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Wimbledon: Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka pull out on first day due to shoulder injuries | Tennis News

On: July 2, 2024 By: admin

Two-time Grand Slam champions Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka have withdrawn from Wimbledon due to shoulder injuries.

The Belarusian, who was third seed and set to face Emina Bektas on Court No 1 on Monday, was replaced in the draw by lucky loser Erika Andreeva.

Sabalenka, who suffered a lower back injury this year and struggled with illness at the French Open, sustained the injury during last month’s Berlin Open.

Azarenka, also from Belarus and also a two-time Grand Slam winner, withdrew later on Monday as organisers confirmed she also had a shoulder injury. France’s Elsa Jacquemot has replaced her.

Speaking on social media, Sabalenka said: “Heartbroken to have to tell you all that I won’t be able to play The Championships this year. I tried everything to get myself ready but unfortunately my shoulder is not co-operating. This tournament means so much to me and I promise I’ll be back stronger than ever next year.”

Sabalenka was a semi-finalist at the All England Club each of the last two times she appeared there. A little more than a week ago, Sabalenka stopped playing during the first set of her quarter-final at the Berlin Ladies Open, citing pain in her shoulder.

She said she had a muscle injury that she called “very frustrating”.

“The most annoying thing is that I can do anything. I can practice; I can hit my groundstrokes. I’m struggling with serving. That’s really annoying. You don’t feel like you’re injured,” Sabalenka said.

“If you give me some weights, I’m going to go lift some weights. But if you tell me to serve, I’m going to go through pain. We did an MRI, we did everything. We did a lot of rehab, a lot of treatments and everything.”

Sabalenka had said on Saturday there was a chance she would need to pull out of Wimbledon.

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

In the run-up to the final Grand Slam of 2024 – the US Open – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the hard-court season.

Hamburg Open (ATP 500) 15-21 July
Newport Hall of Fame Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
Swiss Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
Bastad Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
Palermo Ladies Open (WTA 250) 15-21 July
Hungarian Grand Prix (WTA 250) 15-21 July
Prague Open (WTA 250) 21-26 July

Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.

Austrian GP: McLaren protest rejected after Oscar Piastri loses third on grid due to track limits | F1 News

On: June 30, 2024 By: admin

Oscar Piastri branded the decision to delete his third-fastest lap time in qualifying for the Austrian GP “embarrassing”, before McLaren’s protest against the decision was rejected.

The McLaren driver was relegated from the head of the second row to seventh after Race Control ruled he had transgressed track limits at Turn Six by going with all four wheels over the white lines that demark the edge of the track.

However, an unimpressed Piastri – who would have started Sunday’s race right behind team-mate Lando Norris, who qualified second – was far from convinced that had been the case.

McLaren shared that opinion and lodged a protest against the results of qualifying, with team boss Andrea Stella convinced his driver’s apparent transgression had not been proved “beyond reasonable doubt” by the available camera angles.

“For me, it’s embarrassing,” Piastri, who had finished second to Max Verstappen in Saturday’s earlier Sprint race, told Sky Sports F1.

“We did all of this work for track limits, put gravel in places, and I didn’t even go off the track. I stayed on the track. It was probably my best Turn Six and it gets deleted.

“I don’t know why they’ve spent hundreds of thousands trying to change the last two corners when you still have corners you can go off.

“But, anyway, everyone else kept it in the track, I didn’t. That’s how it goes.”

Asked to elaborate on what he meant by “embarrassing”, Piastri added: “That was probably the best Turn Six I took. I was right to the limit of the track; I think that’s what everyone wants to see.

“Again, we have spent so much effort trying to get rid of these problems. There is no reason this corner should be an issue for track limits, especially when you stay on the track, like I did, or not on the gravel.

“So, yeah, for me being the only one that has had that happen to me I’m probably more vocal about it right now, but I think it’s embarrassing that you see us pushing right to the limit of what we can do and one centimetre more I’m in the gravel and completely ruin my lap anyway – and it gets deleted.”

