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Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wimbledon recap: Pride in London brings few rainbows to All England Club
Welcome to the Wimbledon briefing, where will explain the stories behind the stories on each day of the tournament. On day six, it was Pride day in London, a tennis star's patience was rewarded and the Americans made the most of July 4 weekend. Advertisement Pride day at Wimbledon, with few rainbows More than 30,000 people took part in London's annual Pride parade Saturday afternoon in the city center. Thousands more lined the streets in celebration of the capital's biggest LGBTQ+ event. The scene at Wimbledon, which takes in views of central London from the top of 'Henman Hill,' was a little different. There is no organized Pride celebration at the All England Club, as a spokesperson confirmed in a statement sent to The Athletic. It was instead 'Sporting Saturday' – an annual celebration of sports people on the middle Saturday of the month. The Royal Box had LGBTQ+ sportspeople like Billie Jean King and Dame Kelly Holmes as guests, but there were no Pride flags and people had to look hard to find any rainbows. Advertisement The Australian Open has hosted five Pride Days; the U.S. Open will host its fifth this year and the French Open has held two, making Wimbledon the only major to have not yet formally dedicated a tournament day to Pride celebrations. On No. 3 Court, Daria Kasatkina, the No. 16 seed, who came out publicly as gay in 2022, was wearing a bracelet with rainbows on it during her 6-2, 6-3 defeat to No. 19 seed Liudmila Samsonova in the third round. Kasatkina defected to Australia from Russia earlier this year, and has spoken out against her former homeland and anti-LGBTQ+ politics in the past. 'I know that, for example, in Australia, they're very active in this case. They are very vocal and supportive,' the 28-year-old, who announced her engagement to figure skater girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako last month, told The Athletic. 'I think that Wimbledon is in general a little bit different,' Kasatkina added. Advertisement 'The colors they use, it's white, green, and purple and that's pretty much it. But I must say that around the city of London, I can feel the support and I like how this city… I mean, we see the rainbow flags everywhere. So that's nice. We have to accept that Wimbledon is different. They've got their traditions and they follow them. And I don't think there is any sign of disrespect. 'We just got the approval for black shorts (in 2023 to take the stress off women and girls during their periods). It's not much of a place for this kind of thing. They're just very traditional and we have to accept that but overall walking around London I can feel a lot of the support from everywhere, so that's the most important. 'I don't feel that they [the AELTC] don't want to support. It's just this place, it's only about tennis and strawberries.' In 2019, there was a Pride panel at the All England Club, with King speaking to young people about her experience of coming out. It was hosted by tennis reporter Nick McCarvel and was one of the first Pride events on site. Advertisement 'That was an important first step for Wimbledon,' McCarvel said in an interview. 'Pride's evolving and the tennis space is a space that maybe could be catching up a little quicker. But I think we also look at the women who have led the way in tennis. Billie Jean is certainly one of them. Daria Kasatkina continues to be one of them.' Within the men's game it is a lot different. In December last year, Joao Lucas Reis da Silva became the first active male professional tennis player to come out as gay when he posted a selfie on Instagram with his partner. Bill Tilden, the American star who dominated tennis in the 1920s, never publicly discussed his sexuality outside of his 1948 book, 'My Story: A Champion's Memoirs.' Brian Vahaly, who played in the 2000s and reached a career-high of world No. 57, and Bobby Blair, on tour in the 1980s, came out after they had retired from professional tennis. 'Sports haven't traditionally been a place where people have felt like they can be their full queer selves,' McCarvel said. 'I think of central London and the scenes in Soho and the Pride flags and the fact that it's not reflected today visually here at Wimbledon.' Advertisement Lesbian couple Jo Smith and Amelia Pamplin, two tennis fans from Brighton, said it feels like a safe and accepting place here, even without a day to recognise and celebrate the importance of Pride. 'It doesn't feel like there's been any animosity at all at any point,' Pamplin said. 'We've been sitting on the hill and that was fine, I gave her a kiss, everything was fine and normal.' 'When I think about it and that it's London Pride then I suppose it would be nice to have something like that around here,' Smith said. Belinda Bencic's patience continues to be rewarded Coming back to tennis after giving birth is one of the toughest things to do in sport, but Belinda Bencic continues to thrive back on the WTA Tour. Advertisement She is through to the Wimbledon fourth round after a tight three-set win over Jessica Pegula's conqueror, Elisabetta Cocciaretto. It continues a great season for Bencic, on top of winning the Abu Dhabi Open title and reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open too. When the rankings next update, she'll be back in the world's top 30 at a minimum; she could go even higher if she can beat No. 18 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova Monday to reach the quarterfinals. Bencic returned to tennis in October, ranked No. 1213, having given birth to her daughter, Bella, six months earlier. She did so at an ITF W75 event in Hamburg, Germany, on the lowest rung of professional tennis. She played a couple more such events before the year was out, reaching the final in Angers, France. 