Auguste Rodin gave Aidan O’Brien his 100th European Classic win as he fended off stablemate Adelaide River in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.
The Epsom hero was also a first winner in the race for Ryan Moore as he came home a length and a half clear, with Covent Garden ensuring a clean sweep of the places for the Ballydoyle team in third.
However, the race was marred by a serious injury to San Antonio, another O’Brien runner, who broke down badly on the turn for home, giving Wayne Lordan a nasty fall.
Adelaide River (4-11 favourite) set the pace under Seamie Heffernan with Moore happy to take a lead into the straight.
When he loomed upsides two furlongs from home it looked as if Auguste Rodin would go away and win impressively, but it was not until the final 100 yards that he eventually put the race to bed.
Auguste Rodin is the first horse since Harzand in 2016 to follow up victory at Epsom in the Irish equivalent.
Cameron Norrie has been making the most of the perks of Wimbledon membership as he prepares to lead British hopes again.
The 12th seed is the highest-ranked home player and represents the best chance of a deep run, particularly given his breakthrough success in reaching the semi-finals 12 months ago.
That earned Norrie membership of one of Britain’s most exclusive sporting clubs, which he has been fully embracing.
“At the end of last year, I had a bit of time off,” he said. “I was coming to the club and did some gym work here. Had dinner here one night. Before Queen’s I was coming here using the gym. Last week coming here and using the club a lot.
“The food is so good here, even outside of the tournament. Me and my fitness trainer really like the gym. Obviously to practise here one day was great, too.
“I just got my membership, so it was cool to use that. It’s such a nice club. It’s almost worth coming here just to have a shower and just to enjoy, the showers they have are so good.
“It feels so special. I think even more so when the tournament is not even on. Not many people are around. The facilities are obviously so good. You get treated like someone really special.”
Norrie has spent close to two years in the world’s top 20 despite not earning any ranking points for his achievements here last year.
This season he won his fifth ATP Tour title, beating Carlos Alcaraz in Rio in February, and, despite more shaky form recently, he is happy to carry the weight of expectation on his shoulders.
He said: “There’s more questions like that being asked. But I’d rather have that than the opposite to that and (people) be like, ‘You’re going to bomb out first round again here’.
“I think you have to embrace it, you have to enjoy that. Last year I did a really good job of that, enjoying the matches, enjoying the media. I was loving every moment of it. I had all my friends and family watching.
“I’m excited, especially after last year. Practice has been going really well. I’m hitting the ball as well as I can. I think all the preparation has been there. It’s always good feelings, good sensations before Wimbledon. My favourite tournament, so I can’t wait.”
Last year the draw opened up for Norrie but he appears to have his work cut out if he is to make the latter stages again, with American Sebastian Korda, who he lost to at Queen’s Club, potentially lurking in the third round, while Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas are in his quarter.
First up on Tuesday, Norrie will face Czech qualifier Tomas Machac, a 22-year-old ranked 107.
“He’s really a talented guy, Tomas,” said Norrie, who lost to Machac’s Davis Cup team-mate Jiri Lehecka at the Australian Open.
“I’m watching some of his matches in the qualies. I think he’s a typical Czech player, really good backhand. I think he’ll see it as a really good opportunity, playing a top player.
“I know I’m going to get a lot of rhythm. I think it’s a good one for me. I’m looking forward to a good challenge. Just going to be a tough one and I have to play great.”
Max Verstappen produced another emphatic performance to complete a home win for Red Bull at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The double world champion was made to work for his seventh victory from nine rounds so far after he passed Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz on track.
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 Netherlands.
Leclerc crossed the line five seconds behind Verstappen in Spielberg, with Sergio Perez recovering from his lowly grid slot of 15th to finish third. The Mexican fought his way past Sainz with 10 laps remaining following a nip-and-tuck duel.
Sainz took fourth after he served five-second penalty for exceeding track limits.
The Spaniard was among six of the 20-strong field to be sanctioned by race director Niels Wittich, with Lewis Hamilton also punished.
Hamilton finished an underwhelming seventh, while Lando Norris ended the day in fifth to record his best result of a difficult season for his under-performing McLaren team. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished between Norris and Hamilton.
George Russell made up three places from his starting spot of 11th to finish eighth.
Verstappen heads Perez in the standings by 81 points – the equivalent of more than three victories – heading into next weekend’s British Grand Prix.
A day after taking the sprint race spoils, Verstappen was celebrating his fifth consecutive win on his unstoppable march to a hat-trick of world titles.
Verstappen fended off an aggressive Leclerc on the opening lap before he fell to third after the Ferrari drivers stopped for tyres under the Virtual Safety Car.
It ended Verstappen’s run of 249 consecutive laps at the head of the field. 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.
“We did not pit during the Virtual Safety Car,” said Verstappen. “We followed our strategy and that worked out well. It was a great day and I enjoyed it a lot.”
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. We have done a good job all weekend and a lot of things went right for us. I am happy and now I will focus on Silverstone.”
For Hamilton, the seven-time world champion endured a difficult day in his Mercedes.
Hamilton started fifth and leapfrogged Norris at the start of the race, but soon faced the wrath of the stewards for putting all four wheels of his Mercedes over the white line.
A black-and-white warning flag was served to Hamilton before he was hit with a five-second penalty on lap 17.
Sainz, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly and Logan Sargeant were also handed five-second penalties, while Yuki Tsunoda saw his initial five-second sanction upgraded to 10 for driving off the track.
Hamilton served his penalty at his second pit stop on lap 43, dropping him to eighth place. He moved up one spot when Gasly stopped for tyres but he failed to make any impression on Aston Martin’s Alonso.
The Briton was on the radio several times asking why other drivers had not been penalised.
Team principal Toto Wolff first came on with a word of encouragement for his superstar driver.
