The United Cup quarter-final will pit second seeds Greece, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari, against the 16th-seeded Germans, Alexander Zverev and Anqelique Kerber today in Sydney.
Both sides advanced from their respective Sydney groups with 1-1 records: Greece topped Group B, while Germany’s performance was enough to advance despite finishing second in Group D.
According to theATP Tour, Tsitsipas and Zverev ended their 2023 season at the Nitto ATP Finals, though neither advanced to the semi-finals in Turin.
Prior to the season finale, they contested their 13th Lexus ATP Head2Head matchup, with Tsitsipas winning at the Rolex Paris Masters to improve to 9-4 in the rivalry.
“The matches are always close. He’s a great competitor,” Tsitsipas said of Zverev, who joins him inside the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
Sakkari is also wary of her seasoned German opponent, Kerber, despite a perfect 2-0 singles record in the United Cup group stage (d. Seguel, Fernandez).
“…It’s going to be very tough. She’s [Kerber] very experienced. It’s going to be a challenge, but I’m ready for it,” Sakkari said.
The victor of this quarter-final match will face host, Australia in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Sydney football coach Zacharis Imisides is caught up in a legal battle with the sport’s governing body after being suspended for allegedly sending Snapchat messages to a 14-year-old girl.
According to The Daily Telegraph, 41-year old Imisides was issued a four-year suspension by the Football NSW General Purposes Tribunal after he sent a series of purported Snapchat messages to the teenager while he was coaching the Sydney Olympic FC girls squad.
In its published verdict, the tribunal found that the purported texts delivered to the teenager included “Your smile is dangerous” and “good luck been thinking bout [about] u [you] x.”
Another alleged Snapchat message sent on the girl’s birthday read: “I will be waiting for my birthday kiss.”
Imisides was suspended from all football related activities including coaching. Photo: The Daily Telegraph.
According to The Daily Telegraph, Imisides has denied sending the messages, which he said were delivered over Snapchat by other people he knows.
Imisides told the tribunal the messages were “taken out of context,” were not sexual in nature, and he did not understand what the letter “x” represented in the messages.
The tribunal found it “simply did not believe” that Mr Imisides “was unaware of the clear message” the letter ‘x’ conveyed in the alleged messages sent to the teenager. The tribunal said the alleged conduct constituted an offence under Football NSW regulations.
ImisidestoldThe Daily Telegraph he has since lodged an appeal against the tribunal decision.
Spiros Filidis, the Greek man who was tragically stabbed on his way to the shops in Melbourne’s south east on Tuesday, has been remembered today as a “beautiful soul” by his heartbroken family.
The 46-year-old Greek man was found on the side of the road at the corner of Little Avenue and Widdop Crescent, Hampton East, just after midday on Tuesday with upper body injuries. Emergency services performed CPR, but he died at the scene.
Family and friends have since paid tribute to Mr Filidis, describing him as a nice man, who had twice battled cancer and lived with an intellectual impairment.
“Our beloved Spiros was a beautiful soul who touched the lives of all who knew him,” Spiros’ devastated sister, Eve told the Herald Sun.
“His presence lit up the room, wherever he went. Our hearts are broken. He will be forever lovingly missed.”
The accused 27-year-old man from Moorabbin will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today.
Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis is scheduled to meet with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken in Chania, Crete, on Saturday afternoon to discuss support for Ukraine and safeguarding maritime regional security.
Mitsotakis and Blinken last met back in February of 2023, affirming the unshakable partnership between their respective countries.
Sat down with @PrimeMinisterGR Kyriakos Mitsotakis today and affirmed the United States’ unshakeable partnership with Greece. The United States stands with Greece and supports Greece’s continued leadership in the region. pic.twitter.com/AsLWPvcX8h
According to Ekathimerini, alongside discussing necessary security measures, the F35 issue concerning the US approval of Greece’s acquisition of F35 fighter jets will be highlighted as a topic of importance.
The Department of State spokesperson, Matthew Miller shared that over the next week, Blinken is set to visit Greece, Turkey and Israel among many countries.
Australian police agencies offer recruitment drives at various times during the year. The 2023 recruitment campaign from South Australia Police (SAPOL) – You belong in Blue – aimed to increase its pool of police cadets and Police Security Officers (PSO’s).
