Pride Of America just held on to prevail in a thrilling finish to the John Smith’s Cup at York.
Trained by Amy Murphy, the six-year-old has always been a solid operator for the Southgate Stables handler and was seen to good effect landing a competitive Chester handicap earlier in the campaign.
Out of luck when tackling Group company in France last month, Pride Of America was sent off at 18-1 to bounce back on the Knavesmire off a career-high rating and pulled out all the stops when it mattered.
Having shadowed Andrew Balding’s Nobel to near the head of proceedings entering the home straight, he was soon embroiled in a sustained battle with that unexposed four-year-old and Ed Dunlop’s Haunted Dream.
Entering the final furlong Nobel’s challenge began to falter and although Pride Of America appeared to have Haunted Dream covered, it was Daniel and Claire Kubler’s Astro King who emerged on the scene under with looked a winning run.
There was little to separate the pair as they flashed past the winning post, but it was the mount of 3lb apprentice Frederick Larson who got the nod after a tense wait for the photo-finish, with a nose the official winning distance.
Murphy has won a Grade One over fences thanks to the popular Kalashnikov and has also tasted Listed success in France, but the win marked the biggest Flat success of her career on home soil.
She said: “I’m absolutely ecstatic, there’s no better feeling than when a horse like him, who takes a lot of training and managing, grabs a big prize like that.
“It’s unbelievable and I’m thrilled for the owners and the whole team.
“This has been his target since March, but he does need a bit of cut in the ground. I couldn’t imagine we were going to get cut in the ground in the middle of July, it was a bit of a worry and no one was doing a bigger rain dance than me!”
Of the wait for the photo to be announced, she added: “It was horrific! You can probably tell from my voice that I’ve probably done a lot of screaming in the last five minutes, but thankfully it’s gone our way.
“The owners are my biggest supporters and I’m just thrilled to be able to repay them.
“Today was the target, we’ll just enjoy today and worry about the rest afterwards!”
Marketa Vondrousova defeated favourite Ons Jabeur in straight sets to make history as the first unseeded women’s singles champion at Wimbledon.
There have been a string of surprise slam winners in a period of flux for the women’s game but Wimbledon had been the exception until now, with Czech Vondrousova taking advantage of a nervous performance from Jabeur to claim a 6-4 6-4 victory.
The irony is it comes at a time when a new big three comprising of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and last year’s Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina have established themselves at the top of the game.
Jabeur certainly deserves to be in the conversation, too, given this was her third final appearance at the last five slams and that she accounted for Rybakina and Sabalenka in the previous two rounds.
The Tunisian admitted ahead of facing Rybakina that it was still too painful to watch last year’s final and she desperately wanted to make it third time lucky and become the first north African and Arab grand slam singles champion.
Jabeur was slapping her thigh in frustration as early as the third game and in the end was simply not able to find that composure that she needed.
Both the sixth seed and Vondrousova possess a box of tricks, preferring to dissect opponents using slices, drop shots and lobs rather than trying to bully from the baseline.
The roof was closed despite conditions being dry, meaning the high winds forecast would not be a factor, and Vondrousova took full advantage to land a perfect lob on to the baseline on the first point.
But, with the Princess of Wales and tennis royalty Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King watching from the front row of the Royal Box, it was Jabeur who claimed the early advantage.
She used her extra power to move into a 4-2 lead only for Vondrousova, who had won both their previous matches this year, to reel off four games in a row and claim the opening set.
Jabeur’s legs and arms were clearly stricken by tension and she headed off court for a bathroom break. She could not free herself up, though, and dropped serve immediately at the start of the second set.
Jabeur is a real crowd favourite everywhere and Centre Court roared as she fought back from 40-0 to break the Vondrousova serve before opening up a 3-1 lead.
The Czech had her own supporters, including husband Stepan Simek, who had passed over the responsibility of looking after their cat Frankie to fly to London for the final.
This was not the 24-year-old’s first time on such a stage having burst through as a 19-year-old at the French Open in 2019 before losing in the final to Ashleigh Barty.
Injuries had prevented her building on that, and she came to London as a tourist last summer during Wimbledon with her wrist in a cast after two operations.
