RORY McILROY was described by no less than Tiger Woods last night as having “all the components to be the best player in the world” but golf’s most talented teenager saw his challenge dissipate late in the third round of the CA Championship at Doral in Florida.
Three-time major winner Phil Mickelson and fellow American Nick Watney, both on 16 under par, will take a four-shot lead over Colombian Camilo Villegas and India’s Jeev Singh into today’s final round, six shots ahead of McIlroy, who lost his way on the back nine after closing to within one shot of Mickelson through 12 holes.
His ball-striking failed to match the consistent sharpness so evident in his first and second rounds in which he shot 68 and 66. From the outset, he was ragged off the tee, dragging his opening drive of 330 yards left into the rough. He salvaged a birdie with an excellent approach shot to within 20ft of the pin and an undemanding two-putt and his mindset remained indefatigably positive. A bogey on the par-three fourth when he pulled his tee shot into a greenside bunker did not dent his confidence, for he responded immediately with a birdie on the short par-four fifth hole when he executed his approach shot to within 3ft of the flagstick. Another up-and-down from behind the green on the par-five 10th moved him to 12-under and a two-putt birdie on the 12th left him within striking distance of Watney and Mickelson.
Then his assault began to fall apart. He missed the green on the par-four 14th and failed to get up and down after using his three-wood out of the fringe rough. Duffed chips and further bogeys on the 15th and 17th quickly followed and a round so full of promise two-thirds of the way through finished disappointingly in 72 strokes to leave him where he had started the day on 10 under par. He lost position in the field from third to 10th. “It was a pretty difficult day out there and I thought I was doing very well as three-under through 13 was a good score,” he reflected. “But I just let a few slip at the end. I hit a bad drive at the 14th, got away with it, just missed the green to the right and had a terrible lie. It could have been better but I am still there or thereabouts. It has been a great three weeks but it would be nice to shoot a good round tomorrow before I head home for a couple of weeks.”
The 19-year-old from Holywood, Co Down, has demonstrated a precocious talent in America and in only his second strokeplay tournament on the PGA Tour his performance here has been extraordinary. He is unlikely to become the youngest winner in the history of American professional golf today, breaking by two days the record of Philadelphia’s Johnny McDermott, who was aged 19 years and 315 days when he won the US Open in 1911, but even Woods, who walked off with a satisfying four-under-par 68 to move to seven-under overall, has noted his potential.
“There’s no doubt, no doubt, hopefully while I’m not around or even while I am around,” Woods declared when asked if he has seen golf’s future No 1 in McIlroy. “The guy’s a talent, he certainly has the talent and we can all see it, the way he hits the golf ball, the way he putts, the way he can chip and get up and down. He has the composure and all of the components to be the best player in the world, there’s no doubt. It’s just a matter of time and then basically gaining that experience in big events. That takes time and, jeez, I mean he’s only 19. Just give him some time and I’m sure he’ll be there.”
Confronted by the same challenge in their second rounds on the Blue Monster course, Woods and McIlroy reacted in ways that said much about them both. On the par-five eighth hole Woods drove his ball 281 yards, leaving a shot of 270 yards over water to the pin. “I can’t get there,” he decided. “It’s 250 into the wind to the front of the green. Over water, there’s no way.” He laid up, pitched to 25ft and took two putts for par.
Then came McIlroy. Bogeys on the fifth and seventh holes had stalled the teenager’s momentum but his drive bounded 284 yards down the fairway, so 268 yards — over water — remained to the pin. He unleashed his three-wood, the ball arrowed through the wind onto the middle of the green and came to a stop 7ft from the flagstick. “The two best shots I think I’ve ever hit,” McIlroy reflected, referring to this and the four-iron he hit off the fairway on the 18th hole to 8ft, which yielded a birdie to add to his eagle on the eighth. Uninhibited youth had prevailed spectacularly.
Woods once played like this, too, but we may have to become accustomed to the more calculating version. The surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, which required an eight-month programme of rest and rehabilitation, seems to have forced him to play less aggressively. He played his best golf of the week but continued to struggle with his putter in yesterday’s third round, missing birdie efforts from 11ft on the second green after a two-putt birdie on the first, from 8ft on the fifth and 15ft on the sixth, much to his chagrin. But a beautiful tee shot to the ninth to 15ft was followed by a perfect putt, moving him to five under par, and he went six-under with another two-putt birdie on the par-five 10th before missing from inside 9ft again on the 12th, another par-five. He birdied the 14th and holed out from a greenside bunker on the 16th to go eight- under but a bogey on 17 spoilt his finish.
Luke Donald shot a 68 to move to nine-under, Padraig Harrington carded 71 for eight-under and Paul Casey remained at seven-under with a 72.
Source:the times
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Max Mosley intends driving through Formula One budget limits
Max Mosley, the president of the FIA, launched a Formula One revolution yesterday by proposing a stringent budget cap in an attempt to ensure the sport’s survival, but was immediately accused by some of going too far.
While fans of grand-prix racing may have paid more attention to a restructuring of the points-scoring system, which means that the driver who wins most races will become world champion — a practice that would have deprived Lewis Hamilton of the title last season — it is Mosley’s dramatic initiative of a £30 million budget limit that will have the most far-reaching implications.
The cap is voluntary in theory, but Mosley has also slanted a series of new technical regulations to favour heavily teams that opt for it, allowing them complete freedom to design their cars and the use of unrestricted engines. As a result, he and Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One commercial rights-holder, believe that most of the teams, some of whom were spending more than £200 million a season until last year, will go for the new deal. “What team can afford not to accept the new proposal?” Ecclestone said.
However, the two most powerful men in the world’s richest sport appear to be facing a backlash. Luca di Montezemolo, the president of Ferrari and chairman of the Formula One Teams Association (Fota), said he was disappointed by what he regards as “unilateral” measures by Mosley that “run the risk of turning on its head the very essence of Formula One and the principles that make it one of the most popular and appealing sports”. While Fota claims to speak for all the participants on the grid this season, Di Montezemolo’s criticism did not reflect reaction in some quarters, especially outside of Ferrari and McLaren Mercedes, where inquiries by The Times suggested that the budget cap was being cautiously welcomed. If Mosley and Ecclestone were hoping to use this initiative to help to split Fota, they may have made some headway.
Mosley’s new world order reflects his conviction that the global recession, which has affected the car industry more than most, represents a serious threat to Formula One’s survival. He said that an initiative by the teams to cut costs by 50 per cent last December was a step in the right direction, but subsequent events had shown that it was not enough.
“The world economic crisis has worsened very significantly since then,” Mosley said. “No one can say the situation will not deteriorate further in the coming months. If this happens, we may lose other manufacturers or even independent teams, despite their best intentions. If we wait, and things get worse, it will be too late.”
He was confident that the limit of £30 million, which is likely to lead to huge job losses, was realistic. “It has been carefully costed,” he said. “The cars will be much less refined in detail, because teams will not be able to spend huge sums on minute advantages — for example, $1,200 (about £850) on a wheel nut which is only used once — but from the grandstand or on television they won’t look or sound any less ‘Formula One’ than the current, ultra-expensive cars.”
