Warren Gatland has revealed that he would not have returned for a second spell as Wales head coach had he known the full extent of Welsh rugby’s problems.
New Zealander Gatland led Wales to sustained success during his first spell in charge from 2008 to 2019, masterminding Six Nations titles, Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-final appearances.
He returned six months ago, replacing Wayne Pivac, although Wales delivered an underwhelming Six Nations campaign last season, recording a solitary victory.
Sexism and misogyny allegations within the Welsh Rugby Union are currently the subject of an independent review, Wales players threatened strike action amid contractual chaos ahead of facing Six Nations opponents England in February, while financial troubles continue to engulf the Welsh professional game.
“When I came into the Six Nations, I had no idea,” Gatland told the BBC’s Scrum V podcast.
“I didn’t realise a lot of the things that were going on and the issues that were behind rugby and the squad and the players.
“At the time if I had known, I would have made a different decision and probably gone somewhere else.
“Welsh rugby’s going to go through (more) pain from a financial perspective for the regions.
“These issues were here before, but there’s no doubt that the success of the national team in the past probably papered over the cracks.
“Now, probably for the better, they have come to the fore and there is a chance to focus on the things that needed fixing. There’s a great chance for us to have a really positive reset on a number of things.”
Ahead of the World Cup in France later this year, Gatland has seen Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Rhys Webb retire from Test rugby.
Prop Rhys Carre, meanwhile, was released from a 54-player training squad after he failed to hit individual performance targets, and lock Cory Hill withdrew to pursue a club contract opportunity outside of Wales.
The cumulative effect has to led Wales being written off by many pundits in terms of their World Cup hopes, but Gatland added: “What gives me an edge or a buzz is when the expectations aren’t there or the challenges appear to be greater. That drives me even more.
“It (being written off) is allowing us to come in under the radar, and there is nothing the Welsh boys love better than being written off and backs-to-the-wall. They tend to respond to that.”
Max Homa is hoping for “carnage” in the 123rd US Open to ensure his course record remains firmly intact.
Homa shot a stunning nine-under-par 61 at Los Angeles Country Club on his way to winning the prestigious Pac-12 title in 2013, a tournament which also featured two-time major winner Jon Rahm.
To no-one’s surprise, Rahm predicted on Tuesday that typical US Open conditions would ensure there would be no repeat of Homa’s heroics this week, with Branden Grace’s men’s major record of 62 also looking safe.
“It’s going to be pretty hard,” Homa said.
“I think the sun being out is real helpful. A little bit of wind is going to make it spicy. I hope it’s carnage. I hope it’s a typical US Open. This golf course lends itself to that.
“It’s generous enough off the tee, and it’s kind of a second-shot golf course in a way. You can get around here probably hitting a lot of shots from the fairway, but you’re going to have to hit really quality shots.
“The greens are severe, and if they keep getting firmer and faster I think it’ll be a really good test. I think it will be really fair.
“One of the more severe US Opens I’ve been to was Winged Foot (in 2020), but it’s so penal off the tee that once you mess that up, everyone is doing the same thing.
“This course will be a lot different. I think it’ll be a great test of all areas of your golf, and it will really show a quality shot will go to a good spot, and one that’s not great is going to go to a bad spot and you’re going to see a lot of silliness go on.
“This venue is awesome for a US Open.”
Homa has yet to record a top-10 finish in 15 major appearances, with a best result of 13th in the 2022 US PGA, but the California native has won four of his six PGA Tour titles in his home state.
And with his course knowledge also potentially a significant advantage, the 32-year-old American finds himself among the favourites for the year’s third major championship.
“I really do believe that my golf game is plenty good enough to contend in these things,” the world number seven said.
“I think I’ve shown that in other PGA Tour events. I’ve won six times, a lot of them recently. I’ve done it on some pretty great golf courses, some hard golf courses. I just think I get here and I try too hard.
“I’m a perfectionist and it makes me work really, really hard. I’m very diligent. But it’s like a double-edged sword. I get in these things and I can’t seem to understand that it’s OK to make bogeys and it’s OK to mess up.
