Entertainment

Serena survives scare at Roland Garros, wins 800th match

Published

6 years ago

May 27, 2019

Eric

Serena Williams survived a first-set scare before defeating Russia’s Vitalia Diatchenko 2-6, 6-1, 6-0 to reach the second round of the French Open on Monday.

The 37-year-old American, who is attempting to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles, racked up her 800th career main draw win with her victory in front of a half-full Court Philippe Chatrier.

“There is always a lot fear for a first round match,” said Williams who eventually raced to victory, taking 12 of the last 13 games.

“I made lots of mistakes in the first set and I just said ‘good luck, Serena’.

“I was strong after that… now I feel like I need to go and practice.”

Williams, the 2002, 2013 and 2015 champion in Paris, will face either Japan’s Kurumi Nara or Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia for a place in the last 32.

Williams won her most recent major at the Australian Open in 2017 while pregnant.

She returned to Grand Slam tennis after giving birth to her daughter at Roland Garros in 2018, making the last 16 where she had been set to resume her bitter rivalry with Maria Sharapova.

An arm injury torpedoed that meeting and stalled her assault on a fourth title in Paris.

Defeat in the 2018 Wimbledon final and US Open championship match, where her now-infamous meltdown overshadowed Naomi Osaka’s title triumph, followed her Paris heartbreak.

Her Australian Open campaign in January ended in a quarter-final loss to Karolina Pliskova despite having led 5-1 in the final set and holding four match points.

Since Melbourne, Williams had been unable to finish the three tournaments she had entered — retiring in the third round of Indian Wells and withdrawing after winning a round in Miami, and after winning one round in Rome due to a right knee injury.

On Monday, the 83rd-ranked Diatchenko, who knocked Maria Sharapova out of Wimbledon last year, broke Williams twice in the opening set in the fifth and seventh games, claiming the opener on a third set point.

Williams fired four aces in the set but also 14 unforced errors.

Suddenly, she was staring at only her second first round loss at a Slam after her 2012 defeat in Paris by Virginie Razzano.

But she stormed back to level the encounter, cutting the errors by half and breaking in the second and sixth games of the set.

She swept through the decider, breaking in the first, third and fifth games.

One year after her ‘Black Panther’ catsuit caused controversy, Williams returned to Roland Garros, dressed in a zebra-striped cape emblazoned with the words ‘mother, champion, queen, goddess’ all translated into French in a nod to her hosts.

Once the cape was removed, Williams revealed a black and white zebra-stripe print dress.

She fell foul of tournament organisers last year with her one-piece black outfit which she said she needed to wear to boost her circulation.

Williams had suffered life-threatening blood clots when she gave birth to her daughter Alexis Olympia in 2017.

Entertainment

Davido Reunites with First Daughter, Imade, Says It’s ‘Best Day of My Life’

Published

2 weeks ago

May 29, 2025

Eric

Nigerian music sensation David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido is basking in fatherly joy as he reunites with his first daughter, Imade Adeleke, amid a heated custody battle with her mother, Sophia Momodu.

Taking to his Instagram page stories on Wednesday, the award-winning Afrobeats star shared a heartwarming photo of himself with 10-year-old Imade, both smiling for the camera. He also posted a screenshot of a FaceTime call between himself, Imade, and his second daughter, Hailey.

In a short, emotional caption, Davido wrote, “Best day of my life”.

This joyful reunion comes after a long-drawn custody dispute that began in 2022.

In June 2023, Davido filed a lawsuit seeking joint custody of Imade, claiming that Sophia had denied him access to their daughter while allegedly demanding excessive financial support, allegations she denied.

Sophia, in response, filed a counter affidavit opposing Davido’s request, citing concerns over his lifestyle and the tragic loss of his son, Ifeanyi, as reasons why he should not have full or joint custody.

The relationship between the former lovers soured even further after Davido rekindled his romance with Chioma Rowland, who is now his wife.

The Punch

Entertainment

Mercy Johnson Reveals Reason Behind Weight Loss, Says I Had Cancer Scare, Underwent Thyroid Surgery

Published

3 weeks ago

May 19, 2025

Eric

Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson-Okojie has opened up about her health struggles and her sudden weight loss.

The movie star recently sparked concerns with her drastic weight loss, which has been the subject of intense discussion across social media platforms.

In a recent conversation with veteran actress Joke Silva, Okojie explained that she had a cancer scare and underwent a thyroid removal surgery.

She said, “I had a cancer scare and I had my thyroid removed. I was like a journey for us because we have kids and my lastborn was six month old at that time, we [my husband and I] kept saying, we had to understand this is the new us, let’s go get the surgery done.

“When we got there, they said that I was going to be on medication for the rest of my life. We had to sit down, they were saying I can’t miss my medication, telling me the side effects. So, I’m reconciling with this you are saying [my weight loss]. I’m at the point where you realised that this is where we are, let’s grow from here and live in this comfort zone.”

DailyPost

Entertainment

Nobody Kidnapped Me, Sunny Ade Dispels Abduction Rumours

Published

1 month ago

April 30, 2025

Eric

Juju music singer, King Sunny Ade, has finally spoken to dispel the swirling rumour that he has been kidnapped.

For several days, social media platforms were abuzz with speculation that the musician had been abducted, leaving his fans both worried and confused.

In response to the frenzy, Sunny Ade took to a video released by his wife, Mrs. Bose Olubo-Adegeye, to dispel the unfounded rumours.

“Nobody kidnapped me,” the renowned singer said with his accustomed calmness.

“I pray, as I don’t want anybody to kidnap me. I believe the whole world is in love with me. This is me, King Sunny Ade.

“I have to thank God and you, my fans, for the concern. I have been doing my shows. I was at a show last Saturday at Lekki, Lagos. I am on my way to have a show, and I am coming back again to play in Lagos, as well,” he said.

Sunny Ade, fondly referred to as KSA, reassured his fans, thanking them for their concern and love.

The musician explained that the confusion surrounding his absence could have been linked to the fact that some of his children hadn’t seen him recently.

“I know my children are in love with me, and they want to see me. I didn’t go anywhere. This is me. I thank the children, too, for their concern as well,” KSA added.

The 78-year-old star, who is known for his vibrant performances and contributions to Nigerian music, expressed his continued passion for music.

“By God’s grace, enjoyment continues. I am still in music. Music is my life; it is my business, and I will continue to do it.”