Aidan O’Brien’s Betfred Derby hopes may be pinned to one horse as he ponders alternative options for his other entrants.
The Ballydoyle trainer’s leading Derby chance is Auguste Rodin, winner of the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes and the Vertem Futurity Trophy as a two-year-old.
The son of Deep Impact is out of a Group One-winning mare in Rhododendron and was the 13-8 favourite for the 2000 Guineas as he started his season on the Rowley Mile.
The race was a totally luckless affair for the colt, however, as he and stablemate Little Big Bear were unplaced after the latter finished lame and the former suffered interference early on.
Epsom on June 3 is still the next step for Auguste Rodin, as the Newmarket run has a line drawn firmly through it.
O’Brien said: “We think what happened was that Little Big Bear got galloped into and he got knocked over on top of Auguste Rodin and wiped him out.
“Then he ended up getting caught in a pocket for a couple of furlongs. It was a bit of a non-event and Ryan (Moore) accepted it.
“We always knew that for him going to the Guineas every single thing was going to have to fall right for him because he is a middle-distance horse.
“Obviously it didn’t and the rest is history. What we are very happy with is the way he came out of the race, he came out of it very well.
“All the signs are very good with him since, so we just put a line through it and look forward on to the Derby because that was always the plan. We’re looking forward to that now.
“There are other horses in it, but I’d imagine he’ll definitely be the main one.”
Among the other horses in question are San Antonio, winner of the Dee Stakes at Chester, and Adelaide River, second in the Chester Vase at the same meeting.
Both hold a Derby entry but may head instead for the French version of the race, the Prix du Jockey Club, at Chantilly on June 4.
“San Antonio, who won in Chester, could go to the French Derby the day after (Epsom) and Adelaide River, who was second in Chester, could go that way as well,” O’Brien said.
“Obviously by far Auguste Rodin is the main horse (for Epsom) and always was.”
Another Ballydoyle entrant is Continuous, last seen finishing third to The Foxes in the Dante at York last week.
Epsom may be too quick a turnaround for the Heart’s Cry colt, with options at Royal Ascot and the Curragh also under consideration.
“Continuous is a horse that hasn’t had a clear run, and had three of four hold-ups. That’s why it’s taken so long to get him out,” O’Brien said.
“He was kind of 75 per cent or a little bit more so he needed to get out and run. That’s why we were really happy with his run, he’s going to progress a lot from there.
“He might be a horse that might like a flat track, I’m not sure, and maybe Epsom is going to come too quick for him. He could be a horse for Ascot or the Curragh.”
Mark Cavendish will retire from professional cycling at the end of the current season.
Cavendish, who celebrated his 38th birthday on Sunday, made the announcement at a press conference on the rest day of this year’s Giro D’Italia.
The Manxman boasts 53 Grand Tour stage victories and a world title, and is still set to compete at the Tour de France in July, where he could break the record of 34 stage wins he currently shares with Eddy Merckx.
Cavendish said: “I’ve absolutely loved racing every kilometre of this race so far, so I feel it’s the perfect time to say it’s my final Giro d’Italia and 2023 will be my final season as a professional cyclist.
“Yesterday I celebrated my 38th birthday. Like many others I’ve been struggling with sickness during the race as well as the effects of some unfortunate crashes. To get me through, I can’t thank this group of friends enough.
“Cycling has been my life for over 25 years. I have lived an absolute dream and the bike has given me the opportunity to see the world and meet some incredible people.
“It’s taught me so much about life – dedication, loyalty, companionship, teamwork, sacrifice, humility and perseverance – all things that now, as a father, I can show my children.”
British Cycling performance director Stephen Park paid tribute to Cavendish, saying in a statement: “On behalf of British Cycling, I would like to congratulate Mark on a truly outstanding career.
“Cav is without doubt the sport’s greatest sprinter and will be remembered by fans across the world for his 53 Grand Tour stage wins, and I’m sure that we will all be cheering him on as he looks to add to that total in his final months of racing.”
Cavendish won his first world title in the Madison in 2005 in Los Angeles, and within three years had claimed four Tour de France stage wins, as well as two at the Giro d’Italia, to become Britain’s leading Grand Tour cyclist at the age of just 22.
As well as his Grand Tour exploits, Cavendish won a silver medal in the omnium at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and gold in the scratch race at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, representing the Isle of Man.
Park added: “Professional and passionate, Cav has been a real asset to our team over the years and will be remembered as both a peerless rider and a fantastic teammate with time for everyone.
“We wish him the very best of luck both for the rest of his final season in the peloton and in the next stage of his career.”
Mark Cavendish piled up 161 victories on the road to go with world titles on the track over the course of his illustrious career.
His 34 career Tour de France stage wins are equalled only by Eddy Merckx, while his 53 Grand Tour stage victories put him third in the all-time standings.
Here the PA news agency takes a look at some of his career highlights.
2005
Won the first of his Madison world titles on the track, partnering Rob Hayles after replacing the injured Geraint Thomas.
