All eyes will be on Blue Storm as James Tate’s two-year-old takes his chance in the Racehorse Lotto National Stakes at Sandown on Thursday.
It looks a red-hot renewal of the Listed five-furlong sprint, but Blue Storm is just one of an array of precocious youngsters to emerge from the first crop of former sprint king Blue Point.
The form of the colt’s Newmarket debut has been franked at all angles in the subsequent weeks, with the second, third, fourth and fifth all winning in style on their next starts.
And although buoyed by those results and excited to see his charge line up at the Esher track, Tate is refusing to get too carried away having seen the National Stakes scupper dreams in the past.
He said: “We were very impressed with him first time and the form couldn’t have worked out any better. He’s been impressing at home and it’s all positives really.
“Having said that I’ve ran horses in the National Stakes a few times and on paper it looks a strong renewal, so it’s a good job we’re bringing what we think is a good horse in to it.
“We’re happy with our horse and looking forward to Thursday night.”
Hugo Palmer won this two years ago and this time saddles Hackman, who was third behind Blue Storm at Newmarket but now reopposes having advertised his speed to win impressively at Chester, while Charlie Appleby’s On Point is another of Blue Point’s progeny arriving at Sandown having won on the Rowley Mile first time out.
Richard Hannon may be a fair way off matching his father’s impressive haul in this race, but landed the spoils in both 2014 and 2015 and has two worthy contenders once again in Dapper Valley and Love Billy Boy.
The form of Dapper Valley’s soft-ground Newbury win has a solid look to it, while the latter ran on strongly to land the spoils at Musselburgh on debut.
“Obviously we have two very nice horses who both won on their debuts and naturally they will come on a lot for their first runs,” said Hannon.
“I think fast ground will be more to Dapper Valley’s liking.
“Love Billy Boy has a lot of speed and won over a sharp five up north. It’s a very lucky race for David Sullivan (part owner), who has won it a couple of times, and they are keen to take their chance.
“It’s an extremely hot renewal and whatever wins it will be probably amongst the favourites for Royal Ascot if they go.”
Ralph Beckett’s Matters Most finished third to Dapper Valley at Newbury, but the son of Advertise – who cost 500,000 as a yearling – built on that racecourse bow to get off the mark at Salisbury last time and could have plenty more to offer.
“He’s in good shape, we’re looking forward to it and we’ll find out how good he is on Thursday night,” said Beckett.
Irish interest is provided by Tipperary scorer Son Of Corballis, with handler Kieran Cotter keen to get extra experience into the Raven’s Pass colt before a potential Royal Ascot tilt.
“There are limited opportunities for him here in Ireland over five furlongs and we just thought to give him this prep run before Royal Ascot,” said Cotter.
“The plan is to go for the Norfolk with him and we like him a lot, but we just need to get more of a line on him really and I suppose we’ll know more after Thursday.
“We think he’s smart and we’re confident enough to bring him over. He has a good temperament and is a smart sort, but we haven’t had that proper line on him just yet.”
Karl Burke is another handler saddling two runners and both Doncaster scorer Elite Status and Pontefract winner World Of Darcy created taking impressions, while Alice Haynes’ Shayekh completes a strong field of 10 going to post.
France’s Victor Perez will defend the KLM Open title he won in amazing fashion last year as he bids to boost his Ryder Cup chances.
Perez beat Ryan Fox on the fourth hole of a sudden-death play-off 12 months ago, Fox having run up a double-bogey seven on the 72nd hole.
Fox twice had one hand on the trophy when he birdied the first and third extra holes – the par-five 18th – only for Perez to hole from 15 and 30 feet respectively to stay alive.
Perez then holed another long putt for birdie when the action switched to the 17th and it was no surprise that a shellshocked Fox then missed his shorter attempt.
That was Perez’s sole victory in 2022, but he finished third in the Italian Open at this year’s Ryder Cup venue and started this season with a win in Abu Dhabi.
Another top 10 in the Italian Open earlier this month and a tie for 12th in last week’s US PGA Championship have helped Perez move into the automatic qualifying places for the European Ryder Cup team as he bids to secure a debut in the biennial event.
“One of the mistakes I made for Whistling Straits (in 2021) was I was in a similar position, inside the world’s top 50, so I had the opportunity to play in America, but then you don’t have the opportunity to score points on the European Points List,” Perez said.
Perez was ninth in the Players Championship in 2021 and reached the semi-finals of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, but missed the cut in five of his next six starts to slip out of the qualifying places.
