Round-up: Whiley triumphs and Fulham edge closer to Rolan deal
Ickenham’s Jordanne Whiley won her fourth successive Wimbledon ladies wheelchair doubles title as she and Yui Kamiji stormed back from a set behind to beat second seeds Marjolein Buis and Diede De Groot.
The 25-year-old was beaten at the first hurdle in the singles by De Groot earlier in the week but claimed revenge and her ninth Grand Slam doubles crown in front of a delighted crowd on court three.
They had witnessed a superb 37-shot rally in the fifth game of the opening set, which was taken 6-2 by the Dutch pair.
But Whiley and Kamiji won eight of the first nine points of the second set to seal an early break, which they momentarily lost midway through the set but regained immediately.
Fulham close to striker deal
Fulham are close to completing the signing of Diego Rolan from Bordeaux.
The Whites have agreed a £5m deal with the French club for the 24-year-old striker.
Rolan is in London to meet with Fulham, who are hoping to convince him to join despite reports of Premier League interest in the Uruguay international.
He is yet to receive a serious offer from a top-flight club but reports say Newcastle are interested.
Van Ginkel loan deal agreed
Chelsea and PSV Eindhoven have reached an agreement for Marco van Ginkel to return to the Dutch club on another season-long loan.
West London Sport recently revealed that PSV were looking to take the Netherlands international on loan again.
Van Ginkel, 24, has been at PSV during the past two seasons.
Smith ready to recall Jota
Jota will be available for Brentford’s friendly at Oxford United on Wednesday if there is still no offer for him by then, according to boss Dean Smith.
Jota missed a second pre-season game for the Bees, this time against Lausanne on Saturday, because his future at the club remains uncertain.
West London Sport revealed last week that Jota would not play in the friendly at Aldershot because of an imminent bid expected from a Premier League club.
That bid did not materialise and Smith said: “If nobody comes in with this imminent bid, which we were told about, he will be available for the Oxford United game.
“We have had that chat and he will be happy to do so.”
West London Sport revealed last month that Jota was of interest to Everton, West Ham and Newcastle, while newly-promoted Huddersfield have since also shown an interest.
Stones defender lands Wednesday trial
Wealdstone defender Ciaron Brown has been handed a trial by Sheffield Wednesday.
The 20-year-old has attracted interest from League clubs since he joined the Stones from Bedfont Sports last August.
Brown can play at centre back and left-back and impressed in the run-in to last season.
Stones manager Gordon Bartlett said: “We have a great pedigree at Wealdstone of bringing young players on and moving them up to the pro ranks and Ciaron is more than capable of making the step up having made consistent progress.
“I’m sure that he will do well in whatever the future holds and we will never hold a player back.”
Hall nursing injury
Grant Hall missed QPR’s friendly at Peterborough because of tendonitis.
Hall’s conditon will be assessed in the next 48 hours after he was withdrawn from the squad on the eve of Saturday’s game.
Jordan Cousins and Sean Goss also missed the match and defender Joel Lynch, who has been nursing a knock, featured after coming through a fitness test.
Cousins is being slowly eased back after a long-term thigh problem, while Goss was also left out on the advice of the Rangers medical staff.
“We’ve had Hally pulled out yesterday and I almost didn’t have Lynchy as well,” manager Ian Holloway explained.
“We’ve protected Jordan and Gossy we’ve protected as well. Jordan has worked so hard during the summer to get himself fit.”
Jamie Mackie, Jack Robinson, Ebere Eze and Charlie Owens scored QPR’s goals as they won 4-2 in a 120-minute match at London Road.
Holloway admits 120-minute game stretched squad
Ian Holloway admitted agreeing to play a 120-minute friendly at Peterborough ended up stretching QPR’s squad to the limit.
The idea of two 60-minute halves – effectively two separate games – was initially suggested by Posh director of football Barry Fry.
Rangers were happy to agree, but when three players were withdrawn from the squad, manager Holloway had to make late changes to his plans.
In addition, QPR’s Under-23s played Wycombe and a Rangers XI visited amateur side Bovingdon on the same day.
Holloway said: “What we got wrong, and I’ll admit it, is that we also had an Under-23s game and another game, so we had to fulfil four fixtures.
“When Barry first mentioned it it was fine because you can prepare for it, but we’ve since had a few injuries.
“But I’m delighted. It’s good for them (the players) and it’s good for our fans as well to see everything.”
Chelsea Ladies sign Swedish defender
Chelsea Ladies have signed Sweden international Magdalena Eriksson from Linköpings.
The 23-year-old left-sided defender has signed a two-year contract and will wear the number 16 shirt.
Middlesex beaten
Beleaguered Middlesex captain Brendon McCullum failed yet again with the bat as his side were thrashed by Somerset in the T20 Blast at Uxbridge.
The former New Zealand star, who has now mustered only 36 runs in four T20 games, presided over a second comprehensive Middlesex defeat in the space of three days.
And this latest loss – by 21 runs – came against a Somerset side who had not succeeded in winning any of their previous 10 fixtures in the competition.