'I'm really confident about getting back to where I was and even better,' she said during a video interview in December after playing those events. Bencic has made good on that self-belief, reaching the fourth round at two majors and then winning a 500-level title.. She missed the French Open with injury, but she attributes her success at the sport's premier events this year to the hard yards she put in at the back end of 2024. Advertisement 'This is the way I like to go because I feel like I have to build up,' she said in a news conference Saturday. 'I cannot just go straight into it. I gain more confidence with playing more matches. 'I don't see the point of coming back and losing your first three rounds, and then you're not able to get match play. [It's important] to have that match play and then feel more confident, going step by step up to the level that you've been. This is the way for me, and I don't care if people are surprised or not. This is just our plan.' She insisted that managing this kind of comeback is a very personal thing, but in so far making one of the hardest things in tennis look miraculously straightforward, Bencic's lower-tier tournament strategy may be a replicable one. Stripes more than stars for U.S. players? Perhaps it's fitting that America found some success on July 4 weekend. Advertisement As Grand Slams go, this Wimbledon hasn't been great for those representing the stars and stripes. Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, the No. 2 and 3 women's seeds, left in the first round. Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe were out in the second. Madison Keys, Sofia Kenin, Danielle Collins and Brandon Nakashima lost in the third. Saturday, Nakashima, the No. 29 seed, won the first set and held leads in the second and third against Italy's Lorenzo Sonego, but ultimately lost a five-hour match in a tiebreak. Iga Świątek dispatched Collins in a ruthlessly patient 6-2, 6-3 win. Just two of the eight American women who were seeded are still alive. Six American men were seeded, and two of them have made it too. Navarro came back from a set down to beat Krejčíková, the defending champion. Amanda Anisimova is by far the highest seed in her quarter and has the most fearsome backhand on the planet. Advertisement Taylor Fritz has showed why he is top five in the world: he is a competitor. That's how, two points away from defeat in the first round, he made it through against the biggest server in the game, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Ben Shelton is still figuring out consistency from week to week, but give him the bright lights of a Grand Slam and he shows up. He will face Sonego in the last 16. He came back from 2-1 down in sets against the Italian at the French Open in May. Fritz faces Jordan Thompson, a dangerous Australian who has somehow won three matches with a balky back. Anisimova might have her hands full with Linda Nosková, another big hitter in a match that could turn on who handles their nerves better. Advertisement Navarro is the only one of the four who won't be the favorite in her fourth-round match against Mirra Andreeva, the world No. 7. 'I'm super pumped to be where I'm at,' she said after beating Krejčíková. These are the days and the moments that you have to appreciate and enjoy because they are fleeting. It's not going to be like this forever.' Other notable results on day six Jannik Sinner (1) continued his breeze through the opening rounds. He has lost 17 games in his first three matches, breaking Roger Federer's Wimbledon record of 19. Today he beat Pedro Martinez 6-1, 6-3, 6-1. Mirra Andreeva (7) took out Hailey Baptiste of the U.S. 6-1, 6-3 to reach the second week for the second time. Advertisement Ben Shelton (10) eased past Márton Fucsovics 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2 Shot of the day Novak Djokovic has been looking ominous as he eases into this tournament. But what about spectacular and ominous? Day seven matches you should actually watch 🎾 Men's singles, 12 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+ Andrey Rublev (14) vs. Carlos Alcaraz (2) Alcaraz has mostly survived, rather than thrived at Wimbledon 2025. For Andrey Rublev, his second-week run is redemptive, after a first-round meltdown here last year that took him to a dark place. 🎾 Women's singles, 11 a.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+ Women's singles: Linda Nosková (30) vs. Amanda Anisimova (13) Two of the purest ball-strikers on the WTA Tour face each other on a fast court. This should, simply put, be cinema. Advertisement Wimbledon men's draw 2025 Wimbledon women's draw 2025 Tell us what you noticed on the sixth day… This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Culture, Tennis, Women's Tennis 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
05-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Wimbledon recap: Pride in London brings few rainbows to All England Club
