Wes Unseld Jr. will no longer serve as the head coach of the Washington Wizards and will move into a front office advisory role, the team announced on Thursday.
Washington is 7-36 this season, the second-worst record in the NBA behind the Detroit Pistons (5-39).
"After several thoughtful conversations with Wes, we determined together that a change was needed for the benefit of the team,” Wizards president Michael Winger said.
“Wes embodies the characteristics we value in our organisation, and his vast basketball experience will be an asset to the front office as we progress toward our long-term goals.
“We are thankful that he will continue his contributions to our organisation and community.”
Winger said Washington would name an interim head coach for the remainder of this season later Thursday before beginning its search for a full-time replacement after the 2023-24 campaign.
Unseld Jr. began his NBA coaching career as an assistant with the Wizards in 2005 before being an assistant with the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets.
The son of Hall of Famer Wes Unseld returned to Washington in 2021 for his first head coaching job and went on to post a 77-130 record with no play-off appearances.
“I am grateful to have served as head coach of the Washington Wizards,” Unseld Jr. said. “I look forward to this new opportunity to work toward our organization’s continued progress.”
England’s Callum Shinkwin claimed a two-shot lead in the Ras Al Khaimah Championship after threatening to record just the second sub-60 round in DP World Tour history.
Shinkwin covered his first 14 holes at Al Hamra Golf Club in 10 under par, meaning he needed to play the remaining four in three under to match Oliver Fisher’s 59 in the 2018 Portugal Masters.
However, the 30-year-old – whose run of eight successive birdies from the 16th to the fifth was just one short of the world record shared by James Nitties and former Open champion Mark Calcavecchia, could only par the sixth before dropping a shot on the next.
Shinkwin bounced back to two-putt from 70 feet for birdie on the par-five eighth and parred the ninth to complete a superb 62, equalling the lowest round of his career.
At 10 under par he enjoyed a two-shot lead over compatriot Richard Mansell and South Africa’s Brandon Stone, who missed a putt for a 59 in the final round of his Scottish Open victory in 2018.
“I just kept going, making birdie after birdie and didn’t think about 59, to be fair,” Shinkwin said.
“It’s not easy to get a 59 on a par 72 but I was a bit gutted about seven. It’s quite an easy tee shot with no wind, but (with) a little bit of wind I just had to fiddle one in there.”
Shinkwin’s 62 equalled his lowest round on Tour at the 2016 Shenzhen International and he added: “That’s a long time ago, that was eight years ago.
“That was on my mind, I wanted to beat that by one because when you have a record you want to keep beating them. But eight years down the line, I’ve shot 62 again, I’m happy.”
Mansell also had an outside chance to shoot 59 when he followed a back nine of 29 – which included three birdies and two eagles – with birdies on the third, fifth and seventh, only to double bogey the par-five eighth after hitting his drive into a bush.
“Obviously you get to a downwind par five, you’re 10 under par with two to play and you do that, it’s frustrating,” Mansell said. “But overall a good start.
“I played brilliant today. I had one bad hole. The stuff I’m working on, I’m going to choose to focus on the good stuff because there was a lot of that today.
“The areas of my game that I’ve worked really hard at the past couple of months are starting to show for me.”
Defending champion Daniel Gavins covered his first 11 holes in eight over par before birdies on the 14th and 18th saw him sign for an opening 78.
Enemy lowered the colours of some big names as he showed plenty of resilience to hold off 11-8 favourite Military Order in a thrilling finish to the BetUK Winter Derby Trial Conditions Stakes at Southwell.
In a classy contest at the Rolleston venue, it was Charlie Appleby’s Military Order who was fancied to get his career back on track in a race that also featured Dante scorer The Foxes and Royal Ascot winners Claymore and Sir Busker.
In the early stages, it was Claymore who led the field along, with Military Order content to race in his slipstream on his first start since being gelded.
Enemy, meanwhile, was ridden patiently at the rear of the field by Rossa Ryan and still had the whole pack to pass when things began to get serious entering the home straight.
Military Order was arguably travelling best as he edged his way to the front entering the final two furlongs, but Ryan was beginning to wind Enemy up to top gear and came to make his challenge inside the final furlong.
Enemy was soon flying home and, running on strongly, he bravely held on by a head after a tussle with last year’s Godolphin Derby runner in the closing stages.
The 17-2 winner has predominantly plied his trade over further of late and, having gone close over two miles at Newcastle last time, his trainer Ian Williams was thrilled to see him put in such a brave effort down in trip against some quality operators.
“It was a huge performance and we were a bit concerned running him over a shorter trip, but he has been a class performer at this trip on his day,” said Williams.
“That is probably a step up on what he has done before and will lead to some nice chats with his owner about what we do next. Over this trip, that was a good performance.
“We didn’t send him to Meydan this winter and we just needed a race to give him a blow in and see where our options were. We’ll see what our options are now and I’m not sure what we will do until I have spoken with the owners.
“He’s a horse who has travelled in the past and can travel, so lots of options remain open. He is entered in the Red Sea (Turf Handicap) in Saudi, which he was second in last year, but the owners aren’t mad keen, so we will just have to see.
