The president of World Netball has said the relaunch of the Netball Super League in the UK from 2025 is “the right step”, after receiving a damehood at Windsor Castle.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Dame Liz Nicholl said the move to professionalise the league will provide a platform for future England players “to be able to develop their skills”.
She added the league will offer English netball players “the opportunity to play with and against the world’s best”.
Dame Liz said that England Netball is “on a journey” and that the England team’s historic run to the Netball World Cup final in South Africa over the summer will have “inspired more youngsters” to take up the sport.
“England Netball is doing a great job in terms of providing opportunities for participation, but also performance through their super league structure,” she added.
The former international netballer, who represented Wales at two world cups in the 1970s, said receiving the damehood from the Princess Royal was “incredible”.
“Nobody ever thinks in their life that they’re going to receive an honour such as this,” she said.
Dame Liz was appointed as the first chief executive of England Netball in 1980 and she also served as chief executive of UK Sport from 2010 to 2019 – overseeing medal success for the Olympic and Paralympic Great Britain teams during this period.
“When I became the CEO of England Netball, there was only me – I was the first full-time member of staff and I had to learn how to be a leader. But I learned that in a very supportive netball community, who encouraged and advised me – and that’s why I stayed there so long.”
She said that netball has “come on leaps and bounds” since the early 1980s – the sport was first included in the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and Dame Liz said that all of World Netball’s members “would really love to be in the Olympic Games”.
However, she added that it was a “tough challenge to actually gain inclusion” as there are international federations for other sports with more members.
“We’re on a journey and it is an ultimate ambition, but we’re going to do whatever’s good for netball in the first instance.”
The Indianapolis Colts have placed Anthony Richardson on injured reserve with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder, keeping the rookie quarterback out for at least four games.
In Sunday's 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans, Richardson was hurt with just over 4 1/2 minutes to go in the second quarter when he was tackled on a 4-yard run. He took a hit to the left shoulder but appeared to land awkwardly on the right one.
Gardner Minshew will start Sunday against his former team as the Colts visit the Jacksonville Jaguars in a matchup of teams tied atop the AFC South with 3-2 records.
Richardson has made four starts since the Colts drafted him fourth overall in this year's draft, but the dual-threat QB has only been able to finish one game as injuries have forced him out of the other three.
In the Colts' 31-20 victory over the Houston Texans in Week 2, Richardson suffered a concussion when he took a hard hit to the head at the end of a 15-yard touchdown run. He was unable to clear the NFL's concussion protocol and Minshew led Indianapolis to a 22-19 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3.
Richardson returned for Week 4's overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams - the first game of his young career he was able to complete.
Richardson also suffered a knee bruise on a hard hit near the goal line in the final minutes of a 31-21 season-opening loss to the Jaguars. Colts coach Shane Steichen said Richardson could have returned, however, and he was taken out as a precaution.
On the season, Richardson has completed 59.5 per cent of his throws for 577 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for an 87.3 passer rating. He has also rushed for 136 yards and four TDs.
Minshew has completed 68.7 per cent of his passes for 553 yards with two TDs and no picks for a 95.1 rating.
Connections are relishing returning Triple Time to the scene of his finest hour for a tilt at the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Qipco British Champions Day.
The Kevin Ryan-trained four-year-old looked a useful prospect when scoring twice as a juvenile and again gave a glimpse of his potential when landing Haydock’s Superior Mile during an interrupted three-year-old campaign.
However, it was on his seasonal return at Royal Ascot where he registered his breakthrough Group One triumph when edging out Inspiral to claim the Queen Anne Stakes on his very first start at the highest level.
He has since finished fifth behind that rival in the Prix Jacques le Marois, but the son of Frankel has been freshened up since being unable to land a blow in Deauville and will now attempt to secure another notable victory in Berkshire on October 21.
“He’s in great order and is obviously heading back to a track where he won his Group One – it is always a nice bonus to go back to somewhere like that,” said Adam Ryan, assistant trainer to his father.
“It could be one of the races of the season on paper, but he deserves to take his chance and we’re very happy with him.
“Over the summer, not just us but most of Europe had in-and-out weather, so we thought the best course of action was to go back to Ascot. He likes Ascot, he proved that at the Royal meeting and we thought we would go there as a nice, fresh horse and hopefully he can run a big race again.”
Andy Murray will withdraw from next week’s Japan Open in Tokyo through injury.
