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Tag: Tennis
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World Darts Championship: Michael van Gerwen suffers shock exit to Scott Williams in quarter-finals
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Michael van Gerwen was stunned by Scott Williams in the World Darts Championship quarter-finals
Michael van Gerwen’s hopes of a fourth World Darts Championship title were dashed in stunning fashion by Scott Williams at the quarter-final stage on New Year’s Day.
Williams pulled off a sensational 5-3 scalp of Van Gerwen at Alexandra Palace, punishing 27 missed darts at doubles from the three-time champion to set up a meeting with Luke Humphries.
World Darts Championship: New Year’s Day Evening Results
Michael van Gerwen 3-5 Scott Williams Luke Humphries 5-1 Dave Chisnall Rob Cross, only former PDC world champion left and in the semi-finals for the first time since winning the title on debut
Luke Littler, 16 years old, in the semi-finals on his debut
Scott Williams in his first major semi-final
Luke Humphries, the pre-tournament favourite, into his first Ally Pally semi-final
Seasonal prize money prior to the World Championship: £32,750
Minimum prize money at the World Championship: £100,000
Scott Williams is in to the semi-finals and the world’s top 32
Scott Williams produced one of the biggest shocks in World Darts Championship history by beating Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals Scott Williams produced one of the biggest shocks in World Darts Championship history by beating Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals
Williams came charging out of the blocks by winning the opening set in straight legs, but ‘Mighty Mike’ took out 81 for back-to-back 11-darters to close out the second set 3-1 with a set average of 116.71 despite missing 12 darts at double.
Van Gerwen took out a magnificent 121 checkout before pinning double 16 to seize the initiative in the third set.
Van Gerwen hits this magnificent 121 finish during his quarter-final clash against Williams Van Gerwen hits this magnificent 121 finish during his quarter-final clash against Williams
However, the Dutchman threw in a stinker of a set, averaging just 78, and Williams railroaded it 3-0 to get back on level terms at 2-2.
Van Gerwen appeared to have fallen off a cliff when Lincolnshire showman Williams made it six legs on the spin to lead 3-2, but the three-time World Champion soon restored parity in three consecutive legs to stop the rot.
‘Shaggy’ punished more crucial mistakes from the world No 2 to seal the seventh set 3-1 and go within one of a sensational victory before taking the eighth 3-1 to secure a last-four meeting with either Luke Humphries or Dave Chisnall.
Williams said he probably should have beaten Van Gerwen a bit easier after knocking out the pre-tournament favourite Williams said he probably should have beaten Van Gerwen a bit easier after knocking out the pre-tournament favourite
“I just knocked the best player in the world out,” Williams told Sky Sports.
“He wasn’t the Michael van Gerwen we’ve seen over the last couple of games but that’s not my problem.
“I hit the doubles and probably should have won it a little bit easier. I’m absolutely loving it up there. I love a crowd.”
Wayne Wardle was surprised at how ‘erratic’ Van Gerwen was during his loss Wayne Wardle was surprised at how ‘erratic’ Van Gerwen was during his loss
Wayne Mardle called Williams’ win a “massive shock”, but also admitted he did a “number” on the Dutch ace.
“Michael van Gerwen normally loses to someone who is a big hitter already, a world champion or a major champion,” ‘Hawaii 501’ said.
“Scott Williams did a number on him. He was there to clean up when he had to clean up and he held it together so well.
“Even Luke Littler and Rob Cross are giving it… ‘WHAT!?’ What an opportunity for everyone left in the tournament.”
Michael van Gerwen missed 30 doubles in his first three games. He missed 27 against Scott Williams
52.4 per cent (33/63) – First 3 games
29.0 per cent (11/38) – vs Williams
Luke Humphries made it through to the semi-finals with this magical 117 checkout Luke Humphries made it through to the semi-finals with this magical 117 checkout
Williams will take on Humphries in the semi-finals after ‘Cool Hand’ thrashed Dave Chisnall 5-1 with a 103.50 average, a dozen 180s, 40 per cent on the doubles and a high checkout of 164.
The World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship winner made it 17 victories in a row to break new ground at Ally Pally.
“It felt strange to be the frontrunner for once,” said Humphries. “I have been used to a lot of comebacks for the last few days and it has just been nice to be me.
“It was nice to be in front and keep pushing hard and I didn’t relent. Chizzy played really well, he made it really tough for me.
“I haven’t been myself in the first couple of games. Tonight, we saw the form I have been showing in the last few majors.
“I played as well as I needed to.”
Humphries thinks the Worlds is wide open after Van Gerwen’s exit to Williams Humphries thinks the Worlds is wide open after Van Gerwen’s exit to Williams
How Littler set up Cross semi-final…
A look back the best of the action from the afternoon session of the World Darts Championship quarter-finals A look back the best of the action from the afternoon session of the World Darts Championship quarter-finals
World Darts Championship: New Year’s Day Afternoon Results
Rob Cross 5-4 Chris Dobey Luke Littler 5-1 Brendan Dolan In the afternoon, Luke Littler’s amazing Alexandra Palace journey continued after he became the youngest semi-finalist ever after he beat Brendan Dolan 5-1 in the quarter-final.
‘The History Maker’ Dolan had beaten former World Champions Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson but could not compete with Littler, who finished with an average of 101.93 to thrill his adoring fans inside Ally Pally.
All the best moments from Luke Littler in his quarter-final clash against Brendon Dolan All the best moments from Luke Littler in his quarter-final clash against Brendon Dolan
“It feels unbelievable. I would never have thought I would have got to the semis on my debut year,” he said.
“Brendan was just another opponent in my way and I have brushed him aside and now I am into the semi-final.
“It’s going to take a lot to stop me, based on my performances so far. But it is about whatever Luke Littler turns up.
“I have got the ability to go all the way, if it’s not to be tomorrow night, it’s not to be.
“I know I have got a good chance and I have got a good feeling I could go all the way tomorrow.”
