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Wimbledon: Cameron Norrie beats Jack Draper as Novak Djokovic survives scare against Jacob Fearnley | Tennis News

On: July 4, 2024 By: admin

Cameron Norrie won the all-British clash with rising star Jack Draper to reach
the third round at Wimbledon, while Novak Djokovic overcame a terrific fightback from Jacob Fearnley.

Draper had replaced Norrie as the country’s No 1 male player last month.

But former semi-finalist Norrie found his form when it mattered in a 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 7-6 (8-6) victory on Court One.

“It was not easy to come out and play Jack, and we are good friends off the court,” he said.

“I had to put that aside. I was a bit of an underdog but I was relaxed to be honest.

“I’m feeling really good physically and wanted to trust my movement and my legs. The level is there and I used my experience against Jack.

“I was a bit nervy at the end of that tie-break but I got it done. It’s a special day for me.”

This was a stunning – if surprising – reminder of his Wimbledon pedigree in the first meeting of the men’s British Nos 1 and 2 at a Grand Slam since Tim Henman beat Greg Rusedski in the 2002 Australian Open.

No shots were fired in this latest battle of Britain until the first-set tie-break, when a Norrie drop shot left a scrambling Draper lying on his back at the net.

Norrie’s volley to win the set had Draper muttering towards his team, prodding his chest before discarding his racket in disgust as he sat down.

A pumped-up Norrie broke a subdued Draper at the start of the second with the first break point of the match.

Barely 10 minutes later Norrie had won 14 of the next 15 points to lead 4-0 on his way to a two-set lead.

Draper had needed five sets to beat Elias Ymer in round one and was going to have to do the same if he was to reach the third round for the first time.

He finally broke for 4-2 in the third with a stunning backhand winner past his fellow left-hander.

But, when serving for the set, Draper was broken to love, another cross-court pass followed by the ubiquitous Norrie fist pump.

In the tie-break Draper saved one match point on his own serve, but when he double-faulted Norrie made no mistake with the second.

Djokovic survives Fearnley’s fightback

Djokovic overcame a terrific fightback from British No 13 Fearnley on Centre Court to win 6-3 6-4 5-7 7-5 and reach the third round of Wimbledon.

World No 277 Fearnley stunned the home crowd when he took the third set 7-5 forcing seven-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic to work hard for his victory in a contest that lasted three hours.

“I dropped my level,” admitted the Serb. “I think I should have done some things better in the third set to finish it off.

“I think I just did enough to win there in the fourth. I was a bit lucky to really get out of trouble and not go a break down.

“Hopefully I can raise the level in the upcoming rounds.”

While Djokovic can now look forward to a third-round showdown with Australian Alexei Popyrin, Fearnley gave himself a pat on the back.

“I was playing the greatest tennis player of all time on Centre Court, Wimbledon, so it’s very difficult to be too disappointed,” he said.

“I was super grateful to have the opportunity to play on that court against that opponent. Proud is how I’m feeling right now.”

The wild card, who was ranked outside the world’s top 500 just a month ago before shooting up almost 250 spots after winning a second-tier Challenger event in Nottingham, made a memorable Centre Court debut.

Fearnley earned a clap from Djokovic after a neat volley got the third set under way and had the crowd on their feet when he broke the Serb in the sixth game.

Djokovic double-faulted to go 15-40 down in the sixth game, but the second seed went clutch to hold and broke the novice to reach the third round weeks after surgery on a torn meniscus threatened his Wimbledon participation.

A potential hurdle for Djokovic removed himself when seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz, his projected quarter-final opponent, was injured winning a point.

The 27-year-old from Poland, highly-fancied at this year’s Championships, dived to make a volley during a fourth-set tie-break against Frenchman Arthur Fils and hurt his knee.

Hurkacz, who ended Roger Federer’s Wimbledon career three years ago, tried to play on after having the knee strapped up but managed just two more points before retiring.

Grigor Dimitrov, the Bulgarian 10th seed, had to come from two sets down to beat Chinese teenager Shang Juncheng, a player 14 years his junior, in five.

