Six Journey to Malmo for Swedish Adventure

It didn’t take long for some of our more seasoned regulars to get enticed over the Channel for an international Racketlon tournament. In fact, it took just two World Tour events. Malmo, Sweden was the destination for our six competitors as they took part in the IWT Casino Heroes Swedish Open. Will Coley, Jon Spinks, Jonny Wan and James Watkins had all previously ventured abroad to a combination of Belgium, Malta and the Czech Republic but for Harry Courtney and Sam Wilson it was an overseas debut.

They say good things come in pairs and to some extent that is definitely true. Not only were our guys paired up in different singles grades – (Coley and Watkins in Mens B, Spinks and Wanny in Mens C and Buddle and Wilson in Mens D) – but they were also all together in the doubles.

Mens A Doubles

Coley and Watkins were in Mens A doubles action and faced a tough opening match against Swedish pair Emil Gunnarsson and Mikael Rehn. They were always up against it facing the A graders and the difference told as they lost before the tennis.

In their second match though the Notts duo cranked it up a gear against a pair consisting of an A and B grader to win 19-21 21-12 21-9 3-3 (+19) and finish an extremely respectable joint 9^th.

Mens B Doubles

It was an altogether different affair in the B though, as our power couples failed to place any wins on the board.

They may have won the title for ‘best dressed pair’ but that is where their doubles prowess ended. Despite being seeded sixth, Wanny and Spinks were unable to get a victory. After a bye to the second round a pair of Germans dished out a +21 victory to them in their first match. Their last was a closer affair, losing by just 3 to a strong Swedish pair.

Christening themselves the ‘most ridiculous pair’ in Malmo, Harry and Sam opened the whole tournament as they stepped onto court  on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately getting an early start didn’t mean getting ahead of the competition as they fell to a pair of Johansson’s by 21. As with Jon and Jonny, the second was a tighter affair, with Harry and Sam losing by just 9, despite dishing out a badminton masterclass. Despite not winning a match, the two pairs can claim to have not lost a badminton tie.

@NottsRacketlon @Sam_Wilson92 Apparently it's an FIR regulation the most ridiculous pair go first. We take on the swedes #DareToZlatan

— Harry Courtney-Bud (@Harry__Courtney) February 26, 2016

Mens B Singles

It was a tale of what could have been in the Mens B, as Will lost narrowly in the quarter-finals to the eventual winner, Patrick Lorenz. Coley only lost by four and pushed Patrick closer than anybody else did. Even so, the star of Nottingham Racketlon was clearly keen to make a name for himself on the International stage, eventually finishing 6^th after two victories and two losses, one place better than his seeding of 7th. A superb tournament for Will!

James was seeded two spots higher than Will in 5^th but exited a stage earlier in a gruelling contest which saw him accurately describe Racketlon tennis as ‘vile’. The final score was 21-15 12-21 21-15 19-20 to see him lose by just 2 points. He won his second match by 9 before losing his third by 16 to another pesky Swede. Unfortunately James was forced to withdraw from his final match due to a totally not self-inflicted wall-punching incident.

@James_Watkins90 @NottsRacketlon least you didn't punch your TT bat #CalmerThanSpinks

— The Original Willo (@Sam_Wilson92) February 28, 2016

Mens C Singles

In the Mens C it was a case of absolute Swedish domination as no other nation made it to the second round. That includes our two participants, Wanny and Spinks who both fell in the first round. The perk of these defeats was that the two met in the first round of the plate in a rematch of last year’s University B Grade final, which Wanny won.

This time was an even tighter affair. Spinks took the table-tennis 21-2 before Wanny responded with a 21-8 defeat. In a Trent vs Uni affair, Wanny then produced a great squash display to take it 21-11 and need just 18 in tennis. He made it as far as 17 but Spinks made it to 21 first, forcing a gummi arm. Spinks was forced to serve and after having a number of chances he finally put it away to continue his 100% gummi arm record. Unfortunately the toils of the day took its toll on Spinks as he celebrated by throwing up on his own shoes.

Spinks built on his win over Wanny with a huge victory in his next round but then lost his penultimate match. This left him battling for 19-20 but unfortunately illness struck again and he was forced to withdraw. Wanny went one better, winning his next two matches before falling to the seventh seed to finish 26^th.

Mens D Singles

Forget Jesper Ratzer. People travelled to Malmo to see one match in particular. Sam Wilson vs Harry Courtney in the first round of the Mens D. The big one. The dream debut tie. Would Harry win again? Could Sam claim his first victory? No. No he couldn’t. Harry won again.

@NottsRacketlon absolutely smashed @Sam_Wilson92 21-16, 21-10, 21-18, 4-2 #SwedishOpen #Racketlon

— Harry Courtney-Bud (@Harry__Courtney) February 26, 2016

Harry actually had a strong debut international tournament... against British players. After losing to back to back Swedes he then faced fellow Brit Christohper Bates and won by 21 points, needing just 2 points in tennis to finish in 7^th.

In fact, Nottingham had a good record against the Bates family with Sam winning his second match by 12 against Russell Bates. Sam did especially well considering he had to recover from a 21-0 bagel defeat in the table-tennis. In his final match the Swedes continued to prove irritating hosts as Daniel Soderstrom defeated Sam to finish up in 10^th position.

Next up for our Nottingham troops is a trip to Batley for the 3^rd Yorkshire Open. Will Coley, Harry Courtney, Greg Eden, Matt Lau, Adil Patel, Jon Spinks, Jake Tetley and Jonny Wan are already signed up to make the trip but with entry closing on Thursday 10^th March you need to get your entry in soon to join them!

For a more personal insight into the tournament in Malmo, give Jon Spinks' blog a read.

Nottingham Open - An Alternative Review

So that is it. The 2015 UK Racketlon Tour has officially come to an end. And what a year it has been!

Sixteen events on the calender, an excellent international tournament in Malta and a fresh new, regular face in the organising team have helped make this a great year for Racketlon around the UK.

The sixteenth and final event on this year's jam-packed calender saw the Tour head to Nottingham - (or no-man's land as far as the potential Racketlon Ryder Cup is concerned).

The tournament certainly had a little bit of everything.

