Latest news with #Swansea
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Who is Mingge Xu? Emma Raducanu's first-round Wimbledon opponent in profile
Four summers ago, Emma Raducanu was the British teenager aiming to become Wimbledon champion. This summer, she will be trying to stop a British teenager at the first hurdle: Mingge Xu. This year's Wimbledon draw paired Raducanu, 22, with Xu, 17, in the first round, as Raducanu begins her latest bid to add to her 2021 US Open triumph. Raducanu endeared herself to tennis fans at Wimbledon 2021 while making a fine run to the fourth round, before surpassing that achievement in September of the same year, when she won her first – and so far only – grand slam, the US Open. Raducanu has struggled for consistency since, and her deepest run at SW19 remains the fourth round, which she reached again last year, while she enters this summer's Wimbledon on the back of a second-round exit at the last major, the French Open. In any case, she has considerably more grand-slam experience than Xu, who has been handed a wildcard to play at a major for the first time on the pro tour. Swansea's Xu – the first Welsh player in the main singles draw at Wimbledon in 20 years – reached the junior Australian Open quarter-finals last year and junior US Open semi-finals, showing promise along the way. But her meeting with Raducanu comes at an altogether tougher level, and in front of a much greater audience. Still, Xu's Wimbledon debut follows her encouraging wildcard run at the Birmingham Open this June, where she stunned top seed Alycia Parks, the world No 52, in the first round. Xu went on to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA 125 tournament, ultimately losing to Jessika Ponchet. Then, later in June, Xu notched another win over a top-100 player, beating world No 96 Katie Volynets in the first round of the Nottingham Open. However, Xu was defeated by sixth seed Magda Linette in the next round. Xu's current ranking on the WTA tour is her highest so far: 318th in the world. Meanwhile, Raducanu is the British No 1 on the women's tour and is currently ranked at No 38 in the world, having been as high as No 10 in 2022. Raducanu enters her clash with Xu on the back of a quarter-final at Queen's, where she was beaten by top seed Qinwen Zheng, and a second-round exit in Eastbourne, where she was eliminated by Maya Joint. Ahead of her Eastbourne opener, Raducanu praised Wimbledon for banning a man who had stalked her from buying tickets to the grass-court grand slam. The man in question had been following her at several events over the last year. He was handed a restraining order by police in Dubai after turning up at the Dubai Tennis Championships and appearing at Raducanu's match, a moment that left her afraid and in tears. But Wimbledon's security system raised a red flag after the man's recent attempt to buy tickets for SW19 this year, with the application subsequently rejected. 'Wimbledon did an amazing job,' Raducanu told the BBC. 'I got a notification, and the police contacted me and assured me that everything was okay. 'I feel okay, I feel comfortable and safe. I've had great protection whenever I've been at these events recently. I feel a difference, and that makes me feel more comfortable.'
The Sun
8 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Wimbledon draw revealed in full as Draper faces tough test and Raducanu opens against Brit, 17, still doing her A-levels
JACK Draper will likely have to get past Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner AND Carlos Alcaraz to become the third British man to win Wimbledon. The No4 seed - aiming to be the first English singles champ since Fred Perry in 1936 - opens against Argentinian Sebastian Baez on Tuesday. 2 2 He had avoided two-time defending champion Alcaraz until a potential final meeting on Sunday July 13. But there is a strong prospect he will need to overcome Djokovic in the quarters and world No1 Sinner in the semis after landing in their half of the draw. Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu will open her campaign against a British player who is studying this month for her A-Levels. The former US Open champion, 22, will be making her fourth tournament appearance at SW19, having made the last 16 four years ago. And her first-round clash will be against 17-year-old debutant Mimi Xu, who hails from Swansea. Xu – who is now based in London – has been handed a Golden Ticket for the event and is one of three promising British teenagers in the 128-player draw. Last year, she reached the semi-finals of the 2024 junior US Open girls singles. Xu combines her tennis aspirations with education duties, taking her Maths A-Level a year ago. