
Meet the Michelin WHINERS! The pettiest 1-star TripAdvisor reviews left at UK Michelin star restaurants from diners who ignore the dress code, misread the menu and try to lecture Gordon Ramsay on how to cook lobster
MailOnline has found that some diners who shelled out for banquets at the UK's three-Michelin starred restaurants, operated by top chefs including Gordon Ramsay and Alain Ducasse, have left scathing and sometimes amusing TripAdvisor reviews.
And predictably some of them are more justified than others.
The UK has just eight three-Michelin starred restaurants which are ran like military units by their hugely experienced teams of culinary gods with decades of culinary experience.
A Michelin Star is a sign of quality and restaurants can be awarded zero to three stars based on five areas: quality of ingredients, mastery of flavour and cooking techniques, the personality of the chef in the cuisine, value for money and consistency of food.
The admittedly pompous French guide states: 'A Michelin Star is awarded for the food on the plate — nothing else.
'The style of a restaurant and its degree of formality or informality have no bearing whatsoever on the award.'
We've collated some of the strangest reviews from each restaurant below. They make for interesting reading.
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
The eponymous eatery in the heart of London's exclusive Chelsea neighbourhood was opened by the celebrity chef in 1998 and was Gordon Ramsay's first solo endeavour.
Just three years after opening, the TV chef was awarded three Michelin stars and has since celebrated 20 years with all three of the coveted prize.
While Ramsay opened the fine dining experience under his name, in 2013 - after an art deco redesign - the running of the restaurant was handed over to chef patron Clare Smyth.
In 2020 Matt Abé took over and oversees the running of all of Ramsay's eateries.
The three Michelin-star establishment is known for its modern French cuisine including lobster ravioli, scallops and steak.
Its set lunch menu costs £125 before drinks while its 'carte blanche' menu which 'focuses on discovery and the element of surprise' and is bespoke to the diner costs £260.
Despite the high-end offerings and attention to detail, not everyone has been left with a sated appetite.
Previous foodies have slammed the restaurant as 'disappointing', 'tasteless' and a 'ripoff' and questioned how the celebrity cook had managed to get any Michelin stars at all.
One reviewer complained that the lobster linguini was like rubber while another said they found the waiters frustrating and claimed they couldn't understand them
Previous foodies have slammed the restaurant as 'disappointing', 'tasteless' and a 'ripoff' and questioned how the celebrity cook had managed to get any Michelin stars at all
Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
Alain Ducasse's restaurant, nestled in the luxury Dorchester hotel in central London, is one of more than 25 restaurants operated by French-born chef.
It opened in 2007 and in its first three years was awarded three Michelin stars.
Although Ducasse's name is above the door, the eatery is run by executive chef Jocelyn Herlan.
The fine dining spot is known for its luxury décor including ceramic vegetables, handmade butter dishes in pink marble, and Porthault linen tablecloths as well as its contemporary French cuisine.
The menu offers pigeon served with wild garlic and marigold or milk-fed lamb from the Pyrénées.
For £285, diners can enjoy a seven-course tasting menu that includes a French cheese board and strawberries with nettle and elderflower.
While previous restaurant critics have called it magical and a 'grande dame' of English dining, others were less than impressed.
One upset customer called his meal 'depressingly bad' and slammed the dishes for lacking flavour while another urged potential customers to avoid after being charged £500 extra per person for a meal with specialised wine tasting.
Core by Clare Smyth
A former Gordon Ramsay head chef, Clare Smyth went out on her own in August 2017, opening up Core in the heart of London's Notting Hill.
Winning three Michelin stars by 2021 as well as Best Restaurant at the GQ Food and Drink Awards, Smyth's restaurant offers seasonal British fine dining.
And it's not just the chefing world she's got the seal of approval from.
Smyth is also a firm favourite of the celebrity scene and hosted David Beckham's 50th birthday party earlier this year which was shut down by police at 3.30am after noise complaints.
In 2018 the talented chef also catered for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding reception with a menu designed around finger food so guests could continue to talk as they ate.
And in her restaurant, Smyth also knows how to wow with eye-catching dishes of dishes of smoked Fowey mussels or 'Rhug Estate venison, the chef offers seasonal tasting menus for £265 which include British staples such as leek and potato dishes, Cornish turbot and Raspberry fool.
Previous reviews have called the restaurant a 'culinary miracle' and she's certainly a favourite among the famous, but for those not in the professional restaurant reviewing game, their takeaways were starkly different.
Rather than fawning over the high-end restaurant (previously the site of Bake Off star Prue Leith's restaurant), customers have made their frustrations known.
One diner confessed they had experienced a cattle-class service and felt rushed through their meal while another added that they were asked to leave after two and a half hours despite not even finishing their dinner and forking out more than £1,000 for it.
One customer revealed their husband had food poisoning after enjoying a meal at Core and said the experience left 'a bad taste in our mouth - both literally and figuratively'.
Fat Duck - Heston Blumenthal
The Fat Duck bills itself as a fine dining experience in Bray, in the heart of Berkshire.
Owned by TV chef Heston Blumenthal, who is known for his wacky creations and exciting culinary chemistry, the eatery is housed in a 16th century house and opened in 1995.
The exciting restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in 1999, its second in 2002 and its third just two years later.
In 2005 it was ranked among the world's 50 best restaurants and although it lost its stars when it underwent renovation in 2016, it quickly regained them.
Originally opened as French bistro serving steak and lemon tart, it quickly gained a reputation for exciting flavour combinations and inventions including triple-cooked chip.
Known for its outlandish dishes including a bacon and egg ice cream and a mock turtle soup, Blumenthall also offers salmon poached in liquorice gel with vanilla mayonnaise and asparagus, black love and leather puree with pistachio scrambled egg alongside more traditional dishes including crab risotto and pork belly.
Despite the exciting offerings, diners have been left less than impressed and complained of theatrical but unpleasant-tasting food with one customer confessing they felt 'repulsed' by the plates offered in the ten-course tasting menu.
