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John Terry 'upbeat' as FA hearing goes into a third day

Wednesday, September 26, 2012



John Terry is "positive and upbeat" as the Football Association hearing into accusations he used racist language towards QPR defender Anton Ferdinand enters a third day. 

Chelsea assistant boss Eddie Newton made the assessment of Terry's mental state after the defender led his side a League Cup win over Wolves on Tuesday. "He's been fine, dealing with the situation at hand," Newton said after the 6-0 victory. "He's coming in and doing what he has to do at the club. He's been very positive and upbeat." Centre-back Terry, 31, played in the win over Championship side Wolves despite missing training to attend the hearing at Wembley Stadium on both Monday and Tuesday. He arrived there again at 08:00 BST on Wednesday to continue his defence. BBC Sport's Richard Conway says former England manager Fabio Capello and his assistant Franco Baldini have provided statements to the FA's independent regulatory commission at the request of Terry's lawyers, who were keen for the pair to attend the hearing. "But it is unlikely they will be seen at Wembley," Conway said. Among other things, the statements are understood by BBC Sport to determine whether it is usual for a player found not guilty in a criminal trial to then have to answer an FA charge relating to the same incident. Reports suggest Terry's lawyers want the FA charge against the former England captain dismissed because he was found not guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence at Westminster Magistrates' Court in July. Two weeks after being cleared, the FA charged Terry with using "abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour" towards Ferdinand during October's Premier League game at Loftus Road. Just hours before hearing was due to begin, Terry announced his retirement from international duty, claiming the FA hearing had made his position with the national team "untenable".














 26 September 2012 Last updated at 13:05
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19723020
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PGA Tour Championship: Justin Rose tied for lead after third round

Monday, September 24, 2012


Justin Rose is tied for the lead with Brandt Snedeker after the third round of the PGA Tour Championship. 

The Englishman is eight under par after shooting a round of 68, but American Snedeker put himself in the frame in Atlanta after a superb round of 64. Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy is three shots behind the leaders after a two-under round of 68, level with Bubba Watson and overnight leader Jim Furyk. Tiger Woods moved up to joint-seventh, four adrift, after shooting a fine 67. Fellow American Ryan Moore lies second, on six under, after carding the second best round of the day, a five-under effort of 65. Snedeker's move up the leaderboard puts him contention not only for the PGA Tour Championship, but also for the FedEx Cup. The American, who led this year's Open at the halfway mark before eventually taking a share of third place, is one of five players who are in with a chance of taking the $10m (£7m) bonus with victory in Atlanta. The others are McIlroy, Woods, Phil Mickelson and Nick Watney. "To hit 17 of 18 greens in this wind on this golf course, you're striking your ball pretty good. I'm very excited about the standings going into tomorrow," said 32-year-old Snedeker. Rose, 32, said he intended just to focus on winning the Tour Championship, rather than worrying about the complex permutations which will decide who takes the FedEx Cup. He said: "The whole year we've been grinding for the FedEx Cup, and it's still possible. "It's not an easy golf course. Things can happen out there. But for me, it's about one tournament. "I wish I was in the situation that Brandt's in. I would trade him, but obviously, that's the position I'm in." McIlroy, who has won three of his last four tournaments , said: "It's one of those courses where I don't think anyone is really going that low. I might need one and hopefully I have saved it for the last day."











22 September 2012 Last updated at 22:57 GMT
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/19689165
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Joe Root call-up 'double-edged sword' for Yorkshire

Friday, September 21, 2012


Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon believes batsman Joe Root's England call-up is a "double-edged sword" for the county. 

 The 21-year-old has been included in the squad for the winter tour of India. "It's fantastic to see young players called up by the country but it means they're unavailable for county matches," Moxon, himself a former England opener, told BBC Radio Leeds. "Having said that, it's fantastic news for him." Moxon added: "We continually have to try to produce players to replace those that get called up to play for England. "We're delighted for Jonny Bairstow too because he had a tough time against West Indies but for him to bounce back the way he did against South Africa showed tremendous skill and character." Root enjoyed a fine season as Yorkshire gained promotion back to Division One of the County Championship at the first attempt. The Sheffield-born youngster hit 937 first-class runs, including a superb 222 not out at Hampshire in July. Meanwhile, Moxon said the future of one of Yorkshire's more experienced players, Anthony McGrath, remains unsettled. The 36-year-old former skipper could leave the county 17 years after making his debut, despite making a series of vitally important contributions in the final part of the season. He has made it clear he wants to continue playing. "It's still not been decided," Moxon continued. "We've had a lot of chats with him over the last few months but he's got a few options of where his career is going to go so that's still ongoing."











