Latest news with #quarterfinals
The Independent
10 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Jacob Fearnley knocked out of Queen's quarter-finals by Jiri Lehecka
Jacob Fearnley's Queen's Club run was halted in the quarter-finals in straight sets by Jiri Lehecka. The British number two looked heavy-legged in an error-strewn 7-5 6-2 defeat to the Czech world number 30. Fearnley was scheduled to play the opening match on the Andy Murray Arena despite a gruelling three-setter against Corentin Moutet the day before, followed by a win in the doubles – alongside Cameron Norrie – against Lehecka and Taylor Fritz. Lehecka got revenge for that defeat by preventing Fearnley from becoming the first British man to reach the semi-finals on his Queen's Club debut in 48 years. Fearnley coughed up eight double faults in the first set, including three in both the games in which Lehecka broke his serve. Lehecka struck again for 3-2 in the second after a Fearnley forehand landed a millimetre out and then ran away with the match, wrapping up victory in an hour and 17 minutes.
The Independent
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Jack Draper v Brandon Nakashima LIVE: Queen's tennis scores and results with Alcaraz in action later
Jack Draper is eyeing a spot in the semi-finals at Queen's Club as he takes on Brandon Nakashima in the quarter-finals on Friday. The British No 1 overcame Alexei Popyrin in a final-set tie-break in the last round and will be targeting a more comfortable afternoon on Friday. Draper is second on Andy Murray Arena. Carlos Alcaraz, after a titanic three-hour-plus battle on Thursday, plays Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in his last-eight match, with the prospect of a semi-final against Holger Rune awaiting him if he wins. *Jacob Fearnley 1-0 Jiri Lehecka Important for Fearnley to get off to a good start and he does just that - a strong service game. Slight wobble as he double faults with two game points, but he makes no mistake with a drilled forehand in the next to take the first. Will Castle20 June 2025 12:15 *Jacob Fearnley 0-0 Jiri Lehecka Warm-up over - the first of today's quarter-finals is underway! *denotes server Will Castle20 June 2025 12:12 Jacob Fearnley vs Jiri Lehecka up next Jacob Fearnley and Jiri Lehecka are out under the scorching sunshine and are doing their final warm-ups ahead of their Queen's quarter-finals. Stay tuned for all the action! Will Castle20 June 2025 12:09 Fearnley on Lehecka: 'I have never played in the doubles right here. But, yeah, he's a great player. 'He's been consistently top 30 for the last few years. 'I know it's going to be a tough match. He plays aggressive, hits the ball big, and yeah, I know it's going to be a fight. 'But hopefully I can recover and then prepare the best that I can for the match, because yeah, I'm looking forward to having another match on that court against him.' Kieran Jackson20 June 2025 11:55 Carlos Alcaraz reaction after beating Jaume Munar in three-hour-plus battle "It was a really tough battle. He's a great competitor and showed how difficult it is to beat him," Alcaraz said. "At some point I felt like I was playing in Spain," Alcaraz said of the heat. "Today the conditions were extreme, super hot. At the end of the second set I was struggling a little bit, my head spinning around. "I just kept fighting. I guess I didn't give up." Kieran Jackson20 June 2025 11:50 VIDEO: Draper's win against Popyrin Kieran Jackson20 June 2025 11:40 The Jacob Fearnley train continues at speed as British No 2 seals career-first at Queen's Kieran Jackson at Queen's Club Be honest. A year ago, had you heard of current British No 2 Jacob Fearnley? The 23-year-old from Edinburgh, a product of Texas Christian University's impressive tennis programme, travelled back to Britain for the grass court season last June ranked a lowly 525 in the world. Even he would not have forecast the 12 months ahead. In fact, his big break – a seven-match surge to victory at the challenger-level Nottingham Trophy – almost didn't even get going. He only made the qualifying draw as an alternate and won his first match narrowly in a final-set tie-break. But Fearnley has not rested on his laurels, capitalising on his big break at some speed. And the Fearnley train continued at pace at Queen's Club on Thursday with another new milestone: a first ATP tour quarter-final. The Fearnley train continues at speed as British No 2 seals career-first at Queen's Fearnley, ranked outside the top 500 just over a year ago, overcame the awkward Corentin Moutet in west London to reach a first ATP tour quarter-final Kieran Jackson20 June 2025 11:32 ORDER OF PLAY - FRIDAY 20 JUNE Starts at 12pm Jiri Lehecka vs Jacob Fearnley Brandon Nakashima vs Jack Draper Carlos Alcaraz vs Arthur Rinderknech Holger Rune vs Roberto Bautista Agut Kieran Jackson20 June 2025 11:26 Queen's quarter-finals! Jack Draper is eyeing a spot in the semi-finals at Queen's Club as he takes on Brandon Nakashima in the quarter-finals on Friday. The British No 1 overcame Alexei Popyrin in a final-set tie-break in the last round and will be targeting a more comfortable afternoon. Draper is second on Andy Murray Arena. Carlos Alcaraz, after a titanic three-hour-plus battle on Thursday, plays Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in his last-eight match, with the prospect of a semi-final against Holger Rune awaiting him if he wins. British No 2 Jacob Fearnley, in his first ATP quarter-final, takes on Czech star Jiri Lehecka in the first match on, starting at midday. Kieran Jackson20 June 2025 11:08
