Piastri wins Spanish Grand Prix – and says it was just what he needed
Barcelona | Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri said winning Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix was just what he needed after losing out to McLaren teammate
Lando Norris over the previous two weekends.
'It's been a great year and this weekend's been exactly the kind of weekend I was looking for,' said the Australian after his fifth win in nine races.
Reuters
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Nick Kyrgios suffers fresh injury setback
Nick Kyrgios's Wimbledon absence will stretch into a third year after the Australian tennis maverick suffered a fresh injury setback. Kyrgios hasn't played at Wimbledon since losing the 2022 final to Novak Djokovic, after a combination of knee, foot and wrist injuries. He had hoped to play doubles at the French Open with Jordan Thompson but withdrew from what would have been his first appearance at Roland Garros since 2017 with a knee injury. On Tuesday, Kyrgios confirmed that problem would also rule him out of Wimbledon. "Just wanted to give everyone a quick update - l've hit a small setback in my recovery and unfortunately won't make it back for grass season this year," Kyrgios wrote on Instagram. "I know how much you've all been looking forward to seeing me out there, and I'm genuinely sorry to disappoint. "This is just a bump in the road though, and I'm already working hard to get back stronger than ever. "Thank you for all your continued support - it means everything to me. See you soon!" Now 30, Kyrgios faces an uphill battle to resurrect his career, which has been hammered by injuries since late 2022. The former world No.13 has played only four singles matches this year, claiming his first tour victory in two-and-a-half years at the Miami Open in March. His Wimbledon withdrawal means his first-round exit at this year's Australian Open will remain his only grand slam appearance - of a possible 11 - since the start of 2023. Last week, Thompson gave an insight into how much Kyrgios had struggled with his luckless injury run. "He was pretty down. He told me he doesn't know how much more of these injuries he can take, and you've just got to feel for him," Thompson said. "Because as much as he says things in the media, I think he loves playing tennis and he loves being on court, so it's disappointing that he can't be here on the court." Nick Kyrgios's Wimbledon absence will stretch into a third year after the Australian tennis maverick suffered a fresh injury setback. Kyrgios hasn't played at Wimbledon since losing the 2022 final to Novak Djokovic, after a combination of knee, foot and wrist injuries. He had hoped to play doubles at the French Open with Jordan Thompson but withdrew from what would have been his first appearance at Roland Garros since 2017 with a knee injury. On Tuesday, Kyrgios confirmed that problem would also rule him out of Wimbledon. "Just wanted to give everyone a quick update - l've hit a small setback in my recovery and unfortunately won't make it back for grass season this year," Kyrgios wrote on Instagram. "I know how much you've all been looking forward to seeing me out there, and I'm genuinely sorry to disappoint. "This is just a bump in the road though, and I'm already working hard to get back stronger than ever. "Thank you for all your continued support - it means everything to me. See you soon!" Now 30, Kyrgios faces an uphill battle to resurrect his career, which has been hammered by injuries since late 2022. The former world No.13 has played only four singles matches this year, claiming his first tour victory in two-and-a-half years at the Miami Open in March. His Wimbledon withdrawal means his first-round exit at this year's Australian Open will remain his only grand slam appearance - of a possible 11 - since the start of 2023. Last week, Thompson gave an insight into how much Kyrgios had struggled with his luckless injury run. "He was pretty down. He told me he doesn't know how much more of these injuries he can take, and you've just got to feel for him," Thompson said. "Because as much as he says things in the media, I think he loves playing tennis and he loves being on court, so it's disappointing that he can't be here on the court." Nick Kyrgios's Wimbledon absence will stretch into a third year after the Australian tennis maverick suffered a fresh injury setback. Kyrgios hasn't played at Wimbledon since losing the 2022 final to Novak Djokovic, after a combination of knee, foot and wrist injuries. He had hoped to play doubles at the French Open with Jordan Thompson but withdrew from what would have been his first appearance at Roland Garros since 2017 with a knee injury. On Tuesday, Kyrgios confirmed that problem would also rule him out of Wimbledon. "Just wanted to give everyone a quick update - l've hit a small setback in my recovery and unfortunately won't make it back for grass season this year," Kyrgios wrote on