When Alcaraz wore a cast at the Laureus Sports Awards earlier this week, it was an ominous sign. The scan that he had in Madrid has not provided any reassurance.

Wrist injuries are notoriously problematic for tennis players – and taking a gamble when a problem arises can be very costly.

A player struggling with a wrist injury needs to carefully manage the issue and it was telling how Alcaraz spoke in his statement about needing to “be cautious”.

As was the fact he is not putting a time frame on his return.

Clearly there is a huge load put through the joint – not just as a player prepares for each tournament in their senior career – but across all the years they have been honing their technique since first picking up a racquet.

Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, who had to retire in 2024 after his own wrist problems, says the repetition of hitting thousands of balls across so many years is what makes the wrist so vulnerable.

Different balls across different tournaments – with varying weights and bounces – is seen as another reason why the stress put on the joint is exacerbated.

An absorbing title race will get a fitting conclusion in the final round of Sports Direct Premiership action

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Larne boss Gary Haveron has hammered home the message that ‘nothing is won yet’ ahead of attempting to claim their third Premiership title in four years on Saturday night.

An absorbing title race will get a fitting conclusion in the final round of Sports Direct Premiership action – with the top three all in with a shout of lifting the Gibson Cup.

Larne lead the way by three points ahead of Coleraine and Glentoran – two sides who will meet at the Showgrounds.

A point or more for Haveron’s men against Dungannon Swifts will see them reach the finish line in the race for the title.

However, should Rodney McAree’s men claim their second win of the season against Larne then the door will be open for a winner a the Coleraine Showgrounds to nip in and take the prize on Goal Difference.

Many pundits will have Larne as strong favourites going into the final weekend, boss Haveron is keeping everyone’s feet on the ground.

“This is not a foregone conclusion,” he insisted. “They’re a fantastic side and Rodney McAree has them so well organised and so well drilled.

“They have some very good players, and we know we’re going to have be at our best to get what we need to out of this game.

“There is nothing won, nothing has been achieved.

“Glentoran was just the next game and once that was taken care of we have taken the same approach with this Dungannon test.

“We have worked hard all week to prepare, we have tried to fresh the players up the best we can after what has been a long and demanding season for everyone.

“It has also given us the chance to get another week’s training into the legs of the likes of Leroy Millar, Dylan Sloan and Mark Randall who are all coming back from injury.”

The Invermen’s title bid was significantly boosted by last week’s 0-0 stalemate away to Glentoran.

It kept Larne’s noses in front and prevented Declan Devine’s men from going into the final day in pole position.

Haveron believes it was the latest in a string of performances which has shown great character from his side this season.

“We had to show our resilience and willingness to dig in and put our bodies on the line in that game,” he added.

“We knew how difficult it is to come to the Oval. They have strengthened considerably in January, but we had to go there and show character and we’re about as a club and a group of people.

“To a man we stood up to the challenge which came our way and we got what we deserved on the night.”

That game also saw Larne claim a 20th clean sheet in their 37 games to date.

READ MORE: Glentoran must ‘control the controllables’ to keep faint title dream aliveREAD MORE: Irish soccer hero reveals prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment journey

It is a statistic which underlines the solid foundation their season has been built on as they have led the way at the top since November. A trait which was also evident in previous title-winning seasons at Inver.

“I make no bones about it, I pride myself on clean sheets,” the former Carrick and Glentoran boss said.

“That’s what I feel I help to bring to the club, is that sense of stability and shape to the team.

“I feel I’ve contributed to that a little bit over my time at the club.

“In a lot of those 20 clean sheets we didn’t give up too many chances to the opposition.

“That takes a whole team to make it happen, not just a goalkeeper and back five and we’ve had that from our team throughout the season.”

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Anyone with an original Kindle during or before 2012 will stop getting updates from next month

Amazon recently caused a lot of discourse when it was announced that older Kindle models would no longer be supported by Amazon. This means that Kindle devices from 2012 and before will not be able to purchase, borrow or download new books.

While the devices are still functioning and there’s the option to download a significant portion of books to the device before May 20, when Amazon support stops, leaving a huge number of Kindle users unable to access new books, only those downloaded before the date.