Irish Times
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Joe Canning: Everything is coming together for Tipperary at the right time
At other times of the year, momentum is something that you can build towards. At this time of the season, nobody wants to be looking for it. The reality with the hurling quarter finals , though, is that at least two teams arrive damaged every year, and a third team are probably licking their wounds too. This year, Tipperary are the team coming with their tails up. Even though they finished third in Munster, there's hardly a mark on them. They haven't lost a game since they were beaten by Cork at the end of April, and that game was a free hit once Darragh McCarthy was sent off in the first minute. That's the only game they've lost since the league final. In the last couple of months, everything has come together. They were very good against Limerick , good enough against Waterford , excellent against Clare and professional against Laois . Their under-20s won a brilliant All-Ireland against Kilkenny and the crowds have come back. The whole mood has changed. Liam Cahill started the season pleading with the Tipp supporters to get behind the team. The memory of them being outnumbered five-to-one by Cork supporters for a game in Thurles last summer would still have been fresh in his mind. READ MORE The embarrassment of that day is long gone. There were four teams in Portlaoise last Saturday for a hurling and football double-header and the biggest crowd was from Tipp, even though everyone knew they were going to win handy. For the first time since early in 2023, Tipperary have momentum. There's an energy about them. Half a dozen of the under-20s are on the senior panel and three of them have made a breakthrough this year: McCarthy, Sam O'Farrell and Oisín O'Donoghue. Tipp needed that injection of freshness. They have more consistency in key positions, and they needed that stability too. Ronan Maher is no longer going around putting out fires: he's their number six and that's it. Eoghan Connolly is the established full back now, even though there is a doubt about his fitness for this weekend. Jake Morris and Andrew Ormonde have been effective at centre forward at different times and both of them have been terrific. John McGrath has come back in from the margins and has had a brilliant championship at full-forward, and his brother Noel has influenced games off the bench. The only big change they've made during the championship has been with the goalie. Otherwise, the spine of the team has been settled. Tipp haven't had that for a long time. Tipp is the kind of place where confidence tends to take off. When the provincial championships were finished, I saw Tipp supporters online mapping out their path to Croke Park: Laois, Galway, then Cork. In their minds, Laois and Galway were just stepping stones. When the Tipp crowd came back, that kind of thinking was going to come with them. Micheál Donoghue made it clear that Galway didn't play in the Leinster final the way they had planned. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho Galway are not in that place at the moment. I didn't think they'd beat Kilkenny in the Leinster final , but I thought they'd bring a performance. I don't think anybody thought it would be like the game in Nowlan Park a few weeks earlier. For an hour it was just as bad. Galway have been here before, coming into a quarter final on the back of a disappointing Leinster final. The pattern, though, is that Galway have usually come up with something. The last time Galway lost at this stage of the championship was in 2013, when Clare beat us. Since then, Galway's record is five from five. I can't remember any year when we were bouncing into the quarter finals feeling great about ourselves. In 2016 we had been poor against Kilkenny in the Leinster final and were hammered in the media afterwards, but we still came out and beat Clare. Galway blew a Leinster final against Kilkenny two years ago but played very well against Tipp in the quarter-final two weeks later. When you look back at the teams from that match, Tipp have made more changes than Galway in the last two years. I've heard people say that Galway are still depending on players from the 2017 team for