Going Forwards With Pospisil And Woodforde
Going Forwards With Pospisil And Woodforde
Dec312016
World number one Sir Andy Murray ended 2016 with a win over Milos Raonic at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.
The 29-year-old, knighted in the New Year Honours list, beat Canada’s Raonic 6-3 7-6 (8-6) to take third place at the exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.
The Briton started well, breaking Raonic in his first two service games as he took the opening set.
He led 5-3 in the second but Raonic staged a mini fightback before Murray took the tie-break.
The Scot said: “It was good to finish the year with a win. It was a good match to work on returns as Milos has a strong serve.
“I still feel like Andy Murray – that feels more normal – but I am happy with the knighthood and it is a nice way to start the new year.”
In Friday’s semi-finals, Murray lost to Belgium’s David Goffin for the first time in six meetings.
Elsewhere, Laura Robson was beaten in the first round of qualifying for the ASB Classic in Auckland, losing in three sets to Tereza Martincova of the Czech Republic.
The Briton, now ranked 222nd in the world, lost 6-3 5-7 7-6 (10-8) to an opponent ranked 59 places above her.
The 2017 ATP World Tour season should start much like the 2016 season finished – with blockbuster match-ups.
At the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, the first tournament of 2017, top seed Milos Raonic will try to repeat as champion Down Under. The right-hander won his lone title of 2016 in Brisbane.
But the World No. 3 could face a fellow Top 10 player before he even makes the semi-finals. Rafael Nadal, No. 9 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, will await Raonic if the two progress to the quarter-finals.
Raonic has a first-round bye and a potential second-round match-up with Argentine Diego Schwartzman or American Sam Querrey. The Canadian will be making his debut with new coach Richard Krajicek.
The fifth-seeded Nadal faces Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov in the first round and could meet a qualifier or German Mischa Zverev in round two. The Spaniard hasn’t played a match since the Shanghai Rolex Masters in October (left wrist). Nadal also made some coaching news this off-season by adding former World No. 1 Carlos Moya to his team.
In the bottom half of the bracket, second seed Stan Wawrinka could collide with third seed Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals. The Swiss star receives a first-round bye and will face a qualifier or Serbian Viktor Troicki in round two.
Wawrinka might play rising Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the quarter-finals. Pouille, the sixth seed, opens against countryman Gilles Simon and could play a qualifier or #NextGen player Kyle Edmund of Great Britain in the second round.
Nishikori, who receives a first-round bye, will meet the big-serving lefty Gilles Muller of Luxembourg or a qualifier in round two. The Japanese player could meet eighth seed David Ferrer in the quarter-finals.
Fourth seed Dominic Thiem could meet seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals if the seeds play out. Thiem, who made his Barclays ATP World Tour Finals debut in November, leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 1-0 (2016 Acapulco). Main draw play starts on Sunday in Brisbane.
British tennis champion Andy Murray and athlete Mo Farah have been knighted in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.
Paralympic dressage rider Lee Pearson also becomes a Sir, while heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill and rower Katherine Grainger are made dames.
There are CBEs for cyclists Jason and Laura Kenny, swimmer Sascha Kindred and equestrians Charlotte Dujardin, Nick Skelton and Sophie Christiansen.
Former athlete Sir Roger Bannister is made a Companion of Honour.
Boxer Nicola Adams, Great Britain hockey captain Kate Richardson-Walsh and Wales football manager Chris Coleman receive OBEs.
Other OBEs include rowers Pete Reed and Andrew Triggs Hodge, cyclist Ed Clancy, Paralympians Jody Cundy and Anne Dunham and racehorse trainer John Gosden.
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew is made a MBE, as are a host of gold medal winners from the Olympics and Paralympics in Rio, with more than 100 people in sport included on the list.
Great Britain’s women’s hockey players – including Richardson-Walsh’s wife Helen – are all honoured, together with other champions including gymnast Max Whitlock, swimmer Adam Peaty, golfer Justin Rose, and Paralympic gold medal-winning cyclist and athlete Kadeena Cox.
