I Dig Sports
Most impressively Qian Tianyi won in four straight games, responding on the most decisive occasions (11-2, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9); a most impressive result.
Is she the next in line?
Started at Seoul Olympic Games
The dynasty started in 1988 when Chen Jing won the women’s singles title at the Seoul Olympic Games; later in 2000 Wang Nan, who was also crowned World champion on three consecutive occasions commencing in 1999 in Eindhoven, struck gold in Sydney.
More recently, Ding Ning followed the example of Wang Nan; beginning in 2011 in Rotterdam she won the women’s singles title at the World Championships three times, securing the Olympic Games title in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. Also you can add to the list the name of Guo Yue, gold in the women’s team event in 2008 in Beijing and in 2012 in London, as well as being crowned world champion in 2007 in Zagreb.
Four Olympic Games gold medallists, one common factor, all are left handed; just as is Qian Tianyi.
Doubles format
Throughout modern history, China has always had a rich array of talent from which to choose; also time and again in doubles they have selected left hand and right hand combinations.
One suspects, just as Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu enjoyed women’s doubles success last year at Liebherr 2019 World Championships, they would be pretty good if the played with two right handers. However, consider the ten World Championships held this century, always won by China, on eight of those occasions it has been a left and right handed combination. The only other exception is Liu Shiwen and Zhu Yuling in 2015 in Suzhou.
World order
Now consider the current situation; of the Chinese players in the top 300 of the women’s world rankings, there are just four left handers, in the top 30 just two. Ding Ning is clear of the field at no.7, Qian Tianyi is at no.30, Gu Yuting at no.37 and Kuai Man at no.274.
Gu Yuting, winner at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games and World Junior champion in 2013 in Rabat has not really made the progress anticipated; Kuai Man is only 15 years old.
Progress at crucial age
Moreover, Qian Tianyi is progressing in the vital years immediately following the end of junior days.
In 2018 she won the junior girls’ singles title at both the Asian and World Junior Championships; last year in November she progressed to the women’s singles semi-final round on the ITTF World Tour in Austria. Thus she booked a place in the Grand Finals.
Furthermore, note the world ranking, last July he was listed at no.291; in seven months she climbed just over 160 places!
Next in line of the golden left handers; destined for gold in the biggest theatres of all? The dynasty is set to continue.
Biggest name to fall in the men’s singles event was Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, the no.5 seed; he received a taste of his own medicine.
During the past four years the teenager has delighted in toppling senior opponents, the 16 year old was beaten by Chinese Taipei’s 38 year old Chuang Chih-Yuan (9-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8).
Mixed fortunes
Next on the list came China’s Liang Jingkun, the no.7 seed, on a day that witnessed mixed fortunes for Korea Republic, Liang Jingkun lost to Cho Seungmin (11-7, 3-11, 11-9, 6-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9).
Conversely, Jang Woojin, the no.12 seed and Jeoung Youngsik, the no.16 seed, suffered when facing Chinese adversaries. Jang Woojin was beaten by Xu Chenhao, (11-9, 11-7, 12-10, 11-4); Jeoung Youngsik by Zhao Zihao (11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-3). Meanwhile, to add to the woes of the Korea Republic, Lee Sangsu, the no.15 seed, departed at the hands of Frenchman Simon Gauzy (11-7, 16-14, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10).
Similarly, there were both situations for Germany, Benedikt Duda ousted Sweden’s Mattias Falck, the no.8 seed (7-11, 4-11, 11-6, 11-5, 12-10, 8-11, 11-3); soon after Patrick Franziska, the no.14 seed, experienced defeat when facing Japan’s Mizuki Oikawa (6-11, 11-5, 11-6, 6-11, 12-10, 11-1).
Upsets but the top four names in the men’s singles event, all from China, survived the opening round.
Xu Xin, the top seed, eventually overcame Korea Republic’s An Jaehyun (11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-3). Rather more comfortably Fan Zhendong, the no.2 seed, beat Japan’s Shunsuke Togami (11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7). Similarly, Ma Long, the no.3 seed, succeeded against the host nation’s Qiu Dang (15-13, 11-3, 13-11, 11-7), Lin Gaoyuan, the no.4 seed, prevailed when facing the defensive skills of Slovakia’s Wang Yang (13-11, 11-9, 11-8, 12-10).
Similar scenario
Differing fortunes, the scenario befell China in the opening round of women’s singles event. Wang Yidi beat Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, the no.8 seed (6-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-2, 11-13, 11-9), Qian Tianyi ousted Japan’s Miu Hirano, the no.11 seed (11-2, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9). Alas for Chen Xingtong, the no.12 seed, it was defeat at Japanese hands. She suffered against the backspin attributes of Honoka Hashimoto (11-7, 8-11, 11-3, 11-4, 4-11, 11-7).
Success against the odds for Honoka Hashimoto, it was the same for colleagues Hina Hayata and Saki Shibata. Hina Hayata beat Singapore’s Feng Tianwei, the no.9 seed (14-12, 11-7, 7-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9); Saki Shibata prevailed in opposition to the host nation’s Han Ying, the no.16 seed (10-12, 13-11, 11-9, 11-8, 12-10). The one other seed to fall was Austria’s Sofia Polcanova, the no.14 seed, she was forced to withdraw when scheduled to face China’s Zhang Rui.
