The weekend has landed. Settle into the couch, call dibs on the remote and get channel hopping. Here’s our five to watch this sporting weekend and a comprehensive TV guide to all the action over the next two days, writes Anthony Pyne.
NADAL v FEDERER
The greatest rivalry in tennis history? The pair may as well leave a trail of bread crumbs from the locker room to the Rod Laver Arena, such is the fairytale nature of the match-up every fan wanted. Roger Federer - at 35, the oldest man to make the final of this tournament in 43 years - did his part by battling past Stan Wawrinka on Thursday, and the Spaniard followed him with a sinew-straining, nerve-shredding defeat of Grigor Dimitrov 24 hours later.
“If somebody says I am better than Roger, I think this person doesn't know nothing about tennis,” Nadal once said of his illustrious rival. The Spaniard’s journey to the decider has been soaked in sweat and tears, though the presence of an €840,000 Richard Mille watch on his right wrist somewhat damages the tag of ‘plucky underdog’.
He’s been terrific all the same and although Federer has 17 Slams under his belt to Nadal’s 14, the latter is up 23-11 in past meetings, winning nine of the 11 occasions they’ve collided in a Grand Slam. The stage is theirs.
Where to watch it: Eurosport 1, Sunday, 8am/ Highlights, BBC1, 1pm
NIGHT OF THE JACKAL
It’s a mouthwatering rematch in Sin City, with Carl Frampton now at the top of the food chain. What happens in Vegas stays in the history books. Frampton has climbed to the dizzy heights of world champion in two weight divisions – the only other fighter from this island to earn that distinction is Steve Collins – and now headlines another blockbuster to keep that achievement intact.
Leo Santa Cruz was relieved of his WBA featherweight title in a heart-stopping contest back in July - five months after Belfast man Frampton unified the IBF and WBA super-bantamweight titles with defeat of Scott Quigg - but the Mexican is ravenously chasing the warm glow of the pedestal again. Santa Cruz has height and reach advantage and is ferociously aggressive. But he’s up against a man at the peak of his powers.
“He tries to overwhelm his opponents,” Frampton told Sky Sports earlier this week. “He tries to bully them. I’ve been the only one that’s been able to hit him back, push him back and not allow that to happen. That’s the difference. He just can’t bully me.” Unmissable.
Where to watch it: Sky Sports 1, Sunday morning from 2am/ Live blog on www.rte.ie/sport
T’WAS THE MONTH BEFORE CHELTENHAM...
The countdown continues to the Cheltenham Festival and the heavyweights are flexing their muscles this weekend. On Saturday, the BetBright Trial Chase is the highlight of Trials Day on what is the last day of action at Prestbury Park before the Festival - though the Grade 1 Clarence House Stakes is a tasty addition to the card after racing at Ascot was cancelled last week.
Faugheen heads a list of six horses, including Henry de Bromhead’s Petite Mouchoir, for the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday, where a bronze statue will be unveiled in honour of the great Hurricane Fly. Like Christmas, much of the excitement to the main event lies in the build-up, the possibility and promise of a four-day rollercoaster sprawled out in front of giddy punters. This will give them a good couple of days’ homework.
Where to watch: Cheltenham Festival Trials Day, Saturday, ITV4, 1.15pm/ 3e, 1.45pm; Leopardstown, Sunday, RTE 2, 1.40pm
DUNNE DEAL OR RETURN OF THE G-MAC?
Both Paul Dunne and Graeme McDowell head into the weekend jostling for position near the top of the Qatar Masters, with the former better positioned to lift what would be a maiden European Tour title. Dunne is one off the lead after 36 holes and moving nicely in Doha. The Wicklow man famously led the British Open heading into the final day as an amateur back in 2015 before his challenge unravelled, but he’s a lot more used to living with the big boys now and could cause a stir.
Four shots behind him is the grizzly old scrambler McDowell, desperate for a return to form after a difficult 2016 that saw him miss 13 cuts. What odds on an unlikely Sunday shootout?
Where to watch it: Sky Sports 4, Saturday, 9am/ Sky Sports 4, Sunday, 8.30am
ANY MAGIC IN THE CUP?
