Daria Kasatkina branded the war in Ukraine “s***” following her first match in Britain for two years and revealed she is “very worried” about loved ones back home in Russia.
World number 11 Kasatkina, who was banned from competing in the UK last year due to the ongoing conflict, overcame Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina 6-3 6-1 in a politically-tense first-round match at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne.
The 26-year-old has been following the news on a daily basis since the outbreak of war and feared friends living in the Russian city of Voronezh could be caught up in the recent rebellion by the Wagner mercenary group.
Kasatkina, who is now based in Dubai, acknowledges Ukrainians are in a “way worse situation” and concedes she cannot see an imminent end to the fighting.
“My family, my parents are still in Russia,” she said. “As you can see, the last few days it’s been a big mess also there.
“I’m worried for my friends, because my best friends they actually live in Voronezh, where the guy with the private army (Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of Wagner) entered.
“I was pretty worried about that because they were very scared.
“Obviously Ukrainians, they are experiencing a way worse situation but also I can feel the same. I’m very worried for the people I love.
“It’s been a tough year, and we don’t know how long it’s going to be. Honestly, so far I don’t see the end.
“(It) feels s***, honestly. I’m not gonna hide it. It’s tough to face the circumstances for such a long time already. I’m just trying to be a good human in this scenario. That’s all I can do.”
Kasatkina was booed off court earlier this month following her defeat by Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina at the French Open.
Knowing Ukrainian players’ stance of not shaking hands with Russian or Belarusian opponents at the end of matches, she gave Svitolina a thumbs up, which was reciprocated, before walking to her chair.
There was little reaction from the East Sussex crowd on Monday afternoon as Kalinina followed the stance of her compatriots before swiftly departing Centre Court.
Kasatkina, who respects the reasoning for the post-match snub, admits playing tennis is providing her only escape from the war.
“When I’m on the court, I’m not thinking about it,” she said.
“I am in the different state of mind, which actually helps me to turn off from all this.
“Since the beginning of the war, I was actually following everything every day. It’s a lot.
“I was overwhelmed in some moments, and I’m just trying to turn off my head at least on the tennis court. It helps me a lot.
“I’m really glad to be back and to have this opportunity to play the tournaments, Wimbledon included.”
Asadna, who disappointed when well supported for last week’s Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, has been switched to the care of Alice Haynes.
Previously trained by George Boughey, Asadna made quite a splash when winning by 12 lengths in a Ripon novice heat in May but could not follow that up when only ninth in the Coventry, beaten six lengths by River Tiber.
Owner Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah has subsequently decided to send the Mehmas colt to Haynes, who enjoyed notable juvenile success with Lady Hollywood last term and has sent out 26 winners so far in 2023.
She said: “I’m very fortunate, it’s lovely to be sent a horse who looks to have so much potential.
“It’s great to get the call up. Obviously it’s not too nice for George and trainers do like to stick together, but he was going to another yard and it’s great for the team that he is joining us.
“It’s a bit too early to say what we might do, we’ll just let him settle in at the yard and see from there.”
Haynes also confirmed the transfer of Danger Alert from Boughey’s yard, with the three-year-old having been withdrawn from the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes on veterinary advice at Ascot on Friday.
The three-times winner may not be in Haynes’ care too long though as he is entered at Tattersalls sales next month.
She added: “We also have Danger Alert who is entered in the July sale but will run before.”
Hibernian have signed Polish goalkeeper Max Boruc following a successful trial.
Hibs have paid an undisclosed fee to sign the player from Slask Wroclaw on a two-year contract.
The 20-year-old is the nephew of former Celtic and Poland goalkeeper Artur Boruc. He began his career with Swedish side Husqvarna FF before spells with Stoke and West Brom and then a move back to Poland.
Manager Lee Johnson said: “We had the pleasure of having Max on trial last season and we could see that he has a lot of potential.
“We really liked him as a character and look forward to helping develop different attributes in his game.”
Meanwhile, Hibs have revealed that Martin Boyle is closing in on a return to full training.
