Iga Swiatek did not take long to get her Wimbledon campaign off to a winning start as she easily disposed of Zhu Lin.

The world number one is looking to add to the French Open and US Open titles she has won in the last 10 months and made a convincing opening on Court One, winning 6-1 6-3.

The Pole does not have the best pedigree at SW19, having never made it past the fourth round, but signs are positive that this will be the year she has a proper crack at winning the title.


Chinese Zhu – ranked 34th in the world – was no match for her, with a routine victory only slightly delayed by a rain shower that saw the roof on Court One closed.

 

Fourth seed Jessica Pegula also made it through to the second round, but she was made to work hard against her fellow American Lauren Davis.

After comfortably winning the opener, Pegula was pegged back as it went to a decider only for her to regain control and seal a 6-2 6-7 (8) 6-3 victory.

Two-time US Open champion Victoria Azarenka also needed three sets to beat Yuan Yue 6-4 5-7 6-4.

Russian Liudmila Samsonova did not have the best return to Wimbledon as the 15th seed went out 7-6 (1) 7-6 (4) to Ana Bogdan, making her the biggest casualty on day one.

Harriet Dart was the first home player to be knocked out as she lost in three sets to Frenchwoman Diane Parry.

Charlie Johnston will train Subjectivist towards the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, providing he shows the right signs after his exertions at Royal Ascot.

Having raced keenly, the six-year-old finished a fine third in the Gold Cup on his first British start since winning the race in spectacular fashion two years ago.

Subjectivist was subsequently sidelined for 618 days with a career-threatening leg injury and on his return raced very keenly in a Group Three handicap in Saudi Arabia in February.

He moved on to Meydan in a bid to win a second Dubai Gold Cup and ran a pleasing race to finish third, beaten five lengths behind Broome, before his excellent effort at Ascot, when going down by four and a half lengths to Courage Mon Ami.

“He was a little bit fresh in some ways, because he is not doing any galloping at home because of his injury,” said Johnston.

“Every day is a judgement call as to how the legs feel and how much work he does. He hadn’t really had a real good blow into him at home, so I think that would have contributed to him being a little bit keen at Ascot.

“I thought this was very different to Saudi. He was manageable, whereas in Saudi, he was running away with Joe (Fanning), he wasn’t listening to him at all.

“It’s funny, when he came back in, Joe felt Ralph Beckett’s horse (Lone Eagle) had come to him quite early and got him racing early. As I watched it, coming out of Swinley Bottom, I was urging him just to send him.

“I’m sure Joe knows everything we’re going through at home and he was riding him with that in his mind a little bit.”

The Middleham handler is taking it gently, as not to over-exert Dr Jim Walker’s fragile warrior before deciding whether to race on following the horse’s tendon injury.

“It was a run of immense pride in the horse and the team for having got him there,” added Johnston.

“You couldn’t help but feel a little bit of what could have been. If this horse is able to finish third in an Ascot Gold Cup on three legs, then how many of these would we have won if we hadn’t had the setback we had? It was a good run, for sure.

“The plan is to go to Goodwood. He hasn’t been sat on yet, he’s just been swimming and on the water walker.

“The idea is for him to go back ridden on Tuesday, then trot for a week, then go back cantering the week after. To be honest, it is only at that point we will really find out what scars, if any, this run has left.

“He was sound in the legs post-race, but given his history, you don’t run two and a half miles at that level without some consequence.

“Hopefully he’ll be fine and we will do all we can to get him to Goodwood.”

George Boughey will target the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket with Via Sistina following her Group One breakthrough at the Curragh on Saturday.

Stepping up to the highest level for the first time following a brilliant display in the Dahlia Stakes in May, Via Sistina ran out an authoritative winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes to provide her trainer with a first ever success on Irish soil in the hands of Jamie Spencer.

Boughey feels his stable star deserves even more praise given the underfoot conditions were not as testing as connections had hoped.

“She was very good and confirmed what we hoped,” said Boughey.

“When the rain didn’t come it was in the balance whether she was going to start and huge credit to the owner Steve Hillen for making the call and wanting to run, because she will be better on slower ground.

“She’s come out of the race in great shape and I couldn’t be happier with her really. She showed a real turn of foot on ground that was possibly too fast for her.

“I’m delighted for Steve and Becky. Steve bought her and has nurtured her all the way along. Joe Tuite (former trainer) had a massive part to play and I’ve just been the lucky recipient that’s got her when she’s coming to her peak.