“He’s beaten some good horses there and over that trip it was a massive performance.”
It was Andrew Balding’s The Foxes who picked up the final spot on the podium, a length and three-quarters further back, and connections were thrilled with the Dante hero’s first outing since running in the Juddmonte International Stakes last summer.
“It was a good run and a prep run and we are pleased,” said Pippa Tuthill, assistant racing manager to owners King Power Racing.
“We’ll see how he comes out of this and make a plan from there. He’s a fun horse and we’re hoping to have a fun season with him going forward.”
Charles Leclerc is confident “the best is yet to come” after signing a contract extension with Ferrari.
Leclerc was one of a raft of Formula One drivers heading into the final year of his contract, along with Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz, but the Scuderia announced on Thursday that the Monegasque has agreed a new long-term deal.
The 26-year-old, who made his F1 debut with Sauber before joining the Italian team in 2019, has won five grands prix including a famous home victory for Ferrari at Monza in his maiden season.
Leclerc finished fifth in the standings last season as Ferrari, who have not won a drivers’ title since 2007, continued to trail Red Bull and Mercedes but he is confident that he is in the right team to achieve his dream of winning the world championship.
“I’m very pleased to know that I will be wearing the Scuderia Ferrari race suit for several more seasons to come,” Leclerc said.
“To race for this team has been my dream since I was three years old: I used to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from the window of a friend’s apartment and I would always look out for the red cars.
“This team is my second family ever since I joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 and we have achieved a lot together, fighting through thick and thin over the past five years.
“However, I believe the best is yet to come and I can’t wait for this season to start, to make further progress and be competitive at every race.
“My dream remains that of winning the world championship with Ferrari and I’m sure that in the years ahead, we will enjoy great times together and make our fans happy.”
The 2024 season gets under way in Bahrain on March 2, with Ferrari hopeful their car will be able to fight with a Red Bull team who have dominated the sport for the last two seasons.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur added: “We are determined to give Charles a winning car and I know that his determination and commitment are elements that can make the difference in helping us reach our goals.”
Kerry National winner Desertmore House will look to tee up a potential crack at the Irish Grand National in the Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase on Sunday.
Martin Brassil’s nine-year-old has come of age this season, winning twice at Kilbeggan before landing the valuable prize at Listowel against far more experienced rivals over fences.
He needs one more run over the bigger obstacles to qualify for Fairyhouse at Easter and Brassil then has his eyes set on Aintree next season for a horse who runs in the same colours as Numbersixvalverde, Brassil’s past Irish National and Aintree hero.
“Desertmore House runs in Naas on Sunday in a Grade Three Chase,” he said.
“He’s a novice. He has no penalty because he won two handicaps. He’ll be nice enough in that race but I’m hoping the ground won’t be as soft as it is, he’s more of a spring ground horse.
“He needs to run six times over fences to make an entry for the National and I just have that in the back of my mind – the Irish National is the main aim this year and Aintree next year.”
Another nice horse in Brassil’s Dunmurray yard is bumper winner Goldinthemountains, who won what is traditionally a hot race at Leopardstown over Christmas
“We’ll probably keep him for the Punchestown Festival, the winners-of-one bumper there. The owners (Sean and Bernardine Mulryan) are local to the track and like runners at that meeting,” said Brassil.
“He’s a nice horse to look forward to. You could run him before that but he’s a lovely, big horse we are just going to mind – and he’ll be hurdling this time next year.”
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will take on first-time grand slam finalist Zheng Qinwen for the Australian Open crown on Saturday.
Sabalenka reversed the result of the US Open final, beating Coco Gauff 7-6 (2) 6-4, while 12th seed Zheng ended the run of qualifier Dayana Yastremska with a 6-4 6-4 victory.
Britain’s Alfie Hewett is one win away from defending his wheelchair title and will again face Japanese teenager Tokito Oda for the trophy.
Picture of the dayStat of the dayPoint of the dayLegacyWho’s up next?
The men take centre stage on Friday, with Novak Djokovic putting his 33-match unbeaten run at Melbourne Park on the line in a semi-final clash against fourth seed Jannik Sinner.
In the night session, familiar foes Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev will do battle for a place in the final.
Britain’s Neal Skupski goes for a fourth grand slam title alongside American Desirae Krawczyk in the mixed doubles final, with the pair taking on Hsieh Su-wei and Jan Zielinski.
Paul Nicholls views Saturday’s Paddy Power Cotswold Chase as the “perfect race” for his star novice Stay Away Fay.
The Ditcheat handler has saddled five previous winners of the recognised Cheltenham Gold Cup trial, with See More Business triumphing in 1998 and 2001 before the subsequent victories of Taranis in 2010, Neptune Collonges in 2011 and Frodon in 2019.
Stay Away Fay, a winner at last year’s Cheltenham Festival in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, has run just twice over fences, making a successful debut at Exeter before outstaying Giovinco in the Grade Two Esher Novices’ Chase at Sandown last month.
Nicholls is well aware his charge has plenty on his plate as he takes on more seasoned campaigners this weekend, but he is happy to roll the dice.