Just eight months ago, she was ranked outside the top 100 and winning a title in the rather less glamorous surroundings of The Shrewsbury Club in Shropshire.
But Vondrousova has reminded the tennis world this season of what a supremely talented player she is and back she came to level before breaking the Jabeur serve again at 4-4.
A double fault on her first match point betrayed a hint of nerves but she put away a cool volley on the second before dropping to the court in stunned celebration.
Rory McIlroy admitted a first victory in Scotland was long overdue as he took a slender lead into the final day of the £7million Genesis Scottish Open.
A third round of 67 ensured halfway leader McIlroy remained the man to catch at The Renaissance Club on 13 under par, with South Korea’s Tom Kim a shot behind and Tommy Fleetwood and Brian Harman another stroke back.
World number one Scottie Scheffler and former Open champion Shane Lowry are part of a five-way tie for fifth on 10 under, with tee times brought forward several hours on Sunday due to the forecast for winds gusting up to 40mph.
McIlroy threatened to forge a bigger advantage when he covered his first 10 holes in four under, but covered the last eight in one over as the top 17 players ended the day separated by just five shots.
“I felt like I played really good golf for those first 11 holes and made that first bogey on 12 and it was a little scrappy coming in from there,” McIlroy said.
“But overall another solid day’s play and put myself into a great position going into the final day.
“There’s a lot of great players behind me but it’s going to be difficult for everyone. When the wind gets like that there’s a lot of skill involved but it’s also just attitude and trying to stay upbeat when you’re probably going to get bad breaks here and there.
“The guy with the best attitude is going to have the best chance.”
Asked about the prospect of winning on Scottish soil for the first time, McIlroy added: “It would be great. I’ve had a lot of close calls in Opens and Dunhill Links and all sorts of stuff, but it would be fantastic.
“I remember playing my first Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in 2005. It’s nice to reminisce and I’ve come a long way since then, but 18 years is too long for me to not pick up a trophy in this country.”
A month after charging through the field with a closing 63 in the US Open, Fleetwood matched that score thanks to eight birdies and a solitary bogey at a venue where he finished fourth last year and lost out in a play-off in 2020.
“I’m very happy,” said Fleetwood, who started on the 10th and birdied two of his last three holes on the front nine. “Those last three holes are tough so it was great to get on the right side of those and finish strong.
“On Friday when I made that double bogey on eight I was level par for the tournament with 10 holes to play and at that point the first port of call is to make the weekend.
“Played really well from there on in and then today got a bit of momentum going. It was just one of those days where things go more your way than others.”
Lowry would have been alongside Fleetwood but for a bogey on the last, the 36-year-old having earlier carded five birdies and an eagle on the 10th.
“I didn’t play great on Thursday and just found something in the middle of the round yesterday and got it going,” Lowry said.
“I’ve been rolling a few putts in which is always nice. Some lovely stuff over the last few days and plenty of confidence builders to take into The Open next week.
“But obviously first and foremost, tomorrow I’d love to go out and give myself a chance to win this tournament. It’s obviously a huge tournament for us in Europe and one that I would love to add my name to.”
The Rossdales British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes invariably produces some nice types and the aptly-named Race The Wind could prove to be another after she made light of very blustery conditions to score with some ease at Newmarket.
William Buick always had the Charlie Appleby-trained daughter of Too Darn Hot to the fore in the seven-furlong contest, in which Aidan O’Brien’s Content was a non-runner, and took advantage of a stands rail passage to account for the promising Get Jiggy With It by three-quarters of a length.
Though Buick felt the winner was coming to the end of her tether in the closing stages, owing to the rain-softened ground, she clearly showed improvement from finishing fourth to stablemate Dance Sequence on her first run over course and distance a fortnight ago.
After welcoming in the 5-4 favourite, Appleby said: “It has been one of those weeks. We have started the first race with a winner and been chipping away since!
“She’s a nice filly, who showed a little bit on her first run. She is still weak, but she used that experience to good use there and travelled nicely.
“You’d toy with whether you should come back in trip, but it is probably weakness to be fair. Maybe we will give her a little bit of time to fill that frame a bit.