Track limits issues have been a recurring theme at the Red Bull Ring over recent years but officials moved to tackle the issue this year by placing strips of gravel on the outside of the circuit’s final two corners, where the problem was particularly prevalent.

Turn Six, where Piastri was judged to have gone too wide, has always had a gravel trap on the outside.

Stewards’ reason for rejection

The protest was found to be not valid for three reasons:

It was addressed to the Clerk of the Course and not to the Chairperson of the Stewards (Article 13.5.1 ISC)
It did not specify any relevant regulations (Article 13.4.1 ISC)
It did not specify against whom the protest was lodged (Article 13.4.1 ISC)

The stewards added the “protest does not meet several of the required criteria for the admissibility of a protest,” McLaren also forfeited its £1,695 (€2,000) deposit for raising the protest.

Sky Sports F1’s live Austrian GP schedule

Sunday June 30
7.25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Austrian GP build-up*
2pm: The AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered Flag: Austrian GP reaction*
5pm: Ted’s Notebook

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

F1’s triple-header continues with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. Watch every session live on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday’s big race at 2pm. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime

Phil Foden temporarily leaves England’s Euro 2024 camp due to family matter | Football News

On: June 26, 2024 By: admin

Phil Foden has temporarily left England’s Euro 2024 camp and returned to the UK due to a “pressing family matter”, the Football Association (FA) has confirmed.

The Manchester City midfielder started all three of England’s group-stage matches in Germany as Gareth Southgate’s side advanced by finishing top of Group C.

But the FA said in a brief statement on Wednesday that Foden would leave the team’s GolfResort Weimarer Land base near Erfurt for a spell.

No information has yet been provided about when the player might return.

England will discover their last-16 fate on Wednesday evening, with either the Netherlands or the third-placed team in Group E their first knock-out opponents in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday (5pm kick-off, UK time).

More to follow…

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Spanish Grand Prix: McLaren hospitality suite evacuated due to fire | F1 News

On: June 22, 2024 By: admin

McLaren’s hospitality suite at the Spanish Grand Prix has been evacuated after a fire broke out ahead of final practice.

Fire services arrived on the scene shortly after 12:00 local time with smoke emerging from the building at the Circuit de Catalunya outside of Barcelona.

According to the PA news agency, Lando Norris was among those evacuated as the blaze broke out just as Practice Three was due to start.

A McLaren spokesperson confirmed all team members had been evacuated safely.

A short statement read: “This morning we evacuated our Team Hub paddock hospitality unit following a fire alert, the team has been safely evacuated while the local fire brigade handled the issue.”

Sky Sports News understands that at least two fire staff personnel were treated for smoke inhalation but their condition is not thought to be serious.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown was seen outside the two-levelled suite as final practice started as scheduled.

Brookes: We could smell the smoke from TV compound

Sky Sports F1’s Rachel Brookes at McLaren:

“I’ve just spoken to someone from the team who was in the kitchen and they say the smoke has come from between the floors which explains why it was difficult to put out. They think it was electrical.

“The smoke came down into the hospitality which was busy with media and guests.

“The driver rooms are inside the ground floor, so they need to get their helmets and race suits, unless they have spares for final practice.

“Everyone from McLaren got out OK but a couple of fire personnel have been taken away with oxygen masks.

“We could smell the smoke from the TV compound which is quite a way away.”

‘Fire teams were quickly on the scene’

Sky Sports’ James Galloway in Barcelona:

“Fire teams were quickly on the scene in the paddock with crews seen with hoses going into the hospitality unit, which was evacuated after the fire broke out.

“It’s a busy paddock, as ever, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya but officials cleared a central path through the middle of the paddock so the emergency vehicles could easily get through to get to the McLaren unit and unfolding incident.”

Xander Schauffele: Rory McIlroy in ‘tough spot’ after US Open heartbreak due to intense microscope | Golf News

On: June 18, 2024 By: admin

As someone who has held the unofficial title of ‘best player yet to win a major’, Xander Schauffele can empathise with Rory McIlroy’s decision not to compete at this week’s Travelers Championship.