Outrageous backhands, bizarre quiz questions, queues, unreliable lighting, queues, expletive-laden rants, some more queues, multiple gumi arm finals, and (eventually) a Racketlon TV appearance cover just a few of the memories to take away from the David Lloyd in West Bridgeford.

pic.twitter.com/hjaB6hHluK

— Racketlon News (@keithracketlon) November 14, 2015

Okay, so the tournament certainly had some teething issues. Everyone loves a bit of recovery time after a badminton match but that might have been taken to the extreme this weekend.

But it's all a learning process and hopefully there won't be a repeat of these mistakes when we return to the venue early in 2016.

So rather than focus on the negative, let's enjoy some of the more memorable moments from the weekend.

Best Match

I feel slightly under qualified for this one having not seen a single match being played but then what is Tournament Software good for if not eagerly scanning results for several days after. The Men's C quarter-final encounter between Stuart Stanyan and Lee Gregson looked tasty, with Stuart holding off Lee's booming serves to win by four.

You also won't find a closer contest than the Women's B Singles match between Cambridge's Ruby Marsden and Jessica Pham which ended 23-21 17-21 17-21 21-17 to give Ruby a victory of just +2. If that isn't getting your money's worth then I don't know what is.

But I am going to highlight the Men's C and D Singles finals which remarkably both finished on gumi arms. Of those two, I am going to pick the C final as my best match, as Geoff Woods did incredibly well to, not only keep George Hargreaves below the 10 that he needed, but also saved a number of match points to force the gummi arm. Top work from the Notts pair.

Highlight of the Tournament

Highlight of the tournament? This might be highlight of the year! During the wonderful new one point extravaganza, a round two clash between Johnny Bispham and Will Gregson is where we head.

Picture the scene. Bispham, full of confidence, steps up to serve. Moments later the ball flies straight back past him. Will Gregon, 13 years old I might add, hit the most audacious backhand return off the Bispham serve, straight back past him. Outrageous. One that will be remembered for a long time, and young Master Gregson has certainly earned himself some admirers!

@keithracketlon good day of dubs at notts,thanks for playing BC and MH. But today will be remembered as the day Will G became my idol. Wow!

— Dan Busby (@DanBusby1) November 15, 2015

For Johnny it was to cap off a miserable weekend after his shocking inability to answer a quiz question about his idol and dream date Jesper Ratzer in Saturday's quiz.

Local Hero

Take your pick. It was a massively successful tournament for the Nottingham contingent who took home six trophies between them. Nottingham players reached the finals of five of the six doubles tournaments entered with a special mention for Jonny Wan who won the lottery doubles (partner Will Coley) and the Men's B Doubles (partner Jon Spinks).

WILL COLEY HAS DONE IT!!!! A grade champion on home soil, defeating Ray Jordan in the final!

— Nottingham Racketlon (@NottsRacketlon) November 14, 2015

But it was Wanny's lottery doubles partner, Will, who takes home the Local Hero award after claiming his first ever A Grade singles title - all the more special for earning it on home soil. Will is arguably well on the way to cementing himself among some of Nottingham's other sporting heroes such as boxer Carl Froch and archery enthusiast, Robin Hood. 2016 is going to be a huge year for our curly-haired friend. Watch this space.

Dream Team

You would forgive George Roberts for feeling slightly unloved after both myself and Ramon Miles ditched him as doubles partner over the past few weeks - (both because of injuries - certainly not because we feared he'd be too hungover to turn up....).

@keithracketlon @d_bennett999 @jobennett26 fantastic time playing doubles with David. Loved it. And we won! pic.twitter.com/mhBhUIpAlz

— George Roberts (@GeorgeRacketDon) November 15, 2015

Step up rising star David Bennett. The common expression in life is third time lucky and it certainly seemed that way with George's choice in partner as David carried George (not literally) to a Doubles C title - comfortably dispatching the Gregsons and the Tetleys en route.

Most Outrageous Moment - (Unofficially) Sponsored by Cisk

Straight out of the 'Sam Barker School of Stupid Tennis Decisions That Somehow Pay Off', comes the conclusion to the first (of many... maybe) one point extravaganza competition. James Pope vs Dan Busby. Pope has put his first serve in the net to effectively leave a gummi situation.

Now it's a well known fact that, unless you're Dustin Brown, a serve-and-volley on a second serve is effectively tennis court suicide. That would never stop The Butler though, who served up a successful moment of madness when he intercepted Busby's passing shot to volley home the winner. An A+ for sheer boldness/stupidity from me. #WWSBD

@JamesPope10 is the first ever winner of the one point challenge. @NottsRacketlon unbelievable scenes! pic.twitter.com/ekd8pNUINv

— Racketlon News (@keithracketlon) November 15, 2015

Shortest Debutant

Spare a thought for Adarsh Shah who might have broken a record for the shortest time participating in a debut Racketlon tournament.

The only good thing that can be said is that he just about completed the table-tennis. However, during badminton a knee injury has left the poor debutant on crutches.

Shortest Racketlon career ever @keithracketlon pic.twitter.com/khUHtzM5Ez

— James Watkins (@James_Watkins90) November 14, 2015

We wish you well and hopefully will see you back fighting fit again in the future... maybe even on a squash court!

We are Family

One thing that can certainly be said for the Nottingham Open is that it was very much a family affair. As well as some of our regular family units - the Russell sisters and parent/child pairings of the Gregsons and the Shelleys - a number of new and returning families descended on Nottingham.

The Tetleys, Bens and the Wans made a welcome return to the tour as a group after one or two previous solo tournaments, whilst there were debuts for certain members of the Gillot and Hopwood clan.

Perhaps the stand-out family though were the Woodliffes, especially dad Mark, who blew away the field to win the Over 45s and then backed that up with a devastating doubles performance alongside son, Ben.

Obviously there has to be a special mention for the Whitemans, turning out in force - (with honorary members Mark Harris and I) - for Saturday evening's quiz. We'll ignore the fact that we came third, only beating (unsurpsingly) the Trent table.

Good luck to those playing in Prague and to everyone else, check out the 2016 Tour as it develops!

Not sure what Racketlon is? Find out more information here.

Bernard Tomic - Quiet Progress in a Turbulent Year

Australia has dominated the tennis headlines this year. Mostly for the wrong reasons.

Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic have found themselves in trouble with just about everyone in 2015 and even managed to drag unwitting pal Thanasi Kokkinakis into it earlier in the year.