Becoming a Sir caps a landmark 12 months for Wimbledon and Olympic champion Andy Murray, 29.
February 2016: Has first child as wife Kim gives birth to daughter Sophia
June 2016: Becomes Wimbledon champion for the second time
August 2016: Defends Olympic singles title in Rio
November 2016: Replaces Novak Djokovic as world number one
December 2016: Wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year for record third time; knighted in New Year Honours List
Scot Murray, previously honoured with an OBE in 2012, had said he was “too young” for a knighthood.
Mo Farah, 33, completed a ‘double double’ in Rio as he won his fourth Olympic gold and became only the second man to retain the 5,000m and 10,000m titles.
His knighthood completes a remarkable journey for the runner who moved from Somalia to England aged eight.
“Looking back at the boy who arrived here from Somalia, not speaking a world of English, I could never have imagined where I would be today – it’s a dream come true,” he said.
Dressage rider Lee Pearson carried the flag for Great Britain during the Paralympic opening ceremony and went on to win the 11th gold medal of his career.
The decorated Paralympian already held the MBE, OBE and CBE for services to equestrianism and to disabled sport.
“I think it’s been the biggest surprise of my life,” he told Sky Sports.
“You receive a letter asking you to accept the honour and ever since sending the envelope back to the prime minister I’ve hardly slept. It’s just been really surreal. I’m just a bloke from Stoke-on-Trent.”
At 87, Sir Roger Bannister has chalked up another significant achievement. The first man to run a mile in under four minutes, in 1954, he joins an elite group as a Companion of Honour – a special award for service of conspicuous national importance limited to 65 people at a time.
Recipients wear the initials CH after their name and members currently include Stephen Hawking and Desmond Tutu.
Jessica Ennis-Hill, 30, announced in October she was retiring from athletics after winning an Olympics silver medal in the summer.
She secured heptathlon gold at the London 2012 Olympics and will be awarded her third World Championship after Tatyana Chernova was stripped of the 2011 title.
“What a team to have been apart of. Dame…truly truly honoured!” she posted on Twitter.
Five-time medallist Katherine Grainger, who also becomes a dame, is Britain’s most decorated female Olympian after taking silver alongside Victoria Thornley in the double sculls.
The 41-year-old won gold in London after silvers in Sydney, Athens and Beijing.
Cycling’s so-called ‘golden couple’ Jason and Laura Kenny are made CBEs.
The pair, who boast 10 Olympic gold medals between them, were married in September.
Show jumper Nick Skelton finally claimed an individual Olympic title, riding Big Star, at his seventh Games – aged 58, he was Britain’s second oldest gold medallist.
Three dressage wins at the Paralympics for Sophie Christiansen took the 29-year-old’s Games career gold medal total to eight.
Aboard Valegro, Charlotte Dujardin, 31, retained her Olympic dressage title, while Sascha Kindred, 39, won his seventh Paralympic swimming title in Rio.
There is also a CBE for British Paralympic Association chairman Tim Reddish.
Nicola Adams became the first British boxer to retain an Olympic crown for 92 years by winning the flyweight title in Rio.
Kate Richardson-Walsh is also given an OBE after captaining Great Britain’s women to a first Olympic hockey gold medal.
It’s an incredible honour. We’ve really put hockey on the map
In football, Chris Coleman guided Wales to the semi-finals at Euro 2016, their first appearance at a major tournament since 1958.
There are OBEs for cyclist Ed Clancy, part of the victorious team pursuit in Brazil, plus Pete Reed and Andrew Triggs Hodge, after rowing golds at a third consecutive Olympics.
Also receiving an OBE are former swimmer turned cyclist Jody Cundy – who has represented GB at six Paralympics, winning seven golds – and Para-dressage rider Anne Dunham, who won team gold and two individual silvers in Rio, aged 67.
John Gosden, who has trained more than 3,000 winners, is honoured for services to horse racing.
Team GB’s Olympic chef de mission Mark England and his ParalympicsGB equivalent Penny Briscoe are recognised, as is former Commonwealth Games Scotland chairman Michael Cavanagh.