The new budgetary regime is a massive shock to the system in a sport in which even the back markers on the grid are spending almost £150 million a year on staff, design, car- building, logistics, entertainment and public relations.
It is also inevitably going to affect drivers, some of whom — such as Hamilton, McLaren’s British world champion, and Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari — are among the world’s highest-paid sportsmen.
However, Mosley has softened the blow for the stars of the sport by suggesting that they could be paid outside the cap through dividends from shares in the companies they represent.
Source:the times
While fans of grand-prix racing may have paid more attention to a restructuring of the points-scoring system, which means that the driver who wins most races will become world champion — a practice that would have deprived Lewis Hamilton of the title last season — it is Mosley’s dramatic initiative of a £30 million budget limit that will have the most far-reaching implications.
The cap is voluntary in theory, but Mosley has also slanted a series of new technical regulations to favour heavily teams that opt for it, allowing them complete freedom to design their cars and the use of unrestricted engines. As a result, he and Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One commercial rights-holder, believe that most of the teams, some of whom were spending more than £200 million a season until last year, will go for the new deal. “What team can afford not to accept the new proposal?” Ecclestone said.
However, the two most powerful men in the world’s richest sport appear to be facing a backlash. Luca di Montezemolo, the president of Ferrari and chairman of the Formula One Teams Association (Fota), said he was disappointed by what he regards as “unilateral” measures by Mosley that “run the risk of turning on its head the very essence of Formula One and the principles that make it one of the most popular and appealing sports”. While Fota claims to speak for all the participants on the grid this season, Di Montezemolo’s criticism did not reflect reaction in some quarters, especially outside of Ferrari and McLaren Mercedes, where inquiries by The Times suggested that the budget cap was being cautiously welcomed. If Mosley and Ecclestone were hoping to use this initiative to help to split Fota, they may have made some headway.
Mosley’s new world order reflects his conviction that the global recession, which has affected the car industry more than most, represents a serious threat to Formula One’s survival. He said that an initiative by the teams to cut costs by 50 per cent last December was a step in the right direction, but subsequent events had shown that it was not enough.
“The world economic crisis has worsened very significantly since then,” Mosley said. “No one can say the situation will not deteriorate further in the coming months. If this happens, we may lose other manufacturers or even independent teams, despite their best intentions. If we wait, and things get worse, it will be too late.”
He was confident that the limit of £30 million, which is likely to lead to huge job losses, was realistic. “It has been carefully costed,” he said. “The cars will be much less refined in detail, because teams will not be able to spend huge sums on minute advantages — for example, $1,200 (about £850) on a wheel nut which is only used once — but from the grandstand or on television they won’t look or sound any less ‘Formula One’ than the current, ultra-expensive cars.”
The new budgetary regime is a massive shock to the system in a sport in which even the back markers on the grid are spending almost £150 million a year on staff, design, car- building, logistics, entertainment and public relations.
It is also inevitably going to affect drivers, some of whom — such as Hamilton, McLaren’s British world champion, and Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari — are among the world’s highest-paid sportsmen.
However, Mosley has softened the blow for the stars of the sport by suggesting that they could be paid outside the cap through dividends from shares in the companies they represent.
Source:the times
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Ruby Walsh goes to town
The bookmakers were still counting the cost of their defeat by the time the architect of it emerged from the weighing room on Friday night. There was no time to spare, let alone celebrate. “Got six rides at Naas tomorrow,” he explained. After riding an unprecedented seven winners over the four days of the Festival, Ruby Walsh could fly there by himself.
“I don’t know how you can ride today,” his trainer Paul Nicholls rang to tell Walsh yesterday. “I’m knackered.” But Walsh knew exactly what kept him going. “It’s easy, Paul, if you’re riding good horses,” he answered.
Yesterday, the villagers of Ditcheat, home of the most powerful jump racing stable in the land, turned out once again to honour their stars, the ones they hear clicking to work every morning. No-one knew the small Somerset village had so many residents. The main street was blocked and the Gold Cup was passed round like a loving cup, returning every now and again to its keeper.
Only little Olivia, Nicholls’ youngest daughter, seemed less than overwhelmed by the photo-opportunity.
Last year, the stable celebrated 1-2-3 in the Gold Cup and in Master Minded the horse of the Festival; this time, it was 1-2-4-5, with only the defeat by a neck of Celestial Halo denying the champion trainer a clean sweep of the major championship races. Master Minded defended his title in the Queen Mother Chase, Big Buck’s landed the World Hurdle and, unforgettably, Kauto Star became the first horse in Cheltenham history to reclaim his Gold Cup crown, sweeping aside the indignities of 12 months ago with a 13-length victory over Denman, his stablemate and old foe.
“There can be no doubts now,” said Nicholls yesterday. “He’s one of the greatest horses ever. To do what he did in the Gold Cup ended all arguments. If we keep him fresh and fit, he could run in another three Gold Cups. Who knows?”
Walsh was there in spirit alone, his pursuit of perfection on both sides of the Irish Sea undimmed by its near- attainment on the biggest stage of all. Nicholls was still shaking his head at Walsh’s ride on Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle. “A lot of jockeys would have gone wide but he switched him back inside,” he said. “No fear, you see.” Walsh also changed his whip hand within sight of the post. Not many would have attempted that.
Nobody who has studied the graph of Walsh’s career, the steeply rising curve of a prodigy, would be remotely surprised by the revelation. His later days at school were spent pestering his sister, and now agent, Jennifer to find him rides at weekends.
As an amateur, he emulated his father, Ted, by winning the title and riding a Festival winner (Alexander Banquet); in his first year as a professional, barely out of his teens, he won the senior title, too. At the age of 20, he rode Papillon, a horse trained by his father, to win the Grand National, a day of high emotion that still claims pride of place in his affections nine years on. Soon after came the introduction to the rigours of his chosen profession as well: one broken collarbone and two broken legs in his second full season in the senior ranks.
“His finishes: excellent. His ability to get a horse jumping: excellent. He is very good at thinking a race through for himself, but he’s also very capable of listening.” An apt summary of Walsh’s strengths over the past week? No, that was the Irish trainer Willie Mullins listing the talents of his new young jockey in the winter of 1998.
Walsh’s link with the Cheltenham Festival stretches back a further decade, to the day in 1986 when his father won on Attitude Adjuster. On the horse and off it, Ted was a force of nature, never the most stylish of riders but a highly effective communicator with both whip and microphone. Ted Walsh moved seamlessly from the saddle to the commentary booth, while training a dozen or so horses in his spare time. Once sure of his son’s talent and ambition, Ted made it his business to pass on his own knowledge and experience.
“Dad taught me everything, what kind of horses to ride, which way to ride, dealing with trainers, owners and press,” Walsh said. “Even now he puts me right.” At the yard of Enda Bolger, Ruby — he was christened Rupert, but, like his grandfather, quickly became “Ruby” — also learnt to sit quietly on a horse and use his legs rather than his arms to communicate. “I am not a big one-two-three bang jockey,” he once said. “The less you interfere, the better.”
