Neymar thought Colombia tackle had crippled him July 6, 2014 BRAZIL forward Neymar believed he had been left paralysed by the challenge that broke a bone in his back and prematurely ended his World Cup, the team’s coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has revealed. The inspirational Barcelona star told team-mate Marcelo that he felt numb from the waist down after being sent sprawling by Juan Zuniga [...]
Nibali to wear yellow in London as Cavendish forced to quit Tour July 6, 2014 GIRO d’Italia champion Vincenzo Nibali struck late to beat the Tour de France favourites to victory on the second stage in Sheffield. Nibali escaped reigning champion Chris Froome and two-time winner Alberto Contador during the final two kilometres to claim the first Tour stage win of his career yesterday. The Astana rider also took over [...]
Penalty exploits not enough to earn Krul a starting place July 6, 2014 NEWCASTLE goalkeeper Tim Krul will start on the bench for Holland’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina on Wednesday despite his penalty shoot-out heroics against Costa Rica. Krul justified coach Louis van Gaal’s decision to send him on specifically for the spot-kicks with two crucial saves, but remains behind first-choice Jasper Cillessen in the pecking order. [...]
Kvitova crushes Bouchard in fifth quickest Wimbledon title victory July 5, 2014 Petra Kvitova has just won her second Wimbledon title in four years, barely breaking sweat as she disposed of challenger Eugenie Bouchard in straight sets. Kvitova, seeded sixth ahead of the tournament, becomes the fourth woman to be crowned champion at the All England Club more than once since 1990, thrashing her 20-year-old Canadian opponent [...]
Tory tennis match sells for £160,000 July 3, 2014 A BRITISH banker – and wife of a former Putin government minister – splashed out £160,000 for a game of tennis with PM David Cameron and London mayor Boris Johnson, it emerged yesterday. Lubov Chernukhin bought the top lot in the auction at the Tory party fundraiser on Wednesday. City A.M. revealed that a bottle of champagne sold [...]
I feel ready to claim my first grand slam, says Bouchard July 3, 2014 FEARLESS 20-year-old Eugenie Bouchard insists reaching the Wimbledon final in just the sixth grand slam appearance of her fledging career should not be considered a surprise. In a drama-drenched semi-final yesterday against No3 seed Simona Halep – including a medical time-out while the Romanian had treatment on an ankle injury, a stoppage while a spectator [...]
British cyclists best in world July 3, 2014 BRITAIN’S sporting reputation may have taken hits from Andy Murray’s Wimbledon exit, England’s shabby World Cup and a home Test series defeat to Sri Lanka, but we are the best around at cycling. That’s the view of Sir Dave Brailsford, who masterminded Britain’s Olympic track dominance and the road racing success of Team Sky, as [...]
Button: Lewis under pressure July 3, 2014 FORMER world champion Jenson Button has piled the pressure on Lewis Hamilton to kick-start his bid for another Formula One drivers’ title by winning Sunday’s British Grand Prix. Hamilton arrives at Silverstone desperate to make up ground on his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, who leads the standings eight races into the 19-date F1 calendar. Button, [...]
Hands off Rodriguez, say Monaco, as he gets set to ruin Brazil’s party July 3, 2014 COLOMBIA playmaker James Rodriguez’s suitors have been warned to forget about signing the World Cup’s breakout star, as he plots an end to Brazilian hopes of a first home triumph in the tournament. Monaco say they have no intention of cashing in on Rodriguez just one year after they flexed their newfound financial muscle by [...]
New guard out to halt Federer and Djokovic July 3, 2014 THE UNENVIABLE task of becoming the first man in nine attempts to stop Roger Federer in a Wimbledon semi-final falls on eighth seed Milos Raonic today. Federer, 32, was thought to be nearing the twilight of his career, having landed the 17th and last of his grand slam titles in London in 2012. Yet this [...]