Among the MBEs are Northern Ireland football manager Michael O’Neill and former cricketer Jonathan Agnew, a regular on the BBC’s Test Match Special, who temporarily switched to Olympic equestrian commentary in the summer.
Cyclists Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker become MBEs as do sailor Saskia Clark and divers Jack Laugher and Chris Mears.
Swimmer Bethany Firth, who was ParalympicsGB’s most successful athlete in Rio with three golds and a silver, is on the list along with Ellie Robinson, who claimed gold in the pool aged 15.
Double Rio Paralympics athletics gold medallists Georgie Hermitage and Libby Clegg and wheelchair tennis champion Gordon Reid are all made MBEs.
Chelsea Ladies winger Karen Carney, referee Sian Massey-Ellis, Arsenal Ladies defender Alex Scott and racing driver Susie Wolff are honoured, while Brian Robinson will receive the British Empire Medal for services to cycling and charity.
Hillsborough campaigner Professor Phil Scraton turned down an OBE.
The author, who led the Hillsborough Independent Panel’s research team, said he could not receive an honour, and had made that decision in protest “at those who remained unresponsive” to help families and survivors affected by the 1989 disaster in which 96 football fans died.
KNIGHTHOOD
Mo FARAH, CBE, for services to athletics, London; Andy MURRAY, OBE, for services to tennis and charity, Surrey; Lee PEARSON, CBE, for services to equestrianism, Staffordshire.
DAMEHOOD
Jessica ENNIS-HILL, CBE, for services to athletics, Sheffield; Katherine GRAINGER, CBE, for services to sport and charity, Maidenhead.
COMMANDERS OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (CBE)
Sophie CHRISTIANSEN, OBE, for services to para-equestrianism, Maidenhead; Charlotte DUJARDIN, OBE, for services to equestrianism, Gloucestershire; Jason KENNY, OBE, for services to cycling, Cheshire; Laura KENNY, OBE, for services to cycling, Cheshire; Sascha KINDRED, OBE, for services to swimming, Hertfordshire; Tim REDDISH, OBE, British Paralympic Association chairman, for services to sport, Nottinghamshire; Nick SKELTON, OBE, for services to equestrianism, Warwickshire.
OFFICERS OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (OBE)
Nicola ADAMS, MBE, for services to boxing, Leeds; Penny BRISCOE, MBE, Great Britain chef de mission for Rio 2016 Paralympics, for services to sport, Nottinghamshire; Michael CAVANAGH, for services to sport and the Commonwealth Games movement, Haddington, East Lothian; Ed CLANCY, MBE, for services to cycling, Holmbridge, West Yorkshire; Chris COLEMAN, Wales football team manager, for services to football, Winchester; Jody CUNDY, MBE, for services to cycling and swimming, Greater Manchester; Anne DUNHAM, MBE, for services to para-equestrianism, Devizes; Mark ENGLAND, Team GB chef de mission and British Olympic Associations director of sport, for services to sport, Guildford; John GOSDEN, for services to horseracing and training, Newmarket, Suffolk; Tim HOLLINGSWORTH, British Paralympic Association chief executive officer, for services to sport, Bath; Alison KERVIN, Mail on Sunday sports editor, for services to sports journalism, East Molesey, Surrey; Pete REED, MBE, for services to rowing, London; Kate RICHARDSON-WALSH, MBE, for services to hockey, Maidenhead; Peter ROWLEY, for services to sports administration, Darlington; Andrew TRIGGS HODGE, MBE, for services to rowing, Checkendon, Oxfordshire.
