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‘He was too good': Norrie upbeat despite Wimbledon exit at hands of Alcaraz
‘He was too good': Norrie upbeat despite Wimbledon exit at hands of Alcaraz

The Guardian

time08-07-2025

  • Sport
  • The Guardian

‘He was too good': Norrie upbeat despite Wimbledon exit at hands of Alcaraz

Cameron Norrie said he leaves the All England Club proud of his performances and fight after falling 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 to an imperious Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon on Tuesday afternoon. 'Amazing, amazing experience,' Norrie said. 'He played a very high level. I think if you asked him, he would agree with that. 'It was good fun. Those are the kind of matches that you want to think about and you want to play. You do all the hard work, you do extra stuff with your coach, you do extra fitness, and you do all these things to get ready for matches like this. 'I wanted to just go out there, no excuses, just play. I did that. He was too good today. I fought till the last point, so I can be proud.' Alcaraz, the second seed, is attempting to become the fifth man in the open era to win three consecutive Wimbledon titles. The 22‑year‑old has been in some of the best form of his life recently, winning at the French Open last month and establishing a 23-match winning run. Alongside his usual excellence with his groundstrokes and variety of shots, Alcaraz served brilliantly, losing just six points on his first serve during the match. 'On grass when you're serving great or you feel you're serving great, then playing from the baseline or playing the return games, you just have more confidence and play calmly and think clearly,' Alcaraz said. 'So I think feeling great in the serve, it gave me a lot of calm to play great tennis from the baseline.' Norrie, a former British No 1 who rose as high as eighth in the ATP rankings in 2022, has been on the comeback trail after a difficult period on the court because of poor form and injury. He fell as low as No 91 in May but he will return to the top 50 on Monday at No 43. 'I really feel like I'm enjoying my tennis a lot,' the British player said. 'I think that's most important. Obviously I didn't play at all from this period onwards last year. I can just keep pushing for my ranking. My level is there.' Alcaraz will face Taylor Fritz, the fifth seed, in the semi-finals after the American defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4).

Wimbledon 2025: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova ends Sonay Kartal run despite major line-calling controversy
Wimbledon 2025: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova ends Sonay Kartal run despite major line-calling controversy

Yahoo

time08-07-2025

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Wimbledon 2025: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova ends Sonay Kartal run despite major line-calling controversy

Last-eight: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is through to the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the second time (Getty Images) Sonay Kartal's Wimbledon run came to an end as Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defied some umpiring controversy to reach the quarter-finals. Kartal knew that victory would see her move above Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter to become the British No1, and there appeared to be every chance of her doing so when she stepped up to serve for the first set. Advertisement But Pavlyuchenkova broke and forced a tie-break which she won, before taking control of the second set and securing a return to the last-eight at SW19 for the first time since 2016 with a 7-6 6-4 win. She did so despite being left furious when broken to trail 5-4 in the opening set, accusing the decision-making process of favouring Kartal because she was British. A backhand from Kartal landed beyond the baseline when Pavlyuchenkova had game point but there was no shout from the electronic line-calling system that is in place for the first time at Wimbledon this year. Pavlyuchenkova stopped and the umpire then informed the crowd that a check was needed to see if the system was working, as both players were left waiting in bemusement. Advertisement Replays showed Kartal's shot was comfortably out, but after a three-minute delay the umpire said: 'The electronic system was unable to track the last point so it will be replayed." Kartal went on to win the game and break in what could have proved to be a pivotal moment, and Pavlyuchenkova made her frustration clear at the change of ends. "I don't know if it's in or it's out,' she said. 'How do I know? How can you prove it? Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me.' Pavlyuchenkova added: "They stole the game from me, they stole it." A Wimbledon spokesman said: "Due to operator error the system was deactivated on the point in question. The chair umpire followed the established process." It was a first set where momentum swung from one side of the court to the other. Of the first ten games, six went to deuce and seven had break points. Advertisement Breaks were exchanged as it remained locked at 4-4 until controversy hit, when Pavlyuchenkova was denied the game-winning point and Kartal then broke as the Russian netted a volley. But Kartal could not serve the set out, Pavlyuchenkova taking her frustration out on the ball as her forehands sounded like a gunshot under the roof. She was the better player in the tie-break and took the set after 78 minutes. The match was on the Russian's racket, with 36 winners to go with 47 unforced errors, and the second set was one she always looked the more likely to win. Kartal responded well after being broken in the opening game but Pavlyuchenkova regained her advantage and this time did not give it up, victory fittingly sealed with one final forehand winner.

