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• Bradford eyes strong finish from young Reggae Girlz at U-20 Champs, hopes to stay on with programme, but calls for better preparation ahead of future tournaments

  Despite a failed bid at an historic FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup qualification, Hugh Bradford is optimistic about staying on with the national programme, as he believes he has more to offer to Jamaica’s football development.

  However, at the same time, the American-based coach is also hopeful that things will be done differently to better nurture, and, by extension, prepare the country’s young talents to perform in a competitive environment.

  Bradford’s comments came, as he continues to assess the young Reggae Girlz performances in consecutive 0-4 losses to regional powerhouses Canada and United States, at the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship in Dominican Republic.

  The Girlz are scheduled to close out their Group A campaign against Panama at Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo on Tuesday at 2:00 pm.

  “I hope to continue with the programme, but that will be up to the Jamaica Football Federation to decide. I also hope to see our country put things in place for our youngest players that will help to get them ready for this stage, both in Jamaica and abroad,” Bradford said.

  “There is no doubt that we have a lot of talent. However, as a country, for us to play against the best, we have to constantly make changes to how we treat our football development to keep up with the world, but more so in Concacaf,” he added.

  While disappointed that his young Reggae Girlz failed to keep the United States at bay on Sunday, Bradford lauded his team for putting in a much-improved performance, from a defensive perspective in particular, when compared to their opening defeat against Canada.

  As such, the tactician is eyeing a similar of even better all-round execution against fellow strugglers Panama, as both teams, who are without a point or a goal, seek to salvage some pride from their failed campaigns.

  “I am hoping the team will play another good game as they did against USA, we didn’t get on the scoresheet as we would have liked, but again, it all comes down to focus and how we prepare ourselves to take on the best,” the tactician noted.

   “As a team you have to be at your best for 90+ minutes, so their fitness level matters and that is an all-year thing. But I think the ladies should be able to put in a better showing against Panama and so we look forward to what should be another good game,” said Bradford.

  Both United States, the reigning seven-time champions, and Canada, on six points each, will lock horns in the Group A top-of-the-table clash, at 5:00 pm.

  The winner will take on Group B runners-up Costa Rica, while the loser will have to contend with Mexico in Friday’s semi-finals.

  The two finalists and third-place team will qualify for next year’s Under-20 World Cup.

• French Open day two: Cameron Norrie edges through to Roland Garros second round

  Cameron Norrie defeated Benoit Paire and the French Open crowd to reach the second round, edging through in five sets.

  The 14th seed is the only British player to make it through the first round in singles after Jack Draper was forced to retire with a shoulder problem against Tomas Etcheverry.

  Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz both won their openers in straight sets while Petra Kvitova was among the women’s seeds to fall.

  Picture of the dayShot of the dayTweet of the dayStat of the day

  A landmark moment for 37-year-old Fognini.

  Paire talking balls

  Paire was not unhappy with the balls being used for this year’s tournament, saying after his loss to Norrie: “You have to hit every ball really hard because it’s not moving. It’s terrible. It’s Roland Garros, one of the greatest tournaments in the world, and we’re playing with these silly balls.”

  Fallen seeds

  Men: Felix Auger-Aliassime (10), Jan-Lennard Struff (21), Botic Van De Zandschulp (25), Bernabe Zapata Miralles (32)

  Women: Petra Kvitova (10), Veronika Kudermetova (11), Belinda Bencic (12), Karolina Pliskova (16), Martina Trevisan (26)

  Who’s up next?

  Women’s defending champion Iga Swiatek begins her campaign on Philippe Chatrier against Spaniard Cristina Bucsa.

  Fourth seed Elena Rybakina takes on Czech teenager Brenda Fruhvirtova, while Coco Gauff faces Rebeka Masarova.

  In the men’s draw, second seed Daniil Medvedev meets Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild, and sixth seed Holger Rune faces American Chris Eubanks.

• Novak Djokovic advances at French Open then sends political message about Kosovo

  Novak Djokovic eased into the second round of the French Open but risked inflaming political tensions in his home region with a message about Kosovo.

  After a 6-3 6-2 7-6 (1) victory over American Aleksandar Kovacevic, who is of Serbian heritage, Djokovic wrote on the camera lens: “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence.”

  Kosovo declared independence in 2008 but Serbia has never recognised that and violence broke out in the north of the country over the weekend after ethnic Albanian mayors were installed in Serbian-dominated areas, with NATO peacekeepers among those injured.

  Serbia has troops stationed near the border and there are fears of a return to the violent conflict of 1998-99.

  Speaking to Serbian journalists in comments reported by the country’s media, Djokovic, whose father was born in Kosovo, said: “I am not a politician, nor do I intend to enter into debates.

  “As a Serb, it hurts me what is happening in Kosovo. Our people have been expelled from the municipalities. This is the least I could do. As a public figure, I feel an obligation to show support for our people and all of Serbia.

  “I hear there was a lot of criticism on social media. I don’t know if someone will punish me or something like that, but I would do it again. I am against wars and conflicts of any kind.

  “Kosovo is our heart, stronghold, the centre of the most important events, the biggest battle took place there, the most monasteries. There are many reasons why I wrote this.”

  The Serbia football team were fined by FIFA at the World Cup in November after a flag showing Kosovo as part of the country was displayed in their changing room.

  Djokovic is, of course, no stranger to controversy and he was dragged into a row at the Australian Open in January after his father Srdjan was pictured with pro-Russia demonstrators, which he later insisted was unwitting.

  On the court, there were no real alarms for the third seed, who has struggled on clay so far this season but maintained his record of not dropping a set in the opening round in Paris since 2010.

  He was broken serving for the match but responded with a strong tie-break, and said: “I think I played really well and held things under control for two-and-a-half sets and then lost my serve and things got a little bit on a wrong side for me.

  “But I managed to hold my nerves and played pretty much a perfect tie-break. So overall I’m pleased and content with my level.”

  Djokovic could meet Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals and the top seed also impressed in a 6-0 6-2 7-5 victory over Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli, delighting a packed Suzanne Lenglen arena with some flamboyant shots.

  Alcaraz won the first eight games of the match, and he said: “I felt I couldn’t lose a game. I thought that I was able to win easier than I did but a match can turn around in each game. But, at the start of the match, I felt invincible.”

  Elsewhere, 10th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime’s difficulties continued as, struggling with illness, he lost in straight sets to Fabio Fognini, while another veteran, former champion Stan Wawrinka, battled past Albert Ramos-Vinolas in five sets.

  The 38-year-old Swiss conducted the crowd like an orchestra at the end, and he said: “It is one of the main reasons why I keep playing. It’s to play those big tournaments like here, to have such an amazing atmosphere. I have so much support and it gives me a lot of emotion to win those matches.”

  There was disappointment for former finalist Dominic Thiem, though, who remains without a grand slam victory since wrist problems two years ago after going down in five sets to Pedro Cachin.