MEMBERS OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (MBE)
Tim ADAMS, for services to horseracing and rugby league, Leeds; Jonathan AGNEW, sports broadcaster, for services to broadcasting, Scalford, Leicestershire; John ALLEN, for services to athletics in Northern Ireland, Dundonald, Down; Giselle ANSLEY, for services to hockey, Devon; Katie ARCHIBALD, for services to cycling, Edinburgh; Hollie ARNOLD, for services to field athletics, Gwent; Elinor BARKER, for services to cycling, Greater Manchester; Sally BARKER, for services to sport and women’s participation in sport, Guildford; Stephen BATE, for services to cycling, Hebden Bridge; Will BAYLEY, for services to table tennis, Rotherham; Paul BENNETT, for services to rowing, Leeds; Paul BLAKE, for services to athletics, Redland, Bristol; Sophie BRAY, for services to hockey, Claygate, Surrey; Daniel BROWN, for services to rowing, Reading; Joanne BUTTERFIELD, for services to field athletics, Govan, Glasgow; Jon-Allan BUTTERWORTH, for services to cycling, Sale, Greater Manchester; Karen CARNEY, England and Chelsea Ladies, for services to football, Birmingham; Claire CASHMORE, for services to swimming, Kidderminster; Jeanette CHIPPINGTON, for services to canoeing, Maidenhead; Saskia CLARK, for services to sailing, Poole; Chris CLARKE, for services to sport, Loughborough; Joe CLARKE, for services to canoeing, Waltham Abbey, Essex; Elizabeth CLEGG, for services to athletics and charity, Loughborough; Grace CLOUGH, for services to rowing, Sheffield; Kadeena COX, for services to athletics, Leeds; Crista CULLEN, for services to hockey, London; Alex DANSON, for services to hockey, Marlow, Buckinghamshire; Karen DARKE, for services to sport – particularly cycling and triathlon, Inverness; Rob DAVIES, for services to table tennis, Brecon, Powys; Anne DICKINS, for services to canoeing, Oxted, Surrey; Owain DOULL, for services to cycling, Cardiff; Adam DUGGLEBY, for services to cycling, Leeds; Scott DURANT, for services to rowing, Halton, Lancashire; Lora FACHIE, for services to cycling, Altrincham; Robert FAHEY, lately Real Tennis world champion, for services to sport, Feering, Essex; Bethany FIRTH, for services to swimming, Downpatrick, Down; Fab FLOURNOY, for services to British Basketball and the community in the North East, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear; Paul FORD, British Olympic Association pre-Games manager, for services to sport, West Sussex; James FOX, for services to rowing, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire; Jo FRITH, for services to archery, Glastonbury, Somerset; Megan GIGLIA, for services to cycling, Stockport; Matt GOTREL, for services to rowing, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire; Sophie HAHN, for services to athletics, Widmerpool, Nottinghamshire; Corrine HALL, for services to cycling, Greater Manchester; Liam HEATH, for services to canoeing, Maidenhead; Robert Welby HENRY, for services to medicine and the sport of horse racing in Northern Ireland, Ballynahinch, Down; Georgina HERMITAGE, for services to athletics, Alton, Hampshire; Phelan HILL, for services to rowing, London; Maddie HINCH, for services to hockey, Maidenhead; Trefor Lloyd HUGHES, for services to football in Wales particularly Anglesey, Holyhead, Anglesey; Paul HUTCHINS, for services to tennis, London; Oliver JAMES, for services to rowing, London; Michael JONES, for services to swimming, Greater Manchester; Colin KING, for services to football and BAME inclusion in sport, London; Matt LANGRIDGE, for services to rowing, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire; Jack LAUGHER, for services to diving, Ripon, North Yorkshire; Andy LEWIS, for services to triathlon, Lydney, Gloucestershire; Claire LOMAS, for charitable and voluntary services to spinal injury research, Melton Mowbray; Constantine LOULOUDIS, for services to rowing, London; Hannah MACLEOD, for services to hockey, Maidenhead; Joanna MANNING-COOPER, for services to sport, West Byfleet, Surrey; Sian MASSEY-ELLIS, football referee, for services to football, Coventry; Kathleen McBRIDE, for services to sport and the community in Coleraine; Coleraine, Londonderry; Shona