“It’s tricky because it didn’t work last time and it doesn’t mean that because I’m playing in Europe it means I’m going to make the team,” he added. “It might not work.
“At the end of the day, it’s just about playing well and elevating your game when the deadline approaches.”
Perez is also third on the current Race to Dubai rankings, with the top 10 players at the end of the season, who are not otherwise exempt, earning a PGA Tour card.
It is a controversial innovation which has led to accusations that the DP World Tour is becoming a “feeder tour” to the PGA Tour as part of its strategic alliance with the US-based circuit, but Perez is in favour.
“I’ve heard that people say that 10 people are going to go so the DP World Tour are going to lose their stars,” the 30-year-old said.
“You can agree or disagree, but I still feel like there are guys who are going to lose their cards in America. They’re going to think they’d much rather play in Europe for two or three million every week rather than going to the Korn Ferry Tour because they can get 10 spots again.
“There are those players who are going to thrive, then there’s those players who come back. You still play for great money, whether people want to complain or not.
“You’re still playing for millions of dollars, every week, travelling the world, playing golf. It’s not like your life is difficult, relatively.
“It’s always easy to be like, ‘Oh they’re playing for USD 25million in America’. If you are to go over there then you’re playing against better competition, you still make no money for missing the cut even though it says USD 25m at the start of the week.”
Jimmy Butler says the Miami Heat must play with more energy and like their backs are against the wall when they next face the Boston Celtics.
The Heat missed the chance to progress to the NBA Finals as they lost 116-99 to the Celtics on Tuesday.
Miami now hold a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals, ahead of Game 5 in Boston on Thursday.
But for Butler, who scored 29 points and added nine rebounds and five assists, there is no reason to be downhearted.
"If anything, it will build momentum for us knowing that we have to play with a lot more energy," Butler said.
"We've got to play like our backs are against the wall.
"I think all year long, we've been better when we've had to do things the hard way.
"We'll be OK. Let's get back to doing what we've always done to get us to this point, continually have belief in one another, knowing that we are going to win, and we will. We've just got to play harder.
"There's not too much to say with this group because we already know. So we've just got to go out there and execute."
Butler's sentiment was echoed by Miami coach Erik Spoelstra.
"At some point, this is great competition. You know, sometimes it can get skewed, because, whatever, the 3-0," he said.
"But we have great respect for Boston, what they are capable of. They are a dynamic offensive team that takes extraordinary efforts and commitment to get the job done. Our guys really want this.
"A lot of what we've done this year has been the hard way. We've been able to figure out ways to win, even if teams are playing well, if we are not in a perfect flow.
"They got us tonight. You have to give them credit for that."
"It's definitely disappointing," said Heat guard Caleb Martin.
"That would have been a perfect world, perfect situation. But as we know and everybody else knows, we don't typically get things the easy way over here.
"So like I said, this is right up our alley. This is the way it goes for us and guys like us. Again, I think it's only going to prepare us for the long run. This could be good for us."
Fran Jones’ hopes of making a first French Open appearance are over after she was forced to retire during her second qualifying round.
The Briton, who suffers from a congenital condition which means she has three fingers and a thumb on each hand, three toes on one foot and four toes on the other, was left in tears as she had to retire due to an apparent shoulder injury during the first set of her clash with Ylena In-Albon at Roland Garros.
Jones, currently ranked 316 in the world, had beaten former grand slam semi-finalist Coco Vandeweghe in her opening round and had enjoyed some encouraging results on the ITF circuit prior to the main clay-court in Paris.
She joins Heather Watson and Katie Swan in heading out of qualifying as the British pair lost in Tuesday’s first-round qualifying.
A host of other Brits are in action later on Tuesday as they hope to continue their journey towards the main draw.
Owner-breeder Imad Al Sagar is targeting the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and a possible Arc bid with Nashwa ahead of her reappearance at Saint-Cloud this weekend.
The John and Thady Gosden-trained Frankel filly enjoyed an excellent three-year-old campaign, claiming Classic glory in the French Oaks under Hollie Doyle before doubling her Group One tally in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.
She subsequently finished second in the Prix de l’Opera and fourth at the Breeders’ Cup, and with an initial plan to bring her back in last week’s Middleton Stakes at York shelved, Nashwa instead makes her return in the Group Two Prix Corrida on Sunday.
“Nashwa is in great form,” Al Sagar told Sky Sports Racing.
“We were targeting the Middleton at York as a prep race for main target, which is the Prince of Wales’s at Royal Ascot, but she is a big filly and takes a lot of time to come to hand, which she has now. Her work is superb and we’re heading to Saint-Cloud on Sunday, hopefully.”