Unexpected outcomes but similar to the men the top four advanced. The Chinese trio of Chen Meng, Sun Yingsha and Liu Shiwen followed by Japan’s Mima Ito, all emerged successful in round one.
Chen Meng, the top seed, was tested by Korea Republic’s Suh Hyowon (12-14, 11-5, 10-12, 7-11, 11-7, 15-13, 11-4); in a less exacting manner, Sun Yingsha, the no.2 seed, overcame Hong Kong China’s Doo Hoi Kem (11-4, 11-2, 11-7, 11-6). Likewise, Liu Shiwen, the no.3 seed, beat Germany’s Shan Xiaona (11-8, 12-10, 11-5, 11-5), Mima Ito ended the aspirations of Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi (9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9).
Only top two pairs survive
Surprises abundant, nowhere was that more prevalent than in the opening round of the men’s doubles; of the top eight seeds, only Korea Republic’s Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangsu, in the no.1 spot and the next on the list, Lin Gaoyuan and Ma Long survived.
Notably, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju and Liao Cheng-Ting, the no.3 seeds, lost to Cho Daeseong and Jang Woojin (10-12, 11-6, 6-11, 12-10, 13-11); Benedikt Duda and Qiu Dang departed at the hands of the combination formed by Poland’s Jakub Dyjas and Belgium’s Cédric Nuytinck (11-4, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8).
Different scenario
Somewhat differently in the opening round of the women’s doubles, there was just one surprise outcome. The pairing of Slovakia’s Barbora Balazova and the Czech Republic’s Hana Matelova, the no.4 seeds, lost to the Korea Republic’s Choi Hyojoo and Shin Yubin (7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 14-12). China’s Chen Meng and Wang Manyu, the top seeds, duly progressed as did Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szu-Yu and Cheng Hsien-Tzu, the no.2 seeds.
Similarly, in the mixed doubles, the leading pairs advanced, Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen, the top seeds, booked quarter-final places as did Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching; the one casualty was Austria’s Stefan Fegerl and Sofia Polcanova, the no.7 seeds. They lost to Spain’s Alvaro Robles and Maria Xiao (7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6).
On Friday 31st January, the quarter and semi-finals of all doubles events plus the second round of the men’s singles and women’s singles will be played.
COLUMBUS, Ind. – Veteran car owner Keith Kunz has tabbed 18-year-old Kaylee Bryson as a driver for his powerhouse midget team, starting in March during the POWRi Turnpike Challenge.
Bryson will pilot a JBL-sponsored, Toyota-powered Bullet for Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports in roughly 25 races this season, joining KKM after a short midget stint with Dave Mac Motorsports early in 2019.
“Kaylee will be an exciting addition to our program this year,” said Kunz. “I’m looking forward to getting her in the car and working with her as we begin this development process. She’s had a great track record in micro sprints and around Oklahoma, so it makes sense for us to get her comfortable close to home in March.
“We’ve welcomed a lot of new and young talent lately and 2020 looks promising.”
A product of the Oklahoma micro sprint ranks at Port City Raceway, Bryson has raced alongside fellow KKM teammates Cannon McIntosh, Daison Pursley and Holley Hollan at length as she’s cut her teeth in racing over the past several years.
She became just the second female in history to win a micro sprint Golden Driller at the Tulsa Shootout by topping the Restricted class in 2015, then added a POWRi Outlaw Micro Sprint Series victory at I-44 Riverside Speedway last season.
Bryson posted her maiden top-five finish in a midget with the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League last May at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., and is eager to build on that skill set with Kunz and the entire KKM organization.
“I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity to work with Keith, Pete and everyone at KKM,” said Bryson. “I’ve grown up around Holley [Hollan], Cannon [McIntosh] and Daison [Pursley] here in Oklahoma, so I’m excited to have some familiar teammates with me on this journey.
“The handful of midget races I ran last year were a lot of fun yet such a big learning curve, so I can’t wait to see what I can learn driving for this team.”
Social Media Reacts To The Death Of John Andretti
INDIANAPOLIS – After the news broke about the passing of well-liked and versatile motorsports veteran John Andretti following a long fight with colon cancer on Thursday, tributes, memories and more poured in on social media from all sides of the racing world.
Andretti was one of the more-universally beloved and respected voices in the industry, not just because of his family surname, but because of his long history of charitable work with Riley Hospital for Children and his #CheckItForAndretti mission after his cancer diagnosis.
Because of that, numerous voices from the motorsports industry chimed in with their thoughts on the late NASCAR, Indy car and sports car driver.
