Nick Kyrgios beating Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon gave him an inflated view of his own talent: Rod Laver

TENNIS legend Rod Laver believes the worst thing to happen to Nick Kyrgios’s young career so far was the upset triumph over Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon last year.

In particular, many point to the between-the-legs volley that forms a central part of the Canberran’s highlight reel.

KOKINAKIS: Kyrgios is trying to tone things down

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“His charisma is that he likes to show off all the shots he’s got,” Laver said.

“I think, because he won at Wimbledon against Nadal, he feels like it’s gone up a little further.

“That’s where he’s got to understand that that type of showmanship doesn’t win matches.

“You need a whole range of different shots to win a match.

Nick Kyrgios has talent but needs to learn how best to maximise its impact.Source:Getty Images

“I think that’s where he’s got a to learn — how do you win a point without exploring every single shot that you’ve got?

“How about just keeping the ball in court? That sort of showmanship gets him in trouble.”

Laver also made the stunning claim Kyrgios blew US Open title victory with a cavalier first-round loss to Andy Murray.

Speaking in China at the Australian Open launch, Laver said Kyrgios’s extravagant — and often low percentage — shot selection killed a golden opportunity.

“The last US Open, he could have won the tournament but he comes to the net (in the first round against Andy Murray) and he’s half-volleying it between his legs,” dual grand slam champion Laver said.

“You figure, ‘Yes, if you don’t have any other way of doing it, then you have to hit it that way.’

“But that idea, he has to sort of lower that level.

“Maybe it’s boring for him to be on the court and not being able to show all the shots he has, but that’s not going to make him a champion.

“And he does have the ability to be a champion and it would be a shame if he doesn’t allow himself to be that much better.

“He certainly has all the game. He has the temperament, he doesn’t get nervous.

“But when he starts to lose, he gets flat ... and he’s worrying about his game, not about his opponent’s game.”

Kyrgios yesterday received his second code violation warning inside a week after swearing loudly at the Shanghai Rolex Masters.

The dual grand slam quarter-finalist is on probation for the remarks he made to Stan Wawrinka in Montreal.

Ayrton Senna cars back for Adelaide Motorsport Festival

THE State Government insists South Australia remains the country’s home of motorsport — but has no dream to reclaim the Formula 1 Grand Prix from Melbourne, saying “we have moved on”.

Victoria last month secured a three-year extension to stage the Australian Grand Prix, locking it in at Albert Park until 2023. The negotiation defied a brazen bid by NSW to secure its own three-year deal tipped to cost $180 million to steal the event from Melbourne after 2020.

But car enthusiast and state minister Martin Hamilton-Smith, representing Tourism Minister Leon Bignell, said at yesterday’s launch of the Adelaide Motorsport Festival starting on Friday that South Australia’s Formula 1 involvement was in the past.

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Lexus: No plans for LFA replacement anytime soon

Supercars are fantastic in terms of their raw performance, sound and ability to inspire interest in an automaker. They aren't so good at actually making money, even for giant, global automakers like Toyota. And if you are holding out hope that Lexus might be fibbing about there being no plans for an LFA successor, we have some bad news.

"I think you will see us do some incredible things in the future, but probably not a $375,000 supercaranytime soon," Lexus Executive Vice President Mark Templin told Automotive News.

The issue comes down to the LFA's cost to develop and massive price. Lexus built just 500 of the V10 supercars from 2010 through 2012. Templin said that the plan was originally for a much more modest vehicle with a steel body. However, that intention changed to plans for an aluminum exterior and eventually evolved further to carbon fiber during the course of its engineering.

Templin is clear that Lexus isn't giving up on more accessible performance with its F sub-brand models, but more supercars aren't coming, at least not anytime soon. He previously suggested that the LFA was a generational model with a 30-year wait for the next one.

These days, the workshop that built the LFA has been converted for a much less powerful but perhaps more important vehicle. Toyota now uses it to build the Mirai with the company's hydrogenfuel cell powertrain.

Willie Mason should be embarrassed, but not because he was suspended for a shoulder charge

WILLIE Mason says he’s “embarrassed” by the stricter shoulder charge rule. Well, he should be embarrassed, but not because he got suspended.

Mason chose not to contest a two-week ban after putting a hit on Tom Burgess in Manly’s big win over the Rabbitohs on Friday night.

“I’ve seen bigger hits on the weekend in netball,” Mason said, even though the 120kg Burgess was put on his back and dropped the ball due to the collision.