“Oak Hill (for last month’s US PGA Championship) was a great example. Thursday morning I had the greatest warm-up I have ever had and in my head I’m thinking ‘Finally, I have it’.
“I came out and hit a perfect drive down the middle of the fairway and missed the green and immediately went into fight or flight, and that’s just something I need to get over.
“I think I’ve been waiting for the weeks to click with my golf game and realising that it’s not the golf game. This week will be a mental test for me, which is good.”
Changing a key piece of equipment at a major championship, when your worst result of the year is a tie for 12th, would usually seem like madness.
Yet that is the situation in which world number one Scottie Scheffler finds himself at the US Open as he seeks a solution to the putting problems which have plagued his most recent performances.
As well as winning the prestigious Players Championship and defending his title in the WM Phoenix Open in 2023, Scheffler has finished runner-up in the US PGA Championship and third in the Memorial Tournament, despite struggling badly on the greens.
Third place at Muirfield Village was achieved on the back of gaining 20.74 strokes from tee to green, the second-best performance since the PGA Tour began tracking such data 20 years ago.
And it was just as well his ball striking was so outstanding as Scheffler lost a remarkable 8.58 strokes to the field on the greens, ranking him dead last of those to make the cut.
It was therefore no surprise to see Scheffler testing a slightly different putter in practice rounds at Los Angeles Country Club ahead of the 123rd US Open, although he declined to commit to a switch.
“You guys can find out Thursday,” the former Masters champion said in his pre-tournament press conference.
“I don’t ever take decisions on switching equipment lightly. I think it’s strange that I’ve been struggling the past few weeks with my putter.
“The PGA I actually felt like I rolled it pretty good. Few putts here or there that lipped out that should have gone in. Memorial obviously had an off week on the greens or probably would’ve won that one.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to bring another putter around there to make the original one scared. I’ve never really been one to try and overthink things, so I try and keep things as simple as possible.
“I looked at that one that’s a little bit bigger, and I still am kind of undecided on what I think of it.
“Putting is such a weird thing. Sometimes when you’re on the green when you feel good you feel like you’re never going to miss, and then sometimes when you feel terrible you feel like you’re never going to make.
“Putting is just so different than the rest of the game, so when it comes to putters, it’s all personal.”
Despite Scheffler’s struggles on the greens, his stellar long game means he has been installed as 7/1 favourite for the US Open ahead of the man who succeeded him as Masters champion, Jon Rahm, and US PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka.
The 26-year-old also has the advantage of being one of a handful of players to have competed on the North Course in tournament conditions, winning one point from two matches as the United States thrashed Great Britain and Ireland 19-7 in the 2017 Walker Cup.
“I don’t recall playing my best here during the Walker Cup, but I remembered it being pretty difficult,” Scheffler added.
“If my memory serves me well, it’s a pretty hard course. It’s got a good mix of holes where you have some of those holes that you really need to get after, and then you have other holes out here where you’re kind of hanging on.
“You’re hitting a lot of different clubs into greens and it gives you a lot of options, and it’s a really good test.”
The drive to bridge financial barriers faced by many disabled people to gain equal access to sport must continue at full speed, according to England Blind Football international Rainbow Mbuangi.
The latest Annual Disability and Activity Survey published by national charity Activity Alliance showed nearly 40 per cent of disabled people felt the cost-of-living crisis had impacted how active they are.
Around 2,000 disabled and non-disabled adults aged over 16 took part in the survey, which found disabled people were more likely to say they wanted to be more active – with 64 per cent feeling the Government should focus on making activities affordable.
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Mbuangi was part of the England squad which finished third at the 2022 IBSA Blind Football European Championships.
The 20-year-old is aiming to be selected for the International Blind Sports Federation World Games, which will be held in Birmingham during August and could lead to qualification for the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.
After becoming blind from the age of eight when he developed a detached retina in his left eye and then gradually lost the sight in the other, Mbuangi has had to tackle many barriers, both physical and financial, to achieve his goals.
