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Siri made a surprise appearance on Soccer Special, interrupting Jamie Mackie mid-sentence!
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Tag: Tennis
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Deebo Samuel does it all on electrifying 57-yard touchdown
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Deebo Samuel produced an electric 57-yard touchdown to help the San Francisco 49ers beat the Los Angeles Rams.
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World Grand Prix: Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright, Jonny Clayton and Adrian Lewis all win on opening night
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Five-time winner Michael Van Gerwen beat rival Gary Anderson, while defending champion Jonny Clayton scraped into the second round by coming from a set down to defeat 2020 finalist Dirk Van Duijvenbode; Peter Wright and Adrian Lewis also won through at the World Grand Prix
Last Updated: 04/10/22 1:49am
Michael van Gerwen won the battle between two darting giants as he set aside a nervy start to ease past Gary Anderson on opening night of the World Grand Prix.
Van Gerwen – chasing a sixth World Grand Prix success – ran out a resounding 2-0 winner against two-time World Champion Anderson in a repeat of the 2016 final.
Jonny Clayton survived a scare as he began his title defence with a comeback victory over Dirk van Duijvenbode, while Peter Wright and Adrian Lewis also progressed in Leicester.
Check out the best of the action from the opening night of the World Grand Prix Check out the best of the action from the opening night of the World Grand Prix
Monday, October 3 – Results
First Round Callan Rydz 0-2 Krzysztof Ratajski Brendan Dolan 0-2 Stephen Bunting Chris Dobey 2-0 Luke Humphries Dimitri Van den Bergh 2-1 Dave Chisnall Jonny Clayton 2-1 Dirk van Duijvenbode Peter Wright 2-0 Kim Huybrechts Michael van Gerwen 2-0 Gary Anderson Jose de Sousa 0-2 Adrian Lewis 
Anderson could help but smile after he scored just nine in his emphatic defeat to Van Gerwen Anderson could help but smile after he scored just nine in his emphatic defeat to Van Gerwen
Van Gerwen reeled off a scrappy first set without reply, despite Anderson missing darts to win every leg – squandering 11 darts at double in total.
The Scot responded with a clinical 84 to seize control of the second set, but after firing back with a 15-dart riposte, ‘The Green Machine’ followed up his third 180 with a 106 finish to seal victory in 12 darts.
Van Gerwen booked his spot in the second round spot with this incredible 12-dart leg… Van Gerwen booked his spot in the second round spot with this incredible 12-dart leg…
“The first round at the World Grand Prix against Gary Anderson is never going to be easy,” admitted Van Gerwen, who averaged 101 in a superb second set display.
“You never know with Gary. He still has a lot of talent and is a brilliant player, so you have to perform well.
“We both missed so many doubles in the first set, but the second set is something to build on for the next round.”
MVG is targeting more success having already claimed victory in this year’s Premier League and World Matchplay MVG is targeting more success having already claimed victory in this year’s Premier League and World Matchplay
Clayton was handed a tough assignment against 2020 runner-up Van Duijvenbode in the unique double-start event, but recovered from a shaky start to book a showdown with Dimitri Van den Bergh at the Morningside Arena.
Van Duijvenbode dominated the opening exchanges, punishing a lacklustre start from the reigning champion to draw first blood with a sublime 156 checkout.
Clayton’s terrific 130 finish midway through set two shifted the pendulum, and as an increasingly frustrated Dutchman faltered late on with ‘The Ferret’ capitalising to move through to a meeting against Van den Bergh.
Jonny Clayton admitted he was fortunate to progress through after a late rally saw him defeat Dirk van Duijvenbode Jonny Clayton admitted he was fortunate to progress through after a late rally saw him defeat Dirk van Duijvenbode
“I’m glad to get through obviously, but Dirk should have won that game,” conceded Clayton, who crushed fellow Welshman Gerwyn Price in last year’s showpiece.
“I just couldn’t get going tonight, but thankfully I managed to scrape through.
“Dimitri is a brilliant player, just like Dirk. Hopefully my game will improve on Wednesday. I’m going to come out of the blocks better than I did tonight.”