Littler believes he is one of the best in the game at board management and he’s thinking about lifting the title Littler believes he is one of the best in the game at board management and he’s thinking about lifting the title
He will meet Rob Cross for a spot in the final after ‘Voltage’ looked dead and buried when he was 4-0 down after barely 45 minutes as Chris Dobey played one of the matches of his life.
However, the off-stage break worked wonders for Cross as the former electrician sparked into life.
He reeled off four sets of his own and then took out 130 to seal a remarkable win but he will have to improve if he is stop the Littler train.
“Everyone loves an underdog story,” he said. “As the public and people looking at the game, everyone loves an underdog story.
“I am not being rude, I am on his side, I love an underdog story.
“It took a bit of pressure off me winning it first time as well.
“He’s fantastic and he deserves all the luck in the world, he is a nice young boy. Tomorrow we play darts, though, and I have to go down to business.”
Cross came back from 4-0 down to Chris Dobey to complete a ‘darting miracle!’ Cross came back from 4-0 down to Chris Dobey to complete a ‘darting miracle!’
The teenager was taking selfies after beating Brendan Dolan The teenager was taking selfies after beating Brendan Dolan
What’s happening on semi-finals night at the World Darts Championship?
Luke Littler returns to the Ally Pally stage when he aims for a spot in the World Championship final
Littler will take on 2018 winner Cross in the first semi-final having already proven he is ready to compete on the biggest stage after taking out UK Open winner Andrew Gilding and his hero Raymond van Barneveld on his way to the last eight and he maintained that form against Dolan on New Year’s Day.
Cross produced one of the most memorable Alexandra Palace comebacks having gone 4-0 to Chris Dobey before reeling off four sets of his own and then taking out 130 to seal a famous win.
Live World Darts Championship
January 1, 2024, 7:00pm
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Luke Humphries will face Scott Williams in the second semi-final on Tuesday
Having knocked out three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen, ‘Shaggy’ Scott Williams will take on ‘Cool Hand’ Luke Humphries as he continues his quest for a maiden Ally Pally title.
Humphries came into the tournament as the favourite after winning three of the last four majors but had endured a bumpy ride to the last eight, surviving a sudden death leg against Joe Cullen in the last round.
But he was back to his best in his quarter-final, dispatching Dave Chisnall 5-1.
The sport’s biggest event sees the remaining players compete for the Sid Waddell Trophy and £2.5m in prize money at Alexandra Palace. You can watch all the action live on our dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel.
Watch the World Darts Championship all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports Darts. Stream Sky Sports Darts without a contract through NOW
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Sunderland 2-0 Preston | Championship highlights
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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Sunderland and Preston.
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The Verdict: Concerns build for Arsenal after disappointing Fulham defeat
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Gary Cotterill and Oliver Yew review Arsenal’s second consecutive defeat as they were beaten by Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Premier League.
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Decordova-Reid pounces on loose ball to put Fulham ahead
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Bobby Decordova-Reid gives Fulham a 2-1 lead over Arsenal at Craven Cottage.
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World Darts Championship: Luke Littler hammers Raymond van Barneveld to reach quarter-finals
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Teenager Luke Littler crushed his darting idol Raymond van Barneveld 4-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, where he will play Brendan Dolan.
The 16-year-old averaged 105.01, hit nine 180s to record a sensational victory over a legend in five-time World Champion, Van Barneveld.
“Unbelievable! My average has shown it, my double percentage has shown it – I don’t know what to say!”, Littler told Sky Sports.
“He (Van Barneveld) said ‘you can go all the way, I hope you can go all the way’. I said ‘thank you’ – he’s a true gentleman and I respect Raymond.”
“I fancy myself [to win the whole thing], I do fancy myself! Let’s just focus on Brendan [Dolan].”
World Darts Championship: Saturday Evening Results
Brendan Dolan 4-3 Gary Anderson Raymond van Barneveld 1-4 Luke Littler Luke Humphries 4-3 Joe Cullen 
Littler is blown away after beating his idol Van Barneveld and then reveals what he’ll do now to prepare for the quarter finals Littler is blown away after beating his idol Van Barneveld and then reveals what he’ll do now to prepare for the quarter finals
In two of the three sets, that went to a deciding leg, Littler averaged over 110.
There have been only 19 ton-plus set averages in the whole tournament.
Littler booked his place into the quarter finals in style. The 16-year-old declined ‘The Big Fish’ before returning for double 15 to knock out Van Barneveld Littler booked his place into the quarter finals in style. The 16-year-old declined ‘The Big Fish’ before returning for double 15 to knock out Van Barneveld
‘The Nuke’ showed no signs of nerves as he won a rip-roaring first set 3-1 with a 103.8 average and 3/4 on the doubles.
The world youth champion was soon in dreamland after easing through the second set to strengthen his grip on the match for the loss of just two legs.
Littler makes a dominant start against Van Barneveld by winning the first two sets in style Littler makes a dominant start against Van Barneveld by winning the first two sets in style
Van Barneveld squandered two set darts in the next as Littler pounced to make it three without reply, averaging 110.68 in the set and 53 per cent on the doubles.
‘Barney’ held firm on double 6 to get off the mark in the fourth set and keep his hopes alive, but the teen star from Warrington stormed through to set up a meeting with Brendan Dolan by winning the deciding leg of the fifth set with a nerveless 130 set up shot before returning for double 15
Littler hits tops, tops for a magical ton checkout against Van Barneveld Littler hits tops, tops for a magical ton checkout against Van Barneveld
“It’s incredible beating one of my idols on the biggest stage of all, I still can’t believe it,” Littler said. “I think I am daring to dream now, I have seen the draw.
“I am only three wins away now. I’m so young, only 16 and I have got nothing to fear, I have got no one to fear, my game can be better than anyone’s on the day and I have shown it there against one of the greatest to have graced that stage.
“With performances like that I can go all the way.
“I’ve pictured myself winning it. I look at the draw and see Brendan next and then Chris Dobey against Rob Cross in the other quarter.
“I fancy myself. I do fancy myself.”