Our team bookworm, who has read 41 books so far this year, has rounded up the best alternatives for those who will be looking to update their original Kindle model. Including devices from rival Kobo or Kindle’s newest Kindle Scribe Coloursoft and Paperwhite models.

READ MORE:

Kobo Clara Colour

This is one of the most obvious Kindle alternatives and a personal favourite of mine as it’s compatible with Libby. This means that it’s possible to borrow books from the local library using Libby or Overdrive. I’ve personally read 50 books over the years using Libby, which has allowed me to read them all for free.

For avid readers who don’t mind the limits of using a library, it would be a very cost-effective way of reading, as they don’t have to pay to read ebooks at all. The colour feature means that there are four different highlighter colours available, which can make it easier to highlight different themes. It also allows the user to see the book covers in a full colour option, although this is less bright than it would be on an iPad or phone. It is waterproof too, which is ideal for reading in the bath or poolside.

The screen has a paperlike texture, but at 6 inches, it is on the smaller side. This is my preferred way of reading an ebook, and since getting my Clara Colour, I stopped buying ebooks on Amazon, instead opting to rent books from my library or buy books through the Kobo store. There is a subscription available with Kobo that allows readers to loan books from the Kobo library for £8.99 a month.

I will say it has a slightly shorter battery life than my Kindle, but I don’t have to charge it on a daily basis. This is the device I most often suggest to people if they don’t already have a large Kindle library. This is because Amazon hasn’t allowed Kindle ebooks to be transferred to other devices. Kobo does have a lot of 99p book offers, and always price matches Amazon, so I’ve found it easy to build up a new library.

The Kobo Clara Colour is £149.99 and can be picked up at Argos, Amazon and Curry’s.

Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite is one of the more popular Kindle models amongst readers, and I do actually have this alongside my Kobo. The screen takes up more space, which gives a 7″ reading area; this is more than the Kobo Clara or the standard Kindle. It’s still quite lightweight and small enough to fit into pockets and bags – I’ve tucked mine into my Telfar bag before, and while it did poke out the top, I didn’t mind this.

It’s got a very good battery life, I can read several books without needing to recharge it, and since it’s waterproof, it’s a great holiday companion. It is an Amazon Kindle device, which means that any pre-existing Kindle libraries can be downloaded directly onto it. It offers adjustable warmth, which sets it aside from the most basic Kindle model, as readers can make the screen warmer or cooler based on the time of day. Typically, I would increase the warmth level at night to be easier on the eyes.

For those looking to invest in another Kindle model, this is the option I would go for, although at £159.99 it is on the pricier side, and there is always the chance that down the line Amazon will choose to remove the support functionality as it has with other Kindle models.

Kindle

The most basic Kindle model is the cheapest one on the market, but at £94.99 it isn’t exactly cheap. It’s slightly smaller than the Kindle Paperwhite with a 6-inch screen that isn’t flush to the device. It comes in matcha green or black, and it is not waterproof. It also doesn’t offer adaptable warmth, but with 300ppi, it mostly gets the job done.

I’ve personally not used this device, but Phoebe Barton on our team has and loved it. She said: “Arguably the biggest advantage of a Kindle is the fact that you can carry hundreds of books with you wherever you go. Having so many different worlds in your back pocket (or handbag, rucksack, carry-on) is incredibly thrilling. It takes the pressure off deciding how many books you need to pack when you go on holiday or trips away, plus the battery life is brilliant, lasting weeks if not months.

“It’s safe to say that the Amazon Kindle has converted me – I am no longer solely a paperback reader, I’m an e-book lover, too. It has made me a much more relaxed, patient and content reader.”

Her in-depth review can be found here.

Kobo Libra

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Narin Flanders, on our team, bought a Kindle Scribe and found herself disappointed by it. which led her to buy Kobo’s equivalent with the Kobo Libra Colour. She’s said it was ‘transformative’ for her reading and shared her thoughts:

I got my Kobo Libra Colour last Black Friday season, and it has transformed my reading. I’ve had several entry-level Kindles over the years, and they’re great for tucking into a bag to read on the go, but while I’d been tempted by both a colour screen of a Kindle Colorsoft and the note-taking capabilities of the Kindle Scribe, I just couldn’t justify the outlay of either. When I realised Kobo did both in one device – and at a reasonable price (£209.99) compared to the Kindles – I braved moving over, and it has been a game-changer.