“To go over there and beat them in one of their top fillies-only Group One races was a huge thrill.”

While the ground will remain a key a factor in future plans for his stable star, Boughey views the Falmouth on July 14 as a logical next port of call.

He added: “I haven’t trained a horse who is quite so trip-versatile of any quality really. I wouldn’t mind bringing her back to a mile, but Jamie said she stays well and you could almost go up in trip.

“The options are very open for her, but we are going to work towards the Falmouth – that’s the plan at the moment – because it can come up soft the week of the July meeting.

“It’s drying ground in Newmarket at the moment, but we’re going to work with that in mind. If we were to get rain and she was in good form, we’d love to turn up for Newmarket.

“We’ll just continue to do what’s right for her really. If there’s any firm in the description she certainly won’t be running, but at least we know she’s a Group One winner on good ground now.”

The boss of Silverstone has warned Just Stop Oil campaigners that they will be putting lives at risk if they protest at the British Grand Prix.

The climate activists have already targeted the Lord’s Ashes Test, the Premiership rugby final and the World Snooker Championship so far this year.

Speaking to the PA news agency ahead of Sunday’s race, Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle said: “The fundamental difference here is that you are not putting your life in danger when you run on the pitch at Lord’s.

“You are not putting your life in danger when you sit on a snooker table or protest at a flower show.

“A motor racing track is not the place to go. It is extraordinarily dangerous and people will be putting lives at risk if they go there, and any sensible, right-thinking person can extrapolate what the ultimate risk here is.

“My strong, strong message is: ‘Do not put your life in danger. This is not the place to go and sit on a floor’. It is absolute madness if someone climbs on to a live racing track.”

Five protesters invaded last year’s British Grand Prix after they stormed the Wellington Straight – the fastest point of the Northamptonshire track – before sitting down during the opening lap.

The contest had already been suspended following Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu’s high-speed crash, but a number of cars sped by the group before they were dragged away by marshals. The protesters were handed suspended jail sentences in March.

Silverstone has worked alongside Northamptonshire Police to beef up security ahead of this year’s event, with a record 480,000 people expected to attend over the weekend, and more than 140,000 fans in place for the race.

Pringle added: “We have no specific intelligence, but we will plan for the worst and hope for the best. If somebody is minded to invade a flower show then they are probably minded to invade a motor race because we have many more global viewers.

“But there are plans in place. We will have a much more visible police presence around the event and we hope that fans help us to try and spot people who are planning to disturb people’s fun.”

Lewis Hamilton is gearing up for his home race following a disappointing Austrian Grand Prix where he finished seventh and was then demoted to eighth after a post-race penalty for exceeding track limits.

Hamilton was also dealt a public rebuke by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. The Austrian told Hamilton to “just drive the car” following a number of complaints by his driver over the radio.

“There are days when I can say I’m truly proud of myself, and days like today when frustration takes over,” said Hamilton on his Instagram account.

“In a race it can feel like you’re hanging off a cliff and losing the strength to hold on.

“It’s confusing for us to have such strong performances one day and then be nowhere the next.

“But when you really care about what you’re doing, you brush it off and keep fighting. Heads down for Silverstone.”

Harriet Dart became the first British casualty at Wimbledon after she lost in three sets to Frenchwoman Diane Parry.

The British number four had an impressive build-up to her home grand slam, reaching the quarter-finals in Nottingham and Birmingham, but fell 6-7 (4) 6-0 6-4 to Parry.

Dart, who reached the third round here in 2019, was up against it from the start in tricky conditions on Court 12, where the wind was causing issues, as she fell 3-0 down in the opening set.

But she found her feet and levelled at 5-5 after an impressive long rally ended in her firing a superb cross-court backhand winner.

That seemed to turn the tide as Dart went on take the set in a tie-break and the Briton would have been eyeing a straight-sets win.

But the wheels soon came off as Parry raised her level with some heavy forehand hitting and breezed to the second set in just 33 minutes without letting Dart win a game.

The writing was on the wall when Parry broke early in the decider to take a 3-1 lead, but to Dart’s credit she immediately hit back to stay in the match.

However, the world number 96 struck again at 5-4 to clinch her place in the second round and send the first home hope packing.

John and Thady Gosden will give Nashwa more time before plotting a course with the Classic-winning filly, following her surprise defeat at Newcastle on Friday evening.

