Olympic champion Zheng pauses WTA Tour after elbow surgery
The 22-year-old Chinese player was eliminated from this year's Wimbledon tournament in the first round by Czech Katerina Siniakova earlier in July.
"Now begins the recovery journey," she wrote on Instagram. "Over the next few weeks and months, I'll be focusing entirely on rehab — doing everything I can to come back stronger and healthier."
She powered her way to gold in Paris last year and reached the 2024 Australian Open final.
Zheng added she had arthroscopic surgery on her right elbow on Friday.
"This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on the court," she said.
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The Guardian
20 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Jamie George full of pride in Lions return despite ‘midweek massive' role
There are plenty of reasons to question the British & Irish Lions' clash with a First Nations & Pasifika XV on Tuesday. To wonder what the point of it is, sandwiched between the first two Tests. That the Lions have shipped in five players specifically to keep their frontline stars wrapped in cotton wool suggests it is little more than an inconvenience to the tourists. Then you listen to Jamie George explain what it means to him to represent the Lions again and it immediately changes your perception. Bin juice has never tasted so good. It took George 47 hours to make the journey from San Juan, not far from the Andes in Argentina, where he was preparing to represent England against the Pumas, to Brisbane to join up with the Lions before the first Test. Devastated at missing out on the initial squad, George jumped at the chance to come in as cover for Luke Cowan-Dickie, who is still recovering from concussion. A flight to Buenos Aires was followed by another to Rio de Janeiro, another to Dubai and then on to Brisbane. 'I gave the world a good lap,' he says, explaining that the gangster series Mobland and 'some pretty horrific moves' including the Kevin Costner golf classic Tin Cup kept him busy while sticking to a strict sleep regime prescribed by the Lions. George Jamie Osborne – cover for Garry Ringrose – as well as Thomas Clarkson, Darcy Graham, Ewan Ashman, Gregor Brown and Rory Sutherland all make the squad for Tuesday's fixture, along with Blair Kinghorn who returns after a knee injury. Andy Farrell insists he is keeping an open mind when it comes to selection for the second Test but in reality only Kinghorn and Ringrose, who is on the bench, have a realistic shot at making the XV. Owen Farrell is captain and he could conceivably make the 23, as could George. On the whole, however, those selected are the dirt-trackers, the bin juice or the midweek massive. For his part, George is determined to make the most of his second chance on his third Lions tour. A cancelled flight delayed the arrival of his father, Ian, whose presence in Melbourne gives the fixture extra meaning to George. He lost his mother, Jane, to cancer last year and George cites having his parents on the 2017 tour of New Zealand as one of his happiest memories. 'My old man is on the way,' said George. 'Obviously it's sad that my mum is not going to be able to be here but being able to do stuff like this for people like my old man, giving him the opportunity to travel around Australia, to watch his son play for the Lions. That's the special bit about what I do and it's my biggest motivation about why I do what I do. 'It's emotional to be back out there because I never thought this opportunity was going to come, however many weeks ago the squad was announced and I was heartbroken and now I've got the opportunity to pull the jersey on again and it might be the last time, it might not be. But I'll try to put my best foot forward and play like it's the last time and when I do it like that I want to make people proud, I want to do the jersey proud and do everything I possibly can to win in a Lions jersey because I think international selection is one thing but winning as a Lions is different so that's what I'm here to do. 'It's absolutely about gathering momentum for the boys in the Test team and giving them confidence in terms of what they see from us. Of course it's an amazing opportunity to put your name forward for Test selection. That's the way that people have got to see it.' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion George is a huge cricket fan and so the significance of the Lions playing the second Test at the MCG is not lost on him. The 34-year-old hooker admits that attending a Boxing Day Test is 'bucket list' and did not rule out leading a 'sprinkler' celebration, as Graeme Swann did when England retained the Ashes in the 2010-11 contest in Melbourne. 'What a great shout that is,' he added. 'I see myself as a sort of Graeme Swann figure. Similar characters, both talented blokes. It could happen, yeah, who knows. Bucket list stuff for me is watching the Boxing Day Test there. I'd be getting stuck in once I've retired. In the Barmy Army, 100%, I'd be in the mix, shirt off, I'd have anywhere between 15 and 20 pints. A tattoo of Joe Root on one arm, Ben Stokes on the other. 'How good is it going to be? 100,000 people at the MCG. I thought the atmosphere was good at the weekend but from experience it just goes like that [upwards] in the second and third Tests.'
