First football, now padel: US investors take fight to Qatar for future of the racket sport April 18, 2023 Heard the one about the historically European sports property turbo-charged by Middle Eastern sovereign wealth and now in the crosshairs of serial sports investors from the US? This isn’t football, though, but padel, the fast-growing racket sport now at the centre of a tug of war between rival competitions backed by the Qatari owners of [...]
Fines over Russia tennis player bans factor in LTA loss April 16, 2023 The fines imposed on the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) due to their banning of players from Russia and Belarus in 2022 have contributed to the organisation’s financial loss. Last year the LTA implemented the ban which meant players from the two countries were unable to play in pre-Wimbledon grass-court tournaments. Wimbledon’s All England Lawn Tennis [...]
Norrie and Murray crash out in Monte Carlo as Draper wins April 10, 2023 British No1 Cameron Norrie and former Wimbledon winner Andy Murray were first-round victims at the Monte Carlo 1000 today. Norrie (pictured) was beaten 6-3 6-4 in straight sets by Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo in the Principality on the Mediterranean. Norrie struggled across the Sunshine Double – a pair of events in Indian Wells and Miami – [...]
What sport is on the TV? April 7, 2023 It is a mega weekend in sport across the Easter break as football continues to ramp up and the Masters gets us in the summer spirit. Here are five sport events you need to watch this weekend. Golf: The Masters – Thursday to Sunday It’s here. The first golf major of the year. The Masters [...]
Advantage Putin? Wimbledon U-turns to let Russia and Belarus stars like Sabalenka and Medvedev compete March 31, 2023 Russian and Belarusian players will be allowed to compete at Wimbledon this year, the All England Club has announced. Athletes from the two countries must sign declarations of neutrality and must not express support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while players who receive funding from the Russian or Belarusian states, including sponsorship from state owned [...]
Gloomy end to Sunshine Swing for Brits as Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans suffer defeat March 26, 2023 British tennis players completed a gloomy end to the Sunshine Swing, with No1 Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans both losing in the second round of the Miami Open. Norrie, who received a first-round bye, was surprisingly meek in a 6-3 6-2 defeat by world No65 Gregoire Barrere, lasting just 70 minutes against the Frenchman on [...]
Miami Open tennis: Murray seventh Brit out before second round in Sunshine State March 23, 2023 Andy Murray became the seventh Brit to crash out of the Miami Open before the second round in Florida yesterday after losing in the first round in the Sunshine State. The Scot fell 6-4 7-5 in straight sets to Serbian Dusan Lajovic in Miami on Wednesday evening having reached the third round of Indian Wells [...]
ATP Tennis rankings: Carlos Alcaraz achieves milestone as idol Rafael Nadal’s 18-year run ends March 20, 2023 Carlos Alcaraz has reclaimed the world No1 ranking in men’s tennis – just as his idol Rafael Nadal has slipped out of the top 10 for the first time in 18 years. Spaniard Alcaraz, 19, knocked Novak Djokovic off top spot following his victory at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Sunday night. [...]
Sport on TV: What to watch, when is it on and what channel is it on? March 10, 2023 The huge golfing tournaments return to the sports calendar this weekend with the Players, while there’s the continuation of domestic and international sport. Here are five events you need to mark ahead of this weekend. Golf: Players Championship, Thursday – Sunday Reigning champion Cameron Smith is absent for this year’s Player Championship due to his [...]
CVC Capital Partners moves into women’s tennis with £125m WTA deal March 7, 2023 The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) is close to confirming a £125m ($150m) investment from CVC Capital Partners, according to reports. A deal would see prolific sports investors CVC take a 20 per cent stake in the WTA, which runs the main women’s tennis tour, reports Mark Kleinman for Sky News. CVC and the WTA would [...]