“He has got to go somewhere before the Cheltenham Festival and this gives him more time than if he goes to the Reynoldstown (Novices’ Chase) at Ascot and has a hard race. He has worked well and schooled well since Sandown and we are looking forward to it,” he said.
“This race has always been on my mind for him. For a horse like him it is the perfect race. He might have to take on some better ones, but apart from Royale Pagaille there are no real Gold Cup horses in there.
“This would do him good and it is all good experience and that is what you need. He has not been over fences around Cheltenham and that is why we are quite keen to do it.
“He is fit, stays well and he is in good order and we think he will run a nice race.”
While Nicholls has given Stay Away Fay an entry in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, he is currently planning to revert to novice company come the big meeting in March.
He added: “I’ve given him an entry in the National Hunt Chase and Gold Cup, but I would say he would be one for the Brown Advisory at the Festival after this.”
Stay Away Fay is set to face five rivals over an extended three miles and a furlong, with last year’s winner Ahoy Senor and Betfair Chase hero Royale Pagaille heading the field.
The Real Whacker won his first three starts over fences at Cheltenham last season, including a Festival win in the Brown Advisory, but has not troubled the judge in two starts so far this term.
Jamie Snowden’s Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino and the Willie Mullins-trained Irish raider Capodanno complete the line-up.
Aryna Sabalenka has her sights on a second straight Australian Open title after a successful revenge mission against Coco Gauff.
Gauff denied Sabalenka a second grand slam title of the year with victory in the US Open final last summer but her winning run at the majors came to an end with a 7-6 (2) 6-4 defeat under the roof on Rod Laver Arena.
Sabalenka will now be a big favourite to successfully defend her title at Melbourne Park on Saturday when she takes on first-time slam finalist Zheng Qinwen, who defeated Dayana Yastremska 6-4 6-4.
Sabalenka has been in tremendous form this fortnight, not losing more than three games in any set prior to this semi-final meeting.
Gauff’s stellar powers of defence, which turned the tables in New York after she had lost the first set, ensured she got significantly closer than any of Sabalenka’s previous opponents, but it was still not enough.
“It was (an) incredible match,” said the second seed. “She’s a great player, always tough battles against her. I think the key was that I was able to stay focused no matter what. I just kept trying my best, kept fighting for it.
“Of course I’m super happy to be in another final of the grand slam. Hopefully I can do a little bit better than the last time.”
Gauff made a poor start, with five double faults in her first three service games helping Sabalenka open up a 5-2 lead.
But Gauff’s ability to get one more ball back in play better than anyone else in the women’s game had put Sabalenka into meltdown mode in New York and she threatened the same here.
Sabalenka failed to serve out the set at 5-3 and Gauff saved a set point in the next game before making it four games in a row, the crowd gasping as the Belarusian pushed a forehand wide with the whole court at her mercy.
Gauff was two points away from taking the set but Sabalenka refused to let history repeat itself and forced a tie-break, where she put on a display of awesome power that even the athletic American could find no answer to.
The second was nip and tuck but Sabalenka got the crucial break at 4-4 and served out the victory to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 and 2017 to reach successive finals here.
Gauff looked emotional leaving the court but she rated her performance as better than in the US Open final, saying: “I felt like it wasn’t a great match for me. Yes, I won. I think I played better tonight.
“I wish I could have made more first serves. I think that was the difference. She had a higher first-serve percentage, and it’s tough to also go for the second when you double-faulted a couple times.
“I put myself in the position to serve out the set. At the end of the day, it came down to a couple of points. Same in the second.”
The 19-year-old immediately found perspective at the end of her final slam as a teenager, saying: “I watched these matches growing up, watching Serena (Williams) and (Maria) Sharapova lose these matches.
“When you’re in it, it feels like the end of the world. But then, when you look at history, they didn’t let one match define their career.
“I’m going to dwell on it tonight but, as (coach) Brad (Gilbert) told me as soon as the match was over, the sun is going to rise tomorrow and you have a new chance to live a good day. Tomorrow I’m going to try to go to the movies or something, be proud of myself.”
Twelfth seed Zheng has kept her head while the more fancied players in the top half of the draw have fallen around her.
Yastremska was trying to emulate Emma Raducanu by reaching a grand slam final as a qualifier but she came out second best in a big-hitting encounter.
Zheng, who has not yet faced a top-50 opponent, is the first Chinese player to make it to a slam decider since Li Na won the title here a decade ago.
The 21-year-old said: “It feels unbelievable. I’m super excited to have a such a great performance today and arrive in the final.”
Oisin Murphy is relishing the prospect of being reunited with Mawj when she lines up in the Jebel Hatta at Meydan on Friday.
Globetrotting Murphy has kept himself busy overseas this winter, having most recently plied his trade in Florida.
He will jet into Dubai to link up with the horse that provided him and trainer Saeed bin Suroor with Classic honours last season, before returning to America for the big-money Pegasus World Cup meeting at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
After outbattling Tahiyra to scoop the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, Mawj missed the height of summer with a setback before travelling to America herself, where she added to her top-level tally at Keeneland before being cruelly denied by a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.