The Scot is ending his Asian swing early after winning just one of his four matches and suffering a 6-3 6-2 first-round loss to Roman Safiullin in Shanghai last week.
The PA news agency understands Murray plans to be back in time to play at the Swiss Indoors in Basel, beginning on October 23.
Murray will then compete at the Paris Masters and he is likely to play at the Moselle Open in Metz in November.
The two-time Wimbledon champion could also be involved at the Davis Cup finals in late November if selected by Great Britain captain Leon Smith.
Murray is bidding to improve his world ranking – currently 39 – in order to be seeded at the Australian Open next year.
Johnny Sexton says Ireland are braced for the “toughest game we’ve ever faced” ahead of a mouthwatering Rugby World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand in Paris.
The world’s top-ranked nation are seeking an 18th consecutive win to reach the last four of the tournament for the first time.
Captain Sexton has faced the formidable All Blacks many times across his distinguished career, including leading his country to an historic tour success last summer.
The 38-year-old, who will retire after the tournament, said: “I haven’t thought once about what personally the game means.
“It’s all about the team and progressing in the competition, that’s all we’re thinking about.
“I’ve had some great battles with New Zealand over the years with Ireland and the (British and Irish) Lions and what you learn is that every game is as tough as the last, no matter what the result.
“And that’s what we’re preparing for: the toughest game we’ve ever faced and we’re trying to put ourselves in the frame of mind that we’re going to be ready for it.”
Ireland have the upper hand in recent meetings with the three-time world champions, winning three of four during the Andy Farrell era and four of the last six.
Sexton believes his side have put themselves in position to go and win the World Cup – an achievement he feels would have been unthinkable during his childhood.
And the veteran fly-half does not feel unduly burdened by the importance of the occasion.
“Trying to win a World Cup, it’s something to go and get, it’s not something that puts pressure on me,” said Sexton.
“It’s something you dream of, probably not as a kid because when we were kids we didn’t dream of Ireland winning the World Cup.
“I suppose we’ve put ourselves in a position now to go and do that.
“But it’s something to go and get, it’s not something to be pressured about.
“It’s all geared up towards a massive game on Saturday, a massive challenge for this team, the biggest we’ve faced, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Ireland’s string of previous quarter-final failures is well documented.
Sexton, who is playing at his fourth World Cup, dismissed the significance of those past disappointments.
“We’ve worked on our mental game for the last four years,” he said.
“We’ve put ourselves in different scenarios over the last four years to prepare for this.
“But each quarter-final that we haven’t got through, or when we haven’t got through our pool, they’ve all been different and it’s a different group again.
“Each of those groups lost once, it wasn’t the same group losing quarter-finals year after year.
“If it was club rugby, it would probably be a bigger hurdle, but it’s a different group. I don’t think we’re carrying much baggage. It’s a one-off game and we’ve got to prepare for it now.”
Head coach Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the crunch clash in the French capital after securing top spot in Pool B with last weekend’s 36-14 success over Scotland.
Wing Mack Hansen sustained a calf issue in that match but, despite sitting out training on Tuesday and Wednesday, has been deemed ready to play.
Farrell insists the Australia-born Connacht wing is fully fit.
“He is, yeah,” said the Englishman.
“He obviously had a few things to do at the beginning of the week but he’s coming good and everyone is very confident that he’s going to be fine for the game – no problems.”
Injured lock James Ryan has dropped out of the matchday 23 but is expected to be available for the semi-final stage.
Test rookies Joe McCarthy and Jimmy O’Brien are among the replacements.
“James Ryan is out with a wrist injury that has been sorted,” said Farrell.
“We expect him to be fit for next week, if we’re able to get that far.”
Jac Morgan has received a ringing endorsement of his all-round quality as he prepares for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final appointment with Argentina.
Wales co-captain Morgan is expected to skipper the side, as he did for critical pool-stage victories over Fiji and Australia, against the Pumas in Marseille.
The Ospreys forward has arguably been Wales’ outstanding player of the tournament and it has earned him acclaim after displaying similar attributes to former back-row stars Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric.
Warburton was 22 – a year younger than Morgan – when he captained Wales to the 2011 World Cup semi-finals and similarities have often been made between the two.
Morgan, though, has also shown the attacking skills and footballing ability that Tipuric, who announced his retirement from Test rugby earlier this year, was renowned for.
