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    Wimbledon: In 1975, Arthur Ashe Made His Point

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    He won Wimbledon over the favored Jimmy Connors, who was not only suing the ATP, but also Ashe himself.Two nights before he played one of the most important tennis matches of his life, Arthur Ashe had dinner with three of his best friends.It was in London in 1975, and Ashe was scheduled to play Jimmy Connors, the defending champion and world No. 1, in the Wimbledon final on Saturday. Ashe chose the Playboy Club, where the foursome could sit undisturbed at a table in the back.That Thursday night, Ashe, Donald Dell, his attorney and manager, Charlie Pasarell and Freddie McNair, both players and friends of Ashe, exchanged pleasantries and then got down to business. They devised a game plan to disrupt Connors, shake up his rhythm and allow Ashe to control points rather than be controlled by an opponent nearly 10 years his junior. It was all antithetical to the big serving, groundstroke-pounding, sometimes reckless style Ashe was accustomed to playing.“We told him, ‘Arthur, this is what you need to do,’” Pasarell, now 81, who first met Ashe at the Orange Bowl junior championships when the two were teenagers, said by phone this month.“First, he would serve out wide to Jimmy’s two-handed backhand to pull him off the court. Then he would step in, hit a short ball with little pace to Jimmy’s forehand. Giving dinks and junk to Jimmy would give him fits. All that worked especially well on grass where the ball would skid.”The next morning, Dell, who was staying at the same hotel as Ashe, grabbed an envelope from the front desk and wrote on the back the three key points they had discussed the night before, including Ashe’s liberal use of the lob whenever Connors would crowd the net. He left the note in Ashe’s hotel mailbox.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Wimbledon: The Advantages of Attacking the Net in Tennis

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      Analysts said it was a strategy that few employ, but that it could improve players’ games if they mastered the shot.Tennis is dominated by rallies from the baselines as players with supercharged groundstrokes try to overwhelm their opponents by blasting shots that are fast, deep and heavy with topspin, occasionally throwing in a drop shot to throw them off balance.As a result, players attack the net less frequently than they did in the past.“The ball is being struck so hard with so much topspin it gets below the net really quickly, which makes it hard to volley,” the ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe said.But players who take advantage of short balls from their opponents to fight their way forward can seize control, winning points more quickly than those who stay at the baseline.Ask top tennis analysts to name the elite volleyers in the sport and there’s little debate on who’s best: Carlos Alcaraz — the recent winner of the French Open and defending two-time Wimbledon champion — is the unanimous choice.McEnroe said that Alcaraz “has the best combination of speed, explosiveness and soft hands.”Alcaraz’s footwork and agility also enable him to get back quickly and annihilate lobs, Pam Shriver, also an ESPN analyst, said. “His movement going backwards is incredible.”That ability to go backward well means he can move closer to the net, Martina Navratilova, a Tennis Channel analyst, said, which makes volleying easier, especially because he reads his opponents so well and can quickly cut off the lanes for passing shots. “He can push off to go back or explode forward.”We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      One Way to Sell Beer in Britain? Buy Into a Soccer Team.

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      An American microbrewery has made inroads in English pubs with a novel marketing strategy.With a portrait of Queen Victoria watching over him, a 75-year-old man frowned at a pint of something unfamiliar.“This isn’t beer,” Michael Walker said, teasing. He was sitting in a 178-year-old pub called the Victoria (Katz) near Birmingham, England. The drink reminded him of a goat’s milk yogurt that he said helped cure his debilitating arthritis.Sitting across from him, his son, Steve Walker, 52, and a friend, Mark Sykes, 60, laughed. It was, in fact, a pint of beer, a citrusy I.P.A. called Cowboy’s Payday, that they had placed in front of him.The pair had chosen this particular ale because they support Walsall Football Club. The beer came from an American craft brewery, NoFo Brew Co, which is among the English soccer club’s sponsors. The pub, run by a Walsall fan, has a permanent tap of Cowboy’s Payday.Michael Walker, a card-carrying member of the Campaign for Real Ale, an appreciation society for enthusiasts of traditionally brewed British beer, kept grumbling as he drank the more modern offering before him. But after a while, his companions noticed that he had downed his glass before either of them.The Victoria (Katz) pub, a gathering place for Walsall fans, now keeps NoFo beer on tap.Joshua Bright for The New York TimesWe are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Trans Women Banned From Competing in Women’s Soccer in England

