Editors' Picks: NFL & NBA heat up, Australian Open concludes & AFCON gets serious
Here's what our editors are watching this weekend.
Saturday, January 27th
The Australian Open Women's Final - 09:30 CET
The women's side of the Australian Open has been full of upsets from day one, with the top seed losing early on and a qualifier making it to the semi-finals, but we've nevertheless ended up with a final between two of the best players in the world.
Aryna Sabalenka needs no introduction. The world number two and reigning champion has been in imperious form all tournament, not dropping a single set on her way to the final despite facing top players in Barbora Krejcikova and Coco Gauff. If she can win on Saturday, she'll become the second Belarusian ever to win multiple singles majors and will very much establish herself as the best hard-court player in the world.
She won't have it easy though. Qinwen Zheng may be ranked 15th in the world, but precious few players have been better than her since she lost to Sabalenka at the US Open. She's won 21 of her 24 matches since then, claiming gold at the Asian Games and winning the Zhengzhou Open in the process. She'll have the crowd on her side too with a huge amount of Chinese fans travelling to Melbourne to support her these past few weeks.
Given the form she's been in, Sabalenka will undoubtedly be the favourite for this clash, but with a serve (when she lands it) and a forehand that are both quickly becoming among the best around, Zheng can cause her real problems if she brings her A-Game, and will be walking onto the court feeling less pressure on her shoulders.
It will be fascinating to see how Sabalenka handles such pressure - she's been known to struggle with it in the past - and how much progress Zheng has made since their US Open meeting.
NBA Rivals Week double-header - 23:30 CET
In 2022, the NBA introduced 'Rivals Week', dedicating a single week to exciting matchups between teams and players that often include some sort of storyline. This season's Rivals Week comes to a thrilling climax this weekend, with two box-office clashes.
Up first, the defending champions Denver Nuggets take on the Philadelphia 76ers, with all eyes on Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid.
The big men are unquestionably the leading contenders for the MVP crown, with reigning MVP Embiid's historic points-scoring season pushing him well out in front. His ridiculous form has shown no sign of letting up, and just a few days ago against the San Antonio Spurs, the Cameroonian scored 70 points, becoming just the ninth player in NBA history to reach those heights. He is also averaging an incredible 36.1 points per game.
Meanwhile, two-time MVP and Finals MVP, Jokic, continues to show why he is seen as the best player in the world, notching 13 triple-doubles and averaging a near triple-double (26.2-12-9.1) this season.
The sides - who both sit in third in their respective conferences - played each other just over a week ago in Philly, with the 76ers coming out on top. Embiid scored 41 points while Jokic scored 25 and picked up 19 rebounds. The Nuggets will want a different result this time around in Denver.
A few hours after tip-off in Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers are at the Golden State Warriors. It is a clash between two massive franchises, but also two basketball greats - LeBron James and Steph Curry.
The Warriors have been the dominant force in the NBA over the last nine years, winning four NBA Championships. However, it has been tough going for them this time around, with a number of ageing players struggling, suggesting they have truly come to the end of an era. They sit 12th in the Western Conference, outside the play-in tournament places.
It has also been a struggle for the Lakers, despite their victory in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. A lack of cohesion and some uninspiring coaching from Darwin Ham has left them 9th in the West. Regardless of form, the Lakers vs the Warriors is always a must-watch game. You do not want to miss it.
Sunday, January 28th
The Australian Open Men's Final - 09:30 CET
I think most people expected to see 10-time champion Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final. However, Jannik Sinner had other ideas, defeating the Serb in relatively comfortable fashion in their last four clash.
The Italian has been in scintillating form over the last few months, and will go into his first-ever final as the favourite as he searches for his maiden Grand Slam title.
But marathon man Daniil Medvedev will want to spoil his party. The Russian has had to battle his way through the Australian Open, including a thrilling win against Alexander Zverev from two sets down in the semi-final.
It is his sixth Grand Slam final - his third in Melbourne. He will certainly have experience on his side and will be desperate to win a second major.
It promises to be a blockbuster affair to round out a superb fortnight in Melbourne.
Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs - 21:00 CET
Dynasties take years to build in the NFL and they come down to games like the AFC Championship game on Sunday. For the Chiefs, the foundations for their legacy have been built on this game - for the past six years, they have made it this far in the season, going on to win the contest twice, going on to win it all two weeks later twice.
Baltimore, however, are at the start of their journey. Under John Harbaugh and led by all-but-certain league MVP in quarterback Lamar Jackson, they have reached their first AFC Championship game in 11 years after a season that has seen them finish with a 13-4 season, beating the Houston Texans last weekend at a canter. They are the hottest property in the league at the moment, presenting Jackson’s opposite number Patrick Mahomes with his toughest test of the season.
But, this is Mahomes flanked by tight end Travis Kelce, Isaiah Pacheco and an array of other weapons at his disposal. This team has been here before and they have a bunch of winners’ t-shirts to prove it. It’s set to be a blockbuster where two quarterbacks with differing styles will ultimately headline the show, but can someone steal the limelight?
If the AFC Championship game isn't enough, just after midnight in the NFC Championship game, the Detroit Lions continue their fairytale quest for a first appearance in the Super Bowl as they take on five-time champions San Francisco 49ers later that night.
Monday, January 29th
Senegal vs Ivory Coast - 21:00 CET
Saturday and Sunday are throwing up an absolute feast of sporting action, but if you're still hungry for more after all that you're in luck, because on Monday comes the cherry on top of the cake that is the weekend - a mouthwatering Round-of-16 clash at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Many would have expected holders Senegal and hosts Ivory Coast to meet in the final stages of the tournament, but the latter's humiliating 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea has caused the two to draw one another in the first knockout round.
A clash between the two African giants was always going to be fascinating, but it's been made even more so by the fact that Ivory Coast will head into it with a brand new coach after they made the remarkable decision to sack manager Jean-Louis Gasset mid-tournament following the aforementioned loss. Assistant manager Emerse Fae has been handed the reigns to the Elephants for the rest of the tournament, and this will be his first time taking charge of a senior team.
It feels like his managerial debut will go one of two ways - either Ivory Coast will experience the good old 'New Manager Bounce' and, free of the pressure they've been carrying on their shoulders, make a real game of it. Alternatively, the lack of a manager will cause even more disarray and they'll be destroyed by what is a very strong Senegal side.
Either way, it's difficult to see this match being a quiet one and we don't just mean that figuratively, with the host nation's fans all but certain to create quite the atmosphere.
