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Draper wins thriller to join Fearnley in third round
Barely anyone outside of British tennis circles had heard of Fearnley this time last year.
While eyes were on the pinnacle of sport at Melbourne Park, he was playing events on the third-tier ITF Tour and still finishing his kinesiology degree in the United States.
Last April he left Texas Christian University and then came the stunning rise which has been one of the quickest in ATP history.
Winning five ATP Challenger events in 2024 propelled him into the top 100 and enabled him to qualify directly for this year's Australian Open main draw.
Like every other test he has faced over recent months, he has not been fazed by the experience.
After beating 2022 Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios in front of a partisan home crowd on Monday, Fearnley might have been forgiven for thinking it would be a quieter evening on the outside courts.
But, with a vocal French support backing Cazaux and also galvanising the British fans, his college tennis experience helped him once again.
Fearnley trailed 2-0 before a rain delay and quickly went another break down when they returned to court an hour later in cool and windy conditions.
He lost serve again early in the second set, but immediately clawed the break back and swung the momentum in his favour.
His fluid and fast groundstrokes were too much for Cazaux to handle, enabling him to confidently win the final two sets before looking stunned when he clinched victory.
"I was extremely nervous at the end because I started hitting some double faults. I really didn't want to serve out the match," Fearnley said.
"When I did it was a little bit emotional."
ITTF Unveils Enhanced Racket Control Process
In a significant step toward promoting fairness and integrity in table tennis, the ITTF has announced an updated Racket Control process, set to be implemented progressively from 2025. Approved by the ITTF Council in February 2024, this enhanced procedure introduces a critical post-match inspection, complementing the existing pre-match checks.
Whats New?
The updated Racket Control process aims to address potential irregularities more effectively after the match, ensuring compliance with the ITTF Equipment Regulations.
Pre-Match Control:
- Rackets will be checked by designated racket testers for flatness, covering thickness, VOC levels, and conformity with the approved LARC list.
- Players whose rackets fail pre-match inspections may opt to switch to a compliant backup racket.
- In cases of uncertainty regarding compliance, players can either proceed with the questionable racket under the condition of post-match inspection or switch to a second racket, which will undergo pre- or post-match control depending on timing.
Post-Match Control:
- A key addition to the process, post-match inspections will be conducted immediately after matches for rackets flagged during pre-match checks or deemed suspicious.
- With the referees permission and the players presence, the racket covering will be removed to allow direct examination of the blade and covering thickness.
- Final compliance decisions will be based on these meticulous inspections, ensuring no equipment irregularities go undetected.
Piloting the New Process
To prepare players and their teams for this transition, the ITTF conducted trial runs of the updated procedures at the Asian and European Table Tennis Championships in October 2024. During these events, random racket checks were carried out up to the quarterfinals, and comprehensive inspections using the new post-match methods were conducted from the quarterfinals onward. Players received feedback on potential reasons their equipment may have failed earlier tests, such as blade flatness issues impacting compliance measurements.
Implementation
In 2025, the updated Racket Control process will be introduced at a selected number of ITTF and WTT events, starting from beginning of the event (random check if the pre-controls result shows strong suspicious) but mandatory from quarterfinal stage.
The ITTFs enhanced Racket Control process reflects its unwavering commitment to fairness and transparency. By educating players and their entourages on the updated regulations, the ITTF ensures that all participants are equipped to meet the highest standards of compliance.
This development marks another milestone in the ITTFs ongoing efforts to safeguard the integrity of the sport, providing a level playing field for all athletes as they compete at the highest levels.
Gray, 30, is one of five second rows named by Townsend, alongside Grant Gilchrist, Scott Cummings, Marshall Sykes and Gregor Brown - but there is no place for Max Williamson as he returns to full fitness.
There is also a recall for hooker Dave Cherry, who has not been in a squad since making an early exit from the 2023 World Cup after being concussed when falling on stairs.
The return of the 34-year-old Edinburgh forward means another disappointment for Glasgow's try-scoring hooker Johnny Matthews.
Kyle Steyn is absent with a knee injury but could play a part in the later games in the championship so the back-three options are Blair Kinghorn, Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham and Kyle Rowe.
Adam Hastings is injured, facilitating the call-up for Burke, who is one of three stand-offs in the pool along with Russell and another New Zealand-born playmaker, Tom Jordan.
Burke, who was understudy to All Blacks superstar Richie Mo'unga at Canterbury Crusaders and is also eligible for England, has leapfrogged Edinburgh pair Ross Thompson and Ben Healy to earn a place in the squad,
There are three scrum-halves in the squad - Ben White, George Horne and Jamie Dobie - while Tuipulotu is joined by four other centres - his regular midfield partner Huw Jones as well as Stafford McDowall, Matt Currie and Rory Hutchinson.
