Snooker: Marco Fu was playing Judd Trump in the final of the Ladbrokes Players Championship yesterday after overcoming Ding Junhui in a tense final-frame decider in Llandudno late Saturday. At the break it was two-all but then Fu took the next to regain the lead before Ding won the next three frames to put him one away from victory – including runs of 59 and 72. However, the world number nine hit back with a clearance of 61 to extend the match into a 10th frame. Fu fought back to level at 5-5 and take it to a decider and then produced a confident 98 clearance to seal his third successive frame and a place in the final.
Rallying: Great Britain’s Kris Meeke strengthened his lead over Sebastien Ogier to take a commanding advantage into the final leg of the Mexico Rally. Meeke won just one of the nine speed tests in Guanajuato but it proved decisive as a spin by Frenchman Ogier saw him eventually slip 30.9 seconds adrift. Ogier won two tests in his Ford Fiesta and ended 39.6 seconds clear of Belgian Thierry Neuville while Estonia’s Ott Tanak is fourth. New Zealand’s Hayden Paddon is fifth and Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland is sixth heading into the final two tests.
Tennis: Caroline Wozniacki thinks Maria Sharapova’s wildcard for the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart next month is “disrespectful”. Sharapova’s 15-month ban for taking meldonium ends on April 26 and the Stuttgart event starts on the 24th. As such, Sharapova will not be allowed at the venue until her ban has passed. Wozniacki said: “First of all I think she’s a good draw for tennis, women’s tennis in general. But two, I think it’s questionable allowing – no matter who it is – a player that is still banned to play a tournament that week.”
Rugby Union: All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will be holding his breath over the next few days as a number of players in contention to play the British and Irish Lions in June were all injured in the latest round of Super Rugby. Winger Waisake Naholo, fullbacks Nehe Milner-Skudder and Israel Dagg, centre Seta Tamanivalu and flyhalf Lima Sopoaga all suffered leg injuries for their respective Super Rugby sides. The injuries to Naholo and Sopoaga (both hamstrings) further added to the Otago Highlanders growing casualty list, with All Blacks vice-captain Ben Smith also out with concussion.