Whilst their off-court antics have been eagerly documented, their on-court actions have sometimes been overlooked - especially in the case of Bernard Tomic.

Despite his run-in with the law in Miami earlier this year and his explosive rant at Tennis Australia during Wimbledon, Tomic has had a year of steady, progressive improvement.

An impressive run of ten quarter-finals across...

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Things Learnt From the China Open

As the covers are pulled over the China Open for another year, we ar eleft with just enough time to reflect on another intriguing tournament as the tennis world heads towards the end of year Finals.

Beijing really is Novak Djokovic's home from home... or is it Shanghai?

There is just something about the hard courts of Beijing that Novak Djokovic has warned to. Twenty-nine matches, six titles, not a single defeat. That is a pretty sensational record, but perhaps more worringly for his opposition is that nobody even came close to him this week...

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Can Johanna Konta Spark Heather Watson Back Into Life

Another first round, another defeat for Heather Watson as she bowed out of the Korea Open last week against Elizaveta Kulichkova, and again on Monday against Jelena Jankovic. She has five first round defeats in her last six tournaments.

Since coming within two points of defeating Serena Williams on the grass of Wimbledon, the Guernsey-born Brit has failed to build any momentum, taking just three wins in Toronto back in August.

More worringly for Watson will be that lady-luck does seem to have been shining on her. In all five tournaments Watson has drawn players of a lower ranking and...

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Is Eugenie Bouchard Ending Her Terrible Run of Form

Eugenie Bouchard has finally showed glimpses of the form that carried her to last year's Wimbledon final after a turgid 2015 season which has seen her lose 14 of her last 17 matches.

After reaching the Australian Open and French Open semi-finals alongside her Wimbledon final in 2014, the young Canadian scooped up the WTA's Most Improved Player award, just a year after collecting the Best Newcomer Award. Her hugely succesful breakout year also saw her collect one title in Germany on the way to a career high #5, earning herself a qualification spot for the end of year tour...

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5 Players Who Could Prevent Serena Williams from Reaching the US Open Final

In case by some miracle you have managed to miss it, Serena Williams might be about to create history. Her Wimbledon crown saw her pocket her second so-called 'Serena Slam' but now her attention is fully focused on becoming just the fourth female players to complete the calender Grand Slam.

The younger Williams sister is just six victories away from her 22nd Grand Slam title which will put her level with Steffi Graf and just two behind Margaret Court who has won the most Grand Slam titles of all time.

A number of shocks on the opening day...

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Marin Cilic's US Open Preparations Falter

Marin Cilic's preparations for the defence of his US Open crown suffered a setback as he crashed out of the Rogers Cup in the Second Round.

The Croatian suffered a 6-3 6-4 defeat to outspoken Aussie, Bernard Tomic, in his opening match. before comfortably taking the first set.

It was a similar story in the second, with Tomic breaking early before consolidating his lead with an excellent serving display, winning 80 per cent of points on his first serve. Cilic failed to earn himself a single break point in the...

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Jamie V Andy: Murray Brothers Set for First Tour Clash

Less than a month ago Jamie and Andy Murray teamed up to win the doubles rubber of their Davis Cup quarterfinal clash against France, eventually sending Great Britain into the semi-finals for the first time in 34 years. Wednesday, though, they are divided, as the Murray brothers are pitted against each other for the first time on tour in the second round of the Rogers Cup.

Older brother Jamie, 29, is currently in the form of his life alongside Australian partner John Peers after reaching the Wimbledon final and backing that up with his second title of the year at...

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Lucas Pouille continues his gradual rise

As the so-called 'big four era' moves towards its natural conclusion, the eyes of the tennis world are turning towards the youngsters stepping across the threshold to eventually create their own era.

The age of significant progress now seems to be the early twenties with Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov leading the pack. Lower down the age bracket, the audacious Nick Kyrgios and the wildly confident teenager Borna Coric are both fully embracing their 'wonderkid' labels. Yet there is another youngster, quieter and more subdued, ready to burst onto the scene.

Click here to read the full article.

Daniel Evans: British 'Bad Boy' On Road To Recovery

Twelve months ago, Daniel Evans was hot property in the tennis world. On the cusp of conquering the top 100 ranking barrier and with a run to the third round of the US Open in his back pocket, Evans' reputation was on the rise. British fans were particularly excited by a player arguably boasting the most natural ability since a certain Andrew Murray burst onto the scene.

Fast forward eleven months to the start of this year's Wimbledon and you would have found the Birmingham-born Brit languishing at #752 in the World having played the main draw of just four....

Find the rest of the article at http://lastwordonsports.com/2015/07/29/daniel-evans-british-bad-boy-on-road-to-recovery/.

7 Things We Learnt From the First Week of Wimbledon

As we take a well-earned breather after an eventful opening week of Wimbledon there is just enough time to reflect on the goings-on at SW19.

Men's tennis has it's entertainers.

With big servers prominent at the top of the game, it was great to see the showmen take centre stage in the opening week. There was constant one-upmanship between Nick Kyrgios, Gael Monfils and Dustin Brown as the three sought to produce shots of increasingly unique flair and originality.

Whilst only Kyrgios remains in the draw, both Monfils and Brown created first week fireworks before their departure. Brown made himself a household name with a sensational four set victory over Rafael Nadal as well as claiming the unofficial title of best locks in tennis. Similarly Gael Monfils' athletic shot selection reduced his opponent and friend Gilles Simon to laughter with a ridiculous forehand [below] in their third round encounter.

There are Brits other than Murray.

Okay, so as is usual, Andy Murray is the only Brit to make it to the second week in the singles draw. But for the first time in recent memory there were signs that he may not be alone for much longer. Both Heather Watson and James Ward came within a matter of points of making it through to the fourth round, the former almost defeating world number one Serena Williams after a hugely valiant effort. Local lad, Ward, also came close in the third round, eventually falling to Canadian Vasek Pospisil in five sets.

They were not the only success stories though, as Liam Broady kick-started the week with an epic five set victory over Marinko Matosevic before recently converted Brit, Aliaz Bedene, followed suit into the second round where both their journey's ended. It was the most successful Wimbledon in years for British wildcards and gives hope that it is not long until Murray has a friend in the top 30.

Wimbledon's All-White Policy has gone mad.

Kyrgios sporting his controversial headband.

