Michael Carrick’s late winner moved Manchester United to within a point of a third successive Premier League title with a battling victory at Wigan.
Hugo Rodallega brushed off Nemanja Vidic to give Wigan a shock lead after 28 minutes.
Substitute Carlos Tevez’s outrageous flick diverted in Carrick’s shot as United equalised in the 61st minute.
And Carrick sealed a crucial win to put United on the brink of glory with a 20-yard finish four minutes from time.
United struggled in the face of Wigan’s resilient challenge - but manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s celebrations after Carrick’s winner emphasised the importance of these three points and how close his side now are to drawing level with Liverpool’s record tally of 18 titles.
Wigan counterpart Steve Bruce can be proud of his team’s efforts, and United’s closest rivals Liverpool can also have no complaints as they attempted to throw the title race open.
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Ferguson restored Wayne Rooney in attack with Tevez - whose Old Trafford future is the subject of fevered debate - dropping down to the bench.
Wigan were forced to make a change in goal, with Richard Kingson coming in for Chris Kirkland, who failed to recover from the back injury that forced him off at West Brom on Saturday.
Latics boss Bruce insisted his side would make every endeavour to stall United’s title bandwagon and they made their intentions clear as early as the second minute when Valencia burst clear of Vidic but shot wide.
United soon posed a threat of their own when Dimitar Berbatov slipped away from Titus Bramble but Rooney directed his header wildly off target from point-blank range.
Carrick then stole in on Cristiano Ronaldo’s cross, only to lift a close-range effort over the top.
United were holding sway in possession but Wigan’s attackers were energetic and they were rewarded when Rodallega put them ahead after 28 minutes, outmuscling Vidic before recovering his composure to shoot low past Edwin van der Sar at the near post.
Rooney wasted another opportunity to level for United two minutes before the break when Ronaldo created an opening, the England striker side-footing over the top from eight yards.
But Wigan delivered another warning to the title favourites in first-half stoppage time when Rodellega shot wide after some slick approach play from Valencia and Lee Cattermole.
United struggled to make an impact after the break and it was no surprise when Ferguson made a change after 57 minutes, sending on Tevez for Anderson.
And within four minutes the Argentine had put United level with a finish of instinctive brilliance, although there was also a sprinkling of good fortune in the creation of the goal.
Carrick’s shot was flying off target but Tevez turned it to his advantage with a stunning flick that completely wrong-footed Kingson.
United then had penalty appeals rejected when Ronaldo tumbled under a challenge from Maynor Figueroa but referee Rob Styles waved away their appeals.
Wigan, predictably, were placed under constant pressure in the closing stages and finally cracked with four minutes remaining. John O’Shea set up Carrick on the edge of the area and he flashed a rising left-foot drive high past Kingson.
United now only need a draw from the home game against Arsenal on Saturday or the trip to Hull City on the last day of the season to complete the formalities of another title triumph.
Wigan: Kingson, Melchiot, Boyce, Bramble, Figueroa, Valencia, Cattermole, Scharner, Brown, N’Zogbia (Mido 82), Rodallega.
Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Edman, Watson, Koumas, De Ridder, Kapo.
Goals: Rodallega 28.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, O’Shea, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Carrick, Scholes (Giggs 75), Anderson (Tevez 58), Ronaldo, Berbatov (Park 89), Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Neville, Nani, Rafael Da Silva.
Goals: Tevez 61, Carrick 86.
Att: 21,286
Ref: Rob Styles (Hampshire).
by : football
]]>Shearer’s courage as a player was beyond question and it was a quality he saw in Newcastle United as they beat Middlesbrough at a thunderous St James’ Park to take a small, but potentially decisive, stride towards safety.
And as Shearer sat wearing the winner’s smile after a five-week crash course in the torture of managing Newcastle, he could also reflect on a fearless subsitution that may yet be seen as a defining moment in his fledgling managerial career.
With Newcastle and Middlesbrough locked at 1-1 - the scoreline from hell as far as their survival prospects were concerned - Shearer chose to haul off his long-time friend and club captain Michael Owen.
It was a high-risk strategy justified by huge reward as Owen’s replacement Obafemi Martins took just 55 seconds to score the goal that could change the course of Newcastle’s future.
