I want the world to know about Emma 💜
Cancer may have taken her, but she never let any illness define her
This is the story of our final few months together. One day, I promise, I will tell the rest, and I'll get to Antarctica for our honeymoon too 🐧❄️
They've got super Mikel Arteta
Perhaps sums him up. Seconds after reflecting on a "sad" day for Arsenal, he's outside the City Ground signing autographs for rival fans
In good hands, this club
Roger's in tears, Mirka's in tears
“She kept me going and allowed me to play. It’s amazing. Thank you”
And now Rafa's in tears, we're all in tears ffs
#LaverCup
#RogerFederer
Spot of Federer/Nadal v Djokovic/Murray doubles
Federer moving just fine... Mainly at the net so far and a volley winner goes down a treat
"He's the boss tomorrow!" Federer said moments ago of Nadal
#LaverCup
No messing from Laver Cup organisers
First Team Europe practice session on main court open to public and they roll out Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to have a hit with Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray
*quite* a popular decision
#LaverCup2022
Again, Preston fans 👏👏 you'd think they've just beaten Chelsea!
Best part of this FA Cup tie. They didn't come to the capital expecting to win, they came for a party
#FACup
#PNEFC
Could Novak and Andy play doubles together this weekend?
Murray: "That’s up to the captain to decide. Me and Novak would be a good one. 2006 feels like a long time ago! It would be fun."
Djokovic: "I’m probably the worst doubles player on the team!" 😅
#LaverCup
Standing ovation for former tennis player Roger Federer
He's here to watch some Laver Cup, a bit like the rest of the crowd that had probably been hoping to see him play (miaow)
#Federer
#LaverCup
Just the 77 grand slam singles titles in this line-up
Nadal (22)
Djokovic (21)
Federer (20)
Murray (3)
And captain Borg (11)
Team Europe is stacked at the Laver Cup
#LaverCup2022
Rafael Nadal on Roger Federer in the press conference afterwards:
“When Roger leaves the tour, an important part of the tour is leaving my life too. It’s difficult to describe.
“Tonight was unforgettable.”
#Fedal
#LaverCup
#Federer
A few teary-eyed reporters after that press conference there...
Players just about held it together - Borg joked Federer will play Saturday/Sunday after all to which Fed replied: "No! No! No!"
#LaverCup
#LaverCup2022
Tennis, forever turning heads 🎾
Great to cover the Laver Cup at The O2
🧵 Here’s a thread of some standout moments, including Roger Federer’s emotional farewell,
#Fedal
content, and an actual fire on court |
#LaverCup
#Federer
|
@LaverCup
Murray on Federer’s doubles finale with Nadal:
“It feels right seeing Roger and Rafa together, it’s going to be a really cool way to end an incredible career, with McEnroe, Borg there too. I’ve thought about it myself, but don’t think there’s any better way to go.”
#LaverCup
No Arteta in the dugout but Jorginho has been "warming up" along the sidelines, barking instructions at his Arsenal teammates and kicking every ball
Manager in the making
#AVLARS
📍At Chelsea vs Preston North End for
@iPaperSport
Easy highlight so far are the PNE fans, all 6,000 of them, occupying the entire Shed End
🗣️ "Chelsea's a shithole, I want to go home," they chant
#CHEPRE
#PNEFC
#FACup
Any regrets for Novak Djokovic missing US Open?
“I don’t have any regrets, I do feel sad I didn’t play but I knew the consequences of my actions.
“Alcaraz won in incredible fashion. He’s already No 1, it’s quite amazing and he is a great addition to our sport.”
#LaverCup
Bowled over by the messages already
Far-fetched but if anyone (friends, or in 'the business') could reach out to
@thekillers
and
@DerrenBrown
, they lost a superfan last month and it would mean the world for them to read this
This was Emma at The Killers in June - pure joy 💜
Re-watched the France Brazil 1998 World Cup final on YT
Great nostalgia hit, but... we (at the virtual pub) couldn't believe how *bad* the quality was
Here are the 'highlights' - Dunga 0:54 my fave
(Yes, I do have time on my hands, why do you ask?)