Despite the exciting offerings, diners have complained of theatrical but unpleasant-tasting food with one customer confessing they felt 'repulsed' by the plates offered
Hélène Darroze at The Connaught
A former pupil of Alain Ducasse, Hélène Darroze was named as the new head chef at the five-star hotel Connaught in London in 2008, replacing Angela Hartnett.
After taking over, her menu was panned by critics with Jay Rayner describing the food there as 'Two of the very worst dishes ever to be served to me at this level. '
Despite the initial set back she won her first Michelin star there in 2009, a second star in 2011 and a third in 2021.
Known for high-quality ingredients, Darroze offers dishes such as lobster with tandoori spices, carrot and coriander or Wagyu beef with fermented pepper.
While the eight-course summer tasting menu costs £225 each, many of the dishes ask for a supplement that for some costs up to £120.
Other plates on offer include piglet with cherry and black pudding and desserts such as cardamom and almond chocolate.
And while the luxury hotel boasts about their resident chef, not all customers are convinced she's worth the price.
Diners have criticised the lack of soul in the food and the bland lunch offering.
One complimented the plating, calling it a 'visual work of an art' but slammed the taste as feeling like 'an afterthought' and one frustrated diner described the atmosphere in the restaurant as closer to a 'truck stop diner' than a five-star establishment and called it 'the most disappointing dinner ever'.
L'Enclume
L'Enclume is a luxury modern British restaurant hidden in Cartmel, Cumbria and run by chef Simon Rogan and his partner Penny Tapsell.
Opened in 2002, it has received three Michelin stars as well as a ten out of ten rating in the Good Food Guide five times in a row.
Converted from an 800-year-old former smithy, Rogan paid homage to the history of the building by calling it anvil in French.
The head chef grows almost everything supplied including vegetables, chickens and pigs and the luxury diner was included in the 2010 BBC comedy The Trip starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as fictionalised versions of themselves doing a restaurant tour of northern England.
L'Enclume is known for his 20-course tasting menu with a focus on herbs and flowers and some of its dishes include Cherry Belle radish, pickled rose and Chalk Stream trout tart, roasted Orkney scallop and Purple Azur kohlrabi and Caramel mousse with our miso, apple and spruce.
Despite the extensive menu and three Michelin stars, diners slammed the overpriced menu, complaining of expensive wine at £110 a bottle as well as undercooked meat.
Despite the extensive menu and three Michelin stars, diners slammed the overpriced menu, complaining of expensive wine at £110 a bottle as well as undercooked meat
One customer was outraged by their 'anaemic' guinea fowl and 'overcooked' ox cheek.
Moor Hall
Moor Hall, in the village of Aughton, Lancashire, is a converted Grade II* listed gentry house from the 16th century which was bought by Andy and Tracey Bell in 2015.
The award-winning restaurant is run by Mark Birchall who joined the stunning eatery in 2017 when the couple opened its doors to diners.
Within it first two years the restaurant had won two Michelin stars and gained its third earlier this year which Birchall said was 'simply brilliant' and a dream come true, the BBC reports.
Some of the dishes on offer include east coast lobster with fresh and fermented tomatoes, smoked marrow and rosehip, Cornish lamb and a peach, lemon and goat's cheese.
With prices starting at £145 per person it's one of the cheaper Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK but customers have still complained about the prices and the quality of the food.
Disappointed diners siad their two courses took almost three hours to arrive and they were charged an extra £100 while another said the menu needed re-evaluating and compare their steak to a Michelin tyre.
Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library
Sketch restaurant opened in Mayfair, London in 2003 with a New French cuisine.
Within the historic building are five eateries, including three restaurants: the Parlour, the Lecture Room & Library, the Glade, the Gallery, and the Eastbar & Pods and The Lecture Room & Library holds three Michelin stars.
Sketch covers two floors of the 18th century building and has a permanent exhibition of the surreal cartoonist David Shrigley who also designed the restaurant's tableware.
The luxury eatery was awarded its first Michelin star in 2005, its second in 2012 and its third star in 2019.
Known for its quirky design as well as its food, the restaurant offers customers a sensory experience like no other.
Sketch restaurant opened in Mayfair, London in 2003 with a New French cuisine and covers two floors of the 18th century building
The eatery also has a permanent exhibition of the surreal cartoonist David Shrigley who also designed the restaurant's tableware
Dishes on the menu include seaweed jelly with smoked sardines and cauliflower florets as well as lobster five different ways
Known for its quirky design as well as its food, the restaurant offers customers a sensory experience like no other
Dishes on the menu include seaweed jelly with smoked sardines and cauliflower florets as well as lobster five different ways.
The three course menu costs an eye-watering £235 per person with wine pairing an additional £165.
Other dishes on offer include roasted Limousin veal sweetbread and potato cream or saddle of Welsh lamb.
And while for some the menu may sound mouth-watering, for some customers they left with a bitter taste in their mouth.
And while for some the menu may sound mouth-watering, for some customers they left with a bitter taste in their mouth
One couple hit out at the restaurant for its 'unimaginative' dishes and said it was 'far from a three-star French or Swiss'.
Others were shocked by the prices and said it 'ruined' their night and even brought them to tears.
The Ledbury
The Ledbury is located in the heart of London in Notting Hill and was opened in 2005, winning its first Michelin star in 2006 and its second in 2010 before being awarded a third in 2024.
The restaurant's chef-patron Brett Graham was born in Australia and moved to London in the 2000s before joining the Ledbury's now closed sister restaurant The Square.
The exclusive dining experience offers an eight-course tasting menu for £260 with matching wines an extra £135.
The Ledbury is located in the heart of London in Notting Hill and was opened in 2005, winning its first Michelin star in 2006 and its second in 2010 before being awarded a third in 2024
Diners can enjoy lobster with bergamot, apple marigold, wakame and cherry blossom or Iberian pork with karashi mustard, morel and umeboshi
Famously the restaurant does not cater to vegans or those with dairy and egg allergies, citing strains on the kitchen
Diners can enjoy lobster with bergamot, apple marigold, wakame and cherry blossom or Iberian pork with karashi mustard, morel and umeboshi or 72 per cent Solomon Islands chocolate with olive oil.
