Biggles was rewarded for his consistency in landing the bet365 Bunbury Cup at Newmarket, with Ryan Moore again superb in the saddle.
The six-year-old showed plenty of distain for his rivals, drawing readily clear in the seven-furlong contest after hitting the front inside the final furlong.
The Ralph Beckett-trained gelding won four times last year on different ground over seven furlongs, with his trainer adding that he had got it wrong when sending him over an extended mile earlier in his career.
Runner-up in the Victoria Cup at Ascot, he returned to the Berkshire track and finished ninth in the Buckingham Palace at the Royal meeting.
However, he never looked in any danger once Moore got into contention on the rain-softened ground and the 5-1 shot had two lengths to spare over Ropey Guest, who was occupying the same position as 12 months ago. Awaal, the 7-2 favourite, was a head back in third.
Beckett said: “He has been a phenomenally consistent horse all his life. I got it wrong a couple of times.
“I was really pleased with the way he was going today. He jumped a bit keen and Ryan had to get him in behind one or two. Ryan thought he would win throughout.
“Rain really helped yesterday and last night. Actually, I’m not sure he needs it now, but he is more effective on it, I was just delighted with the way it worked out. When a horse is as consistent as he is, it is kind of hard to win these sorts of handicaps, isn’t it?
“He’s a model of consistency. I tried a mile and that wasn’t very clever, that didn’t work. He has always been capable of doing this, I just had to place him to do it.
“Maybe he will go to Ascot at the end of the month for the International (Handicap), but that’s quick for him. I don’t know.
“He needs a strong gallop, so do we go up to small fields and stakes races? Will that help? Six or seven (furlongs), really. I’m not going a mile again, but we’ll enjoy today.”
City Of Troy shot to the top of next year’s 2000 Guineas betting after confirming his class with a destructive display in the bet365 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the regally-bred son of Triple Crown hero Justify looked a real talent on debut at the Curragh earlier this month and immediately took the jump up to Group Two level in his stride as he dazzled on Newmarket’s July course.
Having travelled like the consummate professional in the early stages of this seven-furlong event, Ryan Moore wasted little time in asking his mount to stride on passing the two-furlong marker, where the response was electric as he soon took lengths out of his rivals.
Moore kept up the momentum inside the final furlong as City Of Troy skipped further and further clear of his pursuers, with six and a half lengths separating the Ballydoyle youngster and Richard Hannon’s Haatem in second at the winning post.
His effort saw him leap over stablemate River Tiber at the head of the Classic market, and already-short post-race prices for the Guineas quickly came under pressure, with Coral’s 7-2 not lasting long before becoming 5-2. Paddy Power quoted 4-1 about the Derby.
O’Brien said: “He’s unusual. Very unusual. It’s unbelievable, really. Dean (Gallagher) rides him out every day and has done a wonderful job. He’s just so natural. He has an unbelievable rhythm and an unbelievable mind. He looks a very special horse.
“He floats effortlessly. He is very happy to get a lead, very happy to go forward. Ryan said it never happened to him before what happened at the Curragh the last day going to the wall. He said he wasn’t going to get him pulled up.
“Even today, crossing the line, he was still heading off. He will be better on top of the ground – he’s a good-ground horse.
“I came here not to run him (because of the easy ground), but the lads said let him run, because we have to find out for the future because if the ground does turn what we can do. So, it was the right decision, I’m delighted for them.
“He’s after travelling now, that’s what we always try to do. He obviously has all the races now as he matures, the Futurity, the National Stakes, the Dewhurst, all those sort of races are open to him now.
“Obviously, as you can see, he has loads of speed, so a mile should be no problem to him. The way he cruises, and with his action and everything. We know about Justifys, they are all Classic-bred horses. It is very exciting, really.”
He added: “He is a lovely looking horse. We have River Tiber and some lovely horses. They are obviously a nice team of horses there, so I’m delighted for the lads.
“He kept going again, didn’t he (after the line)? He is just unusual. Very unusual.”
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.”
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?”
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.
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“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.”
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.
Corbin Burnes overcame a brief dizzy spell to strike out 13 batters over six innings and lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday.
Milwaukee recorded its fourth win in five games to move into a first-place tie with Cincinnati atop the National League Central.
In a game played in high heat and humidity, Burnes bent over behind the mound after striking out TJ Freidl in the fifth inning to prompt a visit from the Brewers' training staff and manager Craig Counsell. Following a brief pause in play and after drinking some water, the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner continued on and got Matt McClain to pop up to end the bottom of the fifth.
Burnes then struck out the side in the sixth to finish a dominant outing in which he held the Reds to two hits and two walks.
Cincinnati's Graham Ashcraft kept the game scoreless until the seventh, when Willy Adames led off with a double and Owen Miller followed with a single to chase the Reds' starter. Victor Caratini then greeted reliever Lucas Sims with a single to plate Adames with the game's only run.
Ashcraft was charged with one run in six-plus innings while yielding five hits and two walks.