We’ve assembled a wide sampling of those messages below:
Statement on the passing of John Andretti #CheckItForAndretti pic.twitter.com/ku3gX2neOq
— Andretti Autosport (@FollowAndretti) January 30, 2020
Rest In Peace #JohnAndretti. The best godfather. Your passion for Motorsport was admirable. Always the good ones we lose too soon. ?? #checkit4andretti pic.twitter.com/WtpSPDzdsV
— Marco Andretti (@MarcoAndretti) January 30, 2020
It’s not often that a person’s on-track prowess is overshadowed by their incredible personality. But that was John Andretti. His compassion for others was second to none, and our thoughts are with the Andretti family. Godspeed, John.
#CheckIt4Andretti pic.twitter.com/jYd6bi4EeW
— NTT IndyCar Series (@IndyCar) January 30, 2020
He grew up in Indy with talent to drive & win in anything – short track, Indycar, NASCAR, drag racing & sports cars. John was great for our communities & sport & was always giving back. Even in his battle he used it as a platform to make a difference. ?? He’ll be missed. https://t.co/4tn5hATqM9
— J. Douglas Boles (@jdouglas4) January 30, 2020
Sad news. John was a great guy, always upbeat, a real inspiration. https://t.co/Mew9ZY156h
— Mike Joy (@mikejoy500) January 30, 2020
Godspeed John Andretti. My first IndyCar teammate. A true racer and great human. I am heartbroken for Nancy, Jarett, Olivia, Amelia, and the entire Andretti family. I will miss your sense of humor the most. Please #checkitforAndretti https://t.co/t7mXYnbaqk
— Bryan Herta (@BryanHerta) January 30, 2020
It’s with heavy hearts that we say Rest In Peace to John today. Thinking of the whole Andretti family as they go through this tough time. pic.twitter.com/yxAkCFsw6T
— Colton Herta (@ColtonHerta) January 30, 2020
John was always someone who took the time to talk to me about my career and life, always with words of encouragement and positivity. He was always a familiar smile to see at the shop and track. You will be greatly missed and never forgotten. ?? https://t.co/MTqrGXphPo
— Zach Veach (@ZachVeach) January 30, 2020
Sad news today, we lost another great soul to cancer. Rest In Peace John Andretti. Always brought a smile to my face anytime I was around him. What a great driver, competitor, mentor, dad, husband & friend. #checkit4andtetti
— Ryan Hunter-Reay (@RyanHunterReay) January 30, 2020
As nice of a person as you'll find anywhere. Prayers to the family, especially Nancy and the kids. We've lost a great one in John Andretti. #RIP https://t.co/1Xm9mVmBtW
— Curt Cavin (@curtcavin) January 30, 2020
It’s difficult for someone with the racing pedigree of @John_Andretti to be remembered first for things away from the track.
But, his legacy will be his kind spirit, warm smile, & tireless work in raising millions for @RileyChildrens hospital.
God speed to an Indy treasure.— Jake Query (@jakequery) January 30, 2020
There wasn’t a better soul in racing than John Andretti. A man who won in everything he drove, ever category that he competed in. I spent my #Indy500 rookie year media day with John, and the impression he made on me on that day will last a lifetime. RIP John, you’ll be missed. ??
— Graham Rahal (@GrahamRahal) January 30, 2020
Our condolences to the entire Andretti family and to all of John’s friends and fans.
His legacy lives on through racing and, more importantly, his desire to help others through prevention and early detection. #CheckItForAndretti https://t.co/qg3S9RmkNt
— Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (@RLLracing) January 30, 2020
This is a true loss to the sport. Our hearts are with the whole Andretti family in this difficult time. Please everyone, #CheckIt4Andretti https://t.co/Ab2DQbHTyq
— Arrow McLaren SP (@ArrowMcLarenSP) January 30, 2020
NASCAR statement on the passing of John Andretti. pic.twitter.com/ye1yDbfmLo
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) January 30, 2020
Our hearts are with the Andretti family and the motorsports community today as we mourn the loss of John Andretti. We will remember fondly his time in NHRA drag racing and celebrate the numerous contributions he made to the racing industry. pic.twitter.com/1pZa7wvqqP
— #NHRA (@NHRA) January 30, 2020
Rest in peace John Andretti. Great guy & honor to have raced you.
— Tommy Johnson Jr. (@TommyJohnson_Jr) January 30, 2020
So sad to hear this. The smile on his face here is how I saw him literally every second he was ever at the track. Prayers to the whole Andretti family. ?. #checkitforandretti https://t.co/7jZSOkb4GF
— Clint Bowyer (@ClintBowyer) January 30, 2020
Man… sending thoughts and prayers to all. https://t.co/9eHOtE1tbc
— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) January 30, 2020
Sorry to hear about the passing of John Andretti. He was the first Cup driver I ever spotted for. I really had no idea what I was doing back then, and he was always very supportive and just an all around great person.