Dolan made it through to the quarter finals following a hard-fought victory over Anderson Dolan made it through to the quarter finals following a hard-fought victory over Anderson
Dolan followed up his upset win over Gerwyn Price by pulling off another famous scalp by knocking out two-time world champion Gary Anderson 4-3 to reach the quarter-finals for the second time in his career.
After falling 2-0 down, ‘The Flying Scotsman’ turned the match on its head to go in front for the first time but fellow veteran Dolan fired in 14, 14 and 15 dart legs to send a dramatic contest all the way to a final set.
But Anderson crumbled under pressure in the fourth leg of the deciding set, failing with four darts at double to allow Dolan to complete a stunning upset on double 3.
Dolan took out 102 using the bullseye during his sensational win Dolan took out 102 using the bullseye during his sensational win
“That was some game,” said Dolan. “I was wondering what was wrong with Gary but then he kicked into gear and the next thing he’s ahead of me. I’m wondering ‘don’t let this go, make him win it’ – it was in the lap of the gods,” said Dolan.
Watch the moment Humphries won a crazy sudden-death leg to edge Cullen Watch the moment Humphries won a crazy sudden-death leg to edge Cullen
World No 3 Luke Humphries recovered from two sets down and two legs down in the subsequent tie-break set to somehow close out a breathtaking 4-3 victory over Joe Cullen in sudden-death thanks to a 12-dart leg.
‘Cool Hand’ required 10 match-darts to win a seven-set and 36-leg thriller.
“I just think that’s one of the best games I’ve been part of. I feel sorry for Joe,” said Humphries. “I never give up and that somehow allows me to keep going. I’ve survived again.”
Humphries dissects the insane sudden-death leg as he sealed his spot in the quarter-finals Humphries dissects the insane sudden-death leg as he sealed his spot in the quarter-finals
World Darts Championship: Saturday Afternoon Results
Scott Williams 4-1 Damon Heta Daryl Gurney 2-4 Dave Chisnall Rob Cross 4-0 Jonny Clayton 
A look back the best of the action from the evening session of Day 13 of the World Darts Championship A look back the best of the action from the evening session of Day 13 of the World Darts Championship
The afternoon session got under way with a clinical performance by Scott Williams to book his spot in the quarter-finals with a 4-1 win over Damon Heta.
Scott Williams reeled in ‘The Big Fish’ after Damon Heta chose an alternative route in their clash Scott Williams reeled in ‘The Big Fish’ after Damon Heta chose an alternative route in their clash
Williams produced some ruthless finishing, while Heta struggled on the doubles, a 170 out the highlight of proceedings.
Williams will now face one of the tournament favourites Michael van Gerwen on New Year’s Day.
Chisnall says that he hasn’t had any practise for months because he’s been getting his front room redecorated Chisnall says that he hasn’t had any practise for months because he’s been getting his front room redecorated
Perennial TV finalist Dave Chisnall held his nerve to grind out a 4-2 win over Daryl Gurney.
Chisnall took a 2-0 lead in the tie but Gurney fought back well, 130 and 151 checkouts enabling him to draw parity.
However, ‘Chizzy’ rallied and nine 180s and a 99 average secured his spot in the last 16.
Gurney dazzled with superb 130 and 151 checkouts during his defeat to Chisnall Gurney dazzled with superb 130 and 151 checkouts during his defeat to Chisnall
The session concluded with a ruthless performance from Rob Cross as he whitewashed ‘The Ferret’ Jonny Clayton 4-0.
The 2018 champion got off to a superb start as he took a 3-0 lead, with a stunning 140 checkout setting the tone.
Cross missed five match darts as Clayton levelled at 2-2 in the fourth set, but ‘Voltage’ held his nerve to seal a clinical win to set up a mouth-watering clash against ‘Hollywood’ Chris Dobey.
Cross hit this clinical 140 checkout against Clayton Cross hit this clinical 140 checkout against Clayton
Former World Champion Cross says he needed a new pair of pants after missing six match darts against Clayton Former World Champion Cross says he needed a new pair of pants after missing six match darts against Clayton
What’s happening on New Year’s Day at the World Darts Championship?
Michael van Gerwen is back in action on New Year’s Day at the World Darts Championship with semi-final spots on the line
Three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen will take on Scott Williams, with 2018 winner Rob Cross up against Chris Dobey.
World Darts Championship
December 31, 2023, 12:30pm
Live on
World Darts Championship: New Year’s Day Afternoon Fixtures
Chris Dobey vs Rob Cross Luke Littler vs Brendan Dolan Teenage sensation Luke Littler will take on Brendan Dolan, who has already knocked out Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson, with Dave Chisnall facing Luke Humphries or Joe Cullen.
The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final take place from January 1-3.
Live World Darts Championship
January 1, 2024, 7:00pm
Live on
World Darts Championship: New Year’s Day Evening Fixtures
Michael van Gerwen vs Scott Williams Luke Humphries vs Dave Chisnall The sport’s biggest event sees the remaining players compete for the Sid Waddell Trophy and £2.5m in prize money at Alexandra Palace. You can watch all the action live on our dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel.
Watch the World Darts Championship all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports Darts. NOW Sports Month Membership: £21 a month for 6 months
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How to fix tennis
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Tennis is doing what it does every 10-15 years or so — having a reckoning with its endless schedule, its nonsensical governing structure, and a competitive format that even devout fans struggle to understand.
The sport is played across the world, with countries on every continent except Antarctica producing top players. No major sport integrates men and women more successfully, or has come as close to pay equality, though there is work to be done on those fronts. Nearly every day of the year, an enticing professional match unfolds somewhere on the planet.
And yet, the nearly unanimous opinion of everyone involved in the game — its leaders, its players, tournament organizers, sponsors, media executives, coaches — is that professional tennis is broken, a structural mess that exhausts its players, cannibalizes its business with dueling events and exists in a constant state of civil war among its alphabet soup of governing bodies. There are seven of them, or maybe nine or 10, depending on who is doing the counting.
