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DeutschEmma Raducanu hopes to rediscover ‘natural’ style that has been ‘coached out of me’
British No 1 being aided by Mark Petchey at Indian Wells
‘I am definitely going to tap into a few people’
Emma Raducanu says she is determined to wrest back control of her “natural” tennis style, with the British No 1 eager not to be bound by the diktats of a single coach or a style that does not feel right.
“I want to come back to my natural way of playing. That takes time to relearn because that’s something that has been coached out of me a little bit,” Raducanu told BBC Sport. “I have had a lot of people telling me what to do, how to play, and it hasn’t necessarily fit. I don’t necessarily want to have one coach in the role because anyone I bring in is straight away going to be scrutinised – even if it’s a trial.
Continue reading...Opener Bean extends Yorkshire stay until 2028
Yorkshire opener Finlay Bean has signed a two-year extension to stay at Headingley until 2028.
The 23-year-old made his first team debut in 2022 after breaking the second XI record with a score of 441.
Bean has since scored six centuries across his 43 first-class matches, including 224 against Nottinghamshire in June.
In August, the left-hander broke the club record for scoring the fastest ever List A century in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Scarborough.
"I'm naturally delighted to be signing this new deal," Bean told the club website.
"My journey into professional cricket hasn't always been straightforward, but the belief shown in me by Yorkshire and the coaches has played a huge role in helping me reach this point.
"The next couple of years are exciting – not just for me personally but for the team as a whole. We're clear on what we want to achieve together and I'm really looking forward to seeing how far this group can go."
Midfield priority rules out move to Real Madrid – ‘It would be foolish’
Real Madrid will look to address the engine room of their side this summer, making a move to improve their midfield two seasons after the arrival of Jude Bellingham, and more crucially, after the exits of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. Los Blancos have struggled to adapt without their long-time controllers in the middle of the pitch, but it seems that the insistence on Eduardo Camavinga and Fede Valverde as partners for Aurelien Tchouameni has ended.
Reportedly, Xabi Alonso had requested an addition in the middle of the pitch last summer, as had Carlo Ancelotti the year before. Real Madrid were confident they could make it work with their current options, but after watching three managers, including Alvaro Arbeloa, unable to find the solution, it seems they will act this summer.
Vitinha rules out Real Madrid move
The dream signing in the position as it has been termed, is Paris Saint-Germain star Vitinha. Although there was an acknowledgement that any deal would be complicated, the Portugal international remained top of their shortlist. However he has now ruled out a move to the Spanish capital.
Image via Fichajes
“It would be foolish to leave. I don’t think it would be the best thing for me. I feel great here at PSG! I feel like people really appreciate me, and I’ve earned that affection. I love being here; my family does too. The group is fantastic, and the coach is incredible,” he told Canal 11, as quoted by Diario AS.
Real Madrid’s alternatives for midfield
That would appear to rule out any pursuit of Vitinha, as the first step would have been him pushing for a move. Other names mentioned are Kees Smit, whose price tag is a concern at the Bernabeu, or Adam Wharton, for whom interest appears to have faded. The economic alternative is Chema Andres, who left Castilla last summer, but has impressed at Stuttgart in the Bundesliga.