When Peter Lovenkrands, another substitute, added Newcastle’s third late on, it only added to the growing sense that Shearer might just have what it takes for this managerial lark after all.
Shearer has cultivated an impassive manner on the touchline since arriving at Newcastle - an image helped by not having one jot to celebrate after forsaking the sofa for the technical area.
But after labelling this as the biggest game he has been involved in with Newcastle, the joy of victory brought signs of the old Shearer back to St James’ Park.
Goals were greeted by his trademark celebrations, albeit in a smart suit as opposed to a black and white shirt, and he even advanced on to the pitch at the final whistle to join in the victory celebrations with his players.
Nothing flamboyant of course - he was at pains to point out safety is by no means guaranteed by a single win - but you sensed this was a man who had discovered how victory as a manager tastes and he enjoys it.
And with the word around Newcastle strongly suggesting he will be in charge next season providing he gets reasonable backing from owner Mike Ashley, then there may be more where this came from.
This being Newcastle, no-one should expect this win to be the catalyst for a straightforward march to safety in their final games against Fulham and Aston Villa.
No, that would be too easy woudn’t it?
Give Newcastle a mile and they will take an inch, but the passion of this display suggests they may just have a little bit more to offer than Phil Brown’s collapsing Hull City.
Shearer hurled superlatives at his players in an effort to maintain their confidence for that final push: “Brilliant…courageous…big, big performances from big men…magnificent feeling.”
Not quite Alan - but just the sort of improvement and result needed to send the Toon Army off to Shearer’s Bar and The Strawberry in better heart than they had arrived.
And with Shearer demonstrating his ability to make cold, clear-headed decisions in the heat of battle by removing Owen, they made their bids to drink the place dry with renewed hope.
Shearer’s next big decision will be what to do after Martins’ success? Will he keep his place against Fulham? Will Owen be on the sidelines.
Owen used his programme notes to mount a stirring defence of his record, stating that he believes Shearer was wrong to leave him out against Liverpool recently. He does not appear to have a huge reservoir of affection on Tyneside, but anyone who suggests he does not care does not know Michael Owen.
You sense, however, that his time is winding down at Newcastle. Owen’s other appearance in the match programme was modelling next season’s new kit - irony anyone?
It was the sort of compelling evening Newcastle United and St James’ Park were invented for. Nerves, tension, fear, fingernails chewed, stomach churning - and that was just on the walk up to the ground.
They came from far and wide, one banner was emblazoned “Toon Army Poland”, almost in the manner of those gathering at the bedside of an ailing relative, waiting to discover which way it will go.
And while it was all celebration, for now, for Shearer and Newcastle, there was only despair for Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate and his players.
Middlesbrough’s display summed up so much of their season. Plenty of promise but no punch - it is a deadly combination when you need wins to stay in the Premier League.
Southgate cut an impressive figure after the game, recognising the hurt suffered by Middlesbrough’s fans and the entire club, but also placing defeat in context when he said: “All of the difficult nights in my life have been in football, so I have a sense of perspective.”
All the sounds coming out of Middlesbrough suggest Southgate will keep his job, even if they are relegated, and this offers us another irony to consider.
Middlesbrough, on many levels, are an example to Newcastle. Indeed there is a case for saying they actually put their near neighbours to shame.
Chairman Steve Gibson does not sack his managers at the first sign of trouble and they have a flourishing youth policy producing local talent that is given its chance. This emphasis on stability is the polar opposite to Newcastle’s dysfunctionality.
Some might say this will do them a fat lot of good in the Championship, but Middlesbrough is based on Gibson’s sound principles and he is the man who has single-handedly under-pinned all the successes they have had in recent years.
He will be criticised for being too loyal if Southgate takes Boro down, but Gibson’s track record tells us he has good reason for sticking with his manager and who can say with certainty that change would have made a difference?
If Shearer stays at Newcastle, you can expect him to study the Middlesbrough model of stability, continuity and the development of homegrown talent.
This is all for the future - and that future suddenly looks a little brighter after the only result Newcastle could seriously contemplate if they want to survive.
by : football
I can understand why Rubens Barrichello was confused and disappointed at the end of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix.