“Looking at her, time won’t do her any harm. Even when she ran here in her maiden, which we won with a nice filly in Dance Sequence, James (Doyle) just thought she wasn’t the strongest just going through the line. She has obviously got a nice engine.”
He added: “I think a mile will probably be her maximum. I think we will stick to the seven (furlongs) this year and we might toy with a stiff six.”
Appleby, Buick and Godolphin were on the mark again in the bet365 Mile Handicap when top-weight Highbank decided it was one of his going days.
Though he had acquitted himself well in three starts in Dubai, he had been well held in the Britannia at Royal Ascot.
Buick rode him with confidence this time and the 11-1 shot drew readily clear to score by three lengths from Quantum Impact.
“He is a bit of a character, to be fair,” said Appleby. “He broke his maiden here very impressively last year and everyone was getting quite excited after that. But he never really fulfilled the potential we thought he might have.
“The intention was to drop him in and ride him with plenty of confidence and see whether he wants to participate or not at the business end – and thankfully he has.
“We haven’t really got any future plans. We were looking at Dubai again, needless to say. That will probably be his future.
“He has always had the engine – it has always been whether he wants to do it, is the honest answer.”
Naomi Lapaglia is highly regarded by trainer Richard Spencer and while she has taken time to flourish this season, she took the Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa Fillies’ Handicap in good style under experienced South African jockey Greg Cheyne.
Down the field in the Qipco 1000 Guineas, she also produced a lacklustre effort at Goodwood, but relished this drop back to seven furlongs to score by a length from In These Shoes at 5-1.
Spencer said: “She has got a lot of talent, but things haven’t really gone right. We didn’t get a run into her before the Guineas which showed, as she was gassy and ran with the choke out.
“She has got it all together today and done it well. We will go little steps with her, but hopefully she will end up being in black-type company towards the end of the year.”
England wicketkeeper Amy Jones insisted there was no extra pressure going into Sunday’s penultimate match of the Women’s Ashes at the Ageas Bowl.
Heather Knight’s team have stormed back from 6-0 down to level the multi-format series after they triumphed by two wickets in the first ODI in Bristol on Wednesday.
Victory in Sunday’s match in Hampshire would put England one win away from regaining the Ashes for the first time since 2014 and inflict a first ODI-series defeat on world champions Australia in a decade.
Despite having the momentum on their side, Jones does not believe the mindset of Jon Lewis’ squad will change.
She said: “I think everyone is feeling pretty relaxed. We had a good review of the game, looking at areas where we can improve still, which was really motivating as a group after a win.
“We’ve obviously got an opportunity to win the ODI series tomorrow so everyone is pretty excited about it.
“We’ve gone the whole series feeling like underdogs and we’re just trying to keep that mentality of acknowledging how good a side Australia are, but sticking to our strengths and trying to put them under as much pressure as possible during the game. It will be a similar mindset tomorrow I think.
“I think there was more pressure when we were 6-0 down than there is now.
“So, I don’t feel like there’s any extra pressure now. I think, if anything, it’s just doing what we’ve been doing and trying to stay in the moment and play each game.”
England had not tasted success against Australia in three years before they edged a thrilling T20 at the Kia Oval earlier this month.
Jones admitted it boosted belief, but credited their tour of the West Indies at the end of 2022 as the beginning of a period where they have consistently played bold, aggressive cricket under captain Knight and head coach Lewis.
“It doesn’t feel like we’re playing a different (Australia) side. It just feels like we’re a different side and the way we’re going about it is different,” Jones explained.
“Obviously they are best team in the world, have proven it for many years and although leading into the series we spoke about how we feel, we are good enough to beat them – I think until you do, you are not 100 per cent certain.
“Definitely to get the wins in the T20s, to win the series was huge for us as a group. We’ve taken a lot of confidence from that and hopefully we can carry it forward into these last two.
“Something we recognised back in the West Indies, we sat down and thought about how we play our best cricket and it is when we feel backed, supported as individuals and we do play with a smile on our faces.
“In the West Indies, it felt like a turning point in terms of how we all were around each other, almost a bit of release of pressure that we just put on ourselves over the years for whatever reason.
“Lew’s main message is ‘inspire and entertain’ and that is huge, I think, because it just takes the pressure off win or lose.
