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The IAAF Diamond League, ATP Tour and trending events this week

By Chinasia Ibonye
01 May 2017   |   8:53 am
The month of April ended on a high note in the world of sports and we hope that May will continue in that vein.

Justin Gatlin of the USA celebrates with Junkanoo dancers after the IAAF/BTC World Relays Bahamas 2017 at Thomas Robinson Stadium on April 23, 2017 in Nassau, Bahamas. Justin Gatlin, Asafa Powell and Andre de Grasse will light up the men’s 100m field at the IAAF Diamond League meet in Doha. PHOTO: Patrick Smith/Getty Images for IAAF/AFP

The month of April ended on a high note in the world of sports and we hope that May will continue in that vein. A lot of sporting activities including the ATP Tour and IAAF Diamond League will be happening this week alongside other key sporting events. I’m here to let you know the ones you should keep an eye out for.

IAAF DIAMOND LEAGUE
The IAAF Diamond league begins this week and Doha, Qatar will be the first stop of the lucrative athletics series. We should expect to see stars like Kenya’s middle-distance legend Asbel Kiprop in the men’s 1500m, Olympic steeplechase gold medalist Conseslus Kipruto in the men’s 3000m flat, Qatar’s Olympic silver medalist Mutaz Barshim in the men’s high jump and double Olympic champion Christian Taylor in the men’s triple jump. The women’s 100m hurdles promises to be very exciting with four of the top five in the Rio Olympic finals set to compete alongside world record-holder Kendra Harrison, while Justin Gatlin, Asafa Powell and Andre de Grasse will light up the men’s 100m field.

ATP TOUR, WTA TOUR & ESTORIL OPEN
The WTA Tour will move to the Czech Republic this week as its capital city, Prague, hosts some of the top female players. Home girl, Lucie Safarova will try to defend the Prague Open title she won last year although she is expected to face tough competition from the likes of world number 3 Karolina Pliskova, former world number 1 Caroline Wozniacki, Barbora Strycova and Sam Stosur.

On the ATP Tour, there will be three tournaments taking place this week and they are all in Europe. In Germany, Phillip Kolschreiber will be defending his Munich Open title against his compatriots Alexander and Mischa Zverev, Tommy Haas and Florian Mayer, while the likes of Gael Monfils, Fabian Fognini and Roberto Batista Agut will also be there to crash the German party.

The Estoril Open in Portugal will also take place this week and on the lineup are Nick Kygrios, Richard Gasquet, Benoit Paire and Juan Martin Del Portro.

There will also be an ATP tournament in Istanbul, Turkey, where the likes of Milos Raonic, Marin Cilic, Marcos Baghdatis and Victo Troicki will all be trying to take the Istanbul Open title from the hands of Argentine, Diego Schwartzman.

WELLS FARGO CHAMPIONSHIP
In golf this week, the Wells Fargo Championship takes off in Wilmington, North Carolina and one should expect to see a strong field which will include Ernie Els, Shane Lowry, Angel Cabrera, Charles Howell III, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and defending champion James Hahn.

CRICKET
England will host their two ODIs against Ireland this week. The fixtures will represent the first bilateral series between the sides, as well as the first time they have faced each other in England. They will take place at Bristol on Friday and at Lord’s on Sunday.

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