“There is a work ethic there, a hunger to be the best, all those similarities,” Wales assistant coach and former international back-row forward Jonathan Thomas said.
“It is really interesting, because you had quite contrasting players in Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric.
“Both world-class players, but quite contrasting in their styles. Jac is probably a bit of a hybrid of both, if that makes sense.
“Jac is pretty physical, hard-working – characteristics that Sam had. But he has also got a good skill-set, a bit like Tips, with some of those nice kicks he has done.
“He is obviously young and he will be learning and growing through his experience as well.
“He is a really humble kid and he will know he is not the finished article at this stage, but he has got a really good balance to his game.”
Morgan will feature in a reshaped Wales back-row following a tournament-ending injury suffered by number eight Taulupe Faletau against Georgia last weekend.
Faletau broke his arm during that game, with Aaron Wainwight widely expected to be switched from blindside flanker and handed the number eight shirt.
That could mean Morgan moving from openside to blindside, with Tommy Reffell completing the back-row trio, while Dan Lydiate and Christ Tshiunza also provide options.
“Gats (Wales head coach Warren Gatland) from the outset wanted people to express their individuality and focus on what their super-strength is,” Thomas added.
“We’ve had a bit of a theme about relating your individual ability to a superhero.
“It wouldn’t work if you went into a game trying to be Toby (Faletau). You’ve got to be yourself and show your particular super-strength.
“Toby is an obvious loss to the team, but I think where this team is at at the moment and what we are about is that we are a team.
“We have a way that we want to play and whoever slots in is really clear on the team objective and then he has to bring his own individual super-strength to the team. You can’t try to say to a player that you need to play like Toby.
“A game of rugby is each individual expressing themselves, but also doing their job for the team. Whoever gets selected will hone into whatever the team objective is and how we want to play.”
Gatland will name his side on Thursday, with fly-half Dan Biggar expected to return following a pectoral muscle injury that forced him off early against Australia.
Gareth Anscombe looks likely to provide bench cover for Biggar if he recovers in time from a groin problem, and full-back Liam Williams took a blow to his knee during the Georgia match.
Thomas on Tuesday described the situation as “pretty positive” regarding Anscombe and Williams in their quest to be available for selection.
Mack Hansen has been included in an unchanged Ireland starting XV for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand in Paris.
Connacht wing Hansen sat out training this week but has seemingly overcome the calf issue suffered in last weekend’s 36-14 victory over Scotland.
Lock James Ryan, who sustained a hand injury against the Scots following his introduction as a replacement, and centre Stuart McCloskey drop out of Andy Farrell’s matchday 23.
Second-row Joe McCarthy – the youngest member of Ireland’s 33-man squad at 22 – and versatile back Jimmy O’Brien, the only player yet to feature in France, have been added to the bench.
Wing James Lowe has been selected to face the country of his birth after overcoming the eye problem he sustained in Ireland’s final Pool B fixture.
Fellow native Kiwis Jamison Gibson-Park and Bundee Aki will also take on the All Blacks at Stade de France.
But centre Robbie Henshaw and wing Keith Earls, who have been troubled by hamstring issues, will once again be absent.
Ireland are seeking to secure a maiden World Cup semi-final by stretching their winning run to 18 Tests, which would equal the tier one record shared by New Zealand and England.
Captain Johnny Sexton will once again partner scrum-half Gibson-Park, who shifted to the left wing following Lowe’s departure last weekend, while Aki continues alongside Garry Ringrose in midfield.
Hansen and Lowe are joined in a familiar backline by full-back Hugo Keenan.
Leinster trio Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong continue in the front row, ahead of locks Tadhg Beirne and Iain Henderson.
Flankers Peter O’Mahony and Josh Van Der Flier line up either side of number eight Caelan Doris.
Test rookies McCarthy and O’Brien are joined on the bench by hooker Ronan Kelleher, props Dave Kilcoyne and Finlay Bealham, back-rower Jack Conan, scrum-half Conor Murray and fly-half Jack Crowley.
Ireland team: H Keenan (Leinster); M Hansen (Connacht), G Ringrose (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), J Lowe (Leinster); J Sexton (Leinster, capt), J Gibson-Park (Leinster); A Porter (Leinster), D Sheehan (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster), T Beirne (Munster), I Henderson (Ulster), P O’Mahony (Munster), J Van Der Flier (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster).