McCALLIN, for services to hockey, Newark, Nottinghamshire; Chris MEARS, services to diving, Leeds; Hannah MILLS, for services to sailing, Portland, Dorset; Stephanie MILLWARD, for services to swimming, Box, Wiltshire; Aaron MOORES, for services to swimming, Sketty, Swansea; Rachel MORRIS, for services to rowing, Farnham, Surrey; Samuel MORSHEAD, lately general manager Perth Racecourse, for services to the UK horseracing and charity, Comrie, Perth and Kinross; Marion MURDOCH, sportscotland, for services to sport particularly curling; Helen MURRAY, for services to swimming in Scotland, Longniddry, East Lothian; George NASH, for services to rowing, London; Jonathan NORFOLK, Great Britain para-cycling head coach, for services to cycling, Wilmslow, Cheshire; Robert NORTHRIDGE, for services to rowing and community relations in Northern Ireland, Enniskillen, Fermanagh; Michael O’NEILL, Northern Ireland football team manager, for services to football and the community in Northern Ireland, Edinburgh; Bill OWEN, for services to cycling particularly in Wales, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire; Lily OWSLEY, for services to hockey, Maidenhead; Adam PEATY, for services to swimming, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire; Hilary PHILBIN, British Fencing president, for services to fencing and sports administration, Romsey, Hampshire; Sam QUEK, for services to hockey, Birkenhead, Merseyside; Tom RANSLEY, for services to rowing, Ashford, Kent; Gordon REID, for services to wheelchair tennis, Glasgow; Helen RICHARDSON-WALSH, for services to hockey, Maidenhead; Ellie ROBINSON, for services to swimming, Great Houghton, Northamptonshire; Susie RODGERS, for services to swimming, London; Louis ROLFE, for services to cycling, Cambridgeshire; Justin ROSE, for services to golf, Fleet, Hampshire; Lauren ROWLES, for services to rowing, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire; Hannah RUSSELL, for services to swimming, Chertsey, Surrey; Will SATCH, for services to rowing, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire; Mohamed SBIHI, for services to rowing, London; Alex SCOTT, England and Arsenal Ladies defender, for services to football, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire; Giles SCOTT, for services to sailing, Weymouth, Dorset; Helen SCOTT, for services to cycling, Halesowen, West Midlands; Stephanie SLATER, for services to swimming, Preston; David SMITH, for services to Boccia, Strand, Swansea; Mike STEPHENSON, for services to rugby league and sports broadcasting; Jessica STRETTON, for services to archery, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire; Alice TAI, for services to swimming, Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire; Manisha TAILOR, for services to football and diversity in sport, London; Sophie THORNHILL, for services to cycling, Poynton, Cheshire; Susannah TOWNSEND, for services to hockey, Canterbury; Georgina TWIGG, for services to hockey, London; Laura UNSWORTH, for services to hockey, London; Edmund VAN HOOF, British Gymnastics head coach and men’s technical director, for services to gymnastics, Telford, Shropshire; Ian WALKER, for services to Olympic and international competitive sailing, Southampton; John WALKER, for services to archery, Newport, Shropshire; Hollie WEBB, for services to hockey, Maidenhead; Nicola WHITE, for services to hockey, London; Laurence WHITELEY, for services to rowing, Northallerton, North Yorkshire; Max WHITLOCK, for services to gymnastics, Pitsea, Essex; Emma WIGGS, for services to canoeing, Diseworth, Leicestershire; Susie WOLFF, for services to women in sport, abroad; Matthew WYLIE, for services to swimming, Washington, Tyne and Wear.
MEMBERS OF THE ORDER OF THE COMPANIONS OF HONOUR
Sir Roger BANNISTER, CBE, for services to sport, Oxfordshire.
MEDALLIST OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (BEM)
Brian ROBINSON, for services to cycling and charity, Mirfield, West Yorkshire.
As if Andy Murray had been lacking some good news in 2016. The 29-year-old Scot was knighted in Queen Elizabeth II’s New Year’s Honours list on Friday. The recognition was given to Murray for his services to tennis and charity.