The Australia winger has been out since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in October last year and came through a “thorough testing programme” last week.
Johnson said: “We’re pulling the reins on him at the moment, but he’s champing at the bit to get going in full training.
“With an injury like that, every week or couple of weeks reduces the percentile of a reoccurrence of the injury. So given the stage of the season, we feel we can build him up.
“It would be fantastic if we could see him fully fit, without protection for the start of the season. Potentially a couple of weeks before.”
Liam Polworth declared he had unfinished business at Kilmarnock after signing a new one-year deal.
The 28-year-old former Inverness and Motherwell player has made 54 appearances in two seasons at Rugby Park but was loaned to Dunfermline before Killie won the Championship title and spent two months out injured in the latter stages of last season.
Polworth told the club’s website: “There are positives I can take from last season personally, but I still feel that I can offer much more.
“We know that expectations will be raised again this year, so I was desperate to come back and fight for the club at an exciting time.
“The management team and fans have been brilliant with me since the day I joined, and you never want to leave a club feeling like you have unfinished business.
“Returning to Kilmarnock and repaying them for the support was always my main ambition for the summer.”
Ross County have secured the return of left-back Josh Reid on a three-year contract.
Reid left County for Coventry in January 2021 after playing 24 times for the Dingwall side’s first team.
But the 21-year-old only made two appearances in England, one for the Sky Blues in the League Cup and one on loan with Stevenage.
Manager Malky Mackay told County’s website: “I am delighted to see Josh return to the club, he knows the club and area very well and is a player who has had recent international experience with the Scotland Under-21s.”
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from June 26.
FootballTributes were paid to Craig Brown.
Man City bid farewell to a club great.
West Ham and Man City remembered a former favourite.
Jamie Carragher’s Glastonbury weekend came to a close.
CricketBen Duckett found a way to stand out from the crowd at 5ft 7in.
England’s women took pride in their performance despite an Ashes Test loss.
TennisNovak Djokovic prepared for Wimbledon.
Stefanos Tsitsipas was being philosophical.
Jannik Sinner made a Wimbledon vow.
UFCConor McGregor made a bold claim.
Connections of Inspiral could opt to bypass both the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in favour of a return to Deauville for the Prix Jacques le Marois.
Last season, the John and Thady Gosden-trained filly remained unbeaten in five runs when taking a second Group One victory in the Coronation Stakes, before being defeated for the first time in the Falmouth by Prosperous Voyage.
The daughter of Frankel bounced back to land the Group One Prix Jacques le Marois before she was beaten for just a second time in the Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot in October.
Last week she returned from a 248-day absence and went down a neck by Triple Time in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.
Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud, was more than satisfied with her Ascot run.
“We were thrilled,” said Richardson. “Although we were disappointed not to win. We were hopeful as we knew Inspiral was in great shape and was the one they had to beat, and unfortunately there was one that did.
“But she’s a talented filly and I felt (it was) a great run for her first time out.
“We put her in the Falmouth, but I’m not sure we’ll go. We went there last year and regretted it.
“So, I suspect we’ll probably go Prix Jacques le Marois again – I don’t know, we’ll see how she is, see what she’s telling us.
“I wouldn’t entirely rule out the Sussex, but John Gosden feels a flat track probably suits her better.”
The iconic red, white and blue Cheveley Park colours filled the runner-up spot again when Khaadem swooped late to deny Sacred the spoils in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
“Sacred being beaten a neck was frustrating,” said Richardson. “She ran a blinder and she ran her best race there last year and was beaten a length (in the same race).
“It was just frustrating that we came to win the race and Jamie Spencer produced one of his specialties from behind which denied us the triumph, but there we are.
“She’s really thrived from four to five and we’re really pleased with what she’s done.”
The William Haggas-trained daughter of Exceed And Excel may have to use her passport for the first time, as a trip to France may be in the offing.
“The Prix Maurice de Gheest in Deauville will be a serious consideration at this point. I think that’s her ideal trip, six and a half (furlongs),” Richardson added.
