07-13-2019, 12:54 AM
LONDON -- Britain is turning to the top official in Canadian tennis to improve its fortunes on the world stage. Michael Downey was hired as the chief executive of Britains Lawn Tennis Association on Tuesday, ending his nine-year tenure as president and chief executive of Tennis Canada. Despite being extremely well funded, mainly due to the profits handed down from Wimbledon, British tennis has little top-level talent outside Andy Murray, who this year became Britains first mens singles winner at the All England Club since 1936. The 38th-ranked Laura Robson is the only Briton in the womens top 50. "The opportunity that Andy Murray is now a Wimbledon champion, two-time grand slam champion, is immense for tennis in Britain," said Downey, who was formerly the regional president for Canadas largest brewery, Molson Canada. "Andy Murrays biggest contribution to tennis in Britain is winning. Thats when you want to write about him, thats when people want to follow him, thats when kids are going to go out, pick up racquets and want to be Andy Murray. And I believe theres a bevy of young talent thats coming up in Great Britain that is going to follow Andy Murray to the podium." Downey will take up his new role on Jan. 6 as the replacement for Roger Draper, who announced in March that he was stepping down. In 2012, the LTA invested 73.2 million pounds ($109 million) but with little tangible reward. Murray, who has been brought through largely outside the LTA structure, is the only British man in the top 150 in the rankings. The LTA said that Canadian tennis enjoyed significant growth at the grassroots and elite level under Downey, with more than 1.2 million people playing tennis at least twice a month. "This sport has far more importance in Britain than in Canada," Downey said. "The expectation will be higher of myself in this position." LTA chairman David Gregson said Downeys annual salary will be 300,000 pounds ($480,000) -- less than half of what Draper was earning. "We set out to recruit a CEO with true success in business, with exceptional leadership credentials and ideally with significant knowledge of tennis," Gregson said. "Michael demonstrably fits the bill perfectly and was the unanimous choice of our recruitment panel." Hydro Flask Straw Lid Nz . - Jordan Addesis shootout goal helped the Plymouth Whalers to a 3-2 win over the Sault Ste. Hydro Flask 32 Oz Cheap . Not that Durant cared. The only streak he cares about is still intact. http://www.hydroflasknzsale.com/hydro-fl...oz-nz.html. Monta Ellis had 30 points and nine assists, Nowitzki was another of seven Dallas players in double figures with 11 points and the Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 123-104 Tuesday night. Hydro Flask Straw Lid Sale . James scored 25 points against his former team, leading the energized Heat to a 114-107 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night. Dwyane Wade added 24 points and Chris Bosh had 22 for the Heat, idle since a 90-84 loss Tuesday at Indiana. Hydro Flask 32 Oz Clearance . The struggling New Orleans Pelicans were simply overmatched. Crawford hit seven 3s on his way to 24 points, and the Clippers beat the Pelicans 123-110 on Monday night. "We understand what we do well. If we all do what we do well, well make our team stronger," Crawford said.PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil - Algerias players are being left to decide whether or not they observe the Ramadan fast during Mondays World Cup game against Germany, with coach Vahid Halilhodzic saying its not a divisive issue. Observant Muslims avoid food and liquids from dawn to dusk during Ramadan but can, and often do, skip it if travelling or doing hard physical labour. Some devout Muslim athletes choose to fast during training or competition, but it can create selection difficulties for the coaches in team sports. Halilhodzic, who has testy relations with sections of the Algerian media and its football association, threatened to leave a news conference Sunday if questions persisted on the topic. He said critics were using the issue to "try and raise hatred of me and my family. This is really disgusting." The national football association released a statement denying a report in Algerias leading football newspaper suggesting that Halilhodzic, a Muslim, had ordered players not to fast. Its a potentially sensitive allegation in the mostly Muslim country. The federation said Halilhodzic had been "very respectful" of the religion in his three years at the helm of the national team. The veteran coach, a French-Bosnian, said fasting was a "private issue and players will do exactly as they wish." "When you ask this question you lack respect and ethics. I would like this to stop. Stop this controversy. Talk about football," he said, in response to repeated questions at the official pre-match news conference. "And stop asking me about RRamadan, otherwise I will get up and leave.dddddddddddd." The match Monday kicks less than an hour before sunset in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. The Algeria lineup has been impressive in its three group games, and had its best attacking display so far in a 4-2 win over South Korea. Halilhodzic started that match with five new players following its opening 2-1 defeat to Belgium. They followed that up with a 1-0 win over Russia to reach the knockout rounds for the first time. "We will do everything we can to try and win this match, but (the Germans) are of a higher quality, more experienced and basically better than us," Halilhodzic said. "We shall prepare for this game as the most important in our career. We will give it our all." Algeria shocked West Germany 2-1 in the group stages of the 1982 World Cup, in what was a colossal upset at the time. But the team didnt make it through to the qualifying rounds after the Germans and Austria played out a mutually advantageous result in their last group match in one of the most infamous World Cup episodes. The build up to Mondays match has focused on whether this is now the opportunity for Algeria to avenge what has become known as the "Disgrace of Gijon." But Halilhodzic and Germany coach Joachim Loew downplayed that Sunday, noting that the vast majority of players were not born when it occurred. "This is history. There are many things that occur in football. I would like this wonderful championship to finish in a different way," Halilhodzic said. 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