CC:
@Crap90sFootball
God Save the King ahead of a Premier League match
A joint first, along with Nottingham Forest's City Ground
Surreal start ahead of a big night at Villa Park, the Premier League is back
#AVLSOU
#AVFC
How do Novak Djokovic fans explain/defend his Dec 17 and 18 actions at a ceremony with children and interview with L'Equipe if he recorded a positive PCR test on Dec 16
Can't get this thought out of my head, but open to reason
✍️ Writing is cathartic, luckily my job, and helps me keep Emma's memory alive
👣 I hope resuming our passion does likewise
On travelling & plans for Antarctica and Isle of Skye, with a Shrek quote, too, cos that's how my grief brain works 💜
@theipaper
🔋 Seriously, where will all this energy go?
I spoke to three Roger Federer fans outside The O2 to discuss their hero's retirement
🗣️ "I won’t watch tennis for a long time"
🗣️ "There will never be another Federer"
🗣️ "For me, Roger is tennis"
#LaverCup
"It was bloody brilliant. You're reading it, reading it, reading it, and then, at the end. 'It's ...... Rebekah Vardy's account'. Genius. Someone make that woman a Dame."
In the midst of her own battle Emma was already planning to volunteer after beating cancer
That entirely summed her up, so please - if you can - donate to
@LymphomaAction
and help the charity just as she had wanted to
PS. Isn't she fucking beautiful 💜
'One of the greatest athletic performances'
When the man in 3rd runs just 2/100ths of a second off the previous world record, you know you've witnessed something special
Karsten Warholm (and Rai Benjamin and Alison dos Santos) - take a bow
#Tokyo2020
Bowled over all over again after
@tobytarrant
read out my message on
@RadioX
this morning (around 11.08) as my dad and I drove down to mine and Emma's flat
We've arrived, and like I said, big Killers fan - I've got plenty to choose from (this ain't all of them, either) 💜
A tap on his chest outlined his appreciation
Novak Djokovic will have enjoyed that performance, he'll have LOVED that reception
#DDFTennis
#NovakDjokovic
🔴 "The Sunderland Way"
⚪️ "But not this, not Stoke"
🔴 "A good swift kick in the knackers"
Plus: "Traitor. Gut-wrenching. Selfish. Shambolic. Cruel. Greedy. Confused. Baffled. Loyalty is dead. Betrayed. Stinks. Unforgivable."
#SAFC
fans on Alex Neil
Drama? What drama
Nick Kyrgios wraps up first set in 26 minutes:
- 8 aces
- 2 breaks
- 100% points won on serve
- 81% first serves in
- 16 winners
- 2 unforced errors
Wow. His corner, right in front of the press area, LOVED that.
#Wimbledon
Tackling and passing, find a DM who can do both
The stats show Bruno Guimaraes could be the transfer which brings
#NUFC
closer to the clubs breaking up the Big Six - pending PL survival, of course
With (key) input from
@MsiDouglas
🔐
#nufctransfer
No more Twitter Moments (that team were binned), back to seeing crappy trending stuff like Sell VVD, and top of my "for you" bar is a T20 match that was 6 days ago
Twitter will soon be Twittered
Found them again 📍
Aston Villa fans dotted around the various squares in Lille and here a game of hoofball with some locals hasn't yet ended in tears or smashed windows, just dodgy touches and genuinely impressive headers
#AVFC
It just had to be Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
Nadal: "After all the amazing things that we shared together on and off court, to be part of this historic moment is going to be something amazing, unforgettable."
#LaverCup
#LaverCup2022
This woman 💖
My partner Emma was diagnosed with lymphoma (NHL) six months ago. A roller coaster ever since, but she wants to reach out to others going through
#lymphoma
&
#cancer
+ their family/friends
Please RT, she'd love to inspire even just 1 person
Any Sunderland fans up for discussing Alex Neil?
Happy to be a hotline for some very frustrated (pissed off) takes - would be a piece for
@iPaperSport
Reply here and can DM, cheers
#SAFC
Some within the
#FootballIndex
community are seeking legal action against a platform they adored
Now the company is in administration, users are left in limbo after feeling "conned", "ashamed", and even guilty for urging others to join |
#FICommunity
@tobytarrant
Thanks Toby, All These Things That I've Done was our joint favourite and will be played at the funeral, so it was perfect
First time I saw Killers with her (at Hyde Park) she was on my shoulders for that song so I couldn't see the stage 🥲
Worth it for this reaction 💜
The decibels got higher then higher...
