Edmund edges out Baghdatis in Atlanta
AUSTRALIAN former Test forward Keith Galloway is a “massive” loss for Leeds Rhinos as they prepare for the business end of the season, believes his front-row colleague Brad Singleton.
Galloway will be sidelined for the rest of the year after suffering a ruptured Achilles in the Betfred Super League win over Hull 12 days ago.
The 31-year-old suffered similar damage to his other leg in the penultimate game of last season and missed the first nine fixtures of 2017.
He returned in the Good Friday win at Hull and was playing his 13th game of the campaign when the new injury occurred.
“The pack will miss Keith and, personally, I love partnering up with him,” said Singleton.
“Over the years, he is one of the best partners I’ve had in that middle. I respect what he brings to the game and I respect his voice. He’s a very aggressive competitor.
“He doesn’t take a backwards step. I love that and it gets me up for it. I will miss his personal game, but that doesn’t mean we can’t manage. We have got a decent pack and we’ve got backrowers like Jonesy (Jamie JonesBuchanan) who can come into the middle.
“We have got a good squad and strength in depth to cover. We have got decent forwards across the board, I think all our middles are digging deep and we are ready for a big finish to the year.”
Singleton is set to feature in Saturday’s Ladbrokes Challenge Cup semi-final against Hull FC at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium.
He was not risked in the away defeat to Wigan last week because of a calf problem.
Castleford forward Kevin Larroyer has accepted a twomatch ban for his “squirrel-grip” tackle on fellow Frenchman Vincent Duport.
The former Hull KR and Catalans Dragons secondrow was charged with a grade C offence of “other contrary behaviour” after grabbing his opponent between the legs to complete a tackle during the Tigers’ win over the French club in Perpignan on Saturday.
Larroyer will miss Castleford’s opening two matches of the Super 8s but winger Joel Monaghan is free to play in the next phase of the competition after admitting a grade A dangerous tackle. YORKSHIRE’S Kyle Edmund is through to the second round of the Atlanta Open after a straightsets victory over Marcos Baghdatis.
A single break of serve in each set was enough for Edmund, seeded fifth, to overcome the Cypriot 6-3 7-5 in one hour and 24 minutes.
The 22-year-old will play either German Peter Gojowczyk or Guido Pella of Argentina in the next round.
Number eight seed Jared Donaldson coasted into the second round.
Donaldson wasted little time in brushing aside American compatriot Ernesto Escobedo 6-3 6-1.
But it was not all plain sailing for the seeds as Korea’s Hyeon Chung crashed out following a 6-4 2-6 6-3 defeat to qualifier Tommy Paul.
Quenton Halys got the better of Stefan Kozlov 7-5 7-6 (9/7) and Lukas Lacko coasted past Thomas Fabbiano 6-1 6-2.
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki needed three sets to overcome Pauline Parmentier 6-3 3-6 6-2 in the first round of the Ericsson Open.
Wozniacki, a finalist in Bastad in 2009, recovered from an early break to take the opening set, but was soon struggling in the second as Parmentier, fresh from a quarter-final run at last week’s Bucharest Open, won five games on the spin to take it into a decider.
The Frenchwoman broke early once more to lead 2-0 but Wozniacki reeled off the next six games to seal victory in one hour and 52 minutes.
Carla Suarez Navarro eased into the second round with a 6-1 6-0 demolition of Jasmine Paolini while Kiki Bertens won 6-1 6-4 against Carina Witthoeft and Katerina Siniakova saw off Rebecca Peterson 6-3 3-6 6-1.
However, No 8 seed Julia Goerges retired with a thigh injury against lucky loser Viktoriya Tomova with the score at 6-4 2-2.