Carlos Alcaraz is hopeful his win over France's Ugo Humbert can inspire Spain's football team ahead of facing Les Bleus in their Euro 2024 semi-final on Tuesday.
Alcaraz edged closer to defending his Wimbledon crown with a 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-5 win over Humbert in a hard-fought triumph on Centre Court.
The world number three's quarter-final match takes place on the same day as France's encounter with Spain in Munich, and may be unable to watch the action unfold.
But Alcaraz played his part in SW19, and his hoping La Roja, who have won all of their games at the tournament, will follow suit.
"Hopefully they're going to get the same result as me today," Alcaraz said.
"I won in the tennis part, so hopefully the Spanish team are going to win the football part."
Alcaraz was unable to watch the first half of Spain's clash with hosts Germany on Friday after edging Frances Tiafoe in a five-set thriller.
The three-time grand slam champion needed three hours and 51 minutes to dispatch the American, but was able to witness Mikel Merino's late winner in Stuttgart.
With Tommy Paul up next in the quarter-finals, the Spaniard is hopeful of getting the job done quicker this time to be able to watch Luis de la Fuente's side.
"The first thing is I am supporting Spain because it's Spain," he said. "I have a really good relationship with a few players of the team. In particular, with Alvaro Morata.
"He's a really good friend. So right now it's time to support them, as I know they supporting me when I'm playing matches or I'm playing tournaments. It's my turn.
"Hopefully on Tuesday we are not going to play at the same time. But let's see. Hopefully I will be able to see a little bit from the match."
Carlos Alcaraz is hopeful his win over France's Ugo Humbert can inspire Spain's football team ahead of facing Les Bleus in their Euro 2024 semi-final on Tuesday.
Alcaraz edged closer to defending his Wimbledon crown with a 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-5 win over Humbert in a hard-fought triumph on Centre Court.
The world number three's quarter-final match takes place on the same day as France's encounter with Spain in Munich, and may be unable to watch the action unfold.
But Alcaraz played his part in SW19, and his hoping La Roja, who have won all of their games at the tournament, will follow suit.
"Hopefully they're going to get the same result as me today," Alcaraz said.
"I won in the tennis part, so hopefully the Spanish team are going to win the football part."
Alcaraz was unable to watch the first half of Spain's clash with hosts Germany on Friday after edging Frances Tiafoe in a five-set thriller.
The three-time grand slam champion needed three hours and 51 minutes to dispatch the American, but was able to witness Mikel Merino's late winner in Stuttgart.
With Tommy Paul up next in the quarter-finals, the Spaniard is hopeful of getting the job done quicker this time to be able to watch Luis de la Fuente's side.
"The first thing is I am supporting Spain because it's Spain," he said. "I have a really good relationship with a few players of the team. In particular, with Alvaro Morata.
"He's a really good friend. So right now it's time to support them, as I know they supporting me when I'm playing matches or I'm playing tournaments. It's my turn.
"Hopefully on Tuesday we are not going to play at the same time. But let's see. Hopefully I will be able to see a little bit from the match."
Daniil Medvedev will face Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon quarter-finals after his last-16 opponent Grigor Dimitrov was forced to retire due to injury on Sunday.
Dimitrov was 5-3 down in the opening set when he was forced off, having slipped five games into the contest.
The Bulgarian received treatment on his knee during a medical timeout but moved awkwardly when he attempted to continue and only lasted 35 minutes on No.1 Court.
While the 10th seed's tournament ended in frustrating fashion, fifth seed Medvedev advances to the last eight for the second time, having made the semi-finals last year.
He will face a huge test against Sinner, who beat Ben Shelton in straight sets in his own round-of-16 match.
The world number one has won 42 of his first 45 ATP Tour-level matches of the year, becoming just the fourth player to achieve that feat this century after Roger Federer (2005-06), Novak Djokovic (2011, 2015-16) and Rafael Nadal (2013, 2018).
Data Debrief: Medvedev out for revenge
Medvedev has won six of his previous 11 meetings with Sinner, but each of the Italian's five victories over him have come in their last five meetings.