View this post on Instagram
“I think with all of that, it promotes playing with freedom, playing your shots, people come to watch good cricket and an exciting cricket and having the freedom to do that without too much fixation on the result and if you get out, as we saw it in some good entertaining cricket.”
England will play in front of another sell-out crowd at the Ageas Bowl, having seen attendance records broken throughout the Ashes.
The series has captured the imagination of the public and this week saw the ICC announce their tournaments would see equal pay for men and women teams moving forward.
Jones is excited about how far the women’s game continues to come, adding: “Yeah, it is a great step. Obviously a really positive move for women’s cricket and a great show from the ICC of how far our game has come along.
“Everyone’s absolutely loved it (this summer) and it’s the first time we’ve played at the big rounds consistently.
“The marketing of the joint Ashes and everything, to see all of that work behind the scenes pay off and people do want to come out and watch us and we can fill grounds, it’s a brilliant feeling and we’ve definitely thrived off that.
“It is sold-out again tomorrow, so another great atmosphere and hopefully a good match.”
Henry Searle is excited to take to the same stage as his heroes as he bids to become Britain’s first boys’ singles champion at Wimbledon for 61 years.
The 17-year-old from Wolverhampton knocked out the top seed in the opening round and is yet to drop a set, overcoming windy conditions to defeat American fourth seed Cooper Williams 7-6 (4) 6-3 in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Backed by his noisy fan club consisting of family members and friends from his tennis club, Searle moved to the brink of emulating Stanley Matthews, son of the famous footballer, who triumphed back in 1962.
Jack Draper was the last British player to make the final five years ago, while Liam Broady also reached the trophy decider in 2011, but both came out on the losing side.
Searle cites Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz as his tennis heroes, and he said: “A few years ago I watched Roger (on Court One) my first time coming to Wimbledon. It’ll be pretty special playing there.
“Being such a big tennis fan from a young age, it’s definitely inspiring and exciting to see those guys playing in such big stadiums and then being able to do it tomorrow will be pretty cool.”
Searle trains at the Lawn Tennis Association’s national academy in Loughborough, while he has also spent time at the academy of Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou in the south of France.
But Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis and Squash Club, where he watched Andy Murray win his first Wimbledon title as a seven-year-old with many of those cheering him on courtside, has also been hugely important in Searle’s journey.
“They’ve been really supportive since a young age,” he said. “They’ve offered free membership for years to try and be as supportive as possible so I’m really appreciative.
“I think they’ve put it on in the bar there. I hope there’s a few people watching. It’s a really cool place.”
Searle showed a cool head in a first set of few chances, saving the first break point and then creating two on Williams’ serve, which the 18-year-old did well to save.
The tie-break went the way of the British player, though, who opened up a 5-1 lead and did not allow his opponent to claw his way back.
A sizeable crowd was gathered around Court Four and there was another huge cheer when Searle’s pressure on the Williams serve paid off with a first break of serve to lead 4-2.
He then clinched his third match point before celebrating with his jubilant supporters.
In the final he will take on Russian fifth seed Yaroslav Demin, who he beat comfortably on his run to the quarter-finals of the French Open last month.
“It’s definitely a confidence booster and it’s helping me going into the match tomorrow but I’ve got to expect a better version of him,” said Searle. “Obviously he’s won a lot of matches this week and he must be feeling pretty good.”
Isabelle Lacy and Hannah Klugman, meanwhile, can make history by becoming the first all-British pair to claim the girls’ doubles title at a grand slam.
Lacy, 16, and 14-year-old Klugman defeated American duo Tatum Evans and Alanis Hamilton 6-2 6-4 in the semi-finals.
Klugman said: “It is incredible. I think our teamwork and our game has really improved this week. We haven’t really played together before so it is a shock making the final, but honestly so happy to make it. We are going to enjoy it.”
Lacy added: “We have known each other since we were so young. Winning the title would be a great way to cap off the grass-court season.”
Asadna could head to France for his first run for Alice Haynes after he produced a solid piece of work over six furlongs at Newmarket on Saturday morning.
A runaway Ripon winner on debut, he was subsequently ninth of 20 to River Tiber in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Mehmas colt, owned by Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah, then joined Haynes from fellow Newmarket trainer George Boughey last month.