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      The Football Association, the national governing body, said that it had changed its policy as a result of a ruling last month by the British Supreme Court.Transgender women will be barred from playing for women’s soccer teams in England from June 1, the Football Association, the sport’s governing body in the country, said.In a statement, the Football Association, known as the F.A., said that it had changed its policy as a result of a Supreme Court ruling last month, which said that Britain’s equality laws were based on “biological sex” and that trans women did not fall within the legal definition of women.The F.A. is the latest body to update its policies as a result of the judgment, which all public and private bodies in Britain must now incorporate into internal practice on single-sex services and spaces.The association said that the Supreme Court’s ruling required it to change, meaning that “transgender women will no longer be able to play in women’s football in England.” The ban covers amateur soccer and regional leagues that are governed by the F.A., as well as the professional game.“We understand that this will be difficult for people who simply want to play the game they love in the gender by which they identify, and we are contacting the registered transgender women currently playing to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game,” the association added.Other sporting bodies are in the process of developing policies resulting from the Supreme Court’s ruling. The Scottish Football Association has also announced that from the start of the 2025-26 season, “only biological females will be permitted to play in competitive girls’ and women’s football.”We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Inside Plymouth Argyle’s 46,000-seater World Cup stadium plans as Wayne Rooney’s side battle relegation to third tier

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      PLYMOUTH ARGYLE are battling relegation from the Championship under former England captain Wayne Rooney’s management.And the Pilgrims’ home form has been crucial in keeping their heads above water – with Rooney’s men currently sitting 18th in the Championship and a point ahead of the bottom three.Plymouth Argyle once had ambitious plans for a stunning 46,000-seater stadiumCredit: Rotolok/JLLIt would have hosted four World Cup matchesCredit: Rotolok/JLLArgyle have lost just one home game so far this season at their 17,000-seater stadium.But in a parallel universe, Home Park could have looked very different.That’s because Plymouth once had ambitious plans for the 2018 World Cup, and was chosen by the FA as one of the host cities.However, England’s failed bid to host the World Cup that year – with the tournament instead being handed to Russia – ultimately saw the plans fall flat.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHad England won the bidding, Home Park, where Plymouth have played since 1893, would have been set to become a stunning 46,000-seater arena.This would have been surrounded by a £150million project of shops, cinemas, restaurants, a hotel and an ice rink.State-of-the-art tramlines, as well as a new pier and stunning Drake’s Island would attract the super-rich.The city’s rejuvenation would also see it playing host to other major sporting events such as the America’s Cup – sailing’s own version of the World Cup.Most read in FootballThe ambitious project would have created 3,700 jobs and £292m in investment for the city.Argyle would have hosted four World Cup matches, along with training camps around the region and “Fan Fests” on the Hoe and at Stonehouse Creek costing over £15m over 31 days.There was widespread support for the bid from locals, while politicians jetted to South Africa to try and promote Plymouth’s campaign.BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSHowever, the light of ambition became shrouded in the darkness of the ashes that nearly became Plymouth Argyle.The Plymouth Herald revealed the city council itself lost £700,000 in the failed bid.Every Premier League stadium ranked by the number of pubs nearby with one boasting over 130 local boozersPlymouth City Council alone spent £147,000 with another £250,000 being underwritten by Argyle.The Devon outfit owed £17m due to the project, sending the club into administration in 2011.James Brent’s Akkeron Group eventually agreed a deal with administrators to buy the club, with former chairman Peter Risdale leaving the club when the deal was completed.Argyle sold Home Park back to the city council for £1.6m and agreed to pay £135,000 a year in rent.READ MORE SUN STORIESIf this project had not been torpedoed by Fifa, Plymouth may well have been among the first names when considering who might host games for Euro 2028.However, the tournament – which will be across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland after Northern Ireland pulled out – will not feature any trips to the West Country. More

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      Clive Tyldesley reveals possible LAST live UK game that ‘won’t be dull’ months after ITV axed legendary commentator

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      LEGENDARY commentator Clive Tyldesley has revealed his final match on UK television could be as soon as next month.Tyldesley has worked in TV and radio for the last 32 years, covering both domestic and international football.Clive Tyldesley has revealed his final game commentating on UK TV could be next monthCredit: RexHe was axed by ITV after commentating on Euro 2024 but vowed to stay in broadcasting.The 70-year-old quickly snapped up a new job with US network CBS but kept his role with Amazon Prime where he covers the Premier League.However, because Amazon’s deal with England’s top flight set to expire soon, his final game commentating for UK audiences is quickly approaching.Tyldesley’s final Prem match for the channel could be Brighton’s clash with Brentford during the Christmas period.Read More in FootballSpeaking on the Anfield Wrap podcast, he explained: “What actually could be the final game I ever commentate for UK television is Brighton-Brentford. That won’t be dull.”That’s on 27 December. Amazon Prime, this is their final year, so the Premier League going forward is going back to a two-man cartel of Sky and TNT.”Amazon did not enter the running for Prem broadcast rights from 2025-26 onwards.Instead, Sky Sports and TNT Sports won the process and will continue sharing the rights.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAfter announcing his new job with CBS back in July, Tyldesley explained: “All I can do is keeping reviewing my own standards, keep making myself available.”If someone like CBS – who have given me a four-year contract to cover Champions League for the USA – show that sort of confidence in me then I can only assure you I will repay that faith by working bloody hard and trying to be as good as I can be.”Fans hail mark pougatch’s classy farewell to clive tyldesley live on tv as itv commentator bows out after 28 yearsUltimate sports presenters rich listTV sports presenters make a mint.The biggest and best are signed up on yearly deals with the likes of the BBC, ITV and Sky for your viewing pleasure.Laura Woods is dominating the media landscape at the moment, leading TNT Sports’ coverage and ITV’s.Alex Scott and Jermaine Jenas are two of the fresher faces for the BBC’s sporting output.Then, it’s the old guard of Gary Lineker and Mark Chapman who also command hefty fees for their Match of the Day programmes.SunSport has taken a look at how those big names rank and compiled a list of the top 10 highest earning stars that grace our TV screens.With number one worth a whopping £29.4million more than number 10!Read the story and see the full list here. More

