SW19 lay out Grand plans
THERE will be no Wimbledon queue this year because of social distancing – but the All England Club are still planning for a reduced number of spectators at the Grand Slam.
Wimbledon – cancelled last year for the first time since World War II – is to start on June 28 but tickets will only be sold online that month when numbers are confirmed.
World No.31 Benoit Paire, above, has revealed the stresses around playing during the pandemic have left him “mentally exhausted”.
The Frenchman said: “Tennis is not my priority for now.
“The only thing I think about is leaving the bubble. That is the only aim I have each tournament.”
SUNDERLAND boss Lee Johnson reckons Ross Stewart is set to shine after the former Ross County striker scored on his debut.
Johnson said: “He’s tall, he’s mobile, he’s got a good touch. He needs to find his gravitas. He’s taken a step towards that with his goal.”
STEVE CLARKE has held a heart-to-heart with Lawrence Shankland and assured him the door is still open to make his Euro 2020 Scotland squad.
The Dundee United star had been a regular in the qualifiers but was surprisingly left out for the start of the World Cup bid as Clarke called up Che Adams and Kevin Nisbet.
He made the call to Shankland personally to explain his decision and gave him pointers as to where he wants to see him develop his game.
Shankland and United boss Micky Mellon have now put a plan in place that they hope will see the striker end the season in style and in Clarke’s thinking for the summer ties with Croatia, England and Czech Republic.
Mellon said: “It is very much open to him. Steve told Lawrence how highly he rates him.
“He has a lot of good strikers and the fight is on for everybody to try to get back into the squad. It is about Lawrence going out and meeting those wants from the Scotland manager.
“Steve made it clear he will be watching and how highly he rates him.”
United take on Aberdeen at Tannadice this weekend. The top six looks beyond them but Mellon wants his team to finish in style.
They face a Dons team who parted company with Derek McInnes, a man Mellon knows well. He said: “I’ve known Derek since I was about 12.
“I went to England when I was young, he stayed in Scotland. I think he did a terrific job. He had been at the club a long time.
“When I got the United job he was one of the first guys to lift the phone to me and I have always appreciated that.”