Mbuangi – who is set to play for the Royal National College for the Blind team in the FA Disability Cup Blind final against Brighton at St George’s Park on June 24 – hopes future generations will not face the same issues he did trying to keep active.
“I think 100 per cent they (survey results) are to be expected, only because of the kind of perception of disability sports that people have,” Mbuangi told the PA news agency.
“In the last couple of years, it has got a lot better, but we just need to keep on building from that, trying to make those stats go down and it is key to get that awareness out and show how we can improve things.
“There is so much within disability sports where you have to kind of provide for yourself, then on top of that you have got things like not being able to get there, so it is really hard.
“If you wanted to go and buy a football to train on your own, you can get one for around £10, but for someone who is blind who needs a decent football, you are talking about £40 or £50, so it is definitely a big aspect financially.
“Then you have travel, we can’t drive, so you have got things around that. With me being blind, I can’t just go out on an everyday run on my own or go on a 50-mile bike ride, so there is the physical aspect as well.”
Mbuangi feels having the full backing of organisations like the Football Association can only have a positive impact on disability sport.
“More budget is getting put into it now, with more technology, more help and support,” said Mbuangi, who is studying Physical Education at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston.
“England’s cerebral palsy squad has just came back from the Euros and they finished second.
“It is just so important to see, but we are pushing on because we are getting that support.
“At the beginning of the year, the FA had a camp in Tenerife where players from all the Para-sports went out there.
“That is really key as well because we all got to know each other and kind of understand each other’s abilities and how we play.
“But also it is that they (FA) kind of want to focus on us, give us that support and what we need to help us to reach the heights of gold medals.”
Under-fire commissioner Jay Monahan is “recuperating from a medical situation”, the PGA Tour has announced.
A joint statement from Monahan and the PGA Tour’s policy board was released on Tuesday evening.
It read: “Jay Monahan informed the PGA Tour Policy Board that he is recuperating from a medical situation. The Board fully supports Jay and appreciates everyone respecting his privacy.
“During Jay’s absence, Ron Price, chief operating officer, and Tyler Dennis, executive vice president & president, PGA Tour, will lead the day-to-day operations of the PGA TOUR with the assistance of the great team Jay has built, ensuring seamless continuity.
“We will provide further updates as appropriate.”
Price and Dennis also released a statement which read: “Our thoughts are with Jay and his family during his absence, and we wish him a speedy recovery.
“We have a strong and experienced leadership team in place and our priority is to support our players and continue the work under way to further lead the PGA Tour and golf’s future.”
The news came a week after the shock announcement that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were merging their commercial operations with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls the breakaway LIV Golf League.
Monahan faced calls to resign at a 75-minute players’ meeting which he described as “intense and certainly heated”.
The 53-year-old accepted that he will be labelled a “hypocrite” for making the deal with the PIF but insisted the players who remained loyal to the PGA Tour – and in some cases turned down enormous pay-outs to join LIV – had made the right decision.
“They have helped re-architect the future of the PGA Tour, they have moved us to a more competitive model,” Monahan said.
Speaking in his press conference ahead of the US Open, Masters champion Jon Rahm admitted players felt “a bit of betrayal from management” after being kept in the dark about the deal.
The PGA Tour had earlier expressed confidence that it will be able to assure Congress it controls the new venture with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund after a United States Senator opened an investigation into the deal.
Richard Blumenthal, the Democratic Senator for Connecticut, wrote to Monahan and his LIV Golf counterpart Greg Norman on Monday to say the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations was “reviewing matters” concerning the deal.
Captain Mark Stone had a hat trick and the Vegas Golden Knights scored four unanswered goals in the second period in a 9-3 rout of the Florida Panthers on Tuesday to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title.
Alec Martinez triggered the four-goal outburst midway through the second period in Game 5 before Reilly Smith, Stone and Michael Amadio added goals to extend the lead to 6-1.
Stone completed his second career postseason hat trick with an empty-net goal to help Vegas capture the Stanley Cup in its sixth season. Only the 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers won the Cup in fewer seasons (five).
