Sonny Side of Sports - VOA Africa

VOA's Sonny Young brings you the latest sports news and trends as well as questions and comments from sports fans around Africa and the world.

VOA's Sonny Young brings you the latest sports news and trends as well as questions and comments from sports fans around Africa and the world.

You might say the Las Vegas Aces came up aces as they won their first Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) title.

The Aces defeated the host Connecticut Sun on Sunday, 78-71, to win the best-of-five championship series, 3-1.

WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Chelsea Gray is shown in the photo going up for a basket in Game 4. We'll hear from Gray and her coach, Becky Hammon, on Monday's show, and "Iron Mike" Mbonye chats with former NBA player Olumide Oyedeji about the 22-year history of his foundation.

Sonny serves out the week with reaction to the retirement of Swiss tennis great Roger Federer.

The 41-year-old Federer says next week's Laver Cup in London will be his final ATP Tour event.

During Friday's show, Sonny reflects on Federer's grace and skill and he also has reaction from players and longtime tennis reporter Craig Gabriel.

It's been a sad month for tennis fans as American star Serena Williams is also retiring. Serena paid tribute to Federer on social media: "You inspired countless millions and millions of people - including me - and we will never forget ... welcome to the retirement club."

You might say A'ja Wilson (#22) and the Las Vegas Aces are coming up aces in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Finals.

The Aces lead the Connecticut Sun, two games to none, and will try for a sweep of the best-of-five championship series later Thursday night in Connecticut.

Wilson was named the WNBA's Most Valuable Player this season, and she's played up to her MVP status in Games 1 and 2, leading her team in points and rebounds.

Sonny will preview Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday's show, and "Iron Mike" Mbonye will chat with American college basketball coach Nick Sepe.

Spanish tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz celebrated his recent US Open title in Times Square in New York.

The 19-year-old Alcaraz will represent Spain in the Davis Cup Finals, which officially opened Tuesday.

Craig Gabriel will have a Davis Cup report on Wednesday's show, and "Iron Mike" Mbonye will talk with Bruce Mwape, the head coach of Zambia's COSAFA Cup-winning team, "The Copper Queens."

Some of Africa's top football stars are back on the pitch this week in UEFA Champions League group stage matches.

Algeria's Riyad Mahrez, the 2016 African Footballer of the Year, will put on his Manchester City jersey when the team hosts Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.

Fisayo Dairo, the chief football writer at www.aclsports.com, will talk about Mahrez and other African players to watch in the UEFA Champions League campaign during Tuesday's show.

And VOA's Gwen Outen will preview Tuesday's Liverpool - Ajax Champions League match.

Monday's show kicks off with a Sonny Side of Sports salute to the Copper Queens of Zambia, who won their first Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Women's Championship in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Iron Mike Mbonye talks with the Copper Queens Media Officer Memory Malisawa.

Also on the program, we'll hear from 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, who wrote himself into the tennis history books by becoming the first tee

As the world mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth II, what was her legacy in terms of sports?

Perhaps her favorite sports were equestrian and horse racing. She received her first riding lesson at age three and also owned many horses that won high stakes races.

During Friday's show, Sonny talks with Andy Edwards in London about the part horse racing played in the Queen's life. She is shown in this AP photo riding in her 1958 Birthday Parade.

The 2022 Rugby Sevens World Cup kicks off Friday in Cape Town, South Africa. Michael Kariati will preview the three-day, global rugby festival on Thursday's show.

Australian player Ellia Green is shown scoring a try against the USA at the 2018 Rugby Sevens World Cup in San Francisco, California.

Also on the program, Zanem Neti Zaidi will have a report on a new youth football academy near Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo; VOA's Gwen Outen will have a reaction to Chelsea FC firing Thomas Tuchel + much, much more!!