— Kevin Hamlin (@KevinHamlin) January 30, 2020
Gone too soon, Rest In Peace. Strength and prayers to family and loved ones https://t.co/zOJg9OGTCa
— Gabby Chaves (@GabbyChaves) January 30, 2020
I’m so sad to hear the news , What a great person , my prayers with #AndrettiFamily #RIPJohn https://t.co/22L1Qc8ytS
— Helio Castroneves (@h3lio) January 30, 2020
Very sad news. I’ll always remember competing in the #Race4Riley back in the day out @NewCastleMP ! Such a special event for a great cause. Massive respect for everything he accomplished in the racing world. #CheckItForAndretti https://t.co/6eQxa7VlFt
— Conor Daly (@ConorDaly22) January 30, 2020
Such a great man. Respected by so many in the sport and always a pleasure to see around the track, always smiling. Thoughts are with you guys ??. https://t.co/SVq2DeGsVb
— JR Hildebrand (@JRHildebrand) January 30, 2020
Very sad news !! John was a outstanding man and a great teammate ?? for the entire Andretti family https://t.co/fQuWazAtJm
— Davey Hamilton (@DaveyHamilton) January 30, 2020
A very, very sad week in the world of sports. My heart goes out to John's family and friends. https://t.co/SVDbXi8hlI
— Kendra Jacobs (@KendraJJacobs) January 30, 2020
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of John Andretti and the entire racing community. John was no stranger to Victory Lane at DAYTONA having won the '89 Rolex 24 as well as the '97 Coke Zero Sugar 400, the final 400 before it moved under the lights. Godspeed John. pic.twitter.com/sz6ifjRcda
— Daytona International Speedway (@DISupdates) January 30, 2020
It's so tough to get news like this. Godspeed John ? https://t.co/JYP9SjXdiu
— Texas Motor Speedway (@TXMotorSpeedway) January 30, 2020
Such sad and devastating news @John_Andretti passed away. We will miss that big smile and deep humor you had.@therealmieke and I send our condolences to Nancy and @JarettAndretti and dad Aldo and to the whole close knit @FollowAndretti family
— Arie Luyendyk (@ArieLuyendyk) January 30, 2020
John was one of the nicest guys, always smiling, had a great outlook on life and a fierce competitor on track. Thoughts go out to Johns family, friends and fans, the whole Andretti family, and the Andretti team. Such a tough loss. ? #CheckItForAndretti https://t.co/yfm8V7Ii15
— Stefan Wilson (@stef_wilson) January 30, 2020
Gutted for the Andretti family. Godspeed to the first driver to complete both the Indy 500 & Coke 600 in the same day. John Andretti was a badass??#CheckItForAndretti https://t.co/bY4HRb9e59
— Diego Alvarado™ (@18diego_dd) January 30, 2020
God Speed John Andretti. My heart is heavy with overwhelming sadness. I know his last name was Andretti, but for our family it was always Petty. All my thoughts, prayers and love go out to the entire Andretti Family
— Kyle Petty (@kylepetty) January 30, 2020
Rest In Peace John ?? My most sincere condolences to the whole Andretti family ❤️ #checkit4andretti https://t.co/yaPHuxtIZV
— Jack Harvey (@jack_harvey42) January 30, 2020
Re @john_andretti's versatility, consider that he won in NASCAR, he won in Champcar, he won in IMSA GTP, he raced a works 962 at Le Mans, he went to Bathurst, he drove Top Fuel dragsters & pick-up trucks – & was the first man to do the Indy 500 and World 600 on the same day
— Adam Cooper (@adamcooperF1) January 30, 2020
John was one of the good guys. We, like everyone else, send our most sincere condolences to his family. https://t.co/YC2dhtHR1j
— Wood Brothers Racing (@woodbrothers21) January 30, 2020
If you grew up a sports car nerd like I did in the 80’s and 90’s you loved seeing John Andretti getting to race Indycars and NASCAR because you felt like he was one of our guys. The High Life 962 is one of the most iconic liveries of my lifetime. What a loss.. #CheckIt4Andretti pic.twitter.com/DlcucPT5kR
— Ryan Eversley (@RyanEversley) January 30, 2020
Sad day for Motorsports. RIP #JohnAndretti prayers to the whole Andretti family during this time. Fly high ??
— Sage Karam (@SageKaram) January 30, 2020
Very sad to see this. John was a friend to everyone @Team_FRM. Praying for his family and friends at this time. https://t.co/zqrd0ujbPT
— Michael McDowell (@Mc_Driver) January 30, 2020
Rest in peace, @John_Andretti. Always treated me with respect back in my #NASCAR days. #CheckIt4Andretti
— Lee Montgomery (@lee_montgomery) January 30, 2020
I’m Thankful for the time I had with John on & off the Track… without question, what made him most special to me was his Love for Family & Friends. https://t.co/qEkMYyddcQ
— Ricky Craven (@RickyCraven32) January 30, 2020
A helluva racer and a helluva fighter who worked hard to raise awareness about early detection for colon cancer. Gone too soon. God speed, John Andretti. #CheckItForAndretti https://t.co/BccAdTTHFT
— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) January 30, 2020
I'm deeply saddened to learn the news of the passing of John Andretti. John was wonderful person, family man, friend & fellow driver. My thoughts, prayers and love go out to his family, friends and those who have worked along side him. Please y'all remember to #Checkit4Andretti https://t.co/4cXhmrrDOb
— David Starr (@starr_racing) January 30, 2020
I can’t believe this.. literally can’t.. the reason I’m in @NASCAR is because of my dear friend who always worked for others instead of himself … F cancer… so sad about this. Love you @John_Andretti @FollowAndretti pic.twitter.com/pFPtZx33hE
— Marcus Lemonis (@marcuslemonis) January 30, 2020
First race I covered at @DISupdates was John Andretti's Pepsi 400 win in 1997. I'll never forget that victory lane celebration with Cale Yarborough's vibrant red-and-white RCA-sponsored car. RIP John Andretti #CheckIt4Andretti https://t.co/JXFUr1jSsS
— Chris Dolack (@ChrisDolack) January 30, 2020
At Wilksboro @TheSceneVault ran a story about @John_Andretti not long after he started running with us. He stated “Rick Mast is the only one that hasn’t me”. Darn if I didn’t get into him that day. Wonderful man and family. RIP
— Rick Mast (@rickmast22) January 30, 2020
Sources: Barca get €30m deal for Braga youngster
Barcelona have struck a deal with S.C. Braga to sign young forward Francisco Trincao in a deal worth around €30 million, multiple sources have told ESPN.