Famously the restaurant does not cater to vegans or those with dairy and egg allergies, citing strains on the kitchen.
Despite the luxury ingredients, previous diners have reviewed the London restaurant poorly, complaining of an uninspiring menu.
They added that the service was perfunctory and the whole experience was a 'total disappointment'.
Despite the luxury ingredients, previous diners have reviewed the London restaurant poorly, complaining of an uninspiring menu
Another added that despite the six curses on offer, they were still left wanting a curry or a pizza after their meal.
Waterside Inn
The Waterside Inn in Bray, Berkshire was founded by Michel and Albert Roux and has retained its three Michelin stars for 40 years.
Opening in 1972, the restaurant is now run by Michel's son Alain and the interior of the eatery and the rooms above were designed by Michel's wife Robyn making the restaurant truly a family affair.
The Waterside Inn in Bray, Berkshire was founded by Michel and Albert Roux and has retained its three Michelin stars for 40 years
The dishes include ravioli and Burgundy snails with parsley and garlic, Seared Orkney scallops with fennel with fresh almonds, Spit-roasted Limousin veal chop or line-caught red mullet fillet
The restaurant offers luxurious dishes including caviar and cocktails or three course menus for £265 per person
But not everyone has been left enamoured by their visit with some customers slamming the poor service and dress code while others said they were still hungry after their meal
The restaurant offers luxurious dishes including caviar and cocktails or three course menus for £265 per person.
Some of the dishes include ravioli and Burgundy snails with parsley and garlic, Seared Orkney scallops with fennel with fresh almonds, Spit-roasted Limousin veal chop or line-caught red mullet fillet cooked under potato scales.
With a strict dress code of collared shirts and a jacket and smart shoes for men and a ban on sandals and T-shirts, Waterside Inn is a true luxury experience.
But not everyone has been left enamoured by their visit with some customers slamming the poor service and dress code while others said they were still hungry after their three-course meal.
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The Guardian
30 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Jannik Sinner wins first Wimbledon title with four-set victory over Carlos Alcaraz
Update: Date: 2025-07-13T19:05:29.000Z Title: Otherwise, though, Tumaini Carayol's report is with us: Content: After suffering a heartbreaking defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final, Jannik Sinner rebounds to beat him in the Wimbledon final, taking the title by three sets to one Daniel Harris Sun 13 Jul 2025 20.59 CEST First published on Sun 13 Jul 2025 15.30 CEST 8.59pm CEST 20:59 So all that remains is for me to wish you all peace and love. Peace and love! 8.57pm CEST 20:57 Before we say goodbye, though, look at what we're bringing you this evening! 8.56pm CEST 20:56 So that's Wimbledon done for another year and, as every year, what a year it's been, with upsets, epics and fun all over the show. If anyone's any idea what we can do tomorrow, let me know – OK, I don't mean that, we've got the Test to comfort us and assuage our grief – but otherwise we're almost done here. Updated at 9.05pm CEST 8.53pm CEST 20:53 Sinner poses for photos, enjoying the moment – though I wonder if relief is the predominant emotion. Either way, his victory is what the game needed – as Andy Roddick noted of his matches against Roger Federer, a rivalry is only a rivalry if both players win titles. I can't wait to see where this goes next, as both men contemplate how to improve themselves and how to pick apart the other. 8.48pm CEST 20:48 Sinner, the first Italian to win Wimbledon, begins with Alcaraz, praising an amazing tournament 'and for the player you are'. He too kvels in the joy of their friendship, adding that he'll win more of these and already has two. 'It's so special,' he says, seeing his parents, his brother and his team, adding that his brother is only in attendance because there's no F1 race this weekend. Asked about what he's put himself through to win this trophy, his admits that emotionally, it's been a lot, following his tough loss in Paris, but ultimately it doesn't matter how you win or lose, you have to accept the result and work out what you did wrong. He and his team did that, which is one of the reasons he's now holding the trophy. He's grateful that he's heatlhy and has great people around him. Otherwise, he says he served out the last game very well having survived tough moments in his previous service game, and he's very happy he held his nerve. Then, asked about the champagne cork that landed near him, he laughs that only at Wimbledon could that happen, which is why we all love it. Back in the days when he was young, he never thought he could get to this moment, 'the dream of the dream' – that's a lovely turn of phrase – and in conclusion, he again thanks his team and everyone who came out for this special occasion. They give him so any emotions and he keeps pushing, trying to become a better tennis player but mostly a better person.' Finally, he thanks the ball kids and the fans, then off he goes, the new Wimbledon champion. He and Alcara are very different characters and players, opposites in many way, and yet it's impossible not to love them both, united by the rare and inspiring quality of their absolute menschlichkeit. 8.40pm CEST 20:40 'It's hard to lose,' says Alcaraz, experiencing the aching desolation for the first time in a major final. So he congratulates Sinner with a huge smile, saying his opponent and team deserve it. He's happy for him, tells him to keep it going, and he's happy to build a great relationship off the court as well as on it, that pushes him to improve every day. Otherwise, he's really proud of everything he's doing. At the start of the season he struggled on the court but suddenly he rediscovered himself and the happiness he has on the court, thanking his family and pledging to 'keep bringing joy.' He loves playing at Wimbledon, he loves the 'insane' atmosphere, and he'll be back. Finally, he thanks the King of Spain for coming to support him, and off he goes. 8.35pm CEST 20:35 Alcaraz comes to collect his runners-up trophy, raising it to cheers from the crowd. He wins well, and he also loses well – his parents must be so proud of the boy they've raised. And now it's Sinner's go – he receives the trophy from Kate and of the seven billion people in the world, he ranks no 1 for current happiness. 