The measure of Walsh’s success both as a person and a jockey is that, somehow, armed with an encyclopaedic knowledge of flight timetables and a fetching way, he manages to keep the most powerful trainers in England and Ireland just about happy, just about all the time.
“We’re just great friends,” said Nicholls of his stable jockey. “He’s intelligent and he’s a great team player. The other day he came down to the yard just to watch two lots. He didn’t have to do that. Before him, we had all sorts of nightmares on the jockey front, but he’s tactically brilliant and he’s smart. We’ll all have to watch out if he ever starts training.”
Watching Walsh handle himself in the aftermath of Kauto Star’s historic win on Friday was to see a man in utter command of his destiny. No question was left unanswered but daft questions were summarily dispatched. Had he been impressed by Kauto Star’s victory? “Obviously, he won by 13 lengths.” But there were no recriminations, there was no attempt to settle scores from the previous year when Walsh had chosen Kauto Star over Denman and been proved wrong. Denman’s performance, Walsh said, had surprised him more than Kauto Star’s.
Standing on the steps of the weighing room as the twilight descended on another Festival, Charlie Swan recalled some early jousts with a young but already greying Ruby Walsh.
“He was really clued in from the start,” said the most prolific Irish jump jockey of all time. “He would ask a lot of questions. Mind you, he used to follow me a lot in those days.”
It is the rest who are left in Ruby’s wake now.
WHY RUBY IS ROLLING IN IT AFTER CHELTENHAM
Jump jockeys are the poor relations of racing, although Tony McCoy, who has a multimillion-pound contract to ride for top Irish owner JP McManus, and Ruby Walsh, who rides for the biggest stables in Ireland and England without a contract, are starting to right the financial imbalance with the stars of the Flat. By winning the Gold Cup (£270,798), the World Hurdle (£148,226) and the Champion Chase (£182,432), Walsh earned the horses’ owners more than £600,000 in prize money. In total, the Irish champion netted £817,933 from seven winning rides. His share would be 10%. On top of that, Walsh would earn a statutory fee of £120 to £150 for every ride at the Festival and bonuses at the discretion of grateful owners.
Source:the times
“I don’t know how you can ride today,” his trainer Paul Nicholls rang to tell Walsh yesterday. “I’m knackered.” But Walsh knew exactly what kept him going. “It’s easy, Paul, if you’re riding good horses,” he answered.
Yesterday, the villagers of Ditcheat, home of the most powerful jump racing stable in the land, turned out once again to honour their stars, the ones they hear clicking to work every morning. No-one knew the small Somerset village had so many residents. The main street was blocked and the Gold Cup was passed round like a loving cup, returning every now and again to its keeper.
Only little Olivia, Nicholls’ youngest daughter, seemed less than overwhelmed by the photo-opportunity.
Last year, the stable celebrated 1-2-3 in the Gold Cup and in Master Minded the horse of the Festival; this time, it was 1-2-4-5, with only the defeat by a neck of Celestial Halo denying the champion trainer a clean sweep of the major championship races. Master Minded defended his title in the Queen Mother Chase, Big Buck’s landed the World Hurdle and, unforgettably, Kauto Star became the first horse in Cheltenham history to reclaim his Gold Cup crown, sweeping aside the indignities of 12 months ago with a 13-length victory over Denman, his stablemate and old foe.
“There can be no doubts now,” said Nicholls yesterday. “He’s one of the greatest horses ever. To do what he did in the Gold Cup ended all arguments. If we keep him fresh and fit, he could run in another three Gold Cups. Who knows?”
Walsh was there in spirit alone, his pursuit of perfection on both sides of the Irish Sea undimmed by its near- attainment on the biggest stage of all. Nicholls was still shaking his head at Walsh’s ride on Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle. “A lot of jockeys would have gone wide but he switched him back inside,” he said. “No fear, you see.” Walsh also changed his whip hand within sight of the post. Not many would have attempted that.
Nobody who has studied the graph of Walsh’s career, the steeply rising curve of a prodigy, would be remotely surprised by the revelation. His later days at school were spent pestering his sister, and now agent, Jennifer to find him rides at weekends.
As an amateur, he emulated his father, Ted, by winning the title and riding a Festival winner (Alexander Banquet); in his first year as a professional, barely out of his teens, he won the senior title, too. At the age of 20, he rode Papillon, a horse trained by his father, to win the Grand National, a day of high emotion that still claims pride of place in his affections nine years on. Soon after came the introduction to the rigours of his chosen profession as well: one broken collarbone and two broken legs in his second full season in the senior ranks.
“His finishes: excellent. His ability to get a horse jumping: excellent. He is very good at thinking a race through for himself, but he’s also very capable of listening.” An apt summary of Walsh’s strengths over the past week? No, that was the Irish trainer Willie Mullins listing the talents of his new young jockey in the winter of 1998.
Walsh’s link with the Cheltenham Festival stretches back a further decade, to the day in 1986 when his father won on Attitude Adjuster. On the horse and off it, Ted was a force of nature, never the most stylish of riders but a highly effective communicator with both whip and microphone. Ted Walsh moved seamlessly from the saddle to the commentary booth, while training a dozen or so horses in his spare time. Once sure of his son’s talent and ambition, Ted made it his business to pass on his own knowledge and experience.
“Dad taught me everything, what kind of horses to ride, which way to ride, dealing with trainers, owners and press,” Walsh said. “Even now he puts me right.” At the yard of Enda Bolger, Ruby — he was christened Rupert, but, like his grandfather, quickly became “Ruby” — also learnt to sit quietly on a horse and use his legs rather than his arms to communicate. “I am not a big one-two-three bang jockey,” he once said. “The less you interfere, the better.”
The measure of Walsh’s success both as a person and a jockey is that, somehow, armed with an encyclopaedic knowledge of flight timetables and a fetching way, he manages to keep the most powerful trainers in England and Ireland just about happy, just about all the time.
“We’re just great friends,” said Nicholls of his stable jockey. “He’s intelligent and he’s a great team player. The other day he came down to the yard just to watch two lots. He didn’t have to do that. Before him, we had all sorts of nightmares on the jockey front, but he’s tactically brilliant and he’s smart. We’ll all have to watch out if he ever starts training.”
Watching Walsh handle himself in the aftermath of Kauto Star’s historic win on Friday was to see a man in utter command of his destiny. No question was left unanswered but daft questions were summarily dispatched. Had he been impressed by Kauto Star’s victory? “Obviously, he won by 13 lengths.” But there were no recriminations, there was no attempt to settle scores from the previous year when Walsh had chosen Kauto Star over Denman and been proved wrong. Denman’s performance, Walsh said, had surprised him more than Kauto Star’s.
Standing on the steps of the weighing room as the twilight descended on another Festival, Charlie Swan recalled some early jousts with a young but already greying Ruby Walsh.
“He was really clued in from the start,” said the most prolific Irish jump jockey of all time. “He would ask a lot of questions. Mind you, he used to follow me a lot in those days.”