The dual Group One winner has not got her head in front since landing the Nassau at Goodwood last year and two runs this term in lesser company have failed to see her add a fifth career success.

Third in the Oaks last year, the Frankel filly was half a length adrift of Al Husn over 10 furlongs in her latest run on the all-weather surface at the Gosforth Park track.

“I wasn’t too unhappy with her. She will be fine. She is taking her time to come to herself. A lot of fillies can take time,” said John Gosden of the four-year-old, who gained a first top-level success under Hollie Doyle when taking the Prix de Diane at Chantilly.

“We’ll give her a bit of time and see how she is, but she is OK and has taken it well enough.”

Emily Upjohn and Paddington feature among a small but select field of six horses still in contention for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday.

John and Thady Gosden’s Emily Upjohn made a tremendous start to her campaign in the Coronation Cup at Epsom last month and looks set to step back from a mile and a half to a mile and a quarter, with William Buick taking over in the saddle from the suspended Frankie Dettori.

Aidan O’Brien said last week that a step up in distance was under consideration for his Irish 2,000 Guineas and brilliant St James’s Palace Stakes hero Paddington and he was left in at Monday’s confirmation stage alongside his stablemate Luxembourg.

The latter notched his third Group One win in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May, since when he has finished second to Mostahdaf in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Owen Burrows-trained Anmaat is in line to bid for back-to-back top-level wins after landing the Prix d’Ispahan on his latest appearance, while Dubai Honour may return from a short break after winning two Group Ones in Australia and finishing third in the QEII Cup in Hong Kong earlier in the year.

The potential line-up is completed by Simon and Ed Crisford’s West Wind Blows, who produced a career-best when second to Pyledriver in the Hardwicke Stakes at the Royal meeting.

There will be no repeat Coral-Eclipse bid from Jean-Claude Rouget this year as his latest impressive Prix du Jockey Club champion Ace Impact is currently enjoying a quiet time ahead of a return in the autumn.

Last year, the crack French handler saddled Vadeni to strike at Sandown on the back of a taking success in the French Derby.

However, with the unbeaten Ace Impact having run three times in the early part of the season, connection have resisted the temptation of another raiding mission for their Chantilly hero and will instead focus on targets towards the back-end of the season.

“He’s quiet at the moment and waiting for the autumn now, you will see him in August or September,” said Rouget.

It appears likely that autumn campaign will be centred around peaking for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on October 1 and when asked if Europe’s richest middle-distance prize will be on the agenda for Ace Impact, Rouget added: “Of course, yes.”

Likely to join Ace Impact at ParisLongchamp for the 12-furlong Group One is Vadeni, who could attempt to go one better than last year’s half-length second to Alpinista providing he comes through his intended next outing at Deauville with flying colours.

The son of Churchill is also having an easy time following his below-par showing in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, but is pencilled in to return on August 13 in a race Rouget has won for the past two seasons with Wally.

Rouget said: “Up to now we will run at Deauville in August in the Gontaut-Biron, Group Three. If he is then OK, he will then perhaps run in the Arc.”

Wimbledon will celebrate Roger Federer’s achievements at the All England Club with a special ceremony on Centre Court on Tuesday.

The eight-time champion, who announced his retirement last September, will visit the scene of many of his greatest moments and be honoured before the start of play.

Chief executive Sally Bolton announced the news, saying: “I’m pleased to say that Roger will be with us tomorrow and we will have a special celebratory moment on Centre Court before play starts just to honour him as the man holding the most gentlemen’s singles titles here at Wimbledon.

“For those lucky enough to have a seat on Centre Court tomorrow I’d encourage them to get into their seats about 1.15pm and we’ll have a moment just to celebrate his achievements and to say thank you for all the memories.”

Federer has mostly stayed away from tennis since bowing out in emotional scenes at the Laver Cup in London but was similarly honoured at the grass-court event in Halle, Germany last month.

His last match at Wimbledon came in 2021 when, struggling with knee trouble, he lost to Hubert Hurkacz in the semi-finals. He also visited the club last year as part of the celebrations to mark 100 years of Centre Court.

Bolton revealed that Serena Williams, who bowed out a few weeks earlier at the US Open, had also been invited but was unable to travel.

“We invited Serena similarly this year but as you’ll know she’s pregnant so understandably couldn’t travel,” said Bolton. “We of course wish her lots of luck with the remainder of her pregnancy and we hope maybe we might see her next year.”

