Alcaraz aims to avoid giant-killing after Wimbledon seeds tumble
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Asharq Al-Awsat
6 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Olivia Rodrigo, John Cena and Other Celebrities Make Their Way to Wimbledon's Royal Box
Olivia Rodrigo. John Cena. Dave Grohl. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. There was as much star power - or maybe even more? - in the Royal Box at Wimbledon as there was down below on the Centre Court grass on Wednesday. And that was on an afternoon that featured two-time defending men's champion Carlos Alcaraz, No. 1-ranked woman Aryna Sabalenka, and 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu of Britain all winning matches at the grasscourt Grand Slam tournament's main stadium to reach the third round. "It's so special in the Royal Box to have those kind of people in there. It definitely adds a bit of pressure, I guess, if you look up and you kind of recognize (them)," Raducanu said. "That's why I try and stay with my eyes on the court as much as possible. Only after, you kind of look up and take it all in, if they're still there." The seats in the Royal Box behind one of the baselines are by invitation only, and there was quite a list of celebrities on hand for Day 3 of competition. "I was trying not to look today," Sabalenka said about the collection of boldfaced names, explaining that she might be distracted while competing. "I was just trying to focus on my game. Later on, I'm going to open the social media (and ask), 'OK, who was there?'" Well, Aryna, here's a rundown: Rodrigo, fresh off headlining at music festival Glastonbury while on tour for her GUTS album, sat next to Cena, the professional wrestler and movie star. Rodrigo chatted at one point with former England soccer coach Roy Hodgson (the current person in that job, Thomas Tuchel, also was in attendance). Grohl, a member of the rock bands Foo Fighters and Nirvana, made an appearance, too, as did the married couple Chopra and Jonas. Hollywood's Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, who also are married, were on the Royal Box list, along with actor Dominic Cooper. Others taking in a day of tennis at the most famous court in the world included British athletes from other sports, such as Olympic gold medalists Sophie Bray (field hockey) and Tom Daley (diving), and Paralympic gold medalist William Ellard (swimming). Oh, and there was actual British royalty there Wednesday: Princess Michael of Kent.
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Raducanu Back to Her Carefree Best as She Knocks Out Vondrousova
When Emma Raducanu hurtled across the baseline to whip an eye-popping passing shot winner at Wimbledon on Wednesday, it signaled that she was once again capable of delivering the kind of potent shots that carried her to the 2021 US Open title. That sizzler, one of 18 winners Raducanu conjured up during her second-round 6-3 6-3 destruction of 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, not only earned the British hope her first break of the match but it also had a hollering Centre Court crowd leaping to their feet. As fans and pundits hailed her electrifying performance, Raducanu admitted: "That was one of the best matches I've played in a long time. "There's no better feeling than winning here at Wimbledon, winning on Centre Court. It honestly makes everything worth it. You forget about everything, all the up and downs, mainly the downs, when you're out there and you win. I just want to savor that one and enjoy it (because) it was really special." Billed as a battle between two one-hit wonders, Raducanu and her Czech rival both had a point to prove when they walked on to Centre Court for the match. Their career paths have followed a similar roller-coaster of a trajectory -- while Raducanu became the first qualifier in the professional era to win a Grand Slam singles title when she triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2021, Vondrousova became the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon in 2023. RANKINGS FREEFALL Twelve months after experiencing the buzz of their incredible victories, both suffered humbling first-round exits when they turned up to defend their Grand Slam titles, with injuries contributing to their downfall. Cue a rankings freefall, with both plummeting outside the top 150 and, until 10 days ago, neither had won a title since their Grand Slam triumphs. While both were unseeded, Vondrousova would have fancied her chances of knocking out Britain's big hope. After all, the 26-year-old had arrived at the All England Club fresh from winning the grasscourt title in Berlin, with victories over Australian Open champion Madison Keys and world number one Aryna Sabalenka en route. However, it was 22-year-old Raducanu whose game sparkled on Centre Court as she produced the kind of carefree, yet formidable, shots that helped her to triumph at Flushing Meadows almost four years ago. "Today I played really, really well," summed up world number 40 Raducanu, whose reward for reaching the third round is a showdown with Sabalenka. "Playing Marketa, I knew it was going to be very challenging. She's won Wimbledon. She's in amazing form right now having won Berlin. I'm just very proud of how I went out there and competed and kept committing and came through that one." Her commitment to chase after everything, even when she seemed out of the running to win the point, paid off time and time again. The incredible backhand passing shot winner that she curled back into the court, despite almost running into the crowd, gave her the break for a 4-2 lead in the first set. Although a sloppy service game gave 73rd-ranked Vondrousova the break back in the next game, the British number one wasted little time in regaining the advantage for a 5-3 lead after a forehand error from the Czech. Moments later thundering roars from the Centre Court crowd could be heard around the All England Club, and beyond, as Vondrousova surrendered the set with yet another miscued forehand. Clearly unsettled, the errors started piling up for Vondrousova, who had previously admitted that she did not envy the "crazy pressure" Raducanu had to deal with day-in and day-out after becoming the first British woman to win a major in 44 years. Yet another forehand slapped long by Vondrousova handed Raducanu a break for 2-1 and from then on there was no stopping the Briton. She sealed a place in the third round after her opponent swiped a backhand wide. "She was playing amazing tennis. She was crushing me in the rallies, so there wasn't much I could do," said Vondrousova.
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Brown Rejects ‘Two-Horse Race' Assessment, Expects Max Move
McLaren boss Zak Brown dismissed suggestions the Formula One title was a two-horse race between his drivers and said Red Bull's Max Verstappen remained a contender for a fifth championship in a row and was also likely to join Mercedes. McLaren's Oscar Piastri leads teammate Lando Norris by 15 points, with Verstappen now 61 points behind the Australian after 11 of 24 races. Red Bull boss Christian Horner said in Austria at the weekend, after Verstappen was shunted out on the opening lap, that the battle was effectively over before the mid-point of the season. "It looks very much like a two-horse race. They (McLaren) have got a cushion to the rest of the field," Horner told reporters. But Brown told Reuters at an event for McLaren fans in London's Trafalgar Square that it was far too early to say that. "I think it's a four maybe even a five (horse race)," said the American. "We're in a great position, but we know how quickly things can change in Formula One. Max isn't that far behind and he's that awesome, and then George (Russell) isn't far behind him and you can definitely see Mercedes is getting tougher and tougher and are not far away. "And nor is Ferrari so I think (Charles) Leclerc, Max and George, it's way too early to not have them in the race. "Maybe ask me that question in another five races and I'll answer it differently. But right now, I see those five all in contention for the championship." Verstappen has been linked repeatedly with Mercedes, who have acknowledged talks with the Dutch driver about a future switch, with 2027 looking more likely. Brown has said before that he expected Verstappen to join Mercedes eventually and he stood by that. "There's a lot of noise. I'm a believer of where there's smoke there's fire. No one's kind of denying anything, no one's making firm 'I'm gonna be in this car next year'," he explained. "So in my experience and reading the tea leaves I feel like something's going on, maybe something's even already done ... it's what makes Formula One fun -- there's always some storyline for everyone to follow, so I think I stand by my prediction."
