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19 minutes ago
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Anglers raise more than £4,000 at charity fishing event
Anglers have raised more than £4,000 for children's hospice care in Suffolk during a charity fishing match. More than 50 competitors took part in the six-hour event at Stonham Barns lakes in Stonham Aspal, raising £4,015 for East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH). The match, organised by Angela Baldry, was the third in a series and has brought the overall fundraising total to £8,446. Ms Baldry said: "It was a great day, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. "The weather was a bit cooler, windy and overcast, but at least it stayed dry. "Fifty-two competitors took part and, considering the number of people fishing, some good weights were caught." Anglers competed on both the Old Lake and New Lake, with refreshments including drinks and homemade sausage rolls on offer. Additional fundraising came from cakes and a raffle supported by local donations. Volunteer Tony Golding also attended to speak about EACH and its work at The Treehouse hospice in Ipswich. Ms Baldry said: "It was great to get an insight into what EACH does and what has to be raised to continue supporting local families. "My thanks go to all who donated prizes and bought raffle tickets. "Everyone was so generous." In the competition results, Paul Elvin won the Old Lake with 57lb 4oz, followed by Nick Marriot with 53lb 3oz and John Sheppard with 31lb 1oz. On the New Lake, John Dale came first with 91lb 10oz, ahead of Steve Elvin with 75lb 4oz and Steve Ling with 49lb 6oz.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
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Revamped US Open mixed doubles divides opinion
US Open 2025 Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app Whether you love it or loathe it, the revamped US Open mixed doubles cannot be ignored. Transforming the event by enticing the superstars to play with huge cash prizes, a shorter format and new slot before the singles start is a bold move by the United States Tennis Association (USTA). It has brought excitement and criticism in equal measure, polarising those who play, watch and love the sport. Some believe it will put more eyes on tennis in an ever-competitive and increasingly saturated market. "We are always trying to find new initiatives to make our sport more interesting for the fans. I think it is fantastic," Daniela Hantuchova, who won the US Open mixed doubles title in 2005, told BBC Sport. But others think it devalues a Grand Slam title and robs doubles specialists of a chance to earn the big prize money. "It's a glorified exhibition in my eyes," said British doubles star Jamie Murray. What is the new US Open mixed doubles format? 'Outbursts are like honking a car horn' - inside Medvedev's mind Raducanu and Draper face each other in US Open doubles More eyeballs and entertainment - the argument for change When the US Open announced it was "reimagining" mixed doubles, the rationale was to "elevate" the event and create "greater focus" on the sport. Interest certainly grew when the first set of star names were announced. Five-time Grand Slam singles champion Carlos Alcaraz teaming up with Britain's Emma Raducanu captured the most attention, while Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek and Venus Williams bring further glamour. "For the excitement levels and for getting the fans to pack the stadium, it is a cool idea to have that star power come out," American doubles legend Mike Bryan told BBC Sport. "Fans want to see Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner even if they are brushing their teeth." The 16 entrants comprise of eight teams based on their joint rankings, with the other eight given wildcards by US Open organisers. Twenty-one of the 32 players are ranked in the top 20 in the world in singles. Matches will be played on Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium - the two largest show courts at Flushing Meadows. American television audiences will also be able to watch on primetime on ESPN, who last year signed a £1.5bn deal for exclusive US Open rights up to 2037. "I think it's cool for the promotion of the game - and I understand the economics of it," added Bryan, who won four of his 22 Grand Slam doubles titles in the mixed. "There are always going to be people upset - and winners and losers - but in the end I think fans will be pleased with the product." USTA chief executive Lew Sherr's assertion that "the players are behind" the revamp is certainly true of the top singles stars. Djokovic understands why there are divided opinions but says he is "excited" to compete in what he thinks will be a "very entertaining" event. Britain's Jack Draper, who will team up with American Jessica Pegula, says the format will act as useful preparation for the singles, while Swiatek believes it will be a competitive test. There is, however, a glaring lack of specialist doubles pairings. Only Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who won last year's title and both objected publicly to the change, have been given a wildcard. "I think they should have had a couple more spots for the doubles guys," Bryan added. Lost opportunities and devaluing a Slam - the argument against The eagerness of the leading stars to get involved should not come as a surprise. As well as the shortened format and convenient scheduling, there is also a lucrative prize pot - something that has been particularly galling for the doubles specialists who are missing out. This year's winning pair will earn $1m (£740,000) - five times more than Errani and Vavassori took home last year. "It's frustrating. That money is going to players who are making an absolute boatload anyway," Murray, who has won three US Open mixed titles, told BBC Sport. Appearance fees - which a source told BBC Sport are upwards of $50,000 (£37,000) each - have also been dished out to the stars as sweeteners. Singles prize money also makes up about 75% of the US Open's record $90m (£66m) purse. "They aren't playing