Flanker Andy Christie, a star of last year's Six Nations, and precocious back rower Freddy Douglas are both injured, while back-three option Harry Paterson has only just returned to fitness.
Scotland begin their campaign at home against Italy on 1 February, with defending champions Ireland the visitors to Murrayfield eight days later.
Scotland won twice in the 2024 Six Nations but lost tight games against France and Italy to finish fourth in the table.
Uncapped Boyle named in Ireland's Six Nations squad
Forwards (21): Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster) Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster)
Backs (15): Bundee Aki (Connacht), Caolin Blade (Connacht), Jack Crowley (Munster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Calvin Nash (Munster), Jimmy O'Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster)
Development players: Hugh Cooney (Leinster), Cathal Forde (Connacht), James McNabney (Ulster), Ben Murphy (Connacht)
England need 'extraordinary' leader Aldcroft - Mitchell
"It's an absolute honour and privilege to be able to drive this amazing team to where we want to go," said Aldcroft, who will have Packer and Megan Jones as vice-captains.
"A massive part of being a captain is leading by example. When I speak, I really mean what I'm saying and I like to think about what I'm saying.
"But it's also about bringing everyone else around me up and making sure everyone can be themselves and thrive in whatever they're doing."
The Red Roses will look to win a fourth successive Women's Six Nations Grand Slam in March and April, before hosting the Women's Rugby World Cup in August and September.
Men's rugby union needs more 'personality' - Maher
"We go on the field, we do our job, and that's how it's been. What's important is how you play on the field, that's the biggest thing in both [men's and women's rugby].
"They're under constant criticism by people, so their job is on the field, that's what they get paid for, to have a good performance there.
"For women, our contracts are to play on the field, but that's a tiny contract that isn't going to [provide] a comfortable living, so that's where we have to do more off the field."
Maher's comments echo sentiments made by Newcastle boss Steve Diamond late last year that the sport was "crying out for superstars".
Rugby union in England has been hit hard financially since the Covid-19 pandemic.
A host of top players, such as former England captain Owen Farrell, have left to chase the riches on offer in France.
Arguably there is no current England player - male or female - that has the same fame as Jonny Wilkinson, Will Carling or Martin Johnson did 20 or 30 years ago, and certainly no current male player who has the reach online of Maher.
"I would love to see more personality from the men's game," she added.
"You see it a little bit with your Joe Marlers - but even then I can think only really think of Joe and a few others who have that fun personality to them.
"I just wish we could show that more, but I think that's where the women's game, we have to break away a little bit and show that it's OK to show your personality outside of the field."
Do Scotland dare to dream of Six Nations success?
The alarm that forced the evacuation of the building where Gregor Townsend was about to talk about his squad for the Six Nations - a portent of doom for the Scots or a siren signalling their intent?
For the eighth time in his coaching life, Townsend named a Six Nations squad.
A band of 37 players with newcomers in the exciting Saracens fly-half Fergus Burke (the Kiwi has a Glasgow grandad) and Glasgow Warriors number eight Jack Mann.
There's the return of the prodigal lock, Jonny Gray, close to two years since he won the last of his 77 caps.
Seven of the forwards have six caps or fewer. Seven of the backs have 10 or fewer.
If that gives the impression of callowness, it's a false one. This is one of the most experienced groups that Townsend has ever put together since he became Scotland coach in the summer of 2017.
What's different between this season and last is that many of his players have won titles in the meantime. He has the core of the Glasgow side that won the URC and he has Blair Kinghorn, who won the double with Toulouse.
Time was when less than a handful of his squad had actually won anything. Now a bunch have - and recently.
And there's also Gray, who won a Premiership and Champions Cup double with Exeter before moving to France where his team, Bordeaux, sits atop the French league.
Whither Scotland? Is it now or never for the team with the Hollywood backline? Is this the season when they finally deliver after all the false dawns?
Two home games to start. A relatively clean bill of health compared to other years. A team with class and nous and more physicality than last time.
Do you dare to dream, Scotland? Is this it?
Five-Time Winner Sammy Swindell Leads Wednesday Field
TULSA, Okla. Five-time Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink winner Sammy Swindell tops the entry list for Wednesday nights York Plumbing Qualifying Night for the 39th annual event inside the SageNet Center.
Swindell, who will drive his own No. 1 midget, won the event in 1989, 1992, 1996, 1998 and 2009.
Recently having signed a NASCAR contract with Hendrick Motorsports, Corey Day will drive Willie Kahnes No. 4 midget in the Chili Bowl. Its the same car in which Day became the youngest (19) Turkey Night Grand Prix winner in November.
Reigning USAC national midget champion Daison Pursley returns to the Chili Bowl aboard a Chad Boat Industries entry, while Emerson Axsom, Kale Drake and Taylor Reimer will steer Keith Kunz Motorsports Curb-Agajanian machines.