2006
Took gold in the scratch race at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
2007
Moved up to what is now the WorldTour level on the road and took a breakthrough victory at Scheldeprijs.
Finished the season with 11 victories, equalling Alessandro Petacchi’s record for a debut campaign.
2008
Took a second Madison world title, this time with Bradley Wiggins, in Manchester.
Won four stages of the Tour de France and two stages of the Giro d’Italia
2009
Became the second Briton to win a Monument with victory in Milan-Sanremo
Won six stages of the Tour, and wore the leader’s jersey for two days at the Giro after taking four stages.
2010
Won five stages of the Tour.
Wore the leader’s red jersey for two stages of the Vuelta a Espana and won the points classification after taking four stages.
2011
Became the second British road race world champion after Tom Simpson with victory in Copenhagen
Won five stages of the Tour de France along with the points classification. Wore the leader’s jersey at the Giro and won three stages.
2012
Won three Tour stages, and three stages of the Giro, wearing the leader’s pink jersey for three days.
2013
Won two Tour stage and five Giro stages, wearing the leader’s pink jersey for one day.
Became British national champion.
2015
Won one stage of the Tour.
2016
Won four stages of the Tour, wearing the leader’s yellow jersey for the first time after the opening stage and completing his set of wearing the leader’s jersey in all three grand tours.
Became Madison world champion for the third time, winning with Wiggins in London.
Won his first Olympic medal with silver in the omnium.
2021
Tasted victory for the first time in more than three years when he headed a bunch sprint across the line at the Tour of Turkey, the first of four stage wins at the race.
Followed up by winning the final stage of the Belgium Tour, before matching the Tour de France stage wins record when collecting the 34th of his career in Carcassonne on July 9.
2022
Won his 16th Giro d’Italia stage when he sprinted to victory on stage three in Hungary.
Added a second British road title to his career with success in Scotland in June.
Mark Cavendish has announced he will retire from professional cycling at the end of the current season.
Cavendish, who celebrated his 38th birthday on Sunday, made the announcement at a press conference on the rest day of the Giro d’Italia.
Cavendish said: “I’ve absolutely loved racing every kilometre of this race so far, so I feel it’s the perfect time to say it’s my final Giro d’Italia and 2023 will be my final season as a professional cyclist.”
There was a time when it seemed like the only person that could beat Mark Cavendish in a sprint was himself.
If he and his lead-out train executed everything according to plan, nobody else stood a chance.
Between 2007 and 2015, the Manx Missile piled up 133 victories, including the 2011 world title, stages of all three Grand Tours, Milan-Sanremo in 2009, and so much more.
He was, quite simply, the greatest sprinter cycling had ever seen.
Drive and determination had taken him from being what he called a “fat banker” – working shifts in a branch of Barclays to fund his racing ambitions – through British Cycling’s academy to the professional ranks at rapid pace.
Having turned professional in 2005, the same year he won the first of his three Madison world titles on the track, Cavendish’s results – coupled with a personal letter written to T-Mobile team boss Bob Stapleton – earned him a move to what is now the WorldTour in 2007.
His first Tour de France ended in frustration, a crash on stage two denying him a chance of victory in Canterbury, but the following summer Cavendish began a period of almost unprecedented domination – 20 Tour stage wins in the span of four years between 2008 and 2011.
The first came on stage five into Chateauroux. Mark Renshaw, who would help Cavendish to 19 of his stage wins, was not yet a team-mate, but Cavendish took his cue anyway, following his lead-out of Thor Hushovd to win with ease, crossing the line holding his head in his hands.
“It’s the biggest thing to happen to me without a doubt,” Cavendish said at the time. “To win a stage is massive.”
It would soon become routine. He took three more that summer despite leaving the race after stage 14 to focus on the Olympics, six in 2009, then five each in 2010 and 2011.
His tongue could be as sharp as he sprints. When things went wrong, Cavendish was never shy about voicing his frustration, but his praise for those around him was just as vociferous when things went right, which more often than not they did.
Such was their domination in 2009, Cavendish won on the Champs-Elysees by a good 30 metres and team-mate Renshaw followed home in a comfortable second place.
After becoming only the second British world champion after Tom Simpson in 2011, Cavendish took his rainbow stripes to Team Sky the following year.
Though back among friends from his early days in Bradley Wiggins and coach Rod Ellingworth, he never jelled with the data-driven approach of the team and would move on after just one season to join Belgian winning machine OmegaPharma-QuickStep.
With a lead-out train built to his specifications he rewarded his employers with regular victories but nevertheless found himself being questioned as Marcel Kittel emerged as a formidable rival at the Tour.
There was frustration in 2014 when he crashed in his mother’s home town of Harrogate, ending his race on the opening stage, and though he added another stage win in 2015 it was Andre Greipel who dominated the sprints that year.