South Wales Argus
23 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Wimbledon expansion set to proceed after campaign group loses legal challenge
Save Wimbledon Park (SWP) took legal action against the Greater London Authority's (GLA) decision to grant planning permission last year. The proposals, submitted by the All England Club, would see the construction of 38 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat stadium on the grounds of the former Wimbledon Park Golf Club, allowing it to host Wimbledon qualifiers on-site. Barristers for SWP told the High Court earlier this month that the decision to approve the plans was 'irrational' and should be quashed, as Wimbledon Park – a Grade II*-listed heritage site partly designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown – was covered by restrictions on how it could be used. The proposals to expand Wimbledon are set to go ahead (Adam Davy/PA) The GLA and the All England Club defended the challenge, with the court told that the decision was a 'planning judgment properly exercised' and that the restrictions were not 'material'. In a ruling on Monday, Mr Justice Saini dismissed the challenge. He said: 'In short, the defendant's decision on the relevance of deliverability, applying to both the statutory trust and the restrictive covenants, was a planning judgment rationally exercised and having regard to appropriate and relevant factors.' Following the ruling, SWP said it has been 'advised that it should' seek to challenge the decision, and that it believed the GLA 'did make a significant legal error in the way it dealt with the special legal status of the park'. The proposals would see seven maintenance buildings, access points, and an area of parkland with permissive public access constructed, in addition to the courts and associated infrastructure. Dozens of campaigners demonstrated outside the Royal Courts of Justice before the hearing (Callum Parke/PA) They would also include work on Wimbledon Lake. After Merton Council approved the plans, but Wandsworth Council rejected them, the Mayor of London's office took charge of the application but Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan recused himself from the process after previously expressing public support for the development. Planning permission for the scheme was granted by Jules Pipe, London's deputy mayor for planning, who said that the proposals 'would facilitate very significant benefits' which 'clearly outweigh the harm'. Debbie Jevans, chair of the All England Club, said at the time that the proposals would deliver 27 acres of 'newly accessible parkland for the community'. In written submissions, Sasha White KC said that the All England Club acquired the freehold for the golf course in 1993 and the leasehold in 2021. The barrister told the two-day hearing in London that the land was subject to a 'statutory trust requiring it to be kept available for public recreation use' and that when the freehold was acquired, the club entered into 'restrictive covenants' governing its use. PA graphic He said this meant any plans could not 'restrict its use so as not to impair the appreciation of the general public of the extent or openness of the golf course land'. He continued that separate High Court proceedings were ongoing over whether a statutory trust existed, and that if it does, the All England Club has 'accepted' that this is 'incompatible with the development of the proposal'. A hearing in that case is due to take place in January 2026. In court, he said: 'You could not have a more protected piece of land within the planning system, frankly.' Mark Westmoreland Smith KC, for the GLA, said in written submissions that Mr Pipe received 'detailed advice' over the 'relevance' of the 'alleged' trust and covenants, and made his decision on the assumption that they existed. The barrister said that the decision was a 'planning judgment properly exercised and having regard to the appropriate and relevant factors'. This scheme will bring a significant range of economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits to the local area, the wider capital and the UK economy, creating new jobs and green spaces. — Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) July 21, 2025 He said that planning officers 'advised that the alleged obstacle' that the restrictions would present 'was not itself a material consideration'. In his written arguments, Russell Harris KC, for the All England Club, said that planning officers 'acknowledged and had regard to' the trust and covenants. In his 31-page ruling, Mr Justice Saini said that the authority 'properly considered the implications of the development on public open space'. Christopher Coombe, director of SWP, said following the judgment: 'This judgment would, if it stands, set a worrying precedent for the unwanted development of protected green belt and public open spaces around London and across the country. 'The (All England Club) will surely have noted the considerable public outrage about this development, most recently expressed outside the law courts, and we continue to hope that they could be persuaded to engage constructively with us, with a view to achieving a resolution of this four-year-old dispute.' Sir Sadiq said: 'This is welcome news that will cement Wimbledon's reputation as the greatest tennis competition in the world and London as the sporting capital of the world. 'This scheme will bring a significant range of economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits to the local area, the wider capital and the UK economy, creating new jobs and green spaces.' Ms Jevans said in a statement that the All England Club was 'delighted' with the ruling. She said: 'It is clear that we have a robust planning permission that enables us to create a permanent home for the Wimbledon qualifying competition as well as delivering 27 acres of beautiful new parkland for local people, providing public access to land that has been a private golf course for over 100 years. 'We have spoken to more than 10,000 people who have taken the time to come in person and understand our plans in detail. 'The vast majority of people just want us to get on and deliver the many benefits on offer as soon as possible.'
