A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Nadal defeats Djokovic in Monte Carlo Masters
Spain’s Rafael Nadal beat top- ranked Novak Djokovic in straight sets yesterday to win the Monte Carlo Masters for an eighth straight year and end a seven-match losing run against the Serb. Nadal, number two in the ATP World Tour rankings, won 6- 3, 6-1 as he collected a 47th career title. The 25-year-old has won 42 straight matches at the tournament. “It’s unbelievable to win this historic tournament eight times,” Nadal said afterwards. “I always feel great when I come here.
Nadal was without a win against Djokovic since the final of the US Open in 2010. All their meetings have been in finals, with their most recent encounter in Januarys Australian Open – the longest Grand Slam decider in history. He moves to a career record of 33-4 in clay-court finals and is the third-most successful men’s player on the surface in the open era.
Djokovic won the opening game to love before Nadal took control. After taking the first set, Nadal raced into a 4-0 lead in the second and finished with an ace. “I’m sorry for my performance today, Rafa played well and deserved to win, Djokovic said.
Morrison finishes second in Japan
Aileen Morrison has further cemented her reputation as one of triathlon’s top international competitors with a second place finish at the Ishigaki ITU World Cup in Japan yesterday morning.
The Derry native was feeling optimistic and had a focus on putting a solid performance together in all three disciplines. Morrison started the season with a second-place finish in the Quarteira European Cup in Portugal after she pulled out a blistering 35 minute 10k run. This was followed up by a somewhat disappointing result at the Sydney World Triathlon Series where, after a quick swim, Morrison faded to 28th on the run citing stomach issues.
Morrison’s swim training has clearly paid off as she had the best of starts in Japan with an 18 minute four second 1,500m swim, which saw her exit the water in second place. A 26-second transition had Morrison onto the 40km bike course in the lead pack. On to the 10km run and Morrison exited T2 towards the back of the field. “I wasn’t in a good position coming out of T2 but I took it nice and steady and tried to catch up.”
Irish horse wins World Cup event
The Irish sport horse Flexible, partnered by the USA’s Rich Fellers, won the Rolex FEI World Cup final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands yesterday afternoon following a third round jump-off, reports Margie Mcloone.
Bred by Edward and Catherine Doyle, the 16-year-old approved stallion finished second in the 2008 final at Gothenburg and his sire Cruising was also runner-up at the 1999 final. In yesterday’s jump-off, Flexible finished ahead of the French-bred gelding Nino des Buissonnets. Ireland’s Denis Lynch, on board Abbervail van het Dingeshof, was one of three riders to share third place.
Commenting immediately after the competition, Joe Walsh, chairman of Horse Sport Ireland, said: “ This is a tremendous boost for the Irish Sport Horse.
“To win the world’s most testing indoor competition is an amazing tribute to the quality of Irish breeding and I want to congratulate the breeders, Edward and Catherine Doyle, and, of course the American rider Rich Fellers for his tremendous skill today.
Martin shows form at Belgium classic to take fifth place
Dan Martin clocked up the best performance in the Liège-Bastogne-Liège Classic since the days of Kelly and Roche yesterday, racing to a superb fifth place in the 257.5km Liège-Bastogne-Liège Classic. The Garmin-Barracuda rider went close to a podium finish. This followed on from his runner-up slot in last October’s Giro di Lombardia and his sixth place in last Wednesday’s Flèche Wallonne.
The race was won by the Astana rider Maxim Iglinskiy (Astana), who chased down race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) inside the final three kilometres, then soloed to the win. Nibali hung on to take the victory, 21 seconds back, while Martin finished a further 15 seconds behind in a 12-man group sprinting for third. He finished just behind Iglinskiy’s team-mate Enrico Gasparotto and Thomas Voecker (Europcar).
Martin looks increasingly certain to make his Tour de France debut this summer.
Meanwhile compatriot Seán Bennett finished third in yesterday’s 1.2-ranked Profronde Van Noord-holland. His Lithuanian An Post Grant Thornton team-mate and 2011 An Post Rás winner Gediminas Bagdonas won in a solo move.
Adam Armstrong (EuroCycles) won yesterday’s Coombes Connor Memorial, while Sara Ortiz (Black Rose) was best in the trek woman’s national league event.
On Saturday Philip Lavery (Node4 Girodana) soloed to win in the Peter Bidwell Memorial.
Maguire triumphs Irish Girls Open Strokeplay in impressive fashion
Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) won the Irish Girls Open Strokeplay Championship yesterday by an impressive eight-shot margin from France’s Manon Molle and Mathilda Cappeliez at Roganstown Golf Club.
Leona was delighted to be the first Irish winner of this event, and sister Lisa joined her on the bag on the 11th hole and Leona duly birdied the 13th and 14th and finished one under par in total.
Jean O’Driscoll (Muskerry) had a hole in one at the par three, 129-yard 17th with a nine iron in her hand to return a level par round of 72 which also included birdies at the par five fourth hole and par four 346 yards 15th.