“Such an amazing sport and so screwed up,” said Pam Shriver, the former star player who is now a commentator and a coach.
Marketa Vondrousova celebrates winning Wimbledon (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)“I can’t even get quoted about it anymore without using bad language,” said another former player who has been involved in tennis for decades. She was right. She couldn’t.
Phil de Picciotto, the chief executive and founder of Octagon, the sports marketing firm with deep roots in professional tennis, has been in conference rooms filled with leaders of the sport trying to fix it on and off for more than 30 years. What often happens, he said, is that everyone gravitates toward one of two opposite poles.
At one end are those who favor developing the most players, which requires giving as many people as possible an opportunity to progress with tournaments all the time all over the world. At the other end is the Grand Slams – singular events that target the elite of the elite and attract the most casual of sports fans.
“Both are really important,” de Picciotto said. “People can adopt both of those bookends and they do. The battleground becomes everything in between.”
As the 2024 tennis season gets underway in Australia, what might make this reckoning different from all the previous reckonings is the near unanimity on what tennis needs to fix itself. Ask nearly anyone involved in nearly any facet of the sport how to fix it, which we did, and the same answer almost always comes back: a clearly defined, premium tennis tour built around the game’s most valuable legacy events and its best players that is easy to follow, includes both men and women and doesn’t overtax stars.
Even those who have to be against that commonly prescribed solution because there is a chance it might harm their investments — namely the owners of small and mid-sized tournaments — essentially agree this is what tennis needs. They are sports executives and they understand that nearly every other successful sport uses some version of that same formula.
No one knows exactly how to manage all the details. What jobs and events to eliminate. How to unwind all the conflicting contracts. The algorithm to divvy up the loot from a combined premium tour so that the lesser competitions that are essential for the sport’s development don’t become extinct remains a work in progress — and probably always will be.
Djokovic now plays fewer tournaments (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Tennis has tried to create versions of this before, only to have the plans fall apart due to battles over territory, power and money. This time, veterans of the sport say, it feels different, a result of both desire and necessity, as leaders face a combination of internal and external pressure to change or be changed.
Fixing everything in tennis in one fell swoop may be beyond anyone’s reach, but smart, experienced people like John Morris, who represents several top players for his company, 72 Sports Group, and is a longtime tennis executive, say establishing a premier tour would represent a significant start.
“If this can happen,” Morris said, “a lot of the things that need to be corrected can be corrected.”
How we got here
The tennis world comes together each year at Wimbledon, the oldest and most prestigious tournament in the sport.
As the tennis unfolds on the grass courts, the sport’s movers and shakers, including leaders of the tours, the four Grand Slams, the International Tennis Federation, and scores of media executives, agents and corporate leaders, cut deals over glasses of Champagne and catered lunches, cocktail hours and dinners inside the corporate suites at the All England Lawn Tennis Club and the stately homes on the hilly streets nearby.
This is where, in early July, word began to circulate that Andrea Gaudenzi, the former player who is the chairman of the men’s circuit, the ATP Tour, was on the verge of a big one. Gaudenzi was closing in on a deal with Saudi Arabia to deliver a top tournament to the kingdom as soon as January 2025.
Saudi Arabia had upended golf the previous year by launching a rival tour. Gaudenzi wanted to do everything in his power to prevent that from happening in tennis.
Inviting the Saudis into the clubby upper echelon of the game by allowing them to launch a major new event seemed like the best strategy. A top Saudi event at the start of the year would likely doom the series of small and mid-sized tournaments in Australia and New Zealand during those weeks, but they weren’t Gaudenzi’s priority. Placating the Saudis was.
Tournaments like Madrid, where Sabalenka won this year, would be part of a premier tour (Julian Finney/Getty Images)Then word of the deal made its way to Craig Tiley, the leader of Tennis Australia. Tiley and Tennis Australia’s other leaders were staying in a handsome brick home on a quiet block between the All England Club and Wimbledon Village. From his perch a few streets from the tournament, Tiley, a South African who played professionally before becoming a top college coach in the U.S. and evolving into a leading tennis executive, swung into action.
If Gaudenzi was going to treat key events of Tennis Australia’s annual “summer of tennis” as collateral damage, Tiley, who declined to be interviewed for this story, was going right back at him.
Long recognized as among the most innovative minds in tennis, Tiley began working the phones and the power centers at Wimbledon to get the leaders of the other three Grand Slams to support his effort to cleave the top tournaments from men’s and women’s tours, known as the “Masters” and “1,000s” to launch the premium tennis circuit that so many in the game craved.
Through the summer and fall, Tiley’s push for a tennis tour that resembled Formula One continued to gain momentum, especially within the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), the nascent players group that Novak Djokovic co-founded three years ago. A formal proposal is expected in the coming weeks.
Why now is different
“We are closer than we ever have been,” said one longtime industry executive involved with the discussions, both this year and in the past. Like several others, he requested anonymity because he was not authorized to reveal details of internal discussions.
He then explained why he was optimistic that change was on the way.
“You have external forces in the form of Saudi Arabia and the PTPA that you didn’t have before.”
Let’s unpack that.
LIV Golf changed everything.
When Saudi Arabia launched its quest last year to upend professional golf by paying top players hundreds of millions of dollars to compete on a new rival tour, leaders of the organizations that have controlled professional tennis for the last half-century knew their supremacy could soon be under threat.
Tennis players receive roughly a quarter of the sport’s revenues, compared with about 50 per cent in major team sports. It would not take much for a deep-pocketed investor to offer the best ones a higher-paying, less demanding alternative.
Buenos Aires, where Alcaraz won, could end up outside the top tour (Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images)Also, during the past three years, the PTPA has grown into something the sport has never had — a viable and well-financed independent platform for players to attack the status quo.
The men’s and women’s tours, the WTA and the ATP, have largely treated the PTPA as an outside agitator. In October, Steve Simon, the chief executive of the WTA Tour, refused to allow a PTPA representative to take part in a meeting between him and the top 20 players, more than half of whom are members of the PTPA.
