De Minaur's BLISTERING start in Paris
French Open: Australian Alex de Minaur overcame Laslo Djerre in three sets (6-3, 6-4, 7-6) in the opening round of Roland Garros.
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News.com.au
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- News.com.au
Mary Fowler detail behind bombshell Nathan Cleary exit claim
Nathan Cleary has been increasingly linked with a Panthers exit in recent months, with rumours from an English Super League move to a rugby defection floated. But according to veteran NRL pundit Andrew Voss, the halfback's next move will almost certainly be for love, following Matildas superstar Mary Fowler to the UK where she plays for powerhouse football club Manchester City. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. Cleary is contracted to the Panthers until the end of 2027 but Voss believes the time is now for the star halfback to capitalise on the pull of his surname and make the move to the northern hemisphere. 'I'll get a little romantic,' Voss said to his co-host on SEN 1170 Breakfast on Tuesday. 'There is no doubt the young man is in love and his love is on the other side of the world and his love is never coming back to Australia for her sporting career because she can't. 'Nathan has won four premierships, Origin, he's a Test player, World Cup; he has achieved all the things you want to do in a career and I'm saying love might win out here. 'I'm not saying playing union but I can see Cleary playing in the northern hemisphere. 'It's obvious they're in love and how long can that relationship be on the other side of the world when there is a solution?' However, there are two major barriers stopping that move. Firstly Cleary still has two years to run on his Panthers deal after the current season. But much like Penrith's decision to let James Fisher-Harris break his contract for family reasons at the end of last year, it would be a possibility the club would grant his wish to leave especially if it was to follow his heart abroad instead of playing for a rival NRL team or code hopping. The second problem is trickier, and that is the issue that Super League players don't earn anywhere near the money of NRL stars. But as rumours circulate that NRL Europe could soon be a reality, Voss believes Cleary could be playing in England come next year. 'If NRL Europe comes into being and I think it will be announced later in the year with grandiose plans,' he said. 'Teams in London and France, they will pick how they want the comp to look. 'I don't know where the money comes from but I think a London marquee signing of Cleary at some stage makes sense. 'Nathan Cleary ticks a massive box, that gives them the headline they want, they become an A-list couple, I'm talking massive picture here.' Voss' comments come after earlier this year former NRL hardman Mark Carroll urged the halfback to follow his heart. 'The great thing about Cleary is he can have his cake and eat it, too. He doesn't have to quit rugby league to be with the love of his life,' Carroll wrote in his weekly column for The Nightly. 'Cleary's won four premierships with Penrith, landed two Clive Churchill medals and played in three winning State of Origin series with NSW. He's represented Australia in five Tests, helping the Kangaroos to a World Cup victory in 2021. 'He will be part of the revived Kangaroo tour at the end of the year, providing he is fit. At 27, the half-back's legacy in the game is ensured. There's not much more for him to prove. 'I'm sure he and Mary have discussed a move and I hope he does take the leap. It would not only be a great love story, but Cleary's move into uncharted rugby league waters would also capture the hearts of fans in two countries.'
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Alcaraz, Swiatek and Sabalenka in French Open semi-final hunt
Carlos Alcaraz expects a stiff challenge from Tommy Paul in the French Open quarter-finals Tuesday, as women's title rivals Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka look to set up a blockbuster clash. Reigning men's champion Alcaraz is through to the last eight at Roland Garros for the fourth year running and aims to become the third man this century to defend his title, after Gustavo Kuerten and Rafael Nadal. Alcaraz has dropped a set in each of the past three rounds and said "I fought against myself in the mind" after a tough four-set victory over Ben Shelton in the last 16. The 22-year-old Spaniard holds a 4-2 career record against Paul, the US 12th seed whom Alcaraz beat in the quarter-finals of the Paris Olympics on the way to a silver medal last August. "I remember that every match that I've played against him he was really tough," said Alcaraz. "His level is really high right now. He has a lot of confidence. "It's going to be a really interesting match to watch, because every time we play against each other, we rise our level to the top as well." If Alcaraz gets past Paul he will meet the winner of Tuesday's other men's quarter-final between in-form Italian Lorenzo Musetti and Frances Tiafoe. Musetti has been one of the form players on clay this season, reaching at least the last four in all three of the principal warm-up events ahead of the French Open. Both Musetti and US 15th seed Tiafoe are appearing at this stage of Roland Garros for the first time. Tiafoe, twice a US Open semi-finalist, has yet to drop a set in Paris and is confident he can go even further. "When I'm playing well, I'm there and present and having fun, I think the sky's the limit for me." - Swiatek, Sabalenka on