A fresh start at Team Dimension Data in 2016 led to four stage wins and a day in the yellow jersey, but things began to turn in 2017 with the first diagnosis of the Epstein-Barr virus in April.
A series of crashes and other setbacks followed, and many feared Cavendish would never again be seen at the top.
Non-selection for the 2019 Tour was part of an acrimonious end to his time with Dimension Data, but a reunion with Ellingworth at Bahrain-McLaren was never allowed to flourish as the coronavirus pandemic ripped up the 2020 schedule.
But when he signed a last-minute deal with Deceuninck-QuickStep for 2021, there was time for another fairytale.
Sam Bennett’s knee injury opened the door for Cavendish to ride the Tour de France, and he wound back the clock with four victories that saw him join Eddy Merckx with a record 34 stage wins in cycling’s biggest race.
The collapse of the B&B Hotels team in December left him scrambling for a contract once more but Astana-Qazaqstan stepped in to keep Cavendish in the peloton.
Although he chose the day after his 38th birthday to announce his coming retirement, Cavendish will get one more shot at the Tour and taking that stage record outright in July.
It may be a long one. Younger rivals have emerged and Astana have little sprint pedigree. But Cavendish has defied the odds before. Bet against him at your peril.
Emily Upjohn could make her seasonal reappearance in the Coronation Cup on Friday week.
The daughter of Sea The Stars won three of her first four starts for John and Thady Gosden, including the Musidora Stakes at York, before being beaten a short head by Tuesday in the Oaks.
She subsequently failed to fire in the King George at Ascot, but bounced back to form to secure Group One honours on Champions Day in October – and having missed out on a potential trip to Dubai earlier in the year, she looks set to make her first start since those heroics on the Surrey Downs.
Speaking after putting his Derby hopefuls Arrest and Running Lion through their paces at Epsom on Monday morning, John Gosden said: “We’ll leave Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup and she worked nicely over the weekend. Obviously she was just a short head shy in the Oaks last year, she’s in good form and we’ll definitely leave her in that race.
“We had a look at Dubai and it was too soon for her. We had this February and it was sort of spring like, it fooled all of us and the fillies and then along came a cold and wet March and April and a lot of the fillies just went back into themselves.
“A lot of the colts did similar and then we’ve had a lot of testing and heavy ground, so I think it’s been a bit of a muddling first part of the season with a combination of the two. To that extent she was very much taking her time, but she seems to be coming to herself now.
“I think it will be a good race, it looks like Westover will be there so it will be a really solid race. The Japanese aren’t bringing that world champion (Equinox) as the track is a little complicated for him I’d say, but he put up some performance in Dubai.”
Frankie Dettori is optimistic Arrest can provide him a dream success in his final Betfred Derby on Saturday week after putting the colt through his paces at Epsom on Monday morning.
The son of Frankel emerged as a major contender for the premier Classic when demolishing his rivals in the Chester Vase on very soft ground earlier this month, after which joint-trainer John Gosden was hesitant to fully commit his sizeable three-year-old to a run at Epsom on June 3.
But after successfully traversing Tattenham Corner and seemingly handling the cambered track in a workout just short of a mile at the Derby Festival Gallops Morning, he looks set to take his chance.
Dettori, who in December announced 2023 will be final year in the saddle, will be bidding for a third Derby success following the victories of Authorized in 2007 and Golden Horn, and is delighted to be partnering a horse with leading claims on what will be his 28th and final ride in the great race.
“It’s all about getting used to the course and the most crucial part is Tattenham Corner, where horses can really win or lose a race,” said the 52-year-old Italian.
“He went round there fine. In the straight, it took him a furlong to get organised but he’s a big horse. He then went very straight and I was very happy with him.
“I have been fortunate enough to win the Derby twice and it is still the most famous race in the world for us. When I started my career as a jockey, first of all you want to get a ride in it and then try to win it. I’ve had over 20 rides in it and this is my last go. At least I am going into my last Derby with a great chance.
“It looks a wide-open Derby and I haven’t seen any horse really dominating any of the trials – they all won, but nobody won by a really wide margin so it looks a competitive and open Derby.”
With Arrest proving he handles soft ground so well, Dettori is hoping conditions are again on the easy side next week.
He added: “He is growing up and getting stronger. The ground is an issue, but Andrew (Cooper, clerk of the course at Epsom) always does a great job and I haven’t ridden in a very fast Derby for a long time – it has always been good or good to soft and, fingers crossed, the rain will continue.
“Every week horses improve and we still have two weeks to go. I would expect this horse after the gallop today to go on a bit and it’s very hard to assess one year to the next. But I am very pleased with him – he looks great and has done well in the gallop this morning.
“We always thought a bit of him last year, but he was all frame and no muscle. He did well over the winter and Chester was great. In the other trials Passenger (third in the Dante Stakes) impressed me most – he’s not in the Derby at the moment, but I expect he will be (supplemented).”
Gosden, who trains Arrest in partnership with his son Thady, was similarly pleased with how Arrest took to the idiosyncratic Epsom track.