She now returns to the nine-furlong trip over which she won the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup in Kentucky last October and bids to maintain her unbeaten Meydan record in this Group One event.
“I’m really looking forward to riding her and she obviously had a great year last year,” said Murphy.
“She has won over a similar distance at Keeneland in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and she seems to be nicely drawn in the middle, so it will be interesting to see how the pace sets up.
“She can take a lead or make the running – she is very happy doing lots of things, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Spirit Dancer gave Richard Fahey and famous co-owner Sir Alex Ferguson a day to remember when striking in Bahrain in November and having flourished over the last 12 months, now tries his hand in Group One company for the first time.
“We’ve always liked him and he’s relatively lightly raced, but we’re getting a good go with him now as he’s been a bit of a backward horse who has taken time to mature physically and mentally,” said Fahey.
“We’re not surprised he’s improving, but he will need to improve again now.”
Charlie Appleby has won this race three times in the past eight years and after rattling the crossbar with third-placed Master Of The Seas 12 months ago, he now saddles three seeking to get his hands back on the trophy.
Stable jockey William Buick has elected to partner Al Rashidiya winner Measured Time, with the son of Frankel and half-brother to Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Rebel’s Romance winning four of his five career starts.
“Measured Time was an impressive winner of the Al Rashidiya and has done well physically since,” the Moulton Paddocks handler told the Godolphin website.
“This will obviously be more of a test, with Mawj and San Donato in the field, but he heads into it in great order.”
Measured Time is joined in the race by the reliable Ottoman Fleet and Highland Avenue, who were both behind their stablemate in Meydan’s pre-Christmas Group Two.
Appleby added: “Ottoman Fleet has proved ultra-consistent over this trip and doesn’t know how to run a bad race. He deserves to be in the line-up and I’m sure he will give his usual running.
“Highland Avenue has been competitive at Group level and was unlucky to get stuck wide in the Al Rashidiya. Hopefully he can get a better run around this time, which will help his chances.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard expressed their surprise at the firing of Bucks coach Adrian Griffin after Milwaukee won its first game since the decision.
There was a third triple-double in four games for Giannis as Milwaukee ended the Cleveland Cavaliers’ eight-game winning streak on Wednesday with a 126-116 home victory.
Antetokounmpo had 35 points, a season high-tying 18 rebounds and 10 assists for his seventh triple-double this season. He came up one assist shy of having four consecutive triple-doubles after he had 31 points, 10 boards and nine assists in Saturday’s win at Detroit.
Joe Prunty served as Milwaukee’s interim head coach after Griffin was fired on Tuesday despite the Bucks leading the Central Division with a 30-13 record, putting them second in the Eastern Conference. The team was finalising negotiations with Doc Rivers to take over.
Lillard added 28 points and Khris Middleton had 24 for the Bucks, winners of six in seven, as Cleveland lost despite Donovan Mitchell scoring 23 points and Jarrett Allen having 21 and 12 assists.
Two-time MVP Giannis was not expecting the decision to fire first-year coach Griffin, but stressed he trusted the front office.
"Their job is to create the best team possible and the best atmosphere around the team possible that they believe gives us a better chance to win a championship," Giannis said to ESPN.
"But yeah, I do think [firing coach Griffin] was a surprise.
"I've got to trust the front office, I've got to trust the ownership group that they consider the bigger picture. My job is to be the best version of myself, to lead this team out there and help win games."
Giannis had expressed concerns over the Bucks’ performances this season but stressed he had no personal issues with Griffin.
"I loved the guy, I invited him to my wedding," Antetokounmpo said. ""I was coached by him and we did very, very, very well.
"When somebody is being hired, the GM might come and ask, 'What do you think about that? What do you think about this?' or whatever and not just me – players and people that he trusts their advice.
"But at times they make it seem like it's the players that are making the decision.
"For a coach like Griff, from Day 1, everything was about togetherness. He was always leading this group into the direction we set at the beginning of the year.
"Him not being here, at the end of the day, we’re humans. It hurts everybody. But we’ve got to keep on moving forward. We have a goal in our head, which is to be the best basketball team that we can be."
Lillard had a similar view to Giannis that the news was unexpected, though has agreed the Bucks could be playing better.
"There's been a lot of expectations on our team," he said. "Things have been expected to look a certain way. We've had a bumpy road to our success, which is sometimes a part of the process.
"I was surprised. But it's part of the game. People get traded, people get waived, people get fired, and that's never something you want to see."
The Bucks never trailed in a win which avenged their 40-point loss in Cleveland last week and the teams will play again on Friday.
"Our experience really worked in our favor in this situation,” added Lillard. "We have all experienced a lot of things.
"I think this was different for everybody, but we just understood we had a game tonight, and it was going to be a tough game against a really good team that kind of handled us the last time we played them."
Aryna Sabalenka took her revenge against Coco Gauff to make it back-to-back Australian Open finals.
Gauff denied Sabalenka a second grand slam title of the year with victory in the US Open final last summer but her winning run at the majors came to an end with a 7-6 (2) 6-4 defeat under the roof on Rod Laver Arena.