The Grand Slams took another tack, using the PTPA to work with players to try to meet their workplace needs. That has helped establish a respectful management-labor dynamic and a level of trust in the Grand Slams as they work to change the competitive structure of the sport.
“A players association is here now and they understand that as something that needs to be accepted,” Vasek Pospisil, a veteran player from Canada and a founding member of the PTPA, said of the Grand Slams. “They want the players to have a seat at the table.”
It also helps that the Grand Slams share more money with the players than the regular tour events.
Finally, the Grand Slams learned in 2022 that they don’t need the tours. The tours withheld rankings points from Wimbledon last year when the All England Club and the Lawn Tennis Association, which oversees tennis in Great Britain, refused to allow players from Belarus and Russia to participate as a punishment for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The rest of the players came anyway. Stadiums were packed. Television ratings remained sky-high. No one really cared whether players received ranking points.
What would tennis look like under the new framework?
The details are still being worked out, but the broad outline is built around a premier tour for top-level players — say, roughly the top 100.
They would play at least the 14 biggest tournaments on the schedule: the Grand Slams, the 10-12 biggest and most successful tour events, and the two tour finals. They could drop down and play a few smaller tournaments, but anything that happens in those tournaments is separate from the main tour.
The premier events would include Wimbledon, the U.S., Australian and French Opens; mixed events in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome, Toronto/Montreal, and Cincinnati; men’s tournaments in Monte Carlo, Paris and Shanghai; Women’s events in Dubai, Doha and Beijing. Other top candidates for inclusion would include events in Washington D.C., Tokyo, and possibly the men’s event in Beijing, since they are world capitals.
All the other events would be part of a developmental tour, with players outside the top 100 competing to make the premier tour. Higher-ranked players who need matches or want to collect an appearance fee could play in a few of those events each year, but the results would not count toward the premier tour standings and rankings.
A Saudi masters would put tournaments such as Auckland under threat (Michael Bradley/AFP via Getty Images)The tour would be managed by a board with representatives of the Grand Slams, the other big tournaments, and representatives of the ATP and the WTA. The players would sit on the labor side of the negotiating table and collectively bargain for their share of the revenues as they do in other successful sports.
It’s unclear how the International Tennis Federation, which controls international team competitions like the Davis Cup, the Billie Jean King Cup and the Olympic tournaments, would fit into this structure, if at all. That said, the ITF is reexamining the format of its competitions right now and needs to get its own house in order first.
Why does a premier tour have so much support?
Everyone in tennis believes the season is too long and disparate. It is.
It lasts 11 months and is impossible to manage, with the seven different governing bodies constantly fighting with one another about the schedule. It is also too complicated for lay fans to keep track of.
“It’s like having a calendar with seven different discussions in seven different rooms,” Gaudenzi said in November during a meeting with a small group of journalists in Italy. “I’m trying to convince everybody we’re managing one product. We’re all part of the same book. We might write different chapters, but we’re part of the same book and we can’t sell different chapters in different bookstores.”
Selling just one “book”, to use Gaudenzi’s metaphor, would make the sport simpler to follow and likely drive up the price for media rights and sponsorships. Right now, tournaments and the different governing bodies compete with one another. That drives down prices since buyers can play one off against the other. Bundling a collection of premier tournaments, selling them together and partnering with networks dedicated to exploiting all the content the sport produces instead of just the final rounds would likely drive up investment substantially.
That would be a boon to organizers of the top tournaments and to players. They want to play less, earn more money and eliminate any incentive to play every week.
“Right now the system is structured so that if I don’t play every week I can’t get to the ranking I need,” Pospisil said. “To go up the rankings, you’ve got to play non-stop.”
Raemon Sluiter, a veteran coach, said the birth of Elina Svitolina’s first child last year gave the star from Ukraine an advantage — before she returned, she finally had the opportunity to practice for more than two months straight, far longer than the usual gruelling schedule permits. Top tennis players generally enjoy an off-season that lasts about two weeks, which isn’t enough time to make any significant changes. A slimmed-down tour could make a big difference.
The winners
“It is very good to be a 1,000 event right now,” said a top executive at a company that owns one.
Indeed, the biggest tournaments in tennis outside the Grand Slams are the belles of the ball at the moment. Tiley and the Grand Slams want them for their premier tour. The ATP and the WTA want to maintain their associations with these historic tour stops, such as Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome, so they aren’t relegated to operating the tennis minor leagues.
Also, consider a tennis investor like Ben Navarro, who recently purchased the Cincinnati Masters for roughly $300million. If Cincinnati lands a spot on the premier tour, his event is now a part of the same circuit and business operation as Wimbledon rather than, say, Delray Beach. Not bad.
The same goes for CVC Capital Partners, the private equity firm that bought a 20 per cent stake in the WTA Tour in 2023 for $150million. If the WTA can negotiate an ownership stake and a seat on the board in the premier tour, CVC is now in business with the biggest events in the sport.
The losers — but perhaps not so much
The small and medium-sized tournaments, competitions in places like Dallas, Basel, and Buenos Aires, are going to have a hard time swallowing the prospect of relegation to the minor leagues. They have spent millions of dollars on license agreements to be a part of the ATP and the WTA. Also, there is a question of whether narrowing the scope of big-time tennis to a premier tour is good for the long-term health of the professional game.
“The big difference between tennis and nearly every other sport is that tennis events are tied to participation,” said the owner of a mid-sized tournament. “F1 is a spectacle. You can’t grow a global participation sport with 14 tournaments around the world.”
That line of thinking, however, relies on the premise that interest will automatically diminish in the small and mid-sized tournaments with the advent of a premier tour, rather than understanding the appeal of a cohesive system built around promotion and relegation.
“There isn’t really a tour right now,” said John Morris, the industry veteran at the helm of 72 Sports. “It’s a circus made up of individual promoters and I say that with all due respect.”