It is the rest who are left in Ruby’s wake now.
WHY RUBY IS ROLLING IN IT AFTER CHELTENHAM
Jump jockeys are the poor relations of racing, although Tony McCoy, who has a multimillion-pound contract to ride for top Irish owner JP McManus, and Ruby Walsh, who rides for the biggest stables in Ireland and England without a contract, are starting to right the financial imbalance with the stars of the Flat. By winning the Gold Cup (£270,798), the World Hurdle (£148,226) and the Champion Chase (£182,432), Walsh earned the horses’ owners more than £600,000 in prize money. In total, the Irish champion netted £817,933 from seven winning rides. His share would be 10%. On top of that, Walsh would earn a statutory fee of £120 to £150 for every ride at the Festival and bonuses at the discretion of grateful owners.
Source:the times
Rory McIlroy is roaring after Tiger
RORY McILROY was described by no less than Tiger Woods last night as having “all the components to be the best player in the world” but golf’s most talented teenager saw his challenge dissipate late in the third round of the CA Championship at Doral in Florida.
Three-time major winner Phil Mickelson and fellow American Nick Watney, both on 16 under par, will take a four-shot lead over Colombian Camilo Villegas and India’s Jeev Singh into today’s final round, six shots ahead of McIlroy, who lost his way on the back nine after closing to within one shot of Mickelson through 12 holes.
His ball-striking failed to match the consistent sharpness so evident in his first and second rounds in which he shot 68 and 66. From the outset, he was ragged off the tee, dragging his opening drive of 330 yards left into the rough. He salvaged a birdie with an excellent approach shot to within 20ft of the pin and an undemanding two-putt and his mindset remained indefatigably positive. A bogey on the par-three fourth when he pulled his tee shot into a greenside bunker did not dent his confidence, for he responded immediately with a birdie on the short par-four fifth hole when he executed his approach shot to within 3ft of the flagstick. Another up-and-down from behind the green on the par-five 10th moved him to 12-under and a two-putt birdie on the 12th left him within striking distance of Watney and Mickelson.
Then his assault began to fall apart. He missed the green on the par-four 14th and failed to get up and down after using his three-wood out of the fringe rough. Duffed chips and further bogeys on the 15th and 17th quickly followed and a round so full of promise two-thirds of the way through finished disappointingly in 72 strokes to leave him where he had started the day on 10 under par. He lost position in the field from third to 10th.
“It was a pretty difficult day out there and I thought I was doing very well as three-under through 13 was a good score,” he reflected. “But I just let a few slip at the end. I hit a bad drive at the 14th, got away with it, just missed the green to the right and had a terrible lie. It could have been better but I am still there or thereabouts. It has been a great three weeks but it would be nice to shoot a good round tomorrow before I head home for a couple of weeks.”
The 19-year-old from Holywood, Co Down, has demonstrated a precocious talent in America and in only his second strokeplay tournament on the PGA Tour his performance here has been extraordinary. He is unlikely to become the youngest winner in the history of American professional golf today, breaking by two days the record of Philadelphia’s Johnny McDermott, who was aged 19 years and 315 days when he won the US Open in 1911, but even Woods, who walked off with a satisfying four-under-par 68 to move to seven-under overall, has noted his potential.
“There’s no doubt, no doubt, hopefully while I’m not around or even while I am around,” Woods declared when asked if he has seen golf’s future No 1 in McIlroy. “The guy’s a talent, he certainly has the talent and we can all see it, the way he hits the golf ball, the way he putts, the way he can chip and get up and down. He has the composure and all of the components to be the best player in the world, there’s no doubt. It’s just a matter of time and then basically gaining that experience in big events. That takes time and, jeez, I mean he’s only 19. Just give him some time and I’m sure he’ll be there.”
Confronted by the same challenge in their second rounds on the Blue Monster course, Woods and McIlroy reacted in ways that said much about them both. On the par-five eighth hole Woods drove his ball 281 yards, leaving a shot of 270 yards over water to the pin. “I can’t get there,” he decided. “It’s 250 into the wind to the front of the green. Over water, there’s no way.” He laid up, pitched to 25ft and took two putts for par.
Then came McIlroy. Bogeys on the fifth and seventh holes had stalled the teenager’s momentum but his drive bounded 284 yards down the fairway, so 268 yards — over water — remained to the pin. He unleashed his three-wood, the ball arrowed through the wind onto the middle of the green and came to a stop 7ft from the flagstick. “The two best shots I think I’ve ever hit,” McIlroy reflected, referring to this and the four-iron he hit off the fairway on the 18th hole to 8ft, which yielded a birdie to add to his eagle on the eighth. Uninhibited youth had prevailed spectacularly.
Woods once played like this, too, but we may have to become accustomed to the more calculating version. The surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, which required an eight-month programme of rest and rehabilitation, seems to have forced him to play less aggressively. He played his best golf of the week but continued to struggle with his putter in yesterday’s third round, missing birdie efforts from 11ft on the second green after a two-putt birdie on the first, from 8ft on the fifth and 15ft on the sixth, much to his chagrin. But a beautiful tee shot to the ninth to 15ft was followed by a perfect putt, moving him to five under par, and he went six-under with another two-putt birdie on the par-five 10th before missing from inside 9ft again on the 12th, another par-five. He birdied the 14th and holed out from a greenside bunker on the 16th to go eight- under but a bogey on 17 spoilt his finish.
Luke Donald shot a 68 to move to nine-under, Padraig Harrington carded 71 for eight-under and Paul Casey remained at seven-under with a 72.
Three-time major winner Phil Mickelson and fellow American Nick Watney, both on 16 under par, will take a four-shot lead over Colombian Camilo Villegas and India’s Jeev Singh into today’s final round, six shots ahead of McIlroy, who lost his way on the back nine after closing to within one shot of Mickelson through 12 holes.
His ball-striking failed to match the consistent sharpness so evident in his first and second rounds in which he shot 68 and 66. From the outset, he was ragged off the tee, dragging his opening drive of 330 yards left into the rough. He salvaged a birdie with an excellent approach shot to within 20ft of the pin and an undemanding two-putt and his mindset remained indefatigably positive. A bogey on the par-three fourth when he pulled his tee shot into a greenside bunker did not dent his confidence, for he responded immediately with a birdie on the short par-four fifth hole when he executed his approach shot to within 3ft of the flagstick. Another up-and-down from behind the green on the par-five 10th moved him to 12-under and a two-putt birdie on the 12th left him within striking distance of Watney and Mickelson.
Then his assault began to fall apart. He missed the green on the par-four 14th and failed to get up and down after using his three-wood out of the fringe rough. Duffed chips and further bogeys on the 15th and 17th quickly followed and a round so full of promise two-thirds of the way through finished disappointingly in 72 strokes to leave him where he had started the day on 10 under par. He lost position in the field from third to 10th.
“It was a pretty difficult day out there and I thought I was doing very well as three-under through 13 was a good score,” he reflected. “But I just let a few slip at the end. I hit a bad drive at the 14th, got away with it, just missed the green to the right and had a terrible lie. It could have been better but I am still there or thereabouts. It has been a great three weeks but it would be nice to shoot a good round tomorrow before I head home for a couple of weeks.”