Follow The Athletic's Wimbledon coverage Welcome to the Wimbledon briefing, where The Athletic will explain the stories behind the stories on each day of the tournament. On day six, it was Pride day in London, a tennis star's patience was rewarded and the Americans made the most of July 4 weekend. More than 30,000 people took part in London's annual Pride parade Saturday afternoon in the city center. Thousands more lined the streets in celebration of the capital's biggest LGBTQ+ event. The scene at Wimbledon, which takes in views of central London from the top of 'Henman Hill,' was a little different. Advertisement There is no organized Pride celebration at the All England Club, as a spokesperson confirmed in a statement sent to The Athletic. It was instead 'Sporting Saturday' – an annual celebration of sports people on the middle Saturday of the month. The Royal Box had LGBTQ+ sportspeople like Billie Jean King and Dame Kelly Holmes as guests, but there were no Pride flags and people had to look hard to find any rainbows. The Australian Open has hosted five Pride Days; the U.S. Open will host its fifth this year and the French Open has held two, making Wimbledon the only major to have not yet formally dedicated a tournament day to Pride celebrations. On No. 3 Court, Daria Kasatkina, the No. 16 seed, who came out publicly as gay in 2022, was wearing a bracelet with rainbows on it during her 6-2, 6-3 defeat to No. 19 seed Liudmila Samsonova in the third round. Kasatkina defected to Australia from Russia earlier this year, and has spoken out against her former homeland and anti-LGBTQ+ politics in the past. 'I know that, for example, in Australia, they're very active in this case. They are very vocal and supportive,' the 28-year-old, who announced her engagement to figure skater girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako last month, told The Athletic. 'I think that Wimbledon is in general a little bit different,' Kasatkina added. 'The colors they use, it's white, green, and purple and that's pretty much it. But I must say that around the city of London, I can feel the support and I like how this city… I mean, we see the rainbow flags everywhere. So that's nice. We have to accept that Wimbledon is different. They've got their traditions and they follow them. And I don't think there is any sign of disrespect. 'We just got the approval for black shorts (in 2023 to take the stress off women and girls during their periods). It's not much of a place for this kind of thing. They're just very traditional and we have to accept that but overall walking around London I can feel a lot of the support from everywhere, so that's the most important. Advertisement 'I don't feel that they [the AELTC] don't want to support. It's just this place, it's only about tennis and strawberries.' In 2019, there was a Pride panel at the All England Club, with King speaking to young people about her experience of coming out. It was hosted by tennis reporter Nick McCarvel and was one of the first Pride events on site. 'That was an important first step for Wimbledon,' McCarvel said in an interview. 'Pride's evolving and the tennis space is a space that maybe could be catching up a little quicker. But I think we also look at the women who have led the way in tennis. Billie Jean is certainly one of them. Daria Kasatkina continues to be one of them.' Within the men's game it is a lot different. In December last year, Joao Lucas Reis da Silva became the first active male professional tennis player to come out as gay when he posted a selfie on Instagram with his partner. Bill Tilden, the American star who dominated tennis in the 1920s, never publicly discussed his sexuality outside of his 1948 book, 'My Story: A Champion's Memoirs.' Brian Vahaly, who played in the 2000s and reached a career-high of world No. 57, and Bobby Blair, on tour in the 1980s, came out after they had retired from professional tennis. 'Sports haven't traditionally been a place where people have felt like they can be their full queer selves,' McCarvel said. 'I think of central London and the scenes in Soho and the Pride flags and the fact that it's not reflected today visually here at Wimbledon.' Lesbian couple Jo Smith and Amelia Pamplin, two tennis fans from Brighton, said it feels like a safe and accepting place here, even without a day to recognise and celebrate the importance of Pride. 'It doesn't feel like there's been any animosity at all at any point,' Pamplin said. 'We've been sitting on the hill and that was fine, I gave her a kiss, everything was fine and normal.' Advertisement 'When I think about it and that it's London Pride then I suppose it would be nice to have something like that around here,' Smith said. Caoimhe O'Neill Coming back to tennis after giving birth is one of the toughest things to do in sport, but Belinda Bencic continues to thrive back on the WTA Tour. She is through to the Wimbledon fourth round after a tight three-set win over Jessica Pegula's conqueror, Elisabetta Cocciaretto. It continues a great season for Bencic, on top of winning the Abu Dhabi Open title and reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open too. When the rankings next update, she'll be back in the world's top 30 at a minimum; she could go even higher if she can beat No. 18 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova Monday to reach the quarterfinals. Bencic returned to tennis in October, ranked No. 1213, having given birth to her daughter, Bella, six months earlier. She did so at an ITF W75 event in Hamburg, Germany, on the lowest rung of professional tennis. She played a couple more such events before the year was out, reaching the final in Angers, France. 