leadership, and it's hard to argue with that: the two Mannions, the two Burkes, Conor Whelan. [ Tipperary are back in the groove and Jake Morris admits county minors helped light the spark Opens in new window ] But how many leaders do you need on a team? It's a funny thing. Before we won the All-Ireland in 2017, people were always saying that we lacked leaders. Players from the team of the late 1980s – the last Galway team to win an All-Ireland before us – were always giving interviews, pointing out what we were lacking. It used to drive me mad. New leaders will emerge in this group too but it's hard for younger players to step into that role when results haven't been great. Since the 2017 All-Ireland final, Galway have won just one championship game in Croke Park – against Wexford in 2020, at the height of the pandemic. For the last few years Galway have been coming up short in big matches. In that environment, it's not easy for young players to flourish. I'm certain that Galway will come up with something this weekend. After the Leinster final Micheál Donoghue made it clear that Galway didn't play the way they had planned. They've had a fortnight to sort that out. They obviously need more from their forwards: not just a higher work rate, but more scores. The whole package. Cathal Mannion's form has been outstanding but whatever he scores won't be enough unless others chip in. [ Galway's Fintan Burke bullish in advance of championship quarter-final against Tipp Opens in new window ] When Galway and Tipp met in the quarter final two years ago Conor Whelan scored 1-4 from play. That year he was playing in his customary position close to goal; this year he has been playing in the half-forward line. They need him there as a target for puck-outs, but it also means Galway's threat close to goal has been reduced. That's a hard balancing act. I'm convinced that we'll see a positive response from Galway on Saturday. I hope the Galway crowd turn up, but I wouldn't be sure about that. The Tipp crowd definitely will. They're on a roll. It might not stop this weekend.
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Reaction as Alcaraz survives scare to beat Munar at Queen's
Update: Date: 19:35 BST Title: Goodbye! Content: Carlos Alcaraz just has a knack at winning epically long tennis matches, doesn't he? Somehow he always manages to find a way. That's 15 wins in a row for the world number two, his longest career winning streak. Tomorrow he'll take on one of Arthur Rinderknech or Reilly Opelka for a spot in Saturday's semi-finals. Be sure to join us then, with Great Britain's Jack Draper and Jacob Fearnley are also in action. I'm off to buy those strawberries I was talking about at the start. Update: Date: 19:32 BST Title: 'I was out mentally' Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 7-5 Munar Carlos Alcaraz on court after his win: "It was a really tough battle that we had today. He's a great competitor and he showed how difficult it is to beat him. I'm proud of the level I showed today. It's my second match on grass this year. There were moments I struggled a lot mentally and physically. I still don't know how I'm standing here. But I'm really happy I've given myself another chance in the quarter-final. "I don't know. I just kept fighting. I guess I didn't give up. Honestly I was out mentally, but I stayed there and tried to play the points and play my best points from the first set. But I still don't know." Update: Date: 19:27 BST Title: Game, set and match Alacaraz Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 7-5 Munar What a way to finish. Jaume Munar comes to the net, and Carlos Alcaraz reaches the quarter-finals by lobbing him. Update: Date: 19:26 BST Title: Match point Alcaraz Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 6-5 Munar* Jaume Munar slams a forehand into the net. Alcaraz has a third match point after three hours and 22 minutes. Update: Date: 19:25 BST Title: Munar serving to stay in match Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 6-5 Munar* Double fault, at a time like this! 30-30. Update: Date: 19:25 BST Title: Munar serving to stay in match Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 6-5 Munar* From 0-15 down Munar recovers, forcing Alcaraz to net and then the world number two flicks a backhand return wide. 30-15. Update: Date: 19:22 BST Title: Alcaraz holds Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 6-5 Munar* Well, if Carlos Alcaraz is to lose this game, he'll be doing so in a tie-break. He holds to love, finish things with a 128mph ace. Update: Date: 19:20 BST Title: Munar holds Content: *Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 5-5 Munar Holds with an ace. We rattle on. Update: Date: 19:18 BST Title: Post Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 5-4 Munar* No nerves from Jaume Munar. He's already up 40-0. Update: Date: 19:16 BST Title: Alcaraz holds Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 