“They are all going to get penalties in front of you, Lewis.” he said.” Keep going.”
But following another frustrated radio message from Hamilton, Wolff was back on to his driver with a firmer message.
“The car is bad, we know,” said Wolff to the Briton: “Please drive it.”
Hamilton finished 39.1 seconds behind Verstappen and is no closer to ending his 18-month losing streak in Formula One.
Max Verstappen produced another emphatic performance to complete a home win for Red Bull at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The double world champion was made to work for his seventh victory from nine rounds so far after he passed Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz on track.
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 Netherlands.
Leclerc crossed the line five seconds behind Verstappen in Spielberg, with Sergio Perez recovering from his lowly grid slot of 15th to finish third. The Mexican fought his way past Sainz with 10 laps remaining following a nip-and-tuck duel.
Sainz took fourth after he served five-second penalty for exceeding track limits.
The Spaniard was among six of the 20-strong field to be sanctioned by race director Niels Wittich, with Lewis Hamilton also punished.
Hamilton finished an underwhelming seventh, while Lando Norris ended the day in fifth to record his best result of a difficult season for his under-performing McLaren team. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished between Norris and Hamilton.
George Russell made up three places from his starting spot of 11th to finish eighth.
Verstappen heads Perez in the standings by 81 points – the equivalent of more than three victories – heading into next weekend’s British Grand Prix.
A day after taking the sprint race spoils, Verstappen was celebrating his fifth consecutive win on his unstoppable march to a hat-trick of world titles.
Verstappen fended off an aggressive Leclerc on the opening lap before he fell to third after the Ferrari drivers stopped for tyres under the Virtual Safety Car.
It ended Verstappen’s run of 249 consecutive laps at the head of the field. 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.
For Hamilton, the seven-time world champion endured a difficult day in his Mercedes.
Hamilton started fifth and leapfrogged Norris at the start of the race, but soon faced the wrath of the stewards for putting all four wheels of his Mercedes over the white line.
A black-and-white warning flag was served to Hamilton before he was hit with a five-second penalty on lap 17.
Sainz, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly and Logan Sargeant were also handed five-second penalties, while Yuki Tsunoda saw his initial five-second sanction upgraded to 10 for driving off the track.
Hamilton served his penalty at his second pit stop on lap 43, dropping him to eighth place. He moved up one spot when Gasly stopped for tyres but he failed to make any impression on Aston Martin’s Alonso.
The Briton was on the radio several times asking why other drivers had not been penalised.
Team principal Toto Wolff first came on with a word of encouragement for his superstar driver.
“They are all going to get penalties in front of you, Lewis.” he said.” Keep going.”
But following another frustrated radio message from Hamilton, Wolff was back on to his driver with a firmer message.
“The car is bad, we know,” said Wolff to the Briton: “Please drive it.”
Hamilton finished 39.1 seconds behind Verstappen and is no closer to ending his 18-month losing streak in Formula One.
Max Verstappen produced another emphatic performance to complete a home win for Red Bull at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The double world champion was made to work for his seventh victory from nine rounds so far after he passed Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz on track.
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 Netherlands.
Leclerc crossed the line five seconds behind Verstappen in Spielberg, with Sergio Perez recovering from his lowly grid slot of 15th to finish third. The Mexican fought his way past Sainz with 10 laps remaining following a nip-and-tuck duel.
Sainz took fourth after he served five-second penalty for exceeding track limits.
The Spaniard was among six of the 20-strong field to be sanctioned by race director Niels Wittich, with Lewis Hamilton also punished.
Hamilton finished an underwhelming seventh, while Lando Norris ended the day in fifth to record his best result of a difficult season for his under-performing McLaren team. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished between Norris and Hamilton.
George Russell made up three places from his starting spot of 11th to finish eighth.
Verstappen heads Perez in the standings by 81 points – the equivalent of more than three victories – heading into next weekend’s British Grand Prix.
A day after taking the sprint race spoils, Verstappen was celebrating his fifth consecutive win on his unstoppable march to a hat-trick of world titles.
Verstappen fended off an aggressive Leclerc on the opening lap before he fell to third after the Ferrari drivers stopped for tyres under the Virtual Safety Car.
It ended Verstappen’s run of 249 consecutive laps at the head of the field. 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.
For Hamilton, the seven-time world champion endured a difficult day in his Mercedes.
Hamilton started fifth and leapfrogged Norris at the start of the race, but soon faced the wrath of the stewards for putting all four wheels of his Mercedes over the white line.
A black-and-white warning flag was served to Hamilton before he was hit with a five-second penalty on lap 17.
Sainz, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly and Logan Sargeant were also handed five-second penalties, while Yuki Tsunoda saw his initial five-second sanction upgraded to 10 for driving off the track.
Hamilton served his penalty at his second pit stop on lap 43, dropping him to eighth place. He moved up one spot when Gasly stopped for tyres but he failed to make any impression on Aston Martin’s Alonso.
The Briton was on the radio several times asking why other drivers had not been penalised.
Team principal Toto Wolff first came on with a word of encouragement for his superstar driver.
“They are all going to get penalties in front of you, Lewis.” he said.” Keep going.”
But following another frustrated radio message from Hamilton, Wolff was back on to his driver with a firmer message.
“The car is bad, we know,” said Wolff to the Briton: “Please drive it.”
Hamilton finished 39.1 seconds behind Verstappen and is no closer to ending his 18-month losing streak in Formula One.
Even having her car stolen has not wiped the smile off Heather Watson’s face as she looks forward to a 13th Wimbledon campaign.
The 31-year-old was out celebrating her birthday with friends a month ago when thieves managed to get into the secure underground car park at her home in Chelsea Harbour and drive away in her Range Rover.
