French Open (Roland Garros, 2014) Day 6 - Third Round

Djokovic and Federer both progress but A. Radwanska crashes out

Novak Djokovic defeated Marin Cilic to move into the fourth round at Roland Garros. However, despite winning the first two sets comfortably, Djokovic dropped the third set as Cilic came out on top in the tie-break. It was back to normality in the fourth set as Djokovic sealed victory with a single break of serve.

Third seed A. Radwanska crashed out in the third round of the French Open after losing in straight sets to Tomljanovic. The top two seeds were already knocked out and now Simona Halep, the fourth seed, remains the highest ranked women’s player left in the draw.

 

My Opinion:

Cilic impressively took a set off Djokovic but it was the Serbian who booked his place in the fourth round. Federer dropped a set to Tursunov but managed to overcome the Russian after four hard fought sets. In what I thought could be a potential upset, Berdych defeated the dangerous Bautista Agut in four sets in reasonably comfortable fashion. Milos Raonic battled back from two sets to one down to defeat Gilles Simon in a five set thriller whilst John Isner battled his was past a spirited Tommy Robredo in four highly competitive and long sets. Tsonga delighted the French crowd after overcoming Janowicz in straight sets whilst Gulbis moved into the fourth round with a routine victory over Stepanek. No major shocks today in the men’s draw but I was slightly surprised to see Isner defeat Robredo on clay.

There were two big upsets in the women’s draw as third seed Radwanska and ninth seed Cibulkova both crashed out in the third round. I was more surprised to see Radwanska get knocked out but less so with Cibulkova as Sam Stosur is a tough competitor on a clay court. Sharapova wasted no time in progressing into the fourth round, not even dropping a single game against Ormaechea. Kerber, Suarez Navarro and Bouchard all claimed third round wins as expected as the women’s draw becomes increasingly more open each day.

Men's Singles Third Round 

Federer (4) beat Tursunov (31) 7-5, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4

Raonic (8) beat Simon (29) 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5

Djokovic (2) beat Cilic (25) 6-3, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4

Tsonga (13) beat Janowicz (22) 6-4, 6-4, 6-3

Gulbis (18) beat Stepanek 6-3, 6-2, 7-5

Isner (10) beat Robredo (17) 7-6, 7-6, 6-7, 7-5

Berdych (6) beat Bautista Agut 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4

Women's Singles Third Round

Tomljanovic beat A. Radwanska (3) 6-4, 6-4

Sharapova (7) beat Ormaechea 6-0, 6-0

Stosur (19) beat Cibulkova (9) 6-4, 6-4

Kerber (8) beat Hantuchova (31) 7-5, 6-3

Suarez Navarro (14) beat Townsend 6-2, 6-2

Bouchard (18) beat Larsson 7-5, 6-4

Men's Doubles Second Round 

Pavic/Sa beat Huey/Inglot (7) 7-6, 7-6

Begemann/Haase beat Peya/Soares(2) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4

Murray/Peers (15) beat Bolelli/Fognini 6-4, 6-3

Golubev/Groth beat Marrero/Verdasco (4) 7-6, 6-4

Mixed Doubles First Round

Spears/Peya (1) beat Melzer/Melzer 6-4, 6-2

Srebotnik/Bopanna (2) beat Hlavackova/Lopez 7-6, 7-5

Shevdova/Soares (3) beat Dellacqua/Murray 6-3, 5-7, 10-6

French Open (Roland Garros, 2014) Day 5 - Second Round

Nadal and Murray cruise into Third Round 

Rafael Nadal made light work of his second round opponent Thiem, coming through with a straight sets victory. A double break in the first set was followed up with a double break in the second set before Nadal sealed the third 6-3. Meanwhile, fourth seed Simona Halep overcame a battling Heather Watson to progress into the third round at Roland Garros with a hard fought straight sets victory.

My Opinion:

No surprise to see Nadal defeat Thiem comfortably whilst it was very pleasing to see Murray overcome Matosevic very easily. Both matches were mismatches and were over pretty quickly. David Ferrer moved into the third round after beating Bolleli which was to be expected whilst home favourite Richard Gasquet gave the French crowd something to cheer about after defeating Berlocq in three tough sets. Expressive Italian player Fabio Fognini looked impressive during his win over the hard-hitting Bellucci whilst Kevin Anderson moved swiftly past Michon. There was one upset as Feliciano Lopez crashed out to Donald Young in straight sets. A result that surprised me and maybe we could see bigger and better things to come for the American.

Heather Watson gave it a real go against Halep but the fourth seed was just too strong on the clay. Kvitova overcame a tough encounter against Erakovic whilst Jankovic progressed into the third round with a strong win over Nara. Sara Errani, Ana Ivanovic and Sloane Stephens all claimed straight sets victories but a couple of seeds were knocked out. Flipkens lost in three sets to Glushko whilst Pavlyuchenkova retired from her match against Bertens in the third set. Flipkens has been through a tough year with results and a second round exit will not do her any good. Despite that, no major upsets on day five at Roland Garros.