Still, Mason didn’t make contact with the head and it seems unlikely he would have been penalised in any way prior to round 22.

The death of Queensland Cup player James Ackerman seven weeks ago changed the landscape, reaffirming the NRL’s original decision to ban the shoulder charge more than two years ago based on medical evidence.

When the debate was reignited by Kane Evans’ shoulder charge on big Sam Kasiano last week, something had to be done to reinforce the original decision.

Of course, it’s not ideal that it took until the Friday to tighten up the interpretation but it’s not like a whole new rule was being introduced.

In Episode 4 of our Market Watch podcast Brett Kimmorley joins Nathan Ryan and Ben Glover to discuss transfer news and rumours. Dragons recruitment boss Peter Mulholland also joins the show to explain how to manage a salary cap!

If Mason had used his arms in the tackle, just as the rules have for over two years dictated every player does, he wouldn’t have had anything to worry or complain about.

Yet the experienced Manly prop saw fit to stand on his soapbox on Tuesday and bemoan how soft the game had become.

Willie Mason is disappointed to miss Manly’s next two games.Source: News Corp Australia

“That hit was embarrassing — we are supposed to be the tough game that everyone plays,” Mason said.

“I’m embarrassed to be a rugby league player at the moment with all the rule changes and everything like that.

“... It’s a sad day for rugby league really if you have a look at it.

“The rules got changed on Friday at 12 o’clock, I don’t think ‘Tooves’ (Toovey) was too worried about telling us all about the rule changes,” Mason said.

“I think he was worried about getting our season back on track and winning against Souths. You don’t change rules in round 22.

“There is too much grey area, there is no black and white.”

Wrong, Willie. As Paul Kent said on NRL360 on Tuesday night, the NRL’s new interpretation is “the definition of black and white”.

Instead of having to prove that a shoulder charge caused whiplash effect and so had significant force, which is what the match review committee was unable to do in the Evans-Kasiano instance, it has now been made clear that any shoulder charge will be dealt with by time on the sideline, whether it’s forceful or not.

Willie Mason charges into the teeth of the Rabbitohs defence.Source: AAP

That completely removes the grey.

More than that though, Mason’s argument was made to look ridiculous by a far more sensible rant he had just last week.

Following the sickening image of Kyle Turner laying prone on the ground after a head clash in his return game from a serious neck injury, Mason argued the NRL should get tougher on concussion.

“I think the club or the NRL need to take a lot harder look at players in that situation,” Mason said of Turner last Wednesday.

“The protocol is there but if you get knocked out in boxing you have a mandatory three months out.

“(Manly teammate) Steve Matai two weeks ago was out cold. He couldn’t pass the test last week, now this week he is fine.

“You have all those brain surgeons out there saying that boxers aren’t allowed to box after three months because of trauma to the brain like that.

“But we can just go out (again) and play probably one of the most ferocious, physical games in the world.”

So, on one hand Mason is pro player safety, and on the other he is against it.

Mason’s Sea Eagles were playing the Rabbitohs two days after he made his comments about Turner, so on reflection is it possible he only said what he said to put pressure on the Rabbitohs to sideline one of their good young players, weakening them against Manly.

That’s a very cynical view, and let’s hope it wasn’t Mason’s motivation for speaking out.

If erring on the side of caution in cases of concussion is Mason’s honestly held view, it’s he, not the NRL, that needs to be more “black and white”.

Alex Rullo becomes youngest ever Australian touring car race winner in third-tier event at Winton

Alex Rullo wins race three at Winton. Source: Supplied

ALEX Rullo turns 15 on Monday, leaving him just a year until he is eligible for a learner driver’s license.

But if his record-breaking feats in Australia’s third tier of V8 racing are anything to go by, he will be the one delivering the lessons at the wheel.

At 14 years and 364 days, Rullo became the youngest ever race winner in Australian touring car history on Sunday.

The Perth-based teenager took out race three of the Australian V8 Touring Car Series round at Winton after finishing second in both races one and two.

The series is made up of Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons previously raced in both the V8 Supercars Championship and Dunlop Series, with Rullo piloting an ex-Mark Winterbottom Ford from 2006 and 2007 that is now prepared by MW Motorsport.

The Winton round was Rullo’s second in the series after making his debut at Sandown in March.

“It’s an awesome feeling, we had good pace all weekend,” Rullo said.

“It’s a good way to end my last day of being 14, that’s for sure.”

But whether or not young Alex was the proudest Rullo at the track on Sunday is debatable — his father Peter was also competing in the same event.