“I was quite logical,” she said. “I actually really processed it well, I was like, ‘It’s OK, nobody’s hurt, there are plenty worse things going on in the world, it’s just a material object’. And then now, I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness, what a nightmare’ with all the insurance stuff.
“The police found it, it just doesn’t work. They rewire it to get it started so all the wires have been pulled out. They found it three weeks ago, I called the insurance, they’ve done nothing. So I gave them a kick up the bum.”
Watson made her Wimbledon debut back it 2010 but it was not until last year that she made it beyond the third round at a grand slam for the first time.
The caveat to Watson’s joy was that, as a result of Wimbledon’s decision to ban Russian and Ukrainian players, she did not receive any ranking points for the achievement.
Having dropped outside the top 100, Watson was unable to secure entry into the big tournaments, and it is only thanks to good performances on the grass that she has begun to head back in the right direction.
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Mostly, Watson is just grateful to have another tilt at Wimbledon having been awarded a wild card, saying: “This year coming in I feel really relaxed, I feel happy and just can’t wait to get going.
“Life is good. We’ve got points again this year. I feel in a good place in my life on the court, off the court. I’m so grateful to be back at this amazing tournament for another year. It’s so special.”
Watson is also happy to see Wimbledon listening to female players and adjusting their all-white clothing policy, with competitors now allowed to wear coloured undershorts to help reduce period anxiety.
Last year’s finalist Ons Jabeur raised one unintended consequence but Watson believes it is a step forward, saying: “When they announced the new rule I was like, ‘This is great, this is forward thinking, this is so helpful’.
“Then I thought, ‘Shoot, everyone’s going to know when I’m on my period’. But I’m so open about it anyway I’d probably let all of you know without even asking the question. In Eastbourne I wore black shorts, it really helped.”
Dual Stewards’ Cup winner Commanche Falls added a Listed race to his CV when registering a determined success in the Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Dash Stakes at the Curragh.
Winning for the 10th time in his career, the six-year-old was having his first run in Ireland as he came home a length and a quarter clear.
Coming in off arguably a career-best effort when third behind his Michael Dods-trained stablemate and July Cup fancy Azure Blue in the Duke of York Stakes, he was sent off the 5-4 favourite.
By halfway Connor Beasley was hard at work as Anthem National and Mooneista went for home.
However, a trait in most of Commanche Falls’ victories is that the strongest part of his race is the finish and when he hit the front just over a furlong out, he was only just getting into top gear.
He had Anthem National back in second, with Mooniesta a further half-length back in third.
The winner was cut to 12-1 from 14s for a third win in the Coral Stewards’ Cup by the sponsors.
Dods’ daughter and assistant Chloe said: “He always takes a while to warm into his races and you would be worried if he wasn’t like that. Connor thinks he will be a better horse in a better race.
“He’s really chilled at home and doesn’t sweat at all. He’s a very chilled out horse and good to train.
“The races for him in the UK are quite limited, so that’s why we came here. I don’t think we will be put off coming here again if there is something.
“He got too high to run in handicaps and has stepped up to stakes races. He’s performed well in them and my dad said the York run was probably his best run.
“We were going to go to Ascot for the Wokingham but he was too high and came here instead.”
Adrian Murray bagged himself another big juvenile prize as Bucanero Fuerte battled back to edge out Unquestionable in the GAIN Railway Stakes at the Curragh.
Murray sprang an almighty surprise at Royal Ascot when Valiant Force won the Norfolk Stakes at 150-1.
Bucanero Fuerte (100-30) had also run at Royal Ascot, and with real credit when third in the Coventry Stakes, but that was only 12 days ago and there was a worry this Group Two was coming too soon.
He looked set to come off second best when pulling clear with Aidan O’Brien’s Unquestionable.
To his immense credit, though, the Wootton Bassett colt would not accept defeat and got himself in front right on the line to win by a short head.
The victory was a second in three years for Rossa Ryan, who also took the prize on David Loughnane’s Go Bears Go in 2021.
Murray said: “He’s a tough horse. We took a chance running him today quick after Ascot and he didn’t let us down.
“Robson (Aguiar, assistant trainer) said he was on fire during the week and we had no other option only to go for it.
“He’s entered in the Phoenix Stakes and he could go to France, we are not sure yet.
“We’ll give him a bit of a break now. He’s a big backward horse and we are not going to rush him. He’s had two quick runs.
“We’ll definitely step him up in trip as that’s what won it for him today. We made plenty of use of him as we knew he would see it out.
“He likes a bit of dig in the ground and if anything it was a bit quick for him today.”
Aguiar added: “We train in Mullingar and I joined Adrian about five years ago. This horse has plenty of pace and ran well in Ascot. He won over six today and can go further.
“We paid €165,000 for him (as a yearling at Arqana) which I think is cheap as he’s by Wootton Bassett, who is a great sire, and the mare has produced black type (Group One winner Wooded).”
Charlie Appleby and Godolphin are used to dining at the top table and by their lofty standards, the first part of the season has not been an easy one.
Though Godolphin took a Classic when Mawj landed the 1000 Guineas for Saeed bin Suroor, the royal blue silks have not been seen with regularity in many of the top races.
Though Appleby’s 28 per cent strike-rate is among the best, with 52 winners from 185 runners this year, his yard had an unusually disappointing Royal Ascot with no winners from 18 runners.
However, he remains confident the tide will turn and with some smart juveniles already unveiled, has high hopes Sheikh Mohammed’s operation will thrive in the coming months.
“At the end of the day, you play the cards your are dealt with,” said Appleby.
“As we know, at the back end of last year, we didn’t have a champion two-year-old.
“That will always show in terms of three-year-olds, needless to say. If you are not in the first three in the Dewhurst, National Stakes, Futurity Trophy or Fillies’ Mile, you are not, realistically, going to be bang there in the Classic picture the following year, and that’s where we were.”