Haynes is just getting to know him and has given him an entry in the Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury next weekend.
However, he is more likely to head to France.
Haynes said: “Asadna has done two pieces of work for us now, the first on the Watered Gallop yesterday. I liked what I saw. We gave him a Rose Bowl entry today.
“It will be a case of seeing what the ground does – he needs top of the ground, so we could be going for a Group Three in France at the end of the month, or Goodwood.
“We will see what the ground does. He worked six furlongs under Kieren Fallon this morning.
“I think the Rose Bowl could be an option, although it comes slightly quickly. He will do another piece on Tuesday and see, but the main thing is he definitely needs good to firm ground, which I’m not sure we will (get) – it keeps raining, doesn’t it?”
Declan Rice has completed his transfer from West Ham to Arsenal in a British record £105million deal.
The England midfielder’s departure from the club he joined a decade ago was confirmed by the Hammers on Saturday morning, with Arsenal announcing the switch had been completed in the afternoon.
Rice’s move to the Emirates Stadium on a long-term contract sees him become the most expensive English player in history and follows on from the former Irons captain having guided his old club to victory in the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina.
Earlier on Saturday, Rice had penned an open letter to West Ham fans, revealing the desire of playing in the Champions League – which Arsenal will next season – was one of the reasons behind his “tough” decision to leave.
Speaking to the Arsenal website following the confirmation of his move, Rice said he was determined to take his game to another level with the Gunners.
“In football, amazing opportunities arise. Big clubs, like Arsenal, have come for me and it’s really hard to turn down,” Rice said.
“You only ever get one career and I really believe in what (manager) Mikel (Arteta) is building here and the squad he’s building. I’m really looking forward to the future with Arsenal.”
View this post on Instagram
“With Mikel and how he works, the squad, how young everyone is, the energy around the club and also the challenge of getting Arsenal back to where they belong, that means a lot to me.
“I know the fans really want that. For me as a player, I’ve come here really hungry to have more success and to spend my best years at this great club.
“I know he (Arteta) is going to get the best out of me. I know I’ve got more levels to go up in my game and I feel like he’s the manager to take me to those next levels. I am really excited to be working with him.”
West Ham’s joint-chairman David Sullivan confirmed last month the east London club had a gentleman’s agreement with Rice to allow him to leave this summer after the player turned down the offer of a highly-lucrative new contract.
Midfielder Rice made 245 appearances for the Irons, with his last helping secure a first trophy since 1980.
Rice is the latest addition to an Arsenal squad which has already been strengthened over the summer, with the arrival of Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber having been confirmed on Friday.
German international Kai Havertz has moved from Chelsea, while the Gunners have also seen France defender William Saliba and Reiss Nelson commit their futures to the club on new long-term contracts.
With Granit Xhaka having left to join Bayer Leverkusen, the arrival of Rice will further bolster Mikel Areta’s midfield options as Arsenal look to close the gap on Manchester City after finishing runners-up in the Premier League last season.
“We’re really happy that Declan is joining us. He is a player with tremendous ability, who has been performing at a high level in the Premier League and for England for a number of seasons now,” Arteta said.
“Declan is bringing undoubted quality to the club and he is an exceptional talent who has the potential to be very successful here.
“Declan has great experience in the Premier League at only 24 years old. He has captained a very good West Ham team and as we all saw, he recently lifted a European trophy.
“The responsibility and role he has taken on has been very impressive and we are really excited that he is joining us.”
Karen Anderson, president of Jamaica Squash Association is anticipating some quality performances from the country’s rising sensations when the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships gets under way in St. Vincent & the Grenadines later today.
Whether or not their performances will translate into medals, is left to be seen, but Anderson is confident that the 15-member team is well prepared to give a good account of themselves at the one-week championships.
Defending champions Guyana are favoured to retain their title, with last year’s runners-up Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, also expected to lay down tough challenges.
The championship comprises individual events for boys and girls competing in the Under-13, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19, with a new doubles feature being introduced for the first time this year. There will also be a team event for boys and girls across the respective age groups.