“She has got all the entries, because obviously she is desperate to go when the ground is the best for her, which is obviously quick ground as we saw last week.
“The Falmouth for both those fillies was really just in case something went wrong and we couldn’t run last week, and we had that up our sleeve.”
Little went right in running for Twilight Calls, who did well to finish fourth to Bradsell in the King’s Stand.
The Henry Candy-trained five-year-old gelding was squeezed for room at the start of the five-furlong dash and failed to get a clear run when Ryan Moore attempted to make his move approaching a furlong out.
Richardson said: “Twilight Calls just got checked at the wrong moment. Ryan was very apologetic. It was not his fault, it was just the way the race unravelled. He said he would have gone very close.
“All being well, he came out of the race fine, and we’ll probably go to Goodwood and then target York.
“I think the Nunthorpe will be his main target, depending on how it’s going.”
He added: “Having run in three Group Ones to be as close as they were was exciting, but a little frustrating from my perspective.”
Ollie Pope is aiming for another big showing at Lord’s after admitting he fell short with the bat during England’s Ashes defeat at Edgbaston.
Pope contributed scores of 31 and 14 in the first Test, cut off lbw by Nathan Lyon in the first innings before losing his off stump to an inswinging yorker from Australia captain Pat Cummins in the second.
The latter was probably the best delivery of the match but failing to cash in on either visit left Pope eager to make up for lost time when the series resumes at Lord’s on Wednesday.
“It’s one game, you try not to look too much into who you are playing just because it’s an Ashes series, but I know that you can be remembered by Ashes series and playing amazing knocks,” he said.
“It does give you that extra bit of fire within yourself. Hopefully I can deliver that over the rest of the series. That first innings was a good time to bat. I got myself in, got to 30-odd, and didn’t play a great shot to be honest. Whenever you walk off for 30-odd on a good pitch you have left some out there. Second dig, I put it down to a nice ball, which I don’t normally do, but hopefully I can keep that out next time.”
One thing that he is unlikely to change is a willingness to get after Lyon. The off-spinner had a match to remember in Birmingham, taking eight wickets and helping his side over the line unexpectedly with the bat in the deciding session, but he was also expensive at times as England refused to let him settle.
“We obviously don’t want to lose eight wickets to him, I think we’re reasonably happy. I think we’re going to keep being really positive against him and try and take our strong options,” he said.
“Those eight wickets he got will make us think ‘Right, what was the best option for me?’ a little bit more. That’s the way we see it. He’s a highly-skilled bowler and knows how to bowl when people are coming at him as well, so it’s going to be a good game of cat and mouse I think.”
If Pope needs any additional motivation at Lord’s, he need only stop to glance at the ground’s famous honours board. Waiting for him there is a freshly-engraved entry with his name next to a career-best score of 205, after he dominated the Ireland attack earlier this month.
Australia’s attack represents a major step change from that which Ireland were able to put out, but there are positive recent memories for Pope to mine.
“It’s different (facing Australia), but I wouldn’t say chalk and cheese,” he said.
“You always have grounds you enjoy batting at, and if you know you’ve had success at a ground it does give you a bit of confidence going into it. That just helps your mindset, it doesn’t mean you are going to score runs but it doesn’t mean you won’t. It’s nice to know you’ve had success on a ground in the past.”
Chesham third Golden Mind is being primed for a step up in class, with the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting on Richard Fahey’s radar.
The North Yorkshire handler is looking to get on the scoresheet at the meeting after hitting the bar with regularity at Royal Ascot.
Golden Mind’s goal could be the seven-furlong Group Two contest won last year by Isaac Shelby, who went on to finish a short-neck runner-up in the French 2000 Guineas at ParisLongchamp.
The Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum-owned juvenile, a son of Classic winner Galileo Gold, won a Leicester maiden on his second outing before beaten three-quarters of a length by Snellen in the Chesham.
“Golden Mind is learning,” said Fahey. “He travelled a little bit better than he did last time, so he is learning with racing experience.
