Stars return to Royal Box as Wimbledon welcomes back the sunshine
Among the guests in the Royal Box were adventurer Bear Grylls, broadcaster Sir Chris Bryant and actor Rory Kinnear.
Deborah Meaden soaked up the sunshine on centre court (John Walton/PA)
Former Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden and comedian Clive Anderson were also spotted taking in the action on Centre Court.
Musician-turned-environmentalist Feargal Sharkey was seated alongside Dutch tennis legend Betty Stove, who turned 80 in April and famously reached three Wimbledon finals in 1977.
They were joined by a host of sporting figures including former England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward, Olympic sprinter Donna Fraser, and incoming Lawn Tennis Association chairman William Jackson. Prince Michael of Kent led the royal contingent.
Novak Djokovic during his match against Daniel Evans on day four of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships (John Walton/PA)
The stars were there to see Novak Djokovic face off against British Dan Evans on Centre Court, before Iga Swiatek takes on American qualifier Caty McNally.
Top seed Jannik Sinner took on Aleksandar Vukic of Australia on No 1 Court, followed by Mirra Andreeva's match against Italy's Lucia Bronzetti.
Later in the day, Maria Sakkari is scheduled to play 2022 champion Elena Rybakina, and British hope Jack Draper will face former US Open winner Marin Cilic.
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Glasgow Times
5 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Nuno Borges says Wimbledon blocked Portugal shirt as tribute to Diogo Jota
Instead he wore a black ribbon pinned to his hat during Friday's third-round match against Karen Khachanov, but said his team had initially pushed for a more visible tribute. 'I know Wimbledon is usually not very flexible with attire,' Borges told the PA news agency. 'But I was told we could still do something to pay our respects for what happened, so I think it was a nice gesture. 'He was a great footballer. It was a tragedy.' Francisco Cabral of Portugal wearing a black ribbon in memory of compatriot Diogo Jota (Mike Egerton/PA) Borges, who lost a five-set thriller, said his agent contacted Wimbledon about the idea of wearing a Portugal shirt, and even tried to source a white version to comply with dress rules, but it was not approved. 'We initially talked about getting a full jersey to walk on court,' he said. 'I even tried to find one in white, but it was turned down, so we ended up doing something a little smaller.' Asked if Wimbledon should have allowed the shirt, he said: 'I think that's what makes Wimbledon special and different from every other Slam, so I really don't know.' Wimbledon relaxed its 148-year-old dress code in light of Jota's death, allowing players to wear black ribbons or armbands. Borges was among several players who did, including fellow Portuguese doubles player Francisco Cabral. Cabral, who wore a ribbon on his shirt sleeve during a doubles match with Lucas Miedler, said: 'Yesterday the idea of wearing a black strap came up – that was not allowed. 'I asked for permission to use the black ribbon and they let me play with it.' He described it as 'an honour', adding: 'It was not for the best reason – he was an inspiration not only for me but for the country in general. 'He made so much in the sport and conquered so much in my life. If I helped 1% for the family I will be super happy.' Cabral and Miedler lost their second-round match in straight sets to Czech pair Petr Nouza and Patrik Rikl. Wimbledon's dress code has long restricted visible colour on court, and tributes are rarely granted. The gesture marked a rare moment of flexibility from organisers, after the deaths of Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who were killed in Spain while travelling to catch a ferry to England. British doubles player and Liverpool fan Neal Skupski had also taken a black armband for his match on Thursday, but opted not to wear it after learning of the death of his grandmother shortly after coming off court. He said he may wear one 'in the next couple of days'.