Jamaica’s team comprises the likes of Under-15 Caribbean champion Mehar Trehan and Under-17 champion Katherine Risden, who has now moved up to the Under 19 age group, as well as Sanjanna Nallapati and Savannah Thomson, who are both ranked third in the Under-17 age group.
“We have some pretty good players on the girls’ side which means our chances of finishing top four is good. Most of our girls are seeded, so we are looking for some good placements and then Mehar Trehan is also seeded third in the girls' Under-17, so we are definitely looking for some good results from them,” Anderson said.
Though much is also expected to come from the boys on the team, which is coached by national players Tahjia Lumley and reigning national champion Julian Morrison, with Nathlee Boreland serving as manager, Anderson is well aware that it will require an efficient showing to hit the podium.
“We have four boys in the Under-19 category and most of them are seeded in the five to eight region and so they are really looking good to try and move up in their rankings. We have two boys in Under-17 and the are both in the nine to 16 seeding, while Thomas Overton will be playing in his first junior CASA and then we have Lucas Thomson who has been playing for quite a while but will be contesting the Under-17 category for the first time and he is really looking to make a splash there,” Anderson shared.
“The doubles teams have been really playing well and have been practicing for a while. It’s the first time that doubles will actually be playing at junior CASA and so it should be interesting to see how they manage that division. It is going to be a little bit tricky, but we are hoping to at least finish in the top three and hopefully battle for the overall title,” she added.
The first junior Caribbean Area Squash Association Championship was held in 1981 in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. It is therefore fitting though coincidental, that the championship is going home in the year of the death of Sir Arthur Cecil Cyrus, the conceptualizer of the championship.
Jamaica’s team: Marley Price, Priya Stoddart, Sanjana Nallapati, Mehar Trehan, Elle Wilson, Savannah Thomson, Katherine Risden, Cole Brown, Thomas Overton, Lucas Thomson, Tobias Levy, Alex Chen, Rhys Greenland, Arjan Trehan, Brady Holmes
Daniel Ricciardo has said he needed to fall back in love with Formula One before taking the opportunity to return to racing with AlphaTauri.
The eight-time grand prix winner has not driven in anger since he was axed by McLaren at the end of last season, but will make a surprise return to the grid at the Hungarian Grand Prix next week after replacing Nyck De Vries at Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri.
The 34-year-old Australian’s career looked to be all but over after he was deemed surplus to requirements by McLaren following two underwhelming seasons with the British team.
Ricciardo did return to Red Bull as a reserve driver, but said he needed the enforced time off to ask himself if he really did want to return to racing.
“Falling out of love with it took a hit on my confidence and of course if you’re competing in a sport where you’re trying to be the best at something, the best in the world at something, obviously you need full confidence and belief,” Ricciardo said in an interview on F1’s YouTube channel.
“When that starts to diminish a bit, your enjoyment drops a bit as well. There’s a lot of factors. Getting back to Red Bull, just the reception I had walking back into that team was in a positive way a little bit overwhelming.
“Getting back on the sim, I was a bit unsure how it was going to go, if the car would feel like it used to, if I was going to be like – for the lack of better words – ‘the old me’.
“But once I’d done a few sim sessions and started feeling like myself again it brought me back to normal Daniel where I was falling back in love and ready to go again.”
Ricciardo said attending the Super Bowl in Arizona in February reminded him of the buzz of a competitive environment, while being at his home grand prix in Melbourne and then the Monaco race helped him get the Formula One bug back.
“I’ve enjoyed these six months off and it was really good for me but the more races I started to attend, the more sims I’ve started to do, I was getting the bug back. And then jumping in the car a few days ago I thought, ‘Oh yeah’. It all felt very normal, very familiar…
“I didn’t really need to think too much about (accepting the call to return). I think being back in this family, I’m kind of going through it all again…there was no question I was going to say yes.”
Ricciardo said joining AlphaTauri for the rest of the season was like going “full circle” given he raced the team, then known as Toro Rosso, in 2012 and 2013, after starting his F1 career with HRT Racing in 2011.
AlphaTauri sit last in the constructor’s championship after the opening 10 races of the season and Ricciardo is under no illusions that he will be racing a top-end car any time soon.
