Category Sports News

Alexander Zverev requested that a spectator who had been heckled by him over allegations of domestic abuse be removed from his Munich Open quarter-final.

When the fan yelled, “Let’s go, you wifebeater,” the German number one seed was serving at 5-5 in the second set against Tallon Griekspoor.

Fergus Murphy, the chair umpire, was Zverev’s voice and Zverev could audibly say, “Fergus, please kick him out.”

Is it unclear whether the spectator was kicked out of the stadium.

A spectator heckled Zverev during the ceremony for the Australian Open men’s singles trophy in January.

A spectator yelled out loudly, “Australia believes Olya and Brenda,” as he approached the winner of his second-place award.

The 27-year-old’s former girlfriend Olya Sharypova, who he has a child with, charged with domestic abuse in 2023 and with violence in his former relationship in 2020.

Zverev has repeatedly refuted both of the allegations, and Patea’s case in Berlin was ended last year.

Former girlfriend Sharypova accused Zverev of using domestic abuse and violence while they were dating in October 2020. The allegations were “unfounded,” according to Zverev, who refuted them.

Zverev did not face disciplinary action because Sharypova did not file charges and a 15-month investigation by the men’s ATP Tour found there was “insufficient evidence” to support the men’s ATP Tour’s allegations.

After being accused of physically abusing his ex-girlfriend Patea, Zverev was given a penalty order and a fine by a German court in November 2023.

Zverev objected to the order, which led to a public hearing and denied the allegations.

Following a settlement reached between the defendant and the complainant, the trial was adjourned in June 2024.

First day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Spitfire Ground, Canterbury

Gloucestershire 365-7: Bracey 109*, Green 100* (retired hurt)

Kent: To bat yet?

Gloucestershire 3 points, Kent 2 points,

On their first day of their County Championship game against Kent at Canterbury, Gloucestershire won by Cameron Green, who scored a century on his debut.

James Bracey, a fellow centurion, made 109 not out and put on 167, with the Australian international, who had to retire early because of suspected cramp.

Grant Stewart was hurt and a lackluster field presence in the hosts prevented Kent from winning it with 5-61, but Nathan Gilchrist kept Kent in it.

After winning the toss, Kent continued to use the formula that enabled them to win their two opening games by choosing to bowl, but they were unable to capitalize on a promising start, sinking Gloucestershire to 15-2.

Ollie Price was on one when he edged Grant Stewart, but Gilchrist only managed to get Cameron Bancroft for two when he tried to play across his pads. Harry Finch, the keeper, anticipated that the catch would carry to first slip, but it did not.

Ben Charlesworth went in the following over, and Gilchrist was the recipient, but Kent’s already detested bowling unit suffered yet another blow when Stewart fell injured midway through the 14th over and was forced to take Jas Singh’s place.

In his next over, Singh had Ollie Price lbw for 18, but Green and Hammond resurrected the innings, which ended 96-3 at lunch.

Hammond appeared ready for his half-century, but Singh ripped out his off stump for 48, ending what the hosts thought would be a disappointing afternoon session. Green never appeared troubled, and he managed to outstrip Jack Leaning in the singles to reach his 50.

The visitors continued to dominate after 225-4 at tea, but they were given another life when Bracey reached 67. Leaning was given a lead, but Daniel Bell-Drummond gave up a regulation chance.

By the late 1990s, Green appeared to be having cramp and was clearly having trouble accepting singles. Joey Evison made it to the bowlers end when he drove him for one before falling to the ground and retiring.

The only bowler in the evening session, Gilchrist, actually looked like taking a wicket, and he dragged Kent back into it.

He received Tom Price’s leg before for eight with a full toss that struck him on the shin and Graeme van Buuren lbw for 19 with the new ball.

Matt Taylor made eight with a quick-hitched delivery to Finch, but Josh Shaw made it to stumps with 18 not out, and Gloucestershire could still bat well into day two with Green back if necessary.