The National
9 minutes ago
- The National
Raducanu goes down swinging in thrilling loss to Sabalenka
The 22-year-old played some electrifying tennis under the roof on Centre Court but was unable to apply the finishing touches, eventually going down 7-6 (6) 6-4 after exactly two hours. Emma Raducanu reminded the tennis world what a special talent she is before her Wimbledon hopes were ended with a narrow loss to world number one Aryna Sabalenka. The first set alone took 74 minutes, with Raducanu saving seven set points and creating one of her own, while she led 4-1 in the second before Sabalenka recovered to set up a fourth-round clash with Elise Mertens. Raducanu will now drop to British number three behind Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal, who is the last home woman left in singles, but that will not be the case for long if she can maintain this level. The former US Open champion has made it her goal to close the gap to the world's best and, having lost twice heavily to Iga Swiatek in the other two grand slams this year, she can feel very differently after her performance here. 'She played such incredible tennis and she pushed me really hard to get this win,' said Sabalenka. 'I fight for every point like crazy. 'I'm super happy to see her healthy and back on track. I'm pretty sure that she will be back in the top 10 soon. 'What an atmosphere, my ears are still hurting. I was telling myself, just pretend they're cheering for you, and I was having goosebumps.' Unlike Jack Draper, Raducanu is naturally at home on grass, with her exceptional ability to take the ball early, particularly on return, mitigating her lack of pure power. She gave Sabalenka a decent run for her money in their only previous meeting, in Indian Wells last spring, and a clean return winner off a second serve in the opening game showed the Belarusian that she very much meant business. Raducanu played an almost flawless match to beat former champion Marketa Vondrousova in the second round and, although this was a very different prospect, the 22-year-old once more appeared calm and clear-minded. She had the top seed under pressure again in the fifth game, bringing up three more break points and taking the third when Sabalenka netted a backhand. That was greeted by a huge roar from the packed stands, but Raducanu then made her first missteps serving at 4-3 to hand the advantage back amid a run of eight points in a row for Sabalenka. A forehand winner played from virtually sitting down by Raducanu earned a clap from Sabalenka but too many errors had crept into the home favourite's game and a netted forehand gave her opponent a first set point. She saved that with an ace, and Sabalenka remarkably missed backhands on every one of six more opportunities before Raducanu finally held in one of Centre Court's more memorable games. It seemed impossible for it not to be a key moment, and Sabalenka had a face of thunder after watching two Raducanu passing shots fly beyond her reach. Concern replaced cheers when Raducanu suffered a nasty slip in retrieving a short ball, briefly staying down clutching her left hip before gingerly getting to her feet. It did not stop her creating two break points, though, and Sabalenka overhit a backhand to leave her opponent serving for the set. This time Sabalenka did not let Raducanu off the hook, forcing a tie-break, where a drive volley hooked wide of an open court at 5-4 looked like it might have cost the world number one when she then netted a return to give Raducanu a first set point. But Sabalenka saved it in style with a drop shot before finally taking her eighth opportunity, this time making no mistake at the net. It was important for Raducanu to recover from the disappointment quickly, and she did, producing two strong holds of serve and taking advantage of a dip from Sabalenka to move 4-1 ahead in the second set. Sabalenka has been far and away the best player in the world over the last year but suddenly she was struggling to live with Raducanu, who played a series of sublime points to create a chance to win a fourth game in a row only to just miss with a forehand. Had she taken it, a deciding set was most certainly on the cards, but Sabalenka, who is the only top-six seed left in the tournament, barged the door wide open and charged through it, reeling off five games in a row.
The Independent
12 minutes ago
- The Independent
Emma Raducanu's valiant Wimbledon defeat shows future is even brighter than the past
Emma Raducanu is back. That will be scant consolation as she tries to get over the immediate crushing disappointment of this straight-sets defeat to Aryna Sabalenka but should provide comfort when she looks back on her exploits at Wimbledon 2025 in the weeks to come. The shadow of that 2021 US Open triumph has loomed large for so long – her exploits as a 19-year-old in New York on those balmy late-summer evenings four years ago defining her. It was somehow the very best and worst thing that could have happened so early in her tennis career. The injuries, on-court struggles, lack of wins over top 10 opponents and off-court drama were all magnified as an inexperienced player subsequently tried to find her way as a pro. Yet she – and perhaps more pertinently those who watch and support her – have now definitively moved and can enjoy the next phase. The back injury that forced Raducanu's withdrawal from the Berlin Open and marred her build-up to this year's tournament at the All England Club was a forgotten irrelevance as she built on one of her finest performances over former champion Marketa Vondrousova in the previous round to give the best player in the world all she could handle in a bout of classic, late-night Wimbledon drama. 