8.32pm CEST 20:32 Alcaraz played poorly today, but I'm sure he'll acknowledge he was also out-played and out-thought. Sinner gave him less of what he wanted, taking away much of what he does best, and he couldn't work out how to combat him. Now it's the Spaniard's turn to re-evaluate and find a tweak; I can't wait to see what he comes back with. 8.29pm CEST 20:29 Sinner slumps on to his haunches, slapping the grass to let out all the pain and frustration that's lived with him every day since Paris. Now, it is part of the richness of his life – without that, would he have this? He races up to his box, sharing moments with his family and team – they'll have been with him through the suffering, will have sacrificed in the hope that one day, they might enjoy exactly what they're enjoying now. Sinner now knows he can win on grass, against Alcaraz; Alcaraz now knows he can lose finals, to Sinner; we've always known these two were going to give us many, many days like this. 8.25pm CEST 20:25 So far, this match has been a triumph for Sinner's mentality, strategy and execution; can he hold it down? Alcaraz shanks a forehand wide for 15-0, then big serve facilitates a backhand winner for 30-o; the world no 1 is two points away. He seizes the first with two terrific volleys in succession, Alcaraz sprinting and sliding in desperation, and Sinner has three match points; he's been here before! We've all been here before! Can he land a first serve? He cannot, and when he nets a backhand, he'll be feeling the weight of the desolation, past and future. But what counts is the moment; can he stay in it? YOU BET HE CAN! AN ACE DOWN THE T AND JANNIK SINNER WINS WIMBLEDON FOR THE FIRST TIME! WHAT A PERFORMANCE, AND WHAT A MOMENT AFTER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN PARIS! A beautiful affirming moment after who knows how many long nights of the soul! Sport! Updated at 8.43pm CEST 8.21pm CEST 20:21 Sinner 4-6 6-4 6-4 5-4 Alcaraz* Sinner won't want the pressure of serving for the championship if he can avoid it, and a gigantic forehand earns him 15-all, but another falls long; 30-15. But a battery of ferocious forehands takes him two points away from inexplicable, indescribable ecstasy at 30-all … then Alcaraz serves out his hold, noising up the crowd as he seeks to get himself in the frame of mind he needs to save himself with a break. The players sit down and Sinner has a few second to pretend the enormity of the situation is a lie. Good luck with that, old mate. 8.17pm CEST 20:17 *Sinner 4-6 6-4 6-4 5-3 Alcaraz Alcaraz has two more chances to save himself and his dream of joining Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as men who've won Wimbledon three times in a row. He'll know he may never get another go at this, or at least anyone normal would; on reflection, there's a pretty good chance he doesn't. Anyroad up, he makes 0-15 then, at 15-all,Sinner frames a forehand; in front of his eyes pass the words ROLAND GARROS, his world swimming just a touch. And when he goes long again, this time on the backhand, Alcaraz has two break-back points, suddenly back in the match, and I've no idea how Sinner can even raise his arms, the most desperate match of his life threatening to reincarnate. But a well-directed second serve, kicking out wide, surprises the champ, who can't control his return – the clarity of Sinner's thinking under pressure is perhaps the key difference in this final – and when Alcaraz strays long, we move to deuce. Was that his chance? Perhaps! Sinner steps inside the line, unloading the suitcase on a backhand that forces a long riposte, and a second serve down the T, high-kicking and just about unreturnable, ends a fantstic game. Sinner is an absolute brute, and he's a game away from the win of his life redeeming the loss of his life; what a life! Updated at 8.23pm CEST 8.10pm CEST 20:10 Sinner 4-6 6-4 6-4 4-3 Alcaraz* Sinner may be over what happened in Paris, but it seems unlikely it's on all of our minds, but totally absent from his. Nevertheless he's playing with such confidence now, like he knows he's going to win and, in the process, steal from us our five-set thriller; how dare he. And at 30-all on the Alcaraz serve, he's trying to get it done quickly, only to net a forehand when well in the rally; a beautiful serve-volley point from the champ secures the game, the crowd increasingly febrile. What is at stake is at stake, and for Sinner to win, he'll have to reconcile that fact with his sense of self: he should win, but he might lose. 8.06pm CEST 20:06 *Sinner 4-6 6-4 6-4 4-2 Alcaraz Sinner won't be thinking about much more than the next point, but if he could win here, he'd change the complexion of men's tennis and his career; currently, Alcaraz is 5-0 from finals, and until he loses one, no one will fully believe it to be possible. Shonuff, he makes 0-15 … only to wham a forehand into the tape after unleashing a decent return, a costly and unnecessary error in the circumstances that evidences the champ's state of mind and game. An ace follows, then a cunning body-serve on second delivery – at the moment, almost every decision he's making is the right decision – but he soon drops long on the backhand, then serves long, upping the tension … then, at 40-30, he sticks a forehand into the tape … and the ball clambers over and drops like a stone! Alcraaz feels the world is against him, and he's running out of opportunities to remind it who he is. Updated at 8.06pm CEST 8.00pm CEST 20:00 Sinner 4-6 6-4 6-4 3-2 Alcaraz* No one enjoys a tennis match more than Alcaraz, his game suffused with compelling, affirming, contagious joy. But he's not enjoying his performance today, apparently mystified by his inability to execute as he usually does. For that, though, he can only blame his opponent – Sinner has grown as the match has deepened, two terrific points turning 40-0 into 40-30; the champ can't work out what's going wrong, nor can he do the basics to his usual standard. A netted backhand underlines the problem, and at deuce momentum feels inexorable, regardless of who takes this game. And it's Sinner who's the protagonist in the next rally, hammering a forehand marginally long; from there, Alcaraz secures his hold, but he's having to fight for everything while the game is coming easily to the world no 1. But as long as he's only one break down, he's still in the match. 