There is tradition, and then there is madness. One of the more controversial talking points from the opening week is the extreme nature of the All England Club's all-white dress code. Both Eugenie Bouchard and Nick Kyrgios found themselves with rapped knuckles after falling foul of the extensive rules.

Bouchard found herself in trouble after a black bra strap emerged during her first round defeat whilst, more bizarrely, Kyrgios was told to turn the official Wimbledon headband, inside out for violating colour rules. So just to emphasise, Kyrgios was not allowed to wear the official Wimbledon headband during an official Wimbledon match. Brilliant.

Anyone is beatable in the WTA... Except Serena.

The first week saw the disappearance of a number of the biggest names in women's tennis as the grass claimed its early victims. One of the biggest shocks was Simona Halep's first round loss to Jana Cepelova. This year's form player, Carla Suarez Navarro swiftly followed whilst she was joined by Ana Ivanovic and Ekaterina Makarova who both exited in round two.

The third round saw the most notable upset as defending champion Petra Kvitova, so comfortable in her opening two rounds, left the court in tears after a tough three-set defeat to Jelena Jankovic.

Serena though. Well, she keeps just being Serena. Not only did she have to battle an inspired Heather Watson but she had to battle a packed-out Centre Court crowd in her gritty third round victory over the British number one. Can anyone actually stop her collecting her third grand slam of the year? I don't think so.

Nick Kyrgios is the Real Deal.

Since exploding onto the tennis scene in last year's Wimbledon through his defeat of Rafa, few have questioned the talents of the tenacious Aussie. One of the pitfalls though, of having a grand slam run as a teenager, is backing it up and injuries during the year have seen question marks as to whether he can last at the top level.

Not only is Kyrgios backing it up, but he is bringing character and interest to a sport with too many robotic personalities. His on-court personal rows and inventive style have made him a fan favourite, but more importantly, a real danger to the big guns in this draw. He has already dismantled big serving Milos Raonic and Richard Gasquet is next in his line of fire. John Newcombe may be right about not writing Kyrgios off too early.

Bouchard isn't having a blip, she's having a crisis.

Bouchard suffered her 12th defeat in 14 matches.

In contrast to Kyrgios' success, Eugenie Bouchard has had a year to completely forget exacerbated by her terrible first round loss to unknown 117th ranked Duan Ying-Ying. Bouchard has been desperately seeking a tournament to turn around a turgid year but the grass of SW19, where she reached the final last year, has not been it.

Bouchard has now lost 12 of her past 14 matches and seems to be suffering from what is commonly referred to in football as a case of second-season-syndrome after her outstanding breakthrough year in 2014. The Canadian looks a shadow of the player she was 12 months ago and some serious self-evaluation needs to occur before the return to the hard court.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Why, oh why did the BBC opt to revamp their highlights coverage into the terrible 'Wimbledon 2day'? When I came in from work on Monday I wanted to sit down and enjoy the highlights of the day. Instead I was treated to amateurish conversation between the out-of-her-depth Clare Balding and an awkward member of an awkward crowd among a couple of legends and a smattering of actual tennis.

The BBC have done their best to evolve the show as the week has gone on but the lack of actual tennis on show is the particular disappointment for what was formerly an excellent highlights show. I believe Balding is an excellent presenter but I am not sure she is the right person for this job and wonder whether, much like Leyton Hewitt, she won't be back at Wimbledon next year.

Sports Ladder (6th - 12th October)

Sports Ladder returns after a long period away and will now be more focused on its inital objective which was to look at who has moved up and down a ladder of public opinion. Before the break it had descended into simply finding which sportsman or woman had a good week and who had a bad week but my aim is to change it back to its original format. Enjoy!


UP - Jules Bianchi / Marussia - A touching start to this weeks ladder as the thoughts and prayers of the Formula 1 community are firmly behind a speedy recovery for Jules Bianchi. Following his accident in Japan a week ago, the Frenchman remains in a critical condition. Hamilton dedicating his Russian GP win and Marussia opting not to replace Bianchi at the weekend are just two examples of the compassion shown from the paddock this week.

UP - Roy Keane - The Irishman will have divided opinion with the release of his autobiography but no one can deny the boldness of the former Manchester United captain in voicing his concerns about Sir Alex Ferguson. Standing up to the former United manager is something few have dared to do so in that sense you have to admire his courage. That said, Keane never was one to shy away from conflict.

UP - Wade and Thornton - It's pretty rare that you get to see a nine-dart-finish in darts, especially on television. James Wade and Robert Thornton had other ideas this week though, as they both knocked down 501 with just nine darts. Wade stepped up first before Thornton replied to send the World Grand Prix crowd into raptures. Wade went on to win the match but realistically, darts was the winner.

UP - Simone Biles - Britain re-fell in love with gymnastics over the summer after the success of Claudia Fragapane and the rest of the team at the Commonwealth Games. However, it was a different teenage sweetheart who stole the show at the World Championships with America's Simone Biles sweeping up an outstanding four gold medals including the best all-rounder. British gymnasts may be the best in the Commonwealth, but the World is still yet to be conquered.

UP - Bayern Munich - The German champions have long been known to treat their fans with the utmost respect and this shows no signs of changing if this week is anything to go by. With Munich's Champions League match with CSKA held behind closed doors, 55 fans rented a room in a nearby skyscraper to watch the match. Munich refunded all 55 of these fans, much to the shock of most English fans who have never seen such generosity from their club.

DOWN - Umberto Gandini - Bitter, is the only word to describe the comments made by AC Milan Chairman Gandini this week. His suggestion that big clubs in Europe should have a wildcard if they don't qualify is quite frankly ridiculous. An alternative would be to play better football and run the club more intelligently so that then you can qualify legitimately like the rest of the teams. Unsurprisingly my opinion of him has decisively dropped this week.

DOWN - Justin Gatlin - Lord Coe this week questioned the decision to nominate Justin Gatlin for World Athlete of the Year after the sprinter has served out two seperate doping bans and I would have to agree. It is one thing letting ex-sprinters race again but to nominate them for awards is certainly a contentious decision. All this week has done though is re-highlight the ongoing drugs problem in athletics.

