Strauss demands England improve for South Africa June 11, 2012 ENGLAND captain Andrew Strauss conceded his team would need to raise their intensity to face South Africa after their third Test against West Indies ended in a draw. Three of the Test’s five days were impeded by heavy rain but even before yesterday’s downpours the final meeting of the series – with England previously possessing [...]
Top four in form but Tiger the man to beat at US Open June 11, 2012 WERE it not for Rory McIlroy slipping up in Memphis on Sunday, we would be in the extraordinary position of heading into the US Open with the world’s top four all celebrating wins in their most recent tournaments. Lee Westwood fulfilled his part of the bargain by completing an exemplary victory at the Nordea Masters [...]
ROYALTY CONFIRMED FOR LONDON OLYMPICS June 11, 2012 THE QUEEN’S granddaughter Zara Phillips is set to compete at London 2012 after being selected in Team GB’s eventing line-up. Phillips, who missed out on the 2004 and 2008 Games due to injury to her horse Toytown, will partner High Kingdom this summer. She had boosted her chances by finishing third at the weekend’s Bramham [...]
Nadal extends French Open love affair with seventh title June 11, 2012 KING of Clay Rafael Nadal hailed the French Open as the “most special tournament in the world” after the Spaniard cemented his unique bond with Roland Garros by lifting the trophy for a record seventh time. Nadal completed a rain-delayed four-set victory over world No1 Novak Djokovic yesterday to overtake six-time winner Bjorn Borg and [...]
SEVENTH HEAVEN: HOW RAFA MATCHES GREATS June 11, 2012 Rafael Nadal’s seventh French Open victory enabled him to bypass Bjorn Borg’s (right) record of six titles at Roland Garros. The Spaniard also equalled Chris Evert’s record of winning the women’s tournament seven times The Spaniard’s feat also equalled the best performance of any man at a single grand slam: Pete Sampras’s seven titles at [...]
Button confused about poor form June 11, 2012 FORMULA ONE: Jenson Button has admitted to being “confused and very lost” about his form after finishing 16th in Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix. Button’s current run, after finishing 18th, ninth, 16th and 16th in his last four races, is his worst since 2008. “I didn’t think I’d have days like these in my career again, [...]
Boxers confirmed for London 2012 June 11, 2012 BOXING: Team GB’s boxing squad has been finalised for London 2012, with three females included to compete in women’s boxing’s Olympic debut. Nicola Adams, Natasha Jonas and Savannah Marshall are the three female competitors, and they join Anthony Ogogo, Josh Taylor, Andrew Selby, Luke Campbell, Tom Stalker, Fred Evans and Anthony Joshua. “To think that [...]
Hartley hopeful over second Test June 11, 2012 RUGBY UNION: England hooker Dylan Hartley is confident England can deliver in their next Test against South Africa, despite losing their series opener. “We played our best rugby [at the end],” he said. “It is a statement that we are not going away. The lads were saying to each other, ‘We’ll get them next week’.” [...]
Expect France to give Three Lions Les Bleus June 10, 2012 France England Today, 5.00pm, ITV ALL this talk of the low expectations at the Euros being a boost to England’s chances; I just don’t buy it – they are heading for a fall. How the boffins that devise the FIFA rankings can say England are the sixth best in the world, and France the 14th, [...]
Makeshift England not scared of in-form France, insists Hodgson June 10, 2012 ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson insists his embryonic and injury-hit side is not daunted by the challenge of facing a France team unbeaten in their last 21 games in their Euro 2012 opener today. Hodgson also played down fears that scorching temperatures forecast for this afternoon in Donetsk, Ukraine, would make it even harder to avoid [...]