Sports
Judd Trump lashes out at Kyren Wilson after awkward Shaun Murphy joke
Judd Trump has criticised Kyren Wilson’s controversial post-match comments following his Masters final defeat to Shaun Murphy, suggesting they were poorly received by fellow professionals.
Wilson sparked debate after calling 42-year-old Murphy an “old man” following his 10-7 loss at Alexandra Palace.
“I don’t think he particularly put himself in good light,” Trump told reporters at the Championship League, where he revealed the remarks had become a major talking point among players.
Wilson’s comments came immediately after his defeat in the final, speaking to MC Rob Walker.
Judd Trump took aim at Kyren Wilson over his comments
PA
“No disrespect to Shaun but he’s turned into an old man now, so he needs this more than me,” Wilson said.
I’m 33-years-old and coming into my prime, I’m having an amazing season.”
“There were a couple of things he said in the post-match questions which either were slightly unnecessary or said in the wrong way,” Murphy said.
He defended Wilson’s emotional state, adding: “He’s gutted. And your emotions are so high, literally seconds after a loss in a big match for us both.
“To have a microphone shoved in your face straight away, live to the world it’s a difficult place to be.”
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Shaun Murphy won the Masters on Sunday after beating world champion Kyren Wilson 10-7
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Trump revealed the comments were widely discussed among players at the Championship League.
“I think the first thing everybody said at the Championship League was, ‘Did you watch that?’” Trump said.
The world number one acknowledged the challenges of post-match interviews, noting: “There’s a fine line between being honest and trying to keep everyone happy.”
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Kyren Wilson has been accused of being a sore loser by Judd Trump
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“Sometimes it’s better to be a little bit false and say something you don’t really mean, just suck it up to keep everyone happy,” he added.
Trump reflected on the unique pressure of the Masters environment.
“The atmosphere at the Masters is not nice when you lose. I’ve not lost in one, but can’t imagine it in the final,” he said.
He showed understanding for Wilson’s reaction, stating: “There’s not that much to read into it, he was hurting a little bit, it’s good to see how much it means to players.”
Watch as MOTD pundits discuss if Barcelona’s “vulnerability” at the back will dent their chances of winning the Champions League.
Sports
Tyson Fury ‘fears retirement’ and ‘is afraid’ after boxing legend stunned the world by quitting
Tyson Fury ‘fears retirement’ and ‘is afraid’ of walking away from boxing, according to Teddy Atlas.
The 36-year-old recently stunned the world by announcing he would be walking away from the sport, just weeks after his second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
Some still feel Fury will end up coming back, with a seismic showdown with Anthony Joshua still being worked on behind the scenes.
Others, however, believe he really is well and truly done.
Tyson Fury recently stunned the world by announcing his retirement from boxing
PA
Atlas, who once coached a young Mike Tyson, has now reacted to Fury’s decision to quit.
And he feels the Briton may have made the right call, while also expressing a belief that he’s ‘afraid’ of what the future might now hold.
Speaking to CanadaCasino.Ca, Atlas said: “Yes [Tyson Fury fears retirement] because I think boxing stabilises his life.
“I have a lot of respect for Tyson Fury. I think he’s a tremendous fighter and I think he’s a great symbol.
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“I do think he’s afraid [to retire], because I think that having this in his life, having boxing, the structure of boxing, the discipline, the people around him in camp, is a reason to get up every day and be strong.
“He’s smart, he’s not dumb. He’s very smart. I think he realises that it’s important in his life, but at some point, he has to learn to live life without the help of boxing.
“It’s kind of like you stop doing drugs or you stop drinking. Whatever it is.
“You have a sponsor, you have somebody that’s with you, and he goes to the meetings with you, and he meets you every day when you feel like you’re getting a little weak.
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“He’s there for you, that person. But someday he can’t be there. There has to come a day where it’s just you. And that day is here.
“He realised, he’s smart, he can’t box forever. And I think he’s worried about losing that guy.
“That guy not being there with him to say ‘you can be strong’ and ‘you got to be strong, buddy’. I think he’s concerned about that, and I don’t blame him, and I pray for him.
“I pray for him that he can find his way without boxing.”
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Tyson Fury ‘fears retirement’ and ‘is afraid’ of walking away from boxing, according to Teddy Atlas
GETTY
Atlas also feels Fury has timed his retirement well, with the 68-year-old adding: “I think it’s time for him to walk away. I love to see a movie end in a good way.
“My wife gets nuts, she will not watch a movie with me because she says, ‘as soon as it gets to that bad part you don’t like the way it’s going to end, you turn it off’. Yeah, I do. I turn it off. I don’t want to see it, so I would like to see him walk away.