After finishing second and climbing out of his car, the Brazilian met his Brawn team-mate Jenson Button in the pre podium room, and turning to the race winner he said: “I don’t know how I lost the race.”
It was a surprising outcome given how the race had started, with Barrichello bursting into the lead following a great start from third on the grid.
There’s no doubt about it, Barrichello will be asking the team why they moved Button onto a two-stop strategy and left him on three.
The two Brawn drivers were nip and tuck for most of the race so he’ll want to know at which point they realised and decided it was right to switch Button.
Both drivers told me again after the race that three stops were theoretically faster. But two stops comfortably won the race.
Button delighted strategy paid off
Rubens lost the race because instead of closing the gap on his team-mate when he went out on his third set of soft tyres and relatively low fuel, he found himself 13 seconds adrift.
He just didn’t have the raw pace. Something was not working for him; maybe the tyres had taken some punishment in qualifying or they just didn’t have the right handling balance or pressures. Either way, it ended up costing him the race.
Meanwhile, on heavier fuel, Button - like ultimate third-place man Mark Webber - was flying along and while he was not absolutely the quickest on the track at the time, was performing remarkably well in that phase.
Finally, Button was peerless on the harder tyres towards the end of the race, cementing his fourth victory of the year.
People will now be wondering whether Brawn are favouring Button over Barrichello.
I don’t think the team have made a clear decision to treat Button as their number one driver but it may be a subconscious one.
Walk a mile in Ross Brawn’s shoes. As team principal who would you think is most likely to deliver the goods all year at any track, rain or shine?
Who would you want to be your new world champion leading your team forward into a new era?
Who is the younger driver with the best future ahead of him?
Don’t get me wrong, Barrichello is more than capable of beating Button in qualifying or races.
But in terms of numbers, Button is seven years younger than Barrichello and, more importantly, he’s now 14 points ahead of him at the top of the 2009 driver standings.
At this stage, Ross Brawn probably isn’t too fussed about which of his drivers wins Grands Prix as long as someone does.
I don’t think Brawn intended to put Barrichello on the second step of the podium behind Button but I would bet they’re not too disappointed about it either.
Highlights - Webber holds off Alonso
In the BBC TV’s red-button forum after the race, Red Bull technical director Adrian Newey said his cars were a match for the Brawns and the team reckon they had enough pace to win the race.
That will have to remain speculation but I do suspect that it would have been a very close battle between this season’s main protagonists.
As it was, Ferrari messed things up for Red Bull. Sebastian Vettel got caught up behind the fast-starting Kers-assisted Felipe Massa and was then slowed down by the Ferrari’s lack of ultimate pace.
Vettel was very frustrated after the race having been staring at the back wing of the Ferrari for 63 laps, and apparently felt the team should have navigated him past Massa in the pitstops.
The German’s team-mate Mark Webber rescued third place on the podium with an impressive long second stint and aggressive driving in Barcelona.
We saw a lot of bravery on track and Webber was right among it.
We could have fought the Brawns - Vettel
Renault’s home favourite Fernando Alonso overtook the Australian’s Red Bull on the restart once the safety car had retreated at the start of lap six.
But Webber showed supreme skill to come immediately back at Alonso and retake what was then fifth place.
I was talking to Webber about it after the race and he told me he was thinking at that moment: “Come on, Fernando, we’ve got to brake soon otherwise we won’t make it.” He had to brake after the Renault to make it work.
It was impressive, especially as he arrived into Turn One on the tighter and dirty inside line.
Ferrari were dicing with danger yet again in Barcelona and are still making fundamental mistakes.
Apparently the reason they didn’t fill Massa with enough fuel at his second stop was because of fuel-rig problems and that cost them fourth and ultimately fifth place. They might well have been too hasty in trying to get him out in front of Vettel, who pitted at the same time.
This came after the team failed to get Kimi Raikkonen through the first stage of qualifying and during the race itself unreliability put him out of the race.
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The only thing that is saving the Italian marque’s blushes is that they have developed their car enough to become the third fastest team on the track this weekend.