'I'm really confident about getting back to where I was and even better,' she said during a video interview in December after playing those events. Bencic has made good on that self-belief, reaching the fourth round at two majors and then winning a 500-level title.. She missed the French Open with injury, but she attributes her success at the sport's premier events this year to the hard yards she put in at the back end of 2024. 'This is the way I like to go because I feel like I have to build up,' she said in a news conference Saturday. 'I cannot just go straight into it. I gain more confidence with playing more matches. 'I don't see the point of coming back and losing your first three rounds, and then you're not able to get match play. [It's important] to have that match play and then feel more confident, going step by step up to the level that you've been. This is the way for me, and I don't care if people are surprised or not. This is just our plan.' Advertisement She insisted that managing this kind of comeback is a very personal thing, but in so far making one of the hardest things in tennis look miraculously straightforward, Bencic's lower-tier tournament strategy may be a replicable one. Charlie Eccleshare Perhaps it's fitting that America found some success on July 4 weekend. As Grand Slams go, this Wimbledon hasn't been great for those representing the stars and stripes. Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, the No. 2 and 3 seeds, left in the first round. Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe were out in the second. Madison Keys, Sofia Kenin, Danielle Collins and Brandon Nakashima lost in the third. Saturday, Nakashima, the No. 29 seed, won the first set and held leads in the second and third against Italy's Lorenzo Sonego, but ultimately lost a five-hour match in a tiebreak. Iga Świątek dispatched Collins in a ruthlessly patient 6-2, 6-3 win. Just two of the eight American women who were seeded are still alive. Six American men were seeded, and two of them have made it too. Navarro came back from a set down to beat Krejčíková, the defending champion. Amanda Anisimova is by far the highest seed in her quarter and has the most fearsome backhand on the planet. Taylor Fritz has showed why he is top five in the world: he is a competitor. It's how, two points away from defeat in the first round, he made it through against the biggest server in the game, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Ben Shelton is still figuring out consistency from week to week, but give him the bright lights of a Grand Slam and he shows up. He will face Sonego in the last 16. He came back from two sets down against the Italian at the French Open in May. Fritz faces Jordan Thompson, a dangerous Australian who has somehow won three matches with a balky back. Anisimova might have her hands full with Linda Nosková, another big hitter in a match that could turn on who handles their nerves better. Advertisement Navarro is the only one of the four who won't be the favorite in her fourth-round match against Mirra Andreeva, the world No. 7. 'I'm super pumped to be where I'm at,' she said after beating Krejčíková. These are the days and the moments that you have to appreciate and enjoy because they are fleeting. It's not going to be like this forever.' Matt Futterman Novak Djokovic has been looking ominous as he eases into this tournament. But what about spectacular and ominous? 'In all his years at Wimbledon, he won't have played many finer rallies than that!' 🤩 Brilliant entertainment on Centre Court 👏👏👏#Wimbledon — BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 5, 2025 🎾 Men's singles, 12 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+ Andrey Rublev (14) vs. Carlos Alcaraz (2) Alcaraz has mostly survived, rather than thrived at Wimbledon 2025. For Andrey Rublev, his second-week run is redemptive, after a first-round meltdown here last year that took him to a dark place. 🎾 Women's singles, 11 a.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+ Women's singles: Linda Nosková (30) vs. Amanda Anisimova (13) Two of the purest ball-strikers on the WTA Tour face each other on a fast court. This should, simply put, be cinema. Tell us what you noticed on the sixth day…
Daily Mail
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Who's who in the royal box at Wimbledon? Football legend Sir Geoff Hurst, Jamie Redknapp, Steve Redgrave and Dame Kelly Holmes lead sporting greats at centre court on day six at SW19
