Declan Rice’s ambition to play “at the very highest level” was behind his “tough” decision to leave West Ham.

The 24-year-old’s departure from the club he joined a decade ago in a club-record £105million deal – making him the most expensive English player in history – was confirmed by the Hammers ahead of his imminent move to Arsenal.

Rice’s last act as a West Ham player was to become only the third captain in their history, behind Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds, to lift a major trophy after last month’s Europa Conference League victory over Fiorentina.

But the England international wants to play in the Champions League and that is something Arsenal can offer.

In a letter to fans, Rice said his goodbyes after “an absolute whirlwind of emotion” over the last few weeks.

“I want you to know how tough a decision it has been for me to leave an environment that I have loved and cherished so much,” he said.

“This club and its supporters will always be in my heart, and forever a part of who I am.

“Ultimately, though, it has only ever been about my ambition to play at the very highest level of the game.

“Playing on the opposite team to West Ham for the first time will be an unusual experience.

“I’m not sure yet exactly how I will feel, but I also know you will all understand and respect that my professional loyalties have to now lie with my new club.”

Joint-chairman David Sullivan revealed last month the club had a gentleman’s agreement with Rice to allow him to leave this summer after the player turned down the offer of a highly-lucrative new contract.

“I am sorry to see Declan leave us but I believe that everyone at West Ham United should be very proud of the part we have played in his journey from the Academy of Football at Chadwell Heath to becoming the most valuable young player in English football,” he said in a statement.

“I would like to make it clear to our supporters that we did not want to sell Declan. We wanted to build our team around him and made a series of improved, long-term contract offers to secure his future.

“However, once Declan made it clear that he wished to move on and seek a new challenge, the club felt it would not be right to stand in his way, acting in the best interests of West Ham United.”

Rice made 245 appearances for the club, his last helping secure a first trophy since 1980, and manager David Moyes was understandably sad to see him leave.

“I’d like to personally thank Declan for everything he has done during his time at West Ham United,” he said.

“Obviously it is sad when we say goodbye to someone who has been with us for so long but we must now look forward.

“As history shows, no player is ever bigger than the club.

“Our entire focus now is on building upon the success we enjoyed last season, adding to our talented Europa Conference League title-winning squad as we enter our third consecutive season in Europe, and continuing to develop the best young talent through our successful academy.”

England defender Alex Greenwood says the Lionesses are keeping their egos firmly in check as they begin their quest for a maiden World Cup title in a week’s time.

Greenwood’s first experience of the global showpiece was in 2015, when the Lionesses achieved a team-best third-place finish in Canada, and alongside Lucy Bronze is one of just two players on manager Sarina Wiegman’s current roster to have featured in three consecutive World Cups.

Perhaps more than any previous edition, the Lionesses enter this tournament firmly among the favourites to go all the way and unseat two-time defending champions the United States after winning the Euro 2022 final to lift their first major trophy.

Asked how she would rate the sense of belief in the England camp, Greenwood said: “We’re European champions for a reason. High but very humble as well, and we’re a team that’s hard-working and a team I think that’s focused on the job in hand, but I think right now the focus is on the first game and not past that.”

The Lionesses, fourth in the FIFA world rankings, will first take on Haiti – 49 places below them – in Brisbane before travelling to Sydney to face 13th-placed Denmark and conclude the group stage in Adelaide against China, who are 14th.

For the first time the competition has expanded to 32 teams, with the top two from each group progressing to the knockouts. The prize pot has also increased to 110 million US dollars (£84.7million), more than three times what was on offer at the 2019 World Cup in France though still paling in comparison to the 440 million US dollars (£337m) distributed after the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar.

That progress is what makes this third trip particularly special for 29-year-old tournament veteran Greenwood, who has played her club football with Manchester City since 2020.

Speaking after a team training session at Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Stadium, she said: “It’s the biggest Women’s World Cup we’ve had in history. It speaks for itself and I think the capability of teams in this tournament is huge.