Van den Bergh nailed this brilliant 81 checkout on the bullseye in his win over Dave Chisnall Van den Bergh nailed this brilliant 81 checkout on the bullseye in his win over Dave Chisnall
Van den Bergh secured only his second victory on the World Grand Prix stage with a deciding-leg win over two-time finalist Dave Chisnall.
World Champion Peter Wright defied a spirited fightback from Kim Huybrechts to begin his bid for a maiden World Grand Prix crown with a 2-0 win in a high-quality affair.
Adrian Lewis rolled back the years by hitting the Jackpot with this majestic 152 finish Adrian Lewis rolled back the years by hitting the Jackpot with this majestic 152 finish
And 2010 finalist Adrian Lewis made a winning return in his first World Grand Prix appearance since 2019, converting three ton-plus checkouts to close out an impressive 2-0 win over Jose De Sousa, who becomes the first seed to exit this year’s tournament.
Chris Dobey sunk two huge ton-plus checkouts as he swept past Luke Humphries Chris Dobey sunk two huge ton-plus checkouts as he swept past Luke Humphries
‘Jackpot’ will now play ‘Hollywood’ Chris Dobey, who produced a spectacular display of finishing to stun Luke Humphries and secure his first win at this event since reaching the 2019 semi-finals on debut.
Krzysztof Ratajski and Stephen Bunting also progressed with 2-0 victories, beating Callan Rydz and Brendan Dolan respectively.
Dobey won the opening set with Luke Humphries with this Hollywood ending Dobey won the opening set with Luke Humphries with this Hollywood ending
Live World Grand Prix Darts
October 4, 2022, 7:00pm
Live on
Tuesday, October 4 – Fixtures (1900 BST)
First Round Madars Razma vs Ryan Searle Ross Smith vs Andrew Gilding Danny Noppert vs Gabriel Clemens Joe Cullen vs Damon Heta Rob Cross vs Daryl Gurney James Wade vs Martin Lukeman Gerwyn Price vs Martin Schindler Michael Smith vs Nathan Aspinall The first round action draws to a close on Tuesday night, as world No 1 Gerwyn Price begins his bid for a second World Grand Prix crown against German debutant Martin Schindler.
Two-time winner James Wade faces another newcomer in Martin Lukeman, 2017 champion Daryl Gurney plays eighth seed Rob Cross, while Michael Smith takes on Nathan Aspinall in another tasty tie.
Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. You can watch the 25th staging of the World Grand Prix ‘Double in, Double out’ set format on Sky Sports all the way through to the final on October 9 in Leicester.
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Why pickleball is the hottest up-and-coming sport right now
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Catherine Parenteau was pretty much born with a tennis racket in her hands. Beginning at age 4, the Canadian was a natural, working her way up the circuit until she eventually achieved a top-five ranking in the country. Recruited by the University of Arkansas to play Division I tennis, she finished out her collegiate career playing at Michigan State University.
It was during her final year at Michigan State, however, that Parenteau discovered a new sport, one that captured her heart and interest: pickleball.
Today, the 27-year-old is the No. 2 singles and No. 4 doubles player on the professional circuit.
While pickleball enjoys a reputation as your grandmother’s favorite game, to see Parenteau on the court is to know that the sport has a hard-core, athletic side to its personality, too. And as younger, faster, more skilled athletes enter the game, the level of play is only rising.
There are an estimated 4.8 million people playing pickleball in the United States today, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s annual report on single sport. Of those, the fastest growing segment is players under the age of 24, and there are hundreds of tournaments around the country throughout the year. In 2019, the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) formed and became the first organization to offer a professional tour.
Pickleball is changing
Parenteau was at first a bit reluctant to try pickleball back in 2016 when her Michigan State tennis coach, Simone Jardim, herself a professional pickleball player, suggested she give it a go. “I thought it sounded silly, and it took me three weeks before I picked up a paddle,” Parenteau said.
Much to Parenteau’s surprise, she loved it. “I joined a club and began playing three to four times a week,” she said. “I entered my first big event — the US Open Pickleball tournament — in 2017.”