Raducanu vs Sabalenka start time and how to watch Wimbledon match today
Raducanu vs Sabalenka start time and how to watch Wimbledon match today

Yahoo

time04-07-2025

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Raducanu vs Sabalenka start time and how to watch Wimbledon match today

Tough test: Emma Raducanu must overcome top seed Aryna Sabalenka to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon on Friday (Getty Images) Emma Raducanu meets Aryna Sabalenka in a massive clash at Wimbledon today. The British women's No1 has made a fine start to her latest SW19 campaign, brushing aside fellow Briton Mimi Xu 6-3 6-3 in round one before delivering an excellent performance to oust 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova by the same scoreline in 82 minutes on Wednesday. Advertisement CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW RADUCANU VS SABALENKA LIVE! Now Raducanu faces a significant challenge in Sabalenka, the reigning world No1 and three-time Grand Slam winner who is the top women's seed at Wimbledon this summer. The two-time semi-finalist has also yet to drop a set en route to round three at the All England Club, defeating Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine 6-1 7-5 before beating Marie Bouzkova 7-6 6-4. Sabalenka remarkably stands as the only top-five women's seed left in the singles competition at Wimbledon, with Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini and Qinwen Zheng all falling early on a week of huge shocks in west London. Advertisement She will likely have to be on top form to avoid the threat of an upset against a resurgent Raducanu, the world No40, who is looking to match her best-ever run at Wimbledon by reaching the fourth round for the third time. Raducanu vs Sabalenka start time Raducanu vs Sabalenka is the third match scheduled for Centre Court on day five at Wimbledon - Friday July 4, 2025. Men's fifth seed Taylor Fritz opens things up against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, before defending champion Carlos Alcaraz battles Jan-Lennard Struff. The exact start time for Raducanu-Sabalenka will obviously depend entirely on the length of those preceding matches, but the current estimate is approximately 5pm BST. Advertisement How to watch Raducanu vs Sabalenka TV channel: In the UK, live free-to-air coverage of Wimbledon begins on Friday on BBC Two from 11am BST, continuing right through to 7pm. Live coverage also commences from 2pm BST on BBC One, returning at 7pm after an hour's break for the national and regional news. Live stream: You can watch the action live and for free online via the BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer. Live blog: You can follow the match with Standard Sport's live blog, featuring analysis from Matt Verri and Dom Smith at Wimbledon. Raducanu vs Sabalenka H2H record Raducanu and Sabalenka have only met once before on the WTA Tour, with the world No1 coming out on top 6-3 7-5 in the last 32 at Indian Wells last year.

Inside Emma Raducanu's inner circle: From the childhood tennis prodigy sparking romance rumours to her '11 out of 10' coach, the friends and support system in British No1's player box for statement-making Wimbledon win
Inside Emma Raducanu's inner circle: From the childhood tennis prodigy sparking romance rumours to her '11 out of 10' coach, the friends and support system in British No1's player box for statement-making Wimbledon win

Daily Mail​

time04-07-2025

  • Sport
  • Daily Mail​

Inside Emma Raducanu's inner circle: From the childhood tennis prodigy sparking romance rumours to her '11 out of 10' coach, the friends and support system in British No1's player box for statement-making Wimbledon win

