Who will come out on top now we’re in New York…

 

It’s the start of the US Open in New York and the top seeds must feel they  have a bye to the finals Lollipop. With last year’s champion Rafael Nadal out with an injury to his right wrist and World No. 1 Serena Williams unable to reach a grand slam final this year the court seems wide open.

After a resurgence in form pundits are backing this year’s Wimbledon runner up and all time great Roger Federer to win his first Grand slam since 2012. The Swiss looked dominant when he defeated Spain’s David Ferrer 6-3,1-6,6-2 to retain his sixth Cincinnati open crown earlier this month. His rival and Wimbledon champ Novak Djokovic has flailed in the past few years at the US Open when he has reached the finals. But having reclaimed his World Number 1 status Novak must be feeling a little confident.

Despite arriving at Flushing Meadows on the back of three successive quarter-final defeats, and without a title or a win over a top-10 player since Wimbledon last year Murray is still a contender for Lollipop.

Coach Mauresmo is now responsible for his return of form but his draw to the US Open finals looks torrid with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Djokovic awaiting him.

Our top seeds also need to look out for the players that made a name for themselves at Wimbledon this past year. Grigor Dimitrov who reached his first Grand Slam semi final against Djokovic and Australian Nick Kyrgios who knocked out Nadal in the fourth round of the grass tournament are both in contention. They are no longer underdogs and the former champs should be wary.

The women’s title seems even more open. This years Wimbledon queen Petra Kvitová does not favour well on hard courts having only reached the fourth round of the US Open twice in 2009 and 2012. French Open champion Maria Sharapova has already proven she is more of a clay court player now but her fighting spirit could win her points. Canadian Eugenie Bouchard is currently ranked number 8 in the World and became the first Canadian to reach the finals of a Grand Slam this year. But she crumbled against Kvitová losing in straight sets. Perhaps the 20 year-old Wimbledon finalist needs more experience to win her first ever title.

Despite Williams’ fall in form in the past few weeks her game has been sharp, focused and powerful. She was most impressive in Cincinnati last weekend when she obliterated an in-form Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-1 in the final. With that performance Lollipop still expects Williams to retain the title.

However the Men’s draw seems more complicated. Who will come out on top in New York Lollipop? Maybe we could have a shocking final like in the previous Australian Open when Stan Wawrinka took the crown. Or maybe things could be more straight forward. After all he is the favourite to win.

 

 

Lollipop’s Premier Predictions

The first day of the Premier League season has been played but not all is as it seems. Only one of the teams who finished in the top four last season were on show today. Arsenal faced what most assumed would be a shaken Crystal Palace at the Emirates after the shock departure of manager Tony Pulis. But Arsene Wenger’s side only just managed a 2-1 win in the final three minutes of the game.

The visitors took a shock first-half lead when Brede Hangeland headed the ball in from a set piece. The Gunners equalised just before the break when Laurent Koscielny nodded in an Alexis Sanchez’s free-kick. Palace looked set for a point but then forward Jason Puncheon was sent off for a second offence in the 89th minute and Aaron Ramsey pounced. The Welsh midfielder was quickest to the loose ball after Mathieu Debuchy’s snap-shot was saved.

Despite their dramatic win this was not the same Arsenal Lollipop watched last weekend when they beat champions Manchester City so comprehensibly in the Charity Shield tie.

German World cup winners Per Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil were absent from today’s match and it was only when rested France striker Olivier Giroud was introduced in the second half that the Gunners looked deadly.

After spending over £61 million – the most any English club has bargained this summer Arsenal did not look like the full package. Chile international sensation Alexis Sanchez  played the full 90 minutes but Arsenal are not a one-man team. Last season they found it difficult to put away the top three league contenders but this time they may have trouble putting away the underdogs.