Instagram. "I know how much you've all been looking forward to seeing me out there, and I'm genuinely sorry to disappoint. "This is just a bump in the road though, and I'm already working hard to get back stronger than ever. "Thank you for all your continued support - it means everything to me. See you soon!" Now 30, Kyrgios faces an uphill battle to resurrect his career, which has been hammered by injuries since late 2022. The former world No.13 has played only four singles matches this year, claiming his first tour victory in two-and-a-half years at the Miami Open in March. His Wimbledon withdrawal means his first-round exit at this year's Australian Open will remain his only grand slam appearance - of a possible 11 - since the start of 2023. Last week, Thompson gave an insight into how much Kyrgios had struggled with his luckless injury run. "He was pretty down. He told me he doesn't know how much more of these injuries he can take, and you've just got to feel for him," Thompson said. "Because as much as he says things in the media, I think he loves playing tennis and he loves being on court, so it's disappointing that he can't be here on the court." Nick Kyrgios's Wimbledon absence will stretch into a third year after the Australian tennis maverick suffered a fresh injury setback. Kyrgios hasn't played at Wimbledon since losing the 2022 final to Novak Djokovic, after a combination of knee, foot and wrist injuries. He had hoped to play doubles at the French Open with Jordan Thompson but withdrew from what would have been his first appearance at Roland Garros since 2017 with a knee injury. On Tuesday, Kyrgios confirmed that problem would also rule him out of Wimbledon. "Just wanted to give everyone a quick update - l've hit a small setback in my recovery and unfortunately won't make it back for grass season this year," Kyrgios wrote on Instagram. "I know how much you've all been looking forward to seeing me out there, and I'm genuinely sorry to disappoint. "This is just a bump in the road though, and I'm already working hard to get back stronger than ever. "Thank you for all your continued support - it means everything to me. See you soon!" Now 30, Kyrgios faces an uphill battle to resurrect his career, which has been hammered by injuries since late 2022. The former world No.13 has played only four singles matches this year, claiming his first tour victory in two-and-a-half years at the Miami Open in March. His Wimbledon withdrawal means his first-round exit at this year's Australian Open will remain his only grand slam appearance - of a possible 11 - since the start of 2023. Last week, Thompson gave an insight into how much Kyrgios had struggled with his luckless injury run. "He was pretty down. He told me he doesn't know how much more of these injuries he can take, and you've just got to feel for him," Thompson said. "Because as much as he says things in the media, I think he loves playing tennis and he loves being on court, so it's disappointing that he can't be here on the court."
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Flare debate: Socceroos veteran, A-League club fire up
Socceroos veteran Milos Degenek wants to see flares back at Australian soccer games, saying travelling teams now have it too easy due to fans being over policed. More than 50,000 spectators are expected on Thursday night when Australia host Japan in a crunch World Cup qualifier at Optus Stadium in Perth. The match will be played less than a week after riot police were called to control unruly fans walking to Melbourne City's A-League Men grand-final win over arch-rivals Melbourne Victory, two-and-a-half years on from Victory's infamous pitch invasion. About 20 flares were lit in the crowd, with one police officer taken to hospital after allegedly being kicked. Football Australia strictly bans flares and other pyrotechnics in and around stadiums, with perpetrators facing hefty bans. The Socceroos have played before plenty of hostile crowds over the years in various World Cup qualifying campaigns, but Degenek feels Australian fans aren't given the scope to return the favour. "It would be a lot nicer if when countries come to Australia to play against us, the crowd was a little bit more hostile," Degenek said in Perth on Tuesday. "Put it this way. I played in Serbia. I played at Red Star Belgrade, in the Eternal Derby where you play Partizan (Belgrade), where flares are thrown onto a pitch, where the city gets shut down on game day. "But in the end, that's normal for me. There's no fear. "There's a code in the footballing world: Fans are never going to attack footballers. "I saw the pictures from the (A-League) grand final - a lot of police. "For me, I just think it's nonsense that you have people in riot gear for guys who are going to a game. "I don't think we're going to a war. We're just going to a football game. You're making it out to be a lot worse than what it is." Victory chairman John Dovaston and managing director Caroline