Morris said the small- and mid-sized tournaments might be more appealing than they are now if the sport organized them into regional circuits, with players competing to make the premier tour for the following season and coveted spots throughout the season in the Grand Slams and other top events.
In other words, whoever wins in Estoril, Portugal, Charleston, S.C. or Auckland could have new import, in addition to the limited star attractions they now enjoy. Play well for six weeks on lower-tier tours and receive a wild card entry into, say, the French Open.
Most importantly, Morris said, players outside the top 100 wouldn’t go broke funding their travel around the world since they would largely play within their regions on a circuit with far more cohesion and perhaps even a minimum salary. Prize money would not necessarily have to rise all that much because the costs for players would fall.
“Finding a one-size-fits-all solution that fixes everything all at once is difficult,” Pospisil said. “As for lower-tier tournaments, I don’t think it would be worse. Maybe this results in a much bigger place for them.”
(Top photo: Getty Images; design: Sean Reilly)
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‘What was he doing?’ | Gavin Bazunu has nightmare playing out from the back
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Damon Heta’s huge winning darts | Pins 151 to beat Berry van Peer!
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Damon Heta sealed 4-3 victory over Berry van Peer in sensational manner by taking out a 151 checkout.
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World Darts Championship: Gerwyn Price ‘gutted’ after defeat to Brendan Dolan at Alexandra Palace
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Gerwyn Price’s hopes of a second World Championship crown came to an end as he was beaten by Brendan Dolan; the World Darts Championship runs all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – we’re back on Friday at 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports Darts
By Nigel Chiu and Megan Wellens
Last Updated: 29/12/23 12:30am
Gerwyn Price says he’s “absolutely gutted” to be knocked out of the World Darts Championship after a dramatic 4-2 defeat to Brendan Dolan on Thursday night.
Dolan put on a phenomenal show as he beat 2021 world champion Price 4-2, incredible 130 and 144 checkouts helping him on his way.
The Welshman could never find a solid spell in the contest and so Dolan continually took advantage, setting up a last-16 clash with either Boris Krcmar or Gary Anderson.
Earlier this month, Price revealed he nearly pulled out of the tournament over concerns about the reception he would face from the crowd but thanked the fans for their support.
“Absolutely gutted with the chances I gave away tonight, trying too hard and beating myself up,” Price wrote on Instagram.
“Just wanna say how much I appreciate the crowd that got behind me, just couldn’t get a flow and Brendan took out every chance I have him, well done to him and hopefully I’ll learn from this, #gutted. But once again thank you.”
Brendan Dolan admitted he was very happy to avoid a final set against Gerwyn Price Brendan Dolan admitted he was very happy to avoid a final set against Gerwyn Price
Mardle praises ‘underrated’ Dolan
Three years ago, Price beat Dolan in the third round in a sudden death leg on his way to winning the 2021 World Championship.
However, he couldn’t fight back this time after already levelling the match on two occasions before Dolan won the final two sets.
“Price will be so deflated because if he plays well, Dolan doesn’t get half of those chances,” Wayne Mardle told Sky Sports.
“The four biggest legs of the match, Dolan won them all. Gerwyn Price never strung a five or 10-minute spell together and when he did, it was on his own darts and it won him sets 3-1 and 3-0. But it never went over into Brendan’s set.
Brendan Dolan punished Gerwyn Price as he fought back and stole the third set by taking out 90 on the bull Brendan Dolan punished Gerwyn Price as he fought back and stole the third set by taking out 90 on the bull
“You don’t know when a purple patch will come and it never came at the right time for Gerwyn Price. Things were coming at the right time for Brendan.”
Price actually won one more leg than Dolan but the set format meant it was the Northern Irishman who capitalised on his opponent not quite firing on all cylinders.
Mardle thinks Dolan’s timing was “perfect” and believes he has been hard to beat on the tour for over two decades.
“Brendan never went off to a bad spell when it mattered. That last set was incredible,” he continued.
“Dolan never gets the credit because he’s not flamboyant, he’s not one of these ‘speedsters’ like Scott Williams who is a bit marmite and separate the crowd.
Bendan Dolan lived up to his pre-match billing as he won the first set in style Bendan Dolan lived up to his pre-match billing as he won the first set in style
“He just does his own thing, plays within himself. Even when he’s nervous, he soon calmed himself down. That was a brilliant performance.
“Don’t forget that’s the second brilliant performance on the bounce. Against Mickey Mansell, he was better than that and could easily do that again. Why can’t he get through to the semi-finals?”
Three-time world champion John Part added: “Brendan got to him. Three years ago, Gerwyn survived a match against Brendan on a last leg decider. Tonight Brendan said ‘look, that wasn’t a fluke’. And he was more timely with good outs.
“He held it together and is a mature, confident darts player. He’s constantly underrated and is a great darts player.”
Watch the World Darts Championship all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports Darts. Stream Sky Sports with a NOW Sports Month Membership
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The Verdict: Young Chelsea side shows promise | Palace need Edouard back
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Highlights from the Scottish Premiership match between Motherwell and Rangers.
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World Darts Championship: Raymond van Barneveld rolls back the years as Dimitri Van den Bergh suffers shock defeat
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Raymond van Barneveld makes winning start but Dimitri Van den Bergh loses a thriller; the World Darts Championship runs all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – we’re back on Saturday at 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports Darts
By Raz Mirza at Alexandra Palace, London
Last Updated: 22/12/23 11:49pm
Raymond van Barneveld rolled back the years as he struck a remarkable 19 140s and came close to a near 100 average on his way to a 3-1 victory over Radek Szaganski on Friday night at the World Darts Championship.
The five-time world champion – who last lifted the title in 2007 – produced the fourth highest average of the tournament with a stellar 99.81 to set up a meeting with Jim Williams in the last 32 after Christmas.
World Darts Championship: Friday Evening Results
Dimitri Van den Bergh 2-3 Florian Hempel (R2) Martin Schindler 3-1 Jermaine Wattimena (R2) Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 Radek Szaganski (R2) Chris Dobey 3-2 William O’Connor (R2) Debutant Szaganski silenced the large contingent of Dutch fans by winning the opening leg but only for Van Barneveld to reel off three in a row to wrap up the set with a 98.6 average and 3/4 on the doubles.