Sabalenka will now be a big favourite to win a second-straight title at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
The second seed has been in tremendous form this fortnight, not losing more than three games in any set prior to this semi-final meeting.
Gauff’s stellar powers of defence, which turned the tables in New York after she had lost the first set, ensured she got significantly closer than any of Sabalenka’s previous opponents, but it was still not enough.
Sabalenka came out firing, winning the first seven points and immediately breaking the Gauff serve.
Nerves were on show from both and Gauff hit back to level, but five double faults from the American in her opening three service games proved very costly and Sabalenka opened up a 5-2 lead.
Gauff’s ability to get one more ball back in play than anyone else in the women’s game had put Sabalenka into meltdown mode in New York and she threatened the same here.
Sabalenka failed to serve out the set at 5-3 and Gauff saved a set point in the next game before making it four games in a row, the crowd gasping as the Belarusian pushed a forehand wide with the whole court at her mercy.
Gauff was two points away from taking the set but Sabalenka refused to let history repeat itself, forcing a tie-break, where she put on a display of awesome power that even the athletic American could find no answer to.
Gauff kept her nose in front on serve in the second set and a real test of Sabalenka’s nerve arrived when she trailed 0-30 in the eighth game.
But the 25-year-old responded with four exceptional points, broke Gauff in the next game and served out the victory to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 and 2017 to reach successive finals here.
Nico de Boinville will miss Friday’s action at Sandown and the plum ride on Jonbon at Cheltenham on Saturday to give himself more time to fully recover from the broken collarbone he suffered in a fall at Doncaster last month.
The leading jockey returned from nearly a month on the sidelines at Lingfield last Sunday and has since taken up a total of 11 rides, including a winner at Warwick on Monday.
However, having suffered a narrow defeat aboard 11-8 favourite Ilfu Un Mome at Chepstow on Wednesday – his only ride on the card – De Boinville has made the difficult decision to withdraw from the upcoming action, meaning James Bowen will take over aboard Jonbon in Saturday’s Clarence House Chase.
“Nico was sore after yesterday, so he won’t be riding this weekend,” said De Boinville’s agent Sam Stronge.
“We’ll just take it day by day and see how it is next week. It’s unfortunate, we obviously tried to do our best as quickly as we could, and after riding for a couple of days he obviously wasn’t quite right.
“The sensible thing to do when you’ve got big rides like that (Jonbon) is to not let everybody down. It’s a very difficult decision, but we’ll take it day by day and hopefully he’ll be back next week.”
Novak Djokovic puts his 33-match unbeaten Australian Open run to the test against Jannik Sinner on Rod Laver Arena on Friday.
The world number one has not been beaten at Melbourne Park since a fourth-round loss to Chung Hyeon back in 2018, with only two opponents in the intervening six years managing to push him to five sets.
Djokovic appears to have recovered from the illness that was troubling him at the start of the fortnight, but was tested in a four-set quarter-final win over Taylor Fritz and, if anyone is going to end his streak, Sinner appears a prime candidate.
The 22-year-old beat Djokovic twice in successive weeks at the end of last season at the ATP Finals and Davis Cup, where he led Italy to the title, and is the only player in the men’s draw yet to drop a set.
“This is what I practise for, to play against the best players in the world,” said Sinner. “Obviously he has an incredible record here, so for me it’s a pleasure to play against him, especially in the final stages of the tournament where things are a little bit more interesting.
“I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be tough. This, I know. I will control the controllable, which is giving 100 per cent, having the right attitude, fighting for every ball. And then we see the outcome. More than this, I cannot do. It doesn’t really matter who my opponent is.”
Sinner reached his first slam semi-final at Wimbledon last summer but lost in straight sets to Djokovic, who is tantalisingly close to a record-breaking 25th major title.
This has not been one of his more straightforward paths through the draw in Melbourne, but his desire to continue racking up the biggest titles remains unquestionable.
“I’m aware of the streak that I’m on and the amount of matches that I have won in my career on the Rod Laver Arena,” said Djokovic.
“I don’t want to let that go. The longer the streak goes, the more that kind of confidence, also expectations, build, but also the willingness to really walk the extra mile.”
The second semi-final pits two very familiar opponents against each other in the shape of third seed Daniil Medvedev and sixth seed Alexander Zverev.
Medvedev is bidding to reach his third final at Melbourne Park in the last four years while Zverev crashed the top-four party by defeating Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday for his best victory at a slam.
Medvedev and Zverev, who are certainly not the best of friends, have played each other 18 times previously but strangely never at a slam.
Russian Medvedev leads the head-to-head 11-7 having won five of the six matches they played last season, but Zverev took time to get back to his best after a serious ankle injury.
“A lot of matches were extremely close,” said the German, who lost his only grand slam final at the US Open in 2020.
“A lot of the times it came down to him being extremely confident last year, him playing some of the best tennis of his life, and me coming back from injury and not having the confidence in deciding moments and not being able to finish matches.
“He’s obviously extremely difficult to play. No question about it. He’s one of the best players in the world right now. But I’m happy in the position I am, and I’m going to do everything I can to win that match on Friday.”