“The excitement for the tournament, what women’s football’s done and where we’re at now makes it a more attractive tournament if you want to say. But yeah, I think year-on-year and tournament-on-tournament the game’s growing and this one speaks for itself.”

The Lionesses left England on July 5 and have been staying on the Sunshine Coast, where they’ve spotted kangaroos roaming the hotel grounds and have been able to enjoy local highlights from whale-watching to observing animals at the zoo.

On Monday England will transfer to their team hotel in Brisbane ahead of their Haiti encounter.

Keeping busy has helped alleviate some of the hardship of the long distance from loved ones and missing the comforts of home, a situation Greenwood mitigates by looking at the bigger picture.

She added: “I think the dream and what we want to achieve remains consistent in my mind. So that makes obviously the sacrifice and being halfway around the world from your family a lot easier, but obviously I feel very blessed and lucky to be in this position.

“So I grab the opportunity with both hands and want to make everyone proud really.”

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. 

Republic of Ireland defender Niamh Fahey suspects no dress rehearsal, no matter how big the audience, could truly prepare her side for their World Cup debut.

That milestone moment is inching ever closer for the Girls in Green, whose first tilt at a global title begins Thursday against tournament co-hosts Australia on a double-billed opening day of the tournament kicking off with New Zealand taking on Norway in Auckland.

The Republic’s meeting with the Matildas proved so popular that as early as January it was moved to the competition’s largest venue, the 80,000-plus capacity Stadium Australia in Sydney.

“I don’t think you can realistically replicate that scenario, even if you wanted to try,” said Fahey, speaking at an open training session at Brisbane’s Meakin Park.

“You ready yourself like any other game and you try and not think about the outside. As cliche as that sounds, it’s 11 v 11 on the pitch and you focus on the game and yeah there’s noise, but to be honest, even in games where there’s been 40,000, 50,000, once the game is on you don’t really hear that crowd, that noise.

“It’s only the anticipation those first couple of minutes and once those five minutes, or once you’ve settled into the game I think it just becomes a formality in terms of how the game is going to pan out.

“I think if you can get through those first couple of minutes it makes all the difference, you don’t really hear it. Well, I don’t hear it anyway, so I can’t speak for everybody.”

The Republic only managed to get through about 20 minutes of their meeting with Colombia in an aborted behind-closed-doors friendly on Friday that sounded anything but amiable, with key midfielder Denise O’Sullivan rushed to hospital with an suspected shin injury.

An update on the team’s official Twitter account on Saturday morning provided an encouraging about the North Carolina Courage captain, reading: “Positive news for Denise O’Sullivan X-Ray and CT Scan show no fracture Denise will work with WNT Medical Staff on a return to play procedure.”

The PA news agency understands the decision was made to stop the match following some rough challenges in Friday’s contest.

A statement from the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) read: “The behind-closed-doors game between the Ireland women’s national team and Colombia on Friday evening was ended after 20 minutes of play.

“The game, which was held in Meakin Park, Brisbane, became overly physical and it was decided, following consultation with the match officials, to end the game.”

The Colombian Football Federation released a statement of its own which said that, while the training of its teams was “framed within the rules of the game, healthy competition and fair play”, it respected the Republic’s decision.

Republic manager Vera Pauw used the remainder of the time initially allocated for the friendly to instead run a full training session in preparation for the fast-approaching tournament opener, now her side’s next scheduled match.

Liverpool skipper Fahey has played in some massive venues before, winning the FA Cup with Chelsea at Wembley in 2015 before relinquishing the trophy to Arsenal in the finale the following year.

The 35-year-old Galway native, who watched the 2019 tournament from the stands in France, says her side are more than ready for their close-up.

She added: “We know that it’s going to be a challenge, but this is what we worked our whole careers for, to be on the biggest stage and for it to be sold out, switch to another stadium.

“Everyone was delighted with that. No one was like, ‘Oh god’, there was never any sense of trepidation, anything like that. Obviously it’s a massive occasion, there will be nerves, it’s natural.