Over at Old Trafford the scoreline was the same but the headline completely different. New manager Van Gaal endured his first defeat as goals from Swansea’s two returning players Ki Sung-yueng and Gylfi Sigurdsson gave the Welsh side a historic victory. Wayne Rooney’s goal from an overhead kick  in the 23^rd minute  was not enough and once again his side were found wanting.  Spaniard Ander Herrera was the only new signing United had on the pitch with Luke Shaw injured and Robin Van Persie still dubbed unfit. Like David Moyes before him Van Gaal took full responsibility for the loss. He said: “When you can’t bring it in their first game it is disappointing for the fans.”

“They did not work as a team,” claimed Van Gaal but that it is not the only problem. New signings are needed. Whether it is lack of money or lack of available players willing to make the move Lollipop and I aren’t sure. But things need to change before their opponents start gloating once more.

Arsenal sit at the top of the table despite not playing at their best while United lie in 17^th place with new boys Leicester 10 places ahead of them after an impressive 2-2 draw against Everton.

If Lollipop and I were the reigning champions we would not be worried by what we had seen from the two sides most pundits believe will finish in the top four this season.

United and Arsenal both have work to do and so will Manchester City and Liverpool tomorrow. But at least one man can look on with a slight advantage.

Luck does not lose matches Lollipop

Once again England Netball team were defeated in the dying seconds of a match as they lost 34-35 to Commonwealth champions New Zealand in the semi-finals at the SECC in Glasgow.

Lollipop and I were devastated as we groaned at the TV screen and watched Goal Attack Maria Tutaia net the final shot of the match to take New Zealand to the Gold Medal Final.

With New Zealand’s Catherine Latu out of the starting seven the champs looked beatable especially after such a close knit game against Malawi in the group stages where they only just snatched victory 47-50.

Lollipop fancied England’s chances and so did the screaming Glasgow crowd. England led 16-12 in the 2^nd quarter but by half time the Silver Ferns had clawed their way back and led 20-19.

Manchester Thunder Captain Sara Bayman came on at Centre and made some excellent passes to Wing attack Jade Clarke to keep possession in the centre third.

But it was not enough to keep New Zealand at bay as Tutaia found her shooting range and ensured the score was still level at 29-29 at the end of the 3^rd quarter.

The final 15 minutes was where England unravelled. With six minutes left it was 34- 31 to England. Lollipop was confident we could do the unthinkable but New Zealand came back. England failed to score in the last five minutes as a missed shot from Goal attack Kadeen Corbin then a panicked passed from the player gave New Zealand the ball. Throughout the game Corbin let her emotions take over and her poor shooting (14 from 21) let her down. The Kiwis made no mistakes with the winner on the final whistle and that was the difference between the two sides.

The Commonwealth champions used their experience and remained calm despite trailing in the final quarter. They had not played their best Netball but New Zealand were unbeatable when it mattered most. Plaudits said England were unlucky but Manchester Thunder coach Tracey Neville said the opposite.

During BBC 5 live commentary Neville said: “There is a lot of words being used like should have and we didn’t.”

“We didn’t learn from our game against Australia and we didn’t have that closing out the game strategy on the court today.”

Lollipop agrees with Neville. England allowed the same mistakes that cost them a famous win over Australia in the group stages to happen again. England led for 39 minutes of their game against the World number one team but in the dying seconds Goal Shooter Jo Harten missed an easy shot and Australia countered to win in the dying seconds.

If England had won our team would have played Jamaica and Australia would have played New Zealand in the semis. The scores would have been very different and Lollipop may have been watching England in the final tomorrow.

Neville asked: “Kadeen is obviously very upset but do you put blame on one player?”

No you cannot when your side should not have been in this predicament in the first place.

England Coach Anna Mayes could not make the decision to take Corbin off despite the player unravelling in front of Lollipops very eyes. But that is not what cost England the tournament. The damage was done when they lost to Australia 49-48.

Somehow in less than 24 hours England must pick themselves up for the Bronze medal match against Jamaica who lost 57-42 to Australia.

With Jamaica suffering a heavier defeat in the semi-finals and England ranking one place higher than them in third it seems like an easy clash.

But with Corbin not playing her best Netball and her side’s dreams in tatters Jamaica’s Sunshine girls may come out on top.

Plus someone could show up to spoil England’s medal party.