The tennis news (but not only) of the week: Djokovic equaled Sampras, and blackmailing for chocolate.

Monday, October 26th

Things are going well at RTBF, at the start of this week. For an hour, all articles published by the Belgian media were signed with the word « fart ». Not a sick journalist’s fault, but a more funny than smelly mistake which came from the developers of the website. The WTA ranking looked funnier to Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka who both climbed up a spot and are now respectively eleventh and thirteenth. In the men’s ranking, Milos Raonic earned two spots and is now the world number 17. Even more interesting, Rafael Nadal became the player who spent the most consecutive weeks in the top 10. Enough to brag a little.

Tuesday, October 27th

And the best dish in the world is… massaman curry! That’s according to CNN Traveller, the section dedicated to tourism, which ranked the « best dishes ever created around the world ». Kiki Bertens and Gaël Monfils, who officially put an end to their seasons because of injuries, but also Fiona Ferro (who tested positive for coronavirus), will at least be able to comfort themselves by eating this Thai recipe. The Covid break really did have some consequences on physical fitness.

Wednesday, October 28th

Big mistakes, episode 2. In Asia, a 52 year-old man who thought he had killed someone a very long time ago during a fight turned himself in after being on the run for 30 years. The result? The culprit turned out to be innocent and realized that no one had actually been looking for him, that no one died, and that he spent three decades hiding… for nothing. A great game of hide-and-seek. The 2020 edition of the Paris-Bercy should look like no other as it will entirely be played behind closed doors because of the lockdown in France. Novak Djokovic doesn’t care, as he is certain of ending the year at the first spot of the ATP Ranking for the sixth time. A feat that had only been achieved by the one and only Pete Sampras until now. Unless Nadal asks for a wild-card to play in Sofia and that he wins the tournament. Which is impossible, because…

Thursday, October 29th

… Because Nadal has currently traded the small yellow ball for a mini-white ball. Incredibly impressive on the course, the Spaniard ended up being sixth (out of around sixty players), of the Balearic Islands golf tournament, which is opened to professional players. Even the photo of the year, which was elected by the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, which picks out the funniest photo of an animal every year, wouldn’t make him lose his concentration. Yet, this non-smiling turtle which looks like it is flipping off the photographer is a little… unsettling, to say the least. 

Friday, October 30th

A quick break, before the weekend. Just to imitate Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who is pretending to work out in water during his physical reeducation. But also to dream about what you could afford if you won the jackpot twice in the space of seven months, even though there is a 1 out of 80 000 chance of this happening. So congratulations to this American man from Nebraska! 42 000 + 84 000 = 126 000 euros, in total, for him. 

Saturday, October 31st

Dominic Thiem, out. Grigor Dimitrov, out. Fernando Verdasco, out. Cristian Garín, out. Already having to do without spectators, the Rolex Paris Masters is facing a real avalanche of injuries, even before the first round has even started. To make things worse, Simona Halep announced that she had tested positive for this damned virus. As a result, none of them are able to celebrate Halloween in John Colone’s cottage, as the sixty-year old man from Michigan has turned it into a monstrous den, before renting it out on Airbnb. Boo! 
 

Sunday, November 1st

And here’s another good Belgian story. In the north of Brussels, a couple were sharing an intimate moment. But it turned out they were making love on a private property, where cameras had been installed. The smart owner then offered the adventurers a pact: he agreed not to release the footage in exchange for a box of chocolates. The deal was agreed, while John Millman celebrated his first ever title won in Astana (Kazakhstan), at the age of 31, after defeating Adrien Mannarino. Smile, gentlemen, you’re also being filmed!