Murray ready to protect hip during Verdasco clash

SIMON YATES closed the gap to the leader’s red jersey in stage four of La Vuelta, which was won by Ben King of Dimension Data. Yates took 27 seconds out of Team Sky’s Michal Kwiatkowski to cut his overall deficit to 10 seconds, leaving him third behind BoraHansgrohe’s Emanuel Buchman. Ireland’s Nicolas Roche is 21st, two minutes behind with Dan Martin back in 79th.

FAI CHIEF John Delaney presented the Irish Society for Autism with their UEFA Foundation for Children award yesterday (above). The ISA will receive €50,000 from the UEFA Foundation, to work with the FAI on future projects.

ANDY MURRAY admits he is trying to protect his hip at the US Open. The 31-year-old beat Australia’s James Duckworth on Monday in his first grand slam match for nearly 14 months and faces 31st seed Fernando Verdasco today.

‘I’m trying to prepare myself mentally that I’m not going to feel great physically after the match, or that my hip will feel painful,’ admitted the Scot. ‘I’m not going to have intense, long practices during a grand slam ever again.’

HUGHIE FURY will look to become a mandatory challenger for one of Anthony Joshua’s world heavyweight titles when he takes on Kubrat Pulev on Saturday, October 27. The cousin of former world champion Tyson will travel to Sofia for an IBF title eliminator. Pulev was set to fight Joshua last year but a shoulder injury forced his withdrawal two weeks before the bout.