“But that’s what you want. As an elite sports person you want the biggest stage. Everyone on this team wants to be on that pitch, wants to be on that platform, so you have to be ready to embrace it. That’s it.”

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

Feed The Flame ran out a stylish last-to-first winner of the Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp, denying Adelaide River and Soul Sister in a thrilling finish.

Dropped right out by Cristian Demuro, the Pascal Bary-trained Kingman colt had last been seen finishing fourth to Ace Impact in the Prix du Jockey Club over an extended 10 furlongs and was supplemented for this mile-and-a-half feature.

Racing more in mid-division were Aidan O’Brien’s Adelaide River – runner-up to Auguste Rodin in the Irish Derby – and John and Thady Gosden’s Oaks heroine Soul Sister.

When Ryan Moore elected to make his move on Adelaide River it looked like Kieran Shoemark had him covered on Soul Sister, but as the pair locked in battle Feed The Flame was produced to perfection by Demuro to run them both down.

A length was the winning margin from Adelaide River, with Soul Sister just behind in third.

Novak Djokovic is looking forward to a “feast” of a Wimbledon final against Carlos Alcaraz after overcoming spats with the umpire and the crowd in a straight-sets victory over Jannik Sinner.

The end of the fortnight will see the contest that was widely predicted at the start, with the world’s two best players fighting it out for the trophy.

Djokovic is making history with virtually every victory and a 6-3 6-4 7-6 (4) win against Sinner in his record-equalling 46th grand slam semi-final earned him a record-breaking 35th final, taking him past American great Chris Evert.


Alcaraz, who blitzed third seed Daniil Medvedev, is the only man who can now prevent Djokovic matching Roger Federer by winning an eighth Wimbledon title and Margaret Court with a 24th grand slam crown.

 

A month ago at the French Open, Djokovic and Alcaraz clashed in a semi-final that hit the heights for two split sets before the young Spaniard was struck down by cramp.

“Judging by the performances that we have seen from all the players, I think this is probably the best final that we could have,” said Djokovic. “We are both in good form. We’re both playing well.

“I want to take this title without a doubt. I look forward to it. It’s going to be a great challenge, the greatest challenge that I could have at the moment from any angle really: physical, mental, emotional.

“He’s one of the quickest guys on the tour. He can do pretty much anything on the court. I consider myself also a very complete player.

“We had a very good match until he started struggling physically in Paris. I think we really took the level of tennis very high. I think it was great for the audience and great for us players to be part of that.

“Obviously completely different conditions here. I do have more experience playing in many more grand slam or Wimbledon finals than him. Still, he’s in great shape. He’s very motivated. He’s young. He’s hungry. I’m hungry, too, so let’s have a feast.”

While on paper it appeared a comfortable win for Djokovic against Sinner, there were moments of real tension, particularly when he saved two set points at 4-5 in the third set and before that in the fourth game of the second, when he was penalised for a hindrance by British umpire Richard Haigh.

At 15-15, Djokovic suddenly let out a loud and late grunt after hitting a backhand down the line that he probably expected to be a winner only for Sinner to reach it.

It is unusual for a grunt to elicit a hindrance ruling and Djokovic reacted with disbelief, saying to Haigh: “You must be joking. Calling that in the semi-final of Wimbledon? What are you doing?”

To compound the situation, Haigh then gave Djokovic a time violation in the same game for taking too long on his serve.

“I have to accept the decision from a chair umpire,” said the 36-year-old later. “I’ve never had a hindrance call for an extended grunt. I saw the replay. I saw that my grunt finished before he hit the shot. So I thought that chair umpire’s call was not correct.

“I was just trying to hold my things mentally together and not really get upset, even though I was really upset because I didn’t think it was the right call.”

The crowd were willing Sinner to make a contest of it and sensed the moment had come when the 21-year-old Italian created two set points in the third.

Djokovic clapped sarcastically and gave a thumbs up when noise delayed his second serve, with a man shouting ‘Vamos Rafa’, and was then booed for taunting the crowd when Sinner missed both chances.