“I’m excited about it,” he said. “It’s a challenge for sure to jump in and try to hit the ground running. But also I guess I feel like I’ve been through a lot in the last few years where I’m not really scared of anything that’s going to be thrown my way – so I actually really do like the challenge.
“It will be a challenge but I don’t know if I’d have it any other way.”
Wolverhampton’s Henry Searle is one match away from becoming Britain’s first boys’ singles champion at Wimbledon for 61 years.
The 17-year-old knocked out the top seed in the opening round and is yet to drop a set, overcoming windy conditions to defeat American fourth seed Cooper Williams 7-6 (4) 6-3 in the semi-finals.
Backed by his noisy fan club consisting of family members and friends from his tennis club, Searle moved to the brink of emulating Stanley Matthews, son of the famous footballer, who triumphed back in 1962.
Jack Draper was the last British player to make the final five years ago, while Liam Broady also reached the trophy decider in 2011, but both came out on the losing side.
Searle showed a cool head in a first set of few chances, saving the first break point and then creating two on Williams’ serve, which the 18-year-old did well to save.
The tie-break went the way of the British player, though, who opened up a 5-1 lead and did not allow his opponent to claw his way back.
A sizeable crowd were gathered around Court Four and there was another huge cheer when Searle’s pressure on the Williams serve paid off with a first break of serve to lead 4-2.
He then clinched his third match point before celebrating with his jubilant friends sat courtside.
Carlos Alcaraz says the blockbuster Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic is going to be the “best moment of my life”.
The world number one is gunning for his first title in SW19 but is coming up against the toughest test of all in Djokovic, who has eyes on a record-equalling eighth success on Centre Court.
A 16-year age gap between the two players makes Sunday the ultimate generation game as Alcaraz looks to dethrone 36-year-old Djokovic.
And the Spaniard, who disposed of third seed Daniil Medvedev, is going to cherish the moment.
“It is probably going to be the best moment of my life – probably,” he said. “Playing a final here in Wimbledon is something that I dream about when I start playing tennis. As I said before, it’s even better playing against Novak.
“It’s going to be a really emotional moment for me. But I’ll try to stay calm in that moment. For Novak it is one more day, one more moment. For me, it’s going to be the best moment of my life I think.”
It is a rematch of the recent French Open semi-final where Alcaraz played brilliantly to level at one set all before cramp ruined his chances and Djokovic raced to a four-set win on his way to a record 23rd grand slam title.
Alcaraz, chasing his second after winning last year’s US Open, has vowed to do things differently in his preparation.
“I will try to get into the court with not as much nerves as I probably had in French Open, in the semi-final,” he said. “I will try to pull out all the nerves, try to enjoy that moment because probably in the semi-final at the French Open I didn’t enjoy at all in the first set.
“I’ll do something different. I’ll prepare the match a little bit different from the French Open. It’s going to be different for me. I hope not to get cramp during the final.
“I think I’ll be better on Sunday.”
Playing in the final is not a new thing for Djokovic as he aims to join Roger Federer on eight titles and notch a fifth in a row.
View this post on Instagram
“It’s an ultimate showdown,” said Djokovic, who has not lost on Centre Court since 2013. “Everything comes down to one match.
“All eyes of the tennis and sports world will be directed on this Sunday’s Wimbledon’s final. It’s probably the most watched tennis match globally. I look forward to it.
“I obviously have more experience than most of these guys that I faced here, and that I will face on Sunday, as well.
“Experience could help a little bit I think maybe in some important moments, beginning the match, managing the nerves, managing the occasion, circumstances. Yeah, that’s where experience could play a role.
“But it’s not going to be the deciding factor really. So whoever on a given day is in a better state, I mean, mentally and physically, will be the winner.”
Declan Rice has become the most expensive British player in Premier League history.
Arsenal have smashed their club record to sign the England midfielder from West Ham, parting with an initial £100million plus a potential £5m to follow in add-ons.
Here, the PA news agency compares the transfer with previous big-money signings.
Most expensive British players
The initial £100m fee paid for Rice is a joint-record for a British player, alongside Manchester City’s signing of Jack Grealish from Aston Villa in August 2021.
Jude Bellingham’s move from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid is next at £88.5m, although this could eventually exceed the Rice deal by rising to £115m including add-ons.
