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• Germany set up Netherlands semi-final showdown at Davis Cup

  Germany booked their place in the Davis Cup semi-finals after wrapping up a 2-0 victory over Canada in Malaga.

  Daniel Altmaier and Jan-Lennard Struff were both victorious over Gabriel Diallo and Denis Shapovalov respectively, to set up a last-four clash with the Netherlands.

  Germany were beaten 2-1 by Canada when the nations met at this stage of the 2022 Davis Cup, but they drew first blood when Altmaier came through a hard-fought clash with Diallo 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.

  It looked like the tie would go to a doubles decider when former Wimbledon semi-finalist Shapovalov took the opening set against Struff.

  But the world number 43 bounced back to prevail 4-6 7-5 7-6 (7-5) after two hours and seven minutes.

  "Denis was playing amazingly, coming out firing," Struff said. "It was a very tough match. He was serving so well. It was tough to return. The court is very fast. An incredible match. I'm just happy to get over the line at the end."

  On Friday's semi-final with the Dutch, he added: "It's a big step for us to go from the quarters to the semis. For sure, we want to win and go to the final now.

  "Netherlands played an amazing match yesterday, beating Spain here in front of a home crowd. We expect a very tough opponent."

  Data Debrief: Germany through as errors cost Canada

  The two tie-breaks proved pivotal as the Germans secured only their second Davis Cup semi-final appearance since 2008 (also reaching that stage in 2021).

  Though both sets were tight during the first match, Diallo hit 40 unforced errors to Altmaier's 17, and was 6-1 for double faults.

  Similarly, in the second rubber, though Shapovalov was 27-8 for aces, 13 double faults to just four from Struff proved costly.

  Altmaier and Struff's reward is a first meeting with the Netherlands since the 2001 quarter-finals, which the Dutch won 4-1.

• Arsenal 'learning from hiccups' under Slegers, says Fox

  Emily Fox says Arsenal are "learning from hiccups at the start of the season" as they settle into life under interim manager Renee Slegers.

  The Dutchwoman has won five and drawn one of her six games since taking over after Jonas Eidevall's departure in October.

  Arsenal sit second in their Champions League group and have won each of their last two games in the competition, scoring exactly four goals on both occasions – the Gunners are aiming to win three in a row in the group stage for just the second time after doing so in 2021-22 (W3).

  They face Juventus on Thursday in their final game before the international break, and Fox is hopeful their growing confidence will show through in the result.

  "I think right now we are all very confident in each other and ourselves. With the entire team, we feel together," said Fox.

  "Each game has been very difficult, and we have been learning from each other. We're learning from the hiccups at the start of the season.

  "Renee brings a lot of confidence, is very even-keeled and is just straightforward. I think with that, you have clarity and also freedom.

  "As a team, we all want to do better. It’s never just one person or one reason why we're doing bad.

  "It's a collective responsibility and accountability to come together and make things work to be better."

  Arsenal have had off-the-field issues in the Champions League this season though, as a fixture clash with the men's team has forced the team to get "special dispensation" from UEFA to play their tie against Bayern Munich at Meadowpark instead of the Emirates Stadium.

  Slegers admitted it was a "challenge", but believes Arsenal are still in a good position as a club to keep pushing women's football forward.

  "I was playing for Arsenal's academy in 2006, so I know how big Arsenal have been over time in women's football. That's why I came to England," Slegers said.

  "So historically, Arsenal has been leading in pushing the development of women's football and I think it will do that in the future as well. This was a bump in the road, which will always happen.

  "It's like player development, you will not go up in a straight line, there will be challenges on the way. This is a challenge, but we're all very proud of what Arsenal tries to do to push women's football forward."

• Dwight Yorke backs push for T&T’s citizenship reform to boost Soca Warriors’ World Cup bid

  Soca Warriors Head coach Dwight Yorke has warmly embraced the government’s initiative to review the nation’s citizenship laws, a move that could significantly bolster his squad's depth and aspirations for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. 

  The proposed changes, currently under discussion, would allow foreign-based players with Trinidad and Tobago-born grandparents to represent the Twin Island Republic, a significant step up from the current Constitution, which states that “A person shall not become a citizen of T&T if, at the time of his birth—(a) neither of his parents is a citizen of T&T.”

  This adjustment could expand the Soca Warriors player pool and, by extension, create new opportunities for Trinidad and Tobago to remain competitive on the global stage across various sports.

  Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis explained that steps are being taken to explore legislative reforms.

  The Ministry of National Security, the Office of the Attorney General, and the TT Football Association (TTFA) are also involved in discussions about the initiative to draw insights from policies in other Caribbean nations.

  “We’re starting with football. We are exploring the policies of our neighbours and the legislation to work out an arrangement suitable for T&T. So we’re at the discussion stage right now,” Cudjoe-Lewis said during Yorke’s unveiling recently.

  “For the drafters of the legislation and the persons looking at the policy, it’s a little more complicated, and a proper, thorough study on policy development must be done. It’s not something you want to rush,” she added.

  Although a timeline for implementation has not been established, the initiative has already sparked interest across Trinidad and Tobago’s broader sporting community, with other national sporting organizations inquiring about similar eligibility expansions for their athletes.

  “As we started looking at football, many of the other sporting bodies started reaching out, saying they want to be able to use persons whose grandparents were born in T&T for them to be able to play for national teams,” Cudjoe-Lewis shared.

  “You have to pass the legislation and the policy in such a way that it is fair and just. We’re starting with football, and we are just looking at and exploring the policy of our neighbours and the legislation, so we’re at the discussion stage right now,” she stressed.

  Yorke, a former Soca Warriors and Manchester United stalwart, understands the potential impact such reforms could have but emphasized that any additions to the squad must be carefully considered to ensure they fit seamlessly into the team’s long-term strategy. 

  He referenced the success of global football powerhouses like France, England, and Germany, which have leveraged similar eligibility rules to assemble world-class teams.

  “It’s been talked about, and we’ve seen over the years where other teams, predominantly big teams in world football, all have some type of inheritance. We are looking at the situation, one that we will implement at some point, but it has to be the right players to come into the equation,” Yorke said.

  Yorke also praised the December restart of the TT Premier Football League, which he believes will serve as a proving ground for local talent with national team ambitions.

  “For the players who have aspirations of representing T&T, it gives them additional incentive when they get out there to know what’s at stake. Any young man who is playing at that level should have aspiration to be part of the national team.

  “So that’s the message. In terms of me, Russell Latapy, Derek King (assistant coaches), and the backroom staff, we’re collectively looking for the best talent in the country,” Yorke declared.