Replacements: R Kelleher (Leinster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), F Bealham (Connacht), J McCarthy (Leinster), J Conan (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), J Crowley (Munster), J O’Brien (Leinster).
Eight-year-old Brad O’Neill perched behind the posts at Old Trafford among over 70,000 others and roared on his hero Sam Tomkins as Wigan beat St Helens to win the 2010 Super League Grand Final.
Thirteen years later, having swapped his junior replica shirt for a dream place in the Warriors first team, O’Neill is preparing to head back to the same stadium tasked with denying Tomkins a fairy-tale ending to his playing career.
Former Wigan great Tomkins will take to the field for the last time on Saturday as he looks to inspire a first French Grand Final win – but lifelong Wigan fan O’Neill has long since shed any loyalty to the Catalans Dragons man.
“I went to all those finals and Sam was one of my favourite players,” said O’Neill, a product of Wigan’s scholarship and academy programmes who has edged long-established number nine Sam Powell off the starting teamsheet in a breakthrough 2023 campaign.
“I remember my first Grand Final in 2010, sitting behind the posts with my dad, a sell-out, and how it was bouncing in the Wigan end after we won.
“Sam and Sean O’Loughlin were the two players I most admired and I always hoped that one day I’d be part of the big games like them. Sam was always scoring tries and at the centre of things. It will be a bit surreal facing him in the Grand Final now.”
Born in Leigh, O’Neill started playing rugby at the age of five, rising steadily through the Wigan ranks to make his first-team debut against Wakefield in June 2021.
He starred in last season’s Challenge Cup final win over Huddersfield at Wembley and seized another opportunity earlier this season following an injury to Powell, going on to make the hooker position his own.
In June, he was rewarded with a new four-year contract, an indication of the potential seen in him by Wigan head coach Matt Peet, especially given the club’s capture of fellow number nine Kruise Leeming for the 2024 campaign.
O’Neill credits much of his emergence to the influence of Peet, who was head of youth when he first signed scholarship terms in 2017, and current assistant coach Sean O’Loughlin, another club great who was integral to those final wins that O’Neill cheered on from the sidelines.
“Matty has always been a part of my journey at Wigan and he’s always steered me down the right path,” added O’Neill. “Being able to pick the brains of someone like Sean, who has so much knowledge and played in so many Grand Finals, also helps.
“Culture is always a big thing at Wigan and it goes right down to the bottom, to academy and scholarship. You learn it straight away and it becomes natural to carry it through to the first team. It’s a massive part of the success of the club.”
Having won this season’s League Leaders’ Shield, Wigan will start as narrow favourites to beat the French side and win their first Grand Final since 2018 – which marked Tomkins’ swansong in a cherry and white shirt.
But there will be no room for sentiment for O’Neill, who is looking to take the opportunity to inspire a new generation of young Wigan fans who will be sitting behind the posts with his name emblazoned on their backs.
“I meet young fans all the time and it always reminds me that I was there at one time, so it’s all about doing everything you can to give something back,” added O’Neill. “My own story is proof that their own dreams are reachable.”
Dragon Leader thrilled connections when winning his second big prize of the season at Redcar on Saturday – but future plans are somewhat up in the air.
The bargain buy took his earnings to over £300,000 for the season in winning the Two Year Old Trophy at the seaside track, adding to his victory at York’s Ebor meeting.
Connections have touched base with the Breeders’ Cup committee to see if he would qualify for a run there, but if not, he is likely to be finished for this season.
With potential buyers showing interest in the Clive Cox-trained colt, there could be a decision to be made by his owners, Kennet Valley Syndicates.
“It was decent ground at Redcar and that was perfect for him. At halfway, he didn’t look like an odds-on shot, but he won going away in the end – he probably wants seven furlongs now,” said syndicate manager Sam Hoskins.
“Obviously, he was getting lots of weight off the others, but he did race on the near side of the track and you usually want to be far side at Redcar, so I do think you can mark him up.
“We were just over the moon, he’s won over £300,000 this year for the syndicate, which is incredible, and for a syndicate like ours it really makes a difference. People don’t go into it to make money but obviously winning a pot like that is great fun. We’re very lucky to have him.
“We have nominated him for the Breeders’ Cup but we’ve heard nothing back and I’m not sure he’ll get in the Juvenile Turf – there’s nothing else domestically, so that will probably be it.”
Regarding next season, Hoskins said: “I don’t know what next season holds, Clive does think he’ll get seven furlongs – but at least we can look at the fixture list now!