Pickleball tournaments are open to both amateurs and pros, unique from its more exclusive tennis cousin. While Parenteau’s star was rising in the tournaments, Ken Hermann came along and founded the PPA.
“We’re the official pro tour of USA Pickleball and offer sanctioned events,” he says. “We wanted this to be successful, and after getting shut down in 2020 due to the pandemic, we’ve had steady growth.”
In 2022, that equated to 32 events for pros, offering singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
“We’re in a unique phase right now,” Hermann said. “We’re not yet at the stage where the pro tour breaks away on its own, but I don’t think we’re that many years off from that.”
Prize money is not yet enough that a pro pickleball player can make a living off their winnings. The PPA Championship, which starts Oct. 6, has a payout of $3,000 to singles champions and $10,000 to doubles. But there are plenty of sponsors jumping in the game now to close that gap. Parenteau, for instance, counts among her sponsors Skechers shoes, Jigsaw Health electrolyte solution, Charge Electric Bikes, Takeya pickleball accessories and Paddletek paddles.
“At first it was hard financially to travel to tournaments,” she said. “But with my sponsors and the PPA expanding, I’m able to now travel and afford a team that helps me stay on top of my game.”
That team includes a coach and a nutritionist, now. Parenteau is on the court four to five times a week, and conditions five times a week off the court to stay in top form.
“You need a huge amount of athleticism to compete at this level,” Hermann said. “We’ve got a lot of young women in the top 1,000 of the WTA now entering the sport.”
These up-and-comers are making the more experienced players take notice.
“The young players hit the ball very hard, and it’s tough for me to play against them, even at 27,” Parenteau said. “Every year, there is new talent coming into the game and the more that enter the sport, the better it gets.”
As the popularity of pickleball continues to soar — it has been the nation’s fastest-growing sport the past two years running — it will continue to attract more sponsors, participants and fans to follow the pro circuit. That’s what New Belgium beer is counting on, as it vies to become the “beer of pickleball.”
“We like that it’s an inclusive, quirky sport that you can make as competitive as you want,” said Joanna Laubscher, the brand’s community marketing manager. “The talent at the pro level is insane and as more people start to follow it, they will see that legit athletes are at the top of the game.”
While pickleball has yet to become an official NCAA sport, it is rapidly evolving into a competitive club sport at the college level.
“The beauty of pickleball is that it’s easy to learn and pick up,” USA Pickleball Association CEO Stu Upson said. “But to take it to the pro level, you must be dedicated. You can’t just go out on the weekend and play and expect to compete as a pro — which is good for the sport.”
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World Grand Prix: Emma Paton’s predictions for the unique tournament held in Leicester
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Emma Paton
Sky Sports News Reporter/Presenter @MissEmmaPaton
Emma Paton returns ahead of the World Grand Prix Darts to make her predictions for the iconic double-in, double-out tournament; who is she picking to win this year’s event in Leicester? And will Michael van Gerwen vs Gary Anderson be her must-watch first-round tie?
Last Updated: 02/10/22 3:31pm
It’s prediction time for Emma Paton with the World Grand Prix on her mind
Our very own Emma Paton is back for her latest predictions ahead of this year’s World Grand Prix Darts at the Morningside Arena in Leicester.
Find out who Emma is backing to win the unique event, which is best known for its double-in, double-out format.
The 25th staging of the prestigious tournament will feature seven sessions of action from October 3-9 – live on Sky Sports!
Enjoy the best moments from the World Grand Prix, from the first nine-darter, Andy Callaby beating Phil Taylor and MVG’s first TV title win Enjoy the best moments from the World Grand Prix, from the first nine-darter, Andy Callaby beating Phil Taylor and MVG’s first TV title win
Tournament favourite?
Well this isn’t a huge surprise, he is the bookies’ favourite too, but I’ve gone for…
…Gerwyn Price!