“He’s made enormous amounts of money. God bless him.
“He could take care of his family for who knows how many lifetimes and he earned it.
Tyson Fury quit boxing just weeks after losing to Oleksandr Usyk for a second time
PA
“I’d like to see him walk off into the sunset before the sun crashes down, before it gets all dark.
“I’d like to see him actually on his own, in the right way, walk off into that movie sunset, I don’t want to see another Muhammad Ali, the great Muhammad Ali stayed too long.”
Match of the Day pundit and former Celtic striker Chris Sutton reflects on the Scottish champions’ victory over Young Boys, and what it means for the club to reach the Champions League knockout football for the first time in 12 years.
WATCH MORE: Celtic seal play-off spot with dramatic win over Young Boys
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Iga Swiatek makes feelings clear after controversy strikes Australian Open win over Emma Navarro
Iga Swiatek has powered through to the Australian Open semi-finals after a commanding win over eighth seed Emma Navarro on Wednesday morning, with a row breaking out as she secured victory.
The Polish star’s dominant run continued as she dropped just three games in the quarter-final match.
However, the comprehensive win was marked by controversy during the second set when Navarro disputed a crucial point.
Swiatek has been in remarkable form throughout the tournament, having lost only 14 games en route to her second Melbourne semi-final.
Iga Swiatek has powered through to the Australian Open semi-finals after a commanding win over eighth seed Emma Navarro on Wednesday morning, with a row breaking out as she secured victory
REUTERS
The victory keeps her on course for a potential first Grand Slam final showdown with Aryna Sabalenka.
The controversial moment occurred during a 2-2 rally in the second set, when Swiatek sprinted to return the ball and won the point.
Navarro immediately protested to umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore, claiming the ball had bounced twice before Swiatek’s shot.
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Crazy scenes in the Swiatek Navarro match at Australian Open
Iga did not get to the ball on 1 bounce… although it was very close
It should’ve been Emma’s point. But according to the rules, Emma had to stop play when she saw the double bounce
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 22, 2025
While video replays appeared to support Navarro’s claim, she was unable to use the tournament’s new video review system.
Under official rules, players can only challenge judgment calls when it’s a point-ending shot or if they immediately stop play.
Navarro had continued playing the point, which prevented her from accessing the video review feature recently introduced at the Australian Open.
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When questioned about the incident in her press conference, Swiatek claimed she hadn’t seen the replay of the contentious point.
“Honestly, I didn’t see the replay after this point because after the point I didn’t look up for the screens because I wanted to stay focused,” Swiatek explained.
The world number one admitted uncertainty about whether it was a double bounce or if she had hit the ball with her frame.
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“I thought this is like the umpire’s kind of job to call it,” she added. “I was also waiting for the VAR, but I didn’t see it, so I just kind of proceed.”
When asked about the video review rules, Swiatek remained noncommittal.
“I never really thought about it deeper,” she said. “This is first time something like that happened to me, so I’m not sure.”
The five-time major winner also suggested that tennis authorities had likely considered all options.
Iga Swiatek was too strong for Emma Navarro in their Australian Open clash
REUTERS
“If there would be some better option, I think tennis would use it,” Swiatek added, noting that similar situations had occurred in other matches.
The Polish star will now focus on her upcoming semi-final clash with Madison Keys as she pursues a place in the Australian Open final.
Keys, the 19th seed for the competition, beat Elina Svitolina on Wednesday to book her own place in the last four.
Sports
Novak Djokovic sparks injury fears as tennis icon misses training ahead of Australian Open semi-final clash
Novak Djokovic has sparked fresh injury concerns after missing his scheduled practice session at Melbourne Park on Wednesday, just two days before his Australian Open semi-final clash with Alexander Zverev.
The 37-year-old’s absence from training follows his gruelling three-hour-and-37-minute quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday, where he summoned the magic of old.
The former world No 1 appeared to struggle with a thigh injury during his four-set triumph.
During the opening set against Alcaraz, Djokovic required a medical timeout when trailing 4-5.
Novak Djokovic has sparked fresh injury concerns after missing his scheduled practice session at Melbourne Park on Wednesday, just two days before his Australian Open semifinal clash with Alexander Zverev
REUTERS
The Serbian returned to court with heavy strapping on his upper left thigh.
The injury continued to trouble him throughout the match, prompting him to take painkillers before the fourth set.
Despite the physical setback, Djokovic managed to secure an impressive 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory, marking his 13th Australian Open semi-final appearance.