The prominent owner said he had no doubts about bringing Nashwa back into training as a four-year-old and is hopeful there may even be more improvement to come.
He added: “It was a very simple decision as I know the family.
“Her dam (Princess Loulou) was at her best at four, so they thrive with age, and Nashwa is definitely no exception – she’s a stronger and bigger filly this year.”
Although his star filly seemingly failed to see out the mile and a half when third in the Oaks at Epsom, Al Sagar hopes her stronger physique will give her a chance to do so this season, giving him hope of a potential tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris in October.
Considering future plans, he said: “She’s entered in the Eclipse and the Irish Champion Stakes. It is premature at the moment and we will have a better idea after the Prince of Wales’s if all goes well.
“Going back to the Oaks last year we went into unknown territory and she didn’t stay the mile and a half, but this year, being stronger, we think she might reach that target and she’s entered in the Arc.
“Nashwa is a very special filly with a great cruising speed and her temperament is phenomenal.”
Fran Jones’ hopes of making a first French Open appearance are over after she was forced to retire during her second qualifying round.
The Briton, who suffers from a congenital condition which means she has three fingers and a thumb on each hand, three toes on one foot and four toes on the other, was left in tears as she had to retire due to an apparent shoulder injury during the first set of her clash with Ylena In-Albon at Roland Garros.
Jones, currently ranked 316 in the world, had beaten former grand slam semi-finalist Coco Vandeweghe in her opening round and had enjoyed some encouraging results on the ITF circuit prior to the main clay-court in Paris.
She joins Heather Watson and Katie Swan in heading out of qualifying as the British pair lost in Tuesday’s first-round qualifying.
A host of other Brits are in action later on Tuesday as they hope to continue their journey towards the main draw.
Jamaican-born IBC and two-time Canadian Heavyweight Champion, Donovan "Razor" Ruddock, has confirmed his readiness to face off against recently inducted Hall of Fame World Champion James "Lights Out" Toney. The highly anticipated boxing exhibition, titled "Rumble in the Sun," will take place on Saturday, November 11, 2023, in Kingston.
The event promises an action-packed night of bouts, accompanied by special surprises. A portion of the fight's proceeds will be allocated towards essential infrastructure enhancements at Ruddock's alma mater, the Good Hope Primary School in St. Catherine. Additionally, support and resources will be provided for the Jamaica Boxing Board's (JBB) Sport for Development initiative, "Gloves Over Guns."
Ruddock, at 59 years old, expressed his motivation for coming out of retirement, stating, "My whole reason for getting back into the ring is to assist my primary school and help the 'Gloves Over Guns' program eradicate violence. Jamaica needs assistance in fighting the crime monster."
Equally enthusiastic about the bout, Toney shared, "This boxing match will be fun! I am excited to return to the ring and dance with another heavyweight great, Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock."
Ruddock's daughters, Kleopatra and Karese, who are spearheading his philanthropic efforts and coordinating the exhibition, expressed their excitement for the event. Kleopatra, CEO of Red Ground Productions, the organizing banner, stated, "We are thrilled to bring this incredible event to Jamaica and use this platform to invest in the next generation."
Stephen Jones, president of JBB, welcomed the event, highlighting the positive impact it will have on young boxers: "Having them witness such an event will further cement in their minds boxing as a vehicle for the way forward."
Triller Sports will serve as the official global marketing and distribution partner for the event. The Triller ecosystem, known for its successful pay-per-view events, will bring new heights of engagement through digital collectibles and merchandise sales.
The exhibition represents the beginning of a new era, as Red Ground Productions combines the thrill of combat with the beauty and mystic energy of Jamaica.
Donovan "Razor" Ruddock and James "Lights Out" Toney have left indelible marks on the sport of boxing. Ruddock's devastating power and relentless style, along with Toney's outstanding defense and smooth counter-punching, have solidified their legacies as heavyweight legends.
This showdown between two boxing greats promises an unparalleled experience for fans worldwide and underscores their shared commitment to giving back and making a positive impact.
Julie Camacho’s Shaquille is Royal Ascot bound after his smart success in the Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury.
The Charm Spirit colt has done little wrong in six runs so far, winning five of those outings and looking to takes strides forward each time.
He began this year with a handicap victory at Newmarket, prevailing by two and three-quarter lengths despite a less than perfect run, and he was then a comfortable victor when making the running in the Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury.