The 19-year-old from Holywood, Co Down, has demonstrated a precocious talent in America and in only his second strokeplay tournament on the PGA Tour his performance here has been extraordinary. He is unlikely to become the youngest winner in the history of American professional golf today, breaking by two days the record of Philadelphia’s Johnny McDermott, who was aged 19 years and 315 days when he won the US Open in 1911, but even Woods, who walked off with a satisfying four-under-par 68 to move to seven-under overall, has noted his potential.
“There’s no doubt, no doubt, hopefully while I’m not around or even while I am around,” Woods declared when asked if he has seen golf’s future No 1 in McIlroy. “The guy’s a talent, he certainly has the talent and we can all see it, the way he hits the golf ball, the way he putts, the way he can chip and get up and down. He has the composure and all of the components to be the best player in the world, there’s no doubt. It’s just a matter of time and then basically gaining that experience in big events. That takes time and, jeez, I mean he’s only 19. Just give him some time and I’m sure he’ll be there.”
Confronted by the same challenge in their second rounds on the Blue Monster course, Woods and McIlroy reacted in ways that said much about them both. On the par-five eighth hole Woods drove his ball 281 yards, leaving a shot of 270 yards over water to the pin. “I can’t get there,” he decided. “It’s 250 into the wind to the front of the green. Over water, there’s no way.” He laid up, pitched to 25ft and took two putts for par.
Then came McIlroy. Bogeys on the fifth and seventh holes had stalled the teenager’s momentum but his drive bounded 284 yards down the fairway, so 268 yards — over water — remained to the pin. He unleashed his three-wood, the ball arrowed through the wind onto the middle of the green and came to a stop 7ft from the flagstick. “The two best shots I think I’ve ever hit,” McIlroy reflected, referring to this and the four-iron he hit off the fairway on the 18th hole to 8ft, which yielded a birdie to add to his eagle on the eighth. Uninhibited youth had prevailed spectacularly.
Woods once played like this, too, but we may have to become accustomed to the more calculating version. The surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, which required an eight-month programme of rest and rehabilitation, seems to have forced him to play less aggressively. He played his best golf of the week but continued to struggle with his putter in yesterday’s third round, missing birdie efforts from 11ft on the second green after a two-putt birdie on the first, from 8ft on the fifth and 15ft on the sixth, much to his chagrin. But a beautiful tee shot to the ninth to 15ft was followed by a perfect putt, moving him to five under par, and he went six-under with another two-putt birdie on the par-five 10th before missing from inside 9ft again on the 12th, another par-five. He birdied the 14th and holed out from a greenside bunker on the 16th to go eight- under but a bogey on 17 spoilt his finish.
Luke Donald shot a 68 to move to nine-under, Padraig Harrington carded 71 for eight-under and Paul Casey remained at seven-under with a 72.
Liverpool stun Manchester United
So who says the title, and a clean sweep of all the honours, is a shoo-in for Manchester United now? After humiliating Real Madrid in midweek, Liverpool scored four again at Old Trafford yesterday and, to borrow Sir Alex Ferguson’s memorable phrase, it really is “squeaky bum time” for United now.
Resurgent Chelsea, undefeated under Guus Hiddink, could narrow the gap at the top of the table to four points by beating Manchester City at home this afternoon. That said, the talk of football today will be the comprehensive nature of Liverpol’s triumph here — the first time Rafa Benitez had experienced victory after enduring so many nightmares at the self-styled “Theatre of Dreams”.
Ferguson’s claim that United were the better team was ridiculously biased, even by the old grouse’s notoriously one-eyed standards. It was too risible for Benitez to bother to gainsay. The stats border on the historic.
It was the first time United had conceded four goals at home since 1992, when Queens Park Rangers upset the odds under Gerry Francis, with the unsung Dennis Bailey contributing a hat-trick.
Steven Gerrard’s penalty was the first the hosts had conceded at Old Trafford in the Premier League for two years. The result completed a home and away double for Liverpool over their great rivals, while for the league leaders it halted a run of 11 league wins on the trot. Nemanja Vidic was sent off for fouling Gerrard, reducing United to 10 men, but that was after 75 minutes, by which time Liverpool were 2-1 up and looking good.
For the typically voluble scouse contingent it was a red-letter day to evoke misty-eyed memories of their club’s halcyon years. For Graeme Souness read the leonine Gerrard, for Ian Rush the predatory Fernando Torres. After he had scored twice against Real, Gerrard was lauded as “the best player in the world” by a judge with personal experience of such things, Zinedine Zidane. The dynamic midfielder was again a colossal influence but had to share top billing with the pacy, gimlet-eyed Torres.
The outcome was all the more remarkable after the afternoon had begun badly for Liverpool. The influential Xabi Alonso was unfit and Alvaro Arbeloa tweaked a hamstring in the warm-up, necessitating a defensive shuffle. Jamie Carragher switched to right-back and Sami Hyypia was drafted in at centre-half. The implications of Hyypia’s lack of pace were still being digested when bad became worse for Benitez and company midway through the first half, Pepe Reina bringing down Ji-Sung Park for an obvious penalty, efficiently dispatched by Cristiano Ronaldo.
You would have staked a bank’s Government bailout against what was to follow. Ferguson, standing on the touchline in a coat reminiscent of Michael Foot, had the legs cut from under him and took to twitching from a seat in the dugout when his previously parsimonious defence leaked a soft equaliser within five minutes. Martin Skrtel’s long clearance upfield saw Torres stride clear of Nemanja Vidic, who was left crimson-faced on his backside as Spain’s European Championship-winning striker tucked a characteristically composed finish into Edwin Van der Sar’s right-hand corner.
Liverpool had an adrenaline rush, United were deflated and the initiative changed hands. Rio Ferdinand’s customary sang-froid deserted him and the accomplished defender was booked for upending Dirk Kuyt.
Liverpool’s stirring march from deficit to profit saw them take the lead shortly before the interval with a collector’s item — a penalty against United at Old Trafford. Gerrard, brought down by Patrice Evra, got up to beat Van der Sar from 12 yards with a shot low to the goalkeeper’s left. Suddenly, the best team in the country were in trouble. A fearful hush came over nine-tenths of the stadium and, as Anderson whirled his arms, calling urgently for more support, the Liverpudlian minority chortled: “Fergie’s right, your fans are s***.” The fans were not alone.
Ronaldo was anonymous, well contained by Fabio Aurelio, and Carlos Tevez was in blunt instrument mode, notably when Wayne Rooney’s inviting layoff caught the Argentinian maladroitly positioned at close range. The crowd called for Ryan Giggs, whose exclusion from the starting line-up after his outstanding performance against Internazionale was as surprising as Ferguson’s preference for Tevez over Dimitar Berbatov.