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Novak Djokovic was forced to use painkillers during his Australian Open win over Carlos Alcaraz
REUTERS
Speaking to Eurosport after the match, Djokovic revealed he had contemplated retiring from the contest.
“Maybe they expected me to retire. I have to admit that I was considering that. I didn’t know how I’d react,” he said.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion remained defiant about his upcoming semi-final challenge, too.
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“A great win. Very proud of this performance,” he remarked.
“I keep on going. I’ve got another paramount challenge on Friday against Zverev, who is in red-hot form. It’s just trying to be able to move now and produce my best tennis.”
The injury has sparked controversy within tennis circles, with legend John McEnroe warning Alcaraz not to be ‘fooled’ during the opening set.
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Former US Open champion Andy Roddick also expressed skepticism about the severity of Djokovic’s condition.
“He was moving as well as I’ve seen Novak move in 18 months, maybe two years. It didn’t work that way in my career. If I pulled a groin, it kinda tended to stay pulled and maybe get worse,” Roddick said.
Following his victory, Djokovic directed an emotional roar towards Andy Murray, later explaining the gesture.
Novak Djokovic is set to face Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Friday
REUTERS
“We face challenges every single day. People don’t see that obviously,” Djokovic said.
The Serbian praised Murray’s commitment to his career and the tournament.
“He’s been as committed to my career and this tournament as he can be. He accepted to work with me. He’s giving all his support to me, to the whole team, and trying to make it work. This was a huge win for all of us.”
Rodgers has already won all there is to win in Scotland, comfortably and repeatedly. Europe was the hurdle he had failed to clear with them – until now.
After the 7-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund at the start of October, this would have been almost unimaginable.
“The ultimate aim is to get into the knockout phase and that’s what they’ve done so it’s a brilliant night,” former manager Neil Lennon said on TNT Sports.
“Off the back of the heavy defeat in Dortmund, they’re unbeaten in the Champions League. For them to bounce back from that was great character and great ability.”
That five-game unbeaten streak has propelled Celtic to qualification with a game to spare, taking the pressure off next week’s trip south to face Aston Villa. Victory there could even mean a top-eight finish and direct entry to the last 16.
“I couldn’t dream that he would get a point away against Atalanta, for example, and that showed really that they’ve matured,” said former defender Johan Mjallby.
“The balance is better. They know they can’t go gung-ho and always on attack. They’re a bit better in balancing to keep the ball a bit longer nowadays. That’s been a key, especially the way the away form has been very, very good.”
On a similar theme, Rodgers added: “For us to win it, it shows the maturity and the development of this squad. You’ve seen where they’ve come from last season, where we played well but didn’t quite get the points.”
In a PSG barrage, City faced 26 shots – the highest total against them since the Champions League game against Real Madrid in September 2012 when the Spaniards had 35.
The sight of Matheus Nunes – an attacking operator – at right-back, with Kyle Walker close to completing a move to AC Milan, demonstrated the sort of muddled thinking that has clouded City and Guardiola’s season, a flaw which requires addressing.
He was all at sea, as was another substitute Rico Lewis, as PSG rampaged through the wide areas at will, with Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue and substitute Ousmane Dembele leaving a trail of destruction behind them.
This loss was, however, a collective failure of manager and team as City threatened to fall apart, then did as they conceded four goals for the first time in a game since they lost 5-2 at home to Leicester City in September 2020.
Even after going 2-0 up, City never looked in any form or condition to manage the game. Guardiola regards possession as nine tenths of football’s law – here they were guilty of criminal negligence, with Dembele’s goal three minutes after Haaland’s second a major turning point.
Guardiola, as he stood soaked and stunned on the sidelines, powerless to prevent a defeat which should have been far more emphatic, may now realise he has an even bigger rebuilding job on his hands than he thought.
The great Kevin De Bruyne looked all of his 33 years, as did Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic, both 30, as PSG’s energy in and out of possession flagged up every frailty that has haunted City this season. De Bruyne and Kovacic were both replaced, spent, after 70 minutes.
The statistics make grim reading for Guardiola, with City having failed to win after taking the lead in nine games in all competitions this season (four losses and five draws) the most of any Premier League club in 2024/25.
City have lost their past three Champions League games away from home, their second-longest losing streak since four in a row between November 2011 and December 2012 under Roberto Mancini.
And this was the first time they have lost a game from two goals up since they a 3-2 defeat to Brighton in May 2021.
Lewis Hamilton made his historic first appearance in Ferrari red today, taking to the iconic Fiorano test track in a 2023 SF-23 Formula 1 car.