On the heels of missing a pair of short putts over the final three holes on Sunday to finish second by a stroke to Bryson DeChambeau at the US Open, McIlroy left Pinehurst No 2 without speaking to reporters and announced the following day that he will not play again until next month’s Scottish Open.

McIlroy’s decade-long major drought will endure at least until at The Open Championship in July. Meanwhile, Schauffele is still riding the high of his first major title triumph at last month’s PGA Championship.

Until surviving DeChambeau by a stroke at Valhalla Golf Club, Schauffele had a reputation for struggling to close on final-round leads.

“As a competitor, all of us have had our highs and lows to a certain degree. It’s a tough spot,” Schauffele said when asked Tuesday how much empathy he has for McIlroy’s current situation.

“I’m sure him and his team are discussing what happened and sometimes you just need to step away from it all and really try and be as objective as possible, because you’re very much in the moment there and it obviously didn’t go his way.

“He needs some time away to figure out what’s going on.”

McIlroy has been criticised for bolting Pinehurst and returning home without speaking with reporters after Sunday’s final round. He issued a statement on Monday congratulating DeChambeau and announcing that he will be taking a break from golf for a few weeks.

The Northern Irishman acknowledged that it was “probably the toughest” day of his professional career, but vowed to show resilience when he returns for the Scottish Open followed by The Open at Royal Troon.

“It’s different for everyone. It’s hard to for me to compare my losses to his losses,” Schauffele said. “I would say his, he’s under a bit more of a microscope. When things are going really well people are all over him, and unfortunately when things don’t go your way people are all over him.

“So, there’s a microscope on him on why he didn’t win and things of that nature and he’s going to have to answer those questions at some point and he will, because he always does. So, for me, I wear them pretty hard, but sometimes it’s nice to just get back on the horse and compete.”

Schauffele is coming off a T7 at the US Open, the seventh top 10 in the last eight individual starts for the world’s No 3-ranked player entering the final signature event of the year.

Schauffele also secured one of the four spots on Team USA for the Paris Olympics, where he will defend his gold medal come August.

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“It’s super special,” he said. “It’s always an honour to represent your country in any given tournament or event, so it was a really cool thing I was able to share with my family after winning the gold medal, and qualifying was my first goal this year. It’s a very hard team to qualify for, as you guys have seen on this US side.

“That was a really big goal of mine to get back and really looking forward to competing again.”

Watch Xander Schauffele at this week’s Travelers Championship, which you can watch live on Sky Sports Golf from Thursday at 5pm. Stream the PGA Tour, majors and more with NOW.

US Open: Jon Rahm withdraws ahead of major at Pinehurst No 2 due to foot injury | Golf News

On: June 11, 2024 By: admin

Two-time major champion Jon Rahm has withdrawn from the 124th US Open due to a foot injury.

Rahm withdrew from the LIV Golf League event in Houston during Saturday’s second round because of an infection in his left foot, then arrived for his pre-tournament press conference at Pinehurst No 2 wearing one shoe and one flip-flop.

The Spaniard said on Tuesday he was unsure if he would compete to the injury, which he admitted was a “concern”, then confirmed later that evening he had withdrawn from this week’s major.

In a statement released on his social media, Rahm said: “After consulting with numerous doctors and my team, I have decided it is best for my long term health, to withdraw from this week’s US Open Championship.

“To say I’m disappointed is a massive understatement! I wish all my peers the best of luck and want to thank all of the USGA staff, volunteers and community of Pinehurst for hosting and putting on what I’m sure will be an amazing championship! Hopefully I’ll be back in action sooner than later!”

More to follow…

Who will win the third men’s major of the year? Watch the US Open live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the US Open and more with NOW.

Will Jon Rahm be fit for US Open? Spaniard reveals doubts about major return due to foot infection | Golf News

On: June 11, 2024 By: admin

Two-time major champion Jon Rahm admits he is unsure if he will be able to compete in the 124th US Open due to injury.