5-4 Munar* Munar nets. Another game won! Alcaraz recovers from 0-30 just like the last game but manages to somehow find a way to hold. Update: Date: 19:14 BST Title: Post Content: *Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 4-4 Munar Better. Unreturnable serve from Alcaraz takes us to 30-30. Update: Date: 19:13 BST Title: Post Content: *Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 4-4 Munar Alcaraz is wobbling again. He guesses wrong as Munar hits a forehand into the opposite corner and then hits a forehand of his own wide. 0-30. Update: Date: 19:11 BST Title: Alcaraz breaks back Content: *Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 4-4 Munar The pickle juice has worked! Munar nets and suddenly we're back on serve. Update: Date: 19:10 BST Title: Break point Alcaraz Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 3-4 Munar* From 30-0 to a break point down. Munar hits a forehand on the move between the tram lines. Update: Date: 19:10 BST Title: Post Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 3-4 Munar* The epic rallies haven't gone away. We get treated to another one as Alcaraz lobs Munar and the Spaniard reaches it, but then slides the ball wide. 30-30. Update: Date: 19:08 BST Title: Post Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 3-4 Munar* Alcaraz stays into the middle-distance, drinking some pickle juice at the change of ends. Update: Date: 19:06 BST Title: Alcaraz holds Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 3-4 Munar* Alcaraz gets away with one as Munar reads another drop shot but can't quite chip over a winner. A far from convincing hold to 30. Update: Date: 19:04 BST Title: Post Content: Into the third hour. The match before went to a decider too. What an effort on the hottest day of the year. Update: Date: 19:02 BST Title: Munar holds Content: *Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 2-4 Munar Alcaraz isn't getting a sniff on Munar's serve. The latter holds to 15 as another chance goes begging. Update: Date: 18:59 BST Title: Post Content: Alcaraz 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 2-3 Munar* They're moving around the BBC Two schedule. Tennis and summer is properly here.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
England U21s beaten by much-changed Germany but still qualify for Euros knockouts
England will play Spain in the quarter-finals of the U21 European Championship after they were beaten 2-1 by Germany in their final group game in Slovakia to finish runners-up in Group B. Lee Carsley 's side needed a victory in Nitra to go through to the knockout rounds in first place, but despite already-qualified Germany making 11 changes the reigning champions struggled to impose themselves and conceded both goals in the first half. An excellent finish by Eintracht Frankfurt winger Ansgar Knauff and a header from forward Nelson Weiper of Mainz sent the 2023 winners to defeat and left them to face pre-tournament favourites Spain - who they beat in the final two years ago - in Trnava on Saturday. Bournemouth 's Alex Scott tapped home 15 minutes from time from Omari Hutchinson's cross to make it 2-1 but they could not emulate the comeback from 5-1 down produced by their under-19 counterparts against Germany on Tuesday. However, Slovenia's defeat to the Czech Republic in the other match in group was enough to secure Carsley's side passage. England fell behind after just three minutes. Lukas Ullrich scooped a lovely diagonal ball into the box that drifted over the head of Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah, who was caught flat-footed, and Knauff brought it down wonderfully before flicking it with the outside of his right boot beyond James Beadle. It was 2-0 before half-time and poor defending cost England. This time Knauff was the provider, swinging in a cross to the edge of the six-yard box where Weiper leapt between Charlie Cresswell and Jack Hinshelwood, beating both defenders to the ball and sending a towering header down into the corner. Harvey Elliott blasted over the crossbar from inside the box towards the end of the first half as Carsley's side sought a way back before the break, then Elliot Anderson was denied by a smothering low stop from goalkeeper Tjark Ernst. The final minute of the half was played out in partial darkness after a floodlight failed inside the Pod Zoborom Stadium. The problem was repaired during half-time but England found their issues to be a less straightforward fix, struggling to put pressure on Germany despite three changes from Carsley at the interval. Hinshelwood had a golden chance to reduce the arrears in the 74th minute, but badly miscued his header from six yards out and sent it sailing over the bar. Scott then gave England hope when he turned Hutchinson's ball over the line. Ernst saved brilliantly from Cresswell's header as Carsley's side fought gamely but in vain for a point. PA