He said: “This horse can change gears, absolutely. He’s a big boy and he proved he stayed the other day (in the Chester Vase) when he handled the conditions. He doesn’t need it to be like that.
“He’s a big boy and they always say that when they’re leggy like that the track is trickier for them here, but Frankie said he got himself organised and came nicely on the bit down Tattenham Corner onto the straight – so he was pleased enough with him.
“I think it’s all about getting a feel for the track and not actually about finding out how fast they can go around the track today. I tend to save that for the following weekend. We clearly were pulling up at the half-furlong marker, we weren’t going to the finish line and then rolling off down the hill, so it was very much an exercise gallop and not a test of ability.
“He was touched off in the Group One over a mile and a quarter at Saint-Cloud last year, so he was in the Derby then and he was the only one I had that was likely to come to the Derby and put up a bold show. You’re always lucky if you’ve got more than one to look at.
“It’s about 4-1 or 5-1 the field and to that extent he belongs right up there with them.”
Dettori is also set to team up with the Gosdens in the Betfred Oaks, with Soul Sister staking her claim for the fillies’ Classic with an impressive victory in the Musidora Stakes at York last week.
“John kept believing in her and when she ran at Newbury (finished last in the Fred Darling Stakes) his horses were not running that well,” said the jockey.
“At York she took me by surprise as she quickened twice, travelled and clocked a very good time. I was impressed.
“She has to go an extra two furlongs in the Oaks, but the signs are good. Obviously the (Aidan) O’Brien filly (Savethelastdance) who won by 22 lengths at Chester and is going to be hard to beat, but we’ll give it a go.”
John Dance will be permitted to run horses as an investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority continues – but not under his own name or that of his wife, the British Horseracing Authority has announced.
Dance founded Vertem Asset Management, a prominent sponsor within racing, but that firm is one of three trading names of WealthTek LLP, which was ordered to cease trading by the FCA due to what it said were “serious regulatory and operational issues coming to light”.
Dance co-owned the leading chaser Bravemansgame who was subsequently barred from running at Aintree, but was later allowed to resume his career as Bryan Drew took sole ownership.
Now Dance’s other horses, most of which reside with salaried trainer James Horton, will be able to run under either the Coverdale Stud or the Titanium Racing Club names rather than under the John and Jess Dance banner.
A statement from the BHA on Monday read: “While the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) investigation into Mr Dance continues, it has agreed to sufficient ongoing funds being released to cover the costs of Mr Dance’s racing operations, in accordance with the terms of the High Court’s Freezing Order.
“This is with a view to supporting the welfare of the horses and the livelihoods of the staff impacted by the investigation.
“The BHA is therefore permitting runners through Mr Dance’s business, in the name of Coverdale Stud and Titanium Racing Club. Mr or Mrs Dance will not be permitted to have personal runners in their own names.
“Any prize money or other business profits will be frozen under the terms of the High Court’s Order and the BHA remains in continued dialogue with the FCA to supervise this arrangement.
The BHA continues to work with the FCA to ensure the terms of the High Court’s Order are complied with, whilst prioritising the wellbeing of the horses and people affected.”
Jaylen Brown described the Boston Celtics as "embarrassing" after they were blown out by the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who has faced criticism throughout the series, blamed himself for the 128-102 loss, as Boston fell to the eighth-seeded Heat for a third straight game.
No team in NBA history has recovered to win a seven-game playoff series when trailing 3-0 and Miami has its first chance to wrap up the series at home on Tuesday.
In a road game the Celtics felt they had to win after two shock home losses, Miami's lead grew to as much as 33 points in the third quarter.
Jayson Tatum led Boston with just 14 points while finishing 6 of 18 from the field and Brown was held to 12 points on 6-of-17 shooting. The two All-Stars were a combined 1 of 14 from 3-point range.
"I don't even know where to start," said Brown after the game, per ESPN. "It's an obvious letdown. I feel like we let our fan base, organization down.
"We let ourselves down. And it was collective. We can point fingers, but in reality, it was just embarrassing.
"To their credit, they’re playing well above their means.They’re ballin’ right now and I’ve got to give them respect.
"Gabe Vincent, Martin, Strus, Duncan Robinson, guys that we should be able to keep under control are playing their [butt] off.
"The series isn't over yet. It's looking bad, but you come out, have some pride about yourself."
The Celtics were favourites to win the NBA Championship before the series began but now look like a team in crisis just seven days on from their big Game 7 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in round two.
"I just didn’t have them ready to play," said Mazzulla, who is in his first season as head coach.
"Whatever it was, whether it was the starting lineup or an adjustment, I have to get them in a better place, ready to play. That’s on me.
"I think some of the defensive identity has been lost and we have to get that back."
While a comeback to reach the Finals from here would be miraculous, Tatum insists Boston has to first and foremost recover some pride.