The 2021 US Open champion will be eyeing revenge on Tuesday.
Emma Raducanu was stunned in the Wimbledon round of 16 as qualifier Lulu Sun claimed a remarkable victory to eliminate the Centre Court favourite on Sunday.
Raducanu needed a lengthy medical stoppage after extending too far and injuring her left knee in the opening game of the deciding set, but was unable to recover as Sun emerged a 6-2 5-7 6-2 victor.
Featuring in the fourth round of a major for the first time since her breakout 2021 season, Raducanu seemed caught up by the occasion as qualifier Sun raced into a 3-0 lead by breaking twice.
Raducanu fought back to break and reduce the deficit to 3-1, though again faltered on her serve as the world number 123 snatched the third break-point opportunity to move 5-2 up and then sealed the first set.
The 2021 US Open champion regained her composure in the second set, yet frustrations were clear when Raducanu failed to grasp two break points in Sun's second serving game.
Home favourite Raducanu channelled those frustrations into her efforts, however, entertaining the crowd with a delicate drop shot before lobbing her opponent en route to levelling at 1-1.
That second-set marathon lasted a mammoth one hour and 13 minutes, and there was cause for concern when Raducanu slipped after stretching to her right, jarring her left knee in the opening game of the decider.
The 21-year-old required a three-minute medical time-out as Centre Court fell into a hesitant silence, but the crowd erupted as the Brit was able to continue, smashing an ace on the first point of her return.
Celebrations were short-lived, however, as Sun broke Raducanu's opening service game and never looked back. She saw one match point come and go, but made no mistake when the second one came around.
The winner plays Donna Vekic, who beat Paula Badosa.
World number 123 Sun is the only qualifier still in the women's singles, and impressed on her Centre Court bow.
Data Debrief: Sun's dream Wimbledon run continues
Sun became the seventh qualifier to make the women’s singles quarter-finals at Wimbledon in the Open Era after Carina Karlsson (1984), Molly Van Nostrand (1985), Alexandra Stevenson (1999), Jelena Dokic (1999), Roberta Beltrame (2006) and Kaia Kanepi (2010).
Sun is also the second-lowest ranked (#123) player in the last 15 editions of the tournament to make the women’s singles quarter-finals at the Championships - ranked higher only than Serena Williams in 2018 (#181).
The New Zealander impressed on her Centre Court debut, scoring 50 winners along with converting five break points.
Lando Norris said he is "fed up" of making excuses despite claiming a seventh podium finish of the season at the British Grand Prix on Sunday.
Norris started and finished the race in third place as Lewis Hamilton claimed a record-extending ninth win at Silverstone ahead of Max Verstappen in second.
But a combination of poor tyre strategy and a slow pit stop proved to be Norris' downfall, as he fell further behind Verstappen in the driver's championship.
Having had the fastest car in recent weeks, the McLaren driver once again failed to make that advantage count and was disappointed with his performance.
"I'm fed up with just saying I should have done better and I should have done this and I could have done that, or whatever," Norris said. "So I don't care if it takes time.
"I don't want it to take time. I should be doing it now. We should be winning now. I should be making better decisions than what I'm making.
"So, I'm just disappointed. When it's a win in Formula One, I'm not going to settle for something less when we should have achieved it."
Despite his obvious frustration, Norris remained gracious in defeat as he praised Hamilton on his first victory since the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in 2021.
Norris admitted the seven-time world champion's know-how on when to pit won the veteran the race and gave him the edge.
"That's just driver feel and driver knowledge of when to box, and Lewis did a better job than me on that side," Norris conceded.
Hamilton's victory saw him become the first driver in history to win in 16 different years in the competition.
The Brit is now the 12th oldest driver to win in Formula 1 at 39 years and six months old, and set the record for the longest interval between first and last victory, both in terms of time (17 years and 27 days) and Grand Prix's (338) since Canada in 2007.