Watch the moment Raymond van Barneveld entered Ally Pally to his iconic ‘Eye of the Tiger’ song Watch the moment Raymond van Barneveld entered Ally Pally to his iconic ‘Eye of the Tiger’ song
The 56-year-old, playing in his 31st World Championship, continued the relentless finishing spree with an 86 and 104 checkouts at the start of the next before wrapping up the second set on double 5 with his last dart in hand.
The Dutch legend nailed this 113 checkout during his win The Dutch legend nailed this 113 checkout during his win
Polish-Irish star Szaganski managed a neat hold of throw to stop the rot at the start of the next with a neat 118 finish, but Van Barneveld answered back with a fine 113 and clutch 60 to move within touching distance of victory.
However, the Cork thrower fired in a timely 13-darter on double 14 to edge the third set.
Barney was taken to a deciding leg by a gritty Szaganski in the fourth but a 19th 140 allowed the Dutchman to set up 80 which he took out thanks to a slick two-dart combination.
Van Barneveld admitted Radek Szaganski gave him a hard game, but he did enough to come through and win Van Barneveld admitted Radek Szaganski gave him a hard game, but he did enough to come through and win
“There are no easy games. It gives you more pressure. (Peter) Wright has gone, (James) Wade has gone. But hey there’s a guy called Luke Littler, he’s fantastic,” said Van Barneveld.
Florian Hempel battled back from two sets down to defeat Dimitri Van den Bergh in a classic Florian Hempel battled back from two sets down to defeat Dimitri Van den Bergh in a classic
The boy from Cologne Florian Hempel sensationally recovered from 2-0 down to stun 15th seed Dimitri van den Bergh 3-2, surviving three match darts and saving his PDC Tour Card in the process.
The German won the last six legs on the spin, hitting back-back-back 10-dart legs en route, landing a skin-saving 151 checkout, whilst averaging 106.09 after surviving match darts in an Ally Pally classic.
“I’m the man for the comebacks, I think,” Hempel told Sky Sports. “I started so bad, but the back-to-back 10 darters helped and the 151 kept me in the game.”
Hempel took out this incredible 151 checkout to keep himself in the match against Van den Bergh Hempel took out this incredible 151 checkout to keep himself in the match against Van den Bergh
There were a total of 17 180s in 20 legs as Chris Dobey won a barnstorming tussle against William O’Connor with a 103.09 average.
The Masters champion, nicknamed ‘Hollywood’, won a deciding set shoot-out to progress to a clash with former European champion Ross Smith up next.
Chris Dobey was ‘delighted’ to get past William O’Connor Chris Dobey was ‘delighted’ to get past William O’Connor
German No 2 Martin Schindler joined his fellow countryman Hempel in the next round after defeating Jermaine Wattimena 3-1.
‘The Wall’ secured a meeting with Scott Williams with a 97 average and 52 per cent on the doubles, despite the quick-fire Dutchman reeling in the fourth 170 finish of the tournament.
Jermaine Wattimena fired in this 170 checkout in his defeat to Martin Schindler Jermaine Wattimena fired in this 170 checkout in his defeat to Martin Schindler
World Darts Championship: Friday Afternoon Results
Brendan Dolan 3-2 Mickey Mansell (R2) Jose de Sousa 1-3 Jeffrey de Graaf (R2) Krzysztof Ratajski 3-1 Jamie Hughes (R2) Dirk van Duijvenbode 1-3 Boris Krcmar (R2) The afternoon session of day eight started with an absolute cracker between Northern Irishmen and best friends Brendan Dolan and Mickey Mansell.
Brendan Dolan said he found it difficult playing his best friend on tour Mickey Mansell and expects to be more lethal with Gerwyn Price Brendan Dolan said he found it difficult playing his best friend on tour Mickey Mansell and expects to be more lethal with Gerwyn Price
There was nothing separating the two and the match went all the way to a tie-break with Dolan edging the win in the deciding leg to set up a meeting with Gerwyn Price.
Dutchman Jeffrey de Graaf wrapped up an impressive 3-1 victory over the ‘Special One’ Jose de Sousa to cause an upset.
Jeffrey de Graaf apologised to the Ally Pally crowd who were eager to see a nine-dart leg, but got it done in 10 against Jose de Sousa Jeffrey de Graaf apologised to the Ally Pally crowd who were eager to see a nine-dart leg, but got it done in 10 against Jose de Sousa
Krzysztof Ratajski’s campaign continues after a 3-1 victory over Jamie Hughes.
Hughes battled back from two legs down to take the first set but from there, Ratajski showed his experience to grind out the win and secure his spot in round three.
Boris Krcmar defeated Dirk van Duijvenbode in style with a 102 checkout Boris Krcmar defeated Dirk van Duijvenbode in style with a 102 checkout
The final match of the afternoon saw Dirk van Duijvenbode outplayed by big Croatian Boris Krcmar as he made it into the third round for the first time in his career.
He will now face ‘The Flying Scotsman’ Gary Anderson in the next round.
Van Duijvenbode showed his agility as he attempted to avoid the infamous Ally Pally wasp! Van Duijvenbode showed his agility as he attempted to avoid the infamous Ally Pally wasp!
Back home for Christmas thanks to everyone for messages i don’t think i can get round to say thanks to everyone there’s that many but I’ll try tomorrow 🫣 10 thousand new followers last few days 20 thousand new instagram followers 👀 Wishing u all a Merry Christmas ☢️ 🚀 💣 💥 pic.twitter.com/7zWrc5X0CK
— Luke Littler (@LukeTheNuke180) December 22, 2023
What’s happening on Saturday at the World Darts Championship?
Former World Youth champion Josh Rock returns to Alexandra Palace
Jonny Clayton, ‘The Bronzed Adonis’ Steve Beaton, youngster Josh Rock and World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall all headline the action at Alexandra Palace on the final day before the Christmas break.