Mens Singles Second Round

Nadal (1) beat Thiem 6-2, 6-2, 6-3

Gasquet (12) beat Berlocq 7-6, 6-4, 6-4

Ferrer (5) beat Bolleli 6-2, 6-3, 6-2

Murray (7) beat Matosevic 6-3, 6-1, 6-3

Young beat Lopez (26) 6-3, 7-6, 6-3

Fognini (14) beat Bellucci 6-3, 6-4, 7-6

Anderson (19) beat Michon 6-2, 6-3, 6-2

Womens Singles Second Round

Jankovic (6) beat Nara 7-5, 6-0

Ivanovic (11) beat Svitolina 7-5, 6-2

Kvitova (5) beat Erakovic 6-4, 6-4

Stephens (15) beat Hercoq 6-1, 6-3

Halep (4) beat Watson 6-2, 6-4

Errani (10) beat Pfizenmaier 6-2, 6-4

Bertens beat Pavlyuchenkova (24) 5-7, 6-4, 3-0 Retired

Glushko beat Flipkens (21) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4

Mens Doubles First Round

Huey/Inglot (7) beat Giraldo/Gonzalez 6-3, 3-6, 6-3

Mens Doubles Second Round

Bryan/Bryan (1) beat Eysseric/Gicquel 6-3, 6-3

Nestor/Zimonjic (3) beat Bautista Agut/Sijsling 6-3, 6-7, 6-3

Womens Doubles First Round 

Makarova/Vesnina (3) beat Collombon/Paquet 6-2, 6-3

Hsieh/Peng (1) beat Kuznetsova/Stosur 6-2, 6-4

Errani/Vinci (2) beat Babos/Lepchenko 6-1, 6-3

Mixed Doubles First Round

Mirza/Tecau beat Peschke/Matkowski (4) 4-6, 6-3, 10-7

Kops-Jones/Klaasen beat Rodionova/Fleming 3-6, 6-3, 10-8

French Open (Roland Garros, 2014) Day 4 - Second Round

Serena Williams suffers shock second round exit

The biggest story of the day and of the tournament so far was that Serena Williams crashed out of the French Open in the second round. Muguruza played the match of her life as the relatively unknown star pulled off quite an incredible result. Serena made continuous mistakes throughout both sets and looked completely out of form. Nonetheless, it still took a whole lot of guts to defeat Serena Williams and Muguruza certainly was a credible winner. I guess if Serena is going to beaten early in a major it is most likely to occur at Roland Garros but it still comes as a massive shock to the tennis world when it happens. That result will give everyone else in the draw a humongous boost as the favourite bows out so early.

Meanwhile, in the men’s draw it was business as usual as the top guns cruised into the third round. Novak Djokovic made light work of Jeremy Chardy with a straight sets win whilst Roger Federer battled past Schwartzman after three well fought sets.

My opinion:

The men’s draw saw a couple of seed crash out, most notably 15^th seed Mikhail Youzhny who lost in four sets to Radek Stepanek. Not too surprised as Youzhny is either brilliant on the day or just not with it. The other upset saw Granollers defeat 20^th seed Dolgopolov after coming from two sets down to win in the fifth. That was pretty impressive considering the situation but Granollers is decent on the clay. Tsonga managed to defeat Melzer pretty comfortably, Berdych lost the first set to his opponent but came through in the fourth whilst Raonic overcame the promising youngster Jiri Vesely in three sets. Isner lost the first in his match but managed to progress whilst both Robredo and Gulbis moved into the third round.

Third seed Radwanska defeated Pliskova in straight sets and will fancy her chances of going deep into the tournament whilst Maria Sharapova was made to work hard for her third round place after overcoming a battling Pironkova. Despite winning the first set, Venus Williams was knocked out as Schmeidlova fought back to win the second and third sets. Thus, both Williams’ sisters were knocked out on the same day in the second round; something few would have predicted at the start of the day. Kerber, Cilbulkova and Stosur all progressed without any hiccups whilst both Suarez Navarro and Eugenie Bouchard had to comeback from a set down to win their respective matches. Taylor Townsend sent out a few shockwaves after defeating Alize Cornet in a three set thriller whilst Flavia Pennetta was defeated by Larsson in the third set. It was a real shame to see Sabine Lisicki have to retire from her match in the second set but she was losing and would have probably lost anyway. Hopefully, she will be okay for Wimbledon where she made the Final last year.

