Everton delivered a stunning first-half performance to overpower Leicester City 4-0 at Goodison Park, moving 10 points clear of the relegation zone and deepening the Foxes’ struggles near the bottom of the Premier League table.

The Toffees made a dream start with Abdoulaye Doucoure netting after just 10.18 seconds—Everton’s fastest-ever goal and the fourth quickest in Premier League history. The midfielder capitalized on a long punt from goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, finishing coolly past Mads Hermansen.

Leicester’s defensive woes continued moments later when Beto ran onto James Tarkowski’s through ball and calmly slotted home, doubling Everton’s advantage within six minutes. The visitors were completely out of sorts, narrowly escaping a third goal when Jake O’Brien’s close-range finish was ruled offside after 20 minutes.

The hosts effectively ended the contest before halftime as James Garner’s precise pass cut through Leicester’s defense, allowing Beto to finish clinically for his second goal of the game.

Everton maintained control after the break, comfortably seeing out the match before adding a fourth in the closing stages. Iliman Ndiaye completed the rout with a composed finish, securing a third consecutive victory for the Toffees and pushing Leicester closer to the danger zone.

Channel Nine and presenter Tony Jones have issued public apologies to Novak Djokovic following remarks made during live coverage of the Australian Open that the tennis champion found “insulting and offensive.”

During a live broadcast on Friday, Jones directed comments toward Djokovic fans, saying, “Novak, he’s overrated, Novak’s a has-been, Novak kick him out.” Djokovic refused to participate in the customary post-match interview after his fourth-round victory over Jiri Lehecka on Sunday, citing Channel Nine’s role as tournament broadcasters.

Djokovic called the remarks disrespectful to him and his Serbian fans, stating, “It was a very awkward situation for me.”

Jones addressed the incident during Channel Nine’s Monday broadcast, expressing regret and labeling his comments as “banter and humor” that were misinterpreted.

“I immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and issued an apology 48 hours ago,” Jones said. “I feel I’ve let down Serbian fans and Novak. The ‘kick him out’ comment, which Novak connected to his 2022 deportation, was overstepping the mark.”

He added that he had offered to meet Djokovic in person to apologize and hoped the meeting could happen soon.

Channel Nine also issued a statement, emphasizing that “no harm was intended towards Novak or his fans.” However, the Serbian Council of Australia condemned the remarks as “offensive, racist, and inciting discrimination against Australian-Serbs” and called for Jones to be removed from his role.

Tennis Australia confirmed that Djokovic had acknowledged the public apology and was focusing on his next match. “Novak is moving on and concentrating on his performance,” the organization said.

Emma Raducanu endured a crushing defeat at the hands of second seed Iga Swiatek in the third round of the Australian Open. The match, held on Rod Laver Arena, saw Swiatek deliver a commanding performance, winning 6-1, 6-0 in just 70 minutes.

Raducanu, ranked 61 in the world, struggled throughout the match, losing her serve five times. The result marked one of the heaviest losses of her career, equaling her 6-0, 6-1 defeat to Elena Rybakina in Sydney three years ago.
“She played very well, but I also think I didn’t play very well. It’s just not a great combination,” Raducanu, 22, reflected after the match.

The 23-year-old Polish star, a five-time Grand Slam champion, continued her dominant form in Melbourne. Swiatek has yet to drop a set or a service game in the tournament, sending a strong message to her competitors as she aims for her first Australian Open title.
“If a top player is playing perfect, it’s already going to be a difficult match,” Raducanu admitted.

For Swiatek, the victory bolsters her confidence as she advances deeper into the tournament, her sights set on surpassing her previous best finish at Melbourne, the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Raducanu will seek to regroup and build on her experience in future competitions.