“The race which would really have suited him was the old Free Handicap but unfortunately that doesn’t exist anymore. Selfishly, we’ll really miss it next year.
“We have had offers for him, we’ve turned down some big ones. He’s a horse that likes decent ground and has lots of scope, so we’ll just see. No one is immune, but at the same time we’re a syndicate who like our sport and we’ve raced on a lot of older horses like Sir Busker, Magical Memory and Tulius.
“We’ve been digging for oil with Kennet Valley and we haven’t found much recently, we’re not immune but it would take a big offer to sell.
“He might be an interesting one to take to Dubai as a four-year-old, but we haven’t really discussed the future yet and we’ll just enjoy it for now.”
Ante-post favourite Shuwari is one of eight runners declared for the Group One bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on Friday.
Ollie Sangster’s juvenile impressed when making a winning debut at Newbury before getting the better of subsequent Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Fallen Angel in the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown.
On the strength of that form, Shuwari was a hot favourite for the Rockfel Stakes a fortnight ago – and while she was no match for the dominant winner Carla’s Way, she was comfortably best of the rest.
She is reopposed by the third from that race, Ylang Ylang, who is one of two runners for Aidan O’Brien alongside rank outsider Brilliant.
Irish hopes are also carried by the Noel Meade-trained Caught U Looking, who supplemented a striking maiden win at Leopardstown with victory in the Group Three Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh last month.
Ralph Beckett steps Sandown scorer Classical Song up in class and also saddles Ascot victor Seaward, while Frankie Dettori is booked to partner Michael Bell’s dual Lingfield winner Ambiente Amigo.
The small but select field is completed by Andrew Balding’s See The Fire, last seen chasing home Darnation in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.
Kevin Philippart de Foy’s Inquisitively, Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda and Midnight Affair from Richard Fahey’s yard are among 15 juveniles in contention for the Group Three Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes.
Group Three honours are also up for grabs in an intriguing renewal of the Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes, which sees Beckett’s Skellet lock horns with Charlie Appleby’s Dance Sequence and the George Boughey-trained Chic Colombine, who bids for a fifth successive win.
The Group Two Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes has attracted a six-strong field, with John and Thady Gosden’s Audience taken on by Richard Hannon’s high-class pair of Chindit and Shouldvebeenaring, Kieran Cotter’s Matilda Picotte, the Charlie Hills-trained Pogo and Joe Murphy’s Lord Massusus.
Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham wants to see six three-point attempts per game from Anthony Davis this season.
The Lakers reached the Western Conference finals last season, only to be swept 4-0 by the Denver Nuggets.
Davis averaged 1.3 three-point attempts per game last season, with his career-high (3.5) coming in his first year with the Lakers in 2019-20.
And Ham now wants to see Davis – who has gone three-for-six on three-pointers in preseason – stack up numbers that compare to the likes of Devin Booker and Darius Garland, who averaged 6.0 attempts per game in 2022-23.
"I want him to. I know he won't do it, but maybe he'll shock me, but I've requested to see six three-point attempts a game," Ham said.
"Three per half, at least. I wouldn't put that on him if I didn't think he was capable."
Ham has no plans to discourage Davis from shooting from beyond the arc.
"That's something that he's worked on, being a more consistent shooter and not just more consistent in his [normal] areas but consistent from deep range," he added.
"And not hesitating. Not overthinking it. So if he's got a good look, we've all encouraged him to put it up."
The Lakers, who face the Sacramento Kings in their third preseason game on Wednesday, tip off the new season on the road against the Nuggets on October 24.
Connections of Inspiral have confirmed the brilliant filly is not only set to line up in either the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot or head for the Breeders’ Cup before the year is out, but there is also every chance she could return for another season in 2024.
Having been given a break since successfully defending her title in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August, John and Thady Gosden’s charge secured the fifth Group One victory of her career so far with a dominant display in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.
Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is expecting to see Inspiral once more this season, but whether that will be on Qipco British Champions Day or in California remains to be seen.
Thompson said: “We were thrilled with her on Saturday. If you look at her last two performances, in the Jacques le Marois and in the Sun Chariot, they were two very authoritative performances.
“The way she won the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot last year was probably the performance of the meeting and she’s not done too badly since, beating the colts twice in the Jacques le Marois, and I think her latest performance at Deauville was pretty impressive.
