This Weekend’s Big Match-Ups (April 14-17)
After some spectacular performances in the European Champions League, UFC, the Masters, and NBA in the last week, fans of sport could be forgiven for thinking that this week would bring a bit of a lull as everyone gets their breath back. They would be mistaken; this week the train just keeps rolling on, with huge matchups everywhere you look. So let’s have a look at some of the biggest coming up.
ATP Tour: Monte-Carlo Masters (April 9th-16th)
The Monte-Carlo Masters is in full swing, and after a momentus first week, where big upsets and powerful performances were often given in the same day, the final week is upon us.
So far, the dominant displays from second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas have marked him as one of the favorites for the title, while Andrey Rublev has also been impressive in his march to the round of 16. However, the looming figure of number one seeded Novak Djokovic is sure to strike fear into the hearts of anyone who steps in his way, as he returns to try and reassert his standing as the best player in men’s tennis.
However, with only a few days to go until the semi finals and the final, there are some surprising names still deep in the competition. German Jan-Lennard Struff upset 14th seed Alex de Minaur to reach the round of 16, and he will be optimistic of a deeper run at his breakout Masters tournament. Former world number 3 Dominic Thiem has also shrugged off a period of bad form since his return from injury to stay in the competition, and will be hoping to improve his current ranking of 96 after this tournament.
It’s still up in the air for everyone still in, and this weekend should be filled with terrific matches as we find out who the king of Monte-Carlo is this year.
UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Allen (April 15th)
After an outstanding card last weekend at UFC 287, with new middleweight champion Israel Adesanya reclaiming his throne against his bitter rival Alex Pereira in spectacular fashion, the UFC is back this weekend with one of the most highly anticipated Fight Night cards in recent memory.
The featherweight bout between Hawaiian legend Max Holloway and the destructive force of Arnold Allen is the highlight of a stacked card, with the winner looking at a potential title shot in the future. This is especially true if undisputed featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski does indeed make the permanent step up to the lightweight division as he is reportedly considering.
Further down the card, we have the Brazilian star Edson Barboza taking on popular US fighter Billy Quarantillo in another featherweight bout, which is highly anticipated due to both fighters’ entertaining styles and striking abilities.
Finally, the light-heavyweight matchup between Dustin Jacoby and Azamat Murzakanov should be an absolute blockbuster, with Jacoby’s powerful striking taking on Murzakanov’s elite wrestling ability. Both are highly technical and have been in some fantastic fights over the years, so we can’t wait to see what they do this time out.
NBA: Warriors @ Kings (April 15th)
The NBA playoffs are finally here, and the Western Conference looks as open as it has in years, with any team from the top-seeded Denver Nuggets to the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in with a chance to reach the NBA Finals in June. The first round matchup between a third-seeded Sacramento Kings side that has been the league’s surprise package this season and perennial champions Golden State Warriors is going to be a treat to watch.
The rise of this Sacramento team has been one of the best stories of the NBA this year, after the team had spent 17 years out of the playoffs and mocked by the rest of the league.
The Domantas Sabonis has turbocharged this team to greater heights, but they were already going strong with the performance of De’Aaron Fox and former Warrior Harrison Barnes lighting up the Western Conference with their elite offensive play. Sacramento are actually the most statistically powerful offense in NBA history, and they were fully deserving of their high placement in the West.
However, even though Golden State had a mixed regular season to say the least, their experience at this level is unquestioned and a huge reason why they still are favored in this tie, despite their sixth seed standing and horrible record away from home. They have struggled with injuries and absenses this season, but with Andrew Wiggins expected to be available and Gary Payton II returning before the trade deadline, Golden State seem to be clicking at just the right time.
Game 1 is at Sacramento, and both teams will be wanting to make a statement to open this series. Should be a fun one!
Premier League: Manchester City - Leicester City (April 15th)
After Arsenal dropped points at Liverpool last weekend in a thrilling game, Manchester City now know what they need to do to win a fifth title in six seasons: win all the rest of their games. They are six points behind Arsenal with a game in hand, but also face them at the Etihad in a couple of weeks. They have 9 games left, and wins in all of them will be enough to win the title again, barring a crazy swing in goal difference.
This weekend, they come up against a Leicester City side who are low on confidence after a run of terrible form. They sacked popular manager Brendan Rodgers a couple of weeks ago and have appointed former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith to steady the ship and steer them to safety. However, they are coming up against a juggernaut of a side that has just beaten the German giants Bayern Munich 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League tie. This might be a test too far for Smith on his return to management.
Manchester City are in the form of their lives at the moment, scoring at will and defending like lions. They are peaking at just the right time as they chase a historic treble, but they need to make sure they keep their concentration and don’t take their eye off the ball (pun fully intended). The title race is wide open again.
Author: Dan Anderson