Wimbledon's Royal Box was awash with decorated athletes on Saturday, with Paralympians and Olympians joining a member of the 1966 World Cup squad. As the sixth day of the tennis tournament kicked off on Saturday, 83-year-old football legend Sir Geoff Hurst, rower Sir Steve Redgrave and athlete-turned-presenter Dame Kelly Holmes led the famous arrivals on centre court. The Royal Box has this season hosted A-list actors like Priyanka Chopra-Jonas and John Cena, TV adventurer Bear Grylls, and Dragons' Den mogul Deborah Meaden as well as Princess Beatrice, popstar Olivia Rodrigo, and the newly-knighted Sir David Beckham. As the name suggests, the Royal Box often houses members of the Royal Family, notably the Princess of Wales, who is the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. While Prince William is yet to attend a fixture, today's match between Jannik Sinner and Pedro Martinez drew a huge crowd of former and current athletes, who dressed in their finery to watch the clash. Prominent faces spotted this afternoon at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club included professional footballer Jamie Redknapp, who attended with his very glamorous wife Frida. Sir Geoff Hurst, the only surviving member of England's 1966 World Cup squad, sat alongside footballers Fran Kirby and Bethany England at centre court on Saturday. The 83-year-old football legend stood to applause from crowds as he arrived, waving back at the cheering masses in the stands opposite. The sporting stars witnessed the centre court clash between Italy's Jannik Sinner and Spain's Pedro Martinez on Saturday. Sinner came out on top, securing a 6-1 6-3 6-1 win. Sir Geoff Hurst The 83-year-old footballer was also a guest in Wimbledon's Royal Box today. Sir Geoff is the last living member of the England World Cup squad who took home the title in 1966, after the death of Bobby Charlton in October 2023. He was the first player to ever score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, when England recorded a 4-2 victory over West Germany at Wembley. Throughout his career, Sir Geoff played for West Ham, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Cork Celtic, Seattle Sounders and Telford United. Jamie and Frida Redknapp English professional footballer Jamie Redknapp is now a pundit at Sky Sports and an editorial sports columnist at the Daily Mail. Jamie and Frida tied the knot in 2021. Both had previous partners - as Jamie previously split from his ex-wife Louise in 2017 after 18 years of marriage, following her stint on Strictly Come Dancing. In April, Jamie was banned from driving for twelve months after clocking-up multiple speeding offences. The former England international lives in a six-bedroom £10.5million house in Kensington. Dame Kelly Holmes Among the most famous faces in today's Royal Box is Dame Kelly Holmes. The athlete-turned-tv personality won gold medals in both the 800 and 1500 metres events at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Despite retiring, Dame Kelly still holds British records in the 600 and 1000 metre distances - and held one in 800 metres until 2021. Sir Steve and Lady Redgrave Former rower Steve Redgrave was a gold medalist at five consecutive Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000, winning a KBE in 2001 for his services to rowing. Sir Steve, 63, has also won three Commonwealth Games gold medals and nine World Rowing Championships golds. This makes him the most titled rower in history. Earlier this year, Sir Steve appeared on Dancing On Ice, where he revealed he 'hated' training for the Olympics, and has since become 'very unfit'. His wife, Ann Callaway, was a member of Britain's women's eight at the 1984 Olympics and later became the first woman President of the Marlow club. She is also a qualified doctor and osteopath, and was Chief Medical Officer to GB Rowing between 1992 and 2001. Sir Ben Ainslie The 48-year-old British competitive sailor is watching the first weekend of Wimbledon from the Royal Box with his wife Lady Georgie. Sir Ben is the most decorated sailor in Olympic history, winning five medals from 1996 onwards - including four consecutive golds from 2000 to 2012. Now, the sailor is the CEO of Athena Sports Group and the Emirates Great Britain Team. The Olympian - who has won 11 World Championship titles - is also a patron of the 1851 Trust, a British charity that supports young people in sailing and STEM education. Sir Jason Kenny and Dame Laura Kenny British cyclists Jason and Laura Kenny attended today's match together. Sir Jason holds the record for most Olympic golds - with seven total - and the most Olympic medals - nine - won by a British athlete. His impressive number of gold medals places him in joint 15th for the most gold medals won in the Summer Olympic games since 1896. Dame Laura is also a decorated Olympian, with six medals to her name. Fran Kirby and Bethany England English professional footballer Fran Kirby was joined at Wimbledon by fellow player Bethany England. Ms Kirby is an attacking midfielder for Women's Super League club Brighton & Hove Albion and has played for the England national team. She represented the UK at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada, and the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. Meanwhile, Ms England has played for the England squad since 2019. Laura Sugar Another Paralympian in the Royal Box today is 34-year-old Laura Sugar. She is a two-time champion in the Paracanoe KL3 event, and had preciously competed in Para Athletics under the T44 classification. Before taking up athletics, Ms Sugar had represented Wales at field hockey, captaining the under-20s team and gaining 16 full international caps. Helen Glover Joining the raft of famous sporting faces on Saturday is British rower Helen Glover. She is a member of the Great British Rowing Team, and was notably ranked as the number one female rower in the world in 2015. Ms Glover has won two Olympic gold medals, three World Championships and the rowing World Cup five times. She is also a quintuple European champion. Nathan Hales The 29-year-old sport shooter was joined by Charlotte Kerwood in the Royal Box at Wimbledon today. Mr Hales