Jannik Sinner breezed into the Wimbledon quarter-finals after easing past Ben Shelton in straight sets on Sunday.
The world number one produced arguably his best performance at the grass-court major this year, cruising to a 6-2 6-4 7-6 (11-9) victory on a jam-packed No.1 Court.
Sinner did not have to wait long for his first break against America's Shelton, winning on his opponent's serve to go 3-2 up and then repeating the trick to snatch a 5-2 lead before sealing the first set.
The 22-year-old needed just 29 minutes for that opening-set triumph against the 14th seed, who again struggled to hold his serve in the next set as Sinner reeled off seven games without response.
Shelton eventually ended that imperious Sinner streak by triumphing on his own serve, though the Italian remained perfect with the ball in hand to move within one set of victory.
Sinner lost the first three games of the third set, however, after an early Shelton break, only for the top seed to battle back in his usual fighting fashion.
Having squandered a set-point opportunity, Shelton collapsed to tee up a chaotic tie-break, where both players relinquished multiple chances during an eye-catching duel.
Shelton failed to take any of his three set-point chances, with Sinner also not grasping a match-point opening, though the latter eventually triumphed at the second time of asking.
Sinner's reward will be a last-eight meeting with either Grigor Dimitrov or world number five Daniil Medvedev.
Data Debrief: Super Sinner flying
Since 2000, Sinner is only the fourth player to win 42 or more of their opening 45 ATP matches of a season, along with Roger Federer (2005-06), Novak Djokovic (2011, 2015-16) and Rafael Nadal (2013, 2018).
He is also the fifth male aged under 23 in the past four decades to reach three consecutive quarter-finals at Wimbledon, along with Boris Becker (1988-90), Pete Sampras (1992-94), Andy Roddick (2003-05) and Nadal (2006-08).
The world number one is yet to lose any of his three round-of-16 clashes in SW19, reaching the last eight in 2022, the semi-finals a year later and recording this triumph on Sunday.
Carlos Alcaraz continued his defence of the Wimbledon crown with a hard-fought win over Ugo Humbert in the last 16, picking out his "unbelievable" set point in the second set as the highlight.
Alcaraz withstood a late push from Humbert to win 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-5 and book his place in the last eight, where he will play Tommy Paul or Roberto Bautista Agut.
He was made to work for his two-set advantage on Centre Court, saving four break points in the fifth game of the second then breaking Humbert's resistance.
He showed remarkable athleticism on set point, recovering from a fall to sprint back to mid-court and tee up Humbert for a missed volley.
Alcaraz later found a second wind in the fourth set, smashing 17 winners to Humbert's 10 to get over the line.
Asked how he would describe his efforts on that earlier set point, Alcaraz said: "Unbelievable, I guess! I just try to fight for every ball.
"It doesn't matter which part of the court I am at, I just try to run to whichever part of the court I am on, giving myself the chance to stay alive in the point.
"Set point was a really important point for me so I had to show the opponent that whatever shot he hits, I will be there.
"That's me, I will be there, fighting until the last ball and sometimes it is a good point like this one and sometimes I lose it, but the main thing is just to fight."
Data Debrief: Alcaraz continues grand slam love story
Alcaraz's triumph saw him reach a ninth men's singles quarter-final from 14 grand slam draws entered - the most of any player who began their career in the Open Era through their first 14 participations.
The Spaniard also maintained his winning streak at grand slams, having now won 11 matches in a row following his French Open triumph last month.
But there will be room for improvement for Alcaraz, who uncharacteristically served six double faults throughout the contest, compared to Hubert's one.
Lewis Hamilton found comfort in digging deep from "the bottom of the barrel" after doubting his ability before his historic British Grand Prix victory on Sunday.
The seven-time world champion had not triumphed in Formula One since December 2021 at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but ended a 945-day wait for success with a record-extending win at Silverstone.
Mercedes driver Hamilton held off a late charge from championship leader Max Verstappen, clinching his ninth win at this event and breaking the record for the most F1 victories at a single race.