He said: "It was tough. From the beginning of the game, we were turning the ball over. We didn't shoot the ball well, they shot extremely well and it felt like we never recovered.
"As tough as tonight was, we just got to try to move on. Prepare, get ready, practice, film and stuff for tomorrow.
"Obviously we're in a tough position but we've got to have some pride, bounce back and just be better come Tuesday."
Jimmy Butler has proven inspirational for the Heat in the postseason far but in Game 3 Miami showcased its roster depth.
Gabe Vincent scored a career-high 29 points and Duncan Robinson added 22 off the bench, propelling the Heat to a lopsided victory that puts coach Erik Spoelstra on the brink of a sixth NBA Finals appearance with the team.
The Western Conference finals also look like they are set to reach an earlier than expected conclusion, with the Denver Nuggets enjoying a 3-0 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of Game 4 on Monday.
Boris Becker fears Alexander Zverev's injury problems may impact his fellow German's chances of winning a first grand slam at the upcoming French Open.
Zverev reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros last year, but his chances of winning a maiden grand slam title were ended when an ankle injury forced him to retire from his last-four clash with eventual champion Rafael Nadal.
Zverev subsequently required surgery to repair damaged ligaments before a bone edema suffered in September further delayed his return to the court.
The German finally made his competitive comeback in December but struggled at the Australian Open the following month, crashing out in the second round to unheralded American Michael Mmoh.
With the 26-year-old heading to Roland Garros later this month looking to reach the semi-finals for the third straight year, Becker has serious doubts over his compatriot's chances of claiming victory.
Asked whether he felt Zverev could come out on top, Becker told Stats Perform: "I hope so. I hope so.
"At the moment he is in a bit of a crisis because he had a very severe injury last year in the semi-final against Nadal.
"He literally broke his ankle. He was out for seven months and just came back this year. So he's still struggling.
"I think for the title, I don't think anybody German [will win] this year. I think it'll be a Spaniard, it'll be a Serbian, it'll be an Italian, somebody like that."
The French Open was the only grand slam singles title that evaded Becker during his hugely successful career, with the tennis great winning three Wimbledon titles, two Australian Open crowns and the 1989 US Open.
The former world number one believes the beauty of tennis lies in individuals coping with pressure, explaining there is no opportunity to exploit the talents of others to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
"Tennis is a very important sport," Becker said. "It's an individual sport. You can actually see it with one player, whether he's winning or losing.
"In a team, sometimes people can hide behind the likes of [Lionel] Messi or [Kylian] Mbappe. You're still a World Cup winner, even though you know it was either Mbappe or Messi, right?
"In tennis, it's not possible. You have to be the better player and that is why tennis is such a powerful sport, because you see who is better with your own eyes."
Chandler Stephenson scored 1:12 into overtime to cap a late rally that gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Jonathan Marchessault’s goal with 2:22 left in the third period forced extra time before Stephenson knocked in a rebound of teammate Shea Theodore’s shot to put the top-seeded Knights two wins away from the Stanley Cup Final.
The Stars had taken a 2-1 lead into the third period on Jason Robertson’s tiebreaking power-play goal midway through the second. Miro Heiskanen scored 2:47 into the game for Dallas before Vegas’ Mark Stone converted on a 5-on-3 power-play chance with just over 10 minutes elapsed in the opening period.
Dallas, which lost 4-3 in overtime in Friday’s Game 1, tied an NHL record with its fourth overtime defeat in a single postseason. The Stars will attempt to regroup when the series moves to Dallas for Tuesday’s Game 3.
The first two games of the Eastern Conference finals between the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes were also decided in overtime, marking the first time in league history each of the opening two games of both conference finals went to OT.
The Miami Heat are now one win away from the NBA Finals after routing the Boston Celtics 128-102 on Sunday to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
Gabe Vincent scored a career-high 29 points and Duncan Robinson added 22 off the bench as the duo led a torrid shooting display that propelled the Heat to the lopsided victory.
Miami shot 54.3 percent (19 of 35) from 3-point range for the game, with Vincent going 6 of 9 from beyond the arc and Robinson 5 of 7.
After rallying in the second half to win Games 1 and 2 in Boston, the Heat led virtually from start to finish in this one to go on the verge of joining the 1999 New York Knicks as the only No. 8 seeds in league history to reach the Finals. Miami can wrap up the series at home on Tuesday.
No team in NBA history has lost a seven-game playoff series when leading 3-0.
Miami put together a 9-0 run late in the first quarter to build a 30-20 lead in the final minute of the period, then later outscored the Celtics 25-10 over a 5 1/2-minute stretch in the second quarter to extend the margin. Vincent scored the first five points of the surge, which Robinson capped with a 3-pointer that put the Heat up 59-37 with under four minutes left in the half.
The Celtics never got their deficit out of double digits the rest of the way as Miami’s lead grew to as much as 33 points in the third quarter.
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 14 points while finishing 6 of 18 from the field, while Jaylen Brown was held to 12 points on 6-of-17 shooting. The two All-Stars were a combined 1 of 14 from 3-point range.