Florida played without star forward Matthew Tkachuk, who was sidelined with an injury he suffered in Game 3.
Tkachuk, who led the Panthers with 11 goals and 24 points this postseason, went into the NHL’s concussion protocol after he absorbed a crushing hit from Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar in Game 3 and missed much of the third period in Game 4.
Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault won the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the most valuable player during the playoffs. Marchessault – an original member of the Golden Knights - tied for the postsesason lead with 13 goals and led all players with 25 points.
Under-fire commissioner Jay Monahan is “recuperating from a medical situation”, the PGA Tour has announced.
A joint statement from Monahan and the PGA Tour’s policy board was released on Tuesday evening.
It read: “Jay Monahan informed the PGA Tour Policy Board that he is recuperating from a medical situation. The Board fully supports Jay and appreciates everyone respecting his privacy.
“During Jay’s absence, Ron Price, chief operating officer, and Tyler Dennis, executive vice president & president, PGA Tour, will lead the day-to-day operations of the PGA TOUR with the assistance of the great team Jay has built, ensuring seamless continuity.
“We will provide further updates as appropriate.”
Price and Dennis also released a statement which read: “Our thoughts are with Jay and his family during his absence, and we wish him a speedy recovery.
“We have a strong and experienced leadership team in place and our priority is to support our players and continue the work under way to further lead the PGA Tour and golf’s future.”
The news came a week after the shock announcement that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were merging their commercial operations with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls the breakaway LIV Golf League.
Monahan faced calls to resign at a 75-minute players’ meeting which he described as “intense and certainly heated”.
The 53-year-old accepted that he will be labelled a “hypocrite” for making the deal with the PIF but insisted the players who remained loyal to the PGA Tour – and in some cases turned down enormous pay-outs to join LIV – had made the right decision.
“They have helped re-architect the future of the PGA Tour, they have moved us to a more competitive model,” Monahan said.
Speaking in his press conference ahead of the US Open, Masters champion Jon Rahm admitted players felt “a bit of betrayal from management” after being kept in the dark about the deal.
The PGA Tour had earlier expressed confidence that it will be able to assure Congress it controls the new venture with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund after a United States Senator opened an investigation into the deal.
Richard Blumenthal, the Democratic Senator for Connecticut, wrote to Monahan and his LIV Golf counterpart Greg Norman on Monday to say the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations was “reviewing matters” concerning the deal.
Brooks Koepka insists he will relish the “chaos” surrounding men’s professional golf as he targets moving a step closer to his goal of 10 major titles.
Koepka claimed his fifth major in May’s US PGA Championship at Oak Hill and, after overcoming career-threatening injuries, looked back to being the player who won his previous four in an eight-tournament stretch.
Yet just as a relatively stable status quo seemed to have been established, last week’s shock announcement of a deal between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund plunged it back into turmoil.
“Like I’ve said, the more chaotic things get the easier it gets for me,” double US Open champion Koepka told a pre-tournament press conference at Los Angeles Country Club.
“Everything starts to slow down and I am able to focus on whatever I need to focus on while everybody else is dealing with distractions, worried about other things.
“I think there’s a few reasons (I peak at majors), but I think it’s definitely one of them. I enjoy the chaos.”
A third US PGA title means Koepka has now won more majors than regular PGA Tour events and he has never made any secret of being more motivated by chasing the game’s biggest prizes and a place in history.
“Growing up you knew how many majors Jack (Nicklaus) has, you knew how many Tiger (Woods) has, you knew how many Arnold Palmer has, you knew how many Gary Player, (Tom) Watson, all these legends,” Koepka added.
“But I never knew how many PGA Tour events or wins they had total.
“That’s what you’re judged on. It’s major championships. You look at basketball, you’re judged on how many championships you’ve won, not how many games you’ve won. Same thing in every sport.
“Double digits, that’s what I’m trying to get to. I don’t think it’s out of the question for me. I think the way I’ve prepared, the way I’ve kind of suited my game for these things is going to help me.