Gerwyn Price hit two nine-dart finishes in one night in the Premier League in Belfast… Gerwyn Price hit two nine-dart finishes in one night in the Premier League in Belfast…
‘The Iceman’ knows what it takes to win, he won this event two years ago, and then followed that up with a runner-up finish last year, ultimately losing out to fellow Welshman Jonny Clayton.
He’s coming into form nicely having, by his own admission, struggled with the schedule earlier on in the year. The world No 1 arrives in Leicester off the back of winning The World Series of Darts Finals, plus he missed last weekend’s event in Belgium so should be feeling fresh!
Compared to the other members of the ‘Big Three’ including Peter Wright and Michael van Gerwen, I think his section of the draw is slightly more favourable.
He faces a debutant in Martin Schindler in the first round, and he knows what to expect there after their first-round tie in Blackpool!
A tricky last-16 tie looms with either Masters champion Joe Cullen or Australia’s No 1 Damon Heta but I expect him to get past either of those, with Rob Cross the highest seed in his quarter.
Michael Smith and James Wade are in his half – we all know how dangerous Wade can be in this event having won it twice, but in five of his last seven appearances he’s not made it past the opening round – so I’m backing Price to at least reach the final.
Price raised the roof with a nine-darter during his semi-final against Danny Noppert at the World Matchplay Price raised the roof with a nine-darter during his semi-final against Danny Noppert at the World Matchplay
One to watch?
…Danny Noppert!
Will Danny Noppert be the one to watch in Leicester?
Now this might sound counter-intuitive because he’s in the same half as Price!! But I think he can certainly make it out of his quarter.
He did just that last year, in the end losing to Clayton in the semis and he could find himself with a similar scenario this time around with a different Welshman ending his chances.
He looks more and more confident every time I see him on the stage and certainly since winning the UK Open earlier this year. He has such a calmness and steel about him, I’m a big fan of the way he goes about his business.
We don’t seem to talk him up too much ahead of majors, despite him picking one up this year! He’s still flying under the radar with the bookies too at 25/1 but ‘The Freeze’ is one to keep your eye on!
Danny Noppert showcased some serious darthousery with a no-look 180 before taking out 86 on the bullseye at the World Matchplay Danny Noppert showcased some serious darthousery with a no-look 180 before taking out 86 on the bullseye at the World Matchplay
Double-in, double-out…
…adds to the excitement!! Well it does for us anyway!
Watch every nine-darter hit at the World Grand Prix… Watch every nine-darter hit at the World Grand Prix…
For the players, the first round is a nerve shredder! The fact we start with best of three sets as well adds to the drama. There’s no room for a slow start, last year showed exactly that with the likes of Peter Wright and MVG falling at the first hurdle.
There’s drama of the other kind too – we’ve seen players in the past step up on the stage and forget it’s double-in and go straight for the treble 20!
The fact we only see this format once a year adds a sprinkling of something special, it’s unique, and a great leveller for the players.
Must-watch first-round tie?
…Jonny Clayton vs Dirk van Duijvenbode!
Clayton struck with five ton-plus finishes as he dominated Price to lift his maiden World Grand Prix title Clayton struck with five ton-plus finishes as he dominated Price to lift his maiden World Grand Prix title
Is there any other answer?!
To be fair there are some cracking opening ties but this is the standout for me.
They’ve met a couple of times recently – at the World Series Finals which went the Dutchman’s way, and then what a belter at the Belgian Darts Open over the weekend, both players averaged 105 but it was ‘The Ferret’ who came out on top then.
Jonny Clayton triumphed at the World Grand Prix after thrashing Gerwyn Price 5-1 Jonny Clayton triumphed at the World Grand Prix after thrashing Gerwyn Price 5-1
Clayton is the defending champion of course and is coming into form. He finished the Premier League top of the table but has admitted defeat to Joe Cullen in the play-offs knocked his confidence which took some time to recover from but he’s certainly getting back to his best.
Van Duijvenbode might not have won this event, but he came close a couple of years ago getting to the final and he’s getting closer to winning something on the big stage.
Oh it should be good, shouldn’t it?