The next race on the streets of Monaco provides all sorts of different set-up and strategy challenges; Monte Carlo.
The first priority for the Red Bulls and the Brawns will be to get through qualifying and Saturday will be manic in Monaco.
Most teams will arrive with yet further car updates, too.
The race itself could well be decided on critical grid position and everything really will be to play for when we rejoin the F1 circus in just under two weeks’ time.
by : F1
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France’s Richard Gasquet has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for cocaine.
The 22-year-old, who could face a two-year ban from the sport, failed the test at the Miami Masters in March.
“His provisional suspension begins today (Monday),” said Dr Stuart Miller, the head of the International Tennis Federation’s anti-doping commission.
Gasquet said: “I want to prove my innocence and will explain myself at an appropriate time.”
Gasquet, who reached the last four at Wimbledon in 2007 and has a career-high ranking of seventh, said he had submitted himself to an independent test and that a hair analysis “showed no trace of cocaine”.
But traces of the drug were found in his urine sample.
He said: “The test of the B sample submitted at the end of March 2009, confirmed the positive result of the A sample taken on the same day.
“Given the complexity of the case, I am gathering the evidence of my innocence and will later set a date to make further comments.”
ITF spokesman Neil Robinson said an anti-doping tribunal should be assembled within 60 days to hear the case.
“He’s suspended until the end of the hearing,” said Robinson.
“The ideal timeframe is within 60 days, but people have to fly in from all over the world for the tribunal.”
In a statement released on Sunday, the French Tennis Federation said it was “very surprised” by the news.
“If confirmed according to official proceedings, it would be very sad for Richard Gasquet, for tennis in general and for French tennis in particular, whose image would be tarnished,” read the FFT statement.
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“At this stage, the FFT does not wish to make further comments because it is down to the anti-doping authorities, within the International Tennis Federation (ITF), to assess such a case and it is not for the FFT to intervene.
“The FFT will follow with great attention the developments of this case, avoiding making hasty judgements and is anxious to leave the player to organise his defence for the international tennis bodies.
“If the facts are correct, however, this would be particularly unfortunate in light of all the efforts of the FFT in terms of deterring athletes [from using banned substances].”
Gasquet has been regarded as the brightest young talent in French tennis since turning professional in 2002.
He ended his debut season as the youngest player to finish in the top 200 in the world rankings, and was also the youngest to qualify for an ATP Masters at Monte Carlo.
Gasquet has won five singles titles and more than US$4m (£2.7m) in prize money during his career.
by : tennis
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The Czech-born German took advantage of benign morning conditions to shoot a near-flawless five-under-par 67 in the second round of the 9.5 million-dollar tournament at the Sawgrass TPC.
“I didn’t hit the ball as well as yesterday,” world No. 267 Cejka said. “Yesterday was kind of flawless (but) today I made a couple of up-and-downs and when I had a birdie chance I took it.”
He He posted an 11-under 133 total, while Englishman Ian Poulter carded 68 late in the day for second place on nine-under, with Masters champion Angel Cabrera, of Argentina, among a large group four shots behind.
Cejka, 38, has endured some serious injury issues recently.
“I had major surgery at the end of last year where I had a fusion in my neck,” he said.
“After the surgery, everything was fine until I woke up one day and it was numb and inflamed, so that was a shock for me.
“I had a pinched nerve and numb (right) arm for three weeks, so they had to go in there and put some cortisone in the nerve (last week).
“It’s still not 100 percent, but I feel my hand, so that’s a good sign.”
While Cejka missed only one green in regulation on Thursday, he missed eight on Friday, but made up for it by taking only 23 putts.
Cejka has not won in nearly 200 starts on the US PGA Tour, a record he blames on his putting.
“I’ve been a couple of times close but I knew the putting was holding me back, so the last couple of years I’m working hard on it, and hopefully I can turn it around,” he said.
Poulter, meanwhile, has been playing well recently, so his position on the leaderboard was not unexpected.
“It has been solid the last few weeks and it’s nice to bring that into the Players and play well,” said last year’s British Open runner-up, who also had a fine Ryder Cup for Europe, albeit on a losing team.