He went on: “It is nothing to worry about 100 per cent. Ascot was one bad week.
“At the end of the day, we have a team who have a system in place and we know it works. The most important thing is to keep a good, steady hand on the tiller.
“I’m happy with the way the two-year-olds are progressing and we knew we would have to place the three-year-olds in the races we knew where, hopefully, they would be the most competitive. The Classics were not realistically our target.”
On Saturday at Newmarket, he unleashed Dance Sequence, who looked a filly of immense promise. The strapping daughter of Dubawi could develop into a Classic contender next season, following her eyecatching success in a fillies’ maiden.
Appleby is also looking forward to running Ancient Wisdom, a Dubawi colt who won by five lengths on debut at Haydock and then followed up under James Doyle in a seven-furlong novice race at Newmarket last week.
Appleby said: “I’m very pleased with him. He is two from two. I brought him up here (Newmarket) with a mindset obviously towards the Superlative Stakes, just to gain course experience.
“The ground was quick enough that day, James felt. He has a bit of a knee action on him and he has a pedigree, as you know.
“He is going to be a next-year horse. I am not going to be forcing him to come here again.
“But if conditions and himself are right, we’ll be here for the Superlative. If not, we will look towards Sandown for the Solario.
“A race I have in my mind for him, which is a race we have used many times for our nice two-year-olds, is the National Stakes. That is what I am working back from.”
Imperial Emperor won a maiden on his debut on the Rowley Mile course last October and made a winning return to action in a mile novice on the July Course last week.
A late developer, he also appears a promising type with plenty to look forward to as a four-year-old next year.
“I was delighted with him off a long lay-off,” said Appleby. “He is a horse who has had to be managed well by the team there.
“We toyed whether he was a mile or a mile-and-a-quarter horse.
“On what we’ve seen so far, we’re happy to stick to the mile and therefore we will aim towards the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes before we start stepping him up.
“He has a page, a pedigree that would suggest going further. He will be a nice horse and is definitely one for next year, we hope.”
Dazzling Star was another recent winner for the Moulton Paddocks handler.
She stepped up on her Kempton debut to score in style in a six-furlong fillies’ maiden at Newmarket on Friday evening.
“We were very happy with her and was pleased with her performance,” said Appleby.
“She has been a filly at home who has pleased us one morning and disappointed us the next. She is a bit like that. We got back on track with her on Friday.”
Meanwhile, Great Truth, another son of Dubawi who took apart a Leicester novice field by five and a half lengths and more on debut, looks another colt full of potential.
“Very pleased with that first run,” added the trainer. “A first foal out of Beyond Reason, a filly we know.
“He has come out of the race well, but we haven’t got a go-to race at the moment.
“Whether we go down a novice route or step him up into something a little bit punchier, we’ll see.
“We have a nice bunch of two-year-olds and there is plenty to look forward to. There’s certainly nothing to worry about.”
George Loffhagen was left pinching himself after going from pulling pints in a pub to preparing to take on highly-fancied Holger Rune on his Wimbledon debut.
The 22-year-old Londoner was a highly-rated junior but struggled with the difficult transition to senior tennis and hung up his racket in the summer of 2021.
Academically as well as athletically gifted, Loffhagen returned to his studies and, to earn some cash, worked at the Marlborough Head in Marble Arch behind the bar and collecting glasses.
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“It was a bit of both because I hadn’t worked in a pub before,” he said. “I needed to learn on the job. It wasn’t too bad. There were a few (troublemakers) but it wasn’t too rowdy, it was OK.”
A more different environment to Wimbledon would be difficult to find, and the idea that he might be playing at the All England Club less than two years later would have appeared fanciful.
But Loffhagen began to feel the pull of the yellow ball again and he returned to the tour last August.
“I struggled with expectations and stuff and I think the time out allowed me to mature a bit,” he said. “I feel like I’m able to put things into perspective a bit better and that allows me to enjoy my time on court a bit more.
“I feel like I always loved playing tennis but outside factors prevented me from just enjoying my tennis as much. I’m just happy to be playing and that’s the main thing at the moment. I wanted to play again and not have any regrets.”
The break certainly appears to have done Loffhagen good. In less than a year he has gone from having no ranking to a place in the world’s top 400, winning two titles and doing enough to earn a wild card from the All England Club.
The draw threw up an exciting clash with sixth seed Rune, and Loffhagen added: “I’m just really happy to be in the position where I’m able to play a match at Wimbledon because I definitely didn’t think that was something that was going to happen. I just want to enjoy the experience and hopefully play well.”
Loffhagen is one of three home debutants in the main singles draws this year alongside 20-year-old Arthur Fery and German-turned-Brit Jan Choinski.
Fery, who has two French parents but grew up in Wimbledon, will also get the chance to take on one of the title favourites having been paired with third seed Daniil Medvedev in the draw.
He said of his reaction: “It was excitement mostly. Any draw I would have taken and I would have been happy with but playing one of the top seeds is always exciting. Hopefully I can rise to the challenge.
“Playing the top seeds it’s always best to play them in the first few rounds when they haven’t played on the grass. Daniil didn’t play here last year so I’m confident, I back myself.
“It’s a great position, I love being the underdog. I’m going to go out, swing freely and play loose. I’ve got nothing to lose.”
Fery also opted not to throw himself into professional tennis life after finishing juniors but took a different path to Loffhagen, heading off on a scholarship to Stanford University.
He has excelled in the college tennis system, which is becoming an ever more popular route to the pro game, and has played enough tournaments to also earn a ranking in the top 400.
Fery, who remembers watching Medvedev win the US Open in 2021 on the Tube on his way back from the Wireless music festival, hopes his college experiences will stand him in good stead on Tuesday.
