Djokovic seals Beijing gong October 5, 2014 WORLD No1 Novak Djokovic admitted the performance which sealed his fifth China Open title far outstrips any other in his glittering career after demolishing Czech rival Tomas Berdych in little over an hour in Beijing yesterday. The 27-year-old reigning Wimbledon champion brushed aside Berdych 6-0, 6-2 to record his 24th consecutive China Open match success [...]
Burgess bows out with title October 5, 2014 BATH-bound British rugby league star Sam Burgess played through the pain of a broken cheekbone as he led South Sydney Rabbitohs to victory in the NRL Grand Final yesterday. Burgess – set to switch codes this month – was man of the match despite the injury as the Rabbitohs beat Canterbury Bulldogs 30-6 to end [...]
Premier League: Red-hot Sakho sinks shoddy QPR October 5, 2014 WEST HAM UNITED 2 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 0 UNDER-PRESSURE QPR manager Harry Redknapp blamed a lack of fitness rather than a shortage of determination for his toothless team’s woeful form after they suffered a fifth Premier League defeat yesterday. A Nedum Onuoha own goal and Diafra Sakho’s fifth strike in as many games underlined West [...]
Premier League: Resurgent Tottenham halt Saints’ march October 5, 2014 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 SOUTHAMPTON 0 TOTTENHAM manager Mauricio Pochettino refused to condemn Southampton supporters who taunted him yesterday as his new team beat his former charges and climbed to sixth in the Premier League. A first-half goal from midfielder Christian Eriksen ended Tottenham’s run of four league games without victory and halted Southampton’s sequence of [...]
Premier League: Falcao off mark to down Everton October 5, 2014 MANCHESTER UNITED 2 EVERTON 1 MANCHESTER United boss Louis van Gaal insists his side must ditch their sub-standard second-half performances if they have designs on maintaining their Premier League revival after edging past Everton at Old Trafford yesterday. United hitman Radamel Falcao scored his maiden Premier League goal to clinch United’s first back-to-back victories under [...]
Film review: Gone Girl October 3, 2014 ★★★☆☆ We know from Zodiac that David Fincher has a feel for tense procedural thrillers; we know from Se7en that he has an eye for macabre detail; we know from The Social Network that he has an ear for cleverer-than-thou comic banter. In Gone Girl, an adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s pulpy crime novel of the [...]
How do I get a Rugby World Cup 2015 ticket? Fans who miss out in official ballot could face prices 400pc higher October 3, 2014 Rugby fans who miss out on World Cup tickets from the official ballot could end up paying four-figure sums just to watch group games. The application period for Rugby World Cup 2015 tickets closed on Monday, leaving scores of rugby fans nervously waiting to find out if they have struck lucky later this month. [...]
Europa League: Dropped points leave Spurs no error margin, says Pochettino October 2, 2014 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 BESIKTAS 1 TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino insists his side now have to beat Group C leaders Asteras Tripolis in their next Europa League clash after seeing their qualification hopes dented by a last-gasp Besiktas leveller at White Hart Lane last night. Romania defender Vlad Chiriches endured shaky evening at the heart of [...]
Wilkinson backs chiefs’ show of faith in Lancaster October 2, 2014 WORLD Cup winners Jonny Wilkinson and Jason Leonard have dismissed accusations that the additional insurance afforded by head coach Stuart Lancaster’s bumper new contract will see a culture of complacency permeate the England camp. Lancaster and his assistants Graham Rowntree, Mike Catt and Andy Farrell have all signed six-year deals – the longest ever awarded [...]
Hodgson denies Reds dispute over Sturridge October 2, 2014 ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson has played down talk of friction with Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers over Daniel Sturridge’s fitness after bowing to pressure to leave the striker out of his squad. Sturridge was a notable absentee from Hodgson’s 21-man party for Euro 2016 qualifiers against San Marino and Estonia – which includes uncapped right-back Nathaniel [...]