Having taken that Listed race by two lengths, another step up in class beckons as the colt is likely to to take his place in next month’s Group One Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
Steve Brown, Camacho’s husband and assistant, said: “He taken his exertions well from the weekend, he’s had a few quiet days but he’ll be back in full exercise by the end of the week.
“The next obvious option is to go to Ascot with him for the Commonwealth Cup, we’re pleased with what he’s doing as he seems to be settling into his racing and showing a bit more maturity.
“He keeps finding a bit of improvement, so at the minute we feel as though that’s the right option. We’ll ask him for a little bit more and see what he’s got to say.
“Saturday will be informative at Haydock (the Sandy Lane Stakes), we’ll see what comes out of that.”
Shaquille, who was bred by one of his co-owners and is by a Galileo mare in Magic, has impressed connections not only in his ability on the track but also with a constitution that seems to thrive on racing.
Brown said: “The fascinating thing with this horse is that he never comes home tired, he always comes home and says ‘well that was OK, what are we doing next?’.
“He had a long day, he travelled down to Newbury and back in a day and within an hour he’d eaten his tea up and he was ready to do whatever you asked of him next.”
Mark Cueto believes that the Sale Sharks forwards hold a key to unlocking success in Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership final against Saracens.
It is 17 years since Cueto and company stormed Twickenham, mauling Leicester Tigers 45-20 and being crowned champions for the first time.
Sale have not been part of English rugby’s showpiece domestic occasion since then, but Alex Sanderson’s class of 2023 have given themselves every chance to emulate household names in the club’s history like Cueto, Jason Robinson, Charlie Hodgson and Sebastien Chabal.
“I am really chuffed for everyone involved,” former England and British and Irish Lions wing Cueto, 43, told the PA news agency.
“It is so hard to win a trophy, and it is not until you have finished and you look back on your career that you realise how hard.
“We won the title in 2006, and we should have won it more than once. We were good enough to at least get to another final, but we fell short a couple of times, unfortunately.
“Rugby doesn’t change. You have got to keep on top of the opposition, and you have got to get on top up-front first.
“I think we are probably one of the only packs that can at least go head-to-head with the Saracens pack, if not get on top, and if we do that then we have got a really good chance.”
Rugby director Sanderson has proved a driving force behind Sale once again mixing it with the heavyweights of English rugby.
And Cueto added: “Alex and I were the same school year, and he was already a bit of a rock star when I pitched up at Sale.
“He had played for England at 22, then he carved out another career after playing and spent 10-plus years coaching at Saracens, the most successful club in Europe.
“Where better to earn your stripes, as it were, and it was a natural step for him to take a director of rugby job.
“He wears his heart on his sleeve, he is a grafter and he cares. He has got the skill, knowledge and attitude.
“When we lost Faf (de Klerk) and Lood (de Jager) at the end of last season, I was really apprehensive of how it was going to go this year, but how little do I know?”
Cueto and his family will be at Twickenham to witness Sale’s latest bid for silverware, and he admits that the heroics of 2006 are a vivid memory.
“I remember in 05, we had five or six Lions from Sale. It is big news when Saracens and Leicester have got five or six players in a Lions squad, and that was us 18 years ago,” he said.
“We just had such a good team – Charlie at 10, Jason Robinson, Mark Taylor in the centre, Chabal, Jason White, and we were just so confident.
“We had a simple game-plan – Robbo only scored one more try than he kicked drop-goals that season we won the league, and I was the club’s top try-scorer with six.
“It’s crazy to think that was the way we played, considering we were led by a maverick of a French winger in Philippe Saint-Andre. You would think we would be fast, open and loose, but the focus was the opposite.
“It was very structured, very efficient. If we got in the opposition third and three or four phases went by and we weren’t making decent ground, it was back in the pocket and take a drop-goal.
“It was rare that we left the opposition third without any points, and it was effective. Would I rather score 20 tries and come second, or six and win the league? You know the answer to that.
“It was the first time that a club had finished top of the domestic league and won the title through the play-offs.
“We had a forward pack that could beat anybody up, and sat behind that we had two of the best tactical kickers in the game in Charlie Hodgson and Richard Wigglesworth. We scored 45 points in a final. It was mega.”
Wales great Alun Wyn Jones will captain Eddie Jones’ Barbarians in their fixture against the World XV at Twickenham on Sunday.
Jones announced he is retiring from the international game on Friday having amassed 170 caps, including 12 for the British and Irish Lions, in a decision that means he will miss this autumn’s World Cup.
The 37-year-old Ospreys lock captains a side that includes Australia stars Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi.
World XV coach Steve Hansen has pressed ahead with the controversial selection of Israel Folau on the right wing.