“The big matches are fun,” he said. “Crowds come out and the whole team feels like it’s important. It’s definitely not a Wimbledon crowd, it’s pretty rowdy and people aren’t always too nice to you but it’s good, it builds character and being able to deal with all that stuff is beneficial for the future.”
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Fery, whose father Loic is the owner of both a hedge fund and French top division football team Lorient, will decide in January whether to complete his final year at Stanford or commit fully to tennis.
Choinski will be an unfamiliar name to most British fans but, having pushed his ranking up to 167, the tall 27-year-old has been awarded a wild card for the first time.
He represented his native Germany until 2018 when he opted to switch to Britain courtesy of his British mother Dominque.
A professional ballet dancer, she grew up in Southampton before studying at the Royal Ballet School and then moving to Germany, where she met Polish dancer Andrzej Choinski.
The couple own a ballet school but, for their son, dancing was a passion only as preparation for tennis.
Choinski is grateful for the support he has received from British tennis, and said: “I really enjoy being here and I really have enjoyed playing the whole grass-court season. It’s a totally new experience because I haven’t played a lot on grass. I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunities I got.”
Owner John Deer has revealed his desire to try to win the Prix de l’Abbaye for a third time following Saint Lawrence’s Royal Ascot triumph.
Although a regular in some of the best sprinting contests over the past few seasons, the son of Al Kazeem was scoring for the first time since landing the Denford Stakes during his two-year-old days when storming to Wokingham glory – the last leg of a treble for Archie Watson and Hollie Doyle at the big meeting.
It was also Saint Lawrence’s first run for Lambourn-based Watson and having credited former handler Roger Varian for his input regarding the five-year-old’s switch from Newmarket, Deer – who enjoyed Prince of Wales’s Stakes glory with Al Kazeem – is keen to leave future plans to Watson.
“To have won twice there is quite fantastic really,” said Deer of his latest trip to the Royal Ascot winner’s enclosure.
“Roger Varian was very good and without any prompting suggested that perhaps a change of scenery might benefit the horse. Who knows, but there was a hell of an improvement. That improvement may have come with Roger in Newmarket, no one will ever know, but from my point of view it was sensational really.
“There has been such a change now in his performance that I’m just going to leave it (running plans) to his trainer and hope for the best!”
It was somewhat appropriate that Saint Lawrence should win the Wokingham for Deer, with the owner-breeder having seen his Averti withdrawn at the start when fancied for the race in 1996 and like the William Muir-trained sprinter, Deer hopes Saint Lawrence will one-day carry his colours at ParisLongchamp on Arc day.
He explained: “Many many years ago I had a very good horse called Averti with William Muir and he was supposed to be favourite for the Wokingham.
“He had been in the stalls for a long time and the horse that came in next to him played up and Averti got frightened or something and he was pulled out and didn’t run. That was a pity because he was a lovely horse and deserved a big race like that.
“He went on to be second in the Abbaye (in 1998) and then subsequently Patavellian (2003) and Avonbridge (2005) went on to win that race, so I think I have got close to breeding three of them.
“I would love to win the Abbaye again and he would be a candidate. Whether he goes this year I don’t know, but if he didn’t I would want him to go next year.”
Jamaica's legendary swimmer, Alia Atkinson, made a splash at the Aquatic Centre in Kingston on Saturday as she launched her first book, "Day 1 Not One Day: An Athlete's Seven-Step Guide to Success." The five-time Olympian and world record holder, whose illustrious career spanned an impressive 19 years, revealed the inspiration behind her book.
"The idea for this book came about after I retired. I received a lot of messages on social media from people asking for guidance and advice on how to achieve their goals and maintain a winning mindset. It wasn't just young athletes; it was people from all walks of life, including seasoned athletes," Atkinson explained.
The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on people's confidence, creating doubts and uncertainties and Atkinson saw this as an opportunity to help and inspire others. "I wanted to answer their questions and offer some guidance. Even if the book could help just one person improve their life or find their inner strength, I considered it a success," she said.
"I wanted to provide answers and support to those who reached out to me. If I could offer something that could make a positive difference, even if it's just one takeaway."
Atkinson's book, "Day 1 Not One Day," outlines seven key principles that she believes can transform lives, both in and out of the pool. Although it primarily caters to swimmers due to her swimming background, she emphasizes that the athletic mindset can be applied to anyone's life.
"I made sure a wide range of people read the book, not just athletes. It resonated with sports enthusiasts and individuals outside the sporting realm as well. Everyone found something valuable and applicable to their own lives. While the book draws heavily on my swimming background, the athletic mindset can benefit anyone."
During the book writing process, Atkinson found it surprisingly smooth. "The hardest part was anything related to formatting and figuring out the technical aspects. But when it came to the content itself, it felt like I was talking to the athletes and readers. Each chapter was like having a personal conversation with someone, guiding them towards their goals," Atkinson shared.
"Day 1 Not One Day" holds a special place in Atkinson's heart, as she poured her experiences and insights into its pages. The Jamaican darling has left an indelible mark on the sport, becoming the first black woman to win a world title in swimming in 2014. Her world record time in the short course 100-metre breaststroke showcased her prowess in the pool.
As Alia Atkinson embarks on her new journey as an author, she hopes that her book will serve as a guiding light for athletes and non-athletes alike, helping them achieve their dreams and become the best version of themselves. The aquatic icon's legacy continues to inspire generations, both in Jamaica and across the globe, leaving a lasting impact on the world of sports and beyond.
Nick Kyrgios declared himself fit for Wimbledon after his long injury lay-off but said he was “almost dreading” his return to tennis.
The 28-year-old pulled out of the Australian Open on the eve of the tournament, announcing he needed surgery on his knee, and he has played only one match since, last month in Stuttgart.