7.55pm CEST 19:55 *Sinner 4-6 6-4 6-4 3-1 Alcaraz Sinner, though, is under no illusions – Rasputaraz can come back from any position, and no one knows it better and more agonisingly than he does. But he's flying here, you so confident in his movements, thinking with clarity and executing with bravery, conviction and purpose. He consolidates his break for 3-1 … which means any subsequent loss wold sting even harder. The stakes area stratospheric, how will our players respond? 7.51pm CEST 19:51 Sinner 4-6 6-4 6-4 2-1 Alcaraz* At 15-0, a double invites Sinner into the game while, in comms, they lament the disappearnace of his slice backhand, all the more so given how well it worked for Dimitrov when he played Sinner, the low bounce denying him the height he needs to unleash. And an error hands over 15-30, Alcaraz restoring parity with a booming forehand … but then the ball bounces up when he's forced to play with too much elevation, Sinner annihilating a backhand winner for break point and, offered a go at a second serve … HE CARESSES A GORGEOUS BACKHAND RETURN DOWN THE LINE! Jannik Sinner is out-thinking the champ here, denying him what he does well, and he's four holds away from the title! Updated at 8.02pm CEST 7.47pm CEST 19:47 *Sinner 4-6 6-4 6-4 1-1 Alcaraz Sinner quickly makes 30-0, and from there he holds to love. He's serving and hitting with authority now, executing his skills are planned; Alcaraz is still searching, the match not going as he planned. A third consecutive title feels a way away. 7.44pm CEST 19:44 Sinner 4-6 6-4 6-4 0-1 Alcaraz* How many more of these matches are we going to see over the next decade? We're trying to live in the moment, but in acknowledging the beauty of it, we're necessarily forced to consider its lasting significance, enjoyment uplifted by anticipation. At 15-all, Alcaraz outlasts Sinner from the back, moving him about as we discussed at the start but as has perhaps been forgetten in the maelstrom of the match – the champ has played as he likes, more than as is prudent. He secures his hold, and might it be that, down in the match, he is now dialled-in in a way he hasn't yet been today? Updated at 7.45pm CEST 7.41pm CEST 19:41 *Sinner 4-6 6-4 6-4 Alcaraz At 15-all, a double ratchets the tension up several more levels; an ace tamps it down a little. Another fine point – big serve, wide forehand, overhead – makes 40-15 and two set points, Sinner's even ultraer-aggressive approach paying dividends … and he closes out the set with a service winner! He's a set away from redeeming his French Open heart-devastation with Wimbledon glory! Updated at 7.55pm CEST 7.38pm CEST 19:38 Sinner 4-6 6-4 5-4 Alcaraz* An ace at 0-15 levels the game, but a return on to the baseline forces Alcaraz to balloon his riposte long; naturally, an ace restores parity at 30-all. But a fantastic return, backhand down the line, allows the clean-up backhand at net, and Sinner has break point; these are the days of his life … and he makes them his, nailing a return on second serve, then finishing into the space as Alcaraz drops his response short. Sinner has the break and after a little sit-down will serve for the third set! Sat in his seat, Alacraz chunters to himself – he's not playing well here. Welcome to under the pump, population You. 7.33pm CEST 19:33 *Sinner 4-6 6-4 4-4 Alcaraz Not if Sinner keeps playing points like this, directing Alcaraz about the court and this time dispatching his overhead. And though a netted backhand levels the game, Alcaraz then picks a drop with the point at his mercy, allowing sinner to clobber a forehand on to the outermost fibre of the sideline; sometimes, you can have too many options. And Alcaraz quickly forgets his oversight, a drop-lob combo-move making 30-all, and now he has a look at a second serve … for the all the good it does him, a swinger out wide leaping off the grass for an ace. This might be the aspect of the game that's improved most in the last year or two, and to underline the point, another ace, this time achieved in the more accustomed first-delivery manner, secures a vital hold. We're at the business end of set three, the tension near-sickening. 7.26pm CEST 19:26 Sinner 4-6 6-4 3-4 Alcaraz* Up 30-0, Alcaraz lands a serve on to the line and Sinner can't get it back; an ace curled on to the T follows, and that was exactly the kind of the hold the champ needed; can he convert the good vibes into the kind of streak that'll give him a breaking opportunity? 7.24pm CEST 19:24 *Sinner 4-6 6-4 3-3 Alcaraz After another partly-forced error gives Alcaraz 15-all, an ace restores Sinner's advantage … but he then bangs a forehand wide, upping the tension at 30-all. Then, at 40-30, the Italian finds himself caught at net after picking Alcaraz's side with a putaway; he responds with a tweener, up goes the lob … and he clouts his overhead unnecessarily hard and wide. That, mates, is pressure, doing too much to make sure … so Sinner gathers and, I short order, closes out his hold. The standard remains variable, the intensity stratospheric. 7.19pm CEST 19:19 Sinner 4-6 6-4 2-3 Alcaraz* A longer rally to open the game, Sinner netting a forehand for 0-15. But a drop into the net suggests Alcaraz is struggling for clarity as he sometimes he does; a forehand that falls wide for 30-all does too. Chance for Sinner, who then gets great depth on return … only to go long from the back when well in the rally. That's a missed opportunity, though it's worth noting that the athleticism and presence of Alcaraz on the other side of the net can make what, against anyone else, would be an unforced error, into one that's partially forced. From there, the champ closes out, and it feels like the next few games will decide this match. If Sinner takes the set, he's favourite; if Alcaraz does, you'd not bet on him losing two on the spin with the title at stake. 7.13pm CEST 19:13 *Sinner 4-6 6-4 2-2 Alcaraz An unreturned serve makes 15-0 and Sinner shakes racket at his box – he believes he can do this, and knows how important this set is. From there, he closes out a love hold, removing the pressure from himself and placing it upon Alcaraz in little more than a minute. 7.10pm CEST 19:10 Sinner 4-6 6-4 1-2 Alcaraz* A forehand cross, hit flat and wide, again turns Alcaraz's strength against him – he wants to be hitting his own forehand from the middle, not from out in the stands. But though the champ soon makes 30-15, a backhand drops long for 30-all, and this feels like Sinner's chance: he needs to cash in when in the ascendancy. But in this game, he cannot, Alcaraz securing his hold, and this match continues to stutter, of far lower standard than the final in Paris. But fear not, friends – we've time. 7.06pm CEST 19:06 *Sinner 4-6 6-4 1-1 Alcaraz If Alcaraz wins this set, you'll fancy him to close it out; if Sinner does, you still might, which would make no difference to anything save for the fact the players will probably understand things in the same way. My sense is that it's Sinner currently playing the better tennis, and he secures an impressive hold to 15, sealed with an ace then a terrifying forehand winner. 