With 20 minutes left, the cavalry were finally brought into the fray, with Giggs, Berbatov and Paul Scholes sent on to rescue the game. Unfortunately for United, before the reinforcements could have any effect they were negated by the dismissal of Vidic, shown a straight red card by Alan Wiley for pulling down Gerrard 20 yards out. Aurelio stepped up and, from the inside-right channel, curled a delicious free kick, left-footed, over the defensive wall and into Van der Sar’s left corner. It was the crucial goal and, the match won, Benitez brought off Torres with next weekend’s visit of Aston Villa in mind. But if the manager was satisfied, his players weren’t, and in the 90th minute John O’Shea made the costly mistake of allowing a clearance from Reina to bounce, and Andrea Dossena, on for Albert Riera, chipped Van der Sar with the accuracy that brought him similar late success against Real.
Over to Chelsea, who will be hoping their neighbours, Fulham, can do them another favour when United travel to Craven Cottage on Saturday. Vidic’s suspension for that fixture will further encourage Hiddink and his charges.
Click hereto see how Liverpool stormed Old Trafford.
Star man: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
Yellow cards: Man Utd: Ferdinand, Van der Sar. Liverpool: Carragher, Skrtel, Mascherano.
Red card: Man Utd: Vidic
Referee: A Wiley. Attendance: 75,569.
Manchester United: Van der Sar 6, O’Shea 5, Ferdinand 6, Vidic 5, Evra 6, Ronaldo 5, Carrick 5 (Giggs 74min), Anderson 5 (Scholes 73min), Park 5 (Berbatov 74min), Rooney 7, Tevez 5.
Liverpool: Reina 6, Carragher 6, Skrtel 6, Hyypia 6, Aurelio 7, Mascherano 6, Lucas 6, Kuyt 6, Gerrard 9 (El Zhar 90min), Riera 5 (Dossena 67min), Torres 9 (Babel 81min).
Source:the times
Resurgent Chelsea, undefeated under Guus Hiddink, could narrow the gap at the top of the table to four points by beating Manchester City at home this afternoon. That said, the talk of football today will be the comprehensive nature of Liverpol’s triumph here — the first time Rafa Benitez had experienced victory after enduring so many nightmares at the self-styled “Theatre of Dreams”.
Ferguson’s claim that United were the better team was ridiculously biased, even by the old grouse’s notoriously one-eyed standards. It was too risible for Benitez to bother to gainsay. The stats border on the historic.
It was the first time United had conceded four goals at home since 1992, when Queens Park Rangers upset the odds under Gerry Francis, with the unsung Dennis Bailey contributing a hat-trick.
Steven Gerrard’s penalty was the first the hosts had conceded at Old Trafford in the Premier League for two years. The result completed a home and away double for Liverpool over their great rivals, while for the league leaders it halted a run of 11 league wins on the trot. Nemanja Vidic was sent off for fouling Gerrard, reducing United to 10 men, but that was after 75 minutes, by which time Liverpool were 2-1 up and looking good.
For the typically voluble scouse contingent it was a red-letter day to evoke misty-eyed memories of their club’s halcyon years. For Graeme Souness read the leonine Gerrard, for Ian Rush the predatory Fernando Torres. After he had scored twice against Real, Gerrard was lauded as “the best player in the world” by a judge with personal experience of such things, Zinedine Zidane. The dynamic midfielder was again a colossal influence but had to share top billing with the pacy, gimlet-eyed Torres.
The outcome was all the more remarkable after the afternoon had begun badly for Liverpool. The influential Xabi Alonso was unfit and Alvaro Arbeloa tweaked a hamstring in the warm-up, necessitating a defensive shuffle. Jamie Carragher switched to right-back and Sami Hyypia was drafted in at centre-half. The implications of Hyypia’s lack of pace were still being digested when bad became worse for Benitez and company midway through the first half, Pepe Reina bringing down Ji-Sung Park for an obvious penalty, efficiently dispatched by Cristiano Ronaldo.
You would have staked a bank’s Government bailout against what was to follow. Ferguson, standing on the touchline in a coat reminiscent of Michael Foot, had the legs cut from under him and took to twitching from a seat in the dugout when his previously parsimonious defence leaked a soft equaliser within five minutes. Martin Skrtel’s long clearance upfield saw Torres stride clear of Nemanja Vidic, who was left crimson-faced on his backside as Spain’s European Championship-winning striker tucked a characteristically composed finish into Edwin Van der Sar’s right-hand corner.
Liverpool had an adrenaline rush, United were deflated and the initiative changed hands. Rio Ferdinand’s customary sang-froid deserted him and the accomplished defender was booked for upending Dirk Kuyt.
Liverpool’s stirring march from deficit to profit saw them take the lead shortly before the interval with a collector’s item — a penalty against United at Old Trafford. Gerrard, brought down by Patrice Evra, got up to beat Van der Sar from 12 yards with a shot low to the goalkeeper’s left. Suddenly, the best team in the country were in trouble. A fearful hush came over nine-tenths of the stadium and, as Anderson whirled his arms, calling urgently for more support, the Liverpudlian minority chortled: “Fergie’s right, your fans are s***.” The fans were not alone.
Ronaldo was anonymous, well contained by Fabio Aurelio, and Carlos Tevez was in blunt instrument mode, notably when Wayne Rooney’s inviting layoff caught the Argentinian maladroitly positioned at close range. The crowd called for Ryan Giggs, whose exclusion from the starting line-up after his outstanding performance against Internazionale was as surprising as Ferguson’s preference for Tevez over Dimitar Berbatov.
With 20 minutes left, the cavalry were finally brought into the fray, with Giggs, Berbatov and Paul Scholes sent on to rescue the game. Unfortunately for United, before the reinforcements could have any effect they were negated by the dismissal of Vidic, shown a straight red card by Alan Wiley for pulling down Gerrard 20 yards out. Aurelio stepped up and, from the inside-right channel, curled a delicious free kick, left-footed, over the defensive wall and into Van der Sar’s left corner. It was the crucial goal and, the match won, Benitez brought off Torres with next weekend’s visit of Aston Villa in mind. But if the manager was satisfied, his players weren’t, and in the 90th minute John O’Shea made the costly mistake of allowing a clearance from Reina to bounce, and Andrea Dossena, on for Albert Riera, chipped Van der Sar with the accuracy that brought him similar late success against Real.
Over to Chelsea, who will be hoping their neighbours, Fulham, can do them another favour when United travel to Craven Cottage on Saturday. Vidic’s suspension for that fixture will further encourage Hiddink and his charges.
Click hereto see how Liverpool stormed Old Trafford.
Star man: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
Yellow cards: Man Utd: Ferdinand, Van der Sar. Liverpool: Carragher, Skrtel, Mascherano.
Red card: Man Utd: Vidic
Referee: A Wiley. Attendance: 75,569.
Manchester United: Van der Sar 6, O’Shea 5, Ferdinand 6, Vidic 5, Evra 6, Ronaldo 5, Carrick 5 (Giggs 74min), Anderson 5 (Scholes 73min), Park 5 (Berbatov 74min), Rooney 7, Tevez 5.
