Archive May 2, 2025

Loughborough Lightning kept up the pressure on Netball Super League leaders London Pulse with a 65-53 win against Manchester Thunder on Friday.

Thunder had the better of the early stages, but Lightning fought back to lead 38-27 at half-time.

The hosts scored 27 more points after the break to secure victory and move three points above Thunder, after starting the evening tied on 16 points.

Samantha Wallace-Joseph scored 23 goals for Lightning, while Thunder’s Elmere van der Berg led the scoring with 27 goals.

Lightning’s Shadine van der Merwe was named player of the match for her performance against her former team.

Loughborough Lightning’s Shadine van der Merwe speaking to Sky Sports: “I’ve done my homework. It was important for us as a team to suffocate them, and for then be rewarded. That’s exactly what happened, but without the players around me I couldn’t have done that.

“With every win we celebrate, but it’s such a short turnaround so we have to focus on the next one.

“We’ve just passed the halfway mark but we’ve still got so much growth to do. It’s exciting what comes ahead.”

Manchester Thunder head coach Karen Greig: “I’m not overly happy with the performance, we knew exactly what Loughborough were going to come out and do to us and we played straight into their traps.

“They set some traps where they had their defenders playing in split circle, and we played into their hands numerous times. Not learning in those moments and adapting is not OK.

“We’ve got to stand up to the physicality of the game.

“We haven’t got a 60-minute goal attack at the minute. We’re playing with 18 and 19-year-olds out there, we’re having to work really hard to keep legs and minds fresh.”

Round eight

Friday 2 May

Loughborough Lightning 65-53 Manchester Thunder

Saturday 3 May

London Mavericks v Cardiff Dragons (16:00 BST)

Sunday 4 May

Nottingham Forest v London Pulse (16:00 BST)

Jack Draper booked his spot in the Madrid Open final with a hard-fought 6-3 7-6 (7-4) victory against Lorenzo Musetti.

The British number one will contest his third ATP final of the year against Norway’s Casper Ruud on Sunday.

Draper, 23, was broken in the opening set but claimed a double break of his own to come through comfortably.

It is the first time the 2024 US Open semi-finalist has reached the final of a clay-court event.

He is the first Englishman to reach the final of the Madrid Open and the second Briton after Scotland’s Andy Murray, who appeared in three finals and won two titles.

Draper is aiming for his second ATP title of the year after beating Holger Rune at Indian Wells in March.

“It felt like a key moment every point. The level was high from both of us. I’ve played Lorenzo all through the juniors and it has always been tough but he is a different animal on the clay,” Draper told Sky Sports.

“Sometimes in the key moments now I think about the pain I go through on a daily basis – all the sacrifices.”

He has won all four meetings with Musetti as a professional and his perfect record even extends back to their days in the juniors.

That might have been playing on Musetti’s mind in the opening stages when he dropped his first service game.

The Italian struck back immediately but was unable to force his way into the first set after a second break as Draper’s forehand once again proved to be a key factor.

Musetti was much improved in the second set and it made for a more competitive spectacle.

The Madrid crowd were firmly behind Musetti and chanted his name in the fifth game after a perfectly placed drop shot left Draper scrambling.

Both players refused to budge on serve – each saving one break point – before heading to a tie-break.

Ruud booked his spot in Sunday’s showpiece with a 6-4 7-5 win over Francisco Cerundolo, despite struggling with a rib injury.

The world number 15 required treatment three games into the opening set but still managed to save 15 of the 18 break points he faced.

“I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to finish the match, honestly. I felt something in my rib during the warm-up, just towards the end before going out [on court],” Ruud said.

“I felt it in nearly every shot, especially the serve. Luckily, I got some quick treatment on it. There’s not too much you can do, you only have three minutes [with the physio]. So I will go and check it out more now.”

Sunday’s final will be the first time Draper, who is set to climb into the top five in the world for the first time in his career next week, and Ruud have met in the professional ranks.

It will be Ruud’s 18th final on clay, with Novak Djokovic the only active player to have reached more finals – 34 – on the surface.

The 26-year-old has won 11 titles on the red dirt with his most recent success coming in May 2024 at the Geneva Open.

“Casper is a two-time Roland Garros finalist and very accustomed to the clay,” Draper said of his opponent.

State Man won the Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival as Constitution Hill came home in fifth place.

Despite falls in consecutive races at Cheltenham and Aintree, Constitution Hill was an 8-13 favourite to get back to winning ways at Punchestown.

However it was State Man, who also fell at Cheltenham, who stormed to victory with Paul Townend on home soil, while eight-time Grade One winner Constitution Hill drifted away to a fifth-place finish.

It was a third Champion Hurdle victory at the festival for the Willie Mullins-trained horse, who came home ahead of Cheltenham winner Golden Ace.

“It’s the performance we always thought he had in him”, Mullins said about State Man on RTE.

“In fairness to Constitution Hill, I don’t think he turned up on the day. It’s very hard to travel from England after having two falls and things just didn’t go right for him.

” Our fella has run his true race and that’s been a constant thing in his racing life, he always turns up and runs his race. It was a huge performance. “

Townend and Mullins combined to win the Grade One Novice Hurdle on Final Demand, ahead of Lovely Hurling and Tripoli Flyer.

Fountain House won the opening race of the day in the Hunters ‘ Chase, while Its On The Line came home in the Champion Hunters ‘ Chase.

Sea Music won the Novice Handicap Chase, Gordon Elliott’s Casheldale Lad claimed the Novice Hurdle and Soldier In Milan won the Flat Race in the final outing of the day.