William Haggas says he is in no rush to make a plan for the King’s Royal Ascot winner Desert Hero.

A son of Sea The Stars, the three-year-old earned a third success in five career starts when recording a famous victory under Tom Marquand in the King George V Stakes.

The head victory over Valiant King gave the King and Queen their first success at the meeting.

The Newmarket handler feels he will not make a quick return to the track, however.

He said: “It was a great day. He’s fine, but I don’t know quite what we will do.

“He would have had a very hard race there, so we are not in any rush to make a plan.

“We will have to see how we go. There’s nothing in mind long-term, not really.”

Meanwhile, Tiber Flow, who won Newcastle’s Group Three Chipchase Stakes on Saturday, could prove difficult to place, according to the handler.

Marquand’s mount beat Spycatcher in the six-furlong all-weather contest by neck to make it four wins from five starts on artificial surfaces.

Haggas said: “It was nice for Jon and Julia Aisbitt, they bred him. His half-brother (Godwinson) won at Hamilton on Thursday to become their 100th winner, which is a fantastic achievement.

“Then the older brother wins a Group race at Newcastle, so it is fantastic.

“We wanted to run him in the Wokingham, but he needs cut in the ground.

“So, the Chipchase was a very nice option, too. I don’t know yet where we’ll go. He would be in the Hackwood (Newbury) with a penalty.

“There are penalties everywhere now. That’s a crime for winning a Group race, but we’ll see. He has won a Group race off a rating of 106, so life could be tough with his penalty.”

Novak Djokovic is capable of reaching 30 grand slam titles amid his "scary" run of major success, according to Mark Philippoussis.

The Serbian is a record 23-time grand slam champion, having already won the Australian Open and French Open this year.

And Djokovic will open his Wimbledon title defence on Centre Court against Argentine Pedro Cachin on Monday as he continues his pursuit of a calendar Grand Slam.

Djokovic is looking to match Roger Federer's records of eight Wimbledon titles overall and five consecutive wins at the tournament.

His seventh title at All England Club and his fourth straight success arrived last year with a four-set win over Nick Kyrgios in the final.

Philippoussis, who lost a Wimbledon final to Federer 20 years ago, sees no signs of Djokovic slowing down.

"What is he on, 23? I mean, if he stays healthy, could he break 30? Let's see if he plays for another few years, and he gets two a year, I mean, he's getting close to that, which is scary to think," Philippoussis said to Stats Perform.

"It's incredible and not only that, he's there two hours before he practices, he warms up properly, does all the right things, he's got his team around him. 

"And [after] he finishes practising, he warms down, he's there two to three hours even after he finishes practising, again with his team, which is a strong unit. 

"He does all the right things and still doesn't take the foot off the pedal.

"He's still looking to improve in any way he can, looking for the one per cent here, one per cent there, whether it's on or off the court, or his eating, or his fitness, it really is incredible."

Philippoussis believes Djokovic, who is 36, will break every significant tennis record before his career comes to an end.

Carlos Alcaraz has emerged as a huge threat to his dominance and is looking to end his Wimbledon winning streak, but the Australian still finds it difficult to bet against Djokovic.

"Djokovic is only slightly in front of Alcaraz, but it is impossible to look past him after what he's done at the Australian Open and the French Open," Philippoussis added.

"To beat Djokovic physically and mentally in five sets, you're going to have to be on in every department and that's if you find an opening from him, which is very, very difficult to find.

"What he's continuing to do in the game and the sport is incredible.

"I don't follow all the numbers, but if he's not past everything already, by the time he's done, I think he would be leading in pretty much all of the them. 

"Maybe Jimmy Connors is still ahead as far as [ATP] tournaments won, but I believe that by the time he's done, I think he will be leading all those departments."

French Open champion Iga Swiatek is the favourite in the women’s singles, although she has never previously made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Philippoussis thinks the women’s draw is far more open than on the men’s side. 

He said: "Swiatek is going to be a slight favourite but, again, grass is a different thing, it's completely different to other surfaces.

"Even though it has slowed over the years, it's still grass and you need to make those adjustments out on there. 

"You've got Rybakina, who hasn't had the best preparation, but she's definitely, as Wimbledon champion, going to have to be one of the favourites, and Sabalenka is definitely one of the favourites as well.

"But, in my opinion, I think the women’s is a little more open in the field, so I think a few girls have some opportunities."