American 13th seed Taylor Fritz needed four sets to see off the stubborn Arthur Rinderknech and another Frenchman, Gael Monfils, won the battle of the veterans 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 7-6 (7-3) with Stan Wawrinka.

Australian ninth seed Alex de Minaur beat Spain’s Jaume Munar in straight sets, while Ben Shelton, the 14th seed from America, won his second five-setter of the week, 10-7 in a fifth-set tie-break, to edge past South African Lloyd Harris.

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.

Wimbledon: Katie Boulter sets up all-British clash with Harriet Dart after surviving first-round scare against Tatjana Maria | Tennis News

On: July 2, 2024 By: admin

Katie Boulter weathered an early storm as she produced an impressive first-set comeback to overcome Tatjana Maria and tee up a second-round meeting with fellow Brit Harriet Dart at Wimbledon.

It proved to be just about as gruelling and physically demanding a first-round test as Boulter could have imagined as the British No 1 battled to a 7-6 7-5 win over two hours and seven minutes.

Boulter had looked in trouble in the opening exchanges as she trailed 3-0 and then 4-1 in the first set before rallying to clinch it on a tie-break.

Any hopes of running away with things in the second set were swiftly dashed by a resilient Maria, who for all of her craft and industry could not deny a driven Boulter from edging ahead.

“I know she made the semi-finals here a couple of years ago, I can completely see why, she’s so tough to play,” said Boulter in her post-match interview.

“I’m looking forward to the ice bath, can’t say I’ve said that before. She’s very tricky, but I know if I can get through that one it will set me up well.

“She’s such an established player and made me work so hard.”

Maria’s rangy shot selection and slice talents, coupled with 28 unforced Boulter errors, made for a rocky first set for the home favourite, who recovered emphatically to drag her opponent to a tie-break where she would hold her nerve to clinch the opener.

The world No 63 threatened again when she broke Boulter in the opening game of the second set, before the latter hit back immediately after the pair had reached deuce on four occasions.

Eventually Boulter’s class would tell in the latter stages of the set, a thumping forehand putting her 6-5 up before she sealed the victory with a stunning backhand down the line.

Awaiting her is an all-British clash with Dart, who earlier in the day had beaten China’s Zhuoxuan Bai 6-4 6-0.

“Playing a Brit in the UK on grass is never easy, I’m expecting a battle,” added Boulter.

“We’ve played a few times before, but for me it’s about playing the ball and not the person.

“We’re Billie Jean King Cup mates on the court, I have to try forget that and focus on the tennis.”

Defending champion Vondrousova knocked out

Reigning champion Marketa Vondrousova suffered a shock first-round exit as she was beaten in straight sets by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Centre Court.

Vondrousova returned to SW19 having beaten Ons Jabeur in last year’s final to become the first unseeded player to win the women’s singles tournament.

Her defence lasted just 67 minutes as she struggled to deal with an inspired Bouzas Maneiro, with the world No 83 coming through 6-4 6-2 in perhaps the biggest victory of her career.

It means Vondrousova becomes just the second defending women’s champion to exit in the first round, defeat coming on the back of a hip injury.

“It is one of the most important moments of my life,” said 21-year-old Bouzas Maneiro. “I’m surprised with myself to be honest.

“The atmosphere was so nice, so elegant, it feels like I was at home, I don’t know why.”

Swiatek cruises through

Iga Swiatek safely negotiated a potential first-round banana skin by beating fellow Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin 6-3 6-4.

The Polish top seed has yet to find her comfort zone on grass, having never reached a final on the surface, but any hopes of slowly finding her feet were dashed after the draw pitted her against the player who toppled Coco Gauff in the 2023 opening round.

Both players struggled with their serve during the early exchanges, with the first four games featuring nine break points and with both dropping serve.

Swiatek did not let that wobble stop her from taking a 3-1 lead and, after a forehand cross-court winner bagged her the first set, the four-time French Open champion sealed her 20th consecutive win on her first match point.

Jessica Pegula opened the day with an emphatic 6-2 6-0 victory over fellow American Ashlyn Krueger, before Elena Rybakina was in similarly ruthless form with a 6-3 6-1 win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

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.