When Djokovic held serve, he turned to the fans closest to him and mimed crying.

It is far from the first time the second seed has expressed annoyance with crowds cheering against him but, asked about it in his press conference, he said only with a smile: “It’s all love. All love and acceptance.”

Sinner and Djokovic had met in the quarter-finals here last year, when the Italian opened up a two-set lead only for his opponent to win in five.

Sinner certainly had his chances in this one but was unable to take any of the six break points he created, while 20 unforced errors on his powerful forehand, often at important moments, rather told the story.

Djokovic took his only chance in the first set and it was not until Sinner fought back from 0-40 to hold serve in the third game of the third set that he was really able to apply any consistent pressure.

He made errors on both of his set points, though, and then squandered a 3-1 lead in the tie-break with a double fault and more mistakes – Djokovic’s winning tie-break streak at grand slams now stands at 15.

Sinner was left to rue his missed chances, saying: “Regardless of the score, I felt like I was more close this year than last year.

“I’m trying to play in these situations more often. I felt like I was ready. I went with the right mentality on the court. I had a belief to win this match. I felt like my level was good. It was just, especially in the pressure points, I messed it up a little bit.”

Having harboured ambitions to expand squash in Bermuda, Head coach Micah Franklin, believes fielding their largest team to the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships is the first step to achieving that objective.

Franklin and his 17-member team, comprising nine boys and eight girls, are currently in the St Vincent and the Grenadines for the one-week tournament which gets under way on Saturday.

While his team will have defending champions Guyana and last year’s runners-up Barbados among others to contend with, Franklin, a former player, who was Bermuda’s flagbearer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, is excited about the prospects, particularly where the players’ development and progress is concerned.

“This is indeed the largest team we’ve ever been able to send to this year’s tournament and all our players are between the ages 9-18. Historically, Bermuda has always been able to send a team to the competition, however, very seldom do we have the luxury of sending enough to bring reserves,” Franklin told Sportsmax.tv.

“The team event portion of the competition requires five boys and five girls, so we are thrilled with the options this gives us. The biggest driver for this larger team is the fact that we gave our juniors goals and achievements to reach, which gives them a reason to train at squash on a regular basis and the Junior Casa this year was their motivation,” he added.

What lies ahead where medal-contention is concerned for Bermuda’s team, is left to be seen, but the Franklin is cautiously optimistic.

“Like everything, it is up in the air, but the team is incredibly excited for CASA this year. Every player has separate aspirations, but for me as the coach, I would love to see us leave with some medals. Anything on the podium will be a fabulous achievement,” he noted.

According to Franklin, there have been some improvements where corporate and government support of squash stands, but he would like to see much more done to continue their sport’s growth in the British Overseas Territory.

“Recently we have been incredibly fortunate to have received support from our government and corporate sponsors and Bermuda Squash is really grateful to Hiscox Re. ILS and the Bermuda Department of Youth Sport & Recreation for their support in Junior Squash development,” he said.

“The growth of squash in Bermuda is most likely similar to the growth of the world of squash. The sport does still suffer from not being an Olympic sport, and also inclusion. So, we are working on inclusion regularly to ensure every player gets a chance to play no matter the background,” Franklin shared.

On that note, he declared an unwavering desire to steer Bermuda Squash onto a new path, starting with this historic achievement at CASA which he believes serves as a springboard for their charge going forward.

“The overall goal and ambition for Bermuda Squash is to achieve full inclusion from all ages, races and genders. We want to prioritize squash first and let everything else fall into place,” Franklin ended.

Rory McIlroy vowed to handle whatever the weather could throw at him after claiming a narrow lead at the halfway stage of the £7million Genesis Scottish Open.

McIlroy added a second round of 66 to his opening 64 at the Renaissance Club to reach 10 under par, a shot ahead of Ryder Cup team-mate Tyrrell Hatton and South Korea’s Tom Kim.

It is the fifth time in his PGA Tour career – the event is co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour – that McIlroy has started a tournament with two scores of 66 or better.