- Transfer Grades: All the big moves rated
- When does the transfer window close?
- All major completed transfer deals
Trincao, 20, will join Barca in the summer, when the Spanish champions will make a decision on whether to include him in the first team next season or send him out on loan.
As part of the deal, Abel Ruiz will move the other way. The young striker will join the Portuguese side on loan initially before making the move permanent at the end of the campaign.
Trincao came through the youth academy at Braga and made his first-team debut at the end of 2018. He's been involved regularly this season, making 22 appearances in all competitions. Primarily a winger, he has scored three goals this term, including one in the Europa League as Braga progressed from their group to set up a last 32 tie against Scottish side Rangers.
Barca moved quickly to get a deal done now with a host of Europe's biggest clubs circling the Portugal U21 international.
The Catalan club are currently short in attack, with Luis Suarez out for four months, but sources explained to ESPN that they never considered bringing Trincao in this month as they searched for a forward. Instead, they will look to get to the end of the season with just four forwards in Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele, who returned to training from a hamstring injury this week.
They had hoped to sign a striker this month to plug the gap left by Suarez but have been unable to get a deal over a line.
First choice targets Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Rodrigo Moreno proved too expensive, while the other options did not convince.
Sources have told ESPN that the club, therefore, have decided to wait until the summer when they have more room for maneuver and more cash to spend. Lautaro Martinez and Neymar are two of the attackers on their shortlist.
Transfer Talk: Juve, Dortmund near €30m deal for Can
It's go time, as the January transfer window is open. Find out when it closes across Europe, view the latest transfers as they happen and keep up to date with the newest gossip below.
- Sources: Chelsea eye Mertens as Giroud exit stalls
- Sources: Cavani to Atleti off over PSG's €20m demand
- Sources: Barca sign Portuguese starlet for €30m
Juventus, Dortmund near €30m deal for Can
Juventus and Borussia Dortmund have finally reached an agreement regarding the transfer of Emre Can, according to Goal.
With one day left in the transfer window, the Germany international will undergo a medical to finalise the deal.
The former Liverpool midfielder has been heavily linked with a switch over to the Bundesliga, but it was believed that Dortmund needed to free up some space financially before making a deal happen.
Now, after some intense negotiations and the German side's Thursday €25 million sale of Paco Alcacer to Villarreal, it appears as if they're finally going to get this one over the finish line. Can will initially leave on loan with an obligation to buy with the Old Lady being set to pocket nearly €30m.
Carrasco to make Atletico return
Two years ago, Yannick Carrasco left Atletico Madrid for Chinese Super League outfit Dalian Yifang. Now, it seems, he's ready to come back.
Marca reports that the 26-year-old is already in Madrid and ready to put on on the Rojiblanco shirt once more. The Belgian attacker reportedly will be reunited with Diego Simeone on a loan arrangement.
The move comes after weeks of speculation that Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani would move to the Wanda Metropolitano, but with sources telling ESPN such a move was unlikely to materialise due to the clubs failing to find a compromise on a transfer fee, Los Colchoneros quickly turned their attentions to Carrasco in order to get in additional firepower before the close of the window.
Manchester United offered Willian Jose
Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign Real Sociedad forward Willian Jose, Sky Sports reports.
The Tottenham Hotspur target is still said to be in talks with the North London club over a potential loan deal, although they stalled after Sociedad asked for a fee of around £25 million.
United, on the other hand, want to find a temporary solution to their goalscoring problem as questions continue to be asked regarding the fitness of Marcus Rashford. It had been reported that West Ham were in the mix, but for now, the two top four contenders lead the race.
Tap-ins
- Manchester United have failed in their attempt to sign Bournemouth forward Joshua King, The Telegraph reports. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is going in search of a few more additions before the January transfer window comes to an end, but King won't be one of his acquisitions with Cherries boss Eddie Howe standing firm and insisting that the club will be keeping hold of the Norwegian.
- Wigan Athletic left-back and United States international Antonee Robinson is set to join AC Milan, according to Sky Sports Italia. Robinson, born to an American father in England, rose up in the Everton youth ranks and joined Championship side Wigan last summer after an initial loan spell. He has also done a loan stint with Bolton Wanderers from 2017-18.