On this day in 2010 Serena Williams won her fourth Wimbledon title with a 6-3 6-2 win against Vera Zvonareva.

It took just over an hour for the world number one to scoop her 13th grand slam title after sealing victory against the Russian 21st seed.

Zvonareva was appearing in her first grand slam final but had no answer for Williams, who took the first set in 36 minutes.

With Zvonareva 4-1 down in the second, the American showed her ruthless streak to see out victory, taking her past Billie Jean King to sixth in the all-time list of female grand slam singles champions.

“Hey Billie, I got you, it’s number 13 for me,” Williams said after her win.

“It means a lot because it is 13 and that’s kind of cool because I was able to beat Billie. To have four Wimbledon titles is amazing.

“It’s funny, I didn’t think I was playing that well, especially in practice.

“Just wasn’t hitting the ball that cleanly, but when I got on the court, it was good.

“I served really well and to win the tournament without losing a set is pretty cool.”

Now 41, Williams has won a mammoth 23 grand slams, more than any other player in the Open era, and is one behind Margaret Court.

Her last Wimbledon singles title came in 2016, beating Angelique Kerber 7-5 6-3.

Ozzie Albies hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the fifth inning to back 6 2/3 sharp innings from Spencer Strider as the Atlanta Braves earned a 6-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Sunday to extend their winning streak to eight games.

Albies' 20th homer of the season gave Atlanta a 4-2 lead that Strider made hold up as the red-hot Braves completed a three-game series sweep over their closest National League East competitors. Atlanta has now won 16 of 17 to extend its lead over the second-place Marlins to nine games.

The Braves have also won 10 in a row at home and outscored Miami 29-7 for the series.

Strider, named to his first All-Star Game on Sunday, was touched for two runs in the second inning and an unearned run in the seventh, but got enough support via homers by Albies, Travis d'Arnaud and Orlando Arcia to win a fourth consecutive start. The hard-throwing right-hander recorded nine strikeouts to push his major league-leading total to 155.

Albies was also named an NL reserve for next week's All-Star Game, one of a league-high eight selections for Atlanta.

2022 NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara struggled again for Miami, allowing four runs in five innings to raise his season earned run average to 4.93.

Marlins All-Star Luis Arraez finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs to raise his MLB-leading batting average to .389.

 

Ohtani, Trout homers help Angels down Diamondbacks

American League All-Stars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout had two of the Los Angeles Angels' three home runs in a 5-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks that prevented a sweep of the three-game series.

Mickey Moniak's three-run blast off Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen in the second inning put Los Angeles up 4-2 and helped the Angels snap a season-high four-game losing streak. Ohtani later launched a 454-foot drive into the right field seats in the eighth for his MLB-leading 31st homer of the season and sixth in seven games.

Angels starter Reid Detmers surrendered a two-run homer to Carson Kelly in the second, but held Arizona scoreless for the remainder of his six-inning stint and finished with nine strikeouts.

Gallen, named to his first All-Star Game for the NL squad earlier in the day, recorded 12 strikeouts in seven innings but was reached for four runs to fall to 10-3 on the season.

 

Astros hold off Rangers to close gap in AL West

Chas McCormick snapped a tie with a three-run triple in the top of the eighth inning, and the Houston Astros held on for a 5-3 win over the Texas Rangers in a matchup of the top two teams in the AL West.

McCormick's big hit off reliever Josh Sborz with the bases loaded staked Houston to a 4-1 lead, though the Rangers answered with Nathaniel Lowe's two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to pull back within one.

Jose Altuve homered in the top of the ninth to increase the lead to 5-3, however, and Ryan Pressly retired the Rangers in order in the bottom of the frame to notch his 17th save.

The win was Houston's fourth in five games and brought the reigning World Series champions within four games of first-place Texas in the division. The four-game Lone Star Series between the in-state rivals concludes Monday.

Texas lost for the sixth time in nine games and wasted a terrific start from Andrew Heaney, who struck out eight and allowed just three hits in five scoreless innings.

Jose Abreu finished 3 for 5 for the Astros, while McCormick and Altuve each collected two hits. 

 

Reigning men’s champion Novak Djokovic will kick things off on Centre Court as Wimbledon gets under way on Monday.

There will also be an emotional return to the big stage for five-time women’s champion Venus Williams as well as plenty of British players hoping for some home glory.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the opening day of action.