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK And she only found she had been awarded a wildcard when she walked out her A-Level biology exam. Should Raducanu progress, then it is likely she will have to face 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova in the second round – and potentially world No1 Aryna Sabalenka in the last 32. British world No719 qualifies for Wimbledon but is BANNED from claiming £66,000 prize money There are 10 British women in the draw and Katie Boulter will face good pal Paula Badosa from Spain. Hannah Klugman, 16, is another promising young talent who has a wildcard and she is up against Canadian Leylah Fernandez, who lost to Raducanu in the 2021 US Open final. Another sixteen-year-old, Mika Stojsavljevic, who lifted the US Open junior title last September, plays American Ashlyn Krueger. The draw for the 138th Championships was made by referee Denise Parnell and assistant ref Phil Evans. The winners of the men's and women's tournaments will land £3million in prize money, an 11.1 per cent increase from last year. British hopes at Wimbledon BRITAIN has 23 entrants in this year's Wimbledon - the most since 1984. Here is a list of all those competing at the All England Club and their world rankings. Men's singles Jack Draper, No. 4 Jacob Fearnley, No. 51 Cameron Norrie, No. 61 Billy Harris, No. 103 Jay Clarke, No. 199 Oliver Crawford, No. 252 Dan Evans, No. 170 Arthur Fery, No. 465 George Loffhagen, No. 302 Johannus Monday, No. 236 Jack Pinnington Jones, No. 282 Henry Searle, No. 409 Oliver Tarvet, No. 719 Women's singles Emma Raducanu, No. 38 Katie Boulter, No. 41 Sonay Kartal, No. 49 Jodie Burrage, No. 164 Harriet Dart, No. 124 Fran Jones, No. 125 Hannah Klugman, No. 577 Mika Stojsavljevic, No. 802 Heather Watson, No. 148 Mimi Xu, No. 318 Wimbledon Ticket Options There are a range of ways to get into Wimbledon as one of the only major sporting events in the world that offer sought-after tickets on the day of the event... The Queue As one of the only major sporting events that allows guests to purchase tickets on the day of the event, demand is high. Each day a large queue forms of people wanting either a Grounds or Show Court ticket - with many even arriving the night before and camping to guarantee a place. Upon arrival, visitors are issued a Queue Card, which is numbered and dated and should be kept until a ticket has been purchased. While there is a limited number of entries, it is possible to remain in the queue and wait for people already inside to leave, with those tickets then becoming available. It is also possible to check the status of the queue on the Wimbledon website. This year, organisers are asking potential queuers to download the Wimbledon app and create a myWimbledon account. Show Tickets If you get to the front of the queue, then there are a limited number of tickets available for purchase for Centre Court and Courts 1, 2 and 3. Note that Centre Court tickets are available for the first 10 days of the tournament, the final four days were already pre-sold. Prices vary depending on the Court, seat and day of the event and will increase the further into the tournament you visit. For example, Centre Court rows A-T cost £105 on Day 1 and £315 on Day 14 (men's final). Grounds Pass A Grounds Pass costs £30 and allows visitors to watch matches on Courts 3-18 on unreserved seats, though there will also be a queue to get into Court 3. Ticket Resale From 3pm each day, tickets may become available from people who have left Wimbledon and made their seat available. A Grounds Pass is needed to join the virtual queue on the Wimbledon App. Tickets cost £15 for Centre Court or £10 for Courts 1/2. Hospitality There are a range of hospitality packages still available on the Wimbledon website. Hospitality packages offer guaranteed premium seating to major matches as well as fine dining experiences, complimentary drinks, a shuttle and concierge service. Hospitality packages can also be purchased via Seat Unique. Sites such as StubHub offer tickets for the main courts for specific days and times. *Please note that StubHub and similar secondary ticket resale sites may list tickets above face value.*
Times
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- Times
Litelok
Rank 94Annual sales growth over three years 59.24%Bike and motorcycle locks maker Fed up with useless locks that failed to prevent several of his bicycles from being stolen, Professor Neil Barron, 59, a former Rolls-Royce aerospace engineer, set about creating a tougher alternative. The resulting Litelok range, incorporating the company's patented technology, is designed to withstand even attacks by thieves using angle grinders. The business, which began life in Swansea in 2013 with seed investing by Barron's long-time friend and business partner Will Riley, 59, racked up sales of £5.2 million last year. Explore the Sunday Times 100 — interviews, company profiles and more
Wales Online
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Swansea City's plan for the rest of the transfer window explained as wishlist emerges