The seven-time world champion emerged from Enzo Ferrari’s legendary home wearing his new Ferrari racing suit and sporting a striking yellow helmet adorned with the Prancing Horse logo.
At precisely 9:16 am local time, Hamilton ventured onto the misty circuit, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his illustrious career.
The British racing legend’s debut in Ferrari machinery came just days after his first visit to the team’s Maranello headquarters.
Lewis Hamilton sent Ferrari fans into a frenzy on his debut
The historic moment drew approximately 1,000 passionate spectators, who had gathered on a nearby bridge despite the cold and wet conditions.
Some dedicated supporters had arrived as early as 5am to secure prime viewing positions around the circuit.
The crowd’s enthusiasm was evident through a sea of Ferrari flags, whilst numerous Union Jacks proudly flew in support of Britain’s most successful Formula 1 driver.
“It almost feels that this has been his team for almost his entire career,” observed Sky Sports presenter Craig Slater, as fans and photographers lined the foggy circuit to witness Hamilton’s maiden outing in scarlet.
Hamilton demonstrated his appreciation for the gathered supporters in a touching display of connection with his new team’s faithful.
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The British champion was driven to one corner of the circuit in a black Alfa Romeo, where he emerged to greet the enthusiastic crowd.
Wearing a Ferrari red jacket, Hamilton offered a heartfelt gesture to those who had waited hours in the wet conditions, waving to the assembled fans and placing a hand to his heart.
The crowd responded with passionate chants of his name, waving their flags in approval of Ferrari’s newest star driver.
READ MORE:Man Utd legend Bryan Robson faces massive tax bill after losing HMRC case as ‘disguised employee’
Lewis Hamilton drove a Ferrari car for the first time on Wednesday
Reuters
Hamilton’s emotions were evident as he reflected on his momentous transition to Ferrari earlier this week.
“There are some days that you know you’ll remember forever and today, my first as a Scuderia Ferrari driver, is one of those days,” he declared.
The champion spoke of a long-held ambition finally realised: “I’ve been lucky enough to have achieved things in my career I never thought possible, but part of me has always held on to that dream of racing in red.”
“I’m dedicated to bringing everything I have to deliver for the team, the wider organisation and the fans,” Hamilton added, emphasising his commitment to his new team.
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The test at Fiorano marked a family occasion for Hamilton, with his father Anthony, stepmother Linda, and mother Carmen all present to witness the milestone.
Hamilton’s testing programme utilised Ferrari’s 2023 SF-23 chassis, adorned with his signature number 44 on the sidepods.
The regulations permit Hamilton to complete up to 1,000 kilometres of testing in older machinery before the season begins.
This initial outing forms part of Ferrari’s preparation plan, with further tests scheduled before pre-season testing commences in Bahrain from February 26.
Sports
Champions League analysis: Arne Slot rotation the key to Liverpool’s success – Stephen Warnock
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock reflects on how Liverpool overcame Lille ‘at a canter’ with help from an ‘incredible’ Mo Salah who has now reached 50 goals in Europe for the Reds.
WATCH MORE: Liverpool progress to last 16 with win over Lille
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The Champions League match between Feyenoord and Bayern Munich was suspended after less than two minutes of play on Wednesday night due to heavy smoke from fans’ flares.
Players at De Kuip stadium were unable to see through the thick smoke, forcing the referee to halt proceedings almost immediately after kick-off.
The disruption came as supporters had set off flares in the stands, creating visibility issues that made it impossible for the match to continue safely.
The match had kicked off at 8pm at the Rotterdam stadium before the referee was forced to intervene.
Feyenoord fans stopped play after flares were lit in the home stands
TNT Sports
A seven-minute delay followed as officials waited for the smoke to clear sufficiently for play to resume.
The suspension came with Bayern Munich entering the fixture as strong favourites to secure victory in the Netherlands.
Chaos in the stands at Feyenoord caused the match to be suspended
Reuters
Bayern Munich find themselves in the middle of the pack in the Champions League league phase, where they look likely to remain after a mixed campaign to date in Europe.
Bayern boss Vincent Kompany is under pressure to win silverware for the German giants after a disappointing campaign last season.
Thomas Tuchel, now in charge of England, led the Bavarians last season – where they failed to win a single trophy.
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Vincent Kompany is under pressure to win trophies with Bayern
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That included the Bundesliga, having won it every season since 2012, with Bayer Leverkusen pipping them to the top after going unbeaten in the league.
Bayern also crashed out of the DFB-Pokal Cup early in the season and lost to Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Champions League.
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