Nathan MacKinnon scored three of his four goals consecutively and added an assist and Mikko Rantanen had a goal and four assists to lead the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-2 rout of the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.
MacKinnon’s first goal of the game at 2:39 of the second period extended Colorado’s lead to 2-0, and he made it 3-0 at the 7-minute mark. He notched his third goal of the game 2:16 later and completed his second four-goal game of the season with 3:46 remaining in the third period.
MacKinnon, who drew an assist on Rantanen’s third-period goal, leads the NHL with 82 points, two more than Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov.
The Avalanche superstar extended his home point streak to 24 games to break a tie with Joe Sakic for the franchise record. MacKinnon has 11 goals and 15 assists during an overall 12-game point streak.
Cale Makar set the franchise record for goals by a defenseman with his 76th and Colorado improved to 10-1-0 in its last 11 home games.
Canucks rally to extend point streak in OT loss
Pius Suter completed his hat trick with 52 seconds left in regulation and the Vancouver Canucks pushed their point streak to 10 games with a 4-3 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Brayden Schenn scored the game-winner at 1:54 of overtime after Vancouver battled back from a 3-1 deficit in the third behind Suter’s two goals.
Jake Neighbours had a goal and an assist to help the Blues win their third straight.
Quinn Hughes had a pair of assists as the Canucks moved to 8-0-2 in their last 10 games and increased the league’s highest point total to 69.
Hurricanes cool Bruins with late goal
Jordan Martinook scored with 2 ½ minutes remaining and Spencer Martin made 26 saves to win his Hurricanes debut as Carolina ended the Boston Bruins’ six-game winning streak, 3-2.
Boston rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period on goals by Brad Marchand, but Martinook beat Linus Ullmark on a breakaway for the winner.
Martin Necas and Teuvo Teravainen also scored for the Hurricanes, who have won five straight road games.
Marchand’s goals gave him 395, tying him with Ray Bourque for fifth on the team’s all-time list. Bourque scored 395 of his 410 career goals with the Bruins.
On this day in 2008 six-time champion jockey Kieren Fallon was banned from racing for 18 months after testing positive for a banned substance.
He initially failed a test following Myboycharlie’s success in the Group One Darley Prix Morny the previous August.
A B-test sample confirmed the original positive test for a banned substance and France Galop imposed the ban.
Fallon had previously served a six-month suspension imposed by France Galop for testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine in June 2006.
Speaking about the ban, he told the Racing Post: “It’s not a tragedy, you know. Far from it.
“There’s no doubt I’ll bounce back. It’s very silly of people to talk of retirement. I’m young at heart and have many years left.
“I’ll use the duration of the ban to get back on track, and when I do come back I’ll be stronger, both mentally and physically.”
He immediately launched an appeal against the ban which was heard the following month and subsequently upheld.
Fallon returned to the sport in September 2009 and made his return to action at Lingfield.
Wales will go into the Guinness Six Nations with a new-look squad containing five international rookies and a 21-year-old captain.
But head coach Warren Gatland believes it is “incredibly exciting” as his players embark on the long road towards World Cup 2027 in Australia.
Although the last World Cup finished just four months ago, only 18 of that 33-strong squad feature for a Six Nations campaign that Wales kick off against Scotland before facing successive appointments away from home with England and Ireland.
The list of absentees is startling, highlighted by wing Louis Rees-Zammit’s career switch to American football, Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny retiring from Test rugby and Liam Williams now playing in Japan.
There are tournament-ending injuries to the likes of World Cup co-captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake, plus number eight Taulupe Faletau, with France-based props Tomas Francis and Henry Thomas also missing out.
The uncapped contingent comprises Cardiff quartet Cameron Winnett, Evan Lloyd, Alex Mann and Mackenzie Martin, in addition to Bath prop Archie Griffin, while almost half the squad have eight caps or fewer.
It could well be a case of short-term pain leading to long-term gain for Wales, but Gatland is relishing what lies ahead.
“It is incredibly exciting,” said Gatland, who named Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins as his skipper. “If you look at the squad we have got some talent, we’ve got some experience there from players we had with us at the World Cup.
“We have lost a lot of experience, but it is a new cycle for us to go through. We probably need a little bit of time and a little bit of patience from the Welsh public.
“I hope they can see that given some time together we can develop a squad over the next few years.
“I think this for us, looking at Wales having such a small group of players in terms of a Tier One nation, it is something that we need to plan and look at how we implement that plan over the next three or four years.
“Some of that is doing it right from the start. I think that despite all the negativity around Welsh rugby I think there are a lot of positives.
“There are a lot of negatives financially, but the financial challenges mean that we are giving opportunities to lots of youngsters that we may not have seen a few years ago, and for me that is a massive positive.
“We are not going to benefit in the short term, but I think that in the next three or four years we are going to benefit from us giving them those chances.
“Despite what people are talking about, the financial challenges, I see it differently as a real positive and a real chance for a reset in Welsh rugby that is going to put us in good stead over the next few years.”