After beating a former Wimbledon champion on Centre Court, it was natural that Emma Raducanu might be in high spirits. But as the 22-year-old British No1 conducted her media duties after her straight-sets thrashing of Marketa Vondrousova, Raducanu could hardly contain her joy. As she discussed how happy she was with how she had played against the 2023 winner, Raducanu did so with a mile-wide smile, paused for giggles, and at one point jokingly turned the microphone around as if to say to the celebrating crowd: 'your turn'. This Raducanu is a far cry from the muted presence she struck three weeks ago ahead of Queen's where she tried to keep expectation low after suffering a recurrence of a persistent back issue. It's different too from the guarded figure that has sometimes struggled under the glare of pressure that has stemmed from her meteoric rise to prominence in the wake of her 2021 US Open triumph. Instead, Raducanu seemed truly at home in the spotlight of Centre Court, a feeling that stems not just from the afterglow of a win, but doing so in front of a player box filled with the people who make up the world No40's inner circle. Here, Mail Sport takes a look at the supporting cast in Raducanu's corner who will look to cheer on the British No1 to Grand Slam glory in SW19. Finding the right team with her '11 out of 10' coach The re-introduction of Mark Petchey to Raducanu's set-up around the Miami Open has been nothing short of seismic for the young star. As well as ironing out the kinks in her service game, Andy Murray's former coach has injected a new energy and self-belief into the player by telling Raducanu to forget the burden of her US Open win and focus on her future development. Raducanu, always a vocal player on court when in her pomp, frequently looks to Petchey for on-court guidance and encouragement. As much as Petchey values Raducanu's talent, she has been equally effusive in her praise for him, sharing that she would mark him '11 out of 10' for the impact he has had since his arrival. 'He's been everything the last few months for me,' Raducanu said after her win against Mimi Xu. 'I've really enjoyed being around him. 'He's helped me so much on all fronts, tennis, off-court.' Petchey and Raducanu's arrangement is in place until the end of the Championships. Regardless of the length of Raducanu's time in SW19, it seems more than likely that she will fight to keep Petchey onside. Raducanu has also grown close to his daughters Nicole and Myah, and in his absence at the French Open - Petchey has continued his work as a pundit for the Tennis Channel - the 22-year-old joked that she could rely on the latter in her player box for a similar effect. 'I knew Myah a little bit before, but got to know her a lot more in the last couple of months. I actually think having her there really helped - because I was like "It's a mini-Mark!" Raducanu said of the 23-year-old after her first-round defeat of Wang Xinyu. 'She's gonna hate me for saying that! Having her there definitely was like a little symbolic representation of Mark." Raducanu has also been working with an LTA nutritionist Dan Ellis, and one of their physios Ian Aylward, and her hitting partner for the tournament Tom Welsh was also present for the win, as was her agent at IMG, Thomas Houchin, and LTA Senior Performance Analyst Toby West. But perched next to Petchey was a more unusual, if ever-present, character: tennis coach-turned-financier Jane O'Donoghue. O'Donoghue worked with Raducanu as a junior but has since left tennis coaching for a career in banking. Although O'Donoghue had previously supported Raducanu when her job with Royal Bank of Canada allowed for it, she has been a constant on tour this season after taking a sabbatical. 'She's a great friend,' said Raducanu. 'She just brings a lot of support, someone who knows me inside out, better than I know myself. So just to have her there, her belief and confidence in me, it means a lot. I love seeing her there in the box.' But Raducanu has been continue to play down the suggestion that she would like O'Donoghue full-time, stressing the importance of her current career. 'It would be a very big ask for me and I'm not sure if that's something that I want to do because we have a great friendship,' Raducanu continued. It is different when you mix friendship with having someone on your team full-time. So I really want to protect our relationship.' Friends who have become family As much as Raducanu has said that she feels 'at home' at Wimbledon, her experience on Wednesday was boosted by the presence of friends that she considers her family. 'I was out there with my friends. It's so rad,' Raducanu said in her post-match press conference. 'I have all of them here in one place. They've been my rock through everything. They're the closest people to me outside of my family. That was really special. 'I think it adds more significance because they never really get to come and watch me. We made it an annual thing. They can come to Wimbledon. It aligns with everyone's calendar. A lot of them live in America. 'They're friends from secondary school, childhood. One of them I've known since I was 6 years old. Then another one since I was 14. 'Yeah, it's just so special. They're in the box there. When I look over to them, it just gives me an extra boost of motivation.' Chief among the pack in the player box on Wednesday afternoon was a childhood friend who has been linked romantically to Raducanu previously, re-sparking rumours last month when he sat court-side during her run at Queen's. Benjamin Heynold, who is currently studying at the University of North Carolina, was present for her historic US Open win four years ago, and first met Raducanu as junior tennis players. As one of the few in New York able to cheer Raducanu on in person amid post-Covid-19 restrictions, Heynold will likely have a unique perspective on her rise to fame. So close with the family is Raducanu that Heynold's mother was also inside Centre Court as part of the player's group on Wednesday. Other friends who date back beyond that US Open win include Ryan Cohen, a Boston-based product manager who was pictured visiting Winter Wonderland with Heynold and the star the year before her celebrity exploded. Close girlfriends in her corner on Wednesday include London-based junior doctor Tessa Teo, Carla Wilfert - who attended the match with her boyfriend, UCLA American football star Michael Churich - personal trainer Chelsea Annalls, and Raducanu's close friend Shauna, who lives in Dubai. The group were keen to share their support for their friend, with Churich and Annalls among those to post about their visit to SW19 on social media. Wilfert, who studied psychology at UCLA and current works for US production company Fox, said that she 'couldn't be more proud' of Raducanu in a heartfelt tribute via her Instagram Story. In the wake of her win, the group gathered outside the entrance to players' area, sweeping Raducanu up into hugs and celebrating her win in full voice, captured by the gang in videos which Raducanu shared in her own post with the caption: 'means the world having these people by my side (white heart emoji)' Meaningful emotionally, yes. But in having finally assembled an extended support system around her that appears to have made her happier than ever, Raducanu will fervently hold that it will mean something too for her game as she prepares to take on world No1 Aryna Sabalenka en route to a long-dreamt-of second Grand Slam title.