Tennis’ busy European season is in full swing with the French Open looming and grass not far away.
The world’s best players are travelling to Roland Garros ahead of the year’s second grand slam beginning on Sunday.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the current tennis picture.
How is 2023 shaping up for British players?
More downs than ups so far. Cameron Norrie had an impressive start to the season, including winning his second biggest title in Rio, but has not been at his best on the European clay so far. Emma Raducanu had some moments of encouragement but is now out long term after three surgeries, while Andy Murray produced heroics at the Australian Open but remains inconsistent and is skipping the French Open. Dan Evans has been up and down but continues to maintain his place in the top 25.
How will the time out affect Raducanu?
It is hard to say but many observers believe it could be beneficial in the long run for the 20-year-old to have time away from the court. It has been a difficult 18 months since Raducanu’s US Open victory, with the spotlight unrelenting and her body uncooperative. Not only will this period give her the opportunity to address the latter, she will also have time for some much needed normality. Raducanu still has time on her side and does not need to rush back. If she is happy and healthy, she is more than good enough to climb the rankings again.
What about Jack Draper?
Britain’s other rising young star has also struggled with ongoing niggles, the latest of which was an abdominal injury that limited him to only one tournament in the last two months. Happily, he is back in time to make his French Open debut – a reminder of how quickly he rose up the ranks last season. There is no doubt about Draper’s potential but his physical frailty is frustrating. Draw and fitness permitting, the powerful 21-year-old could do serious damage at Wimbledon.
And the rest?
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Little to get excited about. There are no British women in the French Open main draw or the top 100 – a damning statistic given the resources available. That could soon change with Jodie Burrage, Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart not too far away but the latter’s fall down the rankings this season has been disappointing. At junior level there are some encouraging signs after a barren spell but strength in depth remains the biggest challenge.
How is Murray looking for Wimbledon?
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His main motivation for missing the French Open again is to give himself the best chance at Wimbledon. Last year Murray’s hips finally felt good only for him to suffer an abdominal injury and miss the Wimbledon build-up. He has played some good tennis this season but, despite winning a first title since 2019, struggled on clay. Murray still believes he can challenge for the trophy at SW19 given his experience on grass, and his chances would be improved if he could sneak into the top 32 and obtain a seeding.
How does the overall tennis picture look?
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The men’s game has a very different look to 12 months ago, when Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were still dominant. Nadal’s announcement that retirement is looming is another reminder that this remarkable era is drawing to a close while Djokovic, although still the man to beat at both the French Open and Wimbledon, has struggled on clay and is battling an elbow issue. Carlos Alcaraz is back at world number one and will be eyeing a second slam title in Paris but there could well be some surprise results. On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek will bid for a third title in Paris but is not as dominant as she was 12 months ago, with Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina the players of the season so far.
Rory McIlroy believes having lower expectations paid dividends as he battled to a top-10 finish in the US PGA Championship.
McIlroy had cut a subdued figure before play got under way at Oak Hill, a legacy of his dispiriting missed cut in the Masters as his latest attempt to complete a career grand slam ended prematurely.
The 34-year-old was also feeling under the weather and struggling with his long game, but followed an opening 71 with three straight 69s to finish two under par, seven shots behind winner Brooks Koepka.
“I’ll look back on this week as proud of how I hung in there and I guess (proud of) my attitude and sticking to it, not having my best stuff,” McIlroy said.
“I guess I just came in here trying to play a golf tournament, honestly not thinking about getting myself in contention. I honestly didn’t feel like I had a chance of winning this week.
“I feel sort of close but also so far away at the same time. It’s hard to explain. I feel like sometimes it was the worst I could have played, but then at the same time it’s like the best I could have done.
“It’s weird. It just doesn’t feel quite where it needs to be and I just need to go back home and work on some stuff. I guess just try to figure it out.”
Asked if having lower expectations had worked in his favour, McIlroy added: “Yeah, 100 per cent.
“I was more accepting of things out there and I think it’s hard. The previous major championship at Augusta, all I think about is winning, winning, winning, to try to win that green jacket.
“I then don’t really think about just playing a tournament and the cadence that goes along with getting into rounds and whatever.
“I go to the second tee on Friday afternoon and I see I’m already 10 back of Brooks or whatever. So then I’m thinking, ‘oh, geez, I have no chance of winning’, and things sort of crumble.
“It’s just like being a bit mentally fragile because you’re so focused on the one thing you’re trying to do when, in essence, you just need to play a golf tournament and see where the chips fall at the end of the week.”
Club professional Michael Block has a sneaking suspicion his life has changed forever thanks to his sensational performance in the US PGA Championship.
Block enjoyed a barely believable week at Oak Hill, making the cut in a major for the first time, playing with Justin Rose in the third round and then firing a hole-in-one on Sunday while playing with four-time major winner Rory McIlroy.