Having struggled throughout the last three years, an emotional Hamilton acknowledged the challenging period had taken its toll.
"It's so tough, I think for anyone, but the important thing is how you continue to get up and you've got to continue to dig deep even when you feel like you're at the bottom of the barrel," Hamilton told Sky Sports.
"There have definitely been days between 2021 and here where I didn't feel like I was good enough or I was going to get back to where I am today.
"But the important thing is I had great people around me, continuing to support me. My team, every time I turned up and saw them putting in the effort really encouraged me to do the same thing.
"Otherwise, my fans, when I see them around the world, they have been so supportive. So a big, big thank you to everybody."
This victory marked Hamilton's final home race as a Mercedes driver, as he prepares to join Ferrari at the end of the season.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff cut another emotional figure after a fitting farewell at Silverstone.
"Fantastic. You couldn't have written it better for our farewell at the British Grand Prix. That was great," Wolff said on Sky Sports.
"He had some difficult times recently. Then, some faultless driving in various conditions.
"I really enjoyed us bouncing back. We were one and two for a long time in the dry. Performance-wise, it looks like we are coming back."
Mercedes' improvements have been impressive in recent weeks, and the team have now won back-to-back races for the first time since 2021 between Sao Paulo and Saudi Arabia (all three won by Hamilton).
That pair of victories are their only two this season, however, as Mercedes remain fourth in the championship, behind leaders Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren.
At the Paris Diamond League meeting on Sunday, Marileidy Paulino and Malik James-King both secured podium finishes, displaying their exceptional form just weeks before the start of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Paulino, the reigning world champion, continued her dominance in the 400m. Although she fell short of her goal to break the 48-second barrier, Paulino's performance was nothing short of impressive. She won the 400m with a season's best time of 49.20 seconds, pulling away from Poland's Natalia Kaczmarek, who finished second in 49.82 seconds, and Salwa Eid Naser, the 2019 World Champion, who took third with the same time. Despite not achieving her target, Paulino's victory reaffirmed her readiness to contend for Olympic gold in Paris.
Speaking at the pre-meet press conference on Saturday, Paulino had expressed her desire to run under 49 seconds. "I feel very well prepared. My main ambition is to do the best possible time and to have an optimal race execution. For me, a time of 48'' would be ideal," she said. Her performance on Sunday, while just shy of this mark.
Meanwhile, James-King, fresh off his massive personal best at the Jamaica National Championships, delivered another remarkable performance in the 400m hurdles. Arriving in Paris only 12 hours before the race, James-King clocked an impressive 48.37 seconds to secure third place. This follows his stunning victory in Kingston, where he dethroned national record holder Roshawn Clarke with a lifetime best of 47.42 seconds.
Brazil's Alison dos Santos, the pre-race favorite, won the 400m hurdles in 47.78 seconds, followed by Estonia's Rasmus Magi, who finished second in 47.95 seconds. James-King's podium finish against such a competitive field highlighted his potential for further success on the international stage.
The Paris Diamond League meeting was packed with thrilling performances, including a world record in the women's high jump and a world-leading time in a sensational 800m race. Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati topped the 800m with a lifetime best, world lead, and national record of 1:41.56. He narrowly edged out Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who ran a lifetime best of 1:41.58, and Frenchman Gabriel Tual, who set a national record and lifetime best of 1:41.61. The depth of competition was evident, with the next three runners all finishing under 1:43 and achieving personal bests.
One of the highlights of the meet came in the women’s high jump, where Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh broke Stefka Kostadinova’s long-standing world record of 2.09m, set in 1987. Mahuchikh, facing strong competition from world indoor champion Nicola Olyaslagers, who had matched her at 2.01m, went on to clear 2.03m and then 2.07m before soaring to a new world record of 2.10m, surpassing her own meet record and world lead of 2.04m.
Serbia Angelina Topic set a new national record of 1.98 for third.
Notably, Jamaica’s Lamara Distin was fourth with 1.95.