Men’s Singles Second Round Selected Results

Djokovic (2) beat Chardy 6-1, 6-4, 6-2

Tsonga (13) beat Melzer 6-2, 6-3, 6-4

Federer (4) beat Schwartzman 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

Berdych (6) beat Nedovyesov 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3

Gulbis (18) beat Bagnis 6-2, 7-5, 6-0

Robredo (17) beat De Schepper 6-2, 6-3, 6-3

Stepanek beat Youzhny (15) 6-0, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4

Raonic (8) beat Vesely 7-6, 6-4, 6-1

Isner (10) beat Kukushkin 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 7-6

Granollers beat Dolgopolov (20) 1-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-0, 6-2

Women’s Singles Second Round Selected Results

Schmeidlova beat V.Williams (29) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4

Sharapova (7) beat Pironkova 7-5, 6-2

Muguruza beat S.Williams (1) 6-2, 6-2

Townsend beat Cornet (20) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4

A. Radwanska (3) beat Pliskova 6-3, 6-4

Kerber (8) beat Lepchenko 6-2, 7-5

Stosur (19) beat Meusburger 6-1, 6-3

Cibulkova (9) beat Paszek 6-3, 6-4

Barthel beat Lisicki (16) 6-1, 3-0 Retired

Suarez Navarro (14) beat Bacsinszky 7-5, 1-6, 6-4

Tomljanovic beat Vesnina (32) 7-6, 6-2

Larsson beat Pennetta (12) 5-7, 6-, 6-2

Bouchard (18) beat Georges 2-6, 6-2, 6-1

Men’s Doubles First Round Selected Results

Peya/Soares (2 )beat Istomin/Rosol 7-5, 6-4

Marrero/Verdasco (4) beat Lamasine/Lokoli 6-4, 6-2

Nestor/Zimonjic (3) beat Ebden/Tursunov 6-2, 3-6, 6-3

Bryan/Bryan (1) beat Emmrich/Kas 6-2, 6-1

Women’s Doubles First Round Selected Results

Peschke/Srebotnik (4) beat Davis/Moulton-Levy 6-1, 6-2

Mixed Doubles First Round Selected Results

Jans-Ignacik/Inglot beat Rosolska/Brunstrom 6-4, 6-4

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French Open (Roland Garros, 2014) Day 3 - First Round

Andy Murray and Heather Watson battle into Second Round

Andy Murray started his French Open campaign with a four sets victory over Golubev. The seventh seed started strongly and raced away in the first set, taking it 6-1. Golubev proved to be more of a handful in the second set but Murray sealed it with a single break. Murray went off his game in the third set which allowed Golubev back into the match as the game went into a fourth set. However, it was Murray who sealed victory after holding onto a break of serve in the fourth set saw the Brit through into the second round. There were wins for Ferrer, Gasquet and Anderson but Karlovic caused a major upset after defeating Dimitrov in straight sets.

Heather Watson progressed into the second round with a hard fought straight sets victory over Strycova. However, there was a major casualty in the women’s draw as second seed Na Li crashed out in the first round after losing in three sets to Mladenovic. It was the Frenchwoman who took the first set 7-5 but Na Li levelled proceedings at one set apiece after claiming the second set 6-3. Amazingly, it was Mladenovic who raced away in the third set and claim a massive scalp, taking it 6-1. Meanwhile, there were wins for Halep, Jankovic and Errani. However, it was a disappointing Grand Slam exit for Wozniacki, who recently split from fiancée Rory McIlroy, crashing out after losing to Wickmayer in three sets.

My Opinion:

It was pleasing to see Murray progress in good form. However, losing the third set showed some weaknesses that may hinder his progress deeper into the tournament but nevertheless, it was important to get through the first round. Gasquet managed to get through what could have been a tough encounter fairly easily, beating Tomic in straight sets whilst David Ferrer progressed unscathed into the second round. There were a couple of upsets as the big serving Ivo Karlovic incredibly knocked out Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets. That was a complete shock to everyone. Almagro and Haas both had to retire from their respective matches which meant that a couple more seeds were taken out of the tournament.

In what turned out to be a good day for British tennis, Heather Watson moved into the second round after overcoming Strycova in straight sets. It was a very competitive match but Watson played really well and hopefully that can spark some form back into the game. There was a major shock as Na Li was knocked out in the first round. Mladenovic had the crowd right behind her and she managed to pull off quite an upset. That result will surely please Serena as one of the few opponents who could give her a match has already been taken out. I had to feel for Wozniacki, who already suffered a terrible week prior to the tournament starting, as she bravely gave it her all but it was just too much for her in the end. Errani and Jankovic both progressed but they needed three sets to get the job done. Halep and Ivanovic were in good form and breezed past their opponents.