Mourinho-Guardiola rivalry loses spark as Spurs, Man City lack direction
Irrelevance is not a word you generally associate with Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola, especially when two of the world's most celebrated coaches go head-to-head, but more than 10 years after their rivalry erupted on the touchlines of Madrid and Barcelona, have we now approached the moment when Jose vs. Pep doesn't matter?
The two will meet for the 23rd time as head coaches on Sunday -- Guardiola leads 10-7, with six draws -- when Tottenham host Manchester City and both men are sharing a downward trajectory for the first time.
Some might argue that 2016-17, their first season as rivals in Manchester, was a low point, but although United and City slugged it out for fourth place in the Premier League, Mourinho guided United to the EFL Cup and Europa League and Guardiola was laying foundations for a record-breaking City side.
They were still the biggest names in the game, even if the hostility of their time as direct rivals in Spain with Real Madrid and Barcelona had been dialled down. And whenever a Mourinho team faced a Guardiola side, it mattered because it was a game that would have a direct impact on something tangible -- a title race, a cup tie or even, as in that first year at Manchester, a place in the Champions League.
But this latest clash will feel like an encounter between two men, and teams, who don't know where they are heading. City go into the weekend an incredible 19 points behind leaders Liverpool, with their hopes of winning a third successive title over save for an unprecedented collapse by Jurgen Klopp's team. And Spurs, having appointed Mourinho following the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino in November, sit in sixth position, six points adrift of the top four less than a year after reaching their first Champions League final.
Having just guided City to a third successive EFL Cup final and with his team still in the FA Cup and Champions League, Guardiola is on course to win more silverware. But the emergence of Liverpool under Klopp over the past two years has now placed Guardiola and his City team in the shade. That is reflected in ESPN's FC 100, where Klopp and Guardiola at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively (Mourinho, having spent much of 2019 out of work, has slipped out of the top 10).
Liverpool won the Champions League last season and are on course to win the Premier League title this time around. The point of reference in English and European football is Klopp's Liverpool, and Guardiola must find a way to haul the pendulum back.
As for Mourinho, it has been a while since he was in the conversation when it comes the big prizes. He has not won a Premier League since guiding Chelsea to the title in 2015 and his last Champions League win was a decade ago, when Inter beat Louis van Gaal's Bayern Munich in the 2010 final.
Like Guardiola, Mourinho is still alive in the Champions League, with Spurs facing a tough round-of-16 tie against RB Leipzig next month, so he could yet roll back the years by winning the tournament for a third time this season. But he is firmly in the underdog bracket in terms of winning club football's biggest prize, so don't spend too much time contemplating the Portuguese celebrating glory in Istanbul come May.
His challenge now is all about proving he still has what it takes, at 57, to become a major force in the game again at Tottenham. Spurs are ambitious, with a world-class stadium and players the envy of the best clubs, but Mourinho does not have the riches he had at Chelsea or Real Madrid or the historical power that comes with managing a club like Man United or Inter.
Guardiola has much more in his favour because City will always back their manager with substantial funds in the transfer market, but the question over Guardiola is whether he possesses the drive to build again at the Etihad Stadium. At Barcelona and Bayern Munich, his intensity led to exhaustion and he will need all the energy and inspiration he can find to overhaul Liverpool and Klopp.
The hunters have become the hunted, years after Mourinho reeled in Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson when he arrived as a new coaching superstar at Chelsea in 2004, just before Guardiola did the same to Ferguson in the Champions League and Mourinho in Spain.
Sunday's subplot is two men searching for a way back to the top. Never before has there been so much doubt and insecurity between them on the touchline.
Time for another Marcus Stoinis-Glenn Maxwell show
January 31: BBL Qualifier - Melbourne Stars v Sydney Sixers, Melbourne
Our XI: Josh Phillippe, Marcus Stoinis, Steven Smith, Daniel Hughes, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Moises Henriques, Adam Zampa, Ben Dwarshius, Josh Hazlewood, Haris Rauf
NOTE: For the Stars, Sandeep Lamichhane has left for international duty and Hilton Cartwright is out with a broken finger. For the Sixers, Tom Curran has returned to national duty.
Captain: Marcus Stoinis
Stoinis had a blast against the Sixers earlier in the season, making the highest individual score in BBL history with 147 - that was on the same ground. He also scored 62 when they met the second time. So, despite the addition of Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon to the Sixers attack since, Stoinis will back himself to do well again.
Vice-captain: Steven Smith
Just two games old in the BBL, but Smith has already played a match-wining knock of 66* anchoring the chase against the Melbourne Renegades. In a big match, experience counts for a lot, and his knowhow of the MCG will surely help.
Hot picks
Haris Rauf
The Rauf Express is back and in perfect time to bolster the Stars attack. Rauf has the best strike rate for bowlers in the BBL who have bowled a minimum of ten overs, and having played considerably less, he still finds himself in the top-five leading wicket-tackers this season. A must-have.