'I had to fight for every point like crazy,' admitted Sabalenka after a 7-6, 6-4 win in exactly two hours. 'She pushed me so hard.' Sabalenka is a force. Her power is unmatched in the women's game but you don't get to world No 1 and win three grand slams as she has done with a one-dimensional arsenal. She needed all of her exquisite drop shots and flicked winners to hold off an opponent who proved every bit her equal. This was probably the best display Raducanu has put in since that 2021 US Open run and while consistency is now the next challenge, this reminded everyone, even in defeat, that she has the ability of a top-five player. She impeccably controlled Sabalenka's power in a way few can, with deep groundstrokes and pace variations while firing off perfectly-placed winners of her own. 'I'm happy to see Emma healthy and I'm pretty sure that soon she's going to be back at the top of the game,' explained Sabalenka afterwards. The pair combined to produce a first set that may well end up being the best of this year's championship. A 74-minute instant classic that ebbed and flowed, full of classy shot-making and dogged grit concluded with Sabalenka edging a remarkable tiebreak 8-6. But Raducanu fought. Hard. She demonstrated resilience in the face of every setback, somehow staving off seven break points at 5-4 down in that first set during an epic 13-minute game to eventually secure the hold. She came agonisingly close to snatching the tiebreak, seeing a set point of her own slip by, and even once she had lost it, didn't wilt. She roared out of the blocks in the second set for a 4-1 lead, although she finally ran out juice as Sabalenka ground out five games in a row to book a fourth-round spot. The women's singles at Wimbledon has become the domain of the surprise winner in recent times. Yet now having seen off someone who knows a thing or two about being an unlikely grand slam champion herself, Sabalenka looks well set to buck that trend. With the five women immediately below her in the world rankings having already crashed out, can anyone stop her? Raducanu came close but it will take a monumental effort from someone else in the draw. This clash will live long in the memory of all those present. There is something special about Centre Court at the All England Club of an evening, with the sun slowly going down outside and the roof closed to send the noise bouncing into every nook and cranny. Throw in a British underdog valiantly raging against the riding tide and you've got a quintessential Wimbledon experience. The foundations of this iconic sporting church were shaking throughout as a raucous home crowd left no doubt about who they rooting for. 'Wow, what an atmosphere. My ears are still hurting,' laughed Sabalenka in her post-match courtside interview. This felt like the Raducanu who won the US Open back in 2021, or at least the one who so impressively beat former champion Vondrousova in the previous round, as she got the raucous support genuinely believing something special was possible. She fashioned three break points in the fifth game of the match and took the third thanks to a return at full stretch followed by a well-constructed point that ended with her opponent netting. Cue a deafening roar and crowd celebrations more akin to a semi-final than a first-set break in round three. However, Sabalenka soon began to settle in and reduce the error count. She pounced on some inaccurate Raducanu groundstrokes to earn a break back to love at 3-4 before moving within a game of the first set with the subsequent ruthless hold. Then that ludicrous 13-minute game as a timely ace, five unreturned serves and a missed backhand down the line somehow saved seven separate set points as the Brit ground out a monumental hold Raducanu overcame a nasty-looking slip at the net in the next to earn a break herself and, from looking like the first set had gone, Raducanu was suddenly serving for it. Yet the constantly shifting momentum would soon make another left turn. Sabalenka re-focussed after the loss of serve, won the first three points to move 0-40 ahead and withheld a mini fightback to seal the game on the third break point and send it to a tiebreak. The pair traded mini-breaks but were still locked at 5-5 when Sabalenka netted a forehand as Raducanu earned a set point. The world No 1 then proceeded to do world No 1 things as an audacious, gutsy drop-shot winner saved it in style and when she got another one herself, a put-away volley on the stretch sealed an 8-6 tiebreak win after 74 gruelling, heart-stopping minutes. It would have been understandable if Raducanu had wilted at this point – the disappointment of losing that first set being too much to bear. Instead, she stood tall and fought. The fourth game of the second set was supreme. She managed Sabalenka's power, floating back the grenades being fired at her and deservedly broke serve to 15. The Belarusian's decisive forehand miss was greeted with a defiant fist pump to her coaching box from the Brit. The work could immediately have been undone at 0-30 in the next game, yet she battled back for a crucial hold and at 4-1, the second set was at her mercy. But from there, it turned. A break point slipped by in the next, Sabalenka hit her straps and broke back before holding with ease and breaking again to serve for the match. One last gasp from Raducanu saved the first two match points but third time was a charm and Sabalenka can looked forward to a last-16 tie with Elise Mertens. But for the home crowd, this was Raducanu's day. The day she showed she can hang with the best and that it's time to look forward not back. The future might now prove to be more exciting than the past.