“And I’m only 33, so I’ve definitely got quite a bit of time. I’ve just got to stay healthy and keep doing what I’m doing.”
Each of the last three US Opens has been won with a total of six under par, while the last 12 have been claimed by a player ranked inside the world’s top 30.
“I just love when maybe somewhere closer to even par wins,” Koepka, the world number 13 said. “If it’s going to be a birdie-fest where 20, 21 under wins, that’s really not the style.
“I just feel like I can outlast everybody when it comes to having to par things to death or just kind of wearing guys out on the golf course and just mentally beating you and knowing when it’s my time to kind of take that opportunity and go with it.”
Masters champion Jon Rahm admits it has been tough to deal with the “bombshell” announcement of a peace deal between golf’s warring factions that has still left the game in a state of limbo.
Rahm confirmed many players feel a sense of betrayal at the news that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour plan to merge their commercial operations with the golf-related businesses of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls the breakaway LIV Golf League.
The world number two was taken aback by the shock development and feels there are many unanswered questions as the world’s best players gathered at Los Angeles Country Club for the 123rd US Open.
Asked about players feeling clueless about what the future holds, Rahm said at his pre-tournament press conference: “Add me to that, by the way.
“There’s a lot of unanswered questions. It’s tough when it’s the week before a major. (I’m) trying not to think about it as much as possible.
“I think it gets to a point where you want to have faith in management, and I want to have faith that this is the best thing for all of us, but it’s clear that that’s not the consensus.
“I think the general feeling is that a lot of people feel a bit of betrayal from management. I understand why they had to keep it so secret. It’s just not easy as a player that’s been involved, like many others, to wake up one day and see this bombshell.
“That’s why we’re all in a bit of a state of limbo because we don’t know what’s going on and how much is finalised and how much they can talk about, either.
“It’s a state of uncertainty that we don’t love, but at the end of the day, I’m not a business expert. Some of those guys on the board and involved in this are. So I’d like to think they’re going to make a better decision than I would, but I don’t know. We’ll see.”
While Rory McIlroy received 90 minutes’ advance notice of the deal from PGA Tour board member Jimmy Dunne, Rahm revealed he was at home making breakfast when the news broke.
“Basically texts just started flowing in,” the 2021 US Open winner said. “I thought my phone was going to catch on fire at one point.
“I think it was that day at one point I told Kelley (his wife), ‘I’m just going to throw my phone in the drawer and not look at it for the next four hours because I can’t deal with this any more’.”
Speaking ahead of his US Open title defence last year, Rahm used the figure of 400 million US dollars when pledging his loyalty to the PGA Tour amid talk of massive offers to join LIV Golf.
And he reiterated that he and his family were already financially secure for years to come when asked how he would be able to focus on his golf this week.
“What do I do? To be honest, I think a little bit in my case is [down to] perspective,” the Spanish Ryder Cup star added.
“No matter what happens, whether I agree with it or not, the PGA Tour gave me a platform to play golf at the highest level and after taking advantage of that possibility, I’m in a situation where my family and my kids don’t have to struggle financially ever, and I don’t know how many generations I can help if I do it properly.
“I’m in a very high state of privilege in this world. I can do what I want. I can do what I love for a living. I have a blast every single day, even though I get mad on the golf course every once in a while.
“When I start with that point of view, no matter what happens, I can only be thankful to what’s going on. If things change, things change. I’ll have to adapt to the situation and will have to make some decisions.
“I’m happy where I am in my life, and every day in the morning when I look at my kids, I’m even more blessed in that sense. It’s an easy way to forget about what’s going on when I look at it that way.”
The New York Rangers have named Peter Laviolette the 37th head coach in franchise history on Tuesday.
The 58-year-old Laviolette has two decades of head coaching experience in the NHL, has won a Stanley Cup title and is one of just four coaches in league history to lead three different teams to the Cup final.
"We are thrilled that Peter will be the next head coach of the New York Rangers," Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury said in a statement. "With Peter's extensive experience as a head coach in the National Hockey League, as well as the success his teams have had at several levels throughout his career, we are excited about what the future holds with him leading our team."
