Fearnley slips to 6-4, 7-6 (3) defeat to Dimitrov Caja Mágica power restored at 8am on Tuesday morning Jacob Fearnley has not been a full-time professional player for a full year, yet on an unforgettable Monday afternoon in Madrid, he found himself in a bizarre scenario that many of the...
O’Sullivan opens up lead over Si in World Snooker Championship quarter
John Higgins and Mark Williams level at 8-8 Zhao Xintong in control with 12-4 lead over Chris Wakelin Hard competition and enduring happiness are the reasons why snooker’s “Class of 92” have continued to hold the sport’s new generations at bay, according to the seven-times world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan. The...
Daniel Dubois dismisses Oleksandr Usyk’s ‘mind games’ before showdown
Heavyweights due to meet at Wembley on 19 July ‘If you’ve got power on your side, you can do anything’ Daniel Dubois has warned Oleksandr Usyk that none of the mind games will matter when they step into the ring for their heavyweight title unification contest and suggested the Ukrainian...
Saints’ Phil Dowson fears Premiership clubs ‘sleepwalking’ towards financial crisis
Director of rugby backs plans for franchise league Expansion would end promotion and relegation The Northampton director of rugby, Phil Dowson, fears the sport is “sleepwalking” towards another club going bust and endorsed plans for the Premiership to become a franchised league on the basis it would be more appealing...
Wallabies aim for smooth coaching transition with Les Kiss to take over in 2026
Kiss to see out Super Rugby Pacific contract with Reds Joe Schmidt to remain in charge for European tour Incoming Wallabies coach Les Kiss is confident he will have enough time to prepare for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, despite only taking charge of the national side from mid-2026. Rugby...
Stick or twist? England’s selectors weigh up options for Zimbabwe Test
If Zak Crawley’s form is a worry the middle-order is not, but Ben Stokes’s role as an all-rounder remains unknown It may be viewed as an amuse-bouche before the main course of India in June, but England’s one-off Test against Zimbabwe is fast approaching. Selection is imminent – for the...
No criminal charges to be brought over death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson
Nottingham Panthers player died in 2023 match Matt Petgrave of Sheffield Steelers on bail for 18 months No criminal charges will be brought against an ice hockey player arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after the death of Adam Johnson, with the Crown Prosecution Service deciding there was no realistic chance...
SFA to ban transgender women from playing in women’s football
Scottish Football Association updates guidelines on issue Change comes a week after UK supreme court ruling The Scottish Football Association is to ban transgender women from participating in women’s football after updating its guidelines. From next season only biological women will be able to take part in women’s competitive football,...
Mikel Arteta’s Big Energy show splutters against PSG to reveal Arsenal’s frailties | Barney Ronay
Absences were keenly felt by hosts whose aggressive approach was disrupted by visiting side’s physical pressure Reasons to be cheerful. Hmm. Let’s see. Well, it’s only 1-0. There’s that. And this is a significant achievement given Arsenal were basically suffocated in the opening 20 minutes of this semi-final first leg,...
Raphinha goes from missing man to Barcelona’s Ballon d’Or contender
The former Leeds forward was on the periphery but is now key to Hansi Flick’s team thanks to his hunger for goals To score, first you have to learn how to miss. Raphinha, to be fair, misses a lot. Most common of all, perhaps, is the low screamer, dragged across...