The FA Cup’s depressing slump to the bottom of priorities for pretty much every Premier League club - and the Championship ones with a shot of leaping into the top-flight money pit - continues at a steady pace. But while Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal will roll out the Academy prospects over the weekend, there is at least the chance to see Sutton United give one of the big guns a humbling.
Leeds United, the ultimate ‘sleeping giant’, come to Gander Green Lane in good form as Garry Monk looks to bring them back to the bright lights of the Premier League. Sutton are 15th in the Vanarama National League (England's fifth tier), have a plastic pitch nestled against train tracks and their manager works for free. So, nothing to lose then. This is one for the romantics.
Where to watch it: BT Sport 2, Sunday, 2pm
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“What a feeling that was! In front of our own fans... epic!” – Shane Long, a man accustomed to sticking it beyond a German goalkeeper, reflects on his Wembley-clinching strike past Loris Karius at Anfield.
“We found a few more soldiers and that’s what we are looking for.” – Clare joint-manager Gerry O’Connor rallies the troops as they build for a summer march.
"My mother always told me I've got to shave and I forgot to shave, I walked out of the shower to get the shaver and this is what happened. I follow what my mother says." – Eddie Jones puts the blame for a nasty black eye squarely on his mother’s shoulders.
“When you only live two minutes over the road, it's great. I've missed plenty of days at school to come here.” – Jockey David Mullins pricks the ears of his old teachers after steering Champagne West to victory in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park.
NUMBER OF THE WEEK
41 - The amount of wins Jurgen Klopp has masterminded in his first 82 games in charge of Liverpool - the exact number Louis van Gaal notched in the same period of his ill-fated reign as Manchester United boss.
SPORT ON TV THIS WEEKEND
SATURDAY
Tennis: Australian Open women’s singles final, Eurosport, 8am/Highlights BBC1, 1.15pm
Golf: Qatar Masters, Sky Sports 4, 9am
GAA: Cluichi na Bliana, Kilkenny v Tipperary 2016 All-Ireland SHC final, TG4, 11.30am
Soccer: Liverpool v Wolves, FA Cup, BT Sport 2 , 12.30pm
Soccer: African Cup of Nations quarter-finals, Eurosport 1, Burkina Faso v Tunisia, 4pm, Senegal v Cameroon, 7pm
Soccer: Southampton v Arsenal, FA Cup, BT Sport 2, 5.30pm
Horse racing: Cheltenham Festival Trials Day, ITV4, 1.15pm/ 3e, 1.45pm
Golf: Farmers Insurance Open, Sky Sports 4, 6pm
Basketball: Men’s National Cup final, Pyrobel Killester v Griffith Swords Thunder, TG4, 7.50pm
SUNDAY
Boxing: Lee Selby v Jonathan Victor Barros, Dejan Zlaticanin v Mikey Garcia, Carl Frampton v Leo Santa Cruz, Sky Sports 1 from 1am
Tennis: Australian Open Men’s singles final, Eurosport1, 8am/ Highlights, BBC1, 1pm
GAA: Cluichi na Bliana, Derry v Tipperary 2016 fourth-round All-Ireland SFC qualifier, TG4, 2pm
Golf: Qatar Masters, Sky Sports 4, 8.30am
Golf: Farmers Insurance Open, Sky Sports 4, 6pm
Soccer: Millwall v Watford, FA Cup, BBC 1, 12pm
Soccer: Celtic v Hearts, Scottish Premiership, Sky Sports 1, 1pm
Soccer: Sutton Utd v Leeds Utd, FA Cup, BT Sport2, 2pm
Soccer: Manchester Utd v Wigan, FA Cup, BBC1, 4pm
Soccer: Real Betis v Barcelona, La Liga, 11am
Soccer: Real Madrid v Real Sociedad, La Liga, Sky Sports 5, 7.45pm
Soccer: African Cup of Nations quarter-finals, Eurosport 1, DR Congo v Ghana 4pm, Egypt v Morocco 7pm
Horse racing: Leopardstown, RTE 2, 1.40pm
Basketball: Women’s National Cup final, Courtyard Liffey Celtics v Ambassador UCC Glanmire, TG4, 4.15pm