Laviolette takes over for Gerard Gallant, who mutually parted ways with New York on May 6 after two seasons in charge.
Gallant led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference final in 2021-22, but the team took a step back this season, losing in the first round of the playoffs.
This will be Laviolette's sixth NHL head coaching job - and fifth stop within the Metropolitan Division - after spending the last three seasons behind the Washington Capitals bench.
The Capitals decided against renewing his contract in April after the team missed the playoffs with a 35-37-10 record - the club's worst since Alex Ovechkin's second season in the league in 2006-07.
Although Washington lost in the first round of the playoffs in Laviolette's first two seasons, he has a history of success in the playoffs, guiding the Carolina Hurricanes to the 2006 Stanley Cup title, while also reaching the Cup Final with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 and Nashville Predators in 2017.
Laviolette, who began his NHL coaching career with the New York Islanders in 2001-02, has an overall record of 76-72 in 12 trips to the playoffs.
His 752 career wins in the regular season are eighth-most all-time, and first among all U.S.-born coaches.
This will be his second stint as part of the Rangers organisation after appearing in 12 games as a player during the 1988-89 season.
After Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said star wide receiver Stefon Diggs was not in attendance Tuesday for the start of the three-time defending AFC East champions’ mandatory minicamp, the team said he was at the facility but left before practice.
That comment from the Bills came after McDermott said he was “very concerned” about the absence of Diggs, who opted to skip all of Buffalo's voluntary sessions and workouts during the spring.
Diggs has been a Pro Bowl selection in all three of his seasons with Buffalo since being acquired from the Minnesota Vikings in March 2020.
Diggs, who signed a four-year, $96 million extension in April 2022 that runs through 2027, expressed frustration as Buffalo lost 27-10 at home to the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round of the playoffs - a game in which he was seen making animated gestures at Bills quarterback Josh Allen on the sideline.
One day after that defeat, Diggs posted three messages to his Twitter account:
“Want me to be okay with losing? Nah.
“Want me to be okay with our level of play when it’s not up to the standard? Nah.
“It’s easy to criticize my reaction more than the result.”
Diggs’ 338 receptions since joining Buffalo in 2020 are tied with Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders for the most in the NFL, and he ranks fourth in yards (4,189) and sixth in TDs (29) during that stretch.
Wakefield forward Hugo Salabio has been banned for seven matches for a spear tackle on Richie Myler during his side’s Betfred Super League win over Leeds Rhinos on Sunday.
Salabio, who was making his debut for the club, admitted a grade F charge following the incident, for which he received a straight red card four minutes into the second half.
Trinity boss Mark Applegarth made no excuse for Salabio’s action, saying afterwards: “I thought it was a red, no question about it. He (Myler) was dumped on his head and there are no qualms from us whatsoever.”
Despite losing Salabio, Wakefield recovered to post a 24-14 win over their West Yorkshire rivals and claim their first victory of the league season at the 15th attempt.
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said star wide receiver Stefon Diggs was not in attendance Tuesday for the start of the three-time defending AFC East champions’ mandatory minicamp.
McDermott did not say why Diggs was not with the team, though he did say he was “very concerned.”
Diggs has been a Pro Bowl selection in all three of his seasons with Buffalo since being acquired from the Minnesota Vikings in March 2020.
The Bills signed Diggs to a four-year, $96 million extension in April 2022 that runs through 2027, so money doesn’t appear to be the reason for his absence.
Diggs did express frustration after Buffalo lost 27-10 at home to the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round of the playoffs, a game in which Diggs was seen making animated gestures at Bills quarterback Josh Allen on the sideline.
One day after that defeat, Diggs posted three messages to his Twitter account:
“Want me to be okay with losing? Nah.
“Want me to be okay with our level of play when it’s not up to the standard? Nah.
“It’s easy to criticize my reaction more than the result.”