“We’re looking at the QEII or the Breeders’ Cup this season. It will be one of the two, we just don’t know which one yet. It depends on how she comes out of Saturday, it depends on the ground at Ascot – there’s a few factors.”
While hesitant to make plans beyond Inspiral’s next run, Thompson is open to the idea of sending her back into training as a five-year-old.
He added: “She could potentially stay in training next season, but that depends on how she comes out of her final race this year, whichever race that is going to be.
“The trainer will give us his steer and if he feels she’s ready to go next season, we’ll go with it and give her another go next season, absolutely, subject to him (John Gosden) giving us that confirmation.”
A charity that helps disabled people play tennis is celebrating its 10th anniversary by pushing to expand its programme further.
Bright Ideas for Tennis was founded in 2013 by former Great Britain Davis Cup player Danny Sapsford with the aim of increasing grass-roots participation.
Sapsford works with tennis clubs to raise money to improve facilities and expand programmes, with more than £1million invested into the sport, but it is the charity’s I Play 30 scheme that has become its driving force.
Bright Ideas for Tennis pairs clubs across the country with local special educational needs and disability (SEND) schools and organisations to put on free sessions.
Sapsford told the PA news agency: “We’ve been growing steadily and the last couple of years we’ve been opening 30-35 venues every year and we’re hoping to do that for the next few years.
“My personality is someone who likes to please people and likes to be helpful so it’s quite heartwarming to see all the people we’ve given the opportunity to play tennis.
“I love going to the site visits to watch them. Quite often I’m driving three or four hours for a 45-minute session and in the car I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God, what am I doing this for’? But it’s worth it just to see the smiles on their faces, it’s lovely.
“The sessions that we run, as much as we’re teaching tennis, I think more than anything we’re teaching life skills.
“Last year we did a survey, we had a couple of doctors from Cambridge University who helped us, and they were so excited with the results.
“It was proving that tennis was not just good for your physical health but it was good for your mental well-being and the parents were saying their kids are now becoming more accepted in schools and are making more friends, they’re more confident and less anxious, so all the attributes we were hoping to achieve, which was brilliant.”
Ariadne Katsoulis and Paul Valentine run coaching programmes at clubs in Banbury, Bicester and Brackley and work with two SEND schools through Bright Ideas for Tennis.
Katsoulis told PA: “At the beginning when the children arrived, no one had had the opportunity to play tennis before, they didn’t feel comfortable, but after two or three weeks, they were so happy.
“That change in the children, it was incredible. They were excited to come, they wanted to play, and the improvement that they’ve made, I don’t have words.
“We give our time for free when we could have been earning money in other sessions but, seeing these children that have never had the possibility to do the sport – I was working with a blind child, and him achieving hitting the ball, and how he excited was, that’s the biggest reward that a tennis coach can wish for.”
They are hoping soon to add a third school and Valentine does not believe they would have been able to put on the sessions without Sapsford, saying: “It’s quite hard for us to take the lead on it.
“What Danny’s doing is creating a link between the coaches and the schools and that’s the big thing, then supporting us as we go through the programme. It’s a great organisation.”
Previously a one-man band, Sapsford now has a small team, while ambassadors include Tim Henman and Joe Salisbury, and he is hoping to increase the charity’s profile and budget to help introduce the sport to even more people.
It has been a decade of hard work, and the 54-year-old, who reached the third round of Wimbledon in 1999, said: “As with everything, it has its ups and downs and you have good days and bad days.
“I have weeks where every phone call I’m making I’m hitting a dead end and no one wants to help you but then you have other days where everything seems to fall in place.
“We’re at the stage now where we’ve got a really good infrastructure, we’ve built a really good reputation, lots of people want to work with us, so, if we did have a tiny little bit more money, we’d be able to do a lot more good.”
Rafael Nadal is set to return to grand slam tennis at the 2024 Australian Open, tournament director Craig Tiley has announced.
The 37-year-old has not been in action since suffering a hip flexor injury during his second-round defeat to Mackenzie McDonald during the 2023 edition in Melbourne.
Earlier this year, Nadal announced he would miss the French Open, where he has claimed 14 of his 22 major titles, as he was undergoing surgery on the issue.
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His inactivity has seen the Spaniard slide down to 240th in the world, but Nadal will be able to rely on a protected ranking for the first grand slam of the 2024 calendar.
Speaking in an interview on Australian breakfast TV programme The Today Show, Tennis Australia chief executive Tiley said: “We can reveal exclusively here that Rafa will be back.