England qualify for T20 World Cup Super 8s as Australia knock out Scotland after huge scare in St Lucia | Cricket News

On: June 16, 2024 By: admin

England are through to the T20 World Cup Super 8s after Australia knocked out Scotland with a last-over win in St Lucia.

England defeated Namibia in a rain-affected match in Antigua on Saturday to stay in contention for a spot in the second round, but needed already-qualified Australia to see off Scotland on Sunday or their neighbours would progress instead.

Scotland posted 180-5 after profiting from six dropped catches by Australia, with Brandon McMullen smoking six sixes in a knock of 60 from 34 balls and skipper Richie Berrington making 42 not out off 31.

Australia were then 2-1 and 60-3 in the chase as David Warner (1), Mitchell Marsh (8) and Glenn Maxwell (11) fell cheaply but they eventually triumphed with two balls to spare as Tim David (24no off 14) hit Brad Wheal for six to clinch a five-wicket victory, having been dropped by Chris Sole with three runs required.

Travis Head (68 off 49) and Marcus Stoinis (59 off 29) thumped 80 from 44 deliveries for the fifth wicket, before falling in the 16th and 17 overs respectively – Head departing after nailing paceman Safyaan Sharif (2-42) for three sixes and Stonis ousted after successive fours off spin bowler Mark Watt (2-34).

Australia were left needing 26 runs from the last three overs and David promptly crunched Wheal for two fours in the 18th before tonking the same bowler over the ropes at deep midwicket towards the end of the 20th to break Scotland’s hearts and keep defending champions England in the competition.

Scotland – who will host Australia for a three-match T20 international series in Edinburgh in September – will be gutted by their exit but should be proud of how they played throughout.

Berrington’s men racked up 90-0 from 10 overs against England before that game was abandoned, while they then recorded comfortable victories over Namibia and Oman before registering the highest T20I total against Australia by an associate team.

England join co-hosts West Indies and USA plus South Africa in Group 2 of the Super 8s, with Australia to compete in Group 1 alongside India, Afghanistan and one of Bangladesh or Netherlands.

Bangladesh will claim that place if they beat Nepal in their final first-round match in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday but a defeat would keep Netherlands in the mix, although the Dutch would need to beat Sri Lanka in St Lucia on the same day and overhaul a big net run-rate deficit to advance from Group D.

Catch every match from the T20 World Cup, including the final in Barbados on Saturday June 29, live on Sky Sports.

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T20 World Cup: South Africa survive huge Nepal scare as New Zealand ease to win vs Uganda | Cricket News

On: June 15, 2024 By: admin

A run-out on the final ball kept Nepal from completing a historic upset against South Africa at the T20 World Cup in Kingstown, while New Zealand eased to victory over Uganda.

After electing to bowl first, Nepal’s bowling attack – led by four wickets from Kushal Bhurtel – gave the minnows every chance of pulling off a miraculous victory by restricting South Africa to 115.

Openers Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh got Nepal’s run-chase off to a solid start, combining for 35 before the former was claimed in the eighth over by Tabraiz Shamsi.

However, captain Rohit Paudel’s dismissal on the next ball derailed Nepal’s momentum, with four of Nepal’s middle order leaving the crease with less than 10 runs.

Wicketkeeper Sheikh proved a much more formidable foe for South Africa’s bowlers, and his score of 42 – combined with 27 from Anil Kumar Sah – kept Nepal in the match.

The result ultimately came down to the final ball, with Nepal needing two runs for victory.

It was not meant to be for Nepal, however. Gulshan Jha was run out while scrambling for a bye on a delivery from Ottneil Baartman.

Shamsi led the way for South Africa’s bowlers, finishing with four wickets for 19 runs, while Reeza Hendricks top-scored for the Proteas with 43 off 49 balls.

South Africa’s nail-biting victory came just days after the Proteas set the record for the lowest total defended in T20 World Cups.

They held off Bangladesh on Tuesday after scoring just 113.