Swansea City's plan for the rest of the transfer window explained as wishlist emerges The Swans still have plenty of work to do before the start of the season Oli McBurnie is a player on Swansea's radar this summer Swansea City's transfer window is firmly up and running, but there's clearly plenty more work to be done before the first ball is kicked on August 9. For the second season in a row, Swansea open their campaign with a trip to Middlesbrough, but a fair amount has changed since last year's curtain-raiser. Not only is there a new man in the hot-seat, but there's also likely to be a different look to the XI that takes to the field at the Riverside in a couple of months' time. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here. Five players have already come on board, while a total of 10 players have departed, and those numbers are likely to increase further before the close of the window. As things stand, it's understood a central midfielder is currently near the top of Swansea's wishlist, preferably one capable of playing in the six. Lewis O'Brien was clearly a figure of keen interest, but as expected the finances are proving tricky for the Swans, who are predictably facing stiff competition from elsewhere. Article continues below A host of second tier clubs, and even Spanish giants Valencia, have taken an interest in the 26-year-old, whose future remains up in the air. Sources claim Hull City and one other Championship club have already launched a bid for the Nottingham Forest man, and it's claimed the value of the Tigers' bid stands at around £5m. Swansea will clearly struggle to match any offer in that sort of ballpark, while Richard Montague himself admitted that O'Brien would command 'Premier League wages'. It may well be the club move on to other targets. Empoli's Liam Henderson and Yokohama's Jean Claude have previously been mentioned as possibilities by reports elsewhere, while there's also been some lingering interest in Ethan Galbraith at Leyton Orient, although it seems he's not regarded as a top priority at this stage. Melker Widell is set to come in, but the need for reinforcements at the heart of midfield will likely accelerate should a departure or two materialise. There's already been interest in star man Goncalo Franco, while Jay Fulton has similarly been tipped for a possible exit before the window's out. Elsewhere, the club are also bracing themselves for a potential offer for winger Ronald, who's been linked with several sides in his native Brazil, as well as Mexican side Club America. As things stand, however, there's not been any sort of concrete approach from anyone. Should the situation change, it could well have an impact on Swansea's plans. There's currently a feeling they are well stocked in wide areas, particularly with the signing of Zeidane Inoussa. But the recent links with Kwame Poku suggest they might well be expecting some movement the other way. The 23-year-old was reportedly the subject of an offer from the Swans, but now looks poised to join Queens Park Rangers. Josh Ginnelly could well be facing an uncertain future given his injury-plagued spell, while the lack of game-time under boss Alan Sheehan suggests Florian Bianchini might well be another the club could be tempted to move on. Bianchini didn't make a single start under the Irishman, and just eight league games overall, despite showing some encouraging glimpses in the number nine role. A new striker is likely to be on the agenda at some point, with Bobby Wales largely seen as a player for the future. But their efforts to bring one or two more on board may well depend on whether they can move Jerry Yates on in this window. The club have already sold Mykola Kuharevich this summer, and it seems likely they will entertain offers for the former Blackpool man, who enjoyed a reasonably successful loan spell at Derby County last season. The Rams were previously interested in another move, but Paul Warne's departure seemingly scuppered those plans. Derby's capture of Carlton Morris may well confirm they have no intention of returning for Yates, but an exit could nevertheless still happen should the right suitor emerge. Sign up to the Swansea City WhatsApp service to get breaking news and top stories sent to your phone Swansea have already assessed possible options to come in, including former striker Oli McBurnie, although it's understood they've not made any sort of approach for the Scotland striker, and have merely placed his name on a list among several others. Hull currently seem well placed to get a move done at this stage, although nothing seems to be agreed. Article continues below Finally, there's still the possibility the Swans may look to get another defender on board. The eye-catching capture of Cameron Burgess has gone a long way to filling the Harry Darling-shaped hole in Swansea's backline. After a saga that lasted the best part of six months, Darling chose to return to his native East Anglia by signing for former boss Liam Manning at Norwich City. Ricardo Santos has also come on board too, but there's a feeling Swansea could still use more depth in the heart of the defence, and indeed in the full-back/wingback area. There's subsequently a preference for someone who can cover in both areas if possible.