“It was key to take advantage of the par-fives today and I birdied three of them and made a great par on the second (hole).
“It would mean everything (to win). It would mean carrying over from the Ryder Cup, the way I played there and the way I played at the Open. It would mean stepping up to another level.”
Cabrera, meanwhile, continued his impressive form from Augusta, compiling nine birdies in a spectacular display of power hitting.
“My tee shots were the difference today. I was able to get the hole started out right,” he said after carding a 65. “Yesterday I wasn’t getting it off the tee in the right spots.”
Cabrera said that while his Masters win, his second major triumph, had not changed him as a person, it had been a massive confidence booster.
“I’m pretty much the same player, but the fact I’ve won those big tournaments gives me that confidence that I know I can do it.
“But in terms of day-to-day life, my life is the same. I’ve got the same friends, hang out at the same places and my game is the same.”
Tiger Woods trailed by seven shots, while 83 players made the cut, which fell at even-par 144.
by : PGA
]]>We check out the two extremes of EA’s upcoming change in direction for the Need for Speed series.
At EA’s recent spring press event in San Francisco, the company had two stations running builds of its upcoming Need for Speed: Shift, the latest in the long-running racing series. Depending on which version you sat down to play, you got a very different picture of what the upcoming game is all about. The developers at Slightly Mad Studios are focused on making this perhaps the most realistic and true-to-life driving experience ever seen in a Need for Speed game, while still maintaining the approachable learning curve that has always been a part of the series. Both aspects of this intriguing racing game were on display at the press event and, in certain ways, the differences between the two couldn’t have been starker.
At EA’s recent spring press event in San Francisco, the company had two stations running builds of its upcoming Need for Speed: Shift, the latest in the long-running racing series. Depending on which version you sat down to play, you got a very different picture of what the upcoming game is all about. The developers at Slightly Mad Studios are focused on making this perhaps the most realistic and true-to-life driving experience ever seen in a Need for Speed game, while still maintaining the approachable learning curve that has always been a part of the series. Both aspects of this intriguing racing game were on display at the press event and, in certain ways, the differences between the two couldn’t have been starker.
It’s between these two extremes that Need for Speed: Shift finds itself: a console racing sim looking to go after the Forza and Gran Turismo fan base, and a Need for Speed game that needs to be friendly enough to more-casual racing fans to keep the dollars rolling in. It’s a somewhat risky gamble, it seems, considering that there’s a portion of the NFS crowd that will surely expect yet another series of uninspiring races cast between cheesy cutscenes. Nevertheless, if Shift opens up to a new crowd and (vocal) fan base by establishing itself as a credible racing sim, it just might be a gamble worth taking. Look for more on the game in the months leading up to its fall 2009 release.
]]>Winger Theo Walcott has signed a new long-term contract at Arsenal.
The 20-year-old has become a regular fixture in the starting XI this season having joined the north London club from Southampton in January 2006.
The England international’s new deal is believed to run up to and including the 2012-13 season.
Walcott said: “I’m delighted to have signed a new long-term deal. I’m so happy here and just want to say thanks to everyone who has helped me.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told the club website: “Theo is an intelligent player and has developed well this season.”
After a promising start to the campaign, Walcott dislocated his shoulder in November which kept him out of action until April.
Despite the setback, the London-born forward has made 32 appearances during the campaign and scored six goals.
“Together with the belief of my team-mates, the boss and everyone on the staff, everyone has got behind me here at Arsenal which is brilliant,” added Walcott.
“It’s fantastic to work with the best manager in the world and play at Emirates Stadium, which is an unbelievable place to play in. I just want to continue playing my football at this club and look forward to many successful seasons ahead.”
Walcott became Southampton’s youngest-ever first-team player when he came on as a substitute against Wolves at the age of 16 years and 143 days.
Walcott made his Premier League debut against Aston Villa in August 2006 and made his first league start against Watford two months later before grabbing his first goal against Chelsea in the 2007 League Cup final.
The midfielder’s international career has fluctuated between senior and under-21 level ever since he was a surprise inclusion in Sven-Goran Eriksson’s 2006 World Cup squad.