Liverpool: Reina 6, Carragher 6, Skrtel 6, Hyypia 6, Aurelio 7, Mascherano 6, Lucas 6, Kuyt 6, Gerrard 9 (El Zhar 90min), Riera 5 (Dossena 67min), Torres 9 (Babel 81min).
Source:the times
Amir Khan stops Marco Antonio Barrera in five
The rehabilitation of Amir Khan continued last night with what was, on paper and ultimately in reality, the most impressive victory of his career to date. The 22-year-old former Olympic silver medallist was a long way ahead on the cards of all three judges when his fight against the former three-time world champion Marco Antonio Barrera had to be stopped shortly before the end of round five.
The veteran Mexican had been badly cut in an accidental clash of heads at the end of the first round and the blood flowed so profusely thereafter that it was disquieting the fight was not stopped at least a round earlier.
Even so, Khan had already shown more than enough to make clear he has learnt from the months he has spent with new trainer Freddy Roach.
His right hand was high, guarding his suspect chin against the left hook with which three opponents — Breidis Prescott and before him Michael Gomez and Willie Limond — have dropped him. Roach has also had Khan working on specific punches, including a counter left hook, and that punch rattled Barrera several times. He has also introduced exercises intended to strengthen the legs of his young charge. Khan looked strong and, more importantly, balanced throughout.
Whether, as promoter Frank Warren believes, he has now put himself in line for a world title shot depends on what one makes of the challenge offered by Barrera. He was unquestionably a great fighter but the suspicion that he was not only past his peak — at 35, that much had to be taken for granted — but was so far past it that his presence amounted to little more than being delivered up to give credence to the relaunch of Khan’s career had been hardening in the days leading up to the fight.
Although the list of the Mexican’s former world titles is a long one, his last successful defence, of the WBC super-featherweight championship, was in October 2006. His insistence beforehand that he was determined to become the first Mexican-born fighter to win world championships in four different weight divisions was unconvincing, the more so because he is now being promoted by Don King. Even so, Barrera had been stopped only once before in his 19-year career, and he was cheered to the ring by the Manchester crowd.
Khan by contrast received what might kindly be described as a mixed reception. The memory of Prescott reducing Khan’s legs to jelly in the first round of the Briton’s defence of his WBO intercontinental lightweight championship last September clearly remain uncomfortably fresh but once again, Khan proved that offensively, he has the power and ability to hurt good fighters. His jab, always strong and fast, thumped into Barrera’s face, and his combination work was intelligent, as was his movement. If Barrera wasn’t the fighter he was, however, he looked as durable as ever, so it was doubly unfortunate that a clash of heads should cut him so deeply, close to the hairline over his left eye. By the end of the second round the left side of his face was a mask of blood and it was hard to believe he was seeing the swinging short right hands that Khan thumped in.
A minute into the fourth round, referee Terry O’Connor called the doctor to inspect the wound. Barrera was fighting gamely but constantly blinking and wiping blood away from his eye with his glove.
Remarkably, he was given the go-ahead to continue. By now Khan was doing almost as his pleased. The end came when O’Connor finally ruled Barrera unable to go on.
Enzo Maccarinelli, well beaten by David Haye in his attempt to unify the WBO, WBC and WBA cruiserweight titles this time last year, was hoping to defeat Ola Afolabi and set himself on the way to a rematch. Unfortunately for Maccarinelli, Afolabi, born in London but now living in California, proved a tough as well as entertainingly stylish opponent and the fight was stopped after he floored the Welshman with a clean right in the ninth.
Earlier, Nicky Cook failed to defend his WBO super-featherweight world championship against the unbeaten Puerto Rican Roman Martinez. Cook was an unexpected winner of the title when he beat the fancied Alex Arthur on points in this ring last September.
A left hook dropped him in the fourth last night and, though he just beat the count, a second knockdown moments later left the referee little option but to stop the fight.
Source:the times
The veteran Mexican had been badly cut in an accidental clash of heads at the end of the first round and the blood flowed so profusely thereafter that it was disquieting the fight was not stopped at least a round earlier.
Even so, Khan had already shown more than enough to make clear he has learnt from the months he has spent with new trainer Freddy Roach.
His right hand was high, guarding his suspect chin against the left hook with which three opponents — Breidis Prescott and before him Michael Gomez and Willie Limond — have dropped him. Roach has also had Khan working on specific punches, including a counter left hook, and that punch rattled Barrera several times. He has also introduced exercises intended to strengthen the legs of his young charge. Khan looked strong and, more importantly, balanced throughout.
Whether, as promoter Frank Warren believes, he has now put himself in line for a world title shot depends on what one makes of the challenge offered by Barrera. He was unquestionably a great fighter but the suspicion that he was not only past his peak — at 35, that much had to be taken for granted — but was so far past it that his presence amounted to little more than being delivered up to give credence to the relaunch of Khan’s career had been hardening in the days leading up to the fight.
Although the list of the Mexican’s former world titles is a long one, his last successful defence, of the WBC super-featherweight championship, was in October 2006. His insistence beforehand that he was determined to become the first Mexican-born fighter to win world championships in four different weight divisions was unconvincing, the more so because he is now being promoted by Don King. Even so, Barrera had been stopped only once before in his 19-year career, and he was cheered to the ring by the Manchester crowd.
Khan by contrast received what might kindly be described as a mixed reception. The memory of Prescott reducing Khan’s legs to jelly in the first round of the Briton’s defence of his WBO intercontinental lightweight championship last September clearly remain uncomfortably fresh but once again, Khan proved that offensively, he has the power and ability to hurt good fighters. His jab, always strong and fast, thumped into Barrera’s face, and his combination work was intelligent, as was his movement. If Barrera wasn’t the fighter he was, however, he looked as durable as ever, so it was doubly unfortunate that a clash of heads should cut him so deeply, close to the hairline over his left eye. By the end of the second round the left side of his face was a mask of blood and it was hard to believe he was seeing the swinging short right hands that Khan thumped in.
A minute into the fourth round, referee Terry O’Connor called the doctor to inspect the wound. Barrera was fighting gamely but constantly blinking and wiping blood away from his eye with his glove.
Remarkably, he was given the go-ahead to continue. By now Khan was doing almost as his pleased. The end came when O’Connor finally ruled Barrera unable to go on.
Enzo Maccarinelli, well beaten by David Haye in his attempt to unify the WBO, WBC and WBA cruiserweight titles this time last year, was hoping to defeat Ola Afolabi and set himself on the way to a rematch. Unfortunately for Maccarinelli, Afolabi, born in London but now living in California, proved a tough as well as entertainingly stylish opponent and the fight was stopped after he floored the Welshman with a clean right in the ninth.
Earlier, Nicky Cook failed to defend his WBO super-featherweight world championship against the unbeaten Puerto Rican Roman Martinez. Cook was an unexpected winner of the title when he beat the fancied Alex Arthur on points in this ring last September.
A left hook dropped him in the fourth last night and, though he just beat the count, a second knockdown moments later left the referee little option but to stop the fight.
