SPORT | IN BRIEF May 16, 2010 Nadal sees off Federer in Madrid TENNIS: Four-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal stepped up his preparations for this year’s tournament by beating world No1 Roger Federer to win the Madrid Masters. Nadal’s 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) triumph, which followed his wins in Rome and Monte Carlo, means he has now won 18 Masters titles and [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF May 11, 2010 Saints and Sarries stars named RUGBY UNION: Northampton Saints and Saracens have swept the board in this year’s nominations for the Guinness Premiership Player of the Year award. Top try-scorer Chris Ashton is joined in the final five by Saints team-mates Phil Dowson and Soane Tonga’uiha, who ironically sparked a war of words between the [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF April 22, 2010 Jump stars paraded at Sandown RACING: This season’s equine champions over the jumps will be paraded at Sandown Park on Saturday for bet365 Gold Cup Day. Four-time winner of the King George VI Chase Kauto Star heads the line-up, with 2009 Hennessy Gold Cup champion Denman, World Hurdle winner Big Buck’s and Cheltenham Gold Cup [...]
Moody: Young stars won’t be intimidated November 5, 2010 ENGLAND vs NEW ZEALAND ENGLAND may be facing the toughest possible start to their autumn campaign but captain Lewis Moody insists he feels emboldened by the emergence of a clutch of youngsters he has earmarked for greatness. Moody could not have asked for more daunting opposition than New Zealand, the world’s No1 ranked Test side, [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF May 4, 2010 Murray back at Queen’s TENNIS: British No1 Andy Murray will defend his Aegon Championships title at Queen’s Club next month. The 22-year-old became the first British player to win the grass court title last year since Bunny Austin in 1938 after beating James Blake in the final. Joining a line-up including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF May 9, 2010 Higgins speaks out in defence SNOOKER: World No1 John Higgins has defended himself against fresh newspaper claims of match-fixing. The three-time world champion has been suspended from snooker amid allegations he agreed to lose frames in exchange for £261,000. “I have been accused in the media of cheating. I have been accused of planning to [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF April 25, 2010 O’Sullivan’s in a deadlock SNOOKER: World No1 Ronnie O’Sullivan was locked at 8-8 with rival Mark Williams as their second round World Championship clash looked set to go to the wire at the Crucible. Ali Carter leads Joe Perry 10-6, while seven-time champion Stephen Hendry resumes at 4-4 with Mark Selby this morning. In the [...]
ALSO OUT THIS WEEKEND April 8, 2010 FILM I AM LOVE Tilda Swinton stars in this beguiling romantic drama. SHELTER Preposterous thriller about multiple personality disorders, with Julianne Moore. NO GREATER LOVE Absorbing documentary about a Carmelite monastery in West London. DVD 30 ROCK SEASON 3 Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin return in the comic look at US TV. UNIVERSAL SOLDIER REGENERATION [...]
‘I came close to quitting’, admits Ashton March 18, 2010 DEBUTANT Chris Ashton has told how he almost quit the sport six months ago after doubting whether he would ever make the grade. The Northampton winger comes into the England Test side for the first time in Paris tomorrow as a replacement for the injured Ugo Monye. But the former rugby league star admits he [...]
Thomas linked with Crusaders March 3, 2010 RUGBY UNION: Ex-Wales captain Gareth Thomas is being linked with a switch to rugby league to play for Super League outfit Celtic Crusaders. The 35-year-old’s contract with the Cardiff Blues runs out in May and some suggest he may even complete the move by the end of the week.