Latest news with #SW15
South Wales Argus
26-06-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Hamish Stewart hoping his Wimbledon dream will come true
The Strathblane star had to dig deep to defeat Luca Van Assche in a deciding tie-break to set-up a win-and-in battle with Switzerland's Leandro Riedi at qualifying in Roehampton. Stewart beat Van Assche 7-6(3) 4-6 7-6(9) to move into the third round. It was another thrilling chapter of a rollercoaster journey, with Stewart having had to progress through a pre-qualifying competition just to confirm his place in SW15. And while the Scot may be the one taking centre stage, he admits he still can't quite believe the events that have led him to this moment. "I'm still trying to figure out what's going on a little bit to be honest. It'll take some time for it to drop," he said. "I'm glad to get the job done. I've saved quite a few match points before but nothing compared to this level of stress and pressure. "It's a dream to play at Wimbledon, especially being British and growing up watching Andy Murray win it. It's an absolute dream to play there and if at the start of qualifying, you'd have told me I'd be in this situation, I'd have bitten your arm off." Stewart's success over Van Assche marks his second this week, having defeated Valentin Vacherot in the first round on Monday. The world number 550 was trailing 6-4 6-5 to the Monegasque when his foe had to retire due to injury after slipping on the grass. Stewart's subsequent battle against Van Assche was a much tighter affair, with the pair delighting the Roehampton crowd with a breathless showcase of grass court tennis. And it so easily could have gone the other way, with Van Assche leading 8-4 in the deciding tie-break, only for Stewart to claw his way back tooth and nail ahead of sealing it11-9 after his French opponent served a double-fault on match point. Stewart said: "It was a bit of a blur. I threw in a dodgy service game at 5-4 and I felt like I was there in the tiebreak but I was 8-4 down. "He threw in a double [fault] at 8-4, and I was like 'okay, he's feeling it', so I continued to gets balls in court and to be aggressive and somehow won. "It's been a rollercoaster. I've had a bit of luck but I feel I was due a bit of luck and I'm loving the experience." Oliver Tarvet also progressed to the next round by beating Canada's Alexis Galarneau 6-6 6-2. Ryan Peniston lost to Spain's Martin Landaluce 3-6 6-4 6-4, while Paul Jubb bowed out in straight sets 6-3 6-2 to Italy's Giulio Zeppieri and Oliver Bonding lost out to Juan Pablo Ficovich 7-5 6-4. Peniston said: "I'll take loads of positives from this week for sure, especially from this match," said Peniston. "It feels like I'm getting closer to where I want to be. "It was amazing here. It's always nice to play in front of home fans. We only get it a few weeks a year so to put out a good performance was enjoyable." For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website
The Herald Scotland
25-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Scot nears Wimbledon dream as he hopes to follow Andy Murray
Stewart beat Van Assche 7-6(3) 4-6 7-6(9) to move into the third round. It was another thrilling chapter of a rollercoaster journey, with Stewart having had to progress through a pre-qualifying competition just to confirm his place in SW15. And while the Scot may be the one taking centre stage, he admits he still can't quite believe the events that have led him to this moment. "I'm still trying to figure out what's going on a little bit to be honest. It'll take some time for it to drop," he said. "I'm glad to get the job done. I've saved quite a few match points before but nothing compared to this level of stress and pressure. Read more: Emma Raducanu exits Eastbourne Open after Maya Joint defeat British and Irish Lions fans can expect good cheer at these Scottish venues "It's a dream to play at Wimbledon, especially being British and growing up watching Andy Murray win it. It's an absolute dream to play there and if at the start of qualifying, you'd have told me I'd be in this situation, I'd have bitten your arm off." Stewart's success over Van Assche marks his second this week, having defeated Valentin Vacherot in the first round on Monday. The world number 550 was trailing 6-4 6-5 to the Monegasque when his foe had to retire due to injury after slipping on the grass. Stewart's subsequent battle against Van Assche was a much tighter affair, with the pair delighting the Roehampton crowd with a breathless showcase of grass court tennis. And it so easily could have gone the other way, with Van Assche leading 8-4 in the deciding tie-break, only for Stewart to claw his way back tooth and nail ahead of sealing it11-9 after his French opponent served a double-fault on match point. Stewart said: "It was a bit of a blur. I threw in a dodgy service game at 5-4 and I felt like I was there in the tiebreak but I was 8-4 down. Hamis Stewart hopes to follow in the footsteps of his hero Andy Murray (Image: Adam Davy) "He threw in a double [fault] at 