because it's an opportunity to win a Grand Slam, they're playing because they're getting a truckload of cash and potentially a pretty cool event," Murray added. Losing a chance for a Grand Slam title is a key source of consternation for the doubles players. When Murray won his third consecutive US Open mixed title with Bethanie Mattek-Sands in 2019, the pair celebrated by drinking champagne out of their trophy at JFK Airport. Many doubles players, including Murray, believe the star-studded event could complement the traditional mixed - but not replace it. "I'm sure it will be an entertaining exhibition - but that's what it will be. I don't see it as winning a Grand Slam," Britain's Joe Salisbury, who reached the Wimbledon mixed doubles final with Brazil's Luisa Stefani last month, told BBC Sport. Another gripe is the lack of consultation. Salisbury and Stefani's understanding is the US Open did not discuss the plans with the players, who are represented by elected Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women's Tennis Association (WTA) councils. Pegula, a prominent member of the WTA council, agreed the USTA went "rogue", adding: "If there was feedback about the format, then the [reaction] would be a little different." "I'm sure there would have been resistance," Stefani said. "But our views wouldn't have mattered anyway. The decision was made and we have to live with it." Could other Slams follow suit? Multiple sources have told BBC Sport they believe the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon are committed to the traditional format. Crucially, they do not have the same financial muscle as the US Open to pay for the prize money and appearance fees. But if the New York event is a roaring success, then it will not go unnoticed in Melbourne, Paris and London. All the majors are increasingly aware of the need to maximise earning opportunities in the week before the main draws, whether it is through qualifying, exhibitions or fan events. Hantuchova suggests the new-look mixed doubles could be introduced at some joint ATP-WTA events. "I think it would be a great initiative in Indian Wells, Miami or Madrid," she said. "We have seen the fans are already talking about the US Open and I think it is a great opportunity for the women's players. "I think it is great we are finding more and more ways to combine men's and women's tennis." Live scores, results and order of play Get tennis news sent straight to your phone
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
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US Open mixed doubles order of play: Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu start time
The new-look US Open mixed doubles event starts on Tuesday, with Carlos Alcaraz set to feature alongside Emma Raducanu amongst a star-studded list of pairs. New for 2025, the mixed doubles in New York will be staged on the two biggest courts – Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong – over Tuesday 19 August and Wednesday 20 August. As well as five-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz and 2021 US Open champion Raducanu, a host of other top names are competing alongside one another for the $1m champion prize - an increase of $800,000 from 2024. The top-seeded pair features British No 1 Jack Draper alongside Jessica Pegula – they face Alcaraz and Raducanu in the round-of-16. Novak Djokovic is also playing with Serbian compatriot Olga Danilovic, while Jannik Sinner is due to play with Katerina Siniakova, less than a day after his final with Alcaraz at the Cincinnati Open. Here's all the key info ahead of the mixed doubles at the US Open: What is the order of play on Tuesday? ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM - 4pm BST start (11am local) Naomi Osaka/Gael Monfils vs Caty McNally/Lorenzo MusettiIga Swiatek/Casper Ruud (3) vs Madison Keys/Frances TiafoeJessica Pegula/Jack Draper (1) vs Emma Raducanu/Carlos Alcaraz Olga Danilovic/Novak Djokovic vs Mirra Andreeva/Daniil Medvedev R2: TBC R2: TBC LOUIS ARMSTRONG STADIUM - 4pm BST start (11am local) Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori vs Elena Rybakina/Taylor Fritz (2) Venus Williams/Reilly Opelka vs Karolina Muchova/Andrey RublevTaylor Townsend/Ben Shelton vs Amanda Anisimova/Holger Rune (4) Katerina Siniakova/Jannik Sinner vs Belinda Bencic/Alexander Zverev R2: TBC R2 TBC When is the US Open mixed doubles event? The mixed doubles event takes place on Tuesday 19 August and Wednesday 20 August on the two biggest show courts at Flushing Meadows, Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong. Matches start at 11am local time, that's 4pm BST. Alcaraz and Raducanu's match against Draper and Pegula is scheduled third on Arthur Ashe on Tuesday, around 2pm local time - 7pm BST. What is the format? Sixteen pairs will compete in the event, resulting in four rounds of competition. The scoring system, until the final, will be best-of-three sets played to four games with sudden death deuce and a tie-break at 4-4, with a 10-point tiebreak instead of the third set if necessary. The final will be the same, but with normal six-game sets instead. How can I watch it? Viewers in the UK can watch the mixed doubles at the US Open live on Sky Sports Tennis. The event is being streamed on ESPN in the United States. What is the draw? The full 16-team field was decided by the top-8 singles rankings combined, and eight wildcard picks. The draw is as follows: Jessica Pegula/Jack Draper (1) vs Emma Raducanu/Carlos Alcaraz Olga Danilovic/Novak Djokovic vs Mirra Andreeva/Daniil Medvedev Iga Swiatek/Casper Ruud (3) vs Madison Keys/Frances Tiafoe Naomi Osaka/Gael Monfils vs Caty McNally/Lorenzo Musetti Katerina Siniakova/Jannik Sinner vs Belinda Bencic/Alexander Zverev Taylor Townsend/Ben Shelton vs Amanda Anisimova/Holger Rune (4) Venus Williams/Reilly Opelka vs Karolina Muchova/Andrey Rublev Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori vs Elena Rybakina/Taylor Fritz (2) What is the prize money per team? Winners - $1m Runner-up - $400,000 Semi-finals – $200,000 Quarter-finals - $100,000 Round-of-16 - $20,000 TOTAL: $2.36m