Men’s Singles First Round Selected Results

Ferrer (5) beat Sijsling 6-4, 6-3, 6-1

Gasquet (12) beat Tomic 6-2, 6-1, 7-5

Murray (7) beat Golubev 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

Karlovic beat Dimitrov (11) 6-4, 7-5, 7-6

Zopp beat Haas (16) 2-5 Retired

Anderson (19) beat Robert 7-5, 6-3, 6-4

Sock beat Almagro (21) 5-0 Retired

Women’s Singles First Round Selected Results

Halep (4) beat Kleybanova 6-0, 6-2

Ivanovic (11) beat Garcia 6-1, 6-3

Mladenovic beat Li Na (2) 7-5, 3-6, 6-1

Errani (10) beat Keys 7-5, 3-6, 6-1

Stephens (15) beat Peng 6-4, 7-6

Wickmayer beat Wozniacki (13) 7-6, 4-6, 6-2

Watson beat Strycova 6-3, 6-4

Torro-flor beat Koukalova (30) 7-6, 6-2

Jankovic (6) beat Fichman 5-7, 6-1, 6-3

Men’s Doubles First Round Selected Results

Pavic/Sa beat Skupski/Venus 6-2, 6-3

Gonzalez/Lipsky beat Fleming/Hutchins 7-6, 6-4

Murray/Peers (15) beat Pospisil/Ram 6-1, 4-6, 7-6

Gabashvili/Kukushkin beat Klahn/Skupski 7-6, 6-4

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French Open (Roland Garros, 2014) Day 2 - First Round

Nadal, Djokovic and Sharapova progress into Second Round

Rafael Nadal proved to be too good for Ginepri, coming out with a straight sets victory that only saw the Spaniard lose three games. It was a completely one-sided affair as Nadal meant business. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic eased through into the second round after comfortably defeating Sousa in straight sets. Sousa won more games during each set as the match went on but there was only going to be one winner between the two. There were some big shocks in the men’s draw today as Australian Open champion and third seed, Stanislas Wawrinka was knocked out in the first round by Garcia-Lopez who came out on top 6-0 in the fourth set. Ninth seed Kei Nishikori was also beaten in the first round after losing to Klizan in straight sets.

Petra Kvitova overcame her opponent Diyas in straight sets whilst Maria Sharapova saw off Pervak in comfortable style with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. There were wins for Cibulkova, Pennetta and Lisicki but 17^th seed Roberta Vinci was knocked out in the first round after losing to Parmentier in three sets. Young prodigy Bouchard wasted little time in her straight sets victory after defeating Peer 6-0, 6-2.

My Opinion:

Nadal looked in incredible form and it was an amazing effort from Ginepri to take the three games that he did. Djokovic never looked in trouble and came through with no issues against Sousa. However, the biggest upset of the tournament so far came when third seed Wawrinka was knocked out in four sets against Garcia-Lopez. It was clear to see that Wawrinka had not played too much tennis recently and he paid the heaviest price. I was surprised to see Nishikori bow out in the first round and lose in straight sets to Klizan and disappointed that James Ward was beaten by Tommy Robredo in four sets.

Petra Kvitova and Maria Sharapova progressed into the second round without any major problems whilst Cibulkova defeated a battling Razzano. There has been a lot of talk and praise for Bouchard and she didn’t disappoint, crushing her way into the second round for the loss of only two games against Peer. The other major upset of the day came when 17^th seed Roberta Vinci was knocked out in three sets against Parmentier. That will most likely see Vinci slide further down the rankings as her strongest surface is on clay.

Men's Singles First Round Selected Results

Djokovic (2) beat Sousa 6-1, 6-2, 6-4

Garcia-lopez beat Wawrinka (3) 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0

Nadal (1) beat Ginepri 6-0, 6-3, 6-0

Klizan beat Nishikori (9) 7-6, 6-1, 6-2

Gulbis (18) beat Kubot 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-1

Robredo (17) beat Ward 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4

Fognini (14) beat Beck 6-4, 6-4, 6-1

Gabashvili beat Pospisil (30) 6-4, 6-2, 6-3

Women's Singles First Round Selected Results

Sharapova (7) beat Pervak 6-1, 6-2

Cornet (20) beat Barty 6-2, 6-1

Cibulkova (9) beat Razzano 7-5, 6-0

Kvitova (5) beat Diyas 7-5, 6-2

Stosur (19) beat Puig 6-1, 6-1

Bouchard (19) beat Peer 6-0, 6-2

Lisicki (16) beat Ferro 6-1, 7-5

Parmentier beat Vinci (17) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

Pennetta (12) beat Mayr-Achleitner 6-2, 6-2

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French Open (Roland Garros, 2014) Day 1 - First Round

S. Williams and Federer both progress into Second Round

Roger Federer started his French Open campaign with a straight sets victory over Lacko in comfortable fashion. The French crowd were treated to some delightful tennis from Federer, who came out on top with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over his first round opponent. It was just the way the popular Swiss player would have wanted the first round to go as he seeks a second French Open title. There were wins for Berdych, Raonic, Isner and Tsonga who all progressed seamlessly into the second round without dropping a set. However, 15^th seed Youzhny avoided a first round shock after coming back from two sets down to defeat Carrano Busta in the fifth set.

Serena Williams eased into the second round with a very dominant straight sets victory over Lim. The defending champion only dropped three games after starting her campaign very strongly and in devastating style. Third seed Radwanska progressed into the second round with a dominant victory over Zhang whilst Angelique Kerber cruised past Piter. There was a casualty amongst the seeds as 25^th seed Kanepi crashed out after being beaten 6-1 in the third set to Niculescu.