8-4, and I was like 'okay, he's feeling it', so I continued to gets balls in court and to be aggressive and somehow won. "It's been a rollercoaster. I've had a bit of luck but I feel I was due a bit of luck and I'm loving the experience." Only Riedi stands between Stewart and a coveted place in the main draw in Wimbledon. Stewart, who trains in Stirling, has flourished on the ITF Futures circuit this season – the third tier of men's tennis tournaments – and he is relishing the opportunity to showcase the best of his tennis in front of a home crowd. He added: "This match was a lot longer than the first one. How the first one ended is not the way you want to win but it was my first Grand Slam match and to just get a runout was important in terms of bringing belief and getting me used to the atmosphere and playing in front of a bigger crowd. "It was really chill to be here in front of a home crowd but there were quite a few Frenchmen there as well. There were a few Luca chants and I thought 'Hold on, what's going on here?!'. "But the crowd were brilliant and the reaction at the end was absolutely electric. I loved it." Stewart was the only Brit in the men's draw to progress to the third round, with several of his compatriots unable to clear that hurdle. Ryan Peniston lost to Spain's Martin Landaluce 3-6 6-4 6-4, while Paul Jubb bowed out in straight sets 6-3 6-2 to Italy's Giulio Zeppieri and Oliver Bonding lost out to Juan Pablo Ficovich 7-5 6-4. But while the home trio's Wimbledon dreams for this year have ended, they believe their displays left plenty to take heart from. Peniston said: "I'll take loads of positives from this week for sure, especially from this match," said Peniston. "It feels like I'm getting closer to where I want to be. "It was amazing here. It's always nice to play in front of home fans. We only get it a few weeks a year so to put out a good performance was enjoyable." Jubb added: "For the rest of the day, I'll still be disappointed but as a professional, you can't let it drag or dwell. "You just have to keep going day-by-day. Whatever happens, happens. You can't change anything about today and you just have to be ready to go again tomorrow." In the women's draw, Amarni Banks exited in the second round after losing to Katarzyna Kawa 6-2 6-4. For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jack Draper Says Tennis Makes It Hard to Have a Girlfriend
Tennis phenom Jack Draper has turned heads with his play at the French Open. The British No. 1 tennis player thrilled fans with a close battle against Gael Monfils of France on May 29, 2025. The victory propelled Draper into the third round and had some fans wondering about his relationship history and whether he has a wife or girlfriend. Advertisement No, Draper is not married. However, he has opened up about dating in interviews. He hasn't named a girlfriend, though. "He's single, and though he likes going on doesn't really party, preferring to spend time with friends," Vogue wrote of Draper in March 2025. "He is, conveniently, single; which means that Draper might be the most eligible bachelor in SW15," Tatler reported in May 2025. "I'm always on the road. Always playing, always training. It's tough to sustain any form of relationship," he told Tatler, which called him "an eligible bachelor perhaps, but Draper is more of a mummy's boy at heart. She's the first person he calls when he wins; 'a huge mentor' and a former junior tennis champion herself." Jack Draper of Great Britain celebrates defeating Andy Murray of Great brother Ben was described as his "wingman." Advertisement Draper opened up even more in an interview with The Times in January 2025, which reported that he doesn't consider "model looks" a "top priority in a potential partner." 'For me, it's more about someone who has got ambition, their own purpose in life, who's nonjudgmental, someone with good values," he told The Times, admitting he's used dating apps. He"finds them too time-consuming." 'The most important thing to me right now is becoming the best tennis player I can be, especially the way the world is at the moment with all that [app] stuff. I'd rather meet someone out of genuine, almost coincidence, or when I'm focused on something else," he told The Times. When the news site asked whether he has ever been in love, he said, "My mum." Advertisement According to Vogue, Draper "recently bought his first flat, a three-bedroom apartment in southwest London" where he lives with his brother and friend Paul Jubb, who is also a tennis player. In the Vogue interview, he explained the toll that playing professional tennis has taken on his life. In 2021, "when he first played Wimbledon as a wild was still living at home, making lonely rounds of Challenger tournaments," the site reported. 'You become very lost. Everyone else is going to university, everyone else is doing their thing," he told Vogue. Related: Sydney Sweeney Explains Why She's Selling Used Bath Water Soap Jack Draper Says Tennis Makes It Hard to Have a Girlfriend first appeared on Men's Journal on May 29, 2025