Carnegie lashed police for their "disproportionate" presence. "The scenes we saw prior to the grand final on Swan Street were overwhelming and unacceptable," Carnegie and Dovaston said in an email to fans. "Instead of promoting a fun and exciting spectacle of football, the extent of the police presence created fear amongst families and football fans alike. Degenek believes tightening down on people's rights with a huge police presence leads to more problems. "In the end, you're going to force an issue, because you're narrowing down corridors where they can walk," he said. "You're pushing them to a side. Someone's going to step on someone, someone's going to push and then that escalates really quick, rather than give them freedom to move and getting them safely to a stadium." Degenek believes more people would attend games if they were policed less. "You need to give the fans the freedom, the joy," he said. "In Europe, you have less police, and that's where you have more fans at the games. "And for us as footballers, it's a lot better when you see flares in the stadium, when you see fans screaming, chanting, flares going off, because that kind of gets the adrenaline going and motivates you even more." The Socceroos (13 points) sit second in their qualifying group. A win over Japan (20 points) would almost certainly lock in their place for the 2026 World Cup. Socceroos veteran Milos Degenek wants to see flares back at Australian soccer games, saying travelling teams now have it too easy due to fans being over policed. More than 50,000 spectators are expected on Thursday night when Australia host Japan in a crunch World Cup qualifier at Optus Stadium in Perth. The match will be played less than a week after riot police were called to control unruly fans walking to Melbourne City's A-League Men grand-final win over arch-rivals Melbourne Victory, two-and-a-half years on from Victory's infamous pitch invasion. About 20 flares were lit in the crowd, with one police officer taken to hospital after allegedly being kicked. Football Australia strictly bans flares and other pyrotechnics in and around stadiums, with perpetrators facing hefty bans. The Socceroos have played before plenty of hostile crowds over the years in various World Cup qualifying campaigns, but Degenek feels Australian fans aren't given the scope to return the favour. "It would be a lot nicer if when countries come to Australia to play against us, the crowd was a little bit more hostile," Degenek said in Perth on Tuesday. "Put it this way. I played in Serbia. I played at Red Star Belgrade, in the Eternal Derby where you play Partizan (Belgrade), where flares are thrown onto a pitch, where the city gets shut down on game day. "But in the end, that's normal for me. There's no fear. "There's a code in the footballing world: Fans are never going to attack footballers. "I saw the pictures from the (A-League) grand final - a lot of police. "For me, I just think it's nonsense that you have people in riot gear for guys who are going to a game. "I don't think we're going to a war. We're just going to a football game. You're making it out to be a lot worse than what it is." Victory chairman John Dovaston and managing director Caroline Carnegie lashed police for their "disproportionate" presence. "The scenes we saw prior to the grand final on Swan Street were overwhelming and unacceptable," Carnegie and Dovaston said in an email to fans. "Instead of promoting a fun and exciting spectacle of football, the extent of the police presence created fear amongst families and football fans alike. Degenek believes tightening down on people's rights with a huge police presence leads to more problems. "In the end, you're going to force an issue, because you're narrowing down corridors where they can walk," he said. "You're pushing them to a side. Someone's going to step on someone, someone's going to push and then that escalates really quick, rather than give them freedom to move and getting them safely to a stadium." Degenek believes more people would attend games if they were policed less. "You need to give the fans the freedom, the joy," he said. "In Europe, you have less police, and that's where you have more fans at the games. "And for us as footballers, it's a lot better when you see flares in the stadium, when you see fans screaming, chanting, flares going off, because that kind of gets the adrenaline going and motivates you even more." The Socceroos (13 points) sit second in their qualifying group. A win over Japan (20 points) would almost certainly lock in their place for the 2026 World Cup. Socceroos veteran Milos Degenek wants to see flares back at Australian soccer games, saying travelling teams now have it too easy due to fans being over policed. More than 50,000 spectators are expected on Thursday night when Australia host Japan in a crunch World Cup qualifier at Optus Stadium in Perth. The match will be played less than a week after riot police were called to control