The other came in the 1500m where Faith Kipyegon broke her own the 1500m world record running an incredible 3:49.04 eclipsing her previous mark of 3:49.11 set last year. She dragged the field to outstanding performances with Australia’s Jessica Hull benefitting the most with a new lifetime best of 3:50.83, an Area Record. Laura Muir of Great Britain was third in a new personal best and national record of 3:53.79.
The next five runners all ran personal best times as the meet came to its conclusion.
As the penultimate Diamond League meet before the Olympics, the performances in Paris have set the stage for an exciting and highly competitive Games.
Lewis Hamilton ended his three-year wait for a Formula One victory after claiming a record-extending ninth British Grand Prix triumph on Sunday.
The seven-time world champion rolled back the years as he fended off a late challenge from Max Verstappen to emerge victorious.
Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate George Russell started on pole before Lando Norris snatched the lead, but pitstops proved pivotal in challenging conditions at Silverstone.
Russell's hopes of claiming back-to-back victories were dashed when a water system issue forced him to retire on lap 34.
Verstappen, who had struggled for pace through much of a race that was hit by two separate periods of rain, came on strong in the closing stages but it proved too little, too late for the defending world champion.
It marked Hamilton's 104th victory of his glittering career, and his first triumph since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix back in December 2021, ending a 945-day period without success.
Norris continued his pursuit of Verstappen in the driver's championship as he claimed the final podium place, with his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri in fourth.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz finished in fifth as Nico Hulkenburg impressed again for Haas, finishing a place behind.
Data Debrief: Hamilton silver patch at Silverstone continued
Hamilton achieved a remarkable feat with this victory, surpassing his own eight-win record in Hungary and Michael Schumacher (also eight) in France for the most victories at a single event in F1 history.
Mercedes' improvements have been impressive in recent weeks, and the team have now won back-to-back races for the first time since 2021 between Sao Paulo and Saudi Arabia (all three won by Hamilton).
Both Russell and Norris will have to wait another year to become the 36th driver to win a home Grand Prix, however, as Hamilton's silver patch at Silverstone continued.
Though not successful for Verstappen, the championship leader still overtook Alain Prost and Fernando Alonso (both 106) for the fourth-most podium individual finishes in F1 history.
Top 10
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
3. Lando Norris (McLaren)
4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
6. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
7. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
9. Alex Albon (Williams)
10. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 255 points
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 171
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 150
Constructors
1. Red Bull – 373
2. Ferrari – 302
3. McLaren – 295
Jasmine Paolini advanced to her first Wimbledon quarter-final after an entertaining clash with Madison Keys was cut short when the 12th seed retired injured on Sunday.
French Open finalist Paolini progressed to the last eight with a 6-3 6-7 (6-7) 5-5 victory, though the Italian was on the brink of an exit before that.
The seventh seed trailed 5-2 in the deciding set before dragging back into the contest by winning two games, with Keys then calling for the physio and a medical time-out due to a thigh issue.
American Keys was visibly distraught after leaving the court for treatment, returning to concede another game and struggling to serve before retiring with the game finely poised.
Paolini will now face either Emma Navarro or Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals at SW19.
Data Debrief: Paolini's Italian pride
Paolini became the first Italian in the Open Era to reach the women's singles quarter-final at Wimbledon and Roland-Garros in the same season, having fallen in the French Open final to Iga Swiatek.
Having never won a match at Wimbledon before this year, Paolini has now won four straight, though this triumph came in unwanted circumstances.
Keys is only the second player in the Open Era to retire in the third set of a women's singles round-of-16 clash at a major, after Julie Heldman progressed past Billie Jean King via retirement at the US Open in 1973.
Abhishek Sharma hammered India's joint third-fastest T20I century as the tourists smashed Zimbabwe with a 100-run victory, levelling the five-match series at 1-1.
India's opening batter fell for a duck in his first T20I international as Zimbabwe triumphed on Saturday, but Abhishek responded with a remarkable 46-ball century a day later at Harare.
