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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Dundee: Steven Pressley on transfers, having 'nothing to prove' & Airdrie
Pressley on transfers, having 'nothing to prove' & Airdrie Image source, SNS Author, Tyrone Smith Role, BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter 9 July 2025 Dundee head coach Steven Pressley has been speaking to the media ahead of his side's League Cup group opener at home to Airdrieonians on Saturday. Here are the key lines:
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Djokovic survives Cobolli onslaught to reach record 14th Wimbledon semi-final
The siren call of a record 25th grand slam title grows ever louder for Novak Djokovic. But he was given a scare by the punchy young Italian Flavio Cobolli, as well as a nasty fall on match point, before coming through a pulsating quarter-final to win 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4. Djokovic's reward is a record 14th Wimbledon semi-final, one ahead of Roger Federer, and a meeting with the world No 1, Jannik Sinner, on Friday. It is a battle he is clearly relishing. 'It motivates me to see how much I can still keep going with these guys toe to toe,' he said. 'For me, this is what actually counts the most. Being in the last stages of grand slams and playing against the best player in the world right now. And Jannik and Carlos Alcaraz are the leaders of men's tennis today.' Djokovic hit 39 winners and made just 22 errors against Cobolli, and reached shots that would have flown past lesser opponents. But he admits that Sinner, and potentially Alcaraz in the final, will prove a far tougher physical test. 'I am pleased with the way I'm playing,' Djokovic said. 'Physically I hope that I'll be able to sustain that. That's more of a concern than game‑wise. I think game-wise the way I'm feeling the ball when I'm fit and ready, I feel like I can go toe to toe with those guys and even beat them if I'm playing my best.' Beforehand the tale of the tape was so overwhelmingly in Djokovic's favour that few gave Cobolli a shot. The Italian, after all, came into this match with a 1-11 record against the world's top 10. His career record on grass stood at a modest nine wins and six defeats. And he was up against the greatest of all time, the seven-time champion here, and someone who had thrashed him 6-1, 6-2 in their only meeting. But this was a different Cobolli, one determined to roll the dice and with the confidence to believe he could provide the biggest shock of Wimbledon this year. In the last 16, Alex de Minaur had tried to defeat Djokovic by mixing deft spins and devilish unpredictability, and using the swirling wind as his friend. Cobolli's approach was more blunt. He simply wanted to blast Djokovic off the court. It nearly worked, too. Djokovic said: 'He played at a really high level. And at some parts of the match he was just serving so good that I wasn't able to read or attack it.' Initially the Italian looked to be feeling the pressure of his first grand slam quarter-final. His first shot – a return of serve – scooted into the net. And his second was a mis-hit. But Cobolli was determined to hit himself out of trouble. Serves were thundered down at more than 130mph, forehands were struck flat and hard, and he kept digging himself out of potential potholes. It said everything about the Italian's game that even when down 5-3 in the first set, he broke back immediately and then took it on a tie‑break after a 137mph serve. Perhaps understandably, given this was his first time on Centre Court and he was playing his idol, Cobolli then had a wobble. From 2-1 up in the second set, he lost seven games in a row. In truth, it looked over. From nowhere, however, Cobolli's radar suddenly started working again. At 2-0 down in the third set he broke back and led 5-4 before nerves got the better of him. Still the Italian kept fighting. But at 4-4 and 30-30 in the fourth set, the tension became too much. A double-handed backhand went halfway up the net before a drop volley was fluffed. It left Djokovic serving for the match. But there was still time for more drama as, on the second match point, the Serb fell face first on to the grass after another Cobolli winner flashed past him and he appeared to hurt his hip. 'It was a nasty fall,' Djokovic said. 'It was very awkward. That happens on the grass. I've had quite a few of those throughout my grass court career. 'Obviously, my body is not the same today like it was before, so I guess the real impact of what happened I will feel tomorrow. So let's see. I'm hoping the next 24-48 hours that the severity is not too bad, that I'll be able to play at my best and be free of pain in two days.' After the fall it took him a while to get up. Yet two points later, his hands were pointing skyward in triumph. Djokovic continues to confound expectations. Against Sinner he will have to do so again.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Footy fans unleash on their State of Origin villain after NSW crash to awful loss - and they've targeted one of the last names you'd expect
Blues playmaker Nathan Cleary has become the focal point of frustration for many footy fans following the side's nightmare defeat to Queensland in the Origin series decider. Cleary's opposite number Tom Dearden ran riot in a man-of-the-match performance, while the Panthers star struggled to pull the Blues into the contest in Wednesday night's stunning 24-12 loss to Queensland. 'I feel terrible. It's just so frustrating. I've been here before and it happened again. It sucks,' a forlorn Cleary said at full-time. 'I didn't adjust quick enough to their rushing defence and it played into their hands a little bit.' Despite guiding Penrith to a historic four consecutive premierships, Cleary has long been dogged by criticism of his ability to deliver in pressure moments for the Blues. Footy fans on social media didn't hold back after the match. 'Makes sense Nathan Cleary is doing an ad for Rexona because he f**king stinks,' posted one X user. 'Nathan Cleary is a myth. Good player in a great Panthers team. Origin level shows where he is as an individual, Dearden s***s all over him,' wrote another. 'Nathan Cleary is the greatest club halfback I've ever seen. He couldn't lick the crease of Mitch Moses b******k in rep footy though,' posted a third. On Wednesday night, Cleary passed Mitchell Pearce and Andrew Johns to become NSW's most-capped halfback but has won only eight of his 17 matches for the state. Of his most recent seven, Cleary has claimed victory in only two, among them a dominant game-two win in Perth in 2022. Cleary was the starting halfback for all three games of the 2020 series, when the Maroons won with a team branded their worst in history by sections of the Sydney press. He guided NSW to series wins in 2018 and 2021 with victories in the first two games of those series but has now lost both of the game-three deciders in which he has played. Unquestionably the leading halfback of his generation, Cleary conceded it was fair to criticise him for not yet having delivered in the Origin arena. 'At the end of the day, I haven't,' the 27-year-old said. 'I'm the harshest marker of myself anyway so I don't really think that what other people say is out of line because I probably think that of myself anyway. 'At the end of the day, you just feel like you've let down the boys that you play with and the state obviously. 'That's what hurts the most. I let down myself and my own high standards. It's frustrating.' Cleary said it was tough to realise that he would need to wait until next year for another chance at righting the wrongs. 'That's what's sinking in now,' he said. 'I just want to play again but that's not how it works. It's much like a grand final I guess. It's the biggest game of all and if you lose it you've got to wait another whole year to get back there. 'I think it's about just growing from it, not trying to kick stones.' Penrith and NSW teammate Brian To'o said it was natural for Cleary to be down on himself after the series, which the Blues led 1-0 before dropping two straight games. 'I'd obviously be worried if he wasn't feeling that way but that's just the way he is. I know he'll definitely come back stronger,' he said. 'That's what makes 'Clez' a great player. He's always looking to keep getting better. I know that 'Clez' is definitely going to note this down and hopefully dominate next year.'