The 46-year-old’s display captured the imagination of the spectators and his tie for 15th place secured a place in next year’s US PGA at Valhalla, followed soon after by invites for this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge on the PGA Tour and June’s Canadian Open.
“This week’s been absolutely a dream,” Block said. “I didn’t know it was going to happen, but I knew if I just played my darned game that I could do this.
“I always knew it. I had this intuition that it was going to happen. I always saw myself coming down the stretch with Tiger Woods. I was like, I’m going to do it, even if I’m 45 or whatever it is, I’m going to come down the stretch at an event with Tiger.
“It just happened to be that I was in the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill, and I had Rory McIlroy in my group.
“I wasn’t coming down the stretch to win, but at the same time, Sunday at a major with the crowd here at Rochester was unreal.
“My life’s changed, but my life’s only changed for the better. I’ve got my family. I’ve got my friends. I’ve got the people that really love me and care about me here. It’s an epic experience.”
Asked why he had proved so popular at Oak Hill, Block added: “I’m like the new John Daly, but I don’t have a mullet, and I’m not quite as big as him yet.
“I’m just a club professional, right? I work. I have fun. I have a couple boys that I love to play golf with. I have a great wife. I have great friends. I live the normal life.
“I love being at home. I love sitting in my backyard. My best friend in the world is my dog. I can’t wait to see him.
“But, yeah, it’s been a surreal experience and I had this weird kind of sensation that life is going to be not quite the same moving forward, but only in a good way, which is cool.
“I want to get more phone calls. I want to get more exemptions. I want people to start calling me and saying, ‘we want you in our event because it makes it better’. That’s great to me.”
Manchester City secured their third straight Premier League title but Manchester United kept the Women’s Super League title race alive with a 2-1 win against City.
Chantelle Cameron defeated Katie Taylor, La Rochelle earned back-to-back Heineken Champions Cup victories and Brooks Koepka landed his third US PGA Championship.
Here the PA news agency takes a look at some of the best pictures from this weekend’s sporting action.
Brooks Koepka admitted his fifth major title was the “most meaningful” after winning the 105th US PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
Koepka won his first four majors in the space of eight events from 2017 to 2019, but suffered career-threatening injuries and a loss of form before joining LIV Golf last year.
The former world number one also felt, in his own words, that he had “choked” by failing to convert a four-shot lead after six holes of the third round of the Masters at Augusta National.
There was no repeat of such failings at Oak Hill as Koepka held off the challenge of Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler to claim a third US PGA title and move into the automatic qualifying places for the US Ryder Cup team.
“It feels damned good,” Koepka said. “Yeah, this one is definitely special.
“I think this one is probably the most meaningful of them all with everything that’s gone on, all the crazy stuff over the last few years. But it feels good to be back and to get number five.
“When I look back at where we were two years ago I’m just so happy right now. I’m kind of at a loss for words. This is the coolest thing.
“There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears that have gone into this one. Life has changed a lot for me but this one is super gratifying for me.
“I don’t know how many guys have won five times but to be in with those names is incredible. I’m not sure as a kid I even dreamed about doing it.”
Quote of the day
“There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears that have gone into this one” – Koepka reflects on his fifth major title after overcoming various injuries.
Shot of the day
Club professional Michael Block’s amazing week included making a hole-in-one on the 15th while partnering Rory McIlroy in the final round.
Round of the day
Five players shot 65 in the final round but Koepka’s 67 was compiled amidst the highest pressure and he responded superbly to every setback.
Statistic of the day
Club professional Michael Block made many, many times his usual hourly rate for lessons with his amazing performance at Oak Hill.
Easiest hole
The reachable par-four 14th offered up an essential scoring opportunity, with three eagles and 27 birdies leading to a scoring average of 3.632.
Hardest hole
The par-four seventh played as the toughest hole with runner-up Scottie Scheffler making one of just four birdies on the final day. Winner Brooks Koepka was one of 31 players to make bogey as it played to an average of 4.421.
When is the next major?
The US Open takes place at Los Angeles Country Club from June 15-18.
Brooks Koepka struggled to put into words what it meant to win his third US PGA Championship and fifth major title after an impressive victory at Oak Hill.
Koepka carded a final round of 67 to finish two shots ahead of Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler, whose share of second place was enough to take him back to the top of the world rankings.
Koepka will climb from 44th to 13th in the updated standings and also moves into the automatic qualifying places for the United States Ryder Cup team.
The 33-year-old won his first four majors in the space of eight events, but suffered injuries and a loss of form before joining LIV Golf last year, having previously suggested those switching to the Saudi-funded circuit would be “selling out”.
“This is incredible, this is wild,” Koepka said. “When I look back at where we were two years ago I’m just so happy right now. I’m kind of at a loss for words. This is the coolest thing.
“This one is definitely a lot sweeter. There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears that have gone into this one. Life has changed a lot for me but this one is super gratifying for me.