The Spaniard is due to tee off at 1.36pm local time on Thursday alongside fellow former Masters champions Hideki Matsuyama and Jordan Spieth, but has revealed he is struggling with the issue ahead of this week’s major.

“It’s a concern,” the 2021 US Open winner said. “It’s doing better. But definitely still in pain. Could I have dragged myself out there (on Saturday) and posted some kind of a score? Yeah.

“But it was getting to a point where I wasn’t making the swings I wanted to make, and I could have hurt other parts of my swing just because of the pain. As to right now (playing) this week, I don’t know.”

Asked how he had suffered the injury, Rahm added: “We’ve been trying to figure it out because I think that the closest term would be a lesion on the skin. If I were to show you, it’s a little hole in between my pinky toe and the next toe.

“I don’t know how or what happened, but it got infected. The pain was high. On the Saturday round, Saturday morning, I did get a (painkilling) shot to numb the area. It was supposed to last the whole round and by my second hole I was in pain already.

“The infection was the worrisome part. The infection is now controlled, but there’s still swelling and there’s still pain. There’s a reason I walked out here in a shoe and a flip-flop, trying to keep he area dry and trying to get that to heal as soon as possible. But I can only do what I can do. The human body can only work so fast.”

Will Rahm be ready to feature?

Rahm will not play a practice round until Wednesday but can at least rely on his experience of playing the course a few weeks ago as he bids to improve on some poor results in this season’s majors.

“I’m in a happy place,” insisted the former world No 1, who was 45th in the defence of his Masters title and missed the cut in the PGA Championship. “It’s not like I’ve been playing bad, even though a lot of you make it sound like I’m playing bad. I’ve had two bad weeks.

“I’ve been top 10 and had a chance to win in most of the tournaments I’ve played, and then unfortunately Augusta and PGA wasn’t my best showings. But, yeah, I’m happy.

“I mean, it’s been a wonderful career so far. And, yeah, it hasn’t been the best first half of the year, but there’s been many times where I haven’t had a great start, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great finish.”

When is the US Open on Sky Sports?

Sky Sports continues to be the home of the US Open, with over 45 hours of live coverage of the four tournament days from June 13-16 and lots of extra tournament programming throughout the week.

“Live from the US Open” will bring eight hours of build-up, interviews, analysis and practice action on Wednesday, with coverage getting under way from 2pm, before round-the-clock coverage from each of the four tournament rounds.

Coverage from the first two rounds begins from 12.30pm on Thursday and Friday, with over 12 hours live from both days, with the action starting at 3pm on Saturday and 2pm on the final day.

Who will win the third men’s major of the year? Watch the US Open live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, majors and more with NOW.

Jon Rahm doubtful for US Open after LIV Golf withdrawal due to foot injury | Golf News

On: June 9, 2024 By: admin

Former Masters champion Jon Rahm withdrew from LIV Golf’s Houston event during the second round on Saturday due to an injury that has put into question the Spaniard’s status for next week’s US Open.

Rahm’s withdrawal ahead of the year’s third major comes a day after LIV announcers revealed he was dealing with a cut on his foot and cameras showed him grimacing in pain after hitting a tee shot at the seventh hole on Friday.

According to media reports, Rahm withdrew from the Houston event with a left-foot infection.

Rahm is scheduled to hold a pre-tournament news conference on Tuesday (2.30pm UK time) ahead of the June 13-16 US Open at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, live on Sky Sports.

He finished in the top 10 at three majors last year, including at Augusta National where he won the Masters, but has struggled at majors since his shock move to LIV Golf last December.

Rahm finished in a share of 45th place at this year’s Masters and missed the cut at last month’s PGA Championship.

Rahm won his first major at the 2021 US Open and last year finished the major in a share of 10th place.

Watch coverage of the 2024 US Open live on Sky Sports Golf from Tuesday June 13 to Sunday June 16

Watch the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and all of the majors in 2024 exclusively live on Sky Sports. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour without a contract with NOW.

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