Josh Phillippe
The breakout star of the season and the Sixers leading run-scorer will be itching to make things right against the Stars. He failed the last two times they met, but with two back-to-back 50-plus scores coming into the game, you wouldn't want to bet against him.
Glenn Maxwell
Maxwell's constantly changing batting position, that sometimes goes all the way down to No. 5, should worry the fantasy person in you, but in a crunch game, with your leading wicket-taker Curran out, a 50-plus score in Melbourne already this season, and a place in the finals on the line, Maxwell, the Stars second highest run-getter so far, will likely put on a big show.
Value picks
Ben Dwarshius: With 16 wickets so far in the tournament, Dwarshius has complemented Curran splendidly this season. With a three-game losing streak, the Stars are short on confidence coming into the qualifier, and with Curran out, Dwarshius will be the main wicket-taking threat and he will be eager to make amends for the Stoinis show the last time the two teams met in Melbourne.
Moises Henriques: Henriques hit a 31-ball 72 with eight sixes the last time these two teams met. He would love to watch those highlights again, but it's his big game experience that will also be valuable as both teams battle it out to reach the final.
Point to note
Bat first, score big-ish, win. That's been the case in three of the last four BBL games at this MCG. So watch out for the toss, and ideally pick a captain from the team batting first.
Big Bash drops broadcast viewers despite off-season change
A revamped and expanded finals series is the last hope for broadcasters to wring some quantifiable upside out of this summer's Big Bash League, after its traditional television audience declined for the fifth summer in a row.
While the BBL remains among the most watched domestic leagues in Australian sport alongside the AFL and NRL, its audiences on free-to-air and subscription television have continued a significant drop, although this has been partly offset by the growth of the streaming service Kayo, which has grown to more than 450,000 subscribers since its launch in November 2018.
According to OzTam figures obtained by ESPNcricinfo, the five city metro average audience for the BBL on free-to-air Seven has diminished from 424,000 last summer to 384,000 this season, after the league returned an average audience of 649,000 in its final summer exclusively on Ten in 2017-18 - in itself a mild decline from the peak of 759,000 in 2015-16. The national average audience, including regional viewers, stands at 611,000, down from 638,000 in 2018-19, and 944,000 in 2017-18.
Fox Cricket's audiences have also gone down somewhat, to an average of 158,000 viewers nationally this season from 211,000 last summer for exclusive games, and to 169,000 for games simulcast with Seven, as opposed to 200,000 in 2018-19. A significant portion of Fox Cricket's exclusive games have been afternoon fixtures further contributing to the downturn. Having also experienced a reduction in broadcast audiences for international cricket this season, the head of Fox Sports Pete Campbell had told the Sydney Morning Herald that those figures were in line with projections as more sports watchers migrated to the cheaper Kayo service.
Speaking during the SCG Test earlier this month, Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts said on SEN radio that in a landscape where there were challenges across all forms of TV viewership cricket "is trending well ahead of the broader trend."
Aggregate average national audiences for Seven and Fox Cricket across the regular BBL season duly tally up to 780,000, down from 838,000 in 2018-19, and a long way short of the 944,000 returned by Ten three summers ago. This comes after a raft of changes were made between seasons to make the tournament friendlier to broadcast audiences.
These included the advent of strategic time outs, greater use of players being on the microphone in-game, a more condensed schedule with more days of double headers, the recruitment of the high profile star AB de Villiers to the Brisbane Heat, and an improvement in the standards of pitches being prepared.
That last adjustment reaped a significant boost to the runs scored in the BBL this season - as of the end of the regular season the average run rate had gone from 7.82 to 8.17 - an area frequently cited by broadcasters as a way of drawing back larger broadcast audiences. However, the need for more afternoon fixtures in a tighter schedule has had a sapping effect on crowds at the grounds and also television audiences at home. The expansion of the finals series, including a fifth team and also enhancing the incentives to finish at the top of the table, was another change pushed for strongly by the broadcasters.
"In all our discussions with our partners they've been really happy with how we've worked really closely with them to optimise the season," the head of the BBL Alistair Dobson said earlier this week. "Their audiences have been strong, they're really excited about the finals series and I think you've seen both our partners really lean in to the promotion and support of the new finals series, they've really loved the accessibility of the players we've had in the competition."
One of the areas in which the BBL's decision-makers will soon need to make a call is how sustainably they can continue to run the tournament on the basis of only one game ever happening at once. In the rival AFL and NRL competitions, it is common for at least two matches to run simultaneously, particularly in fan-friendly Saturday night and Sunday afternoon time slots, to maximise opportunities for attendance at the ground. This move, of course, would result in a splitting of the national broadcast audience.
"There's certainly some discussion around whether there's other ways to put games up against each other," Dobson said. "Whether they're double header afternoon and night games, whether there's the night games into the Perth game, so there's lots of different opportunities and different ways we can structure the season. Once we get through this year, we'll have a close look at it.
"Next year's BBL10, so that's a milestone year. What it looks like in BBL15, BBL20, is really front of mind at the moment as you complete 10 seasons of the competition and it's really entrenched now as part of the Australian summer."