The world number three has a runners-up finish and three wins from those previous four occasions, the most recent being his 2014 Open triumph at Royal Liverpool, venue for the final major of the year next week.

“I hit the ball really well tee to green, gave myself a ton of looks (at birdie),” McIlroy said. “Honestly it felt like four under was probably the worst I could have shot out there.

“But you know, it’s swings in roundabouts. I holed a couple of long ones on Thursday to shoot a good score and then missed a couple today, but overall really pleased with how the last two days have went.”

Saturday’s tee times have been brought forward by several hours due to the forecast for afternoon thunderstorms, with winds gusting up to 40mph predicted for Sunday.

“I don’t really have any expectations,” McIlroy added. “It would be silly of me to try to pick a potential target score to get to.

“So really just embrace the conditions and just sort of make the best of them.

“I know that I’m playing well enough tee to green to give myself some looks and hang in there, so I’m pretty confident going into the next two days, no matter what the weather throws at us.

“I keep saying that yes, we are all looking forward to next week, but I want to go and win this tournament over the weekend.”

Hatton had earlier surged into contention for a first victory in two-and-a-half years with a “stressful” second round of 62.

Asked if his round was as easy as he made it look, Hatton said: “No, it was stressful at times, as most of my rounds are.

“But very happy with the chances I gave myself. I feel I hit a lot of good iron shots today, especially compared to Thursday. Very happy with how that was and nice to see some putts drop, too.

“I had three weeks off after the US Open and you probably saw a little bit on Thursday, I was fatting a few shots.

“I was hitting balls off mats last week and, even though I got here Monday night, I still had not managed to get the ball first. We managed to do that today and hopefully that continues this weekend.”

World number one Scottie Scheffler and three-time major winner Padraig Harrington lie three shots off the lead after rounds of 65 and 66 respectively, Harrington overcoming wet and windy conditions in the first group out at 7.15am.

“I hit a great drive off my first hole of the day, 80 yards short of where I hit it yesterday,” the 51-year-old said.

“The marshals were a full 50 yards away from where they should have been for the first three, four holes because they had no idea how short the ball was going.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever been out first and I was hoping that I might turn up and get a break with the weather, but we kind of got the opposite.

“Then it lightened up obviously after six or seven holes. The ball started going a bit and it got a little easier then.”

Harrington has not won on the DP World Tour since 2016, but has won five times on the Champions Tour in the last 13 months, including successfully defending his title in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open last month.

“I feel I can challenge anybody on a links golf course without a doubt,” Harrington said. “From years of playing, it comes natural to me.

“And I don’t have a problem coming back and playing with the young guys on any golf course, but obviously links makes it a little easier for me.”

Carlos Alcaraz set up a Wimbledon final for the ages after dismantling Daniil Medvedev on Centre Court.

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.

Alcaraz, the world number one and top seed, will face Novak Djokovic, the seven-time champion who is 16 years his senior, in Sunday’s mouthwatering showpiece.

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 changing of the tennis guard could finally be on the cards if the man from Murcia plays with this ferocity against Djokovic.

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 beat Alcaraz in the second round in SW19 two years ago, in what was only the then teenager’s second match on grass.

But the 27-year-old knew he was facing a very different opponent this year. Alcaraz, after all, is the current US Open champion and won on the turf at Queen’s last month.

Medvedev clearly had a gameplan and stood so far behind the baseline to receive the Alcaraz serve that he was virtually on Court One.

It was a tactic which Alcaraz exploited, serving and volleying to great effect as well as throwing in his usual dose of drop shots, including three winners in one service hold.

Alcaraz grabbed the solitary break in the first set, hitting a vicious return to the feet of Medvedev, who could only float his reply long.

At 1-1 in the second, a stunning reaction volley at the net brought up another break point for the youngster, converted with almost audacious ease, and another break put him two sets up with a little over an hour on the Rolex.

Medvedev twice retrieved breaks in the third but it was only delaying the inevitable, with Alcaraz sealing the deal with another brutal forehand before raising his arms in celebration.

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