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      Ex-England star Luther Blissett, 66, ‘collapses at charity event’ and rushed to hospital as Watford release statement

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      FORMER England star Luther Blissett was rushed to hospital after falling ill at a charity auction last week.The 66-year-old reportedly collapsed while hosting this year’s My Local Hero fundraiser at Watford’s Grove Hotel on Saturday.Luther Blissett was rushed to hospital after collapsing on SaturdayCredit: GettyAccording to the Watford Observer, he was immediately rushed to Watford General Hospital before being transferred to a specialist in London for further assessments.Blissett had auctioned off a Watford shirt just hours beforehand.A statement from his former club on Thursday read: “Watford FC is aware of reports that the club’s all-time record appearance-maker and goalscorer Luther Blissett OBE DL is currently receiving medical treatment in hospital.”Chairman & CEO Scott Duxbury said: ‘Luther and all of his loved ones know they have our full support. We will do all we can to help.’Read More in Football”The Hornets wish to confirm at this stage, however, that the club has had no direct confirmation of his circumstances from Luther or his family.”Everyone connected with Watford FC would like to wish Luther the fullest possible recovery.”‘Watford’s Favourite Son’ was helping raise money at a community event last weekend when he was taken ill.”Blissett spent 14 years with Watford across three different spells as a player.Most read in FootballHe made 210 appearances in total and scored 90 goals.The striker also played for AC Milan, Bournemouth, West Brom, Bury, Derry City, Mansfield Town, Southport, Wimborne Town, Fakenham Town and Chesham United.He was capped 14 times by England and scored three international goals.After retiring, Blissett briefly took up management and spent another year with Chesham.He was awarded an OBE in 2022 for his services to football and charity. More

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      Ruben Amorim backing Man Utd transfer move for Angel Gomes with England ace available to return to boyhood club for FREE

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      ANGEL GOMES remains a major target for Manchester United under new boss Ruben Amorim.Red Devils’ transfer gurus Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox believe the four-cap England star can be a crucial part of new boss Amorim’s masterplan for success.Angel Gomes could head back to Old Trafford after four years at LilleCredit: PANew Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim has long had Gomes on his radarCredit: GettyThe Portuguese coach is right behind the possible move because he is a long-time admirer of the 24-year-old midfielder.Gomes departed from United for Lille on a free transfer in 2020 and his five-year contract expires next summer.The French club are resigned to losing £25million-rated Gomes, with Tottenham also having the London-born ace on their radar.Gomes can speak to clubs in January about signing a pre-contract agreement.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSBut United believe the star, who grew up in Salford, can be lured back to Manchester as a probable long-term replacement for Casemiro.Gomes said on the chances of a sensational return to Old Trafford last month: “There’ll always be that sentimental soft spot, so of course it’d be difficult to say no.”He joined United aged six and broke into the under-18 side aged only 14.He became the club’s youngest player since Duncan Edwards in 1953 to make his top flight debut aged 16 years and 263 days, given the last two minutes of a 2 -0 win over Crystal Palace in May 2017.Most read in FootballThree Sporting stars Amorim could swoop for after joining Man UtdRUBEN AMORIM has ruled out poaching any of his Sporting Lisbon players in the January transfer window.But the Portuguese side’s chiefs expect Amorim will come calling in the summer – with his cheque book wide open.Here’s are three Sporting starts United could swoop for… but they won’t come cheap:VIKTOR GYOKERESAge: 26Position: StrikerCost: £84millionSwede has shone since joining Sporting last summer from Coventry — catching the eye of all Europe’s top clubs.Hit 43 goals in 50 games last season and boasts 18 strikes already this term.GONCALO INACIOAge: 23Position: DefenderCost: £50millionBall-playing centre-back was handed his debut by Amorim and has since become a key figure in Sporting’s recent title successes.Can also slot in at left-back if required and has 12 caps for Portugal.MORTEN HJULMANDAge: 25Position: MidfieldCost: £40millionDane is one of the top holding midfielders in Portugal — and made skipper by Amorim.He could be the man to replace Casemiro.FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSArsenal have also been tipped to pursue the four-cap star.And Gunners’ legend Lee Dixon reckons he’d “fit superbly” into Mikel Arteta’s plans.Ruben Amorim takes charge of first Man Utd training sessionDixon told plejmo.com: “He’s a very good link-up player and we’ve seen that he can play alongside Declan Rice.”He’s got a lot of potential and although there will be plenty of clubs looking at him, I could see him at Arsenal next season.” More