My Opinion:

No real surprises on the opening day of the 2014 French Open at Roland Garros. Roger Federer eased through whilst the top seeds in the men’s draw all progressed into the second round. However, Youzhny looked to be heading out after losing the first two sets but a great comeback saw the Russian through in the fifth set.

Serena Williams was in good form as she crushed her way past Lim in pretty easy fashion whilst Radwanska cruised her way past Zhang. Kerber and Suarez Navarro both progressed as expected but Kanepi was the first seed of the tournament to be knocked out. After winning the first set, all looked well for Kanepi but Niculescu hit back and claimed the second and third set to cause the first upset.

Men's Singles First Round Selected Results

Federer (4) beat Lacko 6-2, 6-4, 6-2

Tsonga (13) beat Roger-Vasselin 7-6, 7-5, 6-2

Raonic (8) beat Kyrgios 6-3, 7-6, 6-3

Isner (10) beat Herbert 7-6, 7-6, 7-5

Berdych (6) beat Polansky 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

Youzhny (15) beat Carrano Busta 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-0

Dolgopolov (20) beat Ramos 7-6, 6-4, 6-1

Women's Singles First Round

 A. Radwanska (3) beat Zhang 6-3, 6-0

S. Williams (1) beat Lim 6-2, 6-1

Kerber (8) beat Piter 6-3, 6-1

Niculescu beat Kanepi (25) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1

Suarez Navarro (14) beat Beygelzimer 7-5, 7-5

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Second ODI - England v Sri Lanka (Chester-le-street) 2014

England collapse as Sri Lanka level Series 1-1

Sri Lanka 256-8 (50 overs) beat England 99 (26.1) by 157 runs (Series level at 1-1)

A major batting collapse from England saw them lose the second ODI by 157 runs as Sri Lanka levelled the Series 1-1. Dilshan top scored for SL with 88 off 101 balls as they reached 256-8 from their fifty overs. However, England made a terrible start to their innings as they were reduced to 46-5 after 15 overs. The game only lasted another eleven overs after that as England were bowled out for as little as 99.

 

My Opinion:

Sri Lanka made a solid start to their innings as they reached 104-1 from their first 25 overs which saw Dilshan pass his fifty off 53 balls. However, England got back into the game after taking two quick wickets, dismissing the dangerous Sangakkara (40) and Jayawardene (2) which reduced SL to 136-3. Dilshan (88) was sent back to the pavilion five overs later but a fifty partnership between Mathews (30) and Priyanjan (43) pushed SL over the 200 run mark. Gurney took three late wickets but SL managed to reach a respectable score of 256-8 after 50 overs.

England started their innings in horrific fashion as Carberry (6), Bell (12), Root (0) and Balance (5) were dismissed inside the first seven overs as Kulasekara bagged three of those wickets. It only got worse as England could only produce a further fifty runs to their total before losing their last six wickets as Senanayake claimed four.

Overall, Sri Lanka were the much better team today with bat and ball. Dilshan played an important innings to get them off to a good start whilst contributions from Sangakkara, Mathews and Priyanjan pushed their total over 250. Kulasekara did the damage with the ball early in the England innings, taking three wickets whilst Senanayake took four wickets from the English tail. A very good performance from Sri Lanka who now have the momentum going into the third ODI and they will take plenty of confidence going into it after such a convincing victory.

On the other hand, England batted horrendously. Bell was the best out of the top order but only scored 12 runs. Morgan at least gave it a real go but just kept on seeing wickets fall down the other end. He made it to 40 but was the penultimate wicket to fall. A hugely disappointing effort from a batting point of view and 99 all out from only 26 overs is just not good enough. Places may be in doubt, especially for the top order after that shocker but at least Gurney shined with the ball after taking three wickets. Hopefully, we’ll see a response in the next match because that was simply embarrassing. 

Match Guide: Key Moments

England won the toss and elected to field.

Sri Lanka Innings:
(9) 33-1, Thirimanne 10 (37), 1 six, caught Tredwell, Anderson.
(14) 53-1, Dilshan 25*, Sangakkara 8*.
(22) 83-1, 50 partnership between Dilshan 41* and Sangakkara 22* off 78 balls.
(25) 104-1, Fifty for Dilshan off 53 balls.
(30.4) 129-2, Sangakkara 40 (67), 2 fours, caught Buttler, Tredwell.
(32.5) 136-3, Jayawardene 2 (8), run out by Ballance.
(36) 152-3, Dilshan 83*, Mathews 2*.
(37.1) 159-4, Dilshan 88 (101), 7 fours, bowled by Jordan.
(44) 209-4, 50 partnership between Mathews 24* and Priyanjan 27* off 44 balls.
(46.2) 225-5, Mathews 30 (35), 2 fours, caught Bopara, Gurney.
(47.2) 236-6, Priyanjan 43 (33), 2 fours, 2 sixes, caught Morgan, Anderson.
(48.3) 247-7, Chandimal 14 (9), 2 fours, caught Bopara, Gurney.
(48.5) 248-8, Kulasekara 0 (2), caught Root, Gurney.
(50) 256-8, Senanayake 2*(2) and Prasad 7*(6).