21 September 2012 Last updated at 13:23
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/19673300
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Davis Cup: Great Britain to host Russia in 2013


Britain will host top seeds Russia next April in the second round of the Davis Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group One. 

 Leon Smith's side were the only one of seven unseeded nations to receive a first-round bye and will begin their 2013 campaign on 5-7 April. A victory over Russia would see Britain play for a place in the elite World Group in September. The only previous meeting between the two nations was in 1963 when Britain beat the USSR 4-1 in Eastbourne. Britain have avoided the Europe/Africa Zone first-round matches on 1-3 February and were given a seventh consecutive home tie. "Wow, another home tie! Russia at home in April," said GB doubles player Colin Fleming on Twitter. "A tough tie but an exciting one!" Russia won the Davis Cup in 2002 and 2006 but have since lost Marat Safin to retirement, while Nikolay Davydenko has slipped down the rankings. They were relegated from the World Group this year with a 3-2 defeat by Austria and a 5-0 loss to Brazil. In the draw for the 2013 World Group, defending champions and this year's finalists Spain will travel to Canada, while Spain's November opponents - Czech Republic - are away to unseeded Switzerland. Thirteen-time winners United States play Brazil at home, third seeds Argentina host Germany, unseeded Italy were drawn against seventh seeds Croatia, Belgium take on Serbia, eighth seeds Kazakhstan will play Austria and France host Israel. The World Group quarter-finals will be played on 5-7 April, with the semi-finals and play-offs on 13-15 September. The World Group final is scheduled for 15-17 November 2013. World Group first-round draw: Canada v Spain; Italy v Croatia; Belgium v Serbia; USA v Brazil; France v Israel; Argentina v Germany; Kazakhstan v Austria; Switzerland v Czech Republic.










19 September 2012 Last updated at 17:43
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/19647473
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Andy Murray targets further Grand Slam tennis success

Friday, September 14, 2012


US Open champion Andy Murray says he will work hard to improve his game as he sets his sights on more Grand Slam success and the world number one spot. 