While initially I thought a colour screen was merely ‘nice to have,’ over the months, it’s meant I’ve branched out more in the kind of books and graphic novels I can read because they display so nicely on the device. Meanwhile, I love being able to highlight sections and make notes with the stylus, as well as making notes on PDFs, which I can add to my device easily via Google Drive.

The screen isn’t as bright as a tablet or even my old Kindle, but I find the muted colours easier on the eyes while reading at night, and brightness can always be cranked up if needed while outside.

My main concern about moving over was losing my existing library, but actually I found the transition ok – I downloaded the Kindle app for my phone and tablet, so I could finish up my virtual TBR pile there and revisit any favourites. Meanwhile, Kobo does 99p deals on plenty of titles for me to pack the Libra with things to read, no matter my mood.

I am a real convert to the Kobo now and can’t wait to take it with me on holiday – it has been tested to be waterproof for up to an hour, meaning I can even read by the pool without worrying about any accidents.

Kindle Scribe

For those who like to scribble their thoughts down as they read, there is the Kindle Scribe, which is the largest Kindle model and allows shoppers to write with a pen. This makes the device more than just an ereader, as there is a notebook option, but it is quite expensive at £379.99.

Harriet Morphy-Morris on our team has tried it and said: “It’s the largest model in the Kindle family, and as an upgrade from the 2022 Scribe model, it has a larger 10.2-inch screen that’s anti-glare, so while I’m yet to take it on holiday and read in the sun, this will help reduce eye-strain.

“The third selling point of the 2024 Kindle Scribe, and one which pushes it in a grade above other Kindles, is the ability to import Word docs, PDFs (and more) through the web browser. The docs can simply be sent to your device through the ‘Send to Kindle’ option when exporting a file.” To see her entire review, it can be found here.

At the time of review, the newest Kindle Scribe Coloursoft wasn’t yet released, but this is now a great addition to the line-up. With all the textile features of the Scribe, but with the additional boost of colour notes.

The BBC announced on Thursday that Football Focus won’t return next season after 52 years on the air, with fears that Match of the Day could be next to receive the axe

Richard Keys has claimed that the BBC will soon axe Match of the Day after cancelling Football Focus – and defended Alex Scott. The corporation announced on Thursday that Football Focus, which was first broadcast in 1974, will end next month following the conclusion of the current Premier League season.

Scott has hosted the show since 2021 following the departure of long-time host Dan Walker. But Keys doesn’t believe that her presence is why the show has been axed.

The former Sky Sports presenter, who now works for beIN Sports in Qatar, argues that ‘viewing habits have changed’ – and that’s why Match of the Day ‘will be next’. “It’s not Alex Scott’s fault Football Focus has folded – it’s a sign of the times,” Keys posted on X.

“MOTD will be next. Viewing habits have changed. That’s why Grandstand & World of Sport ended. And Sportsnight. Pre-show & post-show wrapped around live games will go soon as well.”

WORLD CUP LEGENDS: The stars who lit up football’s greatest tournament – Buy the Special Edition today

READ MORE: BBC announces changes to two other programmes as major show suddenly axedREAD MORE: BBC announce ‘very exciting’ plan for Alex Scott as Football Focus cancelled

Match of the Day was given a new look this season, with three news hosts sharing the presenting duties which were left vacant by Gary Lineker. Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan are now the co-hosts for the BBC’s flagship football programme.

Scott also revealed on Thursday that she intended to leave Football Focus in May – and had already informed the BBC. “I always knew this would be my last season on the show, which the BBC were aware of too,” she wrote on Instagram. “My intention was to move quietly into the next chapter, but sometimes things change.

“When this show began all those years ago, social media wasn’t a driving force, podcasts didn’t exist, and there was no instant access to information in the way there is today. Now by the time we go on air the reality is you’ve already seen it, debated it and lived it across so many platforms. That shift has changed the whole industry.

Should the BBC cancel Match of the Day? Have your say in the comments section.

