Johanna Konta keeps alive her Olympic dream and progresses to quarter-finals, while Andy Murray surges into last 16 August 10, 2016 British No1 Johanna Konta followed the lead of team-mate Andy Murray and kept her Olympic dream alive with victory over Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Rio tennis singles. Konta progressed to the quarter-finals after navigating a dramatic three-hour contest against eighth seed Kuznetsova 3-6, 7-5, 7-5. The 25-year-old will now face her Australian Open semi-final [...]
Day of what might have been for medal-shy Team GB as podium opportunities slip away August 9, 2016 Great Britain slumped into collective despair as a series of opportunities to add to their medal haul frustratingly slipped by on day four of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Chances came and went in gymnastics, canoeing, diving and eventing as Team GB failed to swell their tally of four medals, while Adam Peaty’s heroics [...]
Silverstone boss Patrick Allen ousted for being “too close” to tycoon plotting takeover August 9, 2016 The home of Formula One’s British Grand Prix has been thrown into turmoil by the unexpected departure of its boss Patrick Allen who has been suspended. Allen is managing director of the Silverstone track in Northamptonshire and was seen there last month at the British Grand Prix when 139,000 spectators watched local hero Lewis Hamilton [...]
Move over Joe Root: What England’s greatest ever batsman tells us about how to use statistics August 9, 2016 Cricket fans will be delighted that Joe Root is establishing himself this summer as a truly great batsman. His Test match batting average of 55.49 is bettered by only 16 players from across the world since Test cricket began in 1877. Root currently sits seventh in the England career batting averages, and he clearly has [...]
Jose Mourinho takes aim at Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp over criticism of Paul Pogba transfer fee August 9, 2016 Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho took aim at long-time adversary Arsene Wenger and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp after the Old Trafford club completed their world-record £89m capture of midfielder Paul Pogba. Pogba re-joined United from Serie A side Juventus, having left Manchester for Italy in 2012, in the early hours on Tuesday morning in a deal [...]
Nerve film review: Emma Roberts and Dave Franco star in YA thriller about what happens when Pokemon Go turns evil August 9, 2016 Nerve is a savvy internet morality tale tacked on to a giddy teen blockbuster, a parable about the corrosive power of online anonymity and the dangerous side-effects of a generation addicted to the dopamine rush of “likes”. It’s the first original feature from Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman since 2010’s massaged-reality documentary Catfish (they also [...]
Transfer window catches fires as Manchester United sign Paul Pogba, Manchester City capture John Stones and more than £150m spent in 24 hours August 9, 2016 The Premier League’s anticipated summer of record-breaking spending has finally caught fire after a flurry of deals saw more than £150m spent by top-flight clubs within 48 hours. Contrary to projections, spending by the end of July was down £40m on the £515m invested at the same time last year, significantly short of a predicted [...]
Premier League preview part one: Pep Guardiola factor gives Manchester City the edge over Manchester United and Chelsea in fascinating battle of top bosses August 9, 2016 Only six clubs can win the Premier League title this season – and there are three obvious choices in Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City – but there is no runaway favourite in my eyes. United may have signed four players who will walk straight into their first XI, yet they still need a pattern [...]
Southampton sponsor Virgin Media to subsidise tickets for away fans at St Mary’s August 9, 2016 Tickets for football fans visiting Southampton this season will cost no more than £20, after the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) collaborated with Saints sponsor Virgin Media to subsidise tickets. Virgin Media, who believe that "football fans should be at the heart of the game", are supporting the FSF's 'Twenty's Plenty' campaign, an attempt to counteract the increasingly expensive ticket [...]
Premier League preview part two: Leicester will be rivalling West Ham not the title challengers, and Hull look doomed to be whipping boys August 9, 2016 The Premier League has stepped up a level this year and the beauty of it is that the extra broadcast millions have helped raise the standard from the bottom up. There are still divides though, and I see the top-flight as three mini-leagues: the top six, teams just behind them with an eye on snatching fifth [...]