DOWN - Andy Murray - I think it's fair to say that 2014 has been a year to forget for Britain's number one. Murray has won just one tournament and reached just four tournament semi-finals all year. This week was no different as he tumbled out of China to David Ferrer. Murray seems to be suffering psychologically as he cannot seem to close out matches at the moment and the up-and-coming tennis stars are ready to pounce on the wayward Brit. 2015 cannot come quickly enough.

DOWN - England's Bowlers - Whether you like him or not, there is no question that Kevin Pietersen is one of England's best batsman in recent years. He has always been a bit of an outcast in the England camp though and this week's revelations about his treatment by some of England's bowlers perhaps proves why. With Steve Harmison backing up Pietersen's claims about bullying, it looks like some of the bowlers may have been knocked for six by the claims.

DOWN - Ben Flower - There is no better way to endear yourself to the public than to punch an opponent in the Grand Final of this seasons Rugby League. Flower took just two minutes to launch two punches on opponent Lance Hohaia, earn himself a red card and ultimately cost Wigan the game and the trophy. So literally an example of letting me down, letting the kids down, letting the team down, but most importantly letting himself down. At least an eight game ban awaits.

Premier League Preview: West Bromwich Albion

Last Season: 17th

Pre-Season Prediction: 20th - On a downward spiral since failing to re-obtain Lukaku. Alan Irvine is hardly convincing and neither is their summer transfers. Afraid it'll be au revoir to Albion this year.

West Bromwich Albion survived the drop last year by the absolute skin of their teeth. With just seven wins in the League they had the joint lowest alongside bottom club Cardiff and only survived through the 15 draws they obtained, 4 more than any other club. Aside from that they were extremely disappointing, be it was Steve Clarke or Pepe Mel at the helm - neither of whome are there now - and more or less none of the transfers into the club were a success. They had managed to shake off their 'yo-yo' club image in recent years but came dangerously close to summoning it back after last seasons shocker.

Clearly activity was required in the transfer window and the Baggies have certainly been busy. It was a rocky start though with a number of first team regulars, including Reid, Jones, Ridgewell and Gera all departing to pastures new. The loss has seen new manager Alan Irvine invest heavily, bringing eight players to the club including six defenders. The signings have been a mish-mash of recognisable names with some new kids thrown in. Lescott has signed from City whilst Chris Baird has also arrived from Burnley. Other defenders include Sebastien Pocognoli, Andre Wisdom, Jason Davidson and Christian Bamboa from a variety of leagues and clubs. In midfield, Craig Gardner has joined whilst the bulk of the cash was spent on relatively unknown Nigerian striker Brown Ideye.

The reality is that West Brom's squad needs a total overhall. There is an incredible reliance on Brown Ideye after their top scorer last year had just five league goals. He may also have Berahino up front who is likely to improve but the big questions are based in the midfield. The midfield has little creativity and, perhaps more worryingly, few players who can play a killer pass and supply the strikers with ammunition. With Yacob potentially on his way out, a real stabilising midfielder is needed to provide some balance and WBA may be disappointed to have missed out on Jack Rodwell whilst he was available.

West Brom's season started in almost perfect symmetry to last year - with a draw. A 2-2 draw against Sunderland was fairly impressive and fans will have been boosted to see a return to form for Saido Berahino, who got a brace. Fans will have been particularly pleased to have seen their side not lose after Irvine had seen his side lose their final three friendlies before the season. Perhaps the main problem from the weekends match was the disappointing way in which they were torn apart so easily by Sunderland for the second goal and are likely to struggle badly against the top sides.

The honest truth is that West Brom are in for a hard slog to stay up this season. Alan Irvine is not a convincing appointment at the helm considering his lack of any managerial experience in the past whilst their transfer history over the last couple of seasons does not bode well for this year either. Far too much pressure is being put on the 10 million pound man, Brown Ideye and if he does not live up to his biling then the deal will effectively be sealed as West Brom are nailed on to go down. They have no star player and little to suggest anyone will be arriving before the end of the window. A long, hard season ahead for Albion fans.

Key Man: Brown Ideye - Since the departure of Romelu Lukaku two seasons ago, WBA have been undoubtedly short at the front. Now they have thrown all their eggs into one basket with Brown as he has never before played in the League and will need the frontman to be better than clinical if they are to survive. The Nigerian does boast impressive stats, with a goal every other game over his entire career. A powerful striker, he has plenty of variety to his game and can score with either foot.

One to Watch: Saido Berahino - Berahino gained himself a lot of plaudits last season after bursting from more or less nowhere to bag a few goals in the league. However, his reputation was tarnished after a dressing room bust-up with teammate James Morrison as well as photos emerging of him inhaling laughing gas on a night out. After grabbing a brace on the opening day it would appear that those off the field issues are long gone, and hopefully now the young striker can up his goal tally of five last year.

Best Summer Signing: Craig Gardner - He may be a walking booking in footballing terms but Craig Gardner certainly provides an injection of physicality into an otherwise uninspiring midfield. Gardner himself is particularly pleased to be returning to the area he grew up in and will be looking to win over the fans sooner rather than later. Gardner will come with a direct style of play and Baggies fans will be pleased to see he is not afraid to put his foot through the ball either.

Sports Ladder (11th - 17th August)

UP - Jo Pavey - Just under a year ago, Jo Pavey was giving birth to her second child. Now, at the age of 40, she is the European Champion over the distance of 10,000m. Jo has been around for years but made us remember her at the Commonwealth Games with a spirited final lap to get a bronze. However, at the Europeans she was even better, sprinting down the home straight to win her first major competition gold medal. Amazingly the word on the street is that Pavey has no thoughts on retiring. An inspiration to mums everywhere.

UP - British Sprinters - A huge congrats to the entire GB squad for their record medal haul but in particular it was the sprinters who shone in Zurich. Adam Gemili and James Dasaolu stormed to victory in the 200m and 100m respectively whilst there was also success for both the mens and womens 4 x 100m teams on the final evening. We did successfully gain a medal in every 100/200m race as Ashleigh Nelson got bronze in the 100m and Jodie Williams claimed a silver in the 200m. Things looking very bright on the track.

UP - Kell Brook - Kell Brook became the most recent Brit to claim a boxing title after winning his fight with Shawn Porter, ending with a narrow points victory. The 28-year-old took his unbeaten run to 33 matches as he became the IBF Welterweight Champion. The victory now firmly tosses Brook in the fray to fight Amir Khan, a highly anticipated bout should Khan fail to land his dream fight against either Mayweather or Pacquiao. Froch v Groves was a great all British affair and I certainly wouldn't object to another one.