“He is the grandest horse – he’s horizontal now, the most laid-back character. I’m sure he will improve again. The Superlative or something like that would be in the thinking.
“It is too early in his career to say whether he’s a Classic horse next year, but he has plenty of potential still. I haven’t given up on him.”
With Malc runner-up in the Norfolk, Pretty Crystal a close-up fifth in the Albany and Midnight Affair just out of the money in the Queen Mary, it proved a frustrating Royal Ascot for the Malton handler.
“They ran respectable really,” Fahey said. “I was happy enough. No trainer is ever going to be happy not to get a win there. It didn’t happen, but onwards and upwards.”
Despite being an impressive winner on his Carlisle debut, Malc was sent off at the dismissive odds of 66-1 for his second start in the Norfolk, and found only Valiant Force too good.
Fahey said: “That was a good run. I was pleased with that. He will either go for the July Stakes and will probably get and entry in the Group One in France (Prix Morny at Deauville). He looks like a step up to six (furlongs) is where he wants to go.
“If one horse was disappointing, it was the one in the Coventry (Emperor’s Son). He maybe just bounced a bit from a harder race than he probably wanted when he won at Carlisle on his debut.”
Pretty Crystal, who tidily won a Ripon novice on her first start, was similarly an unconsidered 33-1 chance in the Group Three Albany, where she finished fifth to Porta Fortuna, beaten three and a half lengths.
“We were pleased with her in the Albany,” added the trainer. “She probably just wasn’t savvy enough for the race.
“I think I would have preferred to have been drawn a little bit lower, as it all happened away from her. She did hit the front this side and just pricked her ears a little bit.
“She’ll improve again. She’s a smart filly and I really like her. She’ll progress again. With that type of filly, I’d like to see how she is before making any concrete plans, but she is a sweet filly.”
Midnight Affair was the one that got away after missing the break in the five-furlong Queen Mary, eventually finishing over seven lengths behind Crimson Advocate.
Fahey added: “Midnight Affair half missed a beat and was in the stalls a long time. She just didn’t jump and run. I’m afraid at Ascot, if everything doesn’t slot in place, you don’t win.
“You can give weight, but you can’t give head-starts. She was playing catch-up and never caught them, so it was a bit frustrating. I am frustrated, as we have a bunch of nice horses.”
Katie Boulter insists she will not become distracted by off-court commitments after expressing her dream of becoming the world’s best in a high-profile article with Tatler magazine.
Boulter, who this month replaced Emma Raducanu as British number one, features on the front of the August edition of the lifestyle publication alongside compatriots Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper.
In the piece, the 26-year-old shared hopes of emulating 2021 US Open champion Raducanu by clinching a grand slam title, in addition to ambitions of one day rising to the top of the WTA rankings.
Despite feeling comfortable in the spotlight and enjoying the glamour of a photo shoot, Boulter, who on Tuesday faces world number 10 Barbora Krejcikova in the first round of Eastbourne, is adamant sport comes first.
“That was super-fun for me to do,” she said of the Tatler piece, which was done before the French Open. “I have never done anything like that before.
“We can always get lost in tennis and I spend my life in sweats and working my arse off and I think it’s sometimes nice to kind of completely switch off and do something totally different.
“(But) I would like to think that I am quite grounded with this stuff. No matter what I am going to do, I am going to be working hard, day in, day out.
The West Indies will enter the super sixes stage of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers with it all to do after they were stunned in a super over by the Netherlands on Monday.
Teams will take points earned from the group stage into the super sixes if you beat the other qualified teams from your group.
As a result of their losses to Zimbabwe and the Netherlands, the West Indians will enter the super sixes stage with no points while the Netherlands will enter with two and Zimbabwe with four.
The West Indies made a seemingly insurmountable 374-6 from their 50 overs after being put in to bat by the Dutch.
The innings was set up excellently with a 101-run opening stand between Brandon King and Johnson Charles.
