business

There continues to be an absence of dull moments when Rory McIlroy is around. Just when maybe, just maybe, his followers were daring to dream of Masters glory, Augusta National bit back at the 35-year-old. Plus ça change. This was box office; the problem being that for McIlroy himself and all those desperate to see … Read more

1 City’s European plans under threat Manchester City’s tame outing at Manchester United on Sunday showed how they have flatlined this term, the goalless draw also damaging their prospects of Champions League qualification – after beating Leicester the following night, Newcastle vaulted them and went into fifth place. Without Erling Haaland, unavailable until mid-May at … Read more

The sun was out on opening day at Augusta, and you could catch the reflection bouncing off Phil Mickelson’s big old grin as he walked on to the first tee from the next county. At 54, the American’s smile seems to be the one bit of his game that’s still in good trim. He cuts … Read more

VAR might have its critics but it sure knows how to create drama. Within a quarter of an hour a review had seen the Rangers defender Robin Pröpper dismissed on review, while in the second half Athletic Bilbao had a goal disallowed only to be awarded a penalty that was saved. The end result was … Read more

Jack Draper crashed out at the last-16 stage of the Monte-Carlo Masters with a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4 defeat by Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Draper, who dispatched Marcos Giron in a comfortable 6-1, 6-1 victory on Tuesday, struggled with his serve, producing 10 double faults. “Today I didn’t feel at my best or at my … Read more

Joshua Zirkzee looked to have sealed a classic smash-and-grab victory when rising to head home Bruno Fernandes’s cross with 87 minutes on the clock. But deep in added time Rayan Cherki turned home after what appeared a second André Onana howler – the keeper pushing the ball straight out. This followed a first error that … Read more

Hope is not lost for Ange Postecoglou. On another night, the Tottenham manager might have been celebrating a wonder goal from the outstanding Lucas Bergvall as his side looked forward to next week’s second leg in Germany with a healthy advantage. But it is a reflection of how things have been going for Postecoglou that … Read more

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is close to reaching an agreement with the new Hundred investors that will enable the governing body to retain control of selling domestic television rights while receiving the full £520m offered for the eight franchises. The eight-week exclusivity period agreed after January’s Hundred auction was extended last month but, following … Read more

Hampshire have signed the Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry, in a major coup for the restructure of the English women’s domestic game. Perry, the all-time leading run-scorer and wicket-taker in the Women’s Ashes, has been at the forefront of eight Australia World Cup wins – two in ODIs and six in Twenty20 – and was named … Read more

SOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME Whether it’s Ed Sheeran at Ipswich, Michael McIntyre at Spurs or Hugh Grant and the Osman brothers at Fulham, celebrity fans always need to be on their very best behaviour, given the almost psychopathic obsession TV directors have with cutting away to them as the action on the pitch unfolds. Last night … Read more