7.02pm CEST 19:02 Sinner 4-6 6-4 0-1 Alcaraz* Unusually for players this insanely driven and talented, we're not getting periods of one in the ascendancy, we're getting points. Which makes it so difficult to predict what's going to happen next, but why would we even want to when we can just enjoy? Meantime, Alcaraz – who, let's not forget was broken in the first game of set two, perhaps losing focus after the relief of winning it – finds himself down 0-30, and he'll be fearing a repeat performance. All the more so when, at 15-30, he sends down a tame double … then saves break point no 1 with an ace down the T … and no 2 when a Sinner forehand goes long; the Italian will be disappointed he didn't make more of the second serve offered him. From there, Alcaraz serves out the game, putting an exclamation mark on things with an ace; can he parlay his opponent's disappointment into something more tangible? Updated at 7.03pm CEST 6.56pm CEST 18:56 *Sinner 4-6 6-4 Alcaraz This is a proper test of nerve for Sinner, and we can be sure Alcaraz will look to exploit that by making him play. But just as it looks like the first point of the game is his, a backhand down the line forcing Sinner to stretch eveything just to get the ball back, the follow-up drop, when a whack into space would do,and allows the Italian to charge in and flick back a winner; fantastic behaviour. And though we're soon at 15-all, Sinner goes wide on the second serve then finds the thump he needs to force it home, and when Alcaraz turns up the volume with a forehand to the corner, Sinner responds with an absolute humdinger, cleansed hard and flat down the line! That is wondrous, but on 40-15 he's sent nashing off to the sideline … only to conjure a table-tennis winner cross-court to break the sideline! That is absolutely absurd conduct from Sinner; he didn't take that set, he seized it. Updated at 7.07pm CEST 6.49pm CEST 18:49 Sinner 4-6 5-4 Alcaraz* A high-kicker out wide … and ace. Alcaraz has so much variety on serve, so much that so another of the same genre, but on second delivery, also leaps away from Sinner for an ace. And though, at 40-0, a drop can't quite clamber over the tape, another ace, sent jumping out wide, forces the Italian to serve for the set. If he can manage it, he's in business; if he cannot, you'll fear for him. 6.46pm CEST 18:46 *Sinner 4-6 5-3 Alcaraz A love hold for Sinner, and he's a game away from the second set. 6.43pm CEST 18:43 Sinner 4-6 4-3 Alcaraz* Alcaraz is holding the easier now, but at 40-0 a poor drop allows Sinner in to feed a backhand pass into the corner. And when another ball catches the line expectedly, he forces the error for 40-30 and a double brings us to deuce. If this is Alcaraz losing concentration, as sometimes he does, this is Sinner's cue to jump on him, and when a double donates advantage he has a chance to near-enough secure the second set … only to net a backhand return when handed a second serve. And from there, an ace and a service winner box off the game; if the Italian wants to level the match, he'll have to do it himself, parity won't be presented to him. Updated at 6.44pm CEST 6.37pm CEST 18:37 *Sinner 4-6 4-2 Alcaraz A drop into the net hands Sinner 15-0, but at 15-all he runs around his backhand only to drop long. He does, though, soon make 30-all, a service winner raises game point, and a felicitous net cord turns a poor shot into a winner. The apology is moving in its sincerity. 'Since you're asking,' says Richard Hirst, '1969, a free concert in Parliament Hill Fields, with Soft Machine, Procul Harum, Yes (before even their first album) and others. Also the summer I went to Wimbledon (note the impressive linking) for the one and only time: Centre Court to see Pancho Gonzalez against Charlie Pasarell in what was at the time the longest match at Wimbledon.' My school sports day was there, the teachers grassed me to my parents for enjoying a Dunhill International in the bushes. 6.32pm CEST 18:32 Sinner 4-6 3-2 Alcaraz* Words we've not required for a while: a love hold. Alcaraz isn't playing especially well, but if the match is a longun, you get the sense he will at some point and in the meantime, he leads. 6.30pm CEST 18:30 *Sinner 4-6 3-1 Alcaraz There were signs of improvement but for now, it remains the case that neither man is at it, Sinner dominating a point before netting his putaway for 30-all; pressure. Alcaraz, though, relieves it for him by hitting long … but Sinner then butchers a forehand with the point all but won and ewe move to deuce. A break-back here would mean more than itself, the champ reminding the challenger that he can take him when not at his best, but Sinner makes advantage, after which a pause; 'Please do not pop a champagne cork just as the players are preparing to serve,' intones the umpire as one lands on the court; it reminds me of the time I asked a friend 'please don't be sick on my computer' in terms of things you never think you'll have to say. Anyway, though Alcaraz restores deuce, from there Sinner's serve takes over, and he remains in command of set two. 6.20pm CEST 18:20 Sinner 4-6 2-1 Alcaraz* So far, this match is more about unforced errors than brilliant shots; both players are some way off their best. Which is the time Sinner, as the man whose brilliant best is slightly less brilliant, needs to take advantage … and he makes 0-30, only to then lose a net exchange and botch a pass; 30-all. From there, Alcaraz holds courtesy of two gigantic serves, doing enough to stay in touch in the set. 6.16pm CEST 18:16 *Sinner 4-6 2-0 Alcaraz Have a look! At 15-all, Alcaraz breaks the wrists on a backhand as Sinner comes in, spiriting a winner cross-court; slowly, we might be hitting levels. As I type, though, at 30-all Sinner tries a wrong-footing backhand with plenty of space to hit, but looking for precision, he strays wide and must now face break-back point; he saves it via service winner and closes out from there, punching the air in celebration. He knows how important that was, for his state of mind as much as for the score. Updated at 6.19pm CEST 6.12pm CEST 18:12 Sinner 4-6 1-0 Alcaraz* Sinner will be feeling very, very poorly, his gizzard leaping and stomping through his throat. But he quickly makes 0-30, an