Live World Grand Prix Darts
October 3, 2022, 7:00pm
Live on
2022 World Grand Prix
Schedule of Play
Monday October 3 (1900 BST)
8x First Round matches
Callan Rydz vs Krzysztof Ratajski
Brendan Dolan vs Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey vs Luke Humphries
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Dave Chisnall
(7) Jonny Clayton vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
(2) Peter Wright vs Kim Huybrechts
(3) Michael van Gerwen vs Gary Anderson
(6) Jose de Sousa vs Adrian LewisLive World Grand Prix Darts
October 4, 2022, 7:00pm
Live on
Tuesday October 4 (1900 BST)
8x First Round matches
Madars Razma vs Ryan Searle
Ross Smith vs Andrew Gilding
Danny Noppert vs Gabriel Clemens
Joe Cullen vs Damon Heta
(8) Rob Cross vs Daryl Gurney
(5) James Wade vs Martin Lukeman
(1) Gerwyn Price vs Martin Schindler
(4) Michael Smith vs Nathan AspinallCheck out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. You can watch the 25th staging of the World Grand Prix ‘Double-in, Double-out’ set format on Sky Sports from October 3-9 in Leicester.
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World Grand Prix: Jonny Clayton bids to retain title with Peter Wright vowing to raise his game
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Jonny Clayton will be out to retain his World Grand Prix title at Leicester’s Morningside Arena from October 3-9; watch the unique double-start event live on Sky Sports Arena this week
Last Updated: 02/10/22 12:07pm
Jonny Clayton beat fellow Welshman Gerwyn Price to win his maiden World Grand Prix
Jonny Clayton will be bidding to retain his World Grand Prix title in the unique double-start event, while Peter Wright has vowed to raise his game to “another level”.
Clayton will begin the defence of his title defence against high-flying Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode, while world champion Wright begins his bid for a maiden World Grand Prix crown against Kim Huybrechts.
Clayton clinched his first televised ranking crown in last year’s showpiece with a 5-1 demolition of fellow Welshman Gerwyn Price.
The reigning champion will look to repeat those heroics in this year’s 32-player tournament, which takes place at Leicester’s Morningside Arena from October 3-9, with a record-breaking £600,000 prize fund on offer.
Clayton is hoping to follow in the footsteps of 11-time winner Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen – who is chasing a sixth crown this year – by becoming only the third player in World Grand Prix history to retain their title.
“The double-in double-out format is challenging, but it separates the men from the boys,” said Clayton.
“I’m going to turn up and play to the best level I can. If I play my best game, I’ve got a good chance of defending my title so that’s what I will try and do.
“There are not many people that have defended the World Grand Prix and I’d love to join that list, so fingers crossed it’s going to happen again.”
Clayton sunk five ton-plus finishes as he dominated Gerwyn Price to lift his maiden World Grand Prix title Clayton sunk five ton-plus finishes as he dominated Gerwyn Price to lift his maiden World Grand Prix title
Van Duijvenbode defeated Clayton at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam a fortnight ago, but ‘The Ferret’ gained revenge with a thrilling 6-4 victory at last weekend’s Belgian Darts Open.
Meanwhile, Wright will be featuring in his first televised ranking event since undergoing gallstones surgery in August, having returned to winning ways at last month’s International Darts Open in Jena.
“I was really happy with the win in Jena,” said ‘Snakebite’ Wright. “I won it quite easily, beating some top players on the way through, so after the surgery it’s all good.
“I feel confident about where my game is. I think I’m in the top four on the averages over the past few months, so if I can hit my double to start, I should be pretty dangerous.”
Peter Wright will be hoping to avoid a third consecutive first round exit at the World Grand Prix
Wright, a runner-up to Michael van Gerwen in 2018, will be hoping to avoid a third consecutive first round exit in the double-start event when he takes on Belgian star Kim Huybrechts.
The world No 2 is without a televised ranking title since scooping his second World Championship crown in January, and he is determined to add to his haul in Leicester.
“The World Grand Prix is definitely on my list,” insisted Wright. “I was practising for this tournament straight after the surgery. I said to myself that I’ve got to start on tops because it gives you the chance to get the highest start, so fingers crossed it works.