unruly fans walking to Melbourne City's A-League Men grand-final win over arch-rivals Melbourne Victory, two-and-a-half years on from Victory's infamous pitch invasion. About 20 flares were lit in the crowd, with one police officer taken to hospital after allegedly being kicked. Football Australia strictly bans flares and other pyrotechnics in and around stadiums, with perpetrators facing hefty bans. The Socceroos have played before plenty of hostile crowds over the years in various World Cup qualifying campaigns, but Degenek feels Australian fans aren't given the scope to return the favour. "It would be a lot nicer if when countries come to Australia to play against us, the crowd was a little bit more hostile," Degenek said in Perth on Tuesday. "Put it this way. I played in Serbia. I played at Red Star Belgrade, in the Eternal Derby where you play Partizan (Belgrade), where flares are thrown onto a pitch, where the city gets shut down on game day. "But in the end, that's normal for me. There's no fear. "There's a code in the footballing world: Fans are never going to attack footballers. "I saw the pictures from the (A-League) grand final - a lot of police. "For me, I just think it's nonsense that you have people in riot gear for guys who are going to a game. "I don't think we're going to a war. We're just going to a football game. You're making it out to be a lot worse than what it is." Victory chairman John Dovaston and managing director Caroline Carnegie lashed police for their "disproportionate" presence. "The scenes we saw prior to the grand final on Swan Street were overwhelming and unacceptable," Carnegie and Dovaston said in an email to fans. "Instead of promoting a fun and exciting spectacle of football, the extent of the police presence created fear amongst families and football fans alike. Degenek believes tightening down on people's rights with a huge police presence leads to more problems. "In the end, you're going to force an issue, because you're narrowing down corridors where they can walk," he said. "You're pushing them to a side. Someone's going to step on someone, someone's going to push and then that escalates really quick, rather than give them freedom to move and getting them safely to a stadium." Degenek believes more people would attend games if they were policed less. "You need to give the fans the freedom, the joy," he said. "In Europe, you have less police, and that's where you have more fans at the games. "And for us as footballers, it's a lot better when you see flares in the stadium, when you see fans screaming, chanting, flares going off, because that kind of gets the adrenaline going and motivates you even more." The Socceroos (13 points) sit second in their qualifying group. A win over Japan (20 points) would almost certainly lock in their place for the 2026 World Cup.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Bulldogs poised to overtake Swans as Sydney's biggest crowd-puller
Canterbury are closing in on the Sydney Swans as Sydney's best-attended football team, with the resurgent NRL club attempting to smash its home ground record for a second time this season. The Bulldogs are hoping to break the record attendance of 65,305 fans at the 32-0 Good Friday win over South Sydney when they host arch rivals Parramatta in the King's Birthday weekend clash on Monday. The blue-and-white army has made its presence felt as coach Cameron Ciraldo's side has rocketed to top spot on the ladder at the halfway point of the season. The Bulldogs are averaging 29,578 through five home games. It's a figure that would be higher still if Belmore Oval had a larger capacity and if monsoon conditions hadn't resulted in just 10,412 turning up for their last match, a 44-8 loss to the Dolphins. The Swans are still the gold standard for attracting Sydneysiders, averaging 37,570 fans for home matches at the Sydney Cricket Ground this season – but should the Dogs' crowd on Monday pass 65,000, their average will jump to over 35,000. AFL CEO Andrew Dillon recently took a swipe at the NRL's claim it is the most-watched Australian sport, declaring: 'We only really worry about ourselves, and we measure ourselves on traditional metrics like people turning up to games.' The AFL remains ahead in this area – although the Bulldogs are closing the gap on the Swans, who slumped to 14th spot following a humiliating 131-41 loss to Adelaide. If both clubs continue on their current trajectories, Canterbury's numbers through the turnstiles could outstrip the Swans' by the end of the season. 'There's no doubt in my mind that Bulldogs fans are the most passionate in Sydney,' said Canterbury chairman Adam Driussi. 'What we've seen this year has been nothing short of extraordinary. Our Good Friday game against Souths drew 65,000 people, and the overwhelming majority were wearing blue and white. That's the most Bulldogs fans to ever attend a single game – we wouldn't have had that many Bulldogs supporters even at a grand final.