“He’s been off for most of the year and in talking to him over the last few days he confirmed he will be back, which we’re really excited about, the champion of 2022. That’s awesome.”
Tiley also revealed “some of the greats” will be making their way Down Under, with former women’s singles champions Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber all lined up for returns.
“We’ll welcome them – and their families – back to Melbourne with open arms and can’t wait to see what their next chapter brings,” he added.
Home favourite Nick Kyrgios, who has played only one ATP Tour match in 2023 due to injuries, has returned to training and is hopeful of being fit for Melbourne, with Tiley adding that he was “doing his utmost to get back to his best”.
Connor Bedard notched a point in his NHL debut and the Chicago Blackhawks scored three times in the third period to rally for a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.
The 18-year-old Bedard – the top pick in the 2023 draft - assisted on Ryan Donato’s goal late in the second period to cut Chicago’s deficit to 2-1.
Bedard registered five of the Blackhawks’ 35 shots and dazzled occasionally with his skating.
His arrival in the NHL has been anticipated for years, much like Sidney Crosby’s when the Penguins made him the first overall selection in 2005, all of 13 days after Bedard was born.
Cole Guttman netted the tying goal midway through the third period and Jason Dickinson snapped the tie with 4:33 remaining.
Petr Mrazek gave up goals to Bryan Rust and Crosby but finished with 38 saves against the Penguins, the league’s oldest team.
Golden Knights raise banner, beat Kraken
Chandler Stephenson and Jonathan Marchessault scored in the first period and Adin Hill made 27 saves as the Vegas Golden Knights began defense of their Stanley Cup title with a 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken.
Ivan Barbashev and Jack Eichel also tallied for Vegas, which raised its championship banner in a lavish pregame ceremony.
Jared McCann provided Seattle’s lone goal in the second period.
Paul leads Lightning past Predators
Nicholas Paul scored a pair of third-period power-play goals and Jonas Johansson stopped 28 shots to win his Lightning debut as Tampa Bay opened the season with a 5-3 win over the Nashville Predators.
Brandon Hagel scored on a penalty shot, Nikita Kucherov added a pair of goals and Brayden Point had three assists for the Lightning.
With five-time All-Star Andrei Vasilevskiy expected to miss another six weeks after back surgery, Johansson has been thrust into a starting role.
He gave up Tommy Novak’s tying goal 8:48 into the third period, but Paul scored just over two minutes later and Kucherov’s empty-net goal closed the scoring.
Ryan O’Reilly and Juuso Parssinen also scored as Nashville lost in Andrew Brunette’s debut as coach.
Zion Williamson made his first appearance in an NBA game since January with 12 points in 16 minutes in the New Orleans’ Pelicans’ 122-105 loss to the Orlando Magic.
Williamson sat out the final four months of the season after he injured his right hamstring in Philadelphia last Jan. 2.
The Pelicans star missed his first two shots before throwing down a crowd-pleasing, two-handed dunk. He later added a 13-foot running floater, a short turnaround, and a layup to go with four free throws.
Williamson added five rebounds and five assists in the preseason opener for both teams.
Wendell Carter Jr. had 18 points in 19 minutes for Orlando and Paolo Banchero scored 12 points, highlighted by his driving, one-handed dunk between Williamson and New Orleans center Jonas Valanciunas.
Adolis Garcia capped a five-run second with a three-run homer and the Texas Rangers rolled to a 7-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles to complete an AL Division Series sweep on Tuesday.
Corey Seager got Texas started with a first-inning home run against Dean Kremer and the Rangers knocked the Baltimore starter out in the second.
Nathaniel Lowe also went deep for the Rangers, who are perfect in five games this postseason and will face either Houston or Minnesota in the ALCS.
Nathan Eovaldi allowed one run and five hits over seven innings, striking out seven while throwing 76 of his 98 pitches for strikes.
Jose Leclerc got the final four outs, the first one with the bases loaded in the eighth when he induced an inning-ending groundout by Aaron Hicks.
The Orioles won an AL-best 101 games and were never swept during the regular season, but gave up 18 runs in losing the final two games.
Lowe battled Kremer in a 15-pitch at-bat to lead off the second before lining out.
Singles by Josh Jung and Marcus Semien put runners on the corners with two outs. After Seager was intentionally walked to load the bases, Mitch Garver stroked a two-run double before Garcia’s homer to left made it 6-0.