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“TV audiences have been declining for years, while digital and on-demand viewing continues to grow. To have been part of it has been incredibly special, and I’m so grateful and proud of the eight years I’ve been involved , including the five years I’ve had the honour of presenting it.

“It has been such an important part of my life, working with some of the very best people in the business, both on screen and behind the scenes. I’ve loved so much of it, the conversations, the laughter, and sharing so many big moments with you, the audience. Thank you for being part of it.”

The final Football Focus is due to air over the weekend of Saturday, May 23 to preview the final round of this season’s Premier League fixtures.

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Championship club West Bromwich Albion have been docked two points by the English Football League for breaking profit and sustainability rules.

The deduction means Albion are now not safe from relegation, having previously thought the midweek win over Watford had secured their second-tier status.

The Baggies had been charged for exceeding the £39m loss limit for the three seasons to 2024-25, allegations which the club denied.

But during a two-day hearing, an independent club financial review panel (CFRP) found Albion’s losses “did exceed the upper loss threshold” and recommended a two-point penalty.

That leaves Albion in 20th place in the table, six points above the relegation zone with two games to play, needing one more point to seal survival.

They host promotion-chasing Ipswich Town on Saturday before visiting already-relegated Sheffield Wednesday on the final day of the season.

West Brom have two weeks to appeal against the deduction and should they do so, a decision on said appeal will then not be made for up to 28 days.

Lord Falconer described the process of the Bill as “horrible”, saying it had not failed to finish its journey through the Lords due to a lack of time, but rather “because a small minority were not willing to co-operate, as we normally do, to ensure that there can be proportionate debate”.

Ed Miliband is trying to “position himself for a coronation” to replace Sir Keir Starmer after the local elections in May, Labour sources have told The Independent.

After another dreadful week for the prime minister, who has seen his integrity come under further scrutiny over the Peter Mandelson scandal, many MPs believe the end of his leadership is in sight and the energy secretary has emerged as a new contender to take his place.

Mr Miliband has repeatedly denied any leadership ambitions, but has become increasingly outspoken over the Mandelson vetting crisis and speculation is rife that he is preparing to throw his hat into the ring, with next month’s local elections expected to be “apocalyptic” for Labour and to put further pressure on Sir Keir to step down.

A supporter of Mr Miliband told The Independent: “He has the energy and enthusiasm. He is loved by younger members of the party. He is a new man from when he was last leader.”

Crucially, Mr Miliband does not face the same barriers that could prevent some rival leadership candidates – including Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and health secretary Wes Streeting – from launching successful bids to succeed Sir Keir.

Supporters of Mr Burnham want to hold off on a leadership contest until he can become an MP and run, while Ms Rayner is still waiting for the outcome of the HMRC investigation into her failure to pay stamp duty on a flat in Brighton.

Meanwhile, Mr Streeting – who was seen holding court with supporters in parliament on Tuesday after sacked Foreign Office mandarin Sir Olly Robbins’ bombshell evidence had further damaged the prime minister – is not thought to have enough backing in the party to land the job.

Mr Miliband, who served as Labour leader from 2010 to 2015, is among a handful of cabinet ministers believed to have performed well in their current roles, and briefings in favour of him taking over have soared after he became the first senior minister to break ranks and collective responsibility on the issue of Lord Mandelson’s appointment.

He publicly disowned the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US and suggested both he and deputy prime minister David Lammy, who was foreign secretary at the time of the appointment, had raised concerns.

Mr Miliband told Sky News: “You’re saying [Mandelson] should never have been appointed, and I agree with you. I steered well clear of Peter Mandelson when I became Labour leader in 2010.”

Asked what he had thought about Lord Mandelson’s initial appointment, he said: “That it could blow up, that it could go wrong. I had a conversation with David Lammy about it before the appointment, and I said I was worried about it. I think he was worried about it, too.”

One Labour MP said: “It looks like there is some sort of deal between Miliband and Lammy.”

With suspicions that Mr Miliband may be positioning himself for a leadership run, one minister noted: “He threw his arms around me yesterday to ask how I was. He’s always been friendly, but never that much.”

Another MP added: “I think he is hoping for a coronation because the others are just not in a position to make a challenge.”