collision course - Swiatek arrived at her favourite tournament with serious doubts over her ability to win a fifth French Open in six years after a lengthy trophy drought. The 24-year-old Pole has not won a title since lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen for a third successive edition 12 months ago. She was put to the test by Elena Rybakina, who led by a set and a break before Swiatek escaped trouble to book a quarter-final with Elina Svitolina. "It means a lot. I think I needed that kind of win to like feel these feelings that I'm able to win under pressure," Swiatek said after reeling off her 25th win in a row at the French Open. "It's a great confirmation for me. Yeah, I for sure wanted to have a match like that." Ukrainian 13th seed Svitolina pulled off an even more remarkable comeback against 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini, saving three match points to reach her fifth Roland Garros quarter-final. The 30-year-old has never advanced to the last four but will hope to finally match husband Gael Monfils' run to the semi-finals in 2008. That French connection also guarantees Svitolina has her fair share of supporters in Paris. "For so many years I loved and still loving to play here in France," she said. "The support is amazing. They push me to play better... this is a great feeling to have when the crowd is giving you this extra energy." World number one Aryna Sabalenka is on a revenge mission against Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen after losing to the Chinese star in Rome recently. Zheng beat Sabalenka for the first time in seven attempts and will try to repeat the trick against the player she lost to in the 2024 Australian Open final. "I expect a great battle, and I'm super excited to face her in the quarter-finals, and I want to get my revenge. Yeah, I want to get this win after Rome," said Sabalenka. Madrid champion Sabalenka feels she is ready to go all the way in Paris, where her best performance was reaching the semi-finals two years ago. "I think in the last year I improved a lot in my game, and I think now going to the French Open, I don't have those doubts that I cannot play on clay, so maybe I'm more confident this year." A win over Zheng could line up an eagerly anticipated last-four showdown with Swiatek.
7NEWS
2 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Lois Boisson, tennis player accused of ‘smelling really bad', flips script with $780,000 pay day at French Open
Unheralded wildcard Lois Boisson will be glad to brush off her only unfortunate claim to tennis fame, having transformed her standing as the tennis player 'who smells really bad' to the woman who came up roses with the biggest sensation at her home French Open. Boisson, a lowly No.361 in the world, got the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd going wild on a sleepy Monday, rousing them after a long series of French disappointments at Roland Garros as she stunned American third seed Jessica Pegula 3-6 6-4 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals. The 22-year-old had been an afterthought in the sport until April when British player Harriet Dart had complained to the umpire during their match in Rouen: 'Can you tell her (Boisson) to wear deodorant because she smells really bad?' The comments caused the inevitable social media firestorm but Boisson came out of the episode well, laughing it off and making fun of herself, while Dart bore the brunt of criticism and apologised for the outburst. But that episode quickly became ancient history when Boisson, who'd been due to make her debut in Paris last year only to suffer a serious knee injury a fortnight before the tournament, which kept her out of action for nine months, pulled off an 'incroyable' triumph over the US Open runner-up. Boisson, in her first slam main draw, is the only home hope left in either men's or women's draws after a woeful tournament, and asked about her ambitions for the rest of the tournament, shrugged delightfully: 'I hope to win, right?' 'Playing on this court with this atmosphere was amazing,' she said. 'I gave my all and in the end I won, which is just incredible.' Her next outing will be against Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, the sixth seed, who knocked out Australia's new import Daria Kasatkina 6-3 7-5 on Court Suzanne Lenglen. In a perfectly timed moment, Boisson prevailed just before Paris St German soccer star Ousmane Dembele emerged on court to a raucous welcome when he carried the Champions League 'trophy with the big ears' onto Chatrier. Paris hearts have been all a flutter since PSG's strutting heroes outclassed Inter Milan 5-0 in the final in Munich on Saturday to clinch the trophy for the first time, and Dembele, the Champions League's player of the season, seranded the ecstatic crowd with the salute' 'Ici c'est Paris!' (This is Paris!). It was a lively afternoon which had begun more quietly when second seed Coco Gauff had none of the problems experienced by her fellow American Pegula, as she brushed aside Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-0 7-5 to move into the last-eight. 'The whole match I played well. She stepped up her game in the second set. Overall I thought I played great,' said the world No.2, a finalist in 2022. The 21-year-old had started fast, earning three consecutive breaks for a 5-0 lead in just 15 minutes before it got a bit more complicated, but she raced into an all-American quarter against Australian Open champ Madison Keys, who won another all-US battle with Hailey Baptiste 6-3 7-5.