Batsman of the Innings: Dilshan 88 (101)
Bowler of the Innings: Gurney 3-59 from 10 overs

England Innings:
(2.4) 19-1, Carberry 6 (8), caught Senanayake, Kulasekara.
(4.4) 26-2, Bell 12 (17), 1 four, caught Senanayake, Kulasekara.
(5.2) 27-3, Root 0 (3), bowled by Malinga.
(6.2) 29-4, Ballance 5 (7), 1 four, lbw Kulasekara.
(15) 46-5, Bopara 7 (24), 1 four, bowled by Senanayake.
(16) 53-5, Morgan 12*, Buttler 4*.
(17.1) 55-6, Buttler 4 (6), 1 four, caught Senanayake, Mathews.
(18.2) 63-7, Jordan 1 (3), lbw Senanayake.
(22.1) 73-8, Tredwell 4 (14), caught Kulasekara, Senanayake.
(25.2) 95-9, Morgan 40 (58), 3 fours, 2 sixes, caught Chandimal, Prasad.
(26.1) 99 all out, Anderson 7 (14), 1 four, bowled by Senanayake. Gurney 4*(4), 1 four.
Sri Lanka win by 157 runs and level the Series at 1-1.

Batsman of the Innings: Morgan 40 (58)
Bowler of the Innings: Senanayake 4-13 from 7.1 overs

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Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo (Race 6, 2014) - Race

Rosberg holds on to win Monaco Grand Prix

Nico Rosberg managed to hold off a feisty Lewis Hamilton to win the illustrious Monaco Grand Prix. It was another perfect race weekend for Mercedes who dominated from start to finish. Despite a hard-fought challenge, Hamilton had to settle for second and still looked decidedly unhappy with his German team-mate after yesterday's controversial qualifying result. Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo made it back to back podium finishes after crossing the line in third. Sebastien Vettel only lasted five laps before retiring from the race whilst Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished in fourth. The race result means that Nico Rosberg replaces Lewis Hamilton at the top of the driver's standings and has taken a 4 point lead over his team-mate. 



My Opinion:

Mercedes - Rosberg (Winner), Hamilton (2nd). Mercedes have dominated five out of the first six races this season but it was Rosberg who held on to win the race today. Their was some bad blood between the two drivers after yesterdays controversial result and it spilled over today. Hamilton gave it a real go to pass Rosberg but it just wasn't meant to be. The German now takes a minor lead over Hamilton in the standings and it could start the beginning of a very frosty team atmosphere. 
Red Bull - Ricciardo (3rd), Vettel (dnf - 5 laps). Mixed emotions at Red Bull as Ricciardo finished on the podium for the second time in two races but Vettel only lasted five laps of the race before retiring. It could have been a much better weekend for the team had Vettel finished in the top four as well but Monaco belonged to Ricciardo who continues his great season so far. 
Ferrari - Alonso (4th), Raikkonen (12th). Alonso improved his position by one place after finishing in fourth but it was a really disappointing race for Raikkonen whose car suffered technical faults early on in the race. He couldn't recover the situation and failed to bring home any points. Ferrari are still a work in progress but they surely can't keep settling for sub-par results throughout the season.
Force India - Hulkenberg (5th), Perez (dnf - 0 laps). A mixed result for Force India who will be delighted that Hulkenberg climbed six places up the grid to equal his best finish of the season in 5th. However, Perez's day was over before the first lap ended after a crash with Maldonado. Things are looking optimistic for the team and they should continue to enjoy a good season. 
McLaren - Button (6th), Magnussen (10th). Decent result in the end for McLaren as both cars finished inside the top ten. Button impressively moved up six places to finish in sixth but Magnussen lost two places and fell down to 10th. Still, it was a decent result considering their car but McLaren want to achieve podiums. 
Williams - Massa (7th), Bottas (dnf - 55 laps). After a torrid day of qualifying yesterday, it was at least a little more positive after the race. Massa managed to move into the top ten and restore some of the teams pride but Bottas failed to finish a race for the first time this season. Despite lasting 55 laps, the car let Bottas down and forced him into retirement from the race. I'm sure we will see a much better result in Canada. 
Toro Rosso - Vergne (dnf - 50 laps), Kvyat (dnf - 10 laps). It was a really strong qualifying result for the team but it was a horror show in the race. Kvyat only managed 10 laps whilst Vergne was out there until the 50th before both cars retired from the race. A massively disappointing result in the end after what could have been a very strong result for the team. 
Lotus - Grosjean (8th), Maldonado (dnf - 0 laps). Lotus equalled their highest race finish of the season as Grosjean made up six places to finish in 8th. However, Maldonado was involved in a crash on the first lap which ended his race early on. 
Marussia - Bianchi (9th), Chilton (14th). Jubilation for Marussia who scored their first ever points in Formula 1. It was a real fight between Bianchi, Magnussen and Ericsson for those last couple of points but the Frenchman held on in what was a historical day for Marussia. Chilton was the last car to cross the line in 14th.
Sauber - Gutierrez (dnf - 59 laps), Sutil (dnf - 23 laps). A poor qualifying result turned into a terrible race weekend as both cars failed to finish the race. Sutil was out after 23 laps whilst Gutierrez retired after 59 laps in what was a truly torrid Grand Prix for Sauber. 
Caterham - Ericsson (11th), Kobayashi (13th). Caterham came so close to scoring their first ever points in Formula 1 but just missed out as Ericsson was beaten to 10th by Magnussen. Still it was an impressive performance from the team whilst Kobayashi claimed his best result of the season so far after crossing the line in 13th. 