Diggs’ 338 receptions since joining Buffalo in 2020 are tied with Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders for the most in the NFL, and he ranks fourth in yards (4,189) and sixth in TDs (29) during that stretch.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from June 13.
FootballIt always rains in Manchester.
Jack Grealish still seemed discombobulated.
What a 12 months!
England were training hard.
Lisandro Martinez was enjoying a break.
Happy birthdays.
CricketThe generation game.
You don’t see this every day!
BasketballCelebrations for Denver.
Formula OneLance Stroll was looking forward to his home race.
Williams turned the clock back.
New number one Katie Boulter insists the standard of women’s British tennis is high despite a notable absence in the main draw at the recent French Open.
Boulter, who replaced Emma Raducanu as the highest ranked British player this week, was one of a number of players who missed out in qualifying at Roland Garros, meaning Britain was not represented in a women’s draw at a grand slam for the first time since 2009.
There are a host of players ranked outside of the top 100 and Boulter, who began her reign at the summit of the rankings with a routine 6-1 6-3 win over Emily Appleton at the Rothesay Nottingham Open, says the quality is there.
“I have come through British tennis for a long time and I have seen the ups and the downs and there is always going to be that,” she said. “We had a grand slam champion (Raducanu) two years ago and unfortunately this year she has got a few injuries and we wish her well.
“But we are in a place where we have the most amount of girls in between 100 and 200 that can really push on.
“For the first time we have that, we might not be top 100 right now but every one of us who are playing these tournaments can be and have shown that we can be. That is exciting and it’s a positive for all of us.”
Boulter will only remain number one if she reaches the quarter-finals in her home tournament this week and she is relishing the battle, with the likes of Jodie Burrage, Harriet Dart and Katie Swan also vying for the spot.
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“How good is that? We have four or five girls who are playing some really good tennis and it is going to be extremely exciting for a lot of the British fans to watch over the summer,” Boulter added.
“I hope it can spur us on. I am a very process-orientated girl, I don’t think I am huge on watching what other people do, I have to stay in my own little bubble.
“I wish the girls the best of luck, I hope they get many, many wins over the summer, I’ll keep focusing on myself and we’ll find out who is going to be doing well.”
The tournament in Nottingham has been overshadowed by the tragic events in the city, where three people were killed and another three hospitalised, and Boulter sent her best wishes.
“I am staying at home, I am very lucky in that aspect,” she said. “Obviously it is awful to wake up to. I don’t really have much social media at the moment but a couple of people who are staying with me in my team told me there was a lot going on so my thoughts go out to all those people and I hope everyone can stay safe.
“Hopefully tomorrow is a better day.”
Both Dart and Burrage progressed to the last 16 with impressive wins.
Dart saw off Canada’s Rebecca Marino 6-4 6-2 while Burrage beat Tereza Martincova 7-6 (5) 3-6 7-6 (4).
However, Swan exited the tournament at the first stage, going down in three sets to Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, who won 2-6 6-1 6-4.
Elsewhere in the tournament, defending champion and recent French Open semi-finalist Beatriz Haddad Maia suffered a surprise defeat to Ukrainian lucky loser Daria Singer, going down 6-4 6-3.
Nick Kyrgios’ return to tennis ended in defeat after he was beaten in straight sets by Wu Yibing at the Stuttgart Open.
The Australian was competing in his first singles tournament since October last year and has been sidelined since then following his recovery from knee surgery.
Kyrgios has previously reached the Stuttgart semi-final stages twice and he entered this year’s competition as eighth seed.
However, after appearing to be struggling physically throughout the match, he was beaten 7-5 6-3 by Wu in the first round on Tuesday.
“The last time I played on grass was juniors back in 2017, so six years,” Wu told the ATP website.
“I was really happy to play Nick in the first round. He’s one of the best players on grass and he served well.
“He aced me [so many] times. The key for me was to stay cool, stay patient in the game and find a way. I’m happy [with that result].”
A win means Wu will face qualifier Marton Fucsovics in the second round after the Hungarian came from behind to beat Denis Shapovalov 3-6 6-3 6-4.
