Heather Watson clinches the third WTA title of her career by triumphing at the Monterrey Open in Mexico while Katie Clark and Olivia Federici secure an Olympic Games quota spot out in Rio. Here's our review of the last 24 hours.
Heather Watson admits she was ecstatic to end her hoodoo against Kirsten Flipkens as she won her third WTA title with victory at the Monterrey Open, Mexico.
Flipkens had won the previous two meetings between the pair but after losing the first set, Watson bounced back to beat the Belgian 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
The British No.2 adds the Monterrey Open to her title collection which also includes the 2012 Japan Open and 2015 Hobart International and was pleased to come through.
“It was really tough, I was so nervous coming into the match because I'd never beaten Kirsten before, she's a great player and really makes you work," said Watson.
"I thought she was pretty flawless in the first set and I was getting frustrated but I just had to stay calm and try my best, and didn't look past the next point."
Synchronised swimmers Katie Clark and Olivia Federici secured an Olympic quota place by winning the duet free discipline at the Olympic Games qualification tournament in Rio.
They scored 80.0333 for their snakes-themed routine to triumph in the free which gave them a total of 157.2544 to achieve second place overall – with a top-four spot required to seal a quota spot for Rio 2016.
The competition was the final qualification event for the Games meaning that, if selected, Clark and Federici will have a chance to compete at a second Olympics.
The duo were at London 2012 but retired after the 2013 World Championships, only to return to the sport last year.
And head coach Katie Dawkins was delighted at the way the plan came together for the pair.
“We are all extremely pleased with that performance. We have trained solidly since Thursday to get that top place in the second round,” said Dawkins.
“Katie and Olivia have worked tirelessly and the changes were noticeable in every session. Their hard work has really been rewarded here.”
Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins channelled the spirit of 2008 to round off the World Track Cycling Championships in style on Sunday and Cavendish claims their madison victory was among the best of his storied career.
The duo won World gold the last time they competed in the madison eight years ago and produced a sterling display to repeat that at Lee Valley VeloPark – bringing the curtain down on a magical World Championships for Team GB.
Great Britian topped the overall medal table with five golds, one silver and three bronzes, following Laura Trott’s omnium triumph earlier on Sunday.
“That was incredible, it was our second World Championship together after we rode eight years ago and I’m so happy,” said Cavendish.
“It will probably be one of the last times we ride together and that was incredible – it really was one of the greatest wins of my career.”
Don’t miss our full wrap of Sunday’s action here
Andy Murray was once again Great Britain’s Davis Cup hero as his five-set victory over Kei Nishikori saw them into the quarter-finals on Sunday.
And the man himself now has his eyes set on repeating last year’s famous win in the competition, Britain’s first since 1936, following the 3-1 triumph over Japan.
With GB leading 2-1 heading into Sunday’s action – thanks to Murray’s singles victory over Taro Daniel on Friday and doubles win alongside older brother Jamie on Saturday – the British No.1 knew victory over world No.6 Nishikori would secure safe passage.
What ensued at Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena was an exhausting, almost five-hour classic in which the momentum swung back and forth before the Brit eventually prevailed 7-5, 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 – setting up a July quarter-final away to world No.1 Novak Djokovic’s Serbia.
“The crowd helped for sure,” said Murray. “Physically I was struggling a little bit at the end of the third set and through the fourth.
“But in the fifth set I was a little bit calmer. I got pumped up at the end, got a lot of positive energy, and that was enough.
"Last year was incredible every time I played in the Davis Cup. This team did something special and I would like to do the same again this year.”
Check out our full report and reaction to the epic encounter here
Kat Driscoll won a deserved bronze medal at the opening trampoline World Cup event of the season in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Having won a medal at the inaugural European Games in the Azeri capital last summer, Driscoll continued her affinity with the city by coming third in the women’s individual final.
Her score of 54.470 was enough for bronze behind Belarusian duo Hanna Harchonak and Tatsiana Piatrenia and will have been a real boost at the start of an Olympic year.
England’s men rounded out a torrid weekend in the Las Vegas leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series with defeat to Canada in the Shield semi-final.
Having failed to notch a win in pool B, England dropped into the Bowl competition where they lost their quarter-final to France on Saturday to send them into the Shield.
Things failed to improve on Sunday as the injury-hit Red Rose squad went down 24-7 to Canada to end their participation in the tournament with disappointment.
Simon Amor’s troops will now have to pick themselves up before heading to Vancouver for the next leg of the Series next weekend.
There was better news for the Team GB Women though as they reached the final of the Las Vegas Invitational event.
GB – consisting of nine English players, two Welsh and one Scottish – battled their way through the pool before downing the Maple Leafs in the semi-final but a well-drilled France side proved a step too far in the final as they triumphed 12-7 despite Kay Wilson’s try. Sportsbeat 2016