The highlight of his England career to date was the three goals he scored against Croatia in last September’s World Cup qualifier - becoming the youngest England player to score a hat-trick.
by : football
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Arsene Wenger’s managerial cv is scarred by the absence of a European trophy - and he admits the failure to win the Champions League also represents a gap in Arsenal’s rich history.
So it will be with a sense of personal and professional mission that Wenger sends Arsenal out to face Manchester United in the Champions League semi-final second leg at The Emirates on Tuesday.
Failure to overturn United’s 1-0 lead, an advantage which should have been more given Arsenal’s obvious inferiority at Old Trafford, will make it four years without silverware for Wenger, a statistic that was unthinkable when the FA Cup was won against these same opponents in 2005.
One thing that has not altered since that day in Cardiff has been Wenger’s iron-clad belief in Arsenal’s players - and it was on show again at Old Trafford last week when we saw him in buoyant and bullish mood after an uncharacteristically timid loss.
Wenger assured Europe’s media that we would see a different Arsenal on home turf - now we will discover if will be proved right or if it was a game of bluff and bravado designed to lift his beaten players.
Wenger has faced doubters before and prevailed - Manchester United were the opponents when Arsenal backed their manager’s words with actions in a thrilling win at The Emirates in November.
And it is performances of that quality that presumably made Wenger so confident Arsenal will emerge victorious against United - even inviting one questioning journalist to his post-match news conference on Tuesday, where he would presumably be delighted to chew that fat with him about a landmark victory.
It will, however, take a mirroring of their manager’s utter conviction if Arsenal are to achieve the double target of not only scoring against United, but guarding against the away goal that could see Wenger retain his status as one of the greatest coaches never to win a European crown.
Andrey Arshavin is ineligible, so much responsibility will fall on the creative forces of Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Emmanuel Adebayor and, if fit, Robin van Persie.
But it is Arsenal’s weakened defence that will pose the greatest threat to their ambitions. Simple maths says one goal for United means Arsenal will need three - and they did not resemble a team who could achieve that against Sir Alex Ferguson’s team at any point in the first meeting.
This did not shake Wenger’s spirit or optimism in the moments following that loss, and he will be hoping to transmit that to his players.
United boss Ferguson was a mixture of delight and disappointment as he followed Wenger into Old Trafford’s media suite, the pleasure of not conceding a goal shielding him slightly from the pain of knowing a three-goal victory margin would have been a more realistic measure of his team’s supremacy.
Ferguson has other concerns, with Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Patrice Evra one yellow card away from missing a potential final meeting with Chelsea or Barcelona in Rome later this month.
Rio Ferdinand’s return alongside Nemanja Vidic will give Ferguson added re-assurance - but Wenger will see this as a day of destiny for Arsenal and the opportunity to move a step closer to filling that space in his and the great north London club’s trophy collection.
Over at Stamford Bridge, the clash of cultures between Chelsea and Barcelona continues with a second leg that is too close to call after a contentious first game in the Nou Camp.
What is certain - despite the bleatings of Barcelona - is that Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink once again tailored his tactics to suit the occasion and only Didier Drogba’s failure to take a presentable first-half chance stopped them just short of perfection.
Hiddink’s cautious approach was vindicated by Barcelona’s subsequent slicing up of a Real Madrid side that was effectively forced to go on the offensive at The Bernabeu. The Dutch coach is too wise to try and please the purists at the expense of pragmatism and the moans coming out of Catalonia had a hollow - and indeed familiar - ring.
He will now have to conjure up a tactical approach which will be delicately balanced between attacking intent and caution, with Barcelona a huge threat, despite their recent Champions League disappointments against Premier League opposition.
Chelsea hold the slightest of advantages, but having shown they can hold Barcelona they must now demonstrate they can beat them - and the unjustified words of criticism aimed in the direction of Stamford Bridge from the Nou Camp will provide the perfect incentive.
by : football
From headlining on Las Vegas Boulevard to flat on his back on Queer Street in five minutes and 59 seconds. Ricky Hatton and thousands of his loyal fans were exposed to boxing in all its brutality on Saturday night.
I think I’ve seen bigger left hands, but I really can’t remember when. Mind you, Manny Pacquiao’s other mitt wasn’t too shabby either.