won gold in the men's trap at the 2024 Paris Olympics, scoring 48 out of 50 and setting a new Olympic record. But he impressed previously at the 2022 World Shotgun Championships, where he earned a quota place for the Olympic Games. Stephen Clegg The 29-year-old swimmer was also spotted in the Royal Box this afternoon. He was joined by Caitlin Ciceri. Mr Clegg won a Paralympic gold medal in the 2024 summer games, in the Men's S12 100m backstroke. He won his second gold in the Mens S12 100m butterfly final. The swimmer had previously won a Paralympic bronze in the Men's 100 metre backstroke and Men's 100 metre freestyle in the 2020 Paralympic Games. He also comes from a family of Paralympians - his brother James is a fellow swimmer, while his sister Libby competes in athletics. Andy Roddick and Brooklyn Decker Former tennis player Andy Roddick was ranked as the world number one in 2003. He was the US Open champion in 2003, and finalist at Wimbledon in 2004, 2005 and 2009. He married model and actress Brooklyn Decker in 2009, who worked for Victoria's Secret and appeared in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. In her acting career, she's made appearances in The Devil Wears Prada, Just Go With It and New Girl. Giedrė Rakauskaitė Giedrė Rakauskaitė is a British Paralympic rower and quadruple world champion in the mixed coxed four. She has started rowing aged 14, but a year later her leg was badly injured in a car accident. In 2017, she joined the GB Para-rowing team, winning gold at the Tokyo Games in 2020 and defending her title in Paris. Lord and Lady Botham Cricket commentator Lord Ian Botham and his wife Kathryn are also in the Royal Box at Wimbledon today. Lord Botham is also a member of the House of Lord, and chairman of Durham County Cricket Club, alongside being considered one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of the game. He has represented England in both Test and One-Day International cricket, and was part of the English squads which finished as runners-up at the 1979 and 1992 Cricket World Cups. However, his life hasn't been without controversy, and he previously landed himself in a highly publicised court case with rival all-rounder Imran Khan - and an ongoing dispute with the RSPB. Jason Leonard Former Rugby Union player Jason Leonard also appeared in the Royal Box. He won a then-record 114 caps for England men's rugby team during a 14-year international career. Additionally, Mr Leonard played in England teams which won four Grand Slams in 1991, 1992, 1995 and 2003. Sir Anthony McCoy Sir Anthony McCoy, also known as AP McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a former horse racing jockey from Northern Ireland. Having won the Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup, he was awarded a KBE in 2016 for his services to horse racing. Now 51, the 20-time champion Jump jockey retired from racing in 2015. Kadeena Cox Paralympian Kadeena Cox is likely best known for her appearance in the 2021 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! She was also the winner of the 16th series of Celebrity MasterChef in the same year. But the 34-year-old is a decorated parasport athlete, winning two golds and a bronze medal in the 2016 Summer Paralympics - in both athletics and cycling. She became the first British Paralympian to win golds in multiple sports at the same Games since Isabel Barr in 1984. Dame Denise and Mrs Joan Lewis Dame Denise Lewis is a former Olympian and BBC presenter for athletics events. During her own athletics career she specialised in the heptathlon, and won the gold medal while representing Great Britain in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. After first being awarded an MBE in the 1999 New Year's Honours and an OBE two years later, she was made a dame in the 2023 New Year's Honours list. She was joined today in the Royal Box by her mother, Joan Lewis. Billie Jean King The former World Number One tennis player is a familiar face at Wimbledon. The 81-year-old - known as BJK - won 39 Grand Slam titles throughout her career: 12 in singles, 16 in women's doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987, and was given the Fed Cup Award of Excellence in 2010. Dame Sarah Storey British cyclist and swimmer Dame Sarah Storey was also enjoying the Royal Box at Wimbledon this afternoon. She is the most successful and most decorated British Paralympian of all time, with a total of 30 medals, including 19 golds. Impressively, five of these gold medals were won before she turned 19. Sir Andrew Strauss The former Director of Cricket for the England and Wales Cricket Board is also in attendance on Saturday. Sir Andrew, 48, who was born in South Africa, is also a former player, having captained the England national team in the past. He first deputised for Michael Vaughan in 2006, before being appointed on a permanent basis for the 2008-9 tour of the West Indies. Notably, he captained the England team to a 2-1 victory in the 2009 Ashes. Vijay Amritraj This Indian sports commentator and actor is joined in the Royal Box by Harry Griffith. Alongside his life in the media, Mr Amritraj is also a retired professional tennis player, and was indoctrinated into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in July 2024. The 71-year-old was also honoured for his contributions to tennis in London in 2022, by the International Tennis Federation. Outside of tennis, Mr Amritraj has had a successful acting