logo
Harris puts defeat aside to focus on doubles

Harris puts defeat aside to focus on doubles

BBC News17 hours ago
Tennis player Billy Harris said although he was "gutted" to be out of the Wimbledon singles competition, he is looking forward to getting back on court in the doubles on Thursday.There was disappointment for the 30-year-old on Wednesday when he lost 6-3 6-4 7-6 (9-7) in the second round to Portugal's Nuno Borges.Harris said although it was a "frustrating" defeat, his opponent had been "pretty solid from his serve and from the baseline, so it was a tough match"."But it is what it is and we move on to the doubles now," he said.
Reaching the second round at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships marked the player's best run at the event, after losing in the first round on his debut in 2024.Reflecting on Wednesday's match, Harris said: "I had my chances and I think I missed one passing shot on set-point by an inch."I had a couple more set-points, so you've got to take those kind of chances in these matches, but that's tennis, it's always like that."He's a very solid player from the back of he court, so if you're not doing enough with the ball he's going to move you around all day."In the third set I think I was feeling the ball a lot better, had a bit more rhythm in my service games, but I couldn't take the tie-break in the end."Harris praised the "great support from the crowd" as well as the messages from friends and family on the Isle of Man."Big thanks to them and I was just gutted that I couldn't take it further," he said.Looking ahead to his doubles match on Thursday against Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik and Flavio Cobolli of Italy, Harris said playing alongside fellow British player Marcus Willis was something he was relishing."Marcus is a great doubles player and if we put a great performance together we can win some matches."
Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook, external and X, external.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Can Raducanu bridge gap to world's best Sabalenka?
Can Raducanu bridge gap to world's best Sabalenka?

BBC News

time24 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Can Raducanu bridge gap to world's best Sabalenka?

Let's not get carried away just Wednesday, Emma Raducanu produced one of her best performances "in a long time" to beat 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova and move into the Wimbledon third backing up that victory to reach the last 16 will probably require an even better display from the British number one on in her way is Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one and overwhelming favourite for the women's singles has made sound progress to climb back into the world's top 40 this season, but the evidence has shown there is still a clear gulf between the 22-year-old and the leading of her Grand Slam appearances this season were ended in ruthless fashion by five-time major champion Iga Swiatek - Raducanu winning only one game at the Australian Open and three at the French Open in a pair of demoralising Gauff, who went on to win the Roland Garros title, also proved too much of a step up in class for Raducanu on the Rome challenge for Raducanu is discovering how she can test the very best."I think I need more weapons. I think I need to be able to hit the ball with better quality more often," Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, told BBC Sport before facing Sabalenka."I think I need to serve better. I think I need to hit better on the move. There are a lot of things I need to do better."Beating a top player like Marketa, who has won this tournament, was obviously a really positive thing for me and a really good marker."But I need to bridge the gap to the very, very top." Playing passively could spell danger With her powerful serve and lights-out baseline game, Sabalenka has become the dominant player on the WTA Tour over the past 18 blistering nature of her shots translates to any surface and is why she has reached at least the quarter-finals in each of the past 10 Grand Slams she has Wimbledon, where Sabalenka has reached the semi-finals on her most recent two appearances, the faster courts suit her first-strike means she uses her serve and return of serve to quickly get on top of her opponents in the statistical insight tool calculates 39% of Sabalenka's shots are attacking, compared to an average of 24% in the women's draw."The last few years she's just been so consistent and solid," said Raducanu, who made the fourth round at the All England Club in 2021 and 2024."I just have to try to control my side as best as possible and, I guess, be smart."But, at the same time, I need to take my chances if I have any because I can't play passive against her."She can take the racquet out of your hand and just dominate if you give her that chance." But patience is also required After being outclassed by Swiatek and Gauff on hard and clay courts, Raducanu feels the Wimbledon grass represents her best chance of pushing teaming up with coach Mark Petchey earlier this year, Raducanu has also looked to use her serve and forehand more statistical analysis also shows she is more attacking than average in the women's draw - with 27% of her shots classed that way by she knows she cannot be "overly aggressive" and needs to use craft return also needs to be on point against one of the best servers in the game. The sliced backhand will be an important tool to take the pace out of Sabalenka's athleticism can also help Raducanu be more of a counter-puncher against the Belarusian and potentially draw mistakes."Raducanu's defence against Vondrousova was outstanding, albeit Vondrousova doesn't attack as much or with the same firepower as Sabalenka," said TennisViz's Phil Newbury."The slice could be key here. Sabalenka's 'steal score' - which calculates how often a player has won the point when they are defending during it - was just below the draw average in her second round."It suggests if Raducanu can force her way into Sabalenka's defence, there could be positive rewards for her." Home comforts could help Raducanu feels she has a better chance of beating one of the leading players at Wimbledon than at the other well as being comfortable on the grass, feeling "at home" is helping her play with more a tight-knit and trusted group around her is a key factor in the progress she has made this is a trusted ally who used to coach her as a teenager, while long-time confidante Jane O'Donoghue continues to provide support while on a career break from her finance has also been able to hang out with friends at Wimbledon and was seen taking selfies with them on the All England Club balcony after beating Vondrousova."I had the same sort of routine last year. I just really cherish these moments because we know how hard it is week to week playing on the tour," she said."When we're here in this sort of environment feeling at home, it's so special."