Rivals reunited

Djokovic begins the pursuit of an eighth title – which would draw him level with record-holder Roger Federer – against Pedro Cachin.

But he probably had a bigger test as he resumed rivalries with Andy Murray in practice over the weekend.

The pair enjoyed a competitive encounter out on the Aorangi Park courts on Saturday, almost 10 years to the day from when Murray beat Djokovic to win his first Wimbledon title.

That victory in the 2013 final gives Murray the distinction of being the only player in this year’s draw to have beaten Djokovic at Wimbledon.

Iga to prove herself

 

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World number one Iga Swiatek begins her quest for a first Wimbledon title, fresh from another success at the French Open last month.

 

The Pole, Aryna Sabalenka and defending champion Elena Rybakina are the ‘big three’ in the women’s game at the moment but grass is not the former’s strongest surface.

Swiatek has not made it past the fourth round at SW19 before but should get a nice gentle opening to the tournament as she is first up on Court One against China’s Zhu Lin, who has won just one singles match in four Wimbledon appearances.

Match of the day

 

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Venus Williams returns to SW19 in singles competition for the first time since 2021 and will be looking to add to the five titles she has won here, the last being in 2008.

 

However, that is highly unlikely and, aged 43, this may be more of a swansong, 12 months on from her sister Serena bidding farewell to the championships.

She gets a Centre Court date with Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who is making a good return following the birth of her baby in October.

Brit Watch

Six home players are in action on the opening day and all will have hopes of getting through.

Katie Swan perhaps has the toughest task as she was drawn against 14th seed Belinda Bencic, but she has been playing well this summer.

Dan Evans takes on Frenchman Quentin Halys, Liam Broady is up against Constant Lestienne and Jan Choinski plays Dusan Lajovic.

Jodie Burrage got to the final at Nottingham so will be confident against American Caty McNally while Harriet Dart, who made back-to-back quarter-finals at Nottingham and Birmingham, goes up against Diane Parry.

Order of playWeather

Ten days after being named the American League's starting designated hitter for next week's All-Star Game, Los Angeles Angels sensation Shohei Ohtani was named to the AL's pitching staff.

Major League Baseball revealed all pitchers and reserves on Sunday for the July 11 game in Seattle, three days after starters were announced.

Ohtani was named an All-Star last week, however, as the league's top-vote getter.

This is the third year in a row Ohtani has been selected as a two-way starter for the All-Star Game.

He pitched and hit at the 2021 Midsummer Classic at Denver, though only hit at last year's game at Dodger Stadium.

The 28-year-old phenom from Japan entered play Sunday, ranking second in the AL in strikeouts (127) and eighth in ERA (3.02).

He also leads all of baseball in home runs (30), slugging percentage (.666) and OPS (1.057).

The Atlanta Braves lead MLB with eight players selected to the All-Star Game - the most by any team since the Texas Rangers in 2012 - after pitchers Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder, first baseman Matt Olson, second baseman Ozzie Albies and third baseman Austin Riley joined the club's previously named starters - outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., shortstop Orlando Arcia and catcher Sean Murphy.

The Braves enter Sunday with the majors' best record at 55-27.

 

Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from this year’s Wimbledon on the eve of the tournament due to a wrist injury.

The Australian, who was beaten in last year’s final by Novak Djokovic, had earlier conceded there were “some question marks” over his participation.

In a statement posted on his social media accounts, Kyrgios wrote: “I’m really sad to say that I have to withdraw from Wimbledon this year.

“During my comeback, I experienced some pain in my wrist during Mallorca. As a precaution I had it scanned and it came back showing a torn ligament in my wrist.

“I tried everything to be able to play and I am disappointed to say that I just didn’t have enough time to manage it before Wimbledon.”

Kyrgios had been scheduled to begin his campaign against Belgian former quarter-finalist David Goffin on Court One on Monday.

The 28-year-old has been unable to build on his sole grand slam final appearance after withdrawing from the Australian Open in January due to a knee injury which required surgery.

He had played only one match since, a defeat to Wu Yibing in Stuttgart last month, and admitted during his pre-tournament media rounds on Sunday that he was “almost dreading” his return.

“I’m just going to try to do everything I can, prepare, go out there and play some good tennis,” Kyrgios had said. “I feel probably as good as I could feel at the moment.”

The Phoenix Suns have landed one of the most coveted free agents still on the market, signing veteran Eric Gordon to a two-year contract.