error from Alcaraz hands him 0-40, and these are crucial moments coming up – if Sinner can't break, the hit to his confidence will feel immense, the champ allowing him a start then upping it beyond his reach when it becomes a problem. And Alcaraz saves the first, then the second when Sinner again slips in pursuit of a drop. But the Italian then goes after a 140mph serve, delivering a far better return than seemed possible and, into the rally, his opponent falters first, looping a forehand long. My days, Sinner needed that. Updated at 6.39pm CEST 6.08pm CEST 18:08 *Sinner 4-6 Alcaraz Between games, we're encouraged to turn the sound up and just listen to purity of the ball-striking; it's a gorgeous, hollow, percussive zing-thump. But Sinner then overhits a backhand … only for Alcaraz to do likewise, just. Right decision, imperfect execution. A service winner follows, making 30-15, but then coming in for a simple +1, Sinner hesitates, perhaps not expecting the ball to come back, and he loops a terrible effort long; the champ is two points away from the first set. And when Sinner slips trying to push off in search of a beautifully-disguised drop, the ball is tapped into the space and, at 30-40, he's set-point down. Can he respond? Er, just about, a body second-serve cramping Alcaraz, who nets a ball you nevertheless expect him to make; to deuce we go ... whereupon a double donates advantage, the challenger faltering at the crucial moment. But he plays a fantastic next point, dominating from the back, and though Alcaraz switches momentum with a forehand hooked to the corner, the response, down the line into the space, is decisive … NO IT IS NOT! Somehow, the ludicrous magician stretches, hangs out a racket, and controls what I suppose we must call a drop, zonimg over the net to secure the first set in a moment of magic so symbolic it feels made up. Alcaraz holds a hand to his ear, the crowd go wild, and it'll take something to come back from that. How is he even real? Updated at 6.15pm CEST 5.58pm CEST 17:58 Sinner 4-5 Alcaraz* Sinner marches in to dispatch a forehand winner for 15-all; again, he is not waiting to be asked, and the first double of the match ups the tension. But down 15-30, Alcaraz finds a service winner, nails his next delivery out wide then cleans up at net, and an ace seals a crucial hold. Again, Alcaraz does what he needs when he really needs to do it, and if he can get a few returns in or a look at a second delivery or two, he'll put Sinner under some pressure as he serves to stay in the set. 5.54pm CEST 17:54 *Sinner 4-4 Alcaraz Alcaraz is struggling to make an impression on return, Sinner's targeting of his forehand taking the backhand slice – which sets up so many of his best plays – out of the equation. At 15-0, a drop is followed by a gorgeous volley which levels the game, then we have the kind of rally of which we've not yet seen much but expect to see plenty, thrashing from the back until Sinner errs with the 18th stroke of the exchange; at 15-30, the chance has a sniff and when a backhand drops long, he has two chances to break back. And he only needs one, Sinner slapping a backhand into the net, and he'll be really disappointed with how easily he ceded the advantage. Updated at 6.36pm CEST


Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus reveals heartbreaking update on the future of Voyage
Abba 's Björn Ulvaeus has shared his uncertainty on whether the holographic Voyage concerts would continue after one band member dies. The iconic band, whose international fame was solidified by their victory at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Waterloo, is composed of Björn, Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Their seventies heyday has been reimagined by a long-running show where fans can watch ABBA's avatars in a custom-built arena. ABBA Voyage is a virtual concert experience in London where digital avatars of the Swedish pop group ABBA perform their greatest hits. However, the singer has now cast doubt over the future of the first of its kind concert, as he confessed to the Radio Times that the four of them need to decide prior to their deaths if they would continue the shows. Björn told Jane Mulkerrins for her new Sunday morning programme, 'That's a question I've never had before...I honestly don't know, hadn't thought about that. 'It's good you raise that question - I'll talk to the others about that as we need to decide beforehand between us if it's OK for all four of us to go on after we're gone' The iconic band, whose international fame was solidified by their victory at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Waterloo, is composed of Björn (bottom right), Agnetha Fältskog (top right), Benny Andersson (top left) , and Anni-Frid Lyngstad (bottom left) ABBA was formed in 1972 and released eight albums between 1973 and 1981. They are considered one of the best-selling groups in history, with estimate album sales between 150 million and 385 million records worldwide. The group had been disbanded since 1982 but their music still lived on in the intervening years. The compilation album ABBA Gold was a worldwide best seller, and their music was adapted into the hit musical Mamma Mia in 1999, which was then adapted into two feature films - 2008's Mamma Mia and 2018's Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. The group reunited in 2016 and started working on this virtual concert, which used motion-capture technology from George Lucas' visual effects house Industrial Light and Magic to create 'ABBA-tars' of the group, as they would have looked in 1979. The group members all performed for several hours in front of 160 motion cameras to get the motion-capture look just right, with over 1 billion computing hours from ILM. ABBA also started recording new music in 2018, which resulted in their first new studio album in 40 years - Voyage - also said to be the band's final album, which has sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide. The Voyage virtual concert opened May 27 at a custom venue in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, earning rave reviews from fans, critics and even ABBA members themselves. The show avatars, created using motion capture technology, appear on stage alongside a live 10-piece band. The concert is housed in a custom-built arena called the ABBA Arena. The 90-minute concert includes such hits as Mamma Mia, The Winner Takes It All and Voulez-Vous. The Abba experience has backed more than 5,000 jobs in London, including people employed at the venue as well as those in other sectors.