The move to a 14-game home and away season for all clubs was a key plank of Cricket Australia's A$1.18 billion broadcast deal with Fox and Seven in 2018, helping to bring the BBL's value up to around half of the total package, where during the 2013-2018 deal with the Nine and Ten networks it had been worth only around A$100 million. A turnaround in broadcast audience figures will be critical for CA's ability to ask for similar figures next time around.
"We had over one million people come to a BBL game, which is a phenomenal response from cricket fans around Australia," Dobson said. "We're happy with where we got to with attendances, but that said, making sure the game stays as appealing and attractive and entertaining as possible is almost our No. 1 priority. So how do we make sure we ensure that in the next 10 [years], people are still coming."
'Middle-order role one of the toughest in T20 cricket' - Jonathan Wells
He has been compared to Michael Bevan. There are growing calls for him to be given a spot in Australia's T20I middle order. But Jonathan Wells is focused on the here and now, continuing his prolific form in "one of the toughest roles" in T20 cricket and helping the Adelaide Strikers towards the Big Bash final.
His top line numbers are outstanding: 444 runs in the regular season at 74.00 and a strike-rate of 136.19. The majority of his 13 innings have been at No.5, while those around him in the leading-scorers list are ones who occupy the top three positions and therefore the chance to face the most balls.
At the Adelaide Strikers, that luxury goes to Jake Weatherald and Phil Salt followed by Travis Head and Alex Carey when not on Australia duty, with Wells occasionally moving up a spot when one is absent. He usually has to wait, knowing there are a whole range of situations where he could be called upon but in most of them he won't have much time.
"I think if you ask any batsman what their preference would be they probably say the top three, purely on the numbers, you have the opportunity to face as many balls as you can, also having fielding restrictions," Wells told ESPNcricinfo. "The actual middle-order role is one of the toughest in T20 cricket and I think it's a bit of a niche position where not everyone can do it. I think a lot of players could go up the top and do a similar type of job, but through the middle if you can nail that position then it's very good for a team to have someone in that position they can rely on and can play a few different scenarios."
This isn't the first season Wells has impressed in the position. In the 2018-19 BBL, he scored 359 runs meaning in the last two campaigns he currently tallies 803 at 57.35 - of batsmen to have at least 25 innings across all T20s since the start of last season's BBL, only David Warner (70.70) and Manish Pandey (57.73) have a better average. Overall he is the sixth-highest scorer in the tournament's history. Once again, the only ones around him are players who have largely forged their careers batting one to four.
"Last season was a good season and I was happy with how I played but then I probably have come back a better player this year," Wells said. "I think that's really important, to keep adapting and evolving. Teams have a lot of footage and analysis on you these days to try and get a step ahead of the game and you have to keep adapting to counter that and I feel like I have improved this year. The consistency this year has probably been the notable difference which is the challenge in that role in T20."
However, it's a deeper drill down into Wells' numbers which really show how he has become so proficient at his role that he is being compared to one of the game's great finishers. Dot-ball percentage may not sound like the most glamorous of stats, but for a batsman in Wells' position it is a vital element of the game. For the opposition, dot balls are like gold dust.
Going back to the start of 2013, no batsman in any T20 league around the world (who has faced a minimum 300 balls in the competition) has a lower dot-ball percentage than Wells in this season's BBL: 23%.
"Definitely it's a focus of mine to limit those dot balls," Wells said. "It's really important from a partnership point of view to not build pressure on the batsman who is in. Generally coming in the middle order there's a batsman who has hopefully been there a bit longer and is hitting the ball alright so to just get them back on strike.
"It's a big part of my game and if I'm not being able to find the fence, then I am getting up the other end. I probably don't have the power game that some of the other guys do that bat in those positions, but I've just had to find a way to make it work for myself and that's revolved around not getting stuck on strike.
"I like to have a few options, I've got a few zones I prefer to go to and that depends on the opposition, the field set and the wicket you are playing on. The planning side of it is something I do spend a bit of time on, my preparation and planning holds me in really good stead to be able to go out there and play with a clear mind."
So what of the comparisons being made?
"I personally don't think I'm anywhere near but it's nice to be compared a little bit in the way I go about it, they were obviously ultra-consistent and really good finishers in white-ball cricket. That's something I'm aspiring towards. When you go to the crease, that your team has confidence that you will get the job done, knowing the boys in the sheds have the confidence that no matter what the situation that I can get the job done."
There is a T20 World Cup on home soil later this year. This summer, Australia's T20I side would have won all six matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan if not for rain in Sydney, but that does not mean there isn't time for things to change - especially in the middle order.
"I'm not reading much into it," he said. "That word expectation, I'm not trying to put any on myself or added pressure. I'm just having a lot of fun playing for the Strikers. There are different articles that you do see, but I'm trying to just focus on what I can control which is the next game for the Strikers. We have an important game on Saturday in a knockout final so not thinking past that."
Having ended third in the BBL table, the Strikers will have to win three games in a row to take the title. That starts with the Sydney Thunder at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday. Do not be surprised if, whether batting first or second, Wells is there getting the job done.
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: 
Email: 