New Zealand ease to T20 World Cup win vs Uganda in deadrubber

New Zealand took just five overs to eclipse Uganda, with the Black Caps cruising to a nine-wicket victory at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.

After sending Uganda into bat first, New Zealand’s formidable bowling attack took little time, making its presence known against the minnow cricketing nation.

Simon Ssesazi was the day’s first victim, bowled by Trent Boult for a duck.

His exit was immediately followed by Robinson Obuya, leaving Boult with an early hat-trick opportunity.

Boult was denied, but Tim Southee was able to keep the wickets falling when he claimed Alpesh Ramjani for a duck in the third over.

Wickets continued to tumble throughout the innings, with Kenneth Waiswa top-scoring with 11, as Uganda was bowled out in the 19th over for 40.

New Zealand claimed victory in the sixth over, wicketkeeper Devon Conway paving the way for the win with 22 runs from 15 balls.

Opener Finn Allen was Uganda’s sole wicket after he was caught behind for nine runs off the bowling of Riazat Ali Shah.

The emphatic result was too little, too late for New Zealand, who lost their opening two T20 Cricket World Cup fixtures against Afghanistan and the West Indies.

The Black Caps’ exit from the tournament was ultimately sealed with Afghanistan’s seven-wicket victory over Papua New Guinea on Friday.

What’s next?

South Africa will next play in their Super 8s clash on Wednesday June 19 (3.30pm) at North Sound, Antigua, with their opponent still to be decided.

New Zealand play Papua New Guinea on Monday June 17 (3.30pm) in their next match at Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago.

Watch every match of the Men’s ICC T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports, right up until the final on Sunday June 29.

T20 World Cup: India survive major scare vs USA to qualify for Super 8s | Cricket News

On: June 12, 2024 By: admin

India survived a sizeable scare against the USA as the Men’s T20 World Cup co-hosts threatened to pull off another stunning upset in their Group A meeting in New York.

Having beaten Pakistan in one of the greatest World Cup upsets of all time in their previous match, the USA had India rattled at 10-2 in the third over of their pursuit of 111 to win.

Virat Kohli was dismissed for a first-ball duck by Saurabh Netravalkar (2-18), who previously represented India at the 2010 Under-19s World Cup but who has worked as an engineer for the past six years in the States.

Netravalkar, who bowled the winning Super Over in the upset victory over Pakistan, also picked up captain Rohit Sharma (3) in his next over, but his later drop of Suryakumar Yadav (50no) would prove costly as India ultimately won by seven wickets.

Rishabh Pant (18) was clean-bowled by Ali Khan (1-21) with one that kept low to beat the big-hitting left-hander, further troubling India at 44-3.

But the key moment came in the 13th over when Suryakumar was dropped on 22 with India still requiring a further 53 from 45 deliveries.

He cashed in on the reprieve, bringing up his half-century shortly before Shivam Dube (29no) hit the winning runs with 10 balls to spare, clinching India’s progress through to the Super 8s stage of the tournament.

The USA will join them as runners-up should they beat Ireland in their final group game on Friday. Defeat would potentially open the door to Pakistan or Ireland – who meet on Sunday – to qualify in their place.

Earlier, after India won the toss and elected to bowl first, Arshdeep Singh (4-9) was the star of the show, taking two wickets in his opening over to immediately reduce the US to 3-2.

Steven Taylor provided 24 valuable runs to steady the ship, while Nitish Kumar top-scored with 27, the odd lusty blow provided along the way as the US posted a score of 110-8.

With Canada’s 137 in their win over Ireland proving the highest total so far in the seven prior matches played on the low-scoring New York surface, the USA’s total would prove more than competitive but India’s experience and the class of Suryakumar, in particular, ultimately told.

What’s Next in Group A?

The USA face Ireland in their final group game on Friday knowing victory guarantees their progress through to the Super 8s.

India face Canada on Saturday, while Pakistan’s clash with Ireland on Sunday could prove pivotal were the USA to be defeated by the latter two days prior.

Each match will be played in Lauderhill, Florida, all scheduled for 3.30pm UK time and all live on Sky Sports Cricket.

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