“Kim is playing well. He’s in a good place and he’s beaten me quite a few times recently, but this is double-start so it’s a different playing field. If I hit my doubles, I’ll win.”
World No 1 Gerwyn Price takes on German debutant Martin Schindler in his opening round tie, while Michael van Gerwen begins his bid for a sixth World Grand Prix success against his old adversary Gary Anderson, in a repeat of the 2016 final.
Dan Dawson and Colin Lloyd make their predictions ahead of the World Grand Prix in Leicester on the latest edition of Love The Darts Dan Dawson and Colin Lloyd make their predictions ahead of the World Grand Prix in Leicester on the latest edition of Love The Darts
World Grand Prix
Schedule of Play
Monday October 3 (1900 BST)
8x First Round matches (best of three sets)
Callan Rydz vs Krzysztof Ratajski
Brendan Dolan vs Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey vs Luke Humphries
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Dave Chisnall
(7) Jonny Clayton vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
(2) Peter Wright vs Kim Huybrechts
(3) Michael van Gerwen vs Gary Anderson
(6) Jose de Sousa vs Adrian LewisTuesday October 4 (1900 BST)
8x First Round matches (best of three sets)
Madars Razma vs Ryan Searle
Ross Smith vs Andrew Gilding
Danny Noppert vs Gabriel Clemens
Joe Cullen vs Damon Heta
(8) Rob Cross vs Daryl Gurney
(5) James Wade vs Martin Lukeman
(1) Gerwyn Price vs Martin Schindler
(4) Michael Smith vs Nathan AspinallCheck out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. You can watch the 25th staging of the World Grand Prix ‘Double in, Double out’ set format on Sky Sports from October 2-8 in Leicester.
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Darren Bent recreates his famous beachball goal | Fantasy Football League
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Matt Lucas and Elis James challenge Darren Bent to recreate his famous beachball goal against Liverpool in 2009. Watch Fantasy Football League on Sky Max on Thursdays at 10pm.
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Qinwen, Samsonova set up China-Russia tennis final in Tokyo
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TOKYO (AP) —
Rising teenager Zheng Qinwen continued her winning run at the Toray Pan Pacific tournament on Saturday, beating the sole remaining seed Veronika Kudermetova 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in the semifinals at the Ariake Coliseum.
In another Chinese-Russian matchup, unseeded Liudmila Samsonova overcame Zhang Shuai 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.
In a match that lasted a little over three hours, Qinwen and fourth-seeded Kudermetova traded huge ground shots, big serves and plenty of errors as they pushed each other to the limits.
Qinwen, who ousted top seed Paula Badosa in the second round, had an early advantage after breaking Kudermetova in the fourth game, but the Russian player stayed on track and broke the 19-year-old Chinese in the seventh and ninth games to secure the set.
There was just one break of serve in the remainder of the match when an error by Kudermetova gave Qinwen the advantage in the second set.
Qinwen had to save herself on many occasions, but her errors were often matched by great recoveries. The grueling match started to take its toll on Kudermetova and she needed a medical timeout for an arm problem after going 6-5 up in the final set.
World No. 36 Qinwen then served to love to set up the tiebreak and errors by Kudermetova, including a double-fault at 2-5, saw the Russian’s hopes of reaching the final unfold.
Qinwen, who will be in her first final, will need to be much more efficient to beat Samsonova, especially on her own service games. She had eight aces to Kudermetova’s six but 24 more second serves than her opponent.
“I feel so amazing to arrive in the final,” Qinwen said. “Today was a really, really difficult match. Every point was so important and there were a lot of emotions. My opponent played really good. She has a good serve and really good baseline shots and it was not easy.”
Samsonova, who won two tournaments and reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open in August, sent down an early message in her first service game against Shuai with a couple of aces that topped 180 kph.
She broke the 33-year-old Chinese in the next game with some powerful ground strokes. But she was also broken in her second service game after some unforced errors, recovering to win her next two service games to love.
World No. 28 Shuai played steady tennis but the 30th-ranked Samsonova’s errors kept the match even as the set headed to a tiebreak. A blistering forehand into the right corner gave her setpoint and she took the first set with one of her 13 aces.