Jan-Lennard Struff got off to a winning start with a 6-1 6-4 win against Zhizhen Zhang to set up a meeting against fifth seed Tommy Paul, who beat Benjamin Bonzi 6-3 6-4.
Days after describing his press conference before the Canadian Open as the “most uncomfortable” he has felt for a year, Rory McIlroy made sure to avoid a similar situation at the US Open.
McIlroy was due to speak to the media at 9am local time on Tuesday at Los Angeles Country Club, but informed tournament officials on Sunday he wished to cancel.
The four-time major winner is also currently not scheduled to speak on Wednesday ahead of the year’s third major championship, which he won at Congressional in 2011.
Speaking ahead of his title defence in the Canadian Open, McIlroy admitted he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” and still “hated” LIV Golf as he responded to the shock declaration of peace in golf’s civil war.
McIlroy and Tiger Woods had established themselves as the biggest supporters of the PGA Tour in its battle with LIV Golf, but were both kept in the dark about the stunning deal announced last week.
Fellow players reacted with surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were merging their commercial operations with the golf-related businesses of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV.
McIlroy, whose previously close friendship with Sergio Garcia broke down after the Spaniard joined LIV, said: “It’s hard for me to not sit up here and feel somewhat like a sacrificial lamb and feeling like I’ve put myself out there and this is what happens.”
Asked following his opening round if he felt more pressure on the golf course or off it, McIlroy said: “Off. You know, the most uncomfortable I’ve felt in the last 12 months was my press conference yesterday.”
McIlroy will partner another LIV player and US PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka in the first two rounds in Los Angeles, along with former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama.
On Tuesday the world number three was listed as starting a solo practice round at 6.45am local time.
The PANAM Hockey 5's World Cup Qualifiers concluded on Sunday, June 11, 2023 with Jamaica sealing a World Cup spot after defeating Paraguay in the 3rd place game, while the USA clinched the title with a penalty shootout win over Trinidad and Tobago.
With blazing speed and clinical finishing, the Jamaican team dominated Paraguay, securing an impressive 5-2 victory.
Nickoy Stephenson turned in a Man of the Match performance, scoring a hat-trick, while Shemar Gordon added a brace to secure a well-deserved win. The Jamaicans flew out of the blocks as Nickoy Stephenson opened the scoring in the 2nd minute, then doubled the lead with a 6th minute strike. The Paraguayans were stunned by the intensity and fast attacking play when Shemar Gordon added a third in the 8th minute for a 3-0 lead. However, the Paraguayans thought they got a lifeline when Vera Elias scored in the 10th minute but those hopes were quickly dashed as Stephenson completed his hat trick a minute later.
Despite going down to three men after a quick succession of cards, the Jamaicans were able to hold off the Paraguayans, led by a valiant display of tactical discipline backed up by truly astute goalkeeping from Goalkeeper of the Tournament and captain, Ajani Burton.
The Jamaicans were able to seal victory and put the game beyond doubt with a 19th minute goal from Shemar Gordon for a final score of 5-2.
This momentous accomplishment is a testament to the talent, dedication, and resilience of the Jamaican players, as echoed by Head Coach Duvaughn Henlon.
"We are very elated and ecstatic that we made it to the World Cup, and I’m very proud of the players who have been playing some very good hockey over the week. We are happy that we delivered for Jamaica but will turn our attention to preparing for the Central America and Caribbean Games, which start in the next two weeks, to try and achieve those goals."
Henlon went on to thank the coaching staff, management team, sponsors, family, and friends and called for additional support from corporate Jamaica.
Meanwhile, the final between United States against Trinidad and Tobago ended in a 2-2 draw. In the nerve-wracking shootout, the United States of America showcased nerves of steel, emerging triumphant with a 3-2 score line.
Trinidad & Tobago took a very early lead when Pierce Mickell scored in the 1st minute before the USA equalized eight minutes later through Sundeen Tyler. Marcano Teague then gave the Trinidadians another lead in the 15th minute before the USA equalized, once again, through Michael Barminski Jr in the 17th minute.
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