Astros beat Ohtani, extend Angels' skid to six games
Jose Abreu went 3 for 4 with an RBI single as the Houston Astros dealt Shohei Ohtani a second straight loss with a 7-5 win over the badly slumping Los Angeles Angels.
Mauricio Dubon added a two-run single to help send the Angels to a season-high sixth consecutive defeat and 10th loss in 11 games.
Ohtani kept Houston scoreless over the first three innings, but was reached for two runs in the fourth as the Astros overcame a 2-0 deficit. The 2021 American League MVP surrendered two more runs in the fifth before exiting in the sixth following a leadoff walk to Corey Julks.
The two-way star's departure may have been due to a finger blister he developed in his final start before the All-Star break. Ohtani was charged with five runs - four earned - on five hits and three walks while recording seven strikeouts in five-plus innings.
Ohtani did go 2 for 5 with a run scored at the plate for the Angels, while Mickey Moniak finished 3 for 5 with an RBI and Taylor Ward had a solo home run in defeat.
Urias, Dodgers blank Mets for fifth straight win
The Los Angeles Dodgers put together a stellar pitching performance of their own on Friday, as Julio Urias and three relievers combined on a one-hitter in a 6-0 win over the New York Mets.
Hours after the Dodgers announced ace Clayton Kershaw would remain sidelined into August, Urias filled his injured teammate's role by yielding just one walk and a hit batter after New York's Brandon Nimmo led off the bottom of the first inning with a double. The left-hander added seven strikeouts to help the Dodgers to a fifth consecutive victory.
The win, coupled with Arizona's loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, moved Los Angeles a game ahead of the Diamondbacks for first place in the NL West.
At the plate, the Dodgers took advantage of Justin Verlander's six walks in five innings to score three times off the star right-hander in the fifth, with Freddie Freeman delivering the big blow with a two-run double.
Mookie Betts knocked in the first run with a single and ended 2 for 5 for Los Angeles, while fellow All-Star J.D. Martinez tacked on a solo homer in the eighth.
The Mets have now dropped three in a row after beginning July with a season-high six-game winning streak.
Mike Tindall became the final member of England’s 2003 World Cup-winning team to retire on this day nine years ago.
Then 35, Tindall decided to hang up his boots after almost two decades in the game with Bath and Gloucester.
Four days earlier, Iain Balshaw confirmed his retirement after failing to recover from a knee injury, briefly leaving Tindall as the only member of England’s World Cup-winning squad still active.
The Otley-born back, who married the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips in 2011, started his career with Bath in 1997 and spent eight seasons at the Rec before moving to their West Country rivals Gloucester.
Tindall spent almost a decade at Kingsholm and became player-coach following the arrival of director of rugby Nigel Davies in 2012.
He played 75 matches for England and since retirement has featured on reality television shows ‘The Jump’ and ‘Bear Grylls: Mission Survive’ before finishing fourth in the 2022 series of ‘I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’.
History will be made on women’s final day as Tunisian Ons Jabeur takes on Czech Marketa Vondrousova.
A new name will on the Venus Rosewater Dish after the Centre Court showpiece as last year’s runner-up takes on the first unseeded women’s finalist in SW19 since 1963.
Elsewhere, Neal Skupski is going for a Wimbledon hat-trick and the schedule is playing catch up as play was washed out on the outside courts on Friday.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at day 13.
Ons the way to redemption
Ons Jabeur is back in the Wimbledon final 12 months after she suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Elena Rybakina.
The Tunisian has said that 2022 was never her time, but there is a real sense she is now ready to become a grand slam champion.
She has looked every inch the title contender throughout the tournament with her all-round game and fighting spirit getting her this far.
If she can go one better than last year then she will become the first female singles winner of a grand slam from an Arab or African country.
Vondrousova’s road to recovery
Marketa Vondrousova is also on the path to redemption after injury stalled her promising career.
After reaching the French Open as a teenager in 2019, she has suffered with health issues and revealed that her only participation in Wimbledon last year was watching her best friend in qualification at Roehampton while wearing a cast on her left wrist.
But 12 months on she is in the final after going under the radar until ending Elina Svitolina’s emotional run in the last four.
She will have extra support in her box as her husband has found a cat sitter so is travelling over for the match.
And if she wins, she will become the first unseeded women’s title winner in Wimbledon history.
Skupski going for the hat-trick
Not since Dorothy Round in 1937 has a British player won a hat-trick of Wimbledon titles, but Neal Skupski could be about to emulate that achievement.
The Liverpudlian won the mixed doubles in 2021 and 2022 and is now going for the “pinnacle” in the men’s doubles with Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof.
Skupski will not have his brother and coach Ken in his box as he went on a family holiday to Ibiza on Friday, but he did provide tactical analysis via video.
Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos, who beat Skupski and Koolhof at the French Open, stand in the way.
Order of play
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Centre Court
Marketa Vondrousova v Ons Jabeur
Wesley Koolhof/Neal Skupski v Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos
Court One
Alfie Hewett v Martin De La Puente
Wozniacki/Black v Radwanska/O’Brien
Hewett/Reid v Miki/Oda
Weather
Very strong winds, with the chance of early showers.