The Brit had previously received an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) medal from HRH Prince William, Duke of Cambridge in October 2013 after winning his first Wimbledon crown in July. This past year, though, surpassed anything Murray had previously done in his career.
The right-hander won a career-best nine tour-level titles, including three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles, his second Wimbledon crown and his first Barclays ATP World Tour Finals title. Murray’s victory against Novak Djokovic in the season finale title match clinched the Brit’s first year-end No. 1 Emirates ATP Ranking.
Murray became the 17th different man and the first Brit to end the season in the top spot. He also recently won his third BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
ATPWorldTour.com pays tribute to the first-time winners on the ATP World Tour in 2016.
Nick Kyrgios – Marseille [Kyrgios Spotlight]
Nick Kyrgios soared up the Emirates ATP Rankings in 2016, cracking the Top 15 for the first time in his career behind a trio of hard court titles. The Australian’s maiden title came in February in Marseille, with his flawless week including wins over Top 10 players Richard Gasquet and Tomas Berdych before defeating Marin Cilic 6-2, 7-6(3) in the final. Kyrgios did not drop serve all tournament, becoming the first first-time winner to do so in a tour-level event in the Open Era. He is also the first player under the age of 21 to beat Top 10 opponents in consecutive matches since Juan Martin del Potro at the 2009 US Open (SF d. Nadal, F d. Federer).
“I played my first final last year and was looking for my first title,” said Kyrgios. “But I didn’t really expect to win this title this week after having a couple of weeks off. But from the first round I started playing really well and just gained confidence as I kept winning matches.”
Kyrgios followed up his breakthrough week with another title in August in Atlanta, then prevailed again in October in Tokyo. The Aussie also recorded a semi-final finish at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Miami. He would go on to score more four victories over Top 10 players throughout the year, including Stan Wawrinka, Milos Raonic and Gael Monfils.
Diego Schwartzman – Istanbul [Schwartzman Spotlight]
The feisty Argentine showed off his fighting spirit throughout the week in Istanbul, upsetting top seed Bernard Tomic in the second round and saving a match point in his quarter-final against Damir Dzumhur. But Schwartzman saved his biggest effort for the championship match against Grigor Dimitrov. Rallying from down a set and a break, he broke the Bulgarian’s spirit by winning 11 of the last 12 games to score a 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-0 victory.
“Ever since I started playing, I imagined winning a tournament and having a week like the one I just had,” said Schwartzman. I’ve been working very hard and perhaps the first months of the season were not the best, but I kept working hard alongside my team and my family. It’s amazing and I will never forget this place.”
Schwartzman went on to reach another ATP World Tour final in October in Antwerp (l. Gasquet), in addition to a quarter-final finish in September in Chengdu. The Argentine also excelled on the ATP Challenger Tour, prevailing at $50,000 events in Barranquilla, Colombia and Montevideo, Uruguay. He currently sits at a career-high Emirates ATP Ranking of No. 52.
Steve Johnson – Nottingham [Johnson Spotlight]
The American baseliner arrived in Nottingham with a 8-15 record in 2016, but quickly erased any doubts about his form by producing stellar tennis throughout the week. Knocking off four seeded opponents, including top seed Kevin Anderson in the quarter-finals, Johnson ultimately fought through a tight 7-6(5), 7-5 battle against Pablo Cuevas in the championship match to earn his first ATP World Tour title.
“It feels really good, I’m not going to lie,” said Johnson. “I had some ups and downs so far this year. To find my groove on the grass is fantastic. I had a good week at Queen’s Club and felt pretty comfortable on the grass. Once I got here and played my first couple of matches, I knew I was definitely a contender to win this.”
Johnson rode the momentum of his win in Nottingham by reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon, marking his best appearance at a Grand Slam. He advanced to the semi-finals in July in Washington, D.C., then upset World No. 10 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga the following month on the way to a quarter-final finish at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati. Johnson was rewarded for his efforts with a career-high Emirates ATP Ranking of No. 21 in August.
BBC Sport looks at some of the stars who have made the New Year Honours list – including cyclists Laura and Jason Kenny.