With Biggar having departed the Test scene, considerable attention will focus on his fly-half successor – 22-year-old Sam Costelow – and his fellow squad number 10s Ioan Lloyd and Cai Evans.
Gatland added: “We are pleased with the progression of Sam in the time that he has been with us, but he has still got a little bit of learning.
“With Ioan it has probably been a little bit difficult for him over the last couple of seasons in terms of nailing down a position. He has played a lot of 10, he can cover 15 as well.
“The important thing for him is just to be playing regularly in one or two positions, and we are also thinking we can spend some time with Cai Evans in terms of giving him a little bit of time in that 10 position just to give us an option.”
Steve Borthwick feels that England supporters “deserve better” when it comes to performances and results in the Guinness Six Nations.
While England’s seven Six Nations titles put them top of the tree, the tally also gives a slightly distorted picture.
Three of those successes came during the competition’s first four seasons – and before England won the 2003 World Cup – and it has been a mere 20 per cent success-rate since then.
One title over the past six years underlines how tough England have found it and they have their work cut out again this time around, given the dominant form of Ireland and France.
“What has happened sometimes is England have been coming into the tournament and we are often talked about being favourites, and essentially England’s performance has not been anywhere near that level,” England head coach Borthwick said.
“The team knows that and the team wants to deliver better and the supporters deserve better.”
England will arrive in the competition after a third-place finish at the World Cup, an outcome that exceeded many expectations.
And the fixture schedule has been relatively kind as games against opening opponents Italy in Rome and Wales at Twickenham could see them generate early momentum.
But given it is then a Murrayfield appointment with Scotland, chasing four successive victories over England for the first time since 1972, then Ireland before a finale against France in Lyon, starting well is pretty much non-negotiable.
With World Cup captain Owen Farrell deciding to miss the Six Nations as he prioritises his and his family’s mental well-being, hooker Jamie George takes over as skipper.
Borthwick’s 36-strong squad includes seven uncapped players, headlined by 21-year-old Exeter wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, with only 17 survivors from the World Cup.
Experienced forwards Kyle Sinckler and Billy Vunipola missed out, while Courtney Lawes, Ben Youngs and Mako Vunipola retired from Test rugby, but approaching half the squad have each won 30 caps or more
Borthwick added: “I think you can see from my selections that I value the importance of having experience in there with younger, less experienced players and having that sort of support around them.
“I think that’s really important on the international stage. I think it is important at any level.
“You look at the effect Jamie George has in gluing the team together. It is just awesome. And I am delighted that we have got Joe Marler and his experience around the group, Dan Cole as well, just to mention a few.
“So I think getting that balance right with the experience and with these exciting players, younger players coming in is going to be really important.
“Our intent is to hit the ground running in Rome the way we want with the intensity that we want to, which is something that England have not done in recent years.
“At times, we have not jumped into this tournament and have been caught in that first game.
“We want this to be a different mindset for England, a different way of approaching the game and the tournament.
“We are taking a different approach because we need different results to previous tournaments.”
The Rugby World Cup done and dusted until 2027, attention now turns to this season’s Guinness Six Nations and a battle for European supremacy.
Ireland and France, who meet in the competition’s opening game, are favourites for silverware, while a host of new captains include England hooker Jamie George, Wales lock Dafydd Jenkins and Ireland flanker Peter O’Mahony.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some key talking points ahead of the tournament.
No Owen Farrell for new-look England
England will head into the Six Nations without their World Cup captain and fly-half Farrell, who has decided to miss the tournament in order to prioritise his and his family’s mental wellbeing.
Farrell’s Saracens colleague George takes over leadership duties, heading up a squad that includes Exeter pair Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Ethan Roots among seven uncapped players, but experienced forwards Kyle Sinckler and Billy Vunipola have been left out. Italy away and Wales at home suggests England should make an unbeaten start, but life then gets infinitely tougher with Scotland at Murrayfield being followed by Ireland on home soil and France in Lyon.
The World Cup bronze medallists have their work cut out to shake up principal title contenders Ireland and France, but with players like Alex Mitchell, Henry Slade and Tommy Freeman in blistering form for their clubs, Steve Borthwick’s men could make a strong impression if everything clicks.
Big boots to fill for Ireland’s fly-halves
Andy Farrell’s approach with reigning Grand Slam champions Ireland is very much evolution, not revolution following 29 wins from their last 32 fixtures. Farrell has retained 26 of the 33 players he took to the World Cup, with the alterations all enforced due to injuries and retirements.
Yet the major transition facing Farrell is undoubtedly in the most influential position. Johnny Sexton’s departure has left a void at fly-half and is expected to result in Munster’s Jack Crowley being elevated to first choice. The exciting 24-year-old has impressed when selected, but just three of his nine Test outings have come as a starter.
With Ross Byrne out due to an arm issue, Crowley’s rivals – Ciaran Frawley and Harry Byrne – also lack international experience, having won only three caps combined.
All change for Warren Gatland’s Wales
Wales’ player turnaround from World Cup to Six Nations is considerable. International retirements, injuries, unavailability and selection calls mean that head coach Gatland will go into the tournament without 15 of his squad that were on duty in France.