Murray beat Novak Djokovic 7-6 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 to become the first British male Grand Slam winner in 76 years. "You want to try to win those big matches and big tournaments and I'll keep working hard," said Murray. On the top ranking, the world number three added: "I'm definitely going to try. It's something I'd love to do." Victory at Flushing Meadows caps a fine year for Murray, who made the semi-finals of the Australian Open, where he was beaten by Djokovic, and then bowed out of the French Open in the quarter-finals. At Wimbledon, Murray advanced to the final but lost in four sets to Roger Federer before exacting his revenge with victory in the London 2012 Olympic final over the Swiss world number one. Playing with a new-found self-belief, Murray surged into the final at Flushing Meadows and managed to hold off everything defending champion Djokovic threw at him to triumph in four hours and 54 minutes. "I want to keep improving," said Murray. "I know how it feels to win a Grand Slam and winning the Olympics. "I think I'll get a better feel when I get back on the court and start practising again, I'll feel what it's like to have a bit more belief in myself and my shots. "I could have won Wimbledon this year, I was very close. I know if I'm in that position again, I'll take the same chances, I'll go for my shots again. "A little bit more confidence and experience of taking my chances in big matches will help me." Murray has been a busy man since breaking his major duck shortly after 21:00 New York time. He celebrated with a team dinner, where he stuck to being teetotal, before appearing on the CBS breakfast show on Tuesday morning. He then headed to a photoshoot in Central Park and a reception at British Consul Danny Lopez's official residence in Manhattan, where he was welcomed by Scottish piper Don Neil MacRitchie playing Scotland The Brave and presented with a hamper of British food and drink. "I wasn't able to sleep last night," said Murray. "I wasn't bouncing off the walls or anything, I just couldn't go to sleep, I was just sitting awake for a few hours. "During the tournament, if I'd had an hour and a half's sleep and had to get up I would have been in the worst mood ever but I woke up and jumped out of bed at 6.30am, which isn't like me. I'm very excited but it'll probably take a few days for it to sink in. "It's something that will probably take a bit of getting used to. [Attention] is not something I've always been that comfortable with. "I spoke to (coach) Ivan (Lendl) a couple of times during the year and he asked me, 'What worries you?'. "And I said that I worry what might happen if I win a major, how my life might change, because I want it to be the same. "He said he felt the same thing but all that happens is you get more people congratulating you, you get nicer tables in restaurants and to play on all the good golf courses for free." Murray will now turn his attention to the ATP World Tour Finals in London in November and a tilt at the world number one spot next year. "All players, once you get near to the top of the game, one of the goals is to try to get to world number one," he said. "I can't say this year it's necessarily possible for me to do it because I didn't have a particularly good clay-court season and I didn't do well in the Masters Series in Cincinnati and Montreal and also in Indian Wells. "But that is the next step. To do that, you need to be consistent throughout the whole year. That's something that Novak and Roger and Rafa [Nadal] have done incredibly well the last few years. "I'm definitely going to try. It's something I'd love to do, to get to number one. It's a very tough thing to do." Asked about the prospect of a knighthood, Murray said: "A lot of my friends have been messaging me about it and I don't really know what to say. "I think it should take more than one or two good tournaments to deserve something like that. It would probably be a bit rash." Meanwhile, Murray's coach Ivan Lendl believes the Scot can go on to even greater success. Lendl, who became Murray's coach at the start of 2012, said: "Hopefully, we're not anywhere near where Andy can get. "He won two big ones in this fantastic year. I'm very happy for Andy. It's a great achievement and let's hope he can continue and rake up more. "Andy has been maturing very nicely as a player, as a competitor, as a person. As you mature you become more comfortable in these situations. "Of course, it's very important to be in more of these situations and the more of them you are in the more comfortable you feel."




 11 September 2012 Last updated at 23:40
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/19554926
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Andy Murray: US Open success 'means the world to me'

Tuesday, September 11, 2012


Andy Murray says his US Open win "means the world" and that he is relieved to have ended Britain's long search for another male Grand Slam champion. 

The Scot, 25, beat Novak Djokovic in five sets to claim his first major. "It is what I have been working towards for the last 10 years of my life," Murray told BBC Sport's Andy Swiss in New York. "It means the world to me." The last British man to win a Grand Slam title was Fred Perry, who won the US Open in 1936, 76 years ago. Murray has long been tipped to emulate Perry, who won eight majors, but had lost in his four previous Grand Slam finals. He finally ended his barren run at the fifth attempt, beating defending champion and world number two Djokovic 7-6 (12-10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 in a contest at Flushing Meadows that lasted almost five hours. "I think everyone is in a little bit of shock that it has happened," said Murray, speaking to the media after his win. "I've seen my mum after I've lost Slam finals and she has been really upset. Everyone's really happy. "It is hard to explain. It has been a long, long journey to this point, so I don't know if it is disbelief or whatever, but I am very, very happy on the inside. I'm sorry if I'm not showing it as you would like." Asked what it felt like to end Britain's lengthy wait for a male Grand Slam winner, Murray replied: "I've been reminded of that most days of my life for the last few years. It's great to have finally done it and I don't need to get asked that anymore." Murray said the disappointment of losing to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final in July was tough to take but added he was proud of the way he had reacted, beating Federer to win Olympic gold last month and now Djokovic to win his first major. "To come back in the next Grand Slam and to win it in a five-set match against Djokovic on a hard court - he hasn't lost for a couple of years on a hard court in a Grand Slam - is unbelievable," said Murray. He said it would have been hard to recover had he lost a fifth major final. "I'm very, very happy to come through," he said. "If I had lost this one from two sets up, it would have been tough to take." Asked what had been the key to success at Flushing Meadows, Murray said: "I have kept improving. "I have worked hard all the time, even after the tough losses. I have had a fairly solid team around me as well for a long time." He also credited coach Ivan Lendl after teaming up with the former world number one and eight-time Grand Slam winner in January. "Having Ivan Lendl around has definitely helped, not just me but the rest of the team as well, having someone of his experience, especially in these situations," said Murray. "He's got his name on that trophy three times and made the final eight times in a row. It really helps having him around." Murray said he also hoped his win "inspires some kids to play tennis" and "takes away the notion that British tennis players choke or don't win". He also insisted British tennis was "in a good place right now" and praised the achievements of Laura Robson, with whom he won Olympic silver in the mixed doubles, and junior Liam Broady. "Laura's done very well, the Olympics was great for us and Liam Broady was in the final here in the juniors," said Murray. "I hope it stays that way."