Though touring captain Shubmann Gill was dismissed for only two, Abhishek set the tone before reaching three figures with three consecutive sixes.
Ruturaj Gaikwad added an unbeaten 77 from just 47 deliveries, while Rinku Singh finished not out with 48 as India posted an imposing 234-2 – the highest score conceded by Zimbabwe in this format.
Wessly Madhevere offered brief Zimbabwe hope with 43, alongside Brian Bennett's nine-ball 26, yet the hosts never looked like chasing a hefty target after losing wickets at regular intervals.
Avesh Khan led the India bowlers with 3-15, cutting through the Zimbabwe batting line-up with help from Mukesh Kumar (3-37) and Ravi Bishnoi (2-11).
Zimbabwe will hope to respond against the T20 World Cup champions when the two sides meet again on Wednesday at the same venue.
Data Debrief: Abhishek seizes opportunity
Only Rohit Sharma's 35-ball century in 2017 and Suryakumar Yadav's 45-ball ton in 2023, both against Sri Lanka, can better Abhishek's blitz in this game as quicker tons for India.
KL Rahul also had a 46-ball hundred against the West Indies in 2016, though this showing of ridiculous hitting proved a rapid rise on the international stage for India's new white-ball opener.
Abhishek scored 65 runs against the Zimbabwe spinners, the most for India in a men's T20I, off 28 balls at a strike rate of 232.14 with six sixes and four fours.
World Champion Marileidy Paulino has outlined her objectives for the upcoming Diamond League meeting in Paris, where she aims to achieve another 48-second time in the 400m. As one of the premier athletes in her event, Paulino is eager to demonstrate her exceptional form on Sunday.
"It is always a pleasure to come to Paris; France is one of the countries that I cherish the most," Paulino expressed with enthusiasm during the pre-meet press conference on Saturday.
Her fondness for the French capital and its supportive atmosphere fuels her motivation to perform at her best. "My main ambition is to do the best possible time and to have an optimal race execution. For me, a time of 48'' would be ideal; that's what I prepare for in each competition."
Paulino’s preparation for the Diamond League meeting has been thorough and meticulous. "I feel very well prepared. I worked all the muscles in my body, and I hope to win the gold medal in a month," she said. Her sights firmly set on the Olympic title, a victory that would be monumental for both her and her country. "The Olympic title would be a great achievement, not only for myself but for all the Dominican people. The last gold medal for our country was won by Félix Sanchez in London in 2012, in the 400m hurdles."
Mental fortitude plays a crucial role in Paulino’s training and performance. "Mentally, I feel extremely good, thanks to God and reading the Bible. That is where I get my motivation, and it is thanks to Him that I have achieved everything I have already accomplished. I am very proud of my faith and my relationship with God, which are very important to me," she shared, highlighting the importance of her spiritual beliefs in her athletic journey.
As the Olympic Games approach, Paulino is focused on maintaining her composure. "I am very happy to be in Paris as the Olympic Games approach, but I must remain calm and serene so as not to let myself be overcome by emotion and the stakes. It is a mental work to be done to arrive as fresh as possible in three weeks at the Stade de France," she explained.
Thomas Christiansen believes Panama's exit from the Copa America will prove to be a "learning experience" for his players following their defeat to Colombia.
Panama had no answers to a James Rodriguez-inspired performance, bowing out of the competition after a 5-0 defeat to Los Cafeteros in Arizona.
Christiansen's side reached the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time in their history, having fallen in the group stages in 2016.
Panama finished second in Group C in this year's edition behind Uruguay, while also knocking out hosts United States out in the process.
Los Canaleros knew the enormity of the task ahead of them and have now failed to beat Colombia in their 15 fixtures against them (drawn four, lost 11).
However, head coach Christiansen was proud of his team's efforts and knows his players will return stronger from the defeat.
"I am very proud of my players, of what they have achieved in this Copa America," Christiansen said.
"Of course, no one likes losing and much the less 5-0, but we have to commend the players for this Copa America.
"It did not end as we wished, but this is also a learning experience."
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