MIND GAINS
Lockdown gives Watson mental boost
HEATHER WATSON showed a winning mentality to shrug off hard lockdown and an injury scare to triumph in her opening match in Melbourne.
Losers Victoria Azarenka, Tennys Sandgren and Paula Badosa all complained they could not compete after being confined in their hotel rooms for two weeks.
But Watson, who posted her regular indoor training regimes on social media, below, was strong enough to beat Czech Kristyna Pliskova 7-6, 7-6 in the Australian Open first round.
“It made the victory sweeter because we’d been through a lot the last few weeks,” said the British No2.
“Physically I felt like I did a pretty good job in 16 days of hard quarantine, of working out pretty much every day.
“I’m taking care of my body very carefully because four days ago my left leg went into spasm and I couldn’t finish practising. Mentally I felt super strong because I’d got through it.”
Watson, who will now face No21 seed Anett Kontaveit of Estonia, said she now appreciated fresh air and space after her time locked up without a window in her hotel room. But the world No60 added she was reluctant to enjoy her new-found freedom in the to be played without any line judges to reduce the number of officials because of Covid-19 protocols. But the 20-year-old British No5 said a TV replay showed the ball was clearly out on a big point in the third game. Jones, who has the compensation of banking £56,000, said: “I prefer human error than systematic error.”
World No1 Ash Barty needed 44 minutes to serve a ‘double bagel’
6-0, 6-0 to Danka Kovinic, the world No82 from Montenegro.
Barty, who is bidding to become the first home Australian Open singles champion since Chris O’Neil in 1978, has not played in a Grand Slam tournament since exiting here at the second-round stage a year ago, after electing to miss the US and French
Open over Covid concerns.
JORDAN RHODES came in from the cold to fire Sheffield Wednesday out of the relegation zone on a snowy night at Hillsborough.
The 31-year-old’s previous nine appearances had come off the bench but he rewarded caretaker manager Neil Thompson’s decision to start him.
“Jordan hasn’t played loads of football but his attitude is always very good,” Thompson said.
“If you put balls in the box, he will get on the end of them, as he showed.”
In the 34th minute, Rhodes connected with Kadeem Harris’s rightwing cross and steered a clinical header past Ryan Allsop.
Thompson’s men doubled their advantage in the 76th minute as Adam Reach’s deflected left-foot strike from 20 yards flew into theWycombe net.
As Wednesday bid to stay in the Championship in a traumatic campaign which has seen them docked six points and sack managers Garry Monk and Tony Pulis, this was another priceless victory.
It was the Owls’ fifth successive home win – their best run at Hillsborough for a decade – highlighting their recent resurgence under Thompson. During a tightly contested first half,Wednesday created the better chances.
Callum Paterson had a superb strike tipped over by Allsop before Rhodes headed the hosts in front.
After the break, Allsop made another fine save to repel Barry Bannan’s fierce shot before Reach’s strike made the game safe.
Wycombe remain rock bottom and lacked the quality to unlock a resolute Wednesday rearguard.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (3-5-2): Westwood 6; Lees 6, Dunkley 7, Urhoghide 6; Harris 7, Hutchinson 6, Shaw 6, Bannan 8 (Pelupessy 87), Reach 7; Paterson 6, Rhodes 7 (Kachunga 82).
Goals: Rhodes 34, Reach 76.
WYCOMBE WANDERERS (4-3-3): Allsop 7; McCarthy 6, Stewart 7, Tafazolli 7, Obita 6; Ofoborh 6, Thompson 6, Horgan 6 (Onyedinma 71, 6); Mehmeti 6 (Muskwe 71), Akinfenwa 6 (Ikpeazu 62, 6), Kashket 6 (McCleary 71).
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PEP GUARDIOLA has warned Phil Foden the toughest part of his career is still ahead if he is to join the ranks of the game’s greats.
Foden reached 100 games for Manchester City last month and continued his progress with a superb display and brilliant late strike in the 4-1 win at Liverpool on Sunday.
But while the 20-year-old’s performances have impressed everyone including England manager Gareth Southgate, Guardiola says Foden still has it all to do if he is to fulfil his true potential. “Arriving and being there with 100 games, yes, is difficult,” said City manager Guardiola.
“But what is important now is to do 100 more and 100 more at this level, playing every day and winning every day.
“This is the toughest one and that is why the greatest players don’t play one great match in Anfield or play good games, they stay five years in a row being consistent and not being injured. This is the next target for Phil.”
Foden has been brought along slowly by Guardiola, who has given him more opportunities with each season since his Premier League debut as a substitute in December 2017.
And while the City manager insisted that was more to do with the quality in front of him in the pecking order, Foden has taken a huge step forward since David Silva’s exit last summer opened up a spot in the starting XI.
Maintaining that progress, avoiding mistakes off the field, and not being distracted by praise swirling around will be key, according to Guardiola.
And whether he can pick a path through it is not down to his manager or club, but the player himself.
Guardiola said: “It will be a different challenge, not for me, but for him. He has to be calm and understand periods are going to come.
“For one mistake he has done in his private life I said to him don’t read much or listen much, keep your feet on the grass and keep going.
“Well, we’ll see if he can handle it, now people will expect him to do exceptional things every game, this is the most difficult thing.”
Foden is part of Guardiola’s side travelling to Swansea for their FA Cup fifth-round tie tonight, but City will also take a few academy graduates.
“We will need the best team possible to beat Swansea otherwise we don’t have a chance,” said Guardiola.
“How many times in the FA Cup a team from the Premier League goes out to the Championship team? We are not going to Swansea thinking we are better. We are humble and know their strength.” the tough