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The Guardian
01-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Wimbledon's rampant British players deliver joint-best performance 1976
It was always asking a lot for there to be a repeat of the heroics of the opening day at Wimbledon but thanks to Jack Draper, Dan Evans and Jack Pinnington Jones, the world No 281, Britain has 10 players through to the second round, the joint-best tally since 12 won through in 1976. What's more, the total of seven British men into round two is the best at any grand slam event since Wimbledon 1997. Another searingly hot day began with a check through the history books to find out the highest number of British first-round winners in the Open era, which was 13, in 1968. That always looked out of reach but Pinnington Jones's brilliant 7-6 (4), 6-3, 7-5 win over Tomás Martín Etcheverry, the world No 53 from Argentina, took the tally into double figures. Yet another product of Texas Christian University, where Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley studied, Pinnington Jones played stunning tennis on his Wimbledon debut, winning five straight games from 5-2 down in the third set for victory. Evans saw off another British player in Jay Clarke, a 6-1, 7-5, 6-2 win setting up a clash with Novak Djokovic, the seven-time champion. 'I've got a lot of respect for Novak, he's a great champion,' Evans said. 'He's done pretty much everything in the game. But it's also my chance to win the match. 'I have to be competitive, I have to play my game, I have to be myself. I can't go into my shell and have too much respect. I'm looking forward to it.' Of the six British players to lose, only Jodie Burrage was truly gutted by her performance, an ankle injury – picked up, she said, in an accident by the media centre on Friday – hampering her in a 6-3, 6-1 defeat against Caty McNally, of the US. Breaking her bracelet when she banged her racket into her left hand did not help her mood. 'At least it wasn't the expensive stuff but yeah, that was tough,' she said, forcing a smile. 'It's completely done. I've got another one at home, so you'll see that one in the next few days.' George Loffhagen and Fran Jones also won sets but could not convert them into victories, while Johannus Monday was outplayed, not surprisingly, by the No 13 seed, Tommy Paul. 'It was a very difficult match,' said the 6ft 6in Monday. 'I felt a lot of pressure. I just tried to savour the moment.' Heather Watson, appearing at Wimbledon for the 15th time, went down 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 to the No 23 seed, Clara Tauson, a clear missed opportunity. 'I let that slip through my fingers,' she said.
Telegraph
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Britain is finally good at tennis – thanks to Andy Murray
Britain has long comforted itself with staging the best tennis tournament in the world. But the best players? Well, aside from the weather, there has probably been no more persistent Wimbledon debate than the absence of a cohort to match the magnificent surroundings. It was only in 2010, after all, that the sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe was openly threatening to cut tennis's funding in direct response to what he called their 'embarrassing' results. The only British man in the world's top 200 back then was Sir Andy Murray. Now there are seven. There are also seven women. Wimbledon 2025 began with the most Brits this century. Monday had the most home wins on any single day at SW19. And, following victories on a rather more mixed Tuesday for Dan Evans, Jack Draper and Jack Pinnington Jones, Britain has 10 players in the second round for only the second time since 1984. Explanations for what now looks like a genuinely sustained uptick are myriad but, speak to most people around Wimbledon, and three explanations constantly crop up. Firstly, the delayed impact of Murray's inspirational two decades at the top of world tennis. Secondly, a generation of British players benefiting from the fabulously resourced US collegiate system. Finally, improved competitive structures that have helped build that most priceless commodity of all – a sense of momentum and elevated ambition. 'Andy has been one of the biggest reasons – setting standards around him,' said Leon Smith, the Davis Cup captain when Britain regained that crown in 2015 for the first time since 1936. 'Evo [Dan Evans], Cam [Norrie] and now Jack: people start to feed off that, they see the standards, they get to practice with them… be around them. When there is more of them it helps. You are seeing that it's possible.' Hopes this year are that Draper can fill the void left by Murray and become only the second British man to win the Wimbledon singles title in 89 years, since Fred Perry claimed his third title. 'I think it's really positive,' said Draper. 'Andy has had a huge effect on a lot of the younger generation, watching his success over the years, major success on the big stage. When we were younger, we were watching it on Sky Sports, watching him lift those big trophies. 