Author: sportsnewsuk
Arsenal are fresh from Champions League final heartbreak but there is no time to wallow.Sunday’s Premier League title celebrations in north London may have refocused minds on next season’s missions, when they will aim to stay at the top of the English game and go a step further in Europe.Defeat by Paris St-Germain in Budapest on Saturday night came only on penalties, but Arsenal’s limitations against opposition of the highest class were evident before the spot-kicks.The Gunners had less than 25% of possession, and Kai Havertz’s early opening goal was their only shot on target in 120 minutes of football.After…
There was little to separate Zverev and De Jong in the opening set, with De Jong going toe-to-toe with the heavy-hitting German in the baseline exchanges while also showing attacking intent on the approach.He raced into a 3-0 lead, breaking Zverev in his opening service game and giving away just two points on his own serve, and later led 3-0 in the tie-break before Zverev reeled off seven consecutive points to take the first set.Zverev had to be patient in the second, waiting until the 10th game to convert one of only two break-point opportunities offered to him, but was…
England head coach Thomas Tuchel advised his World Cup players to go on holiday in United States time zones before the tournament, to help the acclimatisation process.A total of 21 of England’s 26-man squad will arrive in Florida on Monday for their pre-tournament camp, where they will also face New Zealand and Costa Rica in warm-up matches on 6 and 10 June.Many players are understood to have spent the off-season in the United States or Caribbean at the behest of the England boss.The weather is sure to play a major factor in the tournament, with studies indicating that nearly a…
Overnight leader Elisa Balsamo strengthened her position at the top of the women’s Giro d’Italia standings by winning the second stage with a perfectly timed sprint in Caorle.Balsamo, 28, was handed a win in Saturday’s opening stage after Lorena Wiebes was disqualified for a bike weight violation, just hours after crossing the line first.Italian Balsamo then headed off Irish rider Lara Gillespie and compatriot Chaira Consonni at the end of Sunday’s 156km stage just outside Venice to keep the pink jersey.It was the same three riders at the top of the podium as on Saturday, with Balsamo peeling out for…
(Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing) “Whoever Jason wants,” smiled Rico Verhoeven. “He’s like the new Eddie Hearn.” The Dutchman was talking about his movie star friend Jason Statham, who was so influential in landing Verhoeven’s fight at the Pyramids in Egypt against Oleksandr Usyk a week ago. Verhoeven pushed Usyk hard until the stoppage came with a second left in the 11th round after it appeared a huge shock could be possible. This week, Verhoeven, one of the great kickboxers of all time who had fought just once – 12 years ago – as a professional boxer before challenging for the world…
MotoGP championship leader Marco Bezzecchi fought through to beat Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin and win the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello.Bezzecchi won the opening three rounds of the year and returned to the top step in race seven to open up a 17-point lead over Martin in the standings.The 27-year-old celebrated at the finish with fellow Italian and Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli.Manufacturer Aprilia had never won their home race in the premier class but took an emotional one-two finish as Italian bikes dominated.Spanish rider Martin, the 2024 championship winner, set a MotoGP speed record on Friday when his…
Great Britain celebrated double gold medal success at the season-opening World Rowing Cup I event in Seville.The men’s four secured a dominant victory by 5.22 seconds from France, who took second place, with the Netherlands in third.The women’s singles sculls was then won by Lauren Henry, who beat Lithuania’s Viktorija Senkute in a photo finish by 0.14 seconds.Ireland’s Fiona Murtagh, who beat Henry by just 0.03 seconds at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai last year, finished with the bronze medal.”It was a good race. I think my first half was maybe a bit sluggish; I’m not sure I got…
Tris Dixon covered his first amateur boxing fight in 1996. The former editor of Boxing News, he has written for a number of international publications and newspapers, including GQ and Men’s Health, and is a board member for the Ringside Charitable Trust and the Ring of Brotherhood. He has been a broadcaster for TNT Sports and hosts the popular “Boxing Life Stories” podcast. Dixon is a British Boxing Hall of Famer, an International Boxing Hall of Fame elector, a BWAA award winner, and is the author of five boxing books, including “Damage: The Untold Story of Brain Trauma in Boxing”…
Last year, American world number five Jessica Pegula said she felt like she was “hitting her head against the wall” over the subject, while two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur questioned whether the people making the decision “have daughters”.Since 2023, questions have been raised about whether the French Open should do more to showcase the women’s game.The lack of action prompted recently appointed WTA chief executive Valerie Camillo to seek answers from French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo – a former women’s world number one – when they met at Roland Garros this week.In what the WTA describes as an open…
GAME 1 Joe Hayes and Owen Smith added 71 for the first wicket in 42 balls with Hayes facing only 12 of them. Smith had completed a half century in 29 balls but was caught at extra cover next ball to give former YCCC player Josh Hen-Boisen a wicket. Harry Duke made 19 from 16 before being caught at short third man and Hayes also completed a half century from 43 balls before being caught at long off for 57. Yorkshire totalled 162-5 but in the last 10 overs hit only 3 fours and a six. The University were reduced…