After breaking Samsonova in the first game of the second set, Shuai then blew a 40-0 lead in the next game and lost her own serve.
Shuai didn’t look to have any answers as the 23-year-old Russian upped her game and she was broken in her final two service games, effectively ending the contest.
“I didn’t expect this at all,” said Samsonova, who beat Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the first round and third seed Garbine Muguruza in the quarterfinals. “I came here to try to play my best and I’m in the final.
“It’s amazing. It was a very mental game because she was playing amazing so I tried to stay in there and play with her game. It was tough, but in the tiebreak I think I played better.”
Shuai is confident compatriot Qinwen is destined for greater things. “For sure some day she’ll win a Grand Slam,” she said. “When I played her, I couldn’t find where I could win points. Most of the time when you play someone, you find a way to play someone, you find a way to win points but with her, no way. She’s strong from both sides and has a big serve.”
___
More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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The Club at Quail Ridge Celebrates Membership Approval for New Amenities
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Press Release
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Jun 21, 2022
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla., June 21, 2022 (Newswire.com)
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The Club at Quail Ridge, South Florida’s premier private country club, is honored to announce its membership has overwhelmingly approved a master plan project to introduce a variety of updates and renovations at the Club. This $21.45 million project will include a fully renovated north course and practice facilities, a new South Turn House, a brand new tennis pavilion, a redesigned south entrance, and a guard house.These improvements are part of a multi-phased, long-range master plan designed to ensure Quail Ridge will continue to offer current and future members with the finest and most modern club experiences within the marketplace.
“These improvements are very exciting for all of us at Quail Ridge. The current tennis pavilion and South Gate buildings are nearly 50 years old and have served us very well, but it is time to allow our professionals from Peacock & Lewis to help us reimagine these high-use areas of the Club,” said William E. Langley, General Manager, and COO.
It is expected that the initial project phases will commence in the First Quarter of 2023. The Tennis Pavilion will likely be the first in the series of projects to get moving once permitting is completed.
“We could not be more thrilled to see the tennis pavilion updates get underway. This project has been a concept for quite some time. To see the broader membership embrace this redesign is a true testament to the quality and strength of the tennis program at Quail Ridge,” said Lee McCarroll, Tennis Committee Chair.
“Our famed North Course (originally designed by Joe Lee) has a storied past. The course has seen its share of competitive play from some of the finest amateur players in the country and there have been other smaller renovations through the years. Our membership has decided it is time to move into the future with a new design and the team at Fry/Straka Global Golf Design is working closely with our board, committees, and management team to update this extraordinary course,” said Gordon Broom, President of the Board of Directors.
The North Course will be a full-scale course renovation which will include the practice facilities. The spirit of this project is to keep up with the evolving game of golf, yet maintain a course design that provides enhanced playability. This will include re-routing of the golf course holes, tee boxes that will feature different footprints, side slopes strategically engineered into the course along with expanded water features, among other enhancements planned for the course.
“This is a very exciting time for the members of The Club at Quail Ridge. I am thrilled that we have such a talented board, committees, management team, and design partners to lead the renovation and restoration of these significant areas of the Club,” said Gordon Broom.
This announcement comes after a $10 million capital project that included a full redesign of the South Course along with a remodeled and expanded spa & fitness center in 2019. This followed the launch of an all-new $23 million clubhouse that included five dining rooms, two outdoor dining areas, a lobby, a library, new men’s and ladies’ locker rooms, and a larger golf shop. The 60,000-square-foot Old Florida-style clubhouse features beautiful views of the golf courses, waterfall, tower clock, and short-game practice area.
“During the last five years, Quail Ridge has really gone through a renaissance of sorts. Much of this success is due to our wonderful members, committees, and boards who began working with management years ago to reimagine the ‘Quail Ridge of tomorrow,’” said William E. Langley, General Manager, and COO. “This is a fantastic time in our history for our members, as well as our staff, to witness these projects come together in preparation for our 50th anniversary in 2024.”