'It's really exciting both on the men's and women's side. On the men's, you've got guys like Johannus Monday, [George] Loffhagen, Pinnington Jones, [Arthur] Fery. There's so many young guys that have done that college route because maybe they weren't ready to fully go pro. They can come out and play incredibly well. It's just their journey. They are obviously coming out a bit later. 'On the women's side, you have got Emma, the younger girls like Mimi Xu, [Hannah] Klugman, [Ranah] Stoiber. I think it's really exciting, British tennis. We're in a good spot. It's really exciting what we're going to have in the next 10 years for me. It's cool to be a part of that.' Having created the shock of these Wimbledon Championships, Oliver Tarvet, the 21-year-old world No 733, pinpointed the influence of moving to the United States, where his game has developed enormously while on a scholarship at the University of San Diego. 'I would recommend any top-level junior to go through the collegiate system,' said Tarvet. 'Because of how great the coaches are, the set-up. Everything is so organised, so professional. I'm a lot further ahead than I was. That's based on the team-mates, and the culture we have.' Of the 13 British men in the main Wimbledon draw, seven have had experience of the US college system and, to a man, they highlight an environment that sounds more like team sport. The contrast with going on the Futures tennis tour at the age of 18 – generally a mixture of teenagers on their way up and old pros on their way down – certainly feels significant. 'If you go through Futures, which are the small $15,000 events which barely cover your plane fare, you can quickly pick up unprofessional habits and find yourself in the bar at all hours of the evening,' said Dave Miley, an experienced tennis administrator from Ireland who now works for the well funded Kazakh system. 'US College has a lot going for it, and it's only becoming more attractive now that they are relaxing the rules on how much money or sponsorship income you can earn. 'You get a long summer holiday when you can try your hand at the pro tour, and if you win a couple of titles – like Cameron Norrie [who studied at the Texas Christian University] – you can just quit your degree and focus on the tour full-time. Most men don't break the top 100 until they're at least 23, so it's a long road.' Monday, who spent four years at the University of Tennessee after growing up near Hull, was among the British contingent making his Wimbledon debut this year. He believes that a time will come in the next five years when alumni and students from the American collegiate system will make up the majority of the Wimbledon main draw. British players, with no language barrier, are particularly well placed to benefit. 'If I didn't go, I wouldn't be here today,' said Monday. 'I had a great coaching environment, great resources around me. I was part of a team – I just got told, 'We are flying at this time, the bus is picking you up at this time, make sure you have your rackets and your shoes'. Everything was taken care of. All you had to do was go and win the match. 'The pro tour can get lonely at times – it was really nice having nine, 10 guys who have your back. You are fighting for something bigger than yourself. If I could go back to one point in my life, it would be then. Unless you are like Carlos Alcaraz, I recommend everyone goes. It's a great stepping stone. [And] you get everything for free.' While hearing Monday reflect on that support structure, it was hard not to think back to Alex Ward, who spoke in 2017 about running up debts of around £12,000 while chasing his Wimbledon dream on the Futures tour. The LTA have encouraged those who have thrived in the US and a formal part of their Player Pathway is to create transition routes onto the professional tour once those collegiate years have finished. 'Doing so gives more GB players an opportunity to pursue professional tennis,' says Michael Bourne, the LTA's performance director. The National Tennis Centre in Roehampton was awarded gold-level status by the International Tennis Federation four years ago and, with genuinely world-class facilities, has also become a go-to for British elite players who are either based in England or returning home. 'We've got a lot of good sparring partners when we're back home and we're all pushing each other,' said Sonay Kartal, one of three British women in the world's top 50, whose own journey based largely in Brighton had been aided by an improved domestic competition calendar. Bourne believes that these opportunities have been an important factor but also again refers back to Murray, who lives in Surrey, only 20 minutes from the Roehampton base. 'Andy has been a beacon of what it takes to play at the elite level and has been excellent in sharing his time, advice and example to the emerging players,' he said. 'Seeing some be successful at the highest level and getting to witness the work they do to get there cannot be underestimated. The current LTA performance strategy was launched in 2018. Italy began theirs in 2001. We believe we still have much headroom for growth.'