The Rugby Football Union has decided to raise the pride flag at Twickenham for the game after Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 because of a series of anti-gay posts on social media.
Italy flanker Michele Lamaro skippers the side in the final fixture of the 2022-23 season.
Barbarians team: G Anscombe, A Radwan, S Tamanivalu, S Kerevi, T Li; Q Cooper, J Maunder; A Waller, N Dolly, E Pieretto, AW Jones (capt), S Lewies, A Wainwright, K Yamamoto, S Luatua.
Replacements: H Thacker, T West, C Sadie, R Simmons, S Vailanu, F Hougaard, A Cruden, S Johnson.
World XV team: C Piutau; I Folau, S Radradra, N Laumape, Sbu Nkosi; Adam Hastings, Nick Phipps; W Jones, F Brown, O Kebble, A Ratuniyarawa, H Hockings, S Negri, M Lamaro (capt), V Mata.
Replacements: E Dee, A Dell, M Street, N Cannone, J Murphy, B Hall, R Patchell, K Rasaku.
Adin Hill stopped 34 shots and the Vegas Golden Knights scored three first-period goals in a 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Jonathan Marchessault, Ivan Barbashev and William Carrier all scored in the first 7 1/2 minutes and Hill took care of the rest as Vegas moved a win away from a sweep and the franchise's second Stanley Cup Final appearance in its six-year existence.
Hill has won five consecutive starts with a 1.98 goals-against average and will try to make it six in a row in Game 4 Thursday in Dallas.
In the history of the NHL playoffs, teams with a 3-0 lead have advanced in 200 of the previous 204 occurrences.
Stars captain Jamie Benn received a five-minute major for a cross-check on Vegas captain Mark Stone less than two minutes into the game, with his team already down 1-0. Barbashev extended the lead to 2-0 with a power play goal just over four minutes later and assisted on Alex Pietrangelo's goal in the second period.
Dallas' Jake Oettinger was pulled after giving up three goals on five shots in the shortest start of his career. He was replaced by Scott Wedgewood, who stopped 10 of 11 shots the rest of the way.
Club professional Michael Block admits he is hoping to avoid a return to reality for as long as possible after his US PGA Championship heroics.
Block almost stole the show from winner Brooks Koepka at Oak Hill, making a hole-in-one during the final round while playing alongside Rory McIlroy and finishing in a tie for 15th place.
The 46-year-old’s display captured the imagination of the spectators and his tie for 15th secured a place in next year’s US PGA at Valhalla, followed soon after by invites for this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge on the PGA Tour and June’s Canadian Open.
“I’ve said it a lot, but it’s just a dream,” Block told a pre-tournament press conference at Colonial.
“I’m just cruising. I’m actually kind of glad that at this point I haven’t come to the reality about what’s happening so I can actually play pretty good golf.
“I think if I sit down and think about it too much, I’m not sure I could swing the club on Thursday.
“There’s a lot going on and I really apologise to all my friends and fans and PGA members out there that have texted me. I’m sorry I haven’t gotten back to you.
“I literally scroll and scroll and scroll and it’s never ending. I can’t even get to the bottom of any of my feeds to even see how many or who’s seeing me. So it’s been crazy.”
Among the messages Block has been able to reply to was one from his hero Michael Jordan, the former basketball star telling Block that his performance was “why he loves the game of golf so much”.
“I’m a big Jordan guy my whole life,” Block said. “I was a little kid in Iowa saving 100 bucks for a pair of Jordans back in the day. Pretty darn cool, to say the least.”
Block also revealed he became friends with baseball star Albert Pujols after being paired with him in a golf tournament in California and will be attending his wedding in the Dominican Republic in December.
And although he, understandably, has never received such attention before, he has been around the professional game for long enough to get a sense of how it works.
“I’ve been around it in a weird kind of small way in little bits here and there over the last 10 years,” the Block said. “So I’m somewhat comfortable with it.
“It’s just weird now where I come up through a gate and the guys at the gate are screaming ‘Block Party’ when I’m going through – and the guy making me an omelette gave me knuckles and said I did awesome last week.
“I mean, that’s the part where it’s a little beyond me at this point. So it’s cool, but I’m trying to enjoy it.
“I don’t really know what the future is going to hold whatsoever. I’m not trying to guess what’s going to happen. I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing.
“I just show up on Thursday and tee it up with Min (Woo Lee), which is a buddy of mine, which is great – so super comfortable pairing – and just have fun. Whatever comes of it, comes of it. I’ll enjoy it one way or the other. I’ve got a great life both ways so it’s good all the way.”
