Tag Archives: Dickies Arena

Caroline Garcia Defeats Aryna Sabalenka to Claim WTA Finals Crown

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Caroline Garcia has claimed the biggest singles title of her career…

The 29-year-old half-Spanish French tennis player took a tight first set and went on to a 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over Aryna Sabalenka to win the championship of the WTA Finals on Monday night.

Caroline GarciaThe sixth-ranked Garcia became the second player from France to win the season-ending event after Amelie Mauresmo in 2005, also the last time the WTA Finals were held in the U.S.

The event was moved to Texas from China over concerns about the safety of Peng Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former government official there of sexual assault. Coronavirus restrictions also played a part in the decision.

Garcia won her last six sets after dropping the first in a winner-take-all match against Daria Kasatkina in group play. She is the oldest WTA Finals winner since Serena Williams at 33 in 2014.

The only player to win titles on all three surfaces this season, Garcia was just as comfortable as Sabalenka on the temporary indoor hard court at Dickies Arena near downtown Fort Worth.

As a result, Garcia handed the No. 7 player from Belarus just her third loss in 12 career hard-court finals. Sabalenka was trying to become the first player from her country to win the WTA Finals.

There was only one break point in a meeting of the tour (Garcia) and tournament (Sabalenka) leaders in aces coming into the match.

Garcia converted that break point in the first game of the second set while handing No. 7 Sabalenka just her third loss in 12 career hard-court finals on the temporary indoor court at Dickies Arena.

Garcia won six consecutive points in the tiebreaker, capped by her 10th ace of the first set for a 6-2 lead. Sabalenka’s third double fault ended the set. Garcia finished with 11 aces.

“It was a lot of aces, sometimes not too many rallies,” Garcia told the crowd. “But that’s our game style, and I hope you enjoyed it.”

Garcia matched Sabalenka’s power from the start in her fourth victory of the season, second only to Swiatek’s eight.

“I just dropped my level for a little bit on the tiebreak and in the first game of the second set,” Sabalenka said. “That was the key moments.”

Tied in the deciding game, Garcia’s service winner gave her a second match point, and Sabalenka sent a forehand long. Garcia dropped to the court on her back with her arms raised.

Vergil Ortiz Jr. Defeats Michael McKinson via Technical Decision

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Vergil Ortiz Jr. has registered another knockout.

The 24-year-old Mexican-American boxer defeated Michael McKinson via technical decision with a ninth-round stoppage at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, extending his strong start to the year.

Vergil Ortiz Jr.And with his 19th knockout in as many fights, Ortiz showed why he’s one of the top welterweight contenders in the world — even if he didn’t feel like he was at his best.

“The first seven rounds, I didn’t really do anything good,” Ortiz said in the post-fight interview with DAZN. “I had to adjust big time. I should have listened to my corner from the beginning. But I listened and we got it done.”

Ortiz and McKinson were initially scheduled to fight in March. The fight was postponed when Ortiz was hospitalized because of rhabdomyolysis.

Saturday’s bout, just a few miles away from Ortiz’s hometown of Grand Prairie, was considered a WBA eliminator. Ortiz (19-0, 19 KOs) will certainly maintain his status as the WBO and WBA‘s No. 1 contender in the 147-pound division.

But McKinson (22-1, 2 KOs) proved to be a tricky opponent. He was slippery around the outside of the ring and roughed Ortiz up on the inside as well.

Eventually, all the bodywork Ortiz’s corner asked for at the beginning of the fight manifested itself and paid dividends. In the final 30 seconds of the eighth round, Ortiz dropped the British fighter with a left hook to the body. McKinson went down in similar fashion at the beginning of the ninth round.

After he limped around the ring, his corner jumped to the top of the apron and threw in the towel.

Ortiz said his father, Vergil Ortiz Sr., yelled at him for three rounds for not following the game plan for the fight. The 24-year-old’s stubbornness eventually gave way to sound advice.

“You think you know everything, and you don’t,” Ortiz Jr. said.

A path to a title remains tricky because of the landscape within the welterweight division. Errol Spence and Terence Crawford, who was ringside Saturday, hold all four major belts and are in talks for a potential undisputed title fight. In his post-fight interview with DAZN, Ortiz acknowledged securing a title shot soon will be difficult because of that impending matchup.

But when it comes to taking on anyone else, he’ll fight whomever that opponent is.

Camila Cabello Adds Additional European Dates for her “Romance” Tour

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Camila Cabello is spreading a little more romance across the pond…

The 22-year-old Mexican & Cuban singer has revealed a series of new European dates next June as part of her world tour in support of her upcoming album, Romance, due out on December 6. 

Camila Cabello

Cabello’s biggest dates so far in England will kick off on June 1 at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham and include dates in Manchester, Leeds, Dublin, Glasgow and London.   

Cabello previously announced the kick-off of her Romance global outing, which includes a show at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, on December 3, as well as a gig at The Forum in Los Angeles on December 6, the B96 Jingle Bash in Rosemont, Illinois, on December 7, a stop at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota on December 9 and a December 13 show at Madison Square Garden in New York.

So far, the full Romance tour is slated to kick off on May 26 in Oslo, Norway and launch in North America on July 29 in Vancouver. 

Cabello has previewed the album with the recently released song “Living Proof,” the chart-topping Shawn Mendes collaboration “Señorita,” as well as the singles “Shameless,” “Easy,” “Cry For Me” and “Liar.”

Here’s a look at Cabello’s UK and European dates below.

May 26 – Oslo, Norway @ Spektrum
May 28 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Royal Arena
May 30 – Berlin, Germany @ Mercedes Benz Arena
June 1 – Birmingham, UK @ Resorts World Arena
June 2 – Leeds, UK @ First Direct Arena
June 4 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Arena
June 8 – Dublin, IR @ 3Arena
June 9 – Glasgow, UK @ The SSE Hydro
June 11– London, UK @ The O2
June 14 – Antwerp, Belgium @ Sportpaleis
June 15 – Amsterdam, Holland @ Ziggo Dome
June 17 – Paris, France @ Accorhotels Arena
June 18 – Cologne, Germany @ Laxness Arena
June 23 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Hallenstadion
June 24 – Milan, Italy @ Forum
June 30 – Barcelona, Spain @ Palau Sant Jordi
July 1 – Madrid, Spain @ Wizink Center