career. Most famously, he appeared as the MI6 intelligence operative Vijay in the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy. He also starred in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home as starship captain Joel Randolph. Graeme and Karen Souness Broadcaster and former footballer Graeme was awarded a CBE in June 2024 for his services to football and to charity. Souness, 72, is a Scottish former professional football player and manager. A former Sky Sports football pundit, he has joined ITV to cover the Euro 2024. He also writes for the Daily Mail and MailOnline. Souness was Liverpool captain for three seasons before his departure in 1984 and went on to become player-manager for Rangers. He was widely praised for leading the club to three Scottish titles and four league cups. Peter Burling Another decorated sailor, Peter Burling and his wife Lucinda are also in the Royal Box at Wimbledon on Saturday afternoon. The New Zealander athlete is the most decorated in American Cup history, winning the last three editions for Emirates Team New Zealand. Mr Burling has also won three Olympic medals - one gold and two silver. The 34-year-old won the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sailing, the male World Sailor of the Year in 2015 and 2017, and the Magnus Olsson Prize in 2020. Danny Care From the world of Rugby Union, Danny Care and his wife Jodie are attending Wimbledon on Saturday. The 38-year-old played as a scrum-half for Premiership Rugby club Harlequins and the England national team. He announced his retirement after the 2024 Six Nations. Mr Care, from Leeds, officially left the game behind after passing 100 caps this spring. Jody Cundy Another Paralympian enjoying Wimbledon today is Jody Cundy. The British cyclist and former swimmer has represented Great Britain at eight Summer Paralympics, winning nine gold, one silver and three bronze medals in both sports. He has also won 24 World Championship titles - 21 in cycling and three in swimming. Poppy and Ben Maskill British Paralympic swimmer Poppy Maskill, 20, was also among the famous faces in the box today. She won three gold and two silver medals at the summer Paralympics in Paris last year - making her Team GB 's most successful athlete at the Games in her debut at just 19-years-old. She was also chosen to be one of the Paralympics flagbearers at the closing ceremony. Poppy previously represented Team England at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, after which she was awarded 'Emerging Para-Swimmer of the Year' at the Aquatics GB Awards. She was joined today by her father, Ben, who said he was 'overwhelmed' by her gold win at Paris. Brian O'Driscoll and Amy Huberman Irish professional rugby union player Brian O'Driscoll was joined by his wife Amy Huberman, an actress. The couple tied the knot in 2010, in what made for Ireland's society wedding of the year. Brian, 46, played outside centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster and was captain of Ireland from 2003 to 2012. Amy, also 46, played Daisy in the RTÉ drama series The Clinic and in 2018 began writing and starring in the comedy series Finding Joy. Daniel Pembroke and Martina Mula Daniel Pembroke, 33, is a British athlete who specialises in the javelin throw. At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, he broke the world record twice to win gold, with a seasons best mark of 70.50m. After the games, he married his wife Martina, who joined him today for a day of watching the tennis at Wimbledon. Toby and Marina Roberts In Paris, Toby Roberts secured a sensational Olympic gold medal for Team GB in a gripping men's boulder and lead final - and made history in the process. Roberts, aged just 19, took the top step on the podium after scoring an impressive 92.1 points on the lead wall, moving his overall score to 155.2. Roberts, who honed his climbing skills on a DIY wall in his dad's garden, told the BBC: 'I am just lost for words.' It marked Britain's first ever medal for climbing, which was introduced to the Games in 2021. He was joined today by his mother, Marina. Lauren Rowles and Jude Hamer Three-time Paralympic gold medalist Lauren Rowles won gold at both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 in the mixed double skulls. She has been dating her fiancée, women's wheelchair basketball star Jude Hamer, since romance flourished during lockdown. The rower, from Bromsgrove, has said previously that meeting Hamer, who's part of the Team GB squad currently in the quarter finals of the basketball competition, gave her the courage to discuss her sexuality in public. The couple, who now live together near Reading, met after they connected on Instagram, and began working out together. Bethany Shriever and Brynley Savage Beth Shriever, 26, is a British cyclist and competes as a BMX racer. As an Olympic gold medalist in 2020/2021, she was the first BMX racing cyclist in history to hold all three titles simultaneously - Olympics, World and European. In Paris, she finished eighth in the final after defying a fractured collarbone in the run-up to the Games. She was joined today by her boyfriend, Brynley Savage, who is also a BMX cyclist. Maisie Summers-Newton The 22-year-old is a Paralympic swimming champion. She took home two gold medals in the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo. And in 2021, Ms Summers-Newton also set a European record for the 100m breaststroke SB6 with a time of 1:32.34.