UP - Mo Farah - Come on Mo, it's getting boring now. When you see Mo Farah lined up and looking focused on the start line, you just know there can only be one outcome. Once again he has proved his undoubted class, claiming both the 5,000 and 10,000m gold medals at the European Championships this year to become the most decorated non-relay athlete ever in the Championships. This is great and all, but the race we all want to see is still Farah vs Bolt!

UP - Padraig Harrington - Okay so it was largely a mixed week for Padraig Harrington. He may have lost his PGA Tour card after his ninth missed cut this year. Redemption emerged though with a video of his longest drive attempt in the competition at Valhalla the week before as he did what everyone has always wanted to do - a 'Happy Gilmore'. He may have hooked it well left but will still go down as a legend for this brilliant attempt. Hats off to you Padraig! Now focus on your actual golf.

DOWN - Stuart Broad - Like Harrington, Broad had a mixed week. He may have been one of the star men in the fifth and final test against India which England won by well over an innings. However, he unfortunately did it all looking like he had been on a month long binge. A broken nose from the fourth test meant that Broad had intense bruising around both eyes as well as a rather ugly looking nose. He won't care though after the way they battered India in the end.

DOWN - Dani Pedrosa - No one likes a spoil sport but Dani Pedrosa really became party pooper this week when he won the Czech Grand Prix, ending the ten race winning streak of Marc Marquez. The Moto GP title has been wrapped up for a while with Marquez's winning streak so all eyes were on how many records the young Spaniard could break. But alas his teammate Pedrosa drove in to steal the show and to stop the consecutive victories. We'll ignore the fact that Marquez ended up coming fourth, so wasn't challenging anyway.

DOWN - Brandao - What kind of top class idiot headbutts someone in the tunnel after the very first game of the season? Well the answer to that question is the Bastia striker, Brandao. A video emerged from the tunnel after the game where Brandao appears to wait specifically for PSG's Thiago Motta before going 'full-Pardew' and headbutting him. Motta chased Brandao before being broken up with a lot of blood flowing from his nose. Brandao is going to become Bannedao once the French FA deal with him.[Video below]

DOWN - Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad - A commentators nightmare no doubt but the Frenchman had an absolute mare this week after being disqualified from the 3000m steeplechase for opting to run the home straight topless. It would have been a brilliant third steeplechase world title but was instead cruelly taken away after the grumpy Spanish decided they didn't like his antics. He made up for it though a few days later though when he won the 1500m final so it wasn't a completely terrible week.

DOWN - Crystal Palace - Last week Mark Robins dropped down the Sports Ladder for leaving Huddersfield after just one match of the new season. Tony Pulis decided he fancied topping that by leaving two days before the season even started. Pulis had cemented himself as a cult hero after guiding Palace to an incredible 11th in the League since joining in November but clearly something went wrong behind the scenes as he has gone, leaving one great relegation-threatened mess.

Premier League Preview: Tottenham

Last Season: 6th

Pre-Season Prediction: 6th - A better season in store providing that Levy keeps himself as far away from the action as possible.

In a backhanded way, it's pretty impressive how far Tottenham have come that a season with 69 points and European football once again has been looked at as such a disappointment. Albeit, last year was a shambles. Villas-Boas wasn't having a terrible season but was playing some dreadfully dull stuff whilst his successor, Tim Sherwood, had a fairly solid short reign with a more interesting but naive style of play (as well as a terrible dress sense. Gillet anyone?) The Europa League was again an unrewarding distraction and the summer spending binge turned out to be an almost wholly catastrophic failure but all of that aside it was not as bad as it could have been.

Spurs have been careful to ensure they did not replicate the mistakes of last year, keeping their business quiet but intelligent. A player exchange has seen Ben Davies and Michel Vorm join from Swansea with Sigurdsson going in the opposite direction. The only other signing has been the much unknown English centre-back Eric Dier who has been plying his trade abroad at Sporting throughout his career thus-far. Aside from this they have, so far, lost more or less none of their first team squad and will perhaps be seeking to see if they can get a better second season out of any of their signings from last summer.

In that sense, some players from last year may almost feel like a new signing. Erik Lamela and Etienne Capoue in particular spent large portions of last season through injury and will be looking to prove themselves this year. That is not to say some more investment is not needed. Adebayor, Soldado and Kane have all proven themselves unreliable and a potent striker is needed with Bony on the cards. Spurs also seem interested in both Rodriguez and Schneiderlin but a deal is looking increasingly unlikely this transfer window. On paper though, Spurs do not necessarily need any more players as they have decent squad depth. Now they just need to hope Pochettino can get them all fully firing.

So far his record at the helm has been unbeaten after a healthy pre-season coupled with an opening day victory against West Ham which will see the fans feeling fairly happy with the start he has made. Albeit the 1-0 victory against the Hammers was fairly lucky but in some ways, a scrappy victory is a great way to start the season because it can only get better from there. Perhaps the highlight has been the marvelous pre-season form of their most expensive signing, Erik Lamela, and hopefully he can replicate it in the League.

It's a bit of a difficult one predicting Tottenham. Everything is pointing towards an improvement this season but then where do they go because I also don't see them eclipsing the teams above them. A quiet improvement coupled with a period of stability may be the perfect platform for a launch at the top four again next season, because it looks unlikely this year. Reducing the number of goals conceded and pushing ahead of Everton should be the main objectives, especially considering the Toffee's are back in Europe as well. Expect a quiet but positive season on the whole for Spurs.

Key Man: Hugo Lloris - The sole player to have appeared in every minute of the Premier League from the Tottenham squad, Lloris is a world class goalkeeper and provides a huge amount of stability behind a still wayward defense. He is prone to the odd error due to his sweeper-keeper tendencies but is undoubtedly one of the very top goalkeepers in the world, let alone the League. With rumours of him wanting Champions League football, Spurs may have to savour what could be their last season with the French international.

One to Watch: Erik Lamela - It may seem a very predictable choice but that is because there are simply a lot of eyes on the Argentine. Still the most expensive player in Tottenham's history, he has a lot to prove after a series of disappointing performances before spending much of the second half injured with a back injury. However, Lamela will no doubt see his first season in North London as a learning curve and will be hoping it is a case of second time lucky. With a decent pre-season under his belt and having significantly bulked up from when he first arrived expect Lamela to be an eye-catching player for Spurs. Eventually.