“Having the extra support of Dad here this weekend competing in the same event was great too,” Alex Rullo said.

Originally published as Fourteen-year-old wins V8 race

MotoGP 2015, Catalunya Grand Prix: Live coverage of round eight race from Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

Team Suzuki riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Source: AFP

SUZUKI riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales will start from positions one and two in tonight’s Grand Prix de Catalunya.

The shock qualifying result saw Espargaro earn his second career pole and Suzuki’s first since Aussie Chris Vermeulen’s effort at Assen in 2007.

Reigning world champion Marc Marquez will start from fourth, while current championship leader Valentino Rossi was seventh fastest.

Follow the race live in the our race centre from 10pm AEST or tune in for full coverage on Fox Sports 506 HD.

Originally published as Live: Grand Prix de Catalunya

Le Mans 24 Hours 2015: Live race coverage from Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France

Australia's Mark Webber drives his #17 Porsche 919 at Le Mans. Source: AFP

PORSCHE held the lead halfway through the 83rd edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours Race early on Sunday, with the event so far involving a tight duel with Audi. The two carmakers had swapped the lead during the gruelling endurance event, which was halted three times, but just after midnight (8am AEST), Porsche reclaimed the advantage thanks to Formula One driver Nico Hulkenberg.

Fellow former F1 star Mark Webber had earlier given Porsche a strong start but the Australian slipped back late on Saturday when he received a one-minute, stop-and-go penalty for overtaking under yellow flags during the third appearance of the safety car.

The Audis of Filipe Albuquerque and three-time winner Marcel Fassler were in second and third.

Earlier, Bill Ford - executive chairman of the Ford Motor Company and great-grandson of founder Henry Ford - had the honour of starting the race as French President Francois Hollande and other officials looked on.

Porsche are searching for their first victory in 18 years, while Audi are the dominant force having won 13 of the past 15 races. More than 250,000 spectators are expected to take in the marathon race, which extends for 13,629 kilometres and concludes on Sunday.

Follow the race as it happens in our live blog below. Coverage will begin at 10:00pm AEST, with the endurance classic set to begin at 11:00pm AEST.

Live: 24 Hours of Le Mans

Originally published as Live: Porsche leads, Webber third at Le Mans

Mansell says Lewis could reach Schumacher’s level

Hamilton has just signed another three-year deal with F1 giants Mercedes. Source: Getty Images

LEWIS Hamilton could break Michael Schumacher’s record of seven F1 World Championships, according to Nigel Mansell.

Hamilton is currently a two-time champion and already leads this year’s championship by 17 points from Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.

Still only 30 years of age, Hamilton recently signed a three-year contract extension with Mercedes, the new dominant force in F1 and the team he joined in 2012 as Schumacher’s replacement.

“Everybody knows I am a Lewis fan and he is doing an outstanding job,” Mansell told Sky Sports News HQ.

“Mercedes are the best of the best by far. With the backing of the Mercedes he can maybe go on to challenge Michael’s record. There is a long, long way to go but it is possible because Mercedes will want to be the best of the best for a long time.”

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton holds up the trophy on the podium at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Source:AFP

Famed and lionised for his own hard-charging style, Mansell has found a kindred spirit in Hamilton. But the former world champion admits it is increasingly difficult to recognise the current state of F1 from the perspective of his bygone era.

“Some of the current rules need tweaking – DRS is a false overtaking aid because it doesn’t give the driver to slipstream and to play a chess game to plan where to pass someone,” said the former Williams driver.

“Although Pirelli have done the job they’ve been asked to do, the tyres should go back to the old tyre size where they were very large and robust with plenty of grip. If a driver wants to deliver the car into the corner and brake really late and try to get sidewards, he then has the ability to do so with bigger tyres and more grip.

“There has got to be a rethink of certain things and a little bit of magic. KERS is a very good situation because it can be managed by the drivers on a lap-by-lap basis for either attack or defence, but take some of the driver aids away and let the drivers drive and race the cars like they used to.

“The drivers are not being given an opportunity to express how great they are as a race-car driver because there are too many aids and too many engineers telling them how to balance the car. The great thing about years gone by is that they had to balance the car themselves.”

Nigel Mansell driving for Williams-Renault when he became F1 World Champion in 1992. Source: Getty Images

A raft of new proposals for the future of F1 were recently put forward by the sport’s Strategy Group, including a return to refuelling during races along with wider tyres and increased engine noise for 2017.