Jayson Tatum had 33 points and 11 rebounds as the Boston Celtics kept their season alive for at least one more game with a 116-99 win over the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Derrick White and Jaylen Brown each added 16 points and Grant Williams had 14 Boston, which trails the best-of-seven series 3-1 and will try to avoid elimination again in Game 5 on Thursday in Boston.
No team in NBA history has ever successfully rallied from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series.
The Celtics trailed by nine early in the second half before reeling off 18 straight points for a 70-61 lead. Tatum ignited the run with consecutive 3-pointers, White followed with another, and Marcus Smart also connected from deep.
Boston maintained the lead the rest of the way, though the Heat got within four late in the third. The Celtics responded to score the next seven points and led 88-79 heading to the fourth quarter.
After shooting 11 for 42 from long range in Game 3, the Celtics regained their stroke in this one by going 19 of 45 and limited the Heat to 8 for 32.
Jimmy Butler had 29 points for Miami, which was outscored 48-22 during a 14-minute stretch across the third and fourth quarters.
Roland Garros will have a very different feel this year with Rafael Nadal absent for the first time in nearly two decades.
But, while the king of clay will be much missed, two major trophies are on the line and a host of young pretenders bidding to claim the silverware.
Here, the PA news agency picks out five talking points for the Parisian fortnight.
Can Alcaraz take Nadal’s crown?
View this post on Instagram
Spanish tennis fans should not feel too sorry for themselves because the heir to Nadal’s place at the top of the sport is already here. Having only just turned 20, Carlos Alcaraz has already won his first grand-slam title at the US Open and this week reclaimed the world number one ranking. As confident on hard courts as clay, Alcaraz is an astounding athlete while his all-round game and calm temperament belong to a much more experienced player. There is a lot of hype but boy is it justified.
How fit is Djokovic?
Novak Djokovic has two French Open titles on his CV but how many more would there be had he not continually bumped into Nadal? This would appear to be a golden chance not just to win in Paris again but also to move past his great rival and become the first man ever to reach 23 grand slam singles titles. All has not been well with the Serbian since he won the Australian Open again, though, and he goes into the tournament with doubts over an elbow problem.
Swiatek hat-trick?
View this post on Instagram
Last year it seemed inevitable Iga Swiatek would win a second French Open title, and she duly brushed aside all comers on an unbeaten run that eventually ended at 37 matches. This season has been different, though. The Pole has struggled at times with the expectation on her shoulders, while there have been physical issues, too. A WTA big three is emerging comprising of Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, and the 21-year-old’s number one ranking could soon be under threat.
Norrie carries British hopes
It has been a rather underwhelming spring for Britain’s leading players and hopes of a strong French Open appear remote. With Emma Raducanu recovering from three operations, no British women gained direct entry – a damning statistic. Things are better for the men but Jack Draper’s progress has again been frustratingly held up by injury and Andy Murray has opted to prioritise preparation for the grass-court season. As has become the norm, Britain’s best hope of a second week appearance is Cameron Norrie, who has reached the third round the last two years.
Night session equality?
One of the big talking points last year was how organisers used their new single-match night session. Only one women’s match topped the bill, and tournament director Amelie Mauresmo apologised after saying men’s contests had more appeal. How close to 50-50 they will go this year remains to be seen but, with no Nadal, the star power of the men’s game is reduced, while Caroline Garcia is by some distance France’s best player.
Tony Blair was in Downing Street, Carlos Alcaraz a baby and Twitter and Instagram non-existent the last time the French Open took place without Rafael Nadal.
But the Spaniard will be at Roland Garros in statue form only this year after giving notice that the end of one of the great sporting careers is looming.
Nadal’s record on the Parisian clay is absurd – since winning on his debut in 2005, he has lifted the title 14 times, lost three matches and withdrawn mid-tournament once.
View this post on Instagram
The dynamic will undoubtedly be different without him and, for those players now seeing an opportunity, how they handle the situation will go a long way to determining who walks away with the trophy.
Novak Djokovic takes over favourite status given his history at the tournament – two titles and four more finals – and the 22 slam titles he has already won.
The Serbian turned 36 this week and, although he has shown many times – including at the Australian Open this year – that he can fight through physical issues to win slams, there are major question marks about the state of his right elbow.
Djokovic has suffered defeats to Lorenzo Musetti, Dusan Lajovic and Holger Rune on clay this season but still spoke bullishly about his chances in Paris.
“I know I can always play better,” he said in Rome. “Definitely I am looking forward to working on various aspects of my game, of my body, hopefully getting myself in 100 per cent shape. That’s the goal.