Best Signing: Eric Dier - Defense has been a problem at White Hart Lane for a few years now and is still not necessarily one that has been solved in the short term. Yet the signings of the 20-year-old pair Ben Davies and Eric Dier have certainly gone some way towards assuring a long-term stability. Dier looked competent alongside Kaboul against West Ham and will have pleased fans with his last minute winner. Whether he will start every week is another question once the full team is fit again but he has certainly injected a renewed sense of optimism into this back line.

Premier League Preview: Swansea City

Last Season: 12th

Pre-Season Prediction: 10th - Without the added pressure of the Europa League, Swansea are in for an easier season. Will certainly have been pleased to emerge as the dominant Welsh club.

Swansea City made their European debut last year and, although they obviously enjoyed it, suffered as a result in the League. Only once did the Swans win back-to-back matches and, although they were never right in the thick of the relegation battle, they were hovering dangerously close towards the back end of the season and will be keen to ensure that this doesn't happen again. With Laudrup long gone, all eyes will be on club legend Garry Monk this year. Monk was handed a full managerial contract after keeping the side up last season and will be eager to impress as the League's current youngest manager.

Monk's first test has been managing the squad through the transfer window and has suffered with the loss of a number of important squad players. Both Michel Vorm and Ben Davies departed to Spurs whilst Chico and Pablo Hernandez also left to play in Qatar. Michu has also travelled to Napoli on loan after a disappointing season. Monk has acted quickly to replace these departed players, with Fabianski replacing Vorm and Sigurdsson returning for Hernandez. Ashley Williams will return to the starting line-up in place of Ben Davies whilst Marvin Emnes and Bafetimbi Gomis provide an injection of power to the front line. Jefferson Montero is a new addition on the wing and will provide a huge boost of pace.

That said, Monk's side still has a number of gaps yet to fill. Another defensive midfielder to slot into his 4-2-3-1 formation is vital. The Swans also look somewhat light at the back and could use another defender or two to provide plenty of protection for Fabianski. Their main aim before the end of the transfer window though, will be to ensure they keep hold of talisman striker Wilfried Bony. Bony netted 25 in all competitions in his debut season and is on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs. Monk has to ensure he is still there when the window slams shut.

Form has been difficult to come by in pre-season for the Swans, with three victories in seven mirrored by three losses and also a draw. Some solid results against Reading and Plymouth were compounded by losses to Villareal and Bournemouth although Monk will not mind so much after a marvellous opening day victory against Louis Van Gaal's Manchester United. Monk guided his team to a 2-1 victory which will give the team heaps of confidence as they progress in the coming weeks.

Swansea's early victory already proves that they will be more of a force than last year. Without their mid-week travels around Europe they will be fresher and with their summer acquisitions will be more of a danger going forward. Monk is obviously learning all the time and it will be intersting to see how he copes should Swansea go on a bad run, but all the signs seem to be pointing towards a return to their form from a couple of years ago. One thing I would almost guarantee is that we will not see Swansea near the relegation zone.

Key Man: Wilfried Bony - The important of the Ivorian cannot be overstated as he is a clinical goal-scoring machine. Questions are always asked of strikers with big figures arriving from Holland after the failures of the likes of Alfonso Alves and Majeta Kezman but Bony answered them superbly, growing throughout the season to eventually net 16 League goals. In a free-flowing offensive system such as Swansea's, Bony should profit again for a second season, and if he stays then do not be surprised to see him eclipse this mark.

One to Watch: Jefferson Montero - The Ecuadorian is a new arrival at the Liberty Stadium but has already shown has capabilities after coming off of the bench to terrorise Phil Jones against Manchester United on Saturday.  The left-winger has blistering pace and has demonstrated it fully both in pre-season and on Saturday but will need to bring more than that to his game if he is to be a success. Pace is one thing but the Ecuadorian needs to prove he has a good football brain to go with it if he is to really make a name for himself in the Premier League.

Best Signing: Bafetimbi Gomis - The powerful Frenchman may find himself with a pivotal job to play in the south of Wales should his Ivorian strike partner depart but for now will be feeling relaxed as the current back-up striker. With ten goals or more in each of his last eight seasons, Gomis is a potent finisher with a fairly clean injury record and has been eagerly anticipated now by Premier League fans for a number of years after his on-off transfer to Newcastle. If he gets a run in the first team then do not be surprised to see him rustling the back of the opposition net.

Premier League Preview: Sunderland

Last Season: 14th

Pre-Season Prediction: 13th - After a late surge last season to survive the drop, expect stability to reign at Sunderland this year as they finish fairly comfortably above the drop.

Last season saw the Black Cats pull off the impossible. With six games to go, Gus Poyet's side were seven point adrift of safety and more or less down and out for the count after just two points from nine matches. Suddenly a run of four consecutive victories including defeats of Chelsea and Manchester United saw Sunderland safe for another year with a game left to play. This tumultuous period of up-and-down was symbolic of a season lacking any sort of stability. Di Canio was sent his marching orders early on and, despite his best efforts, it really did not look like Poyet was going down. They survive though, and attention must be turned to the coming season.

The squad has been heavily reshaped over the summer, with the loss of a number of key players including Phil Bardsley, Jack Colback and Craig Gardner. That said, Poyet has invested, bringing in Patrick Van Aanholt and Billy Jones to bolster an ageing back-line, whilst Costel Pantilimon will provide Vito Mannone with some quality competition. It is in midfield though where the best signings arrive in the form of Will Buckley, Jack Rodwell and Jordi Gomez. Gomez and Buckley both had outstanding seasons for Wigan and Brighton respectively whilst Jack Rodwell will be keen to get his career back on track after a two year period warming the bench at Manchester City.

That said, there are still issues with the squad that need to be addressed. Whilst Brown and O'Shea at centre-back are an experienced pair, neither are getting any younger and Poyet needs to address this with a quality young centre-back as a long-term investment. One of his biggest tasks will be to ward off the vultures that are slowly circling to take Connor Wickham away from the Stadium of Light. Wickham went on a superb goal-scoring run during their survival run and, if he can carry that form into this season, may be a 15-goal man, something Sunderland desperately need.