USAC Triple Crown champion and longtime NASCAR driver J.J. Yeley makes another attempt to win the prestigious event, while Mitchell Moles, brothers Tim and Steve Buckwalter, frequent non-winged sprint car winner Kyle Cummins and eight-time USAC Silver Crown champ Kody Swanson are also entered on Wednesday night.
Other notables include Colby Copeland, Alex Bright, Steven Snyder Jr. Blake Hahn and Jake Swanson.
Local Favorite Akeel Rides To Dakar Stage Triumph
HARADH, Saudi Arabia Wednesdays Dakar Rally Stage 10 in the Empty Quarter Desert saw remarkable comeback stories as local favorite Dania Akeel rode up front with former bike and car class winner Nani Roma to give themselves a boost, after they had been ruled out of title contention earlier in the 47th edition.
Saudi driver Akeel suffered a broken wishbone on her vehicle that saw her Challenger class podium quest slip away, however she hit back to pull off one of the most incredible results in the entire history of the Dakar as she not only won the stage but her Taurus T3 Max was the third fastest four-wheeled machine as she beat all but two Ultimate class cars.
Akeel, who earned five precious World Rally-Raid Championship points, said, I saw the board at the end of the stage and it said we were third overall! The dunes were so much fun, it was a bit like sailing a boat on the sea.
Akeel was joined on the Challenger podium by fellow Taurus T3 Max drivers Pau Navarro and Gonçalo Guerreiro with Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team driver Guerreiro cutting Nicolas Cavigliassos lead to 26 minutes with two stages left.
This was our first big dunes of the rally, Guerreiro said. I think we have the pace to do better.
Spaniard Roma, who won the 2004 Dakar on a bike and 2014 race in a car, picked up his first Ultimate stage win this year his first Dakar stage win since 2015 and a first-ever for Ford M-Sport. The 52-year-old, who finished 18 seconds ahead of Brazilian Lucas Moraes.
Im happy for the team because of all the hard work they have been putting in, Moraes said. We saw a positive outcome for all we have been doing to improve the car.
Time is running out for Mattias Ekström and Nasser Al-Attiyah to make a play for the Ultimate title as they still lie third and fourth respectively around half an hour behind new leader Henk Lategan of South Africa.
The target was not to win today, but to have a good starting position for tomorrow, Ekström said. Finishing on the podium would be nice, but theres still two tough days.
Chilean Francisco Chaleco López picked up his fifth SSV stage win, but he will need Brock Heger and Xavier de Soultrait to lose considerable time on the final two days if he wants to improve his third position overall.
The sun was so bright, so that complicated things, López said. We pushed as much as we could and were happy with our result.
Australian Daniel Sanders increased his bike lead to 16 minutes, 31 seconds in his bid to win a first Dakar title with Argentine Luciano Benavides needing to take seven minutes out of third-placed Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren to get on the podium too come Fridays finish.
It was a hot and hard and tricky stage, Sanders said. The sand was super soft and the stage was very technical. Now were ready for a big day tomorrow.
Everything is still up for grabs on Thursdays penultimate Stage 11, the unpredictability of Empty Quarter Desert sand dune racing meaning that big time gaps can soon be wiped out by one false move.
Brooks Super Excited For Chili Bowl Feature Run
Sprint car driver Landon Brooks proved hes still crafty behind the wheel of a midget during Tuesdays Chili Bowl Nationals preliminary night.
Brooks, who last climbed aboard a midget at last years event, looked like a seasoned pro as he wheeled his Matt Wood Racing No. 57w to victory.
I ran the Chili Bowl last year and then this is the only one Ive ran since then, Brooks said. (I) dont run them often. I ran them for a little while a couple years ago with the Xtreme Outlaws.
But, obviously, dont run them full time.
Brooks became the 54th driver to win a prelim feature at the Chili Bowl. His teammate, Shane Golobic, nearly gave the team a perfect two-for-two sweep of prelim features on Monday.
However, Kyle Larson got the better of Golobic. Less than 24 hours later, Golobic helped tune Brooks midget to victory.
It felt good for the whole team, Brooks began. Obviously Shane wants to win really bad. We all wanna win really bad. But, Shanes been fighting for a long time.
I was so bummed yesterday when I seen that yellow come out. I see us pretty much staring at the checkered flag. Just happy to get it done for the team. Shane had me in an absolute rocket ship.
I could go anywhere. I felt like we built off of last year and obviously we went the right way.
With Matt Wood Racing firing on all cylinders and both drivers locked into Saturdays A-main, the pole shuffle may be the difference in a potential victory.
For Brooks, itll be a new experience, but one that he feels will help him get up to speed and prepared for the 40-lap feature.
Im super excited for it, Brooks said. Im looking forward to getting around that caliber of cars and seeing how my pace is compared to them and trying to get up to their pace before the feature.
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