The campaign, which was launched by SA Commissioner of Police Grant Stevens, features a video with everyday police officers to reflect the diversity of its workforce, to encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.
South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens
Former police graduate Constable Kyri who graduated from the police academy in June 2021, spoke to The Greek Herald about why she chose SAPOL over a career in sales and marketing.
Constable Kyri grew up in a Greek household, with three other siblings, has a good command of the Greek language – thanks to Saturday morning classes – and ‘loves’ her yiayia’s spanakopita and kataifi, and her mother’s yiros!
Kyri is still fiercely connected to her Greek heritage, and while at university was involved in Greek social club events and still attends a Greek church for name days, Easter and Christmas.
Constable Kyri graduated from the police academy in June 2021.
“I am [proud], especially after having been to Greece and seeing where my grandparents come from, and the life they have built for themselves and us in Australia,” she said.
Choosing a policing career did not happen immediately after leaving school. Instead, she went to university and worked in sales/marketing administration roles while volunteering at State Emergency Services (SES).
“There wasn’t a particular moment, but I had been volunteering with the State Emergency Services for a while, which I enjoyed, and I was getting a bit restless working in an office, so I put my application in,” she said.
“I had thought about it during university, but I wanted to try other jobs and life experiences, such as travel, before I applied.
SA police officers
“I applied about six years after graduating from uni.”
During the application process, Kyri worked on increasing her fitness levels with the help of a personal trainer, who tailored a running program to help with this goal.
After a successful application, Kyri attended the Police Academy for nine months and graduated in June 2021, where she was relocated to a large country town to begin her career as a police officer.
“Our main task is responding to tasks. If you call the police, we arrive,” she said.
“Secondary to that, is patrolling the town, looking for any types of suspicious activities in the area and showing general police presence to deter crime.
“I am currently enjoying general duties on the road, where I plan to stay for several years.
“Eventually I may wish to join an investigation section – potentially family violence.”
The Monastic Community of Mount Athos in Greece has stated that the head of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, Archbishop Elpidophoros is not welcome to visit the Holy Mountain due to his views on same-sex marriage.
In a letter addressed to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the representatives of the Greek Orthodox Monasteries expressed their reasoning behind their opposition to the visit.
“We regret to have found, through the published photographs of the Archbishop of America, a wrong impression was created regarding the Church’s acceptance of the marriage of individuals of the same sex. This message is contrary to the doctrines and teachings of the Orthodox Church,” the letter read.
Archbishop Elpidophoros at Mt. Athos at a previous visit to Mount Athos. Photo: Vatopedi Monastery.
In 2022, Archbishop Elpidophoros traveled to Vouliagmeni, south of Athens, to baptise the children of actor, Evangelo Bousis and fashion designer, Peter Dundas.
“Anyone who asks me to baptise their child I will do it, regardless of who it is. I baptise children and I don’t care about the personal life of their parents. I don’t judge people’s lives,” Archbishop Elpidophoros previously stated in relation to his views.
Elpidophoros had hoped to visit Mount Athos on the way to Thessaloniki later in January.
The announcement to oppose the visit has also come soon after Greece’s government indicated that it will carry out a commitment to allow same-sex marriage, defying the country’s powerful Orthodox Church.
Pablo’s Pantry is a new café, deli and wine bar in Woolloongabba, Queensland, owned and operated by mother-daughter duo Helen and Marissa Kentrotis.
Tucked away in the backstreets of the neighbourhoud, it provides an escape from the chaos and traffic of the area.
According toBroadsheet, it feels like Pablo’s Pantry was plucked from the Grecian isles. The fit-out, by Fortitude Valley interior designers Collectivus, is inspired by the Greek island of Cythira – the Kentrotis family’s ancestral home – with soft furnishings offset by the pastel banquet seating.
“There is nothing like this in Brisbane,” Marissa Kentrotis told Broadsheet. “We make everything here. I spent my childhood with Mum in the kitchen, and she spent her childhood watching my grandmother in the kitchen.”
Photo: theweekendedition.com.au
All the items at Pablo’s are crafted daily using family recipes, ranging from cookies and muffins to pastitsio and spanakopita.