Lahore, the qualifier for the ICC Women’s World Cup, is

Scotland 268-7 (50 overs): K Bryce 131*, Fraser 33, Canning 3-48

Ireland 269-9 (50 overs): Lewis 61, Delany 57*, K Bryce 3-49.

By one wicket, Ireland prevailed.

With the final ball of the series, Ireland won by one wicket in Lahore, but Scotland’s World Cup hopes were still stifled by Kathryn Bryce’s stunning unbeaten century and three wickets.

To have a chance to finish second in the qualifier tournament, the Scots needed to win by a significant margin, as did Ireland, who were already eliminated.

And despite a 19-3 first-class start, Bryce’s personal best knock of 131 helped Scotland to reach 268 with their highest everODI total, looking strong for victory.

However, Ireland roared back to set up a tense final over, in which Bryce received four hits and took her third wicket, before consecutive leg byes in the final two balls gave them the two runs they needed for victory.

In the 20th over of Scotland’s impressive innings, Ailsa Lister and Bryce made a partnership of 62 and fell for 27 from 28 balls.

Megan McCall (15), Katherine Fraser (33), and Priyanaz Chatterji (26), all provided additional support for the skipper.

And as Bryce completed her incredible innings with her 14th four from the final delivery, along with her two sixes, Rachel Slater made her debut at the crease for the final five overs, finishing with 13 from 11 balls.

With the bat, Ireland’s captain, Gaby Lewis, and fellow opener Sarah Forbes, both put on 109 for the first wicket, but Laura Delany’s crucial unbeaten 57 helped them get past the line.

After falling to Leah Paul (11), Louise Little (one), and Sophie McMahon (three), Delany stayed in and put together a crucial eighth-wicket stand with Jane Maguire, who both scored 50 from 36 balls.

It appeared as though the momentum had swung Scotland’s way again when Maguire was bowled off by Slater just before the 49th over when she was hit for four by Bryce.

However, Cara Murray and Delany made the most of their leg byes to break Scotland’s hearts and put an end to their hopes of participating in the Indian team’s autumn World Cup in the fall.

They come close to winning their campaign after Pakistan and Bangladesh, which are behind them in the top two.

Ruth Chepngetich, the defending champion, and Peres Jepchirchir, the other two, have announced their exits from the London Marathon.

Chepngetich, a 30-year-old Kenyan, said she was unprepared for the race coming up next weekend because she was the first woman to record a time of under two hours and 10 minutes at the 2024 Chicago marathon.

Chepngetich expressed regret for skipping the race but hoped to return for the 2026 London Marathon.

She continued, “I’m withdrawing because I’m not mentally or physically at my best in London.”

Jepchirchir, a fellow Kenyan, will miss the race due to an ankle problem, which was the record-setting two hours, 16 minutes, and 16 seconds winner of the London Marathon last year.

Jepchirchir, 31, said, “I was very much looking forward to competing in the London Marathon last year, which was one of my career’s highlights,” and I was looking forward to doing it again this year.

“Unfortunately, my injury prevented this, but I’m determined to get healthy again and look forward to going back to London when I’m fully recovered.”

The organizers of Chepngetich and Jepchirchir have made it known that Vivian Cheruiyot will be competing in the elite field in their absence.

Tigst Assefa (Eth)

Sifan Hassan (Ned)

Joyciline Jepkosgei (Ken)

Megertu Alemu (Eth)

Stella Chesang (Uga)

Vivian Cheruiyot (Ken)

Haven Hailu Desse (Eth)

Susanna Sullivan (US)

Charlotte Purdue (GB)

Sofiia Yaremchuk (Ita),

Rose Harvey (GB)

(GB) Phily Bowden

(US) Molly Bookmyer

Eilish McColgan (GB)

With a straight-sets win over Alex de Minaur, top seed Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the Barcelona Open semi-finals.

Spanish fifth seed De Minaur defeated Australian seventh seed 7-5, 6-3, in an hour and 40 minutes.

After Stefanos Tsitipas retired hurt in just the third game of their match, the world number two will now face Frenchman Arthur Fils.

Alcaraz won the Monte Carlo title last week after defeating world number 14 Fils, who is 20 years old, in three sets.