His pre-season form would certainly suggest that he might after netting three times, including against Real Betis and Udinese. Sunderland's form in friendlies has certainly reinforced the feeling that Poyet is very much getting to grips with his side as they won six of their eight fixtures. As well as goals from Wickham, Steven Fletcher also bagged himself three goals which will provide a major boost after the talented striker missed large portions of last season through injury. After conceding 60 goals in the league last year, Poyet will be delighted that his side conceded just two goals in these eight matches.

So what should we expect from Sunderland this year? All the arrows seem to be pointing towards a more stable season for the Black Cats as Poyet, as least for now, seems to be in it for the long haul. He is shaping the squad to suit his passing style as epitomised by the signings of Jordi Gomez and his taking over of the Academy as well will ensure that the youth ranks are brought up with this mentality as well. With a more assured defensive line and, currently, the fitness of both Fletcher and Wickham, Sunderland are looking well on top of ensuring they remain well clear of the drop zone.

Key Man: Vito Mannone - Despite the reinforced back-line, last years Player of the Year will still be a busy boy in the Sunderland goal. Mannone had a marvelous debut season at the Stadium of Light after keeping eleven clean sheets in the League and putting in a number of assured performances. The Italian will have received a confidence boost  last year after a rocky career at Arsenal and will carry that into this season as he seeks to become one of the League's more established goalkeepers.

One to Watch: Connor Wickham - Wickham ensured he became something of a short-term cult hero after his late goal flurry more-or-less single handedly kept Sunderland in the top flight last year. After spending much of the season on loan at both Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds, Poyet will be desperate to keep hold of the much-courted English striker this year as he searched for a powerful potent striker to lead the line. If, and it's a big if, Wickham stays then he could become instrumental for Poyet's team.

Best Summer Signing: Jack Rodwell - Rodwell has become another promising Brit to fall into the 'wasted talent' category after disappearing into the shadows of the Etihad Stadium following a hugely disappointing couple of seasons languishing on the bench. Rodwell's move to Sunderland gives him a chance to rekindle career and hopefully the 23-year-old will find the motivation to really press-on and remind people why he was once touted as the next-best-thing to happen to English football. Over to you Mr Rodwell. Prove Manchester City wrong.

Premier League Preview: Stoke City

Last Season: 9th

Pre-Season Prediction: 9th - Hughes may fall into the same trap as Pulis in being stuck in the middle-of-the-pack. Astute summer signings will cement their place as one of the leading chasers.

Last summer was a tumultuous period for Stoke City supporters. The departure of the popular Tony Pulis after a period of stagnant safety led to the arrival of the unconvincing Mark Hughes. Supporters were left in doubt as to the impact Hughes could have but he proved them wrong after an astounding season lifted the Potters up to 9th in the League. In particular, a strong end to the season saw Hughes' men lose just three of their final fifteen games to end the season full of confidence. The question now is whether Hughes can show signs of progression or whether he will go down the Pulis road of stagnation.

Stoke's summer signings have proved to be some of the most unusual and interesting in the League this year with a complete mixture of talent. Football Manager enthusiasts will be salivating at the sight of former Barcelona wonderkid Bojan Krkic on a wet and windy Wednesday night at Stoke whilst former Manchester United reject Mame Biram Diouf also joins the ranks after a successful spell in Germany. The experienced pair of Steve Sidwell and Phil Bardsley have been brought in to strengthen an already healthy unit of players whilst Dionatan Teixiera arrives as another back-up defender.

After losing virtually none of their main players over the summer, the Potters look very healthy heading into the new season. Their squad depth is fairly good, especially in defence with a brilliant back four of Pieters, Shawcross, Huth and Bardsley with the likes of Muniesa and Shotton in reserves. To be honest, for a club of their stature and finances they have a near perfect squad and do not necessarily need to strengthen any depth anywhere over the park. If they were to sign anyone else now it would only be to replace someone departing although that all seems rather unlikely with the Premier League beginning tomorrow.

Despite a strong end to last season, friendly results have not been overly ideal. Stoke have seen out a number of mediocre ties including just one win in seven including, perhaps more worryingly, just two clean sheets. It is not necessarily worth reading two much into this though as a lot of these matches have been about establishing a new system offensively, revolving around Diouf leading the line with a creative trio of Bojan, Arnautovic and Odemwingie playing behind. A particular highlight has been the form of Bojan who has scored three times in pre-season, much to the delight of Hughes.

Somethings tells me that Stoke are going to be one of the easier teams to predict this year simply because we know what to expect. Stoke are a resilient side defensively and will be hard to break down often playing on the counter attack. The summer additions should improve them on the whole, particularly offensively where there has been an injection of flair and diversity. The key for Hughes will be to ensure that his side show progression, with perhaps the first objective being to turn goal difference from negative to positive, as well as gaining more than the 50 points garnered last season.

Key Man: Asmir Begovic - Undoubtedly the star of this side, Stoke have done well to keep hold of their talisman goalkeeper. They have perhaps been lucky that the top sides all seemingly have top quality goalkeepers in place otherwise Begovic would almost certainly have been linked with a move away from the Britannia. He had a solid debut World Cup with Bosnia and looks to have carried that form into pre-season. With an organised defence in front of him, Begovic could have less to do this year but can always be relied on to perform when needed.

One to Watch: Marko Arnautovic - The Austrian was the star signing of Mark Hughes' first season in charge and will now be looking to take his game to the next level. Arnautovic showed flashes of brilliance on the left-wing in his debut season but should be aiming to produce this on a more consistent basis. For a player of his quality, just four goals in the League will be a massive disappointment, especially considering only two came from open play. If he can link up well with his new attacking partners, Bojan and Diouf, then expect him to start flying up both the assists and the goalscoring charts.

Best Summer Signing: Bojan Krkic - I really want Bojan to be a success in the Premier League. When I first saw he had signed I was sceptical. After his initial rise to prominence, the Barcelona starlet had disappeared off of the footballing radar before popping up at Stoke and now seeks to rekindle his career on the grand stage. The Spaniard will be hoping to recover from a largely disappointing season at Ajax last year and if his pre-season form is anything to go by then he looks to be on the right path. Despite his undoubted ability, questions still need to be asked as to how he will cope with the physicality of the Premier League being a fairly slight lad. However, he still has time on his side and may well just got and set the League alight.