Gareth Bale – in whose footsteps Bellingham will follow by walking out at the Bernabeu – was ranked number one for eight years until Grealish signed for City, with Madrid having paid £85.1m to sign the Welshman from Tottenham in 2013.
Meanwhile, Harry Maguire remains the most expensive British defender of all-time, following his £80m switch from Leicester to Manchester United in 2019.
Highest transfer fees paid by British clubs
Rice’s move from West Ham to Arsenal falls just short of breaking the British transfer record, which stands at the £106.8m paid for Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez by Chelsea in January.
However, the Gunners smashed their own record outlay – previously £72m for Nicolas Pepe – to land Rice ahead of Premier League champions Manchester City, who were unwilling to surpass the £100m figure they paid for Grealish two years ago.
The fourth and fifth most expensive buys by British clubs involved re-signing players who were released for a fraction of the price earlier in their careers.
Chelsea almost breached the nine-figure mark to bring Romelu Lukaku back to the club from Inter in 2021, having sold him to Everton for £28m seven years beforehand, while Manchester United spent £89m on Paul Pogba from Juventus having allowed him to leave for free four years earlier.
Highest transfer fees received by British clubs
West Ham’s protracted negotiations with Arsenal saw them become the third British club to receive £100m or more up front for an individual player.
Liverpool’s sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in January 2018 remains the most expensive in Premier League history, with the Reds receiving an initial fee of £105m and a further £37m in add-ons.
Former Aston Villa captain Grealish, who – like Rice at West Ham – joined the club as a youth player before being given the armband, is the only other Premier League player to attract a nine-figure bid.
The remaining two sales in the all-time top five were both to Real Madrid, with Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Tottenham’s Bale going for an initial £88.3m and £85.1m respectively.
Hazard – whose fee was reported to be worth up to £130m including add-ons – became a free agent at the start of July after agreeing to cancel his Madrid contract 12 months early.
Alex Fitzpatrick accepts he will have to live in the shadow of his more famous golfing brother Matt for some time yet but an Open debut will at least give him a chance to showcase his talent to a wider audience.
He is not naive enough to think that for the duration of his time at Royal Liverpool he will not be referred to as the younger sibling of the 2022 US Open champion.
The 24-year-old, four years Matt’s junior, is comfortable with the reality, however, after only turning professional 13 months ago.
Asked whether the Open would allow him to emerge from Matt’s shadow, he said: “Probably not, no – but I’m OK with that to be honest.
“He can’t help being US Open champion, I’d never wish him not to be. I couldn’t be prouder.
“It’s a very difficult topic. It’s something I’ve dealt with from being young.
“I’m not going to sugar-coat it, at times it is pretty hard. You have Tweets being sent to you with random messages like ‘You’re not as good as your brother’.
“I love my brother to death and obviously he is a fantastic golfer and I’d never change it for the world but people expect you to do a lot of things and I think it is hard sometimes to live up to that.
“But you make your own path and I’m on the way to doing that.”
Fitzpatrick is trying to break into the big time via the Challenge Tour this season but has already had one significant moment in the sun after coming through qualifying at West Lancashire Golf Club a fortnight ago in a field which contained Ryder Cup players Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell and Jamie Donaldson.
That booked his first appearance at a major and the chance to play on the same stage as his brother, with whom he will practise at Royal Liverpool.
“It’s cool. I’ve now played in a couple of events with him but I’ve never played in a major and it’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid,” he added.
“It’s super-special, especially the Open Championship where you have home support and it’s great for the family.
“I’m very appreciative and thankful to have someone so high up in the world rankings and so good at golf who’s only a text message or a phone call away or even in person.
“I’m in a very privileged spot that a lot of people aren’t but I’m very appreciative of it so it’s the best of both worlds for me.”
Fitzpatrick has some knowledge of the Hoylake layout, having played the 2019 Walker Cup there while still an amateur.
His memories, however, of that defeat to the United States are not the most positive.
“I remember pooing my pants on the first (the Open’s third hole) knowing that the range (internal out of bounds) is just there but I don’t care what’s there and what’s around, teeing it up there will just be a dream,” he said.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