BBC News
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Dame Kelly Holmes reveals coming out fears to LGBT Sport Podcast
Dame Kelly Holmes has told a new podcast how living "authentically" as a gay woman has "opened up a whole new world" which she said feels a far cry from her days in the two-time Olympic gold medallist, who grew up in Pembury, publicly came out three years ago after decades of keeping her sexuality a closely-guarded began out of necessity due to the ban on homosexuality in the armed forces became Dame Kelly's way of being, she said. This pressure, as the 55-year-old explains on The LBGT Sport Podcast, took its toll before she reached a crossroads during the Covid-19 pandemic. "Covid became quite traumatic... I was internalising those thoughts of 'I don't want to live my life like this'," she told the first episode of the new BBC podcast presented by former boxer Nicola Kelly recalls thinking, while unwell with the virus, that if she were to pass away her family and friends would reflect on the "shame" of her not feeling able to live authentically."This one night, I had to reach out for help... it started the process of thinking 'I've got to somehow allow myself to feel free enough to live my life in the public eye authentically'," she to a place of comfort in being open was a gradual process, one which saw her speak to a psychologist for the first time - something she had avoided due to fears of being years of "second guessing words" and "filtering" conversations, Dame Kelly started to share her said: "I needed to explain why I couldn't come out because of the army, because a lot of people didn't know about the army ban... nobody knew that that was actually the underlying reason for not coming out."Living openly as a gay woman was something Dame Kelly said she had to lean into at her own someone who had previously avoided any form of Pride celebration, she found it "hard at first" to immerse herself in the LGBT now, Dame Kelly is "wearing every colour under the rainbow" and goes on stage at Pride events.
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Nicola Adams to host BBC's LGBT Sport Podcast
To mark Pride Month 2025, BBC Local is bringing audiences the LGBT Sport Podcast – hosted by double Olympic Gold Medallist Nicola Adams. Launching on BBC Sounds on 26 June, the podcast will feature positive, inclusive and inspiring stories from across LGBTQ+ sporting community, bringing fans together and to celebrate. Nicola, who was the first ever woman to win a boxing gold medal at the Olympics, is speaking to a host of sporting stars about their careers, personal struggles, and journeys to boost inclusivity within their chosen sports. The first episode will feature Nicola chatting to Dame Kelly Holmes – about her career in the military, winning two Olympic Gold Medals, and her coming out journey. In the podcast, Dame Kelly said: 'I was into sport before I joined the army, it was my life. And then I wanted a career in the forces, but I realised I was gay quite early on. 'At the time, you could get kicked out of the army, jailed, and lose you long service medals – which take a minimum of five years to get. 'The thought of that was just terrifying to me at 22. So of course, it manifested itself into fear – which is why I only came out three years ago. But I loved my career. You have a love-hate relationship with lots of things, right?' Dame Kelly also spoke about her trepidation leading up to her iconic double-gold medal win in the Athens 2004 Olympic games, saying: 'I previously ruptured my calf completely from side to side. I tore my Achilles. And in Athens, ironically hobbled down the track thinking that's it's over. 'That whole Olympics was based on 'I cannot get injured'. Because of all the ups and downs in my career, I never actually knew what I was best at. 'I believed I could win two medals, but I never thought about winning two golds. It wasn't that I disbelieved it. I just didn't want to believe it too much!' Other guests on the podcast include Paralympic Gold Medallist rower Lauren Rowles, football referee Ryan Atkin, racing driver Charlie Martin, and England Rugby player Sarah Bern – ahead of the Women's Rugby World Cup later this Summer. Nicola, who won two Olympic Gold medals for boxing in the London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 games, will also delve into her own experiences during her boxing career from the amateurs to professional ranks – and the importance of resilience and representation in sport. Nicola said: "As a proud gay athlete, it's a huge honour to present this celebration of LGBTQ+ Sport which brings so many different people together! Speaking with these amazing competitors from a wide variety of sports – each with their own personal story to tell - has been truly inspiring. Each episode shines a light on a different LGBTQ+ sporting hero who share brilliant insights, and positive messages from our community. Meeting all these inspiring sports people has been a thrilling experience, and I can't wait for listeners to join us." Stephanie Marshall, the BBC's Head of Content and Production for the West, South West, and Local Sport, said: 'What better way to mark Pride Month 2025, and to kick-off another fantastic summer of sport, than to hear from some of the LGBTQ+ community's most prominent sporting stars? Bringing people together with some outstanding figures in sport telling their stories, we'll also be diving into the wider 'playing field' of sport – including officiating, motor sport, and more!' The LGBT Sport podcast will launch on BBC Sounds from Thursday 26 June, with episodes releasing weekly. TW2