Kyrgios enjoyed by far the best season of his career last year, reaching the Wimbledon final and achieving the sort of consistent results that for a long time appeared beyond him.
View this post on InstagramHe has made no secret of his wavering love for the sport and the lifestyle it requires and, while he described the first five months of the year as “brutal”, he was brutally honest about his feelings regarding his comeback.
“I don’t miss the sport at all,” he said. “I was almost dreading coming back a little bit. But it’s my job.”
It was clear in his defeat by China’s Wu Yibing in Stuttgart that Kyrgios’ knee was far from fully recovered and he pulled out of subsequent tournaments in Halle and Majorca.
The Australian has been practising at the All England Club over the last few days, though, and said: “I still think there’s some question marks, for sure.
“Obviously five-set tennis is a completely different base altogether. I look at my preparations last year coming in, I probably had the most ideal preparation possible. It couldn’t be any different this year.
“I’m not going to discredit the work I’ve put in for the last six months just trying to maintain my fitness, get back on court.
“I’ve been hitting with some really good players this week and my body is feeling OK. I’m going to take it one day at a time. I’m not going to look forward and put unfair expectations on myself.
“I’m just going to try to do everything I can, prepare, go out there and play some good tennis. I feel probably as good as I could feel at the moment.”
At his best, Kyrgios would be high up a list of possible challengers to defending champion Novak Djokovic, who he took a set off in the final 12 months ago.
The Australian has been handed a potentially tricky opener against Belgian David Goffin, who reached the quarter-finals last year, and in a 10-minute press conference veered between playing down expectations and insisting he can defy his limited preparations.
“I’m extremely confident,” he said. “I’ve never been a player that needs a lot of matches before playing a grand slam. I’ve always been kind of on the side of not playing too much.
“What I’ve achieved in my career never leaves. Last year, it wasn’t that long ago really. I feel like I’m still serving as good as ever. I’m still able to beat a lot of people on the court.
View this post on Instagram“The thing about tennis is the tour is so vigorous, there’s tournaments week in and week out, you kind of don’t have time to reflect on anything you’ve done. I’ve had so much time to sit back and be forced to look at everything I did last year. I wanted to do more.
“Pulling out of the Australian Open was one of the hardest things I had to do because I generally feel like, with the tennis I was playing and with my grand slam experience, just the way I was feeling, I felt like I could win that tournament.
“It’s been hard. I’m trying to expect the same sort of tennis that I was playing last year, and I don’t think that’s fair at the moment.”
The Austrian Grand Prix will remain on the Formula One calendar until at least 2030 after a new long-term deal at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring was confirmed ahead of Sunday’s race.
The circuit, which was bought and re-branded by Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz returned to the F1 schedule in 2014 and has been a permanent fixture since.
Mateschitz died last year, aged 78, after battling a long-term illness.
“The vision and passion of Dietrich Mateschitz, a man who loved this sport, made this all possible and it is a very special moment and a tribute to him that we can confirm we will be racing at this incredible venue until 2030,” said F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali.
The race in Austria is a big favourite for the drivers and all our fans and we are looking forward to many years of excitement and action that are ahead of us.”
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen will start on pole position for Sunday’s 71-lap Grand Prix as he bids to extend his 70-point championship lead.
Derby-winning jockey Martin Dwyer has announced his retirement from the saddle having failed to recover from a serious knee injury.
Dwyer has been on the sidelines since March 2022 due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
The Liverpudlian has undergone several surgeries on his knee but they have failed to offer enough improvement to enable him to return to the saddle.
Dwyer rode over 1,500 winners and partnered Sir Percy to Derby glory for Marcus Tregoning in 2006.
“It’s tough saying it out loud, I’ve got my head around it, I’ve known for quite a while now I’ve been struggling with the injury,” Dwyer told Racing TV.
“I’ve thrown the kitchen sink at the rehab. I went to see the surgeon again when I had another operation two months ago and he said it’s not going to be stable enough or strong enough to ride professionally.
“It is what it is and I’ve just got to get on with it.
“It’s been tough, obviously. I’ve been in pain for a long time, it just throbs constantly but I’ve been in good hands and the team at Oaksey House have been brilliant.”
Looking ahead to the future, he said: “I’m getting back to some normality but I’ve just got to accept my career is over and I’ve just got to get on with things. It’s tough because I’m not finishing on my terms.
“I’d like to go out like Frankie (Dettori) and do a world tour, but I’d probably be at Wolverhampton and Southwell!
“It’s been a tough year or so, but it’s time to move on to the next chapter. It’s been a journey that has been unbelievable.”
As well as winning the Derby, Dwyer also won the Oaks in 2003 on Andrew Balding’s Casual Look and took the King Edward VII Stakes, Great Voltigeur and Coronation Cup on Pyledriver, trained by his father-in-law, William Muir.
Isa Guha has backed “ultimate professional” Clare Balding to excel as she succeeds Sue Barker to become the BBC’s face of Wimbledon.
Barker called time on 30 years presenting national coverage from the All England Club in emotional scenes last summer, with past and present greats of tennis paying tribute to her.
In March it was confirmed that Balding, who has been part of the BBC’s coverage since 1995, would step into Barker’s shoes, with former England cricketer Guha sharing presenting duties for a second year.
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Guha praised her co-host, telling the PA news agency: “Clare is the ultimate professional. She’s got so much energy about her and that’s what she brings to the screen. You very much feel you’re in there with her when she’s talking to you.
“I think she wants to do it in a way that’s true to her and that’s bringing that energy. I think as people who haven’t played tennis to a professional standard, it’s asking those questions the general audience wants to hear. You get that different take.”
Guha relished learning off Barker last year, saying: “She’s got an incredible warmth. When you watch her on television she feels like a friend.