The Guardian
01-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Wimbledon's rampant British players deliver joint-best performance 1976
It was always asking a lot for there to be a repeat of the heroics of the opening day at Wimbledon but thanks to Jack Draper, Dan Evans and Jack Pinnington Jones, the world No 281, Britain has 10 players through to the second round, the joint-best tally since 12 won through in 1976. What's more, the total of seven British men into round two is the best at any grand slam event since Wimbledon 1997. Another searingly hot day began with a check through the history books to find out the highest number of British first-round winners in the Open era, which was 13, in 1968. That always looked out of reach but Pinnington Jones's brilliant 7-6 (4), 6-3, 7-5 win over Tomás Martín Etcheverry, the world No 53 from Argentina, took the tally into double figures. Yet another product of Texas Christian University, where Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley studied, Pinnington Jones played stunning tennis on his Wimbledon debut, winning five straight games from 5-2 down in the third set for victory. Evans saw off another British player in Jay Clarke, a 6-1, 7-5, 6-2 win setting up a clash with Novak Djokovic, the seven-time champion. 'I've got a lot of respect for Novak, he's a great champion,' Evans said. 'He's done pretty much everything in the game. But it's also my chance to win the match. 'I have to be competitive, I have to play my game, I have to be myself. I can't go into my shell and have too much respect. I'm looking forward to it.' Of the six British players to lose, only Jodie Burrage was truly gutted by her performance, an ankle injury – picked up, she said, in an accident by the media centre on Friday – hampering her in a 6-3, 6-1 defeat against Caty McNally, of the US. Breaking her bracelet when she banged her racket into her left hand did not help her mood. 'At least it wasn't the expensive stuff but yeah, that was tough,' she said, forcing a smile. 'It's completely done. I've got another one at home, so you'll see that one in the next few days.' George Loffhagen and Fran Jones also won sets but could not convert them into victories, while Johannus Monday was outplayed, not surprisingly, by the No 13 seed, Tommy Paul. 'It was a very difficult match,' said the 6ft 6in Monday. 'I felt a lot of pressure. I just tried to savour the moment.' Heather Watson, appearing at Wimbledon for the 15th time, went down 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 to the No 23 seed, Clara Tauson, a clear missed opportunity. 'I let that slip through my fingers,' she said.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boulter and Kartal win on record-breaking day for British players
Wimbledon 2025 Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. Full coverage guide. Advertisement Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal both produced impressive victories at either end of a record-breaking day for British players at Wimbledon. Former British number one Boulter took to Centre Court in the evening and secured a rare victory over a top 10 player as she beat Spain's Paula Badosa 2-6 6-3 4-6. Earlier, Kartal was the first player through from the 14-strong British contingent in action on day one with victory over 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko. In total, seven Britons in the men's and women's draw progressed to the second round on day one, making it the most successful day for British players at Wimbledon in the Open era. Advertisement Boulter, 28, and Kartal were joined by British number one Emma Raducanu - who beat compatriot Mimi Xu - Cameron Norrie, Arthur Fery, Oliver Tarvet and Billy Harris. "It's incredible with so many Brits in the draw," Raducanu, 22, said. "I think it's great for the spectators, too, to have so many Brits to follow in the draw. As we win matches, it's more and more exciting." Boulter will next face lucky loser Solana Sierra of Argentina. "I played some really good stuff and I'm happy to be through to the next round," Boulter said. "I played a lot of matches later where I started out great and then kind of let it slip, I did one at Queen's which hurt me a lot. I just tried to compete today and fight." Advertisement On a sweltering day at SW19, Kartal toppled the former French Open champion 7-5 2-6 6-2 to book her place in the second round. Kartal, 23, was one of 10 British women in action at the All England Club - the most since 1992. She had to come from behind to win the opening set on a lively court three. But a dominant deciding set secured her progression to round two for the second time in her career, following a breakout tournament at last year's Wimbledon where she reached the third round. "That was by far one of the toughest matches I've played," she said after the win, her third over a top-20 player