Four-time PGA Tour winner Lucas Glover leads the pack after the second day of the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky with Englishman Daniel Brown in second, two strokes behind the lead.
Glover continued his hot run of form which resulted in his 10th consecutive round in the 60s as he shot a four under par for 68 on Friday at Keene Trace.
“Uncharacteristically drove it very poorly,” Glover said after the day’s play.
“I just didn’t hit enough fairways to hit the ball close and take it low again. Happy the way I finished and happy the way I rolled it, just not many of them were very close today.”
The 43-year-old hit five birdies and just the one bogey to leave him 13 under par.
Brown, 28, also hit a 68 with six birdies and two bogeys as he hopes to earn a PGA Tour card by winning the tournament.
“I’ll try and stay as calm as I can until back nine Sunday, hopefully, and we’ve got a chance, fingers crossed,” Brown said after the day’s play.
Tied in second with Brown on 11 under par are American Adam Long and Swedish player Vincent Norman.
Four more players are one stroke behind, tied in fifth place
Carlos Alcaraz wants the scalp of Novak Djokovic in a Wimbledon final on his CV.
The 20-year-old became the youngest man to reach the final since fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal in 2006 with a commanding 6-3 6-3 6-3 victory over Russian Daniil Medvedev.
Alcaraz, the world number one and top seed, will face Djokovic, the seven-time champion who is 16 years his senior, in the ultimate generation game on Centre Court.
The US Open champion could be forgiven for waiting for Djokovic to finally disappear from the scene – something the Serbian shows no sign of doing yet – before Alcaraz can begin racking up more grand slam titles.
But he said: “It gives you extra motivation. I think it’s more special to play the final against a legend from our sport.
“If I win, it could be amazing for me – not only win a Wimbledon title but to do it against Novak would be super special.
“But I always say if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Novak is one of them. It would be great if I can do it.”
Medvedev, the third seed and a former US Open champion, has been playing some superb grass-court tennis this fortnight.
But Alcaraz is no respecter of reputations and the Russian was barely in the match until a couple of breaks of serve were exchanged in the third set.
Even then, Alcaraz finished Medvedev off with a brutal forehand, his 27th winner of the semi-final.
“This one probably was one of my best matches, not only on grass but on the tour,” he added. “I rate it like eight out of 10, something like that.
“It was amazing for me. I showed a great level. Yeah, probably one of my best matches.”
Alcaraz had only played six matches on grass when he arrived at Queen’s Club last month, yet he took the title and has made serene progress in SW19.
“It could become my best surface,” he said with a smile.
“No, but I always like to play on grass. Probably after this year even more.”
It was a victory which also spared Wimbledon chiefs the uncomfortable situation of the Princess of Wales handing a trophy to, and shaking hands with, a player from Russia, after they were banned from the Championships last year due to the war in Ukraine.
Medvedev said: “Maybe against other guys you can be playing not bad, you’re going to have your chances, during the match you’re going to find something to work with.
“With Carlos, you need to be at your absolute best and that’s how you can win. Unfortunately, I was not.”
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will do battle in a hotly-anticipated Wimbledon final on Sunday.
The world’s two best players have negotiated their way safely through the draw to set up a rematch of last month’s French Open semi-final, which was locked at one-set all when Alcaraz was stricken by cramp.
The Spaniard followed up his straight-sets win over fellow young gun Holger Rune by taking out third seed Daniil Medvedev in emphatic fashion, winning 6-3 6-3 6-3.
Earlier, Djokovic had overcome some difficult moments to beat eighth seed Jannik Sinner 6-3 6-4 7-6 (4) and reach a record 35th grand slam singles final.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how day 12 of the Championships unfolded.
Quote of the dayAlcaraz breezes through
The 20-year-old dropped sets in both the third and fourth rounds and it appeared this year’s Wimbledon may perhaps be too soon for him to challenge for the title.
But Alcaraz has been imperious in his last two matches and he took apart Medvedev to become the youngest man to reach the Wimbledon final since his compatriot Rafael Nadal 17 years ago.
Last year’s US Open champion will now attempt to do what no man has done since Nadal at the French Open last year and beat Djokovic at a slam.
Djokovic stays on course
Djokovic extended his winning run at Wimbledon to 34 matches as he continued to fight off the next generation.
The 36-year-old took his chances better than 21-year-old Sinner, who was playing in his first slam semi-final, and fought off his annoyance over a hindrance call for a loud grunt that saw him docked a point early in the second set.
Djokovic then became irritated by the crowd when Sinner created two set points at 4-5 in the third, miming crying after saving both before winning a 15th straight grand slam tie-break.
Picture of the dayRain, rain go away
It was a soggy scene on the outside courts at the All England Club on Friday.
Rain that began before the gates opened at 10am did not relent enough for any play to take place away from Centre Court and Court One, barring a few under-14 junior matches that were moved to indoor hard courts.
With the forecast predicting more rain and very strong winds on Saturday, it could be a major headache for organisers to ensure all the categories finish on time.
Shot of the dayStat of the day
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