Source:the times
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Dubai event in doubt as Andy Ram awaits news
The totally disinterested look on the face of the vanquished Dinara Safina was hardly the perfect illustration for the competitive element on view but the ongoing political situation at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships is proof there is far more to tennis than hitting fluffy yellow balls back and forth.
The very future of this tournament may be hanging in the balance following the decision by the United Arab Emirates Government to deny Shahar Peer, of Israel, an entry visa to contest this week’s women’s event. Political negotiations are ongoing as her countryman Andy Ram, one of the world’s top doubles players, awaits news of whether he can contest next week’s men’s event.
Dubai has long been regarded as one of the most forward thinking events on the world tour. In the 17 years of competition at the Aviation Club, the tournament has led the way as the Arabian Gulf has become one of the true bastions of world tennis. Nine years ago, a WTA event was added, and now the tournament features almost every top 10-ranked player, both men and women. Last year more than 125,000 people attended.
Indeed, the current site is now becoming too small for such a prestigious gathering of talent, and plans are under way to move to a new location. "We are in discussions with the authorities at the Dubai Sports City for hosting the tournament there," said Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, owners and organizers of the $4 million event. But the events of the past few days have thrown everything in doubt.
Larry Scott, chief executive of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, insists debate will be thorough on whether to continue with the event in forthcoming years. Pessimists are even speculating that next week’s ATP event, set to include Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and, if fit enough, world No 1 Rafael Nadal, will not take place if Ram is treated the same as Peer.
Justin Gimelstob, an ATP board member, was one of many who looked on in dismay as the WTA simply shook their heads, voiced their disappointment and told the rest of their players to get on with the tournament.
Gimelstob was adamant the ATP would be firm in their support of Ram and said: "We are very disappointed to hear about the decision with Shahar Peer and we are looking at it and are very concerned."
"We believe very strongly that players of all religions, ethnicities and nationalities be allowed to play. We discussed that with Dubai and are adamant all players get access to the tournament.
"If Andy Ram were not to get his visa that would be very troubling. It's a clear-cut rule that everyone should be allowed to play tour events. We are on top of it and are trying to sort out the information."
There are of course two sides to every story. While Francisco Ricci Bitti, the International Tennis Federation's president, reminded the UAE politicians that sport should not be used as a political tool but rather as a unifying force, tournament officials maintain they took the decision over Peer.
Feelings understandably remain very high among the Arabic residents of Dubai after the three-week Israeli offensive in Gaza, which killed 1,300 Palestinians. Concerns were rife that local fans would have boycotted the event if Peer had played and she in turn would have been in danger.
"Public sentiment remains high in the Middle East and it is believed that Ms Peer's presence would have antagonised our fans who have watched live television coverage of recent attacks in Gaza," Salah Tahlak, the tournament director, said in an official statement. "Ms Peer personally witnessed protests against her at another tournament in New Zealand only a few weeks ago.
"Concern was raised about her well-being and her presence triggering similar protests. Given public sentiment, the entire tournament could have been boycotted by protesters.We do not wish to politicise sports, but we have to be sensitive to recent events in the region and not alienate or put at risk the players and the many tennis fans of different nationalities that we have here in the UAE."
Meanwhile Safina, completely humbled by Serena Williams in the Australian Open final two-and-a-half weeks ago, simply cocooned herself in her own world. Just when women’s tennis needed a boost to its credibility, the Russian, who has surged to second spot in the world rankings, produced a display perhaps even more indolent and inept than her display at Melbourne Park.
As Safina lost out 6-4,6-2 to Italy’s Flavia Penetta, she looked like somebody who simply didn’t want to be on the court. “It was a bad day,”she mumbled. “Probably worse than the Australian Open final. I don’t know why.”
Source:the times
The very future of this tournament may be hanging in the balance following the decision by the United Arab Emirates Government to deny Shahar Peer, of Israel, an entry visa to contest this week’s women’s event. Political negotiations are ongoing as her countryman Andy Ram, one of the world’s top doubles players, awaits news of whether he can contest next week’s men’s event.
Dubai has long been regarded as one of the most forward thinking events on the world tour. In the 17 years of competition at the Aviation Club, the tournament has led the way as the Arabian Gulf has become one of the true bastions of world tennis. Nine years ago, a WTA event was added, and now the tournament features almost every top 10-ranked player, both men and women. Last year more than 125,000 people attended.
Indeed, the current site is now becoming too small for such a prestigious gathering of talent, and plans are under way to move to a new location. "We are in discussions with the authorities at the Dubai Sports City for hosting the tournament there," said Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, owners and organizers of the $4 million event. But the events of the past few days have thrown everything in doubt.
Larry Scott, chief executive of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, insists debate will be thorough on whether to continue with the event in forthcoming years. Pessimists are even speculating that next week’s ATP event, set to include Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and, if fit enough, world No 1 Rafael Nadal, will not take place if Ram is treated the same as Peer.
Justin Gimelstob, an ATP board member, was one of many who looked on in dismay as the WTA simply shook their heads, voiced their disappointment and told the rest of their players to get on with the tournament.
Gimelstob was adamant the ATP would be firm in their support of Ram and said: "We are very disappointed to hear about the decision with Shahar Peer and we are looking at it and are very concerned."
"We believe very strongly that players of all religions, ethnicities and nationalities be allowed to play. We discussed that with Dubai and are adamant all players get access to the tournament.
"If Andy Ram were not to get his visa that would be very troubling. It's a clear-cut rule that everyone should be allowed to play tour events. We are on top of it and are trying to sort out the information."
There are of course two sides to every story. While Francisco Ricci Bitti, the International Tennis Federation's president, reminded the UAE politicians that sport should not be used as a political tool but rather as a unifying force, tournament officials maintain they took the decision over Peer.
Feelings understandably remain very high among the Arabic residents of Dubai after the three-week Israeli offensive in Gaza, which killed 1,300 Palestinians. Concerns were rife that local fans would have boycotted the event if Peer had played and she in turn would have been in danger.
"Public sentiment remains high in the Middle East and it is believed that Ms Peer's presence would have antagonised our fans who have watched live television coverage of recent attacks in Gaza," Salah Tahlak, the tournament director, said in an official statement. "Ms Peer personally witnessed protests against her at another tournament in New Zealand only a few weeks ago.
"Concern was raised about her well-being and her presence triggering similar protests. Given public sentiment, the entire tournament could have been boycotted by protesters.We do not wish to politicise sports, but we have to be sensitive to recent events in the region and not alienate or put at risk the players and the many tennis fans of different nationalities that we have here in the UAE."
Meanwhile Safina, completely humbled by Serena Williams in the Australian Open final two-and-a-half weeks ago, simply cocooned herself in her own world. Just when women’s tennis needed a boost to its credibility, the Russian, who has surged to second spot in the world rankings, produced a display perhaps even more indolent and inept than her display at Melbourne Park.
As Safina lost out 6-4,6-2 to Italy’s Flavia Penetta, she looked like somebody who simply didn’t want to be on the court. “It was a bad day,”she mumbled. “Probably worse than the Australian Open final. I don’t know why.”
Source:the times
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