The deal, which was reported Sunday, includes a player option, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 34-year-old Gordon joins a Suns team led by Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Deandre Ayton and the recently acquired Bradley Beal.

Gordon averaged 12.4 points, 2.7 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 69 games last season for the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers.

Acquired by the Clippers at the trade deadline, Gordon averaged 10.2 points in five games in Los Angeles' first-round playoff loss to Phoenix.

He became a free agent last week when the Clippers opted not to guarantee his $21million contract.

With the Suns, he'll likely be asked to come off the bench to lead the second unit and provide another outside shooting threat.

Gordon shot 37.1 per cent from 3-point range last season and since his 2008-09 rookie season, his 1,878 made 3-pointers are the eighth most in the NBA.

 

Max Verstappen said he is refusing to dream about completing a hat-trick of world championships after he delivered another emphatic performance to win the Austrian Grand Prix.

The double world champion was made to work for his seventh victory from nine rounds after he passed Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz on track in Spielberg.

But after manoeuvring himself ahead of both Ferrari drivers, Verstappen raced off into the distance to the delight of his 70,000-strong travelling army from the Netherlands.

He leads Sergio Perez in the standings by 81 points – the equivalent of more than three victories – ahead of next weekend’s British Grand Prix.

However, when asked about the prospect of taking his third straight title, Verstappen said: “I don’t like to think about that yet.

“I am enjoying the moment, driving with this car, and working with this team. I am just very happy for this weekend and we will turn our focus to the next race at Silverstone.”

A day after taking the sprint race spoils, Verstappen was celebrating his fifth consecutive victory, and the 42nd of his career to move ahead of Ayrton Senna.

Verstappen fended off an aggressive Leclerc on the opening lap before he fell to third after the Ferrari drivers stopped early for tyres under the Virtual Safety Car.

It ended Verstappen’s remarkable run of 249 consecutive laps at the head of a race – a streak stretching back to the Miami Grand Prix on May 8 – however, the Dutchman required just 11 laps before he was back in charge.

After he left the pits on lap 25, Verstappen moved ahead of Sainz a couple of laps later, and then fought his way past Leclerc on lap 35 of 71.

From there, the Dutchman cruised to the flag – even stopping for tyres on the penultimate lap in order to set the fastest lap and take a bonus point.

“It was important to stay in front of Charles on lap one and after that we were able to do our own race,” added Verstappen.

“We chose not to box under the VSC and we followed our normal strategy and that worked out really well.

“I knew I would get them back eventually and following our own plan was the best way forward. To see all the orange in the grandstands and the flares at the end was incredible.”

Verstappen has won 16 of the last 20 races in F1, with Red Bull unbeaten this season as they bid to become F1’s first invincible team.

“We can only take it one race at a time,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. “Can we [go unbeaten]? Yes. Will we? Who knows.”

Shane Foley returned from injury with a winner as Jessica Harington’s Bold Discovery won for the first time since his debut in the Dubai Duty Free Celebration Stakes at the Curragh.

Foley faced a race against time to be fit for the Irish Derby having broken his collar bone almost four weeks ago and while he had no joy on Sprewell in the big race, he left happy enough with a Listed winner.

Bold Discovery looked a very promising type when scoring first time out at two and he went on to be placed in the Killavullan Stakes.

He had been highly tried this season, finishing behind Paddington the last twice, most recently in the Irish Guineas.

Down markedly in class, he was sent off at 18-1 with Dermot Weld’s filly Tarawa all the rage on the back of her fast-finishing fourth in the Irish 1000 Guineas behind her stablemate Tahiyra.

With just over a furlong to run, Bold Discovery took over from Pretreville and held off the challenge of Tarawa by half a length.

Harrington said: “That’s what he was showing us earlier in the year.

“He had allergies and kept scoping wrong after his races, but we’ve been able to treat them since the Guineas and he’s all right now.

“He loved going around that bend and for a big horse, he goes on that quick ground.

“That was really good and I’d say he will come forward from that and get a bit of confidence.”

Sprewell came home sixth in the Irish Derby after being hampered by San Antonio, who suffered a fatal injury over four furlongs out.

Harrington added: “Sprewell is OK. He just got interfered with at the wrong time and probably wasn’t quite letting himself down on the ground.

“I shut my eyes for a second and thought he was going to fall and Shane was going to fall again. It’s amazing what goes through your mind in half a second.

“He’ll live to fight another day.”

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