Dual Stewards’ Cup winner Commanche Falls added a Listed race to his CV when registering a determined success in the Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Dash Stakes at the Curragh.
Winning for the 10th time in his career, the six-year-old was having his first run in Ireland as he came home a length and a quarter clear.
Coming in off arguably a career-best effort when third behind his Michael Dods-trained stablemate and July Cup fancy Azure Blue in the Duke of York Stakes, he was sent off the 5-4 favourite.
By halfway Connor Beasley was hard at work as Anthem National and Mooneista went for home.
However, a trait in most of Commanche Falls’ victories is that the strongest part of his race is the finish and when he hit the front just over a furlong out, he was only just getting into top gear.
He had Anthem National back in second, with Mooniesta a further half-length back in third.
The winner was cut to 12-1 from 14s for a third win in the Coral Stewards’ Cup by the sponsors.
Dods’ daughter and assistant Chloe said: “He always takes a while to warm into his races and you would be worried if he wasn’t like that. Connor thinks he will be a better horse in a better race.
“He’s really chilled at home and doesn’t sweat at all. He’s a very chilled out horse and good to train.
“The races for him in the UK are quite limited, so that’s why we came here. I don’t think we will be put off coming here again if there is something.
“He got too high to run in handicaps and has stepped up to stakes races. He’s performed well in them and my dad said the York run was probably his best run.
“We were going to go to Ascot for the Wokingham but he was too high and came here instead.”
Adrian Murray bagged himself another big juvenile prize as Bucanero Fuerte battled back to edge out Unquestionable in the GAIN Railway Stakes at the Curragh.
Murray sprang an almighty surprise at Royal Ascot when Valiant Force won the Norfolk Stakes at 150-1.
Bucanero Fuerte (100-30) had also run at Royal Ascot, and with real credit when third in the Coventry Stakes, but that was only 12 days ago and there was a worry this Group Two was coming too soon.
He looked set to come off second best when pulling clear with Aidan O’Brien’s Unquestionable.
To his immense credit, though, the Wootton Bassett colt would not accept defeat and got himself in front right on the line to win by a short head.
The victory was a second in three years for Rossa Ryan, who also took the prize on David Loughnane’s Go Bears Go in 2021.
Murray said: “He’s a tough horse. We took a chance running him today quick after Ascot and he didn’t let us down.
“Robson (Aguiar, assistant trainer) said he was on fire during the week and we had no other option only to go for it.
“He’s entered in the Phoenix Stakes and he could go to France, we are not sure yet.
“We’ll give him a bit of a break now. He’s a big backward horse and we are not going to rush him. He’s had two quick runs.
“We’ll definitely step him up in trip as that’s what won it for him today. We made plenty of use of him as we knew he would see it out.
“He likes a bit of dig in the ground and if anything it was a bit quick for him today.”
Aguiar added: “We train in Mullingar and I joined Adrian about five years ago. This horse has plenty of pace and ran well in Ascot. He won over six today and can go further.
“We paid €165,000 for him (as a yearling at Arqana) which I think is cheap as he’s by Wootton Bassett, who is a great sire, and the mare has produced black type (Group One winner Wooded).”
George Loffhagen was left pinching himself after going from pulling pints in a pub to preparing to take on highly-fancied Holger Rune on his Wimbledon debut.
The 22-year-old Londoner was a highly-rated junior but struggled with the difficult transition to senior tennis and hung up his racket in the summer of 2021.
Academically as well as athletically gifted, Loffhagen returned to his studies and, to earn some cash, worked at the Marlborough Head in Marble Arch behind the bar and collecting glasses.
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“It was a bit of both because I hadn’t worked in a pub before,” he said. “I needed to learn on the job. It wasn’t too bad. There were a few (troublemakers) but it wasn’t too rowdy, it was OK.”
A more different environment to Wimbledon would be difficult to find, and the idea that he might be playing at the All England Club less than two years later would have appeared fanciful.
But Loffhagen began to feel the pull of the yellow ball again and he returned to the tour last August.
“I struggled with expectations and stuff and I think the time out allowed me to mature a bit,” he said. “I feel like I’m able to put things into perspective a bit better and that allows me to enjoy my time on court a bit more.
“I feel like I always loved playing tennis but outside factors prevented me from just enjoying my tennis as much. I’m just happy to be playing and that’s the main thing at the moment. I wanted to play again and not have any regrets.”
The break certainly appears to have done Loffhagen good. In less than a year he has gone from having no ranking to a place in the world’s top 400, winning two titles and doing enough to earn a wild card from the All England Club.
The draw threw up an exciting clash with sixth seed Rune, and Loffhagen added: “I’m just really happy to be in the position where I’m able to play a match at Wimbledon because I definitely didn’t think that was something that was going to happen. I just want to enjoy the experience and hopefully play well.”
Loffhagen is one of three home debutants in the main singles draws this year alongside 20-year-old Arthur Fery and German-turned-Brit Jan Choinski.
Fery, who has two French parents but grew up in Wimbledon, will also get the chance to take on one of the title favourites having been paired with third seed Daniil Medvedev in the draw.
He said of his reaction: “It was excitement mostly. Any draw I would have taken and I would have been happy with but playing one of the top seeds is always exciting. Hopefully I can rise to the challenge.
“Playing the top seeds it’s always best to play them in the first few rounds when they haven’t played on the grass. Daniil didn’t play here last year so I’m confident, I back myself.
“It’s a great position, I love being the underdog. I’m going to go out, swing freely and play loose. I’ve got nothing to lose.”
Fery also opted not to throw himself into professional tennis life after finishing juniors but took a different path to Loffhagen, heading off on a scholarship to Stanford University.
He has excelled in the college tennis system, which is becoming an ever more popular route to the pro game, and has played enough tournaments to also earn a ranking in the top 400.
Fery, who remembers watching Medvedev win the US Open in 2021 on the Tube on his way back from the Wireless music festival, hopes his college experiences will stand him in good stead on Tuesday.
“The big matches are fun,” he said. “Crowds come out and the whole team feels like it’s important. It’s definitely not a Wimbledon crowd, it’s pretty rowdy and people aren’t always too nice to you but it’s good, it builds character and being able to deal with all that stuff is beneficial for the future.”
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Fery, whose father Loic is the owner of both a hedge fund and French top division football team Lorient, will decide in January whether to complete his final year at Stanford or commit fully to tennis.
Choinski will be