Leader Live
39 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Wimbledon expansion set to proceed after campaign group loses legal challenge
Save Wimbledon Park (SWP) took legal action against the Greater London Authority's (GLA) decision to grant planning permission last year. The proposals, submitted by the All England Club, would see the construction of 38 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat stadium on the grounds of the former Wimbledon Park Golf Club, allowing it to host Wimbledon qualifiers on-site. Barristers for SWP told the High Court earlier this month that the decision to approve the plans was 'irrational' and should be quashed, as Wimbledon Park – a Grade II*-listed heritage site partly designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown – was covered by restrictions on how it could be used. The GLA and the All England Club defended the challenge, with the court told that the decision was a 'planning judgment properly exercised' and that the restrictions were not 'material'. In a ruling on Monday, Mr Justice Saini dismissed the challenge. He said: 'In short, the defendant's decision on the relevance of deliverability, applying to both the statutory trust and the restrictive covenants, was a planning judgment rationally exercised and having regard to appropriate and relevant factors.' Following the ruling, SWP said it has been 'advised that it should' seek to challenge the decision, and that it believed the GLA 'did make a significant legal error in the way it dealt with the special legal status of the park'. The proposals would see seven maintenance buildings, access points, and an area of parkland with permissive public access constructed, in addition to the courts and associated infrastructure. They would also include work on Wimbledon Lake. After Merton Council approved the plans, but Wandsworth Council rejected them, the Mayor of London's office took charge of the application, but Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan recused himself from the process after previously expressing public support for the development. Planning permission for the scheme was granted by Jules Pipe, London's deputy mayor for planning, who said that the proposals 'would facilitate very significant benefits' which 'clearly outweigh the harm'. Debbie Jevans, chairwoman of the All England Club, said at the time that the proposals would deliver 27 acres of 'newly accessible parkland for the community'. In written submissions, Sasha White KC said that the All England Club acquired the freehold for the golf course in 1993 and the leasehold in 2021. The barrister told the two-day hearing in London that the land was subject to a 'statutory trust requiring it to be kept available for public recreation use' and that when the freehold was acquired, the club entered into 'restrictive covenants' governing its use. He said this meant any plans could not 'restrict its use so as not to impair the appreciation of the general public of the extent or openness of the golf course land'. He continued that separate High Court proceedings were ongoing over whether a statutory trust existed, and that if it does, the All England Club has 'accepted' that this is 'incompatible with the development of the proposal'. A hearing in that case is due to take place in January 2026. In court, he said: 'You could not have a more protected piece of land within the planning system, frankly.' Mark Westmoreland Smith KC, for the GLA, said in written submissions that Mr Pipe received 'detailed advice' over the 'relevance' of the 'alleged' trust and covenants, and made his decision on the assumption that they existed. The barrister said that the decision was a 'planning judgment properly exercised and having regard to the appropriate and relevant factors'. This scheme will bring a significant range of economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits to the local area, the wider capital and the UK economy, creating new jobs and green spaces. — Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) July 21, 2025 He said that planning officers 'advised that the alleged obstacle' that the restrictions would present 'was not itself a material consideration'. In his written arguments, Russell Harris KC, for the All England Club, said that planning officers 'acknowledged and had regard to' the trust and covenants. In his 31-page ruling, Mr Justice Saini said that the authority 'properly considered the implications of the development on public open space'. Christopher Coombe, director of SWP, said following the judgment: 'This judgment would, if it stands, set a worrying precedent for the unwanted development of protected green belt and public open spaces around London and across the country. 'The (All England Club) will surely have noted the considerable public outrage about this development, most recently expressed outside the law courts, and we continue to hope that they could be persuaded to engage constructively with us, with a view to achieving a resolution of this four-year-old dispute.' Sir Sadiq said: 'This is welcome news that will cement Wimbledon's reputation as the greatest tennis competition in the world and London as the sporting capital of the world. 'This scheme will bring a significant range of economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits to the local area, the wider capital and the UK economy, creating new jobs and green spaces.' Ms Jevans said in a statement that the All England Club was 'delighted' with the ruling. She said: 'It is clear that we have a robust planning permission that enables us to create a permanent home for the Wimbledon qualifying competition as well as delivering 27 acres of beautiful new parkland for local people, providing public access to land that has been a private golf course for over 100 years. 'We have spoken to more than 10,000 people who have taken the time to come in person and understand our plans in detail. 'The vast majority of people just want us to get on and deliver the many benefits on offer as soon as possible.'