Neto may miss Club World Cup quarter-final after death of friend Jota
Neto may miss Club World Cup quarter-final after death of friend Jota

Telegraph

time27 minutes ago

  • Telegraph

Neto may miss Club World Cup quarter-final after death of friend Jota

Enzo Maresca has said that Pedro Neto is under no pressure to play in Chelsea's Club World Cup quarter-final in Philadelphia on Friday following the death of his friend Diogo Jota. The Chelsea manager said that Neto, who played with Jota at Wolverhampton Wanderers and with the Portugal national team, had been told he could decide whether he played against Palmeiras or not. Neto, 25, did not train in Miami ahead of the team flight to Philadelphia for the game that will kick off at 9pm local time (2am Saturday UK). Jota, the Liverpool forward, died in a car crash near Zamora in Portugal on Wednesday night. The 28-year-old father of three was killed, along with his brother Andre Silva, only 11 days after he married his childhood sweetheart, and his death has shocked football. 'In terms of Pedro, he's very sad,' Maresca said. 'Probably more than sad, but we are also close to Pedro to support him in this moment.' He added: 'It's completely Pedro's decision [whether he plays]. I had a chat this morning with Pedro. We support him. Any decision he will take is the correct one, and we are going to support him in any case. So it doesn't matter if he'll be on the pitch or not. [On Friday] we'll see how he is feeling. But in any case, we're going to support him.' Neto, who has emerged as one of Chelsea's most important players, signed for Wolves in 2019 – two years after Jota's arrival. Marc Cucurella, Neto's team-mate, suggested that the winger will play. 'In the morning he was sad and it was not his best moment. But we tried to stay together and in the afternoon he was a bit better and I told him that if he's going to play then he will score because that is destiny. 'Hopefully we can show his love and all the good friends that we are and dedicate the goal to him.' He added: 'Football is not important at times like this. The most important thing is that we show respect and all our love. It was a difficult moment because these things can happen to all of us in any moment. Then you start to think if you don't feel good, or you don't give 100 per cent, or feel s---, when these things happen it's important to be happy and live life every day.' The Chelsea captain Reece James said: 'I think the whole football world is devastated by the passing of Diogo and his brother. It's obviously a difficult time for everyone involved and his close friends and family. It's such a tragic accident. 'Of course he [Neto] is going to be upset. I think they were very close. Something so sudden. It's very difficult to react and support him in the right way when something so unexpected happens.' On Thursday night Portugal fans at the women's Euro 2025 match against Switzerland in Bern paid tribute to Jota, holding up portraits and waving flags. Mourners are set to gather to honour Jota at a wake in Portugal on Friday morning, a local priest has said. Jose Manuel Macedo, parish priest at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme, said a wake will take place for Jota and his brother at 8am at the nearby Capela da Ressurreicao before their funeral at the Igreja Matriz on Saturday at 10am. Tributes from the football world and beyond flooded in for the Portuguese forward on Thursday.

Former Olympian Fatima Whitbread's message to young people
Former Olympian Fatima Whitbread's message to young people

BBC News

time29 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Former Olympian Fatima Whitbread's message to young people

"Don't let your start define your end" was former Olympian Fatima Whitbread's message to young people at an art display for those receiving mental health support. The javelin thrower attended the launch of an exhibition at the Horton Centre in Epsom put on by Mindworks, which provides specialist support in event showcases art work by young people who have suffered trauma or been through the care system, as well as their parents and who grew up in care having been abandoned as a baby, said it was "wonderful" to see the work created by the young people. She said finding something you loved was really important, and that sport had been her "saviour" as an 11-year-old when she watched Mary Peters win the women's pentathlon in the 1972 Olympics."Giving a young person hope is really important because it's that that keeps them focused in what they want to do," she added that finding a passion could give young people a sense of belonging, the opportunity to share what they loved to do and taught them life skills."They can engage with people in the community, can share with likeminded people, they can have good role models that can help them when they start to flourish and grow," she told BBC Radio Surrey."Don't let your start define your end, it doesn't have to."At the end of the day it's all about the journey of learning, and experience of self growth, learning what you can do and what your limitations are." Sara May, 18, performed her own songs at the launch event, which she described as "really welcoming"."Everyone listening and telling me their experiences really helped me to understand how they took my music and how it made them feel," she exhibition, now in its third year, is being held until 11 July in what was the chapel at Epsom's "cluster" of five psychiatric hospitals. Art therapist Rebecca Robertson said art gave young people a different medium that was "slightly less directive" than having to talk face-to-face about trauma."It's very rare as a child or young person that you get the opportunity to exhibit in a public space, such a beautiful space, and to get them to express their thoughts and feelings on paper," she said."It's wonderful and it's so moving."Whitbread founded Fatima's UK Campaign to call for improvements to the care system and ensure children in care are "seen, heard and valued"."Every child deserves the right to a safe and happy childhood," she added.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store