“She was someone I certainly watched when I was younger, never imagined that I’d even be in her company so to be sat there with her and see how she goes about her business, her offering me advice and so forth, it was a little bit surreal but at the same time we’re just watching her in awe because she’s been the face of the BBC for such a long time and we absolutely respect and admire everything she’s done for sports broadcasting as a female.
“It was just an incredible time last year. The ability to be there with Sue, see how she operates, the doyenne of sports broadcasting, and to be in Clare Balding’s company and all these legends. It was a pretty amazing experience.”
With Wimbledon being one of the jewels in the BBC’s crown, it is no surprise to hear that Barker’s departure will not mean any radical departures from previous coverage of the grand slam, although Balding and Guha are keen to put their own stamp on it.
“No one can ever be Sue Barker,” said Guha. “She was who she was because she was true to herself as an individual, and that’s what made her so special. I just do the best I can to bring the best out of my guests.
“The role as a presenter is really managing the traffic and giving the audience what they want but also trying to make it fun as well as informative.
“I love the dynamism of broadcast and being able to throw it around a bit. I don’t think we’ll be moving too far away from what’s made it successful but we’d love to get out and about. I think that dynamism is really important.”
With Barker and Balding at the helm, tennis has been at the forefront of female-led sports broadcasting, and Guha has played a key role in the move to gender equality in cricket.
“It’s a huge honour and we absolutely understand what that signifies,” she said.
“We just see ourselves as broadcasters and I think what we’re striving to achieve is that normalisation across the board, whether that’s commentary, presenting or reporting or punditry.
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“That’s what’s excited me about cricket in recent times is that it doesn’t feel normal to not have a female on a broadcast now.”
Guha will be in the host’s chair when live coverage begins at 11am on Monday and there will be comprehensive coverage across the BBC’s platforms, including iPlayer and BBC Radio 5 Live, where John McEnroe and Tim Henman will present the 6-Love-6 phone-in.
Newcomer Qasa Alom, meanwhile, will host daily highlights show Today at Wimbledon daily on BBC Two.
In the week the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket’s report shone a sobering light on racism, sexism, elitism and classism within that sport, Guha shared her own more positive experiences of broadcasting.
“I think sport is a reflection of society, it’s a reflection of every environment you go into, but, if we’re all trying to create progress and create environments that are truly inclusive, (then we can’t shy away from it),” said the 38-year-old.
“Certainly when I first started broadcasting in cricket it was male dominated and there was a sense of feeling the need to fit it, not speaking out too much. I’ve been very lucky to have support from many of my male colleagues and I’m genuinely thankful for that.”
Guha is still building those relationships within tennis but, a long-time fan of the sport, she treasures the experiences she had last summer.
“One of my favourite things was just walking into work every day,” she said. “I was going in at 6.30am and it was so peaceful and calm before the chaos. It was goosebumps every time I walked into the grounds.
“It was a bit like how I feel when I walk into Lord’s when it’s empty, just that sense of history and being a part of something really special.
“Also, I was there a couple of days before it started and I was being shown all the different camera zones where we would do our broadcasts.
“I walked with my director to Centre Court and I saw (Matteo) Berrettini practising with (Rafael) Nadal so it was just me and my director, those two playing on court and maybe one other person. That felt very surreal and just to be able to see Nadal at close quarters like that was a real privilege.”
Opportunities for women in sport continue to improve, but breaking down barriers of discrimination on or off the court was never going to be easy, according to London Lions women’s team general manager Vanja Cernivec.
Last summer, Slovenian-born Cernivec was appointed the first female general manager at a Women’s British Basketball League side.
Having previously been an international scout for the Chicago Bulls, the first woman in the NBA’s history to fulfil the position, Cernivec is no stranger to overcoming boundaries.
Emily Clarke was announced as the new general manager of the Women’s British Basketball League at the end of June.
Nevertheless, recent research commissioned by the Lions showed 25 per cent of women felt progressing in a sport, either at player or management level, was not viable as there were no role models to relate to.
Part of the study, which was conducted across a nationally representative cohort of 2,090 respondents, also revealed 20 per cent of females said they had experienced some kind of discrimination or exclusion which deterred them from participating in a sport.
Cernivec, though, feels appointments such as her own and that of Clarke – who previously held management roles at Basketball England – demonstrate there is a genuine drive to embrace change alongside having difficult conversations on delivering equality throughout the sport.
“Generally the reception (to my role) has been very positive,” Cernivec told the PA news agency.
“(London Lions owners) 777 have done an incredible step assigning that position. It didn’t matter who stepped in – in this case, it was me.
“By opening this position, they have kind of set a milestone and said how important this role is, setting the same standard for the women’s game as for the men’s.
“The hire of Emily as the GM (general manager) for the Women’s British Basketball League is a great step forward, but changes are never easy for people to accept.”
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Cernivec added: “Things are changing for the better, the fact we are talking about this right now says that.
“If you look at women’s sport globally, it is on the rise. It is not the next upcoming thing, it is the thing right now, so anyone who tries to ignore it is on the wrong path.
“But the fact that women still feel discriminated against in the grassroots and participation level is something which needs to be changed immediately – not only from a professional (sports) aspect, but also for the mental and physical health of our youth.”
Cernivec’s role also saw her become global director of London Lions Academy.
During June, the Lions took part in the inaugural junior NBA European finals in Valencia, sending both an under-15s boys and girls team to the elite youth tournament.
Cernivec hopes such projects can help further develop the talent pool of home-grown players and potential future professionals.
“If you look at the pathway for young British male or female players, it kind of ends in the last year of high school and if they want to continue playing (at an elite level), then they have to go abroad,” she said.
