The Telegraph Two of the surprise packages of this clay-court season have been British – initially Dan Evans, who made a deep run in Monte Carlo, and more lately Cameron Norrie, who played his second final in three weeks on Sunday. Unfortunately, Norrie wasn’t able to land a maiden ATP title in Lyon. But then he was up against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has been the dominant force of 2021 outside the slams, and now stands at No 1 in the table of most rankings points gained since January 1. Nevertheless, it had been a hugely creditable effort for Norrie to go this far, especially when you consider that he took out top seed Dominic Thiem on Thursday, and then trounced big-hitting Russian Karen Khachanov in Saturday’s semi-final, losing only two games in the process. Norrie has come to clay late in his career, but it feels like this is developing into his favourite surface. He has one of the heaviest left-handed forehands in the game, loaded with top-spin, and uses it like a miniature version of Rafael Nadal. The result has been a tally of 14 wins and only four losses since he began his European clay-court swing in Barcelona. So while the French Open, which starts next Sunday, has traditionally been a graveyard of British hopes, there are reasons to hope that this year’s event could deliver some more positive results. Norrie’s previous final in Estoril had been a nervewracking affair which he eventually lost on a deciding-set tie-break to the more experienced Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Sunday was more straightforward for Tsitsipas, who needed only 69 minutes to hammer home a 6-3, 6-3 victory. It was Tsitsipas’ second title of the clay-court sequence, after he won Monte Carlo in mid-April, taking out Evans in the semi-final along the way. He has become a serious contender to upset the establishment – specifically Nadal and Novak Djokovic – at Roland Garros over the next few weeks. “I felt in good shape from the beginning of the tournament,” said Tsitsipas afterwards. “I am proud of today’s match, I knew it would be a difficult one against Cameron, who has been showing great tennis this week. He has been winning against good players and showing what the left hand can do on clay. “It was not an easy match today. I had to handle the nerves and I am proud of my performance and the way I stayed focused towards my goal.” On this year’s results, meanwhile, both Evans and Norrie stand among the world’s 20 most successful men. Evans is at No 16 and Norrie No 14. The next challenge for them both is to convert that ATP Tour form into a deep run at a major.<doc-sep>St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Luke Gregerson is rejoining the major league roster as he looks to pitch for the first time since July after being diagnosed with a right shoulder impingement. The Cardinals activated Gregerson off the 10-day injured list ahead of Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Gregerson was placed on the injured list three times in 2018, with the shoulder injury in July ending his season. He also missed two months earlier in 2018 with the same injury. He has pitched just 12 2/3 innings since signing a two-year contract with the Cardinals in the 2018 offseason. The 34-year-old has a career ERA of 3.10 while playing for the San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, Houston Astros and Cardinals. In a corresponding move, outfielder Tyler O'Neill was optioned to Triple-A Memphis. O'Neill was hitting .263 with one home run and 4 RBIs in 21 games this season. The Associated Press contributed to this report.<doc-sep>“We have an expectation," manager Mike Shildt said. "He feels and looks like what we signed (to be). Last year didn’t look like him. It just didn’t look like him, didn’t feel like him. It just wasn’t him. . . . He’s ready to go, and a spot will present itself.” Before the 2018 season, the Cardinals signed Gregerson to a two-year, $11-million deal. Once traded to San Diego in the Khalil Greene deal, Gregerson returned to the Cardinals as one of the most reliable setup pitchers over the previous decade, and the front office advertised him in January 2018 as the closer entering spring training. He started the year on the injured list. Aches, pains, and mileage from previous seasons had left him an assortment of injures, from leg to shoulder. He had knee surgery at one point, and was limited to 12⅔ innings. In his absence the bullpen evolved, bending toward younger pitchers and pitchers with more firepower.<doc-sep>The St. Louis Cardinals add a bullpen arm ahead of Saturday’s division clash with the Cubs, activating Luke Gregerson from the 10-day injured list. Gregerson has been on the injured list since last May while battling right shoulder impingement. He recently completed a rehab assignment, consisting 11 games pitched at three levels. Gregerson finished with a 1.64 ERA in his 11 rehab games, allowing just two runs over 11 innings with no walks and 10 strikeouts. The right-handed pitcher appeared in 17 games for the Cardinals in 2018. He owns a career mark of 35-36 with a 3.10 ERA and 66 saves in 640 games with San Diego, Oakland, Houston and St. Louis. To make room for Gregerson, the Cardinals have optioned outfielder Tyler O’Neill to Memphis. O’Neill, played in 23 games with the Cardinals this season batting .263 with one home run and four RBI.<doc-sep>
The Telegraph Two of the surprise packages of this clay-court season have been British – initially Dan Evans, who made a deep run in Monte Carlo, and more lately Cameron Norrie, who played his second final in three weeks on Sunday. Unfortunately, Norrie wasn’t able to land a maiden ATP title in Lyon. But then he was up against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has been the dominant force of 2021 outside the slams, and now stands at No 1 in the table of most rankings points gained since January 1. Nevertheless, it had been a hugely creditable effort for Norrie to go this far, especially when you consider that he took out top seed Dominic Thiem on Thursday, and then trounced big-hitting Russian Karen Khachanov in Saturday’s semi-final, losing only two games in the process. Norrie has come to clay late in his career, but it feels like this is developing into his favourite surface. He has one of the heaviest left-handed forehands in the game, loaded with top-spin, and uses it like a miniature version of Rafael Nadal. The result has been a tally of 14 wins and only four losses since he began his European clay-court swing in Barcelona. So while the French Open, which starts next Sunday, has traditionally been a graveyard of British hopes, there are reasons to hope that this year’s event could deliver some more positive results. Norrie’s previous final in Estoril had been a nervewracking affair which he eventually lost on a deciding-set tie-break to the more experienced Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Sunday was more straightforward for Tsitsipas, who needed only 69 minutes to hammer home a 6-3, 6-3 victory. It was Tsitsipas’ second title of the clay-court sequence, after he won Monte Carlo in mid-April, taking out Evans in the semi-final along the way. He has become a serious contender to upset the establishment – specifically Nadal and Novak Djokovic – at Roland Garros over the next few weeks. “I felt in good shape from the beginning of the tournament,” said Tsitsipas afterwards. “I am proud of today’s match, I knew it would be a difficult one against Cameron, who has been showing great tennis this week. He has been winning against good players and showing what the left hand can do on clay. “It was not an easy match today. I had to handle the nerves and I am proud of my performance and the way I stayed focused towards my goal.” On this year’s results, meanwhile, both Evans and Norrie stand among the world’s 20 most successful men. Evans is at No 16 and Norrie No 14. The next challenge for them both is to convert that ATP Tour form into a deep run at a major.