“I don’t know how many guys have won five times but to be in with those names is incredible. I’m not sure as I kid I even dreamed about doing it.
“I’m not trying to prove to anyone else that I can still play. I can still do it and I like the way things are starting to come together. I think when I’m healthy I think I’m back to where I was during that good stretch.”
Hovland has finished fourth, seventh and second in the last three majors and his closing 68 was a considerable improvement on final rounds of 74 in both last year’s Open Championship and this year’s Masters.
“It sucks right now, but it is really cool to see that things are going in the right direction,” Hovland said.
“If I just keep taking care of my business and just keep working on what I’ve been doing, I think we’re going to get one of these soon.
“Brooks is a great player and now he has five majors. I mean, that’s a hell of a record right there. It’s not easy going toe to toe with a guy like that.
“So I feel like I belong out here, I just have got to get a little bit better and hopefully it goes my way the next time.”
Scheffler was left to rue birdie putts which lipped out on the first and ninth as he was unable to put any early pressure on Koepka.
“I had two of the worst lip-outs that I have ever seen today,” he said. “The balls were trickling and I thought I was ready to take a step like they were going in.
“One horseshoed at trickle pace, and the other one lipped out and stayed about an inch from the edge. In order to win these tournaments the putts have to fall in. They didn’t fall, but I put up a good fight.
“I gave the guys on top of the leaderboard something to think about and I kind of made a little bit much a move, but Brooks just played some fantastic golf this week. He played too good this weekend for me to catch up to him.”
Six weeks after feeling he “choked” in the final round of the Masters, Brooks Koepka held his nerve to overcome a spirited challenge from Viktor Hovland to win the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
Koepka carded a closing 67 to finish nine under par and claim his third US PGA title, his fifth major overall and the first for a player on the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League.
Hovland traded blows with Koepka until a costly double bogey on the 16th, but a birdie on the 18th deservedly gave the Norwegian a share of second place with Scottie Scheffler on seven under.
Koepka took a one-shot lead over Hovland and Corey Conners into the final round, having enjoyed double that advantage following 54 holes of the Masters in April.
The 33-year-old carded a closing 75 at Augusta National to finish second to Jon Rahm and felt he had choked under pressure, but exorcised those demons at the first opportunity.
The former world number one made a flying start with a hat-trick of birdies from the second and was momentarily four shots clear before Hovland matched his birdie on the fourth.
Hovland also birdied the fifth to close the gap and was within a single stroke when Koepka pushed his drive on the sixth into Allen’s Creek and was unable to save par.
Koepka doubled his lead with a birdie on the 10th, only to then see his approach to the next plug in a greenside bunker.
After blasting out to 12 feet, Koepka saw his par attempt lip out and although he bounced back immediately to birdie the 12th, he could not shake off a resolute Hovland.
The 25-year-old, who was in contention for the third consecutive major, took advantage of the par-five 13th to keep the pressure firmly on and both men birdied the short 14th to effectively turn it into a two-horse race.
However, in a carbon copy of what happened to Conners in round three, Hovland drilled his second shot into the face of a fairway bunker on the 16th to run up a double bogey.
Koepka’s birdie gave him a four-shot lead and he could afford to bogey the 17th and par the last to complete an impressive victory.
Scheffler had got within two of the lead thanks to birdies on the 10th, 13th and 14th, but had to wait until the 18th to pick up another shot and complete a superb 65.
World number one Rahm, commentating for CBS following a closing 71 which left him seven over par, had been full of praise for Koepka after his blistering start.
“He is a player that, when he gets in contention, is like a shark in the water,” Rahm said.
“He smells blood, especially on these types of courses. It suits his mentality of being even keel, plodding along and taking opportunities when they come.
“He came out aggressive and I don’t think people realise how dangerous some of these hole locations are. To be that precise (on the second) to give yourself three feet straight up the hill is incredible.”
Open champion Cameron Smith recorded the joint lowest round of the week to date with a closing 65 and insisted no one should be surprised that he and fellow LIV players like Koepka were able to compete at the highest level.
“I gave up on that narrative about six months ago,” Smith said with a smile. “I think there’s been a few guys that have been trying to kick it along a little bit.
“We’re still out there. We haven’t forgot how to play golf. We’re all great golfers out there, and we know what we can do, and I think that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Rory McIlroy began the day five shots behind Koepka and made the ideal start with a birdie from tap-in distance on the first, but bogeyed two of the next three holes and eventually signed for a third straight 69.
McIlroy at least had the best seat in the house for an extraordinary performance from playing partner Michael Block, the 46-year-old club professional making a hole-in-one on the 15th in a closing 71 that secured a place in the field at Valhalla next year.
Justin Rose was within three of the lead when he birdied the first and chipped in to save par on the second, but had to settle for a closing 71 to finish one under.
Compatriot Tyrrell Hatton was left to rue a nightmare opening round of 77 after subsequent scores of 68, 69 and 67 proved what was possible and left him in a tie for 15th.
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