Race Result:
Winner: Rosberg (Mercedes) 25pts
2. Hamilton (Mercedes) 18pts
3. Ricciardo (Red Bull) 15pts
4. Alonso (Ferrari) 12pts
5. Hulkenberg (Force India) 10pts
6. Button (McLaren) 8pts
7. Massa (Williams) 6pts
8. Grosjean (Lotus) 4pts
9. Bianchi (Marussia) 2pts
10. Magnussen (McLaren) 1pt

11. Ericsson (Caterham)
12. Raikkonen (Ferrari)
13. Kobayashi (Caterham)
14. Chilton (Marussia)

15. Gutierrez (Sauber) DNF 59 laps
16. Bottas (Williams) DNF 55 laps
17. Vergne (Toro Rosso) DNF 50 laps
18. Sutil (Sauber) DNF 23 laps
19. Kvyat (Toro Rosso) DNF 10 laps
20. Vettel (Red Bull) DNF 5 laps
21. Perez (Force India) DNF 0 laps
22. Maldonado (Lotus) DNF 0 laps

Fastest Lap of the Race: Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1.18.479

Driver of the Day: Jules Bianchi moved up ten places to take Marussia's first ever points in F1. 

Team of the Day: Mercedes dominated the race and sealed the top two positions.

Driver Standings
1. Rosberg (Mercedes) 122pts
2. Hamilton (Mercedes) 118pts
3. Alonso (Ferrari) 61pts
4. Ricciardo (Red Bull) 54pts
5. Hulkenberg (Force India) 47pts

Constructor Standings
1. Mercedes 240pts
2. Red Bull 99pts
3. Ferrari 78pts
4. Force India 67pts
5. McLaren 52pts

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Monaco Grand Prix: Monte Carlo (Race 6, 2014) - Qualifying

Rosberg claims controversial pole position in Monaco

Nico Rosberg will start the Monaco Grand Prix at the front of the grid after controversially taking pole position ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Rosberg posted the fastest time on his penultimate lap but stopped his car towards the end of his last lap on track after misjudging a turn. This meant that a yellow flag was brought out and Hamilton's hopes of stealing pole was diminished. The Red Bulls will start right behind the two Mercedes on the second row whilst Daniel Ricciardo outshone Sebastien Vettel and will start in 3rd ahead of his German team-mate.



My Opinion: 

Mercedes - Rosberg (Pole), Hamilton (2nd). Mercedes have locked out the front grid for the second race in a row but Rosberg controversially claimed pole after stopping on track right at the end of the final qualifying session. Hamilton was faster in the first section and could possibly have snatched pole for himself. However, it was not to be and it will be a very interesting spectacle to see how the two drivers opt to play it during the race. I expect the two Mercedes to finish in the top two positions but I doubt Hamilton will find a way past Rosberg throughout the race. 

Red Bull - Ricciardo (3rd), Vettel (4th). It certainly is no shame to finish behind the Mercedes but I'm sure Red Bull will be disappointed they couldn't get a car on the front row. Ricciardo outshone Vettel once again and is proving himself to be the real deal. Getting past a Mercedes looks unlikely but a podium should be a certainty for one of the Red Bulls. 

Ferrari - Alonso (5th), Raikkonen (6th). Ferrari proved to have the third fastest package on track today and it was Alonso who was the quicker of the two drivers. However, Raikkonen took 6th to equal his best result of the season. Anything higher than 5th would be a bonus for the team but holding onto their positions will be their aim for tomorrow. 