Times
12 hours ago
- Business
- Times
Meet the UK's fastest-growing companies in 2025
As hiring at large companies falters, Britain's fastest-growing private companies are picking up the baton. The 100 small firms that feature on this year's Sunday Times 100 ranking have created 10,500 new jobs in the past three years and are planning 5,300 more over the next 12 months. Our annual spotlight on the entrepreneurs selling must-have goods and services, and driving economic growth, shows that despite headwinds of higher business taxes and fragile consumer confidence, good ideas, endeavour, resilience and a large dose of luck remain a reliable formula for success. On our ranking you'll discover companies designing shoes worn by the Queen (Sole Bliss), food eaten by Stormzy (Wingstop UK) and beer drunk by Jeremy Clarkson (Hawkstone). • Explore the Sunday Times 100 — interviews, company profiles and more The supermodel Kendall Jenner is a fan of the activewear produced by Manchester's Adanola, while the former special forces marine Anthony 'Staz' Stazicker completed a record seven-day climb of Mount Everest in May wearing kit made by ThruDark, the outdoor clothing brand he co-founded. We also have inventors such as Laura Waters and Kelli Aspland, the Welsh pair behind Solar Buddies, whose patented child-friendly sunscreen devices will be seen on beaches this summer. Professor Neil Barron created a material called Barronium, a patented, fused composite armour, which his company Litelok, based in Swansea, is now selling in locks to protect high-value bikes and motorcycles from Britain's prolific thieves. On average the companies grew their revenues by 111 per cent a year for the past three years to a combined £3.4 billion, an increase of £2.8 billion. They all say they make a profit, one of our criteria to qualify. Another is that they can't have more than £250 million in annual sales. This year we have also separated fast-growth technology companies into a sister ranking, the Sunday Times 100 Tech, which is now published each January. The companies are based all over the UK. Notably, ten are in Scotland and Wales, whereas none were located there last year. London has slipped, down from 43 to 36 companies, while the northwest of England has 18, up from just 10 last year. Some 28 businesses are led by female founders or co-founders, such as Aimee Smale of the fashion brand Odd Muse, Pip Durell of the on-trend shirtmaker With Nothing Underneath and Lottie Whyte, the co-founder of the exercise recovery equipment maker MyoMaster, who slayed Steven Bartlett on Dragons' Den when she and her husband, Joe Gray, successfully pitched for investment on the TV show last year. The recognition of our ranking matters, perhaps as much as the TV show. 'I should play it cool, but I've been studying this ranking way before I started this company. It's been on my vision board for a long time. I'm just really excited to be included,' Whyte, 36, says. Many of our entrepreneurs are still only 30 and under, such as Simmy and Jhai Dhillon, the brothers who co-founded the meal subscription service Simmer Eats, and the school friends Daniel Yuen and Kieran Riddell-Austin, whose Liverpool-based clothing brand Montirex made bumper profits on their revenues of £76.7 million last year. Taking the top spot for the first time is Oscar Ryndziewicz, the founder and chief executive of Glasgow-based Dfyne, an activewear brand. His parents came to Britain from Poland: his father first, saving up cash from jobs such as making sandwiches at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival so he could afford to bring over his wife. Oscar was born a few years later and, after a few false starts, the 35 year-old now leads a highly profitable business that employs 120 people and hit revenues of £66.8 million this year. It grew its revenues by a phenomenal 517 per cent a year to this May, and will leap forward further in the next 12 months. What has helped them all succeed? Trying things appears to be a common characteristic. 'If you don't try, you are never going to get lucky,' says Ryndziewicz of Dfyne, who admits to his fair share of luck. To start with, his girlfriend Eilidh, an NHS orthoptist, maxed out her credit card to help him get Dfyne off the ground. The pair married this month, so it seems taking risks has its rewards. ▲ 517.32% Activewear brandOscar Ryndziewicz started Dyfne after his girlfriend, Eilidh, let him max out her credit card. The company hit sales of £66.8 million this year and the couple married on June 7. ▲ 434.11% Health products retailerThe brothers Lestat McCree and Max Clarke created Healf in 2020 to help consumers navigate the explosion of wellness products. They made sales of £40 million this year. ▲ 325.14% Consumer cleaning productsFed up with toxic cleaning products in plastic packaging, best friends Purdy Rubin, an NHS nurse, and Charlotte Figg, a horticulturist, decided to do something about it. ▲ 268.40% Fashion brandAimee Smale began Odd Muse as a lockdown hobby while a fashion student in 2020 and just four years later had racked up annual sales of £25 million. ▲ 205.46% Meal delivery serviceSet up by Simmy Dhillon (soon to be joined by his brother, Jhai) with just £10 of ingredients, Simmer Eats began in a university kitchen in 2017 and has grown to revenues of £36.1 million. ▲ 197.72% Management consultancyTim Bretman, an ex-Royal Marine, founded this consultancy in 2020, helping government departments and big companies innovate and upgrade their IT. ▲ 192.00% Fashion brandThe former Ashton United football players Dan Wilkins and Adam Morning launched this firm in Accrington in 2017, initially selling hats. Its clothing now brings in sales of £12.5 million. ▲ 186.80% Technology consultancyBased in Langstone, Newport, this company was started in 2020 by the serial entrepreneurs Mark Sweeny and Tim Warner — both of whom proudly support the Welsh tech scene. ▲183.54% Jewellery brandFounded in 2021 by Olivia Jenkins, Jack Zambakides and Oliver Smithson, this brand was created in memory of Olivia's late mother, Deborah Louise. Sales hit £6.6 million last year. ▲174.66% Children's toiletries brandCasyo 'Krept' Johnson — one half of the hip-hop duo Krept & Konan — leads this natural baby-care label. It was inspired by his daughter, Nala, and hit sales of £5.5 million this year.