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      Jack Grealish slammed Gareth Southgate and annoyed Pep Guardiola – now he must do his talking on the pitch for Man City

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      JACK GREALISH vowed to “prove some people wrong” as he returned to training early following his Euro 2024 snub — but we are still waiting.No doubt the main one was Gareth Southgate – the man who axed him from the squad – and he took aim at the former Three Lions  boss again this week.Jack Grealish is back with England but needs to step up for Man CityCredit: GettyGrealish helped usher in Lee Carsley’s interim reign with the Three Lions by rounding off a 2-0 win away to Ireland in SeptemberCredit: GettyThe Man City ace will hope his recall under Carsley continues with England’s incoming permanent boss Thomas TuchelCredit: GettyThe Manchester City winger is clearly still hurting from what he described as the “hardest moment of his career” back in June.He vowed to use his heartache as motivation, and prove that he should have been on the  plane to Germany despite an indifferent previous 12 months at the Etihad.Yet, despite a couple of goals in the autumn internationals, the £100million man’s season is yet to really take off.And with no more international football for four months, the time has come for him to do some talking on the pitch for City.READ MORE TOP STORIESJust four Prem starts so far, with two cup games,  is not what his employers were hoping for after almost a third of the campaign.What is more, he managed to test the patience of Pep Guardiola yet again by telling him he wanted to join up with the England squad earlier this month.The Etihad chief made it clear Grealish should be staying back at the City Football Academy to work on his fitness after a hamstring issue.But the former Aston Villa skipper insisted he wanted to go — although in the end he was  sent back almost as soon as he put his bags down at St George’s Park.Most read in FootballGrealish will have to wait four months to see if Tuchel picks himCredit: AFPFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSGrealish could probably see why his club manager was so miffed.He was back in training a couple of days before City’s defeat at Brighton ten days ago,  but has not played any competitive football  since October 20.Top ten greatest Premier League players of all time as Kevin de Bruyne and Cristiano Ronaldo both miss out on top spotThat was as a second-half sub at Wolves, while his last start came two weeks before that as the champions edged past Fulham.Guardiola said Grealish has had “two or three setbacks” with injuries and has not been able to find any rhythm. This was not what anyone had in mind when he was one of the first to report back for pre-season training in July.Speaking in Orlando on City’s pre-season tour in late July, he opened up on his Euro heartache, saying: “It was the hardest moment for me as a footballer. And I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my career.“I felt like I should have been in the squad. “But I want to try and use it as motivation now, going forward into this season, and hopefully prove some people wrong.“I just need to regain my form and fitness and after that I know what I can do on the pitch.”He has shown glimpses of what he can do since then — for his country at least — with goals in the away wins over Republic of Ireland and Finland. But he has just one assist in seven Prem appearances for City so far this term. And not many of the Etihad faithful will be surprised either, given the way last season ended for him.He appeared in just one of their last five matches as City swept to a fourth straight Prem title and that was a brief cameo off the bench.City chief Pep Guardiola was unhappy Grealish went with EnglandCredit: ReutersGareth Southgate omitting him for Euro 2024 hurt GrealishCredit: GettyOver the course of last season, he started only ten Premier League matches.Then, when City desperately searched for  a goal in their FA Cup final defeat to United, the most expensive signing in the club’s history stayed on the bench.Guardiola admitted after that game that Grealish had “struggled” for much of the campaign.The signs were promising as Grealish impressed during City’s four-match summer tour of the US.His manager said in August: “From what I’ve seen so far from Jack,  I’ve loved it. It’s his commitment in every session.“Hopefully he can sustain it until  the end of the season and compete for a place, but it depends on him.”Fast forward three months and Pep had a face like thunder when he  discussed Lee Carsley’s call-up of Grealish for this month’s internationals — and the player’s decision to accept it.The pair might have to patch things up a bit when training resumes ahead of Saturday’s visit of Tottenham.And Grealish, who turned 29 in September, will know he needs to get that form and fitness back quickly.It does not matter if Southgate, Carsley or Thomas Tuchel is boss,  if you are not performing well for your club, you cannot expect to play for your country.READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd after his summer heartache, Grealish knows that only too well. More