 11 September 2012 Last updated at 07:34 GMT
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/19554524
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Paralympics 2012: David Weir claims second London gold

Wednesday, September 5, 2012


David Weir successfully defended the T54 1500m Paralympic title he won in Beijing with another stunning display.  

The Briton, who won gold over 5,000m on Sunday, edged out Prawat Wahoram in a record time of three minutes 12.09 seconds to claim the fourth Paralympic gold medal of his career. "I'm overwhelmed really, I'm lost for words tonight," said the 33-year-old. "I thought I had gone too early but all of the endurance work I've done in recent weeks saw me through." Weir, who took control of the race on the final lap to win by under two tenths of a second, said his aim had been to win the 5,000m to give him "breathing space" ahead of the 1500m. "It's worked because I felt relaxed today," he said. "I knew from the warm-up I was hitting top speed and that I had more in me." The wheelchair racer is also attempting to win gold in the 800m and marathon before the Games end on Sunday. There were also medals for Britain's Paul Blake, who took silver in the T36 400m final, and David Devine, who won bronze in the T13 1500m. World champion Blake, who has cerebral palsy, was denied gold on his Paralympic debut by Russia's Evgenii Shvetcov, whose time of 53.31 secs was a new world record. Blake, who finished in 54.22 secs, told BBC Radio 5 live: "I couldn't have asked for more really. It's my first Paralympic Games and the support was amazing. I'm really happy. "I was nervous coming out as I'm not used to crowds of that size, but I soaked it all up and they were like an extra pair of legs out there." Visually impaired Devine only began competing in junior championships three years ago and won a bronze medal in the 800m at the World Championships last year. It was a fantastic performance by the 20-year-old to finish behind Zhiou Abderrahim of Tunisia, who won with a world record time of three minutes 48.31 seconds, and Kenya's David Korir, who took silver. The GB T35/T38 women's 4x100m relay team of Olivia Breen, Bethany Woodward, Katrina Hart and Jenny McLoughlin won bronze but almost ran out of their changeover area on the last exchange, which cost them the chance of rivalling Russia for gold. Britain's Steve Morris was the quickest qualifier and pre-race favourite for the T20 1500m final for those with learning disabilities. However, the former Special Olympics World Games gold medallist finished a disappointing sixth in four minutes 2.5 seconds, which was almost four seconds off his season's best time. World championship silver medallist Daniel West equalled his personal best throw of 11.37m in the F34 shot put final, but finished seventh.











4 September 2012 Last updated at 22:15
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/19484849
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Bolton loanee Jay Spearing "still has Liverpool future"

Tuesday, September 4, 2012


Jay Spearing believes he still has a future at Liverpool, despite joining relegated Bolton on a season-long loan. 

 The 23-year-old midfielder had not featured in the Premier League under new Reds boss Brendan Rodgers before moving to the Reebok Stadium on Friday. Spearing told BBC Radio Manchester: "We had a really good chat about how we thought the season was going to go. "We both decided that it would be good for me to go out, get some experience and play some football." When asked if he felt he could make an impact on his return to Anfield, Spearing added: "I don't see why not, but at the moment I'm with Bolton. "I want to try and produce for Bolton and get us back into the Premier League. It's a massive club with a massive support and I really think we can do it." Spearing made his debut in a 3-1 defeat at Hull City on Saturday, a result that rounded off an indifferent start to the Championship season for Wanderers. "We started off really well and, when we got the ball down and played, I thought we were the better team," he continued. "It was just individual errors that caused us problems. We have to stop that straight away, particularly if we want to be up near the top. "Looking back, I don't think they massively put us under a lot of pressure. It was just our own mistakes."











4 September 2012 Last updated at 09:23
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19467410
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