Sharapova out but Williams edges through June 1, 2015 DEFENDING champion Maria Sharapova crashed out of the French Open yesterday after suffering a straight-sets defeat to Czech Lucie Safarova in the fourth round. Russia’s Sharapova had reached three consecutive Roland Garros finals and recorded two victories, but was eclipsed by 13th seed Safarova, who produced the biggest shock of this year’s tournament with a [...]
Root plots world record run chase to confirm series win June 1, 2015 VICE-CAPTAIN Joe Root has urged England to re-write history and complete a world record fourth-innings chase as the second Investec Test against New Zealand at Headingley reaches its climax today. England were 44-0, having been set 455 for victory as New Zealand advanced their overnight score to 454-8 declared, when rain arrived shortly after the [...]
Gleneagles and Found absence dent O’Brien Investec Derby bid June 1, 2015 DUAL 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles and stablemate Found will both miss this week’s Investec Derby meeting at Epsom and instead be aimed at Royal Ascot later this month. It means that trainer Aidan O’Brien, who has won the Derby for three successive years, will have a trio of runners the Saturday showpiece: Hans Holbein, Giovanni [...]
Golf Comment: Nice guys do prosper, and why Jack’s course is so special to me June 1, 2015 IT’S BEEN a good week for golf’s nice guys, with popular winners on both the European Tour, as Soren Kjeldsen scooped his biggest victory yet, and on the PGA Tour, where Steven Bowditch triumphed in Texas again. Kjeldsen capped a fine display in difficult conditions at the Irish Open on Sunday with a magnificent three [...]
North: My recovery took a long time but I’ve only got one head June 1, 2015 WALES wing George North has declared himself fit to play in this year’s World Cup following a series of head injuries that threatened to derail the 23-year-old’s career. North has been included in head coach Warren Gatland’s 47-man training squad for the tournament in England and Wales, which starts in September, despite being sidelined since [...]
Strettle joins Clermont as Wasps vice-captain Bell forced to retire June 1, 2015 SARACENS wing David Strettle has agreed a summer switch to French side Clermont Auvergne in a move that could jeopardise his hopes of making England’s World Cup squad. Strettle, 31, has signed a three-year contract with the European Rugby Champions Cup runners-up after a five-season spell at Saracens in which he became the club’s leading [...]
Fifa crisis: UK banks HSBC, Barclays, and Standard Chartered get drawn into corruption scandal June 1, 2015 Three of Britain’s leading banks are conducting investigations into whether they cleared payments related to the ongoing Fifa corruption scandal. HSBC, Barclays, and Standard Chartered are all understood to have launched internal probes, after the FBI arrested current former Fifa executives and associates. Barclays and HSBC yesterday declined to comment. Standard Chartered said [...]
What a catch! Investors splash out on fish tackle float June 1, 2015 FISHING Republic reeled in the investors for its flotation on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), today announcing that it has landed £1.5m in an initial public offering (IPO), which values the firm at roughly £3.6m. It is the first ever flotation of a tackle shop. The firm, established by chief executive Steve Gross (pictured), who [...]
Greek leader resents way creditors have behaved June 1, 2015 Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras launched a scathing tirade of criticism at the country’s creditors yesterday, accusing them of giving a false representation of negotiations and hitting out at their insistence that Greece stick to its austere path. “The lack of an agreement so far is not due to the supposed intransigent, uncompromising and incomprehensible [...]
Gunners fans flock to cheer FA Cup winners Arsenal in victory parade June 1, 2015 FA Cup winners Arsenal yesterday celebrated lifting the trophy for the second year running in a victory parade from the Emirates Stadium to Islington Town Hall. Read more: Pictures as Gunners celebrate in Islington Thousands braved the rain to cheer the champions following their 4-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday. The Gunners [...]