this year. Advertisement "I would say I struggle against the big hitters. I've made a conscious effort this year to play the bigger matches and put myself under the most pressure out on court. "I knew I wouldn't get the results straight away but that it would eventually pay off, and that's what happened today." Boulter battles to big win This is the sixth successive time Boulter has reached the second round at Wimbledon, but this was one of her best opening-round wins against a tricky opponent, having only beaten a top-10 opponent three times before. Badosa is a former world number two but her recent struggles with injuries will have given Boulter hope of getting a result, something that looked likely in a first set she dominated. Advertisement Badosa had to withdraw from the Berlin Open earlier this month at the quarter-final stage because of a back injury and it appeared that may have still been a concern as she was twice broken in the opener. But it was a different story in the second set as Badosa showed her top 10 qualities, attacking Boulter on her serve to secure two breaks on her way to levelling matters. An absorbing third set had the Centre Court crowd enthralled, with Badosa, 27, getting a break in the first game but Boulter broke back immediately. From then on there was little to separate the two before Boulter got the decisive break at 5-4 to seal the win. Advertisement Kartal's remarkable rise Kartal has enjoyed a remarkable rise through the rankings in the past 18 months. At Wimbledon last year, she arrived as a wildcard ranked 281 in the world and went on to reach the third round. On her return this year, ranked 230 places above that, she cut a calm and mature figure. Ostapenko, 28, had beaten Kartal comfortably in the opening round at Eastbourne last week but the Briton maintained her composure as she fell 5-2 behind in the opening set. A wayward Ostapenko forehand into the net was the catalyst for Kartal to go on and win the next five games, saving set points at 5-4 before motoring ahead to take the set. Advertisement Ostapenko was left stunned when Kartal sent a ripping forehand round the net post but the former Wimbledon semi-finalist managed to cut out the errors and take the second set comfortably to level things up. That said, Ostapenko grew increasingly frustrated throughout the match - muttering under her breath and berating herself while shouting up at her coaches. Fans in the crowd were also on the receiving end of glaring looks as she complained that they were being too noisy, asking the umpire to tell them to be quiet before shouting at them and raising her arms in exasperation. But throughout that Kartal remained steadfast and raced through the third set, securing a double break before serving out for an impressive victory. Advertisement A total of 23 Britons had qualified for Wimbledon in the men's and women's singles at the All England Club - the most since 1984. While Raducanu, Boulter and Kartal progressed, there were exits for Harriet Dart, Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic in the women's draw. Dart won the first set of her match against Hungary's Dalma Galfi but went on to lose 3-6 6-3 7-5. Teenager Klugman lost to Canada's 29th seed Leylah Fernandez 6-1 6-3 on her Grand Slam main-draw debut. The 16-year-old, who last month became the first Briton in almost 50 years to reach the French Open girls' final, was one of three British players aged 17 and under in the women's singles draw at the All England Club. Advertisement Stojsavljevic, also 16, was beaten 6-3 6-2 by American Ashlyn Krueger.
BBC News
30-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Raducanu beats compatriot Xu at 'favourite tournament'
British number one Emma Raducanu cruised to a comfortable victory over compatriot Mimi Xu to progress to the second round at her "favourite tournament", swiftly wrapped up the 6-3 6-3 win against 17-year-old Xu, who was making her maiden Grand Slam Welsh teenager showed glimpses of the potential that earned her a wildcard in this year's main draw at Raducanu quickly settled into her rhythm on court one and showcased some of the free-hitting style she has enjoyed at the grass-court warm-up 22-year-old looked unaffected by the still-sweltering conditions at the All England Club as she aims to better last year's run to the fourth round."It's really nice to be back. I just use it [expectation] as support and I love it," she said."It's my favourite tournament by far so I'm just so happy to get another match here."Victory comes after a successful opening day for the British players with victories for Sonay Kartal, Arthur Fery, Cameron Norrie, Billy Harris and qualifier Oliver tests await Raducanu with a meeting against former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in round two but she smiled and celebrated with the adoring home crowd after wrapping up the win.