First Andy Murray, then Novak Djokovic, then Rafael Nadal, then the cheering so loud you could barely hear Roger Federer's name
Tonight will be something else
#LaverCup
#InaugurationDay
player ratings
Joe Biden 8.5
Kamala Harris 8
J-Lo 7.5
Lady Gaga 9
Garth Brooks 7
Man cleaning podium between each speech 9.5
Amanda Gorman 10
In the space of 24 hours
@necowilliams01
suffered the toughest loss of his life then played the biggest match of his career
"Everything I do on the pitch is for my grandad"
🔺 Exclusive interview with the Wales and Nottingham Forest defender |
#NFFC
Some ex-customers have sought therapy since Football Index's collapse, others have suffered from depression and seen marriages break down, with guilt prevalent too
Thanks also to
@Football_MDJ
,
@FITaylor3
,
@GingerPirlo_FI
& others for their honesty
Then followed 7 minutes that will live long in the memory, Federer’s on-court interview
Once the tears came, they flowed, with a special mention for wife Mirka
#LaverCup
Today was a big step for me 🌄🦌
Going to Richmond Park - the park we adored, visited countless times, and where I wanted to propose - for the first time since Emma's passing
Beautiful company, beautiful walk, and now I have the strength to return again and again and again 💜
So. You've taken a set off Djokovic, Nadal or Federer...
Now do it again. And again. Without them taking three from you.
Daunting, ain't it. These guys are made of different molecules
#Wimbledon
“Sometimes the most boring games are between the biggest clubs – you see
#MUFC
play
#Barca
and think ‘Oh my God’ … then 30 minutes down you fall asleep, nobody takes risks, one goal, then what the f*** – it's a mess”
Asked Berbatov about his European Super League thoughts…
A Big Four first
Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal joined Roger Federer for a practice session to end all practice sessions on Thursday
Including a spot of doubles |
#LaverCup
Should be Emma writing. Should be us travelling... But this is the best alternative I've got
Please buy
@theipaper
today
Unlike the paper, I'm bias and will say it really is the best newspaper going, and count myself lucky to write for them 💜
#Grief
#GriefAwareness
Scenes after FC Copenhagen reached their first-ever European quarter-final 🎆
A gimme for
#MUFC
on Monday? Don't count on it, Rasmus Falk and Jonas Wind could prove a handful after dismantling the Turkish champions |
@iPaperSport
And an Australian Open question for Novak Djokovic too
“I’m waiting for the news, it’s not in my hands right now. I’m hoping I can get some positive news.”
#LaverCup
Nothing but love for Tyrone Mings. Lived in a homeless shelter as a child, worked as a mortgage broker, considered quitting football....
Makes his England debut at 26
Will be remembered for the wrong reasons, but a clean sheet & statement performance👊
Dominant Djokovic:
-40/50 points on serve
-Five breaks (5/8) vs none (0/1) for Nadal
-15th Grand Slam
-Leads Nadal H2H 28-25
Oh and a record 7th
#AusOpen
title
Unreal - report for
@Eurosport_UK
Before their match there was time for Federer and Nadal to dish out advice to Murray
Mics on at the changeovers certainly gives those watching at home a great experience, especially with Fedal talking
#LaverCup
Hats off to Andreas Pereira, a cracking Fulham debut and delighting those still wandering outside, signing dozens of autographs and posing for plenty of photos as he walks away from Craven Cottage himself
#FFC
#FULLIV
Eek.
There is very little (nothing) out there odds wise for the Ballon d'Or Feminin - I've dared to do a top 5 and about 10 honourable mentions to cover my back 👀
Beth Mead for the podium?
Please critique, tell me your women's top 5, and DM any abuse
Big thanks to superfans
@Rfighterer
,
@eriq_spin
& Clara, from Australia/Canada/France, I'm sure they speak for millions of Roger Federer fans worldwide
Their energy was infectious, and my main takeaway was how Fed fans have this huge online community to comfort them
#LaverCup