It’s the Davis Cup, but not as we know it: the lowdown on the ‘world cup of tennis’ taking place in Madrid November 17, 2019 After 118 years of the Davis Cup being played over the duration of the tennis season, this week it is replaced by a new version that is decided over just seven days. The revamp will some of the world’s best players compete for 18 countries in Madrid in a format designed to equate to a [...]
Break points are the king makers at the 02 November 17, 2019 | Sponsored Craig O’Shannessy, strategy analyst for the ATP Tour, reveals how Tsitsipas upset Federer at the Nitto ATP Finals. Break points are the “king makers” in tennis, and Stefanos Tsitsipas won 14 of the 16 break points played at the 02 Arena on Saturday afternoon. Tsitsipas advanced to Sunday’s final of the Nitto ATP Finals with [...]
Anselm Kiefer: Superstrings, Runes, The Norns, Gordian Knot at the White Cube – destructive, glorious chaos November 15, 2019 ★★★★★ Anselm Kiefer’s latest solo exhibition Superstrings, Runes, The Norns, Gordian Knot at the White Cube in Bermondsey is both apocalyptic and redemptive. Its title plays on various myths and allegories that have preoccupied Kiefer for the bulk of his 50-year career, and that he now ties together with his latest obsession – string theory. [...]
England 7-0 Montenegro: Kane hits a hat-trick to seal Euro 2020 qualification in style at Wembley November 14, 2019 How quickly the drama of the week was forgotten. The TV cameras may have picked out Raheem Sterling in the stands, but the rate with which the first-half goals flew in meant there was little time to discuss his behaviour and its ramifications. That was exactly how Gareth Southgate would have liked it. Instead of [...]
Saracens’ Premiership points deduction leaves the Champions Cup wide open for challengers November 14, 2019 Saracens’ 35-point deduction for breaching Premiership salary cap rules has dominated the news in recent weeks and I think it will have a big knock-on effect in the Champions Cup, which starts this weekend. After Sarries’ impressive away win at Gloucester at the weekend, head coach Mark McCall said that he would prioritise league games [...]
Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley are perfect fits for Chris Silverwood’s old school approach with England November 13, 2019 Chris Silverwood will be delighted with how England are shaping up for his first Test match in charge against New Zealand next Wednesday. They might have drawn their first warm-up match against a New Zealand XI in Whangarei this week, but there were some real signs of encouragement for England’s new head coach. Silverwood talked [...]
England v Montenegro: Onus on Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford in absence of influential Raheem Sterling November 13, 2019 Among the reams of column inches and hours of airtime devoted to discussing Raheem Sterling’s scuffle with England team-mate Joe Gomez this week, one consequence has been largely overlooked. Manager Gareth Southgate’s decision to drop Sterling for one game – Thursday’s European Championship qualifier with Montenegro at Wembley – has robbed him of his most [...]
Raheem Sterling-Joe Gomez row: Gareth Southgate’s firm response has ensured this won’t happen again November 12, 2019 It’s rare, but I can’t say I’ve never witnessed two England team-mates coming to blows on international duty, as Raheem Sterling and Joe Gomez did on Monday at St George’s Park. On one occasion, four of us were in a taxi back from an official England team function – including two Scousers who played for [...]
World of athletics in uproar and unionising after IAAF decides to cut major events from Diamond League meetings November 12, 2019 Athletics is not in a happy place at the moment. Having spent the past few months reeling from criticism for staging this year’s World Championships in Qatar and the still-unfolding scandal that is Nike’s Oregon Project, the sport ran headlong into yet another obstacle last week. While not as serious as issues like migrant workers’ [...]
Ed Smith interview: England’s national selector on his academic background and establishing the Institute of Sports Humanities November 11, 2019 Ed Smith is a familiar figure in cricket. He is a former player, commentator and journalist turned England national selector who frequently appears on our screens, radios and in print to name squads, explain call-ups, rebuff criticism and accept praise. But that isn’t all he has spent his time doing. For three years, Smith worked [...]