Force India - Perez (10th), Hulkenberg (11th). More of the same for Force India who only managed to see one car through to Q3. A disappointing result on the whole but I would expect points from one car whilst points from both cars may prove more challenging.
Williams - Bottas (13th), Massa (16th). Disastrous day of qualifying for Williams who had an absolute nightmare. Both cars were knocked out in Q2 which must have come as a surprise to the team. Massa and Bottas endured their worst results in qualifying this season as it was a real struggle for the team to get the most out of their cars. I can't see Massa getting into the points from 16th but Bottas may be able to move upj into the top ten if the race goes in his favour.
McLaren - Magnussen (8th), Button (12th). It's still not quite right at McLaren who only saw one of their cars progress into Q3. This time it was Magnussen who qualified 8th but Button will be disappointed that he could only manage 12th. I would expect to see Magnussen take some points home but Button could find it extremely tough to move up into the top ten.
Toro Rosso - Vergne (7th), Kvyat (9th). It was Toro Rosso's best qualifying result since the opening event in Melbourne. Both cars will start inside the top ten Vergne impressively took 7th. Consequently, I would be surprised it Vergne didn't finish inside the top ten tomorrow but Kvyat may fall down the order if he's not careful.
Lotus - Grosjean (14th), Maldonado (15th). Lotus have struggled terribly thus far this season and it didn't get too much better today. Grosjean and Maldonado had to settle for 14th and 15th respectively and it will take a massive effort from both drivers if they are to score any points this weekend. I don't hold out too much hope for them this time around.
Sauber - Gutierrez (17th), Sutil (18th). Sauber have achieved better results this season and it may prove to be a tough weekend for them as they failed to impress in qualifying. Gutierrez was the quicker of the two drivers but they were both knocked out in Q1. Points look out of the question and it may just be a race where data is collected from which they can hope to improve their package.
Marussia - Bianchi (19th>21st), Chilton (20th>19th). The Marussia's were faster than the Caterham's in qualifying but a penalty sees Bianchi drop two places and will see him start the race on the back row. Chilton will be hoping to win the battle at the back.
Caterham - Kobayashi (21st>20th), Ericsson (22nd). Caterham were the slowest team on track in qualifying but Kobayashi will start ahead of Bianchi. Ericsson was the slowest and will start at the back of the grid. 

Qualifying Grid and Starting Grid:

Q3

Pole: Rosberg (Mercedes)

2. Hamilton (Mercedes)

3. Ricciardo (Red Bull)

4. Vettel (Red Bull)

5. Alonso (Ferrari)

6. Raikkonen (Ferrari)

7. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

8. Magnussen (McLaren)

9. Kvyat (Toro Rosso)

10. Perez (Force India)

Q2

11. Hulkenberg (Force India)

12. Button (McLaren)

13. Bottas (Williams)

14. Grosjean (Lotus)

15. Maldonado (Lotus)

16. Massa (Williams)

Q1

17. Gutierrez (Sauber)

18. Sutil (Sauber)

19. Bianchi (Marussia) - Will start in 21st

20. Chilton (Marussia) - Will start in 19th

21. Kobayashi (Caterham) - Will start in 20th

22. Ericsson (Caterham)

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Champions League Final (Lisbon) 2014 - Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid 4 v 1 Atletico Madrid (After Extra Time) Godin (36), Ramos (90+3), Bale (110), Marcelo (118), Ronaldo penalty (120+1)

Watch the match highlights and goals here

My Opinion:

That was a Champions League final with heaps of drama. Real Madrid were able to field a near full strength team but were unable to play Alonso through suspension. Atletico had Turan suspended for the Final whilst Diego Costa made the starting eleven despite injury fears throughout the week.

The decision to start with Diego Costa didn’t work out as the striker went off after only eight minutes clutching his hamstring. This was a massive blow for Atletico whose main attacking threat was off so early whilst a substitute had to be used up very early in the match. However, it was Atletico who took the lead inside the first half as Casillas made a costly mistake in rushing out and failing to get to the ball first. This allowed Godin to head straight over the keeper to put them in front.

Atletico are an extremely strong defensive unit and proved it once again as they kept Real quiet for the majority of the game. Their tactics were pretty much to foul the Real players as often as they could in order to disrupt their flow. It certainly worked really well on Ronaldo who just couldn’t get into the game after being fouled every time he was on the ball. However, Bale had Real’s best chances during the 90 minutes but surprisingly spurned every one of them.

It really was quite a heroic defensively display from Atletico and they came within two minutes of winning the Champions League. Incredibly, wave after wave of attacks, Ramos headed in an equalizer from a Modric corner to send Real into extra time which came much to the relief of Ancelotti, the Real players and their fans.

Extra time belonged to Real as they dominated an Atletico team who were just unable to cope with the situation. It took until the second half of extra time for Real to go in front but it came from Gareth Bale, who scored a tough header at the far post that just made its way inside the post. Delirium erupted amongst the Real players whilst Atletico were all but out for the count. Marcelo came off the bench and took advantage of some tired Atletico defenders, running through the defence before firing a low shot that Courtois probably should have kept out but didn’t. The night wouldn’t have been complete without a certain Cristiano Ronaldo scoring in Lisbon and it came right at the last moment. He was brought down inside the box and then coolly slotted the penalty into the back of the net.

A gutting night for Atletico who came so close to rounding off such an amazing season with the Champions League title. They won La Liga and can be proud of their efforts this season but tonight belonged to Real. I thought they were the better team and deserved to win but they left it really late. Ramos proved to be their saviour whilst it was great to see Bale and Ronaldo both score in extra time.

My man of the match was Sergio Ramos

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