So, Sam Sumyk has taken the fall for Eugenie Bouchard’s inexplicable sophomore slump, six months after jumping ship to join the Canadian’s team.
Back in February, Sumyk, who was working with former No 1 Victoria Azarenka until the Australian Open, was introduced as the man Bouchard wanted.
“When I was looking for a coach, I wanted someone who’s played or who’s been coaching someone who’d been there, getting to No 1 or winning grand slams, and he’s done that,” the Canadian said.
“He’s what I wanted.”
Bouchard was ranked No 7 at the time. Then the slump started — she has lost her opening match at eight of her 11 tournaments since, including the French Open and Wimbledon. Her win-loss record since the Australian Open is 4-13, and she has slipped down the rankings to No 25.
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So, her slide has certainly coincided with Sumyk’s appointment as coach, but is the Frenchman solely responsible for Bouchard’s woes? Probably not. The Canadian will have to look inward to find the other reasons, most of which seem pretty obvious.
Observers, for one, have pointed out the weight and muscle loss. That has certainly made her look good on magazine covers and in fashion shoots, but it has surely not helped her tennis.
The mental toughness that marked her early career is missing. She will need to rediscover that and, most importantly, realise she is an elite athlete and not some up-and-coming model.
One cannot imagine a Ronda Rousey losing weight just to look good for the cameras or to bag a few extra endorsements.
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
If you go
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
On Women's Day
Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action
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Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus'
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SANCTIONED
- Kirill Shamalov, Russia's youngest billionaire and previously married to Putin's daughter Katarina
- Petr Fradkov, head of recently sanctioned Promsvyazbank and son of former head of Russian Foreign Intelligence, the FSB.
- Denis Bortnikov, Deputy President of Russia's largest bank VTB. He is the son of Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB which was responsible for the poisoning of political activist Alexey Navalny in August 2020 with banned chemical agent novichok.
- Yury Slyusar, director of United Aircraft Corporation, a major aircraft manufacturer for the Russian military.
- Elena Aleksandrovna Georgieva, chair of the board of Novikombank, a state-owned defence conglomerate.
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Kanguva
While you're here
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
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The specs
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
While you're here
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Lucy Sherriff: Covid vaccine passports: safeguard or ethical nightmare?
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