They will be minus the services of players like NFL hopeful Louis Rees-Zammit, Liam Williams, Dan Biggar, Dewi Lake, Tomas Francis, Jac Morgan and Taulupe Faletau, with Gatland’s group including five uncapped players.
Wales kick off against Scotland in Cardiff, before successive appointments with England, Ireland and France. Gatland frequently weaves his magic and Wales often punch above their weight, but it will be a tall order for them this time around.
Scots need to banish World Cup blues
Scotland are in need of an uplifting Six Nations campaign after having the wind removed from their sails by a deflating World Cup pool-stage exit. The recently-retired Stuart Hogg is the only notable absentee from the side that generally performed well in last year’s championship, finishing as best of the rest behind the big two of Ireland and France.
Most of their pre-tournament injury concerns have cleared up, so they have the personnel to compete strongly, particularly with back quartet Blair Kinghorn, Ben White, Finn Russell and Ali Price all thriving after their recent moves to Toulouse, Toulon, Bath and Edinburgh respectively.
In a tournament where a strong start is often so crucial, much will depend on whether Gregor Townsend’s side can get off on the right foot against Wales in Cardiff, a city in which the Scots have not tasted victory for more than two decades.
Absent friends have left fond memories
While inevitable excitement surrounds the 2024 Six Nations tournament, it will unfold with some notable names missing, highlighted by France World Cup captain Antoine Dupont.
The Toulouse scrum-half will not be part of Les Bleus’ campaign after deciding to push for selection in France’s sevens squad for the Paris Olympics. Dupont is likely to take part in two World Series tournaments while the Six Nations happens, with Maxime Lucu favourite to replace him in the number nine shirt. La Rochelle number eight Gregory Alldritt is the new skipper.
Dupont’s fellow former world player of the year Sexton has retired, with another high-profile playmaker – Wales number 10 Biggar – stepping away from Test rugby, in addition to vastly-experienced England trio Courtney Lawes, Ben Youngs and Mako Vunipola.
Top referees Wayne Barnes and Jaco Peyper, meanwhile, have blown the whistle on their careers, and there will also be no Stade de France on this year’s Six Nations schedule as it is being prepared for the Olympics. France’s home games will take place in Marseille, Lille and Lyon.
Ireland begin the Guinness Six Nations as reigning Grand Slam champions but on the back of familiar World Cup quarter-final disappointment.
Head coach Andy Farrell has kept faith with 26 of the 33 players who ultimately suffered a last-eight defeat to New Zealand in France less than four months ago as he opts for evolution over revolution.
The Englishman, whose squad alterations are enforced by retirements, including that of former captain Johnny Sexton, and injuries, believes “completely cutting the legs off” a system which previously brought sustained success would be detrimental.
He has appointed veteran Munster flanker Peter O’Mahony as his new skipper and is very much focused on immediate challenges, rather than the next World Cup cycle as a whole.
“I was unbelievably proud how we connected with our fans and did it together (at the World Cup) – that for me continues with how we get back on the horse,” said the 2023 World Rugby coach of the year.
“What I’m talking about is being proud of how we go about our business to want to keep evolving our game. The journey continues.
“I think completely cutting the legs off something and starting again can damage not just the team but the individuals within that.
“Dealing with the here and now and the medium term is pretty important to be able to get to the long term in good shape, in my opinion.
“I could be wrong but that’s my experience of it over the years.”
Ireland once again failed to win a World Cup knockout match, suffering a fourth quarter-final elimination in a row and an eighth overall.
Yet they have been victorious in 29 of their last 32 Tests, including a historic tour triumph over the All Blacks in 2022, and spent a prolonged period at the top of the world rankings.
While Farrell plans to build on existing foundations, he is eager to keep generating competition for places and ensure players do not become complacent.
“I think the best thing you can do for the squad as a coach is stay open minded because if you’re fixed on (selection decisions) then people tend to get downhearted or too comfortable,” said the new British and Irish Lions head coach.
“The pressure that they put on each other is the main thing really because ultimately all you’re trying to do as a professional is get the respect of your peers.”
Ireland’s title defence begins on February 2 against France in Marseille.
The major transition facing Farrell is undoubtedly in the most influential position following the departure of talismanic fly-half Sexton.
Munster’s Jack Crowley, who has started just three of his nine Test appearances, is expected to begin as first-choice number 10, with Leinster pair Harry Byrne and Ciaran Frawley, who have only three caps combined, as understudies.
The injury absence of Connacht wing Mack Hansen is a major blow, while front-row forwards Rob Herring and Dave Kilcoyne, fly-half Ross Byrne and versatile back Jimmy O’Brien are also sidelined.
Captain O’Mahony has urged the squad to learn from the World Cup exit at the hands of the All Blacks.
“All the good that we did last year, that’s not gone, far from it,” said the 34-year-old.
“You’ve got a decision to make, do you want that game to make you better? Or do you want to leave it hanging over you?
“Of course we’re going to grab it and be better for it and getting ahead of the game is where you have to be to be competing for championships, which is exactly what we want to do.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