Jack Draper makes brutally honest admission about his game and reflects on 'lots of weaknesses' - after being dumped out of Wimbledon in the second round by Marin Cilic
Jack Draper makes brutally honest admission about his game and reflects on 'lots of weaknesses' - after being dumped out of Wimbledon in the second round by Marin Cilic

Daily Mail​

time03-07-2025

  • Sport
  • Daily Mail​

Jack Draper makes brutally honest admission about his game and reflects on 'lots of weaknesses' - after being dumped out of Wimbledon in the second round by Marin Cilic

Jack Draper admitted his grass court game needs significant improvement if he is to redress his miserable Wimbledon record, after he was dumped out in the second round for the third time in a row. 'I've been really disappointed with the way my game's been on the grass this year, in all honesty,' said the No4 seed after losing in four sets to 36-year-old Croat Marin Cilic on No1 Court. 'I wasn't feeling too great at Queen's. I don't know how I made the semis there. 'This year I really struggled on the grass. I felt great on the hard, felt great on the clay, I felt like there weren't many holes in my game, whereas as soon as I came on to the grass, I felt a big difference. 'It highlighted a lot of weaknesses in my game, especially against a player the way he was playing today, someone as good as him on the grass. 'I think the hole in my forehand showed up, for sure. I wasn't able to deal with his pace of ball into my forehand. I was over-spinning a lot. I think a lot of my success this year with my forehand was when I have more time and I can create the speed and the spin that I want.' Asked whether the pressure of expectation, as the British No1, played a part, Draper replied: 'It makes me think Andy's achievement of what he did winning here twice, just unbelievable. 'But it's not the pressure, I just didn't play good enough today. 'There's a bit of a misconception that just because I'm a 6ft 4in lefty, I must be incredible on grass. I obviously won Stuttgart last year but I haven't had loads of experience on it. 'I don't think I played incredibly well on it before. Obviously I've never gone past the second round here. 'I'm very determined to change that and make it a surface that is going to be great for me. I feel like that's the way with every surface. 'When you have the mindset of, even though I don't feel comfortable, I'm going to make it happen, I'm going to make it better for me, it usually works. That's what I did on the clay this year.' With Draper's exit, the British challenge rests with Emma Raducanu, Sonay Kartal and Cam Norrie, all of whom play on Friday. 'We still have British hope,' said Draper. 'Emma is playing great, I hope she goes on and does us all proud. She's definitely got the capability to do that. 'Cam, Sonay, these guys are going to be flying the flag now. I think they're incredible players, they all want it so badly. I know them all personally. They're all great people, great players. They deserve everything they're going to get. I'm looking forward to definitely watching them play…maybe I'll try to stay away from it, in all honesty, because it hurts badly, but I want them to have amazing success. They deserve that for sure.'

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