A spokesperson for Mr Miliband denied this and said “I refer you to his previous comments.”

He has previously said: “I’ve had the, if you like, the inoculation technique against wanting to be leader of the Labour Party because I was the leader of the Labour Party, and that was a very successful inoculation.”

But any hopes that he may be appointed leader unopposed appear unlikely, with Labour MPs deeply divided over who should take over.

One senior Labour MP said: “I think the reality is there is currently no viable alternative to Starmer at all. Wes is Mandelson’s protege and Angela brings too many controversies of her own.

“We get one shot at changing leader. It has to be someone who offers a genuine break from both the scandals and the disastrous policy decisions that have defined this government.”

Others are less convinced about Mr Miliband’s prospects, partly because of his previous spell as leader, which led to a humiliating election defeat to David Cameron in 2015.

One MP said: “I’m in the ‘Please God, not Ed’ camp.”

Others, particularly among the Socialist Campaign Group of left-wing MPs, want to hold out for Mr Burnham.

Meanwhile, support is growing for defence minister and former Royal Marines commander Al Carns as “a clean break” surprise candidate for the top job.

With support rising for Mr Carns, who had backing to run in the recent deputy leadership election before being told by the leadership that he should not run, MPs are looking at possible candidates among the 2024 intake.

One Labour MP said: “Frankly, I’m up for skipping the current lot and going for Al Carns.

“Frankly, he’s the only person who might be able to bring people together and lead them. Also, if the public wants a non-politician then he’s the only option we have. I think he’d be great.”

Reform UK sources have admitted that Mr Carns is the most problematic candidate for them, while they would “relish” taking on Mr Miliband especially over net zero.

Sir Keir is set to hold an emergency summit at Chequers this weekend with his remaining loyalist ministers.

But Labour MPs agree that with parliament set to be prorogued on Tuesday there is “no chance” of a coup before the local elections on 7 May.

Parliament does not reconvene until 13 May for the King’s speech, which would be the earliest opportunity for them to move against him.

One minister said: “I expect him to limp on until after May. I don’t know after that.”

The operation was carried out on King Street in Farnworth on the morning of Friday April 24, with officers on the scene checking passing vehicles.

They say that over the course of the operation they stopped a total of 42 vehicles, issued 12 traffic offence reports, and seized one vehicle.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “The Farnworth South Neighbourhood Team have been conducting a traffic operation this morning on King Street.

“We are dedicated to making our roads safer and have conducted this operation in response to concerns raised by the local community.”

Police often carry out traffic operations like these across Bolton and elsewhere in Greater Manchester to help try and keep the roads safe.

Images from King Street published by the police show that a commercial van appears to have been seized as part of the traffic operation.

Anyone with any information or concerns can call police on 101 or 999 in the event of an emergency as soon as it is safe to do so.

Alternatively, members of the public can call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The long-running programme, hosted by property experts Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer, is currently casting for its next series and is looking for buyers.

Individuals, couples and families in the region ready to purchase a property in May are encouraged to apply for the chance to appear on the show and receive guidance from the team.

A spokesperson for Channel 4 said: “We are casting for the new series, and we are interested in hearing from chain-free (or SSTC) house hunters who would be ready to buy in May this year.

“Applications are now open and we’re looking to spread the word to the community to encourage house hunters to apply and get the help they need.

“We are looking for individuals, families and couples who need Kirstie and Phil’s expertise to buy their dream home.

“Whether applicants are first-time buyers, looking for their next dream home, downsizing or relocating – whatever the reason they’re moving, we love to hear from them.”

Anyone interested in taking part can apply via the Channel 4 website.

The programme has been a staple of Channel 4’s primetime lineup for more than 20 years, following the presenters as they help buyers across the UK find their ideal property.

The show is especially interested in applicants who are chain-free or have a property sold subject to contract, as filming is scheduled for May.

A spokesperson added: “As part of Channel 4’s ongoing commitment to achieving greater inclusivity on screen, we strongly encourage candidates of all backgrounds and identities to apply.”

Anyone interested can apply via the Channel 4 website and the following link: https://www.channel4.com/4viewers/takepart/location.