“I always like my chances in grand slams against anybody on any surface, best-of-five (sets).”
Djokovic is increasingly mounting a one-man defence against the younger generation, and 20-year-old Alcaraz reclaimed the world number one ranking from him this week.
Rune, also 20, has established himself as a big-time talent over the past six months while 21-year-old Jannik Sinner is having the best season of his career.
Only Rome champion Daniil Medvedev is within a decade of Djokovic in the top 10, and the Serbian said: “A new generation is here already. Alcaraz is number one in the world. Obviously he’s playing amazing tennis. I think it’s also good for our sport that we have new faces, new guys coming up. It’s normal.
View this post on Instagram
“We’ve been saying this for years, that we can expect it to come, that moment when you have a shift of generations. I’m personally still trying to hang in there with all of them. I’m, of course, very happy with my career so far. I still have the hunger to keep going. Let’s see how far I’m going to play.”
On the women’s side, a top three has emerged this season, with Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina closing the gap to world number one Iga Swiatek.
The Pole remains a class act on clay in particular but is certainly not as clear a favourite as 12 months ago, when her second French Open title came as part of a 37-match winning run.
The best hope for a strong British run once again is Cameron Norrie, whose top-16 ranking ensures he will avoid other top players in the early rounds.
The withdrawals of Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu are a blow but 21-year-old Jack Draper has recovered from an abdominal problem in time and will look to show his potential on the big stage again.
The French Open will take place without Rafael Nadal for the first time since 2004.
The Spaniard’s withdrawal through injury opens the door for the rest of the men’s field, while two-time champion Iga Swiatek will look to cement her dominance of the women’s event.
Here, the PA news agency picks out 10 players to watch at Roland Garros.
Novak Djokovic
While the king of clay is absent, title hopefuls will still have to get past another 22-time grand slam champion. Djokovic has lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires twice and lost in the final on four other occasions. However, his preparation has been far from perfect, with surprise losses and concern over an elbow problem.
Carlos Alcaraz
View this post on Instagram
While Nadal’s absence undoubtedly leaves a huge hole, Spanish fans have another phenomenon to cheer in the shape of Alcaraz, who has reclaimed the world number one ranking from Djokovic. An early loss at the Italian Open was a shock but the 20-year-old was supreme in winning titles in Barcelona and Madrid and is firmly in the frame for a second grand slam title.
Holger Rune
If neither Djokovic nor Alcaraz lifts the title then the best bet may be on young Dane Rune. The 20-year-old has soared into the top 10 over the last six months and already boasts two wins over Djokovic. Ambitious and not afraid to rile up opponents or the crowd, Rune looks a slam champion in the making.
Daniil Medvedev
The mercurial Russian is no lover of clay but the confidence he has carried from an excellent season has translated to the red stuff, bringing him victory in Rome on Sunday. Medvedev has won more matches than any other man so far this year and will be seeded second in Paris.
Jannik Sinner
View this post on Instagram
Sinner’s emergence at the top of the game was rather overshadowed by Alcaraz’s even more rapid ascent but their rivalry has been a tonic to a sport adjusting to the loss of its aging superstars. This year has seen the big-hitting Italian establish himself in the top 10 and a grand slam breakthrough may not be too far away.
Iga Swiatek
The Pole strolled to her second Roland Garros title last year as part of a 37-match winning streak. A clay-court natural, Swiatek can appear unstoppable on the surface but the gap at the top of the women’s game has certainly narrowed. Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have been the players of the season so far while Swiatek has had a couple of injury niggles.
Aryna Sabalenka
The jocular Belarusian got the grand slam monkey off her back by beating Rybakina in a superb Australian Open final and has continued in the same vein ever since. Defeating Swiatek to win the clay title in Madrid was a big moment, although that is a much faster court. Sabalenka is yet to do well in Paris but she is a different player and competitor to 12 months ago.
Elena Rybakina
Rybakina may have been a surprise Wimbledon winner for many last summer but the danger caused by her power game is self evident, while she is as cool a customer as they come. The 23-year-old has shown excellent consistency this season and lifting the title in Rome saw her climb to fourth in the rankings.
Zheng Qinwen
China has been searching for a star to follow in the footsteps of former French Open winner Li Na and, in 20-year-old Zheng, they might just have found it. Athletic and powerful, she has risen steadily up the rankings into the top 20. Zheng reach the fourth round on her Roland Garros debut last year and was the only player to take a set off Swiatek.