The breakfast menu includes a variety of traditional Australian dishes with added Greek influences, such as fried eggs come with pistachio-and-kale pesto, feta and “lots of herbs”.
Lunch includes a selection of sandwiches on sourdough and ciabatta sourced from Doughcraft in Albion. The most popular dish until now is the roast pork layered with apple sauce and coleslaw.
There’s also a distinct selection of character-driven drops from small-batch Australian winemakers, designed to reflect Greek tastes, and takeaway meals to reheat at home, including kefthedes pastitsio and spanakopita.
Every year, Google publishes its ‘Year in Search’ data, a report showing what users have Googled over the past 12 months.
According to CNtraveller, the travel section of the data has been contextualised to take into account current events and is now presented in order to provide inspiration for those who wish to travel in 2024.
The 10 cities and countries that have seen the biggest search increases on Google year on year, have been spotted and Greece tops the list.
Photo: jimmy teoh:
CNtraveller highlights Greece’s diverse attractions, from Mykonos‘ picturesque architecture to Kefalonia’s natural beauty. It also mentions Athens with the boasting world-class bars and culinary delights, and concludes that whether it’s Santorini’s sunsets, Corfu’s quiet beaches, or Crete’s late-summer weather, Greece consistently captivates with its varied offerings.
Spain and Italy come second and third in the list, while Cyrpus, which is found at sixth place, is presented as a melting pot of cultures. “Come for craggy mountains topped with snow, powdery soft beaches lapped by the twinkling Mediterranean and some excellent Cypriot food dotted around the island.”
Greece has been chosen among the best places in the world for those who wish to retire in 2024, by International Living.
The network, which includes expert expats across the globe, mentions that the Index is informed by hundreds of opinions and real-life experiences—information—compiled trusted sources in the best retirement destinations in the world.
According to the annual Global Retirement Index findings, Greece secures the seventh spot globally. Costa Rica tops the list while Portugal, Mexico, Spain and Ecuador are also above Greece.
Photo: Pexels, Tirachard-kumtanom
International Living notes that housing costs in Greece are estimated to be up to 75% lower than those in the US. Additionally, the cost of living in Greece falls between 30% and 50% below that in the United States, ensuring relatively modest everyday expenses. The ancient history, the sun-splashed islands and the healthy cuisine are also presented as key factors for visitors who choose Greece to retire.
Suellen Curkendall, who recently relocated with her husband to Syros Island, said to International Living “We opted for Greece because it stands among the few countries offering a Golden Visa option tied to property ownership rather than requiring a substantial investment in a business. Coupled with milder winters, this sealed the deal for us.”
Greece’s national men’s team started its fight at the European Water Polo Championship in Zagreb, Croatia with a victory over Hungary 10 – 8.
In the first eight minutes, the two teams entered without taking many risks. The ones who opened the scoring in the match were the Hungarians, who after a steal launched a counter attack.
After the goal, the Greek team of Thodoris Vlachos tried to include the strikers in their game, which immediately gave them the equaliser with Nicolaidis hitting from close range to level the score. Nicolaidis also scored a penalty later in the match.
The second period had nothing to do with the first. Greece took a two-goal lead early on (1-3), but Hungary responded immediately (2-3). This task was repeated with the two teams scoring one goal each, in the same order, and the score becoming 3-4 in favour of the “blue and white.” The end of the first half found Greece at +2 (3-5), after a lucky goal by Ioannis Fountoulis.
At the beginning of the second half, the Hungarians entered better, immediately reducing to a minimum with Tatrai’s goal (4-5), but the Greek national team immediately found it with Kakkari in an attack with one more player (4-6). The Hungarians again managed to reduce the score with Fekete, to whose goal the “blue and white” found an immediate answer with Fountoulis to maintain +2 (5-7). However, before the end of the eighth minute, the Hungarians found their way to the net, with Burian making it 6-7.
In the last eight minutes, Greece regained the lead of two goals (6-8), receiving an immediate response from the Hungarians. Of course, the team of Vlachos improved defensively and with the right choices in the attack sent the difference to three goals, forming 7-10. All Hungary did in the final minutes was cut to two goals, with Greece taking the win 10-8.
Greece’s victory avenged their loss to the Hungarians in the 2023 World Cup final and they will next play Italy on Saturday.
