Sports shorts
Nifty Nadal never in trouble
Rafael Nadal beat Stan Wawrinka for the 19th time in 22 meetings, winning 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters tennis tournament yesterday. The two players share 22 Grand Slams but Nadal has 19 of them and once again established a stranglehold on his Swiss opponent. Wawrinka’s blistering one-handed backhand was as erratic as it was occasionally superb but Nadal was almost always in control.
Test rugby will return to the Sydney Cricket Ground for the first time since 1986 when Australia take on Ireland on July 11, 2020. Rugby Australia said yesterday the SCG match against the Six Nations champions will be the second of a two-match series in Australia, with the first a week earlier in Brisbane. The move to the cricket ground is because of continuing renovations to Sydney Football Stadium and the Olympic stadium.
Scottie Scheffler closed with a bogey for a 9-under 62 and a one-stroke lead yesterday after the first round of the PGA Tour’s inaugural Bermuda Championship. Scheffler played his opening nine at hilly Port Royal Golf Club in 6-under 29, making an eagle on the par-5 17th. He added birdies on holes 2, 4, 6 and 7. In position to birdie in for a 59, he parred the par-3 eighth and dropped a stroke on the par-4 ninth.
Lionel Messi is back in the Argentina football team for friendlies against Brazil and Uruguay this month, after serving a three-month ban. Messi and Sergio Aguero were both included in the squad announced by Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni yesterday for matches against Brazil on November 15 in Saudi Arabia and three days later against Uruguay in Israel. Messi is available after a three-month ban imposed by South American football body Conmebol after he made accusations of corruption following the Copa America tournament in Brazil in July.
Heimgartner retains drive
Kelly Racing confirmed yesterday New Zealander Andre Heimgartner will stay with the Supercars team for 2020. Kelly Racing is cutting back from four Nissan Altimas this year to running just two Ford Mustangs next season. The decision to stick with Heimgartner alongside co-owner Rick Kelly means Swiss driver Simona De Silvestro, the first full-time female Supercars driver, and Garry Jacobson are without a seat next year.