The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Monte Carlo win for Nadal
Spaniard Rafael Nadal powered to a record 11th Monte Carlo Masters tennis title with a straight-sets victory against Japan’s Kei Nishikori.
The world number one recovered from going a break down early in the first set to win 6-3, 6-2 and has now won 36 consecutive sets on clay, a run which stretches back to the first round of last year’s French Open. None of Nadal’s opponents has won more than four games in any of those sets.
Caberfeidh have reached the last four of the Cottages.com MacTavish Cup for the first time in more than 30 years but will be without experienced attacker Jamie Mathieson in next month’s semi-finals.
The slick, quick Strathpeffer men continued their astonishing start to their first Premiership year by thumping Fort William 5-0 in the quarter-final at An Aird but it was victory at a price.
Jodi Gorski, the Cabers manager, said: “Jamie Mathieson, who had just recovered from a hamstring niggle, took a tumble in the first five minutes and his hamstring was torn.
“It’s a great pity for Jamie, who is looking at six weeks out but it’s also a setback to the club as we’re very short of forward cover.
“I’ll be assessing the squad to see who could be pushed forward to do a job in attack.”
The cup draw is made in Glasgow this week, the first time the north competition’s semis have been drawn outwith the area, but it will include Caberfeidh’s name for the first time in decades.
Gorski said: “It’s so long that no one can remember.
“I asked our former long-serving player Stewart Maclennan and he says we never reached the MacTavish semis in his day, so we’re maybe talking 40 years or more. It’s exciting to be there.”
The Castle Leod combine, who last won the trophy 81 years ago, were again in chancesnapping mood.
Kevin Bartlett, now a greenkeeper at Castle Stuart golf course, continued his sizzling streak with a hat-trick to take his haul to an astonishing 16 goals already. His cousin, Blair Morrison, added a double to floor Fort and take his contribution to seven goals.
Gorski said: “Ben Macdonald again played well at the back. He’s our most consistent player, focusing on doing the basics well. But Fort William have unearthed the best young player I’ve seen in years in 16-year-old Lachie Shaw – once he gets bigger he’ll take some stopping.”
Fort co-manager Victor Smith said: “Cabers have gone up a major level in fitness since we played together in the National Division last year. They were very good, with Kevin Bartlett producing touches of magic.
“Graham Campbell put in a fantastic shift
“It’s so long that no one can remember – 40 years or more”
up front for us. We’d plenty of the ball but Cabers were deadly.”
Skye full-back Ally Macdonald sustained suspected torn cruciate ligaments in their 2-1 home defeat by Lovat. Manager John MacLeod said: “His season may be over.”
Lewis Tawse and Marc MacLachan were on target in the first half Lovat with Jordan Murchison responding in 80 minutes.
Kinlochshiel, having never won the trophy, blasted themselves to within 90 minutes of their first final by thumping Lochaber 7-2 at Kirkton. It was only 3-2 early in the second half before Shiel pulled away with Keith MacRae grabbing a hat-trick to take himself to the 10-goal mark. His brother, John, added a double, as did Ally Nixon, who has now netted five times this year. Stuart Callison and Shaun Nicholson were on target for the visitors. for