About The Club at Quail Ridge
The Club at Quail Ridge is a private, gated community located in the heart of Palm Beach County. Sitting on over 600 acres of beautifully-landscaped grounds, the community exudes the Quail Ridge lifestyle. In addition to the 60,000-square-foot clubhouse, Quail Ridge is home to 946 residences, two championship golf courses, 16 Har-Tru© tennis courts, pickleball, a spa & fitness center, community pools, miles of walking trails, plus an endless calendar of engaging social and cultural activities, world-class dining and sporting events. For more information about The Club at Quail Ridge, call (561) 737-5100 or visit www.theclubatquailridge.com.
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Media Contact: Brian Merbler, Director; 561-737-5100 Ext. 3306; bmerbler@theclubatquailridge.com
Source: The Club at Quail Ridge
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Young Wheelchair Tennis Athletes and Aspiring Paralympians From Japan, Canada, and the United States Meet in San Diego
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JTB Wheelchair Tennis Global Challenge is international competition in San Diego with future Paralympians representing Canada, Japan, and US
Press Release
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updated: Dec 27, 2018
SAN DIEGO, December 27, 2018 (Newswire.com)
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“JTB Wheelchair Tennis Global Challenge” is an international competition held in San Diego. Eleven wheelchair tennis athletes have been invited from Japan, Canada, and the United States, all of whom are aspiring Paralympians.B-Adaptive Foundation (BAF), a non-profit organization out of Los Angeles, will be hosting the Global Challenge. January 2018 was the inaugural JTB Wheelchair Tennis Global Challenge, and this year’s event will be the second of its kind. The Global Challenge is an excellent opportunity for young athletes to compete against rivals from other countries and to learn from other cultures. Additionally, all athletes competing in the Global Challenge are unaccompanied by parents, creating an environment for independence and self-confidence. For athletes with disabilities, there are many challenges associated with leaving home, and overcoming those challenges can help them grow significantly.
The following are the players are invited based on the recommendation by the Japan Wheelchair Tennis Association, US Tennis Association, and Tennis Canada.
JAPAN: Fumiya Kuboshita, Shogo Takano, Chihiro Yoshikawa, Yuta Zaima
USA: Nathan Hunter, Nathan Melnyk, Henry Reyes, Michelle Wilson
Canada: Tomas Bourassa, Amy DeWolff
We have partnered with the student-run organization, Aztec Adaptive Sports from San Diego State University (SDSU), and the event will take place at the tennis courts on SDSU campus.
Event Details
Title: JTB Wheelchair Tennis Global Challenge
Date: January 5 – 6, 2019 (Sat, Sun) starting at 10:30 A.M. both days
Location: Aztec Tennis Center (Within San Diego State University Campus), Plaza Deportes, San Diego, CA 92182
Details: Official Website (http://wt-globalchallenge.com)
Organizers: B-Adaptive Foundation, Aztec Adaptive Sports
Sponsors: JTB, Inc., Japan Airlines, American Airlines, Hoshino Resorts
Company / Group Introduction
B-Adaptive Foundation
B-Adaptive Foundation was founded in Los Angeles in 2017 with the goal of providing opportunities for middle and high school students with disabilities to travel overseas, and more importantly, to grow as athletes and individuals. The objective is that people with disabilities not be limited in daily activities or larger aspirations and ultimately to help create a more inclusive environment in which no individual is restricted in any capacity.
For more information, please visit: https://www.b-adaptive.org
About Aztec Adaptive Sports
Aztec Adaptive Sports (AAS), a student-run organization at San Diego State University (SDSU) is working on establishing an adaptive athletics program for SDSU. One of the leaders of the organization, Ahkeel Whitehead competed in the 2016 Rio Paralympics. His objectives through the organization are to create opportunities where disabled athletes can pursue their academic and athletic careers similar to non-disabled athletes.
For further information on this press release and coverage, please contact below.
B-Adaptive Foundation:
Toshi Hoshino
Email: thoshino@b-adaptive.org
Phone: (310) 294-9240
Source: B-Adaptive Foundation
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