Roger Federer Will Miss His First Grand Slam In 17 Years
PLAYERAPPEAREDR64R32R16QFSFFW The French Open will begin on Sunday without Roger Federer, the first time he will miss the tournament since 1998. It’s also the first time the 17-time major champion will miss any Grand Slam since the 1999 U.S. Open. Federer’s withdrawal breaks his record-setting streak of 65 straight Grand Slam appearances, a stretch that encompasses fully one-third of the history of Open-era men’s tennis.When Federer last missed a Slam, two Americans, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, were ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the world. Federer had just turned 18, was mired in a slump, and was ranked so low that he needed to try to qualify for the tournament. He lost in the second round of qualifying. This time, Federer is ranked No. 3 in the world but has struggled all year with injuries, entering just four events. Federer said in a statement that he withdrew to “ensure I could play the remainder of the season and help to extend the rest of my career. I remain as motivated and excited as ever.”No. 1 Novak Djokovic has never missed a major since he played his first in 2005. The French Open will be his 46th in a row. His consistency rivals Federer’s and exceeds that of the other three men — Björn Borg, John McEnroe and Rafael Nadal — who achieved the five highest Elo scores of the Open era, our measure of the players who peaked at the highest levels of all time. Federer655140363623103 McEnroe74333332 All-time greats’ longest Slam streaks, by round Source: tennisabstract.com Nadal1313131311553 Borg77653332 Djokovic46403027271453 Federer also leads among his fellow greats in consecutive appearances at just about every stage of Grand Slams. Djokovic, though, is riding streaks of five consecutive finals, eight semis and 27 quarterfinals. Federer’s withdrawal will make it easier for Djokovic to maintain his streaks — not so much because a weakened Federer isn’t in the draw, but because it bumps Nadal up to fourth in the seedings, preventing the possibility that Djokovic would have to face his top clay-court rival before the semifinals. Injuries have kept Nadal from stringing together long streaks at Slams, while Borg and McEnroe rarely bothered to make the trip to Melbourne for the Australian Open. CORRECTION (May 19, 3:50 p.m.): The headline on a previous version of this article gave an incorrect time period since Federer’s last missed Grand Slam. It was 17 years, not 18 years.
Social workers said there were concerns that the boy, now aged about eight months, might ingest “harmful alternative medication” either directly or via his mother’s breast milk.Detail of the case has emerged in a ruling published by the judge following a family court hearing in Portsmouth, Hampshire.Judge Black said the family involved could not be identified – but she said Southampton city council had responsibility for the boy and had asked her to make decisions about the boy’s long-term future.Judge Black said the little boy had been temporarily taken from his parents when he was a few days old after social workers and police became concerned about his safety.She said social workers had a number of worries – including concerns that the boy had not been given appropriate medical attention.Judge Black said the boy’s parents had not attended family court hearings for a number of months – and had gone to Portugal. Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. They had complained that their baby had been “kidnapped” by the council “in order to be adopted”.She said the couple had “abandoned” their son and no family members had put themselves forward as carers.”This child has been waiting in the care system almost from his birth … for decisions to be made about his future,” said Judge Black.”The parents have abandoned him in that they have not taken any steps which would enable the local authority or the court to consider recommencing contact let alone rehabilitation.”She added: “The court is satisfied that there is no one who is in a position to meet the needs of the child and there is no relative who has the ability or willingness to meet the child’s needs.”Judge Black said taking children from parents and placing them in the care of councils was a “serious matter”.The judge said such moves should be made only if “nothing else will do”. But she added: “There is no other option in this case.”Judge Black commended social services staff for the “tremendous efforts” they had made to “engage” the boy’s parents. The court is satisfied that there is no one who is in a position to meet the needs of the childJudge Helen Black A baby boy whose father advocates the use of “harmful alternative medication” should be taken into council care, a family court judge has decided.The man had sold Master Mineral Solution (MMS) as a treatment for cancer and autism, social services staff told Judge Helen Black.Staff said MMS was a sodium chlorite solution equivalent to industrial-strength bleach – and they said the Food Standards Agency had warned that it should not be taken.They said the man advocated the use of MMS and his website included “paraphernalia for the administration of such products to babies”.
A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: “It doesn’t matter how many ways these so-called comedians and SNP MPs try to wriggle out of this. ’Dyke’ is clearly a word which upsets many – that’s not news to anyone – so quite why that’s not being accepted by these people is a mystery.” Scottish Independence Convention supporters march through GlasgowCredit:PA The comedian Karen Dunbar has said she is “confused” by the row over one of her sketches in which Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, is described as “Ruth Dykey D”. The rap sketch was performed at an independence rally in Glasgow at the weekend by the female comedy collective Witsherface. The Scottish Conservatives condemned the language used and challenged the Nationalists to distance themselves from it. Annie Wells, a Tory Glasgow MP, who is also gay, said it was “shameful”, while Colin Macfarlane, of the gay rights charity Stonewall Scotland, said calling someone a dyke was homophobic. The event was attended by senior SNP figures, including Alex Salmond, while Joanna Cherry MP, the SNP home affairs spokesman, tweeted that the performance was “hilariously irreverent satire”. Written by Ms Dunbar, an actress and comedian, it was also performed in March during the Glasgow Comedy Festival. She said on Tuesday that as a gay woman who had experienced “horrendous homophobia” she felt confused that anyone could “interpret anything in the rap as being homophobic”. She added: “If my work has offended anyone it was not my intention. My sole purpose with this sketch was to create a comic rap about our current female political leaders. Any accusation that myself or Witsherface is homophobic, is utterly ridiculous.” A member of the group said: “Politicians, whatever their colour or creed are always fair game when it comes to comedy. ‘Twas ever thus, and should remain so in a healthy society.” The event market the re-launch of the Scottish Independence Convention on the second anniversary of the 2014 vote in which independence was rejected. Welcome to Scotland 2016, where a “comedy” rap mocking Ruth Davidsons sexuality is applauded and endorsed 1/2 pic.twitter.com/L1jow6UNeZ— NatBuster (@NatBuster) September 18, 2016 Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings.