The Guardian

Even the greatest golfers can wilt in pursuit of the Green Jacket – Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth and Tommy Fleetwood try to explain its special aura They say the Masters is all about tradition. One involves the sense of trepidation that collides with excitement as the finest golfers in the world take to Augusta National. Rory McIlroy, now a Masters champion, was scared to take a divot when fi…

Updates from 4.30pm kick-off (BST) at London Stadium Survival or silverware? Farke faces dilemma at Leeds As Leeds travel to West Ham for an FA Cup quarter-final both teams could arguably do without , one thing is not in doubt: Daniel Farke knows how to read a balance sheet. As the holder of an MA in economics and a diploma in sporting directorship, the Leeds manager needs no reminders that, fina…

Former world champions may finally meet in the ring Eddie Hearn says Joshua is ready for fight after car crash Deontay Wilder called out Anthony Joshua for a long-awaited matchup between the former heavyweight champions, after Wilder edged Derek Chisora to clinch a split-decision victory in London on Saturday. Wilder came face to face with Joshua as he walked past the Briton after the fight. The …

Lack of specialist training may explain drop in influence, but many feel the centre-forward is due a revival Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke barely knew each other when the latter arrived at Manchester United in the summer of 1998, but the partnership they forged became the stuff of legend. In training, they were often found working together, practising runs, interchanges, dummies and combinations. Th…

Nu Stadium’s first game of any kind saw the South Florida club accomplish a long-held goal barely under the deadline Lionel Messi may have scored, captained the side and had a quarter of the new building named in his honor, but this was unmistakably Inter Miami co-owner Sir David Beckham’s night. The inaugural game at Nu Stadium in Miami – an entertaining 2-2 draw with Austin FC – was the culmina…

Arne Slot under pressure before Champions League tie Van Dijk questions togetherness after 15th loss of season Virgil van Dijk believes Liverpool “gave up” during their FA Cup defeat at Manchester City and has apologised to fans for the woeful performance that heightens the pressure on Arne Slot. A dejected Liverpool captain was unsparing in his assessment of the heaviest defeat of Slot’s reign a…

Cricket updates from 11am BST across the grounds Team-by-team guide | Email Tanya or comment BTL DIVISION ONE Sophia Gardens : Glamorgan 302 v Yorkshire 1-0 Continue reading...

Nine clubs yet to secure front-of-shirt commercial deals Several may begin the campaign without a shirt sponsor Nine Premier League clubs have yet to secure front-of-shirt commercial deals for next season and 12 have not signed contracts, leading to increasing concerns that several may begin the campaign without a shirt sponsor. The imminent ban on shirt advertising from gambling companies is hav…

With seven games to save their status, Tottenham’s owners have taken risk on a gifted coach who favours tough love It is ironic that the man who has appointed Roberto De Zerbi to be Tottenham manager, just as the club faces its most critical seven games this century, is also partially responsible for one of the most successful managerial recruitments in Mikel Arteta, albeit for north London rival…

Buildup to Sunday’s football action Get in touch: mail Daniel and follow us on BlueSky On the one hand, he did well to coax a title out of a squad whose best players are ageing; on the other, it was Jürgen Klopp’s team and it relied upon Mo Salah delivering half a season of dead-cat bounce brilliance that had little to do with anyone’s tactics. And as for this season, who signed off on all the su…

Wolverines and Huskies will meet for championship UConn top Illinois to reach third title game in four years Michigan overpowered Arizona early and humbled the Wildcats, turning the Final Four meeting, billed as the ‘Game of the Year’, into a 91-73 Wolverines highlight reel in Indianapolis. Junior center Aday Mara scored a career-high 26 points and had nine rebounds, a dinged-up Yaxel Lendeborg h…

Kings defeat 36ers 113-101 in dramatic finals series decider Kendric Davis stars with 35 points and 13 assists in front of record crowd The Sydney Kings have won their sixth NBL title with a dramatic 113-101 overtime defeat of the Adelaide 36ers in the decisive fifth game of the championship series. Superstar Kings guard Kendric Davis starred with 35 points and 14 assists in front of an all-time …

A decade ago, Lincoln City finished 15th in the Conference – now they’re on the verge of promotion to the second tier for the first time since 1961 It is almost like an actor refusing to say “Macbeth” for fear of jinxing the play. Even though Lincoln City’s promotion to the EFL Championship is nigh on certain – “it feels a bit like we’re on match point,” Michael Skubala said after Friday’s 1-0 vi…

‘Mentality wasn’t there’ in 4-0 loss to Manchester City Slot adds ‘the amount of goals we score is far too low’ Arne Slot slammed Liverpool’s “missing fighting spirit” after the 4-0 humiliation by Manchester City that propelled Pep Guardiola’s team into the FA Cup semi-finals. The manner of the 4-0 reverse will heighten scrutiny of the head coach’s future, with Liverpool next at Paris Saint-Germa…

League leaders fall to late strike in FA Cup ‘I love my players. I’m not going to criticise’ Mikel Arteta vowed to defend his players “more than ever” after a shock FA Cup quarter-final defeat at second-tier Southampton but the Arsenal head coach accepted his side must “look in the mirror” after successive losses for the first time this season. Arteta insisted “the most beautiful period of the se…