Astros rout Twins, take 2-1 ALDS lead
Jose Abreu’s three-run homer keyed a four-run first inning, he added a two-run blast in the ninth and the Houston Astros routed the Minnesota Twins 9-1 to take a 2-1 series lead.
Yordan Alvarez continued his red-hot start by going 3 for 5 with a solo home run – his fourth of the series – and two doubles. He became the 11th player in history to homer in each of his first three games of a single postseason.
Alex Bregman had a pair of hits, including a solo home run, and two RBIs.
The Astros pounced early on Minnesota starter Sonny Gray, who gave up five runs and eight hits in four innings.
Cristian Javier pitched five shutout innings for Houston, allowing just one hit but walking five batters.
The Astros can clinch the series Wednesday with a win, sending them to the ALCS for the seventh straight year.
LIV Golf has been denied world ranking points after having a request turned down by the Official World Golf Ranking body.
The Saudi-backed breakaway’s request was denied in a letter addressed to chief executive Greg Norman and chief operating officer Gary Davidson, where concerns were expressed about the circuit’s format.
The decision was made after the OWGR could not find a “fair and equitable way” to assess those competing in LIV golf events, meaning it will not be recognised as an Eligible Golf Tour according to the OWGR.
A statement from OWGR chairman Peter Dawson read: “It is unfortunate that no way to include LIV Golf in the ranking could be found which would be fair and equitable to the 24 currently eligible tours and their thousands of playing members.
“Keeping this matter under review, OWGR will continue to monitor developments in men’s professional golf as a whole and at LIV in particular.”
LIV responded to the decision, insisting professional golf is “now without a true or global scoring and ranking system”.
“OWGR’s sole objective is to rank the best players across the globe. Today’s communication makes clear that it can no longer deliver on that objective,” a LIV statement read.
“Players have historically remained subject to a single world ranking to qualify for major championships, the biggest events, and for corporate sponsor contract value.
“A ranking which fails to fairly represent all participants, irrespective of where in the world they play golf, robs fans, players and all of golf’s stakeholders of the objective basis underpinning any accurate recognition of the world’s best player performances. It also robs some traditional tournaments of the best fields possible.
“Professional golf is now without a true or global scoring and ranking system. There is no benefit for fans or players from the lack of trust or clarity as long as the best player performances are not recognised.
“LIV will continue to strive to level the market so fans, broadcasters, and sponsors have the assurance of an independent and objective ranking system and the pure enjoyment of watching the best golf in the world.”
Tommy Fury admits he “could not live with himself” if he did not fight for a world title at some point in his career – but acknowledges Saturday’s bout with YouTuber KSI is a long way from that.
Fury said he could “be down the pub all day” and still beat the social media star-turned fighter in their X Series encounter in Manchester.
But he has loftier aspirations to follow in the footsteps of his famous brother Tyson.
“The plan is to get though these YouTube fights, do what I need to do in this sort of scene and I believe I am good enough to win a world title belt,” he told the PA news agency.
“I don’t know when or what weight division but when the time is right I’ll go out and I will challenge for a world title because I could not live with myself if I didn’t box for one.
“I believe I can do it, I have the right set-up around me so why not give myself a best shot?”
While Fury, who sprung to huge fame in 2019 reality show Love Island, comes from a fighting family KSI made his name on YouTube and, as part of the showbiz nature of the event, will wear a £40,000 gumshield.
The Manchester-born Fury has dismissed his opponent’s credentials.
“These guys don’t really call for me to step up to world title ability. I’m levels above these guys,” added the 24-year-old.
“I could beat KSI after 15 pints of beer. I could literally go down the pub all day, fight him at night-time and still beat him. If we fight 100 times I beat him 100 times.”
On KSI’s expensive mouthguard, he added: “He’s going to need £200 grand around his mouth by the time I have finished with him.
“It will be a lucky night for someone when they catch it in the crowd.”
American MMA fighter Dillon Danis, making his boxing debut, has refused to back down in his online vendetta against opponent Logan Paul’s fiancee, which has resulted in Nina Agdal lodging a lawsuit against him.
“It is years of me and the Pauls going back and forth. I don’t take anything personal, it’s just business. I don’t care about the guy or his w***e fiancee,” said Danis, who has sparred with one of MMA’s biggest names Conor McGregor and did not rule out the Irishman being ringside at the weekend.
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