The Sun
37 minutes ago
- The Sun
Inside Ed Sheeran's epic homecoming gigs with hit-packed set & fireworks as he reveals plan for huge blow out after tour
I'M deep in the bowels of Portman Road stadium playing keepy-uppy when I clock someone walking into the room. The corridors were already abuzz with tour managers and crew, so if it wasn't for the repeated hugs a very familiar flame-haired man was getting, I wouldn't have noticed him. 9 9 9 With zero fanfare, one of the most successful British artists of all time walks over to me, hand outstretched. 'I'm Ed,' he smiles — as if Ed Sheeran needs any introduction. Despite never losing eye contact as we chat, in his hands he's signing a stack of Polaroid pictures — shuffling on to the next one like a world-class magician. 'I have thousands of these to do, I do them everywhere,' he laughs. The Polaroids will eventually make their way into special limited-edition copies of his upcoming eighth album Play. It's been three years since Ed last did shows in the UK and this weekend feels special. We meet on Friday evening before the first of his three sell-out homecoming gigs at his beloved Ipswich Town 's ground. By today, Ed will have played to 90,000 fans. After I tell him I can't believe he's not exhausted from touring the globe non- stop for four years, Ed nods: 'I'm knackered. 'The tour ends in September. I'm going to have a big party to celebrate the end of the tour. It's been four years.' At least for this weekend Ed got to wake up in his own bed in his ' Sheeranville ' estate near the picture-perfect town of Framlingham, which is just over 30 minutes away. Ed Sheeran teams up with school pals AND 00s rock legend for epic performance 'All three nights I'm at home — even Sunday,' Ed says, clearly relieved to be back for a burst of normality. But a boozy Sunday was off the cards after he took his final bow last night. Ed tells me: 'When I did Wembley in 2022, we went out the night before. 'But now I can't, I have kids. We are up at 6am no matter where I am. After I'm politely asked if we are ready for our photograph — Ed isn't officially doing interviews — The A Team singer interjects, keen to talk about me and where I'm from. Explaining I'm from a little village in Derbyshire where even if Beyonce were to rock up no one would recognise her, Ed admits it reminds him of his own home town. A lifelong Ipswich fan, Ed asks if I support Derby County. Unable to bluff my way through, I admit football isn't really my bag. Instead I find common ground by telling him we were both in Germany last week, him on his mammoth Mathematics world tour and me for Cologne Pride. He asks how it was and after telling him about my three days of non-stop partying, I get back to business. 9 9 It's hard to play down the significance of the gigs for both Ed and Ipswich. Fans have flown in from all over the world and have been camping outside the stadium since 4am in baking heat. While the local Burger King is offering an Ed combo special for £10.99. By the time he takes to the stage at 8.15pm, the atmosphere is electric. Ed kicks things off with new track Sapphire followed by 2021 No1 Shivers and his 2011 track The A Team. Within the first 15 minutes, multiple pyrotechnics and fireworks pop off around us. Beaming, Ed tells the crowd: 'It's good to be back. "I have been looking forward to this so, so much. 'I haven't played a big, big show in the UK since 2022 when we did the Wembley shows. 'That was a conversation actually, last year — should we come back and do a run of Wembley shows, and I was like, 'It just doesn't seem special'. 'I want it to be special, and Ipswich is special. 'SPECIAL WEEKEND' 'All the times I've come to this stadium and imagined playing it. 'It looks amazing.' Ed continues: 'Over the last 15 years I've only really played one other big show in Ipswich. 'We played a park to signal the end of Divide and it's really cool to play here and signal the beginning of Play. 'Everything you hear tonight is live. 'There is no backing track whatsoever — it's all made by me.' As I join the thousands watching Ed, it's impossible not to be in awe of both his ability to deliver a five-star performance with just his guitar and a loop pedal — and the sheer volume of hits he has in his back catalogue. Opening up about winning two lawsuits against him which falsely accused him of stealing the music to Thinking Out Loud and Shape Of You, Ed explains: 'I love writing songs. 'Writing songs is not only my hobby, it's my life. 'All I want to do is write songs and play shows. 'These became such big news stories. 'And the reason is that it's kind of an open secret in the music industry that this happens behind the scenes. 'Both of those cases came to me a year before and said we are going to make this really public and say you stole this song unless you give us some money. 'But I was like, 'I haven't done anything wrong'. 'Both times the reason it went so big was because I said 'no' — but reputationally for a few years people thought I was a thief.' On Friday night Ed surprised fans by bringing out Westlife for a rendition of their 1999 classic Flying Without Wings. Ed may have 43 Top 10 singles, including 14 No1s, and sold more than 200million records worldwide, but he hasn't lost touch with where he's from. He continues: 'I never underestimate the amount of effort it takes to get to a gig. 'Some people fly here, they get trains. 9 9 'People taking time out of their daily schedule. 'They get babysitters. 'Even just the act of getting tickets in the first place. 'It's effort to come to one of these shows and I am so grateful. 'It's such a special weekend for me to be with my family and friends and I'm so grateful we could share it together. 'Thank you for making so much effort.' I think the thanks are to you Ed, for the music which has soundtracked our lives for the past 15 years. Oh, and if you see my cap, I accidentally left it in your dressing room. Consider it yours. CHART CHAMP'S £10M BONUS ED'S homecoming weekend could boost the local economy by around £10million – thanks to fans splashing the cash on hotels, meals out and drinks. Tickets for all three shows sold out within an hour earlier this year. 9 A boat in the marina was emblazoned with a 'Welcome home Ed' banner and Ipswich town centre was packed all day – with guitar shop owner John Fender, who previously served Ed in his store, telling the BBC his shop has never been busier. John said: 'He used to come in and buy music books when he was growing up, then in October 2022 he popped in and bought a guitar and amp from us before his surprise gig in the Cornhill. 'Everyone's buzzing. 'We've had some people in today from Germany, from America. 'People are travelling from all around to Ipswich. 'I think it's brilliant for the town and the area.' HE'S FLYING HIGH ED'S fans got a special treat after he was joined on stage by Westlife, left, to kick off his three-night run. Revealing why he invited the lads over from Ireland, he said via Instagram: 'The reason I wrote Shape Of You was that I wanted to go in the studio with one of the men that was behind Flying Without Wings – producer Steve Mac. 9 "It's one of my favourite songs of all time. 'I used to pretend I was in Westlife when I was, like, nine years old. 'But tonight I got to actually be a member, playing with Steve and Beoga on stage for the homecoming shows at Ipswich Town. 'Just pure magic. 'Thank you for flying over, lads. 'I will never forget that moment x.'