Alcaraz broke the decisive break in the 12th game of the first set against De Minaur before recovering and making the decisive break.

The 21-year-old broke only once in the sixth game with his serve in the second set, which was more dominant.

Alcaraz said, “I was struggling a little bit mentally with the serve, and I started quite badly with it.”

“I think I improved significantly after the first few games with my serve,” he said. I began to think positively once more and sat down. The first set was extremely tight, and Alex aggressively started playing.

I’m so happy I won the first set, and I’m so happy I played some fantastic tennis in the second.

At the conclusion of the second game, four-time runner-up Tsitipas appeared uneasy right off the bat against Fils, who was then taken for an off-court evaluation.

He retired while 0-2, 30-40, and returned with only five more points.

In each set, the defending champion and second-seeded Ruud was broken by the 13-year-old world number 13 Rune.

Betfred Super League

Wigan (12) 24

Field 2 Miski 2 Goals Smith 4

St. Helens (2) 14

Despite a strong St. Helens comeback in the second half, Jai Field and Abbas Miski each scored two tries to win the Wigan Warriors’ Good Friday game.

The reigning champions took an 18-2 lead early in the second half thanks to Field, the Super League’s top try scorer, who scored either side of a Miski score.

Both teams made errors in a tense encounter, but Lewis Murphy’s brilliant finish in the corner and Agnatius Paasi’s outstanding try brought them back within four points.

The reigning champions have now won three straight games to move two points clear of the Robins, and they made a strong statement by outperforming their former foes from Billinge Hill when they faced their old foes from the other side of Billinge Hill.

The two teams traded penalties in a tense opening fought at the Brick Community Stadium in front of a sold-out crowd of 25, 000 spectators. Video referee Liam Rush scored a try after noticing that Tyler Dupree had blocked George Delaney’s attempted tackle.

Field nailed a try that did, timing his run so perfectly that Bevan French’s exquisite lobbed kick and score were perfect.

When the powerful Harry Smith unleashed a warning kick, Wigan flipped the screw, and Miski had a telling edge that went backwards and extended their lead.

By attempting a silly offload deep within his own territory, Paasi gave Wigan what appeared to be the winning try. Smith sent Field racing through for his second try because The Warriors were brutal.

Saints appeared finished, but they rallied well to put on a grand ending with Joe Batchelor limping off with an apparent hamstring injury and Jon Bennison needing a head injury assessment.

When one from Liam Byrne gave them a chance, Murphy made an uncharacteristic error that he made when he made a spectacular leap in the corner.

When Jake Wardle also spilled the ball in front of his own posts, Paasi made up for his earlier error by powering over despite being decorated by three tacklers. Saints went surge forwards.

Matty Peet, the head coach for Wigan, told BBC Radio Manchester:

When you consider the time when we had to ride out the pressure, it’s great learning for us. The lads resisted the fact that the stadium was up, and eventually it swung back our way thanks to their selfless deeds.

You look back on it as two points at the end of the season, but we are aware that it is inspirational for our supporters, for the people of these two towns, on Easter weekend, and that it means a lot to the players.

Paul Wellens, the coach of St. Helens, told BBC Radio Merseyside:

“The way we started the game for the first 40 minutes is a little frustrating,” I said. We put ourselves under a lot of pressure by making fundamental unforced errors, and if you do it against a Wigan team with players like Bevan French and Jai Field who can cause you harm, you put yourself under unnecessary stress.

The team’s perseverance kept the task at hand, and I was very proud of that. Although it’s difficult to get 18-2 down at Wigan, we went to the game at that point, and I left feeling confident that we had a chance in the end, which it wasn’t.

It boils down to individual lapses in concentration, and they handled the wet conditions better than we did.

O’Neill, Forber, Dupree, and Hill are the exchanges.

St. Helens: Sailor, Bennison, Whitley, Percival, Murphy, Welsby, Whitby, Walmsley, Mbye, Lees, Sironen, Batchelor, Knowles,

Clark, Paasi, Delaney, and Sambou exchange