Marketa Vondrousova
Even among the numerous women who have made grand slam finals in recent years, Vondrousova flies under the radar. Beaten by Ashleigh Barty at Roland Garros in 2019 as a teenager, the Czech has struggled with injury since. But she is one of the most naturally talented players on clay and has been showing good signs this season.
After a year-long wait, Jamaica's England-born artistic gymnast Tyesha Mattis is excited to finally be back on the PanAm Gymnastics Championships stage, with the main objective being to repeat her World Championships qualification feat.
Mattis, who enjoyed a fairly successful debut season for Jamaica after switching allegiance, qualified for the World Championships on the back of a stellar performance at last year's Pan Am Championships in Brazil. However, she was unable to take up her spot at the World event, which serves as an Olympic Games qualifier, due to financial constraints.
With that disappointment still fresh in her mind, Mattis is now eager to spring into action in Medellin, Colombia, as she hopes to surpass her performances from last year.
She will be joined by United States-based Kiara Richmon and newcomer Mya Absolam as Jamaica's representatives at the three-day championships scheduled to begin on Friday.
The other team members Danyella Holmes and Jamilia Francis, both pulled out due to injury and a lack of readiness, respectively.
"I am so excited to be out here to again represent my country, this is my first major competition for the season and a really important one on my list. So, I am itching to get going as I’m really looking forward to improving my performance from last year," Mattis declared.
That performance she refers to is the 48.467 she tallied All-Around, with scores of 12.867 on vault, 13.000 on uneven bars, 11.333 on the balance beam and 11.267 on her floor routine.
Though that, among others to date identify her as one of Jamaica’s best young gymnasts, Mattis, knows she still has a ways to go and needs to continue improving to bring her Olympic dream to fruition.
“You always want to get better, and I honestly believe there isn’t really anywhere to stop in terms of areas you can improve on, but I feel as ready as I can be," she said.
"My preparation has been really good, I have been working on some old skills I used to have in my routine, hoping to up my start value a little and those routines are going well. So all I can do now is try my best, I know I have put the work in and I’m just going to try my best to get everything out there," Mattis added.
The 23-year-old is no stranger to the big stage as she had success as a six-time British champion, two-time English champion, Australian youth Olympic champion and European Youth Olympic medallist before injuries derailed her budding career and forced her to step away from the sport in 2018.
But since returning and, by extension, switching allegiance to Jamaica, the land of mother Charmaine Clarke's birth, Mattis has shown that she is willing to put in the hours of gruelling work it takes to be an Olympic athlete.
Should she make the cut for the World Championships and go on to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Mattis would join Toni-Ann Williams and the recently retired British-born Danusia Francis to achieve the feat.
"I think it’s safe to say I am much more motivated now than I was last year, I have set myself a few targets and I have been working really hard to make achieve them. My first goal is to qualify for the World Championships and have a clean competition and then getting to the Olympic Games is my ultimate dream," Mattis noted.
"But the journey starts here and so I just want to go out there and do my absolute best on the four apparatuses, but I need to do it slowly and smartly and then build from there. I just want to be able to jump high and flip better to make my start values higher and give myself a good chance of medalling," the cheerful personality ended.
The kick-off return is moving closer and closer towards extinction.
The NFL owners approved a rule on Tuesday that allows teams receiving a free kick (kick-off or safety kick) to get the ball at their own 25-yard line if the team calls for a fair catch anywhere behind their own 25.
The rule has been put in place for just the 2023 season, and will be revisited next offseason.
The intention behind the new rule stems from player safety with concussion rates on kick-offs will be reduced by 15 per cent, according to NFL executive Jeff Miller.
Kick-offs are considered the most dangerous play in the NFL, as data shows concussions occurs more than twice as often on them than on plays from scrimmages.
While the new rule should help with head injuries, it also takes away an exciting part of the game. Under the new rule, models suggest that the kick-off return rate will decrease from 38 per cent to 31 per cent.
There will almost certainly be a backlash among players and coaches, as the new rule will likely bring about more squib kicks and other unreturnable kicks.
This is the second major rule change made to kick-offs in the last decade with the backdrop of player safety in mind.
In 2016, the NFL moved touchbacks on kick-offs up to the 25-yard line from the 20, with the rationale teams will take the ball five yards closer to their own end zone rather than risk getting tackled behind the 25. And fewer returns would also likely mean fewer injuries.
The rule change, however, has taken the ball out of the hands out of kick-off returners, and decreased the likelihood of an exciting return.
There were only nine kick-off returns for touchdowns last season – the fewest in a non-strike season since the 1970 merger.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
