEFA if they looked at the events of the last few days and chose to repeat the trick? The Nations League has been a largely successful competition, bringing much needed competition to the European calendar, but its first finals in Portugal had perhaps been something of a damp squib for everyone but its victorious hosts. Played just a week after the Champions League final the players looked tired and the importance of the fixtures seemed tangential at best. The footballing world was rather drained; the stakes were simply non-existent for a Switzerland vs. England third-place play-off.Of course, in normal circumstances this would have been another summer tournament, bridging the gap between a Euro 2020 that was not a misnomer and the 2022 World Cup. Instead, COVID-19 forced it to be squeezed in during one of the three international breaks between the start of the season and the end of the calendar year. It is a spot that rather suits it. Suddenly, this is the first major piece of silverware available to some of Europe's top players this season and perhaps even a chance for someone like Mbappe to make a late push for the Ballon d'Or.Equally, it offers some degree of footballing significance to an international break that, in Europe at least, feels like it serves no purpose other than to kill burgeoning momentum for the club season. Take the Nations League out of the equation for this international break and what might be the best fixture on the continent? England against Hungary? Any change to the date of the Nations League finals will not happen immediately. The UEFA calendar is due to return to its previous form in 2023 and Europe's governing body will surely be loath to sacrifice space in the summer calendar when recent evidence is it will inevitably be filled by something else. But this competition is new enough that there is time to experiment with its format, to tweak it to turn it into the best product for viewers and a tournament that carries weight for its participants. The success of this interlude in the fixture calendar may not be forgotten. Source link Read the full article

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Arsenal star Aaron Ramsdale makes Gareth Southgate claim ahead of potential England debut

Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale says that Gareth Southgate is the best "man-manager" he has ever worked with as he prepares for England's game against Andorra. The 23-year-old is currently on international duty with his country as they take on the The Tricolours at Estadi Nacional on Saturday night - despite the stadium catching on fire on Friday afternoon. After his excellent start to life at the Gunners, Ramsdale earned a well-deserved call-up to the Three Lions squad and has been enjoying his time away so far. He was selected alongside Jordan Pickford and Sam Johnstone, with the Everton stopper expected to start the World Cup qualifier in Andorra.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon8Cancel Play now It's the same trio that trained together for the majority of Euro 2020 after Dean Henderson withdrew just before the clash with Scotland through injury. Speaking on the England YouTube channel, Ramsdale has praised Southgate for the work he has done with the team and believes he's a 'top man'. He said: "He's possibly the greatest man manager I've ever worked with. He doesn't speak to you as a footballer, he speaks to you as a human, he makes everyone feel welcome. Read More Related Articles Read More Related Articles "This is the first proper time I've been involved in the squad without being called in late. He's a top man and what he's doing with this group of players is special. "We were a few kicks away from winning a tournament and that's our next goal. We haven't qualified yet but hopefully that will happen in the next few games and all focus will be on Qatar. He's a top manager and a top man." Since joining Arsenal from the Blades in August, Ramsdale has seemingly already replaced Bernd Leno as the number one, starting in each of the last four Premier League matches. He has kept three clean sheets in that time, conceding his only goal in the 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby. But Ramsdale was heavily praised after making a sensational save from Lucas Moura's deflected strike, tipping the ball onto post before clawing it behind. Having also played a vital role in keeping a shut out at Brighton & Hove Albion just before the international break, Mikel Arteta will be hoping he can continue the same form heading into their game against Crystal Palace on Monday, October 18. Source link Read the full article

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Anderson Powers Through Indian Wells Opener | ATP Tour

South African former World No. 5 Kevin Anderson has improved his ATP Head2Head record to 3-0 against Australia’s Jordan Thompson after a straight-sets win in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Friday. The three-time Indian Wells quarter-finalist had never dropped a set to the 27-year-old and maintained that record with a 7-5, 6-2 victory in 84 minutes. In his 10th appearance in the California desert Anderson struck 10 aces and dropped only three points on his first serve to set a second-round meeting with 17th seed Lorenzo Sonego. Read the full article