If his fight against Paulie Malignaggi last November was a test drive for Hatton and his trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr, then this was the equivalent of opening her up on the motorway and it ended in a wreck.
For all Hatton’s talk of technical fine-tuning in the lead-up to the fight, the Hitman’s defences proved as leaky as a rusty spit bucket.
His hands unusually low, he came forward in straight lines - Pacquiao couldn’t miss.
The Filipino threw 53 power shots in the second round alone and landed with 34 of them. Hatton, who claimed before the fight that he had rediscovered his jab, found his target with only two of them.
“I was surprised it was that easy,” said Pacquiao. “He was open and coming forward and his hands were down.”
“Ricky fights the same way over and over,” his trainer Freddie Roach added. “He doesn’t have the ability to adjust.”
But to criticise Hatton’s performance too much would be to belittle the greatness of the ‘Pac Man’, who seems to be on a mission to gobble his way through every weight class.
From flyweight up to welterweight and back down to 140lb, no wonder his promoter Bob Arum calls him a modern day Henry Armstrong, the American who held the feather, light and welterweight titles simultaneously in the 1930s.
Pacquiao’s ability to carry his power up through the weights is truly extraordinary, as is the fact that the extra weight doesn’t appear to affect his speed. Power, pace and precision - it’s a rare, and potent, cocktail.
“I’m the greatest trainer in the world because I’ve got the greatest fighter,” added Roach after the fight, beaming from ear to ear like a proud father, although a certain Floyd Mayweather Jr might disagree.
Mayweather Jr comes out of his short-lived ‘retirement’ to fight lightweight king Juan Manuel Marquez on 18 July, and the winner of that fight will surely end up locking horns with Pacquiao. Mayweather Jr v Pacquiao. What a prospect that is.
As for Hatton, his co-trainer Lee Beard and manager Gareth Williams said the decision to box on or not would be left entirely to the man himself. Mayweather Sr, although he didn’t say it in rhyme, suggested it might be time for Hatton to get another job.
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Twice Hatton has challenged the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world and twice he has come up well short. There is no disgrace in losing to the deadly duo of Mayweather Jr and Pacquiao, but Hatton may well decide that if he can’t mix it with the best, then there’s no point in continuing to mix it at all.
Certainly the defeat by Pacquiao will have put a huge dent in his brand in the United States, and if he does decide to rebuild, he will have to do it in the foothills. The days of topping Vegas bills would appear to be in the past.
But what days they were. Any man who can move 25,000 fans to follow him to Vegas in the middle of a recession has got something special. Unluckily for him, Pacquiao proved to be far more special.
by : boxing
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Venus Williams opened her European clay-court season with a scrappy 6-2 4-6 6-2 win over Lucie Safarova in the second round of the Italian Open.
The fourth seed eased through the first set but 22-year-old Safarova broke in the third game of the second set and held serve easily to level the match.
The Czech had four more break points in the decider before Venus, who had a first-round bye, broke at 2-1.
“I just want to hit balls, so it’s not too bad to go three sets,” said Venus.
“She played some good shots. She played strong and she is a talented player, so I have to give her credit.
“We both played aggressive. She’s just going for every shot, for the lines.”
Venus has been drawn in the opposite half of the draw to sister Serena. They are among the top eight seeds who received byes into the second round.
Second seed Serena will open her campaign against Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder on Tuesday.
It will be her first match since being knocked off the top of the world rankings by Russian Dinara Safina.
“We all know who the real number one is,” Serena told a news conference on Monday. “Quite frankly, I’m the best in the world.”
Safina has never won a Grand Slam title - and was easily beaten by Serena in this year’s Australian Open final - while the American has won 10.
Serena said her toughest opponent was herself, explaining: “I always beat myself.”
In other matches on Monday, sixth seed Victoria Azarenka won the first set against Ayumi Morita 6-0 before the Japanese player retired with a left thigh strain.
Ninth seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark defeated Agnes Szavay 6-3 6-2, while fellow seeds Agnieszka Radwanska, Flavia Pennetta, Alize Cornet and Jie Zheng also went through.
by : tennis
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