“That is something the Lions are trying to change and help create a professional pathway – with coaches around, nutritionists, mental health support, strength and conditioning, all that comes along with building the athletes to what they aspire to be.
“With the junior NBA platform, it was a great event which has exposed us to where the British talent is right now and where our coaching pool stands, so it was a great experience for everyone.
“We have a great pool of talent in Britain. It is just a matter of how fast we can build up the coaching staff and the facilities, everything which is needed to give them the right development they deserve.”
PA SPORT BIRTHDAYS
Sir Richard Hadlee (cricket) – New Zealand’s record-breaking all-rounder who was the first man to take 400 Test wickets, born 1951.
Henry Olonga (cricket) – former Zimbabwe Test bowler, best known for his protest against Robert Mugabe, born 1976.
Bobby Skinstad (rugby union) – former South Africa captain, born 1976.
Harbhajan Singh (cricket) – former India off-spinner, born 1980.
Tim Jonkers (rugby league) – former St Helens, Salford, Wigan and Leigh utility player, born 1981.
Sebastian Vettel (motor racing) – Four-time Formula One world champion, born 1987.
Winston Reid (soccer) – New Zealand and former West Ham defender, born 1988.
Ruesha Littlejohn (soccer) – Republic of Ireland midfielder, born 1990.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (tennis) – 2021 French Open finalist from Russia, born 1991.
Shannon Courtenay (boxing) – former WBA female bantamweight champion, born 1993.
ON THIS DAY IN SPORT
1902: Bramall Lane in Sheffield became England’s seventh Test cricket ground when it staged the third match between England and Australia. The tourists’ Clem Hill scored the only century on the ground, which was not used again for a Test.
1977: Britain’s Barry Sheene won the Belgian Grand Prix 500cc race at an average speed of 135.07mph, the fastest ever recorded at a world championship motorcycle race.
1997: Celtic appointed former Netherlands international Wim Jansen as head coach. He went on to lead the club to their first Scottish title in 10 years in his only season in charge.
2001: Arsenal signed Sol Campbell from north London neighbours Tottenham on a free transfer.
2005: Number one seed Roger Federer won his third Wimbledon title by beating Andy Roddick 6-2 7-6 (2) 6-4 in the men’s singles final.
2007: Relegated Sheffield United’s appeal against the Premier League punishment imposed on West Ham over the Carlos Tevez affair was dismissed by an arbitration panel.
2008: Red Bull Racing’s David Coulthard confirmed he was to retire from competing in Formula One at the end of the season.
2010: Serena Williams won her fourth Wimbledon title by beating Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3 6-2 in the final.
2011: Novak Djokovic beat Spanish top seed Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3 to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title for the first time.
2012: Dwain Chambers was selected to represent Great Britain at the London Olympics. The controversial sprinter had previously been banned for life from the Games under a British Olympic Association bylaw which was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport earlier in 2012. Chambers missed out on a place in the 100 metres final after finishing fourth in his semi-final.
2017: Former England captain John Terry joined Championship club Aston Villa on a one-year deal.
2018: England reached the World Cup quarter-finals after beating Colombia 4-3 on penalties in Moscow. The teams were level at 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra-time.
2019: Belgian duo Greet Minnen and Alison Van Uytvanck become the first same-sex couple to play together in a match at Wimbledon, beating British pair Katie Swan and Freya Christie in the first round of the women’s doubles.
2021: England thrashed Ukraine 4-0 in Rome to set up a Euro 2020 semi-final against Denmark.
PA SPORT SELECTIVE TV LISTINGS:
Today (Monday, July 3)
TENNIS: Wimbledon – BBC Two England 1030, BBC One 1345 and 1900.
CYCLING: Tour de France, stage three – Eurosport 1 1130, S4C and ITV4 1400.
CRICKET: ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, Netherlands v Oman – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket 0730.
Tomorrow (Tuesday, July 4)
TENNIS: Wimbledon – BBC Two England 1100, BBC One 1345 and 1900.
CYCLING: Tour de France, stage four – Eurosport 1 1130, ITV4 1400.
CRICKET: ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, Zimbabwe v Scotland – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket 0730; Women’s International T20, West Indies v Ireland – BT Sport 2 2145.
PA SPORT QUIZ
1. England wicketkeeper Amy Jones plays for which Hundred franchise?
2. Who did Savannah Marshall beat to become the undisputed super-middleweight champion?
3. How many Wimbledon singles titles did Roger Federer win?
4. Which NFL team play their home games at Soldier Field?
5. Who is captain of England Women’s rugby league team?
6. Who won the 2022 Tour de France?
7. Where will the 2026 Winter Olympics be held?
8. At which club did Cesc Fabregas begin his senior career?
9. Scotland will kick off their 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign against which team?
10. Jin Young Ko is a leading name in which sport?
ANSWERS: 1. Birmingham Phoenix; 2. Franchon Crews-Dezurn; 3. Eight; 4. Chicago Bears; 5. Jodie Cunningham; 6. Jonas Vingegaard; 7. Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo; 8. Arsenal; 9. South Africa; 10. Golf.
Domantas Sabonis and the Sacramento Kings have agreed to five-year contract extension worth $217 million, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The deal includes $195 million in new money, Sabonis’ agents said Saturday night.
The Kings are using the salary cap to deliver an additional $8.6 million to raise Sabonis’ earnings for 2023-24 to $30.6 million and will add a four-year extension that will give him nearly $200 million more over the life of the contract.
Sabonis’ first full season with the Kings in 2023-24 was an excellent one. He averaged 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists while shooting 61.5 percent from the field as he made third-team All-NBA.
Led by Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox, the Kings won the Pacific Division title and ended a 16-year playoff drought in 2022-23 with a 48-34 record.
Sabonis was acquired from Indiana in February 2022 in the deal that sent All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton to the Pacers.
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