World Darts Championship: Saturday Afternoon Fixtures
Kim Huybrechts vs Richard Veenstra (R2) Callan Rydz vs Ricardo Pietreczko (R2) Jonny Clayton vs Steve Lennon (R2) Daryl Gurney vs Steve Beaton (R2) Elsewhere, Kim Huybrechts, ‘Heavy Metal’ Ryan Searle and former semi-finalist Stephen Bunting will be among the high-profile names taking to the stage.
World Darts Championship: Saturday Evening Fixtures
Ryan Searle vs Tomoya Goto (R2) Josh Rock vs Berry van Peer (R2) Stephen Bunting vs Ryan Joyce (R2) Nathan Aspinall vs Ricky Evans (R2) The sport’s biggest event sees 96 players compete for the Sid Waddell Trophy and £2.5m in prize money at Alexandra Palace. You can watch all the action live on our dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel.
Watch the World Darts Championship all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports Darts. NOW Sports Month Membership: £21 a month for 6 months
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Luke Littler on ‘breaking records like Michael van Gerwen’ after World Darts Championship win over Andrew Gilding
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One of the biggest stories from the Alexandra Palace so far has been 16-year-old Luke Littler; the World Darts Championship runs all the way until the final on January 3 – we’re back on Friday at 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports Darts
By Nigel Chiu and Raz Mirza
Last Updated: 22/12/23 7:01am
Luke Littler was flattered to hear people are comparing him to Michael van Gerwen after he booked a place in the third round of the World Darts Championship.
Littler held off a mid-match charge from the experienced Andrew Gilding to knock out the 20th seed with a 3-1 win on Thursday night.
The 16-year-old won his first match at the Alexandra Palace on Wednesday and his natural throwing style has got the darting world talking.
Ahead of the World Championship, he became the first two-time Junior Darts Corporation world champion and is already being compared to the sport’s greatest ever players including Phil Taylor and Van Gerwen.
Sky Sports Darts‘ Wayne Mardle says Littler is “probably the most naturally gifted player I have ever seen in my life”.
Littler plans to celebrate his sensational win over Andrew Gilding with another kebab! Littler plans to celebrate his sensational win over Andrew Gilding with another kebab!
“People do compare me to Michael and see what he’s done and I’ve done. We’ve both done a lot at 16 years of age,” said Littler.
“I’m breaking records and it’s good to know people are talking about me and comparing me to my idols.”
Littler averaged 106.12 on his World Championship debut as he beat Christian Kist 3-0 and will play Matt Campbell in the next round after the Canadian stunned James Wade.
Littler was born in Runcorn, Cheshire, on January 21, 2007 and began playing darts aged nine.
He won the England Youth Grand Prix in 2019 and began to rack up tournament wins.
He became England Youth Open champion in 2021 and won his first senior title at the Irish Open later that year.
In 2022 he won the Welsh Open and this year notched further senior titles at the Isle of Man Classic, Gibraltar Open, British Open and British Classic.
The 16-year-old is a back-to-back JDC World Champion and reigning World Youth Champion. He doesn’t turn 17 until January 21.
The winner of that match could play Raymond van Barneveld, who gets his campaign under way on Friday night live on Sky Sports Darts, in the last 16.
“I’m glad I’m coming back after Christmas. As soon as he beat Wade, my eyes lit up but I knew I had to get past Christian then Andrew and I’m coming back to face Matt. I’ll take it game by game and just play who’s up against me.
“Matt beat Wade, a multiple major winner, and what he’s done so far is good for Canadian darts but it’s me or him now.”
Littler on ‘unbelievable’ crowd chanting
Littler first picked up a set of darts at 18 months old and had the Alexandra Palace crowd singing “you’re going to school in the morning” during both of his wins.
They also sang “there’s only one Luke Littler”, a chant which Phil Taylor was associated with during his career.
Littler celebrated wildly after taking a two-set lead against Andrew Gilding in the World Darts Championship Littler celebrated wildly after taking a two-set lead against Andrew Gilding in the World Darts Championship
“It was unbelievable, especially when you are going for a double. Throughout the game they were chanting for me and chanting over different chants. You’ve just got to somehow get in the zone when they are all chanting,” said Littler.
He added: “I follow my own Instagram and have gone from 4,000 to 11,000 followers. I’ve had loads of rugby lads, local ones and other teams, follow me and footballers from Ipswich and United U20s. It’s just unbelievable that so many people know about me.”
Part: Littler can handle different situations
Three-time world champion John Part on Littler’s performance against Gilding:
“We learnt he can handle different sorts of situations. I think he did well.
“Andrew was the better average early going, but somehow he managed to steal set one, set two of course.
“Set four saw Luke behind at times but Andrew couldn’t get the darts needed to force a tie breaker.”
Watch the World Darts Championship all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports Darts. NOW Sports Month Membership: £21 a month for 6 months
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Tennis players to get protection from online abuse through new monitoring service
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LONDON — A new monitoring service will help protect tennis players from online abuse and threats, the International Tennis Federation and other governing bodies said Wednesday.
In their joint announcement, ITF, U.S. Tennis Association, the All England Club and the women’s WTA tour said the “Threat Matrix” service will operate in 35 languages when it launches Jan. 1.
“Tennis players are subject to significant levels of social media abuse and other inappropriate online contact, which poses risks to preparation, performance and mental health,” the statement read. “The Threat Matrix service will support the identification of abusers, against whom all available measures will be taken.”
Threat Matrix is “a specialist service developed by AI company Signify Group.”
The new service “will monitor players’ public-facing social media for abusive and threatening content” on X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok.
“Tennis must be a sport in which players can compete to the best of their ability, free from any form of harassment,” said David Haggerty, president of the International Tennis Federation.
The men’s ATP tour and organizers of the Australian Open and French Open were not part of Wednesday’s announcement.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Birmingham and Leicester.
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