According to the FIA, the sport’s governing body, the proposals would make the cars “five to six seconds faster” as F1 bids to recapture the ‘wow factor’ after becoming, in the opinion of Ferrari, “too complex”.

Tiger Woods’s form so bad his 181 world ranking flatters him ahead of the US Open

Tiger Woods has found himself in plenty of on course trouble of late. Source: Getty Images

TIGER Woods last week plummeted to No. 181 in the world rankings which begged an obvious question: Is he really that good?

This is not the Tiger Woods who won 14 majors, 79 PGA Tour events and made playing a desperately difficult game look as hard as finding a parking space on the Nullarbor Plain.

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This is the fallen hero of a Shakespearean tragedy who shot 85 in the third round of the Memorial Tournament last week. A score that doesn’t win the Wednesday chook run at Dimboola Public.

It is seven years since Woods limped heroically on a dicky knee to his last major title, the 2008 US Open. Yet leading into this week’s US Open the magnitude of his decline is now astonishing.

I was at Augusta in 2005 when Woods played his most famous shot — the delicate chip to the slippery 16th green that snaked its way toward the flag and hung over the hole allowing the cameras to linger on the sponsor’s logo for a few lucrative seconds before dropping in for a title-clinching birdie.

Woods is now little more than a shadow of his former greatness Source: AFP

It was the moment that symbolised Woods as player and brand. The too-good-to-be-true story of the black prodigy dominating what had been a mostly white man’s domain.

As the roar from the crowd echoed around the Augusta pines it was impossible to imagine his sorry fate. How 10 years later a crestfallen Woods would take four hacked chips just to get his ball onto the 18th green at The Memorial.

The reasons for Woods’ decline are well known. How his private life became, quite literally, a car crash and his carefully crafted corporate image was forever tainted. Yet even the humiliating fallout from his serial philandering, the chronic leg and back injuries and the death of his father and guiding light Earl in 2006 fail to fully explain how routine 65s have turned into that once unthinkable 85.

Tiger Woods shoots 85 at the Memorial

A recent split with girlfriend Lindsay Vonn again put the focus on Woods’ private life. But the game’s insiders blame Woods’ relentless pursuit of the perfect swing and a more muscular physique for his current travails.

One telling assessment of Woods’ decline comes from caddie Steve Williams who told Golf Digest his former boss was ‘’obsessed with getting better’’ and that he had been ‘’renting several swings instead of owning one’’.

As Woods’ first professional coach Butch Harmon well knew, messing with Tiger’s swing was like disrupting a delicate ecosystem. The way he would uncoil his once lithe body like a whipcord on the downswing to generate enormous clubhead speed meant the gap between perfection and disaster was perilously thin.

Harmon was always wary of overloading Woods with information because his earnest, hard-working student would over-correct. He gifted Woods the relatively conservative three-quarter swing with which he dominated the game.

The 2008 US Open was Woods’s last major victory. Source: AP

After Woods fell out with Harmon and hired Hank Haney in 2005 his body shape changed as he took on — quite literally — a military training regime. ‘’With me he started looking more like a linebacker than a golfer,’’ Haney would observe.

In his biography Haney noted Woods liked making swing changes to stay motivated rather than just mindlessly hitting balls on the range. At the same time Woods wanted a swing that would put less pressure on the dodgy knee that required surgery after the 2008 US Open — inevitably to the detriment of his game.

After his marital strife Woods landed with the controversial Canadian coach Sean Foley whose ‘’stack and tilt’’ method had divided opinion. Early in 2013 Woods won four tournaments and had a mini-renaissance. But a back injury — some claim the result of Foley’s methods — stalled his progress.

Problems with Woods’s swing have dogged him for a decade. Source: Getty Images

Seven months ago Woods started work with his fourth full-time coach Chris Como. While he claims he is making progress on yet another renovation his demoralising 85 included several drives that landed in different solar systems while the only chips he now handles comfortably are salt and vinegar flavoured.

Woods has played just five tournaments — his best finish was tied-17th as the Masters — this year but has vowed to persist. He said at a promotional appearance last week his caddie Joey Lava had urged him to keep his current form in perspective.

‘’He kept reminding me ‘Man, take it easy on yourself, you haven’t played much golf. You never played last year and you haven’t played much this year. Tournament golf takes time.’’

It never used to. Woods conquered the game’s summit almost two decades ago. Now it seems to be disappearing into a distant horizon.

Originally published as Tiger Woods: the decline and fall from grace