Charles was first to go for 54 to bring Shamarh Brooks to the crease to join King. The pair put on a further 59 before Brooks fell for 25.
Captain, Shai Hope, was next to make his way out to the middle and just three runs later, King fell for a well made 81-ball 76 to bring Pooran to the crease.
Hope and Pooran, then, added a further 108 before Hope eventually fell for 47 in the 41st over.
Pooran, however, batted excellently, smashing the Dutch bowling all over the Takashinga Sports Club, eventually finishing 104 not out off 65 balls including nine fours and six sixes. Keemo Paul also played extremely well alongside Pooran, finishing unbeaten on 46 off 25 balls including four fours and two sixes.
Bas De Leede and Saqib Zulfiqar each took a pair of wickets for the Netherlands.
The Dutch, on the back of a magnificent 111 from Teja Nidamanuru, produced a spirited chase that saw them equal the West Indies score, and make their highest ODI score in the process, finishing 374-9 off their 50 overs.
It was a well-rounded batting effort as they got valuable contributions from Vikramjit Singh (37), Max O’Dowd (36), Wesley Barresi (27) and Bas De Leede (33) at the top of their innings.
It was then a crucial 143-run fifth-wicket partnership between Nidamanuru and Captain, Scott Edwards, that put the Netherlands on the cusp of victory.
Edwards eventually fell for a 47-ball 67 to leave the Netherlands 313-5 in the 45th over. Saqib Zulfiqar (3) and Nidamanuru (111) then fell in quick succession to leave the Netherlands 327-7 after 46 overs.
Logan Van Beek and Aryan Dutt then batted brilliantly to put on the further 47 needed to prolong the enthralling contest.
Eventually, they found themselves needing 9 from 6 and then one from one before, off the very last ball, Van Beek was dismissed by Alzarri Joseph for 28 off just 14 balls.
The resulting super over gave Van Beek an opportunity to continue the momentum he built during the chase and that is exactly what he did.
He hit a mammoth 30 runs off Jason Holder’s over including three fours and three sixes.
Van Beek was then tasked with bowling the super over to the West Indies pair of Johnson Charles and Shai Hope.
Charles hit the first ball for six before dragging the next ball into the leg side for a single, meaning Hope would need to hit four sixes in a row for victory. The next ball could only produce a single, pretty much ending all hope for the West Indies.
Eventually, the West Indies managed just eight in the super over to give the Netherlands an improbable victory.
Chaldean could renew rivalry with his Royal Ascot conqueror Paddington in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in August.
Last week’s St James’s Palace Stakes featured a mouthwatering clash between the two Classic winners, with 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean the marginal favourite over the Irish Guineas victor Paddington.
Frankie Dettori attempted to make all the running aboard Andrew Balding’s Juddmonte-owned colt, who had no answer when Aidan O’Brien’s charge quickened away from him in the straight.
There were almost four lengths between the pair at the line, but Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon would be happy to see a rematch under different circumstances.
He said: “He ran a great race, to be fair. The winner is obviously a very a good horse who is improving quickly and we were happy with our lad.
“We would have probably liked a lead. The early pace was pretty frenetic, I think Frankie just felt he couldn’t get a breather into him the whole way and it just cost him when he turned in.
“All told it was a nice run and we look forward to taking on the winner again some day.”
O’Brien nominated the Sussex Stakes as an option for Paddington in the immediate aftermath of his Ascot triumph and Mahon also views the Group One contest as the “obvious” next port of call for Chaldean.
“That looks the next obvious target. Let’s see how he bounces out of it, Andrew said to me the next day he was in good shape but I haven’t really touched base with him since,” Mahon added.
“He’s not in the Prix Jean Prat, but that could be an option if Andrew thought it was the right thing to do.
“He’s a top-class horse. I suppose it’s more disappointing when you’re beaten if you have an unbeaten record, but luckily we were beaten in our maiden and Frankie fell off him in the Greenham at Newbury!
“We know he’s still a nice horse to look forward to for the rest of the year.”
England teenager Rehan Ahmed has admitted being part of this week’s Ashes squad at Lord’s is beyond his wildest dreams.
Ahmed, 18, became the youngest male to play Test cricket for England in December when selected during the Pakistan series and marked his debut with a stunning five-wicket haul in Karachi.
The confidence of the Leicestershire all-rounder has been clear from the outset despite his tender age, but even he conceded his call-up to the group for the second Test on Friday was unexpected despite injury concerns over Moeen Ali.
“It means everything. I would never have dreamed this,” Ahmed told England’s official Twitter account.
“To be part of an Ashes squad at my age, at Lord’s as well, I never saw it coming so it is lovely to be a part of.
“I was actually with my brother when Baz (head coach Brendon McCullum) called me, but my mum and dad found out straight away, and a couple of my friends.
“Baz said I would be joining up with the squad for the next couple of games, well the next four games. Yeah, he was so chilled about it as well but I was on the phone a bit panicky but just happy.”
Ahmed joined the group on Sunday and had his first nets session at Lord’s a day later.
While Ahmed has never played at the home of cricket, he is familiar with the ground having bowled there to future captain Ben Stokes when he was 11 and impressed the late Shane Warne two years later with his leg-spin.
He added: “Lord’s is always a special ground.
“I’ve never played here before, I’ve not been on the main pitch either but (I have) good memories from when I was 13, 14 and I net bowled for England as well.”
Quizzed on his Ashes memories, Ahmed admitted the first time he fully watched five days of a Test against Australia was the thrilling opener at Edgbaston last week.
With Moeen able to bowl during Monday’s training session, Ahmed is not expected to feature at Lord’s but made no secret of how much he relishes being part of the environment Stokes and McCullum have created.
“The last game was probably the first time I watched the full Ashes, the full days,” Ahmed revealed.
“I was playing a game against Notts for Leicestershire and I was getting drinks every two overs for the score. The last game was unbelievable.
“Baz gave me a call on Friday morning. He basically told me I would come in and join the lads. It was unbelievable.
“I love it. I love being around this new environment that’s been created. It is unbelievable.”
Rogue Millennium will remain at a mile for the Prix Rothschild following her victory in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Having run predominately over 10 furlongs for her first nine starts, astute trainer Tom Clover decided to supplement the four-year-old for the Group Two contest and drop her back to a mile for the first time.
The gamble paid off spectacularly, as the daughter of Dubawi stayed on smartly from a modest pace under Danny Tudhope to beat Random Harvest by a neck, and thus gain a third career success.
Her Newmarket handler is still pinching himself at recording his first British Group-race victory.
“It’s nice when a plan comes together,” said Clover. “It was just the most incredible day – it was a really, really special day and it is only just all sort of sinking in now, I suppose.
“It just been fantastic. You work your whole life towards it. It is fantastic, just superb.”
Rogue Millennium, who is owned by the Rogues Gallery syndicate, will now head to the Group One contest at Deauville on July 30.
“I would say she will go to the Prix Rothschild, “ said Clover. “It gives us a really nice time frame. It’s five weeks. We didn’t put her in the Falmouth. She didn’t love the Rowley Mile last year and the meeting on the July course, it is quite tight between Ascot and Newmarket.
“I just feel you’d have every chance if you went straight to Deauville instead, so that’s what she will be training for.”
He added: “It’s lovely to see her getting quicker and she’s sharpening up all the time and actually, not to go very quick and to still get up and win was great.”
Rogue Millennium has had four runs already this term and with her trip versatility now confirmed, Clover admits there are plenty of potential avenues she could follow.
“There are all these lovely options now, though how we run in France I suppose will dictate where we go to a certain extent,” he said.
“She went in her coat quite quickly last year and she comes to hand very early in the spring, so it is really hard to know where we will be later in the season.
“The dream, the absolute dream, would be to even think about taking on the boys in the QEII, but that’s very far-fetched at the moment.
“Let’s think about the Rothschild now and take it from there.”
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