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>Running back C.J. Fuller, a member of Clemson's NCAA championship football team in the 2016 season, has died. Gill Payne, athletic director at Easley High School, where Fuller had starred, confirmed the death. No details about how Fuller died have been confirmed. Fuller, 22, played at Clemson from 2014 to 2017, redshirting in 2014 before accumulating 599 yards rushing on 147 carries with five touchdowns over the next three seasons. He also had 290 yards on 17 career kickoff returns, including a 20-yard kickoff return in the 2016 national championship game that jump-started the Tigers' winning drive against Alabama. Fuller announced in February that he was transferring to another school for his final season of eligibility. “Our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies are with C.J.’s family,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Wednesday night. “I’ve known C.J. a long time and watched him grow up through the Easley rec leagues all the way through Easley High School. I’m proud of what he accomplished as a Clemson Tigers, most of all, his accomplishment of being a Clemson graduate. Our deepest condolences and the thoughts of our program are with his family this evening. May he rest in peace.” An Easley High graduate, Fuller had 3,381 career rushing yards for the Green Wave and helped his team to the state playoffs for three consecutive years. As a junior, Fuller rushed for a school-record 2,090 yards and 19 touchdowns. "He was so talented," said Woodmont athletic director Chris Carter, who was athletic director at Easley during Fuller's years there. "We went 29-6 during C.J. 's time at Easley, and that was just an incredible time for the community and the city of Easley, and C.J. was as big a part of that as anybody. "It's such a great family. His entire family is sprinkled with Easley Athletic Hall of Fame members, and one of the names you think of when you hear Easley High School is C.J. Fuller." Fuller was arrested, along with former Clemson teammate Jadar Johnson and former high school teammate Quaven Ferguson on March 28 and charged with armed robbery and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime by Clemson police. The case has not gone to trial. Bob Castello contributed to this report.<doc-sep>Former Clemson running back C.J. Fuller has died at the age of 22, the school confirmed Wednesday night. "Our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies are with C.J. 's family," Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said. "I've known C.J. a long time and watched him grow up through the Easley rec leagues [in South Carolina] all the way through Easley High School. I'm proud of what he accomplished as a Clemson Tiger, most of all his accomplishment of being a Clemson graduate. Our deepest condolences and the thoughts of our program are with his family this evening. May he rest in peace." Clemson did not give a cause of death. The Pickens County coroner in South Carolina told The State newspaper that results of an autopsy will take six to eight weeks. Clemson University announced Wednesday that former running back C.J. Fuller (No. 27) has died at the age of 22. Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports Fuller appeared in 43 games for Clemson across the 2015-17 seasons, amassing 599 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 147 carries. He was a member of Clemson's national title team in 2016, scoring on a 30-yard touchdown reception in the national semifinals and then returning a kickoff 20 yards to set up the Tigers' nine-play, 68-yard game-winning drive against Alabama in the national championship. Fuller opened the 2017 season as Clemson's starter but was passed on the depth chart. He then announced in February his plans to play elsewhere as a graduate transfer. In March, Fuller was accused of robbing someone at gunpoint after allegedly forcing his way, along with two others, into a person's apartment in downtown Clemson. News of his death drew reactions from several of Fuller's former teammates. Among them was Shaq Lawson, who now plays for the Buffalo Bills. He wrote on Instagram: "My brother I am hurting right now. Somebody wake me up from this nightmare. My brother was supposed to come see me tomorrow. I love you bruh until we meet again."<doc-sep>
Former Clemson running back C.J. Fuller has died. An Easley High School official, where Fuller attended high school, confirmed the news to the News & Observer Wednesday evening. Fuller played in 35 games with Clemson from 2015 to 2017. He rushed for 599 yards and four touchdowns during his college career, and was a member of Clemson's 2016 national championship team, returning three kicks in the title game victory victory over Alabama. Fuller opened the 2017 season as Clemson's starting running back but started only three games. He finished the season with 217 yards and three touchdowns. Shortly after news broke of Fuller's death, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney issued a statement through the school. "Our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies are with C.J. 's family," Swinney said. "I've known C.J. a long time and watched him grow up through the Easley rec leagues all the way through Easley High School. I'm proud of what he accomplished as a Clemson Tiger, most of all, his accomplishment of being a Clemson graduate. Our deepest condolences and the thoughts of our program are with his family this evening. May he rest in peace." Fuller had been scheduled to graduate from Clemson in May, and was planning to transfer to another school for his final year of eligibility but was arrested in late March on charges of armed robbery and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime. Fuller allegedly robbed the apartment of a former teammate and current Clemson player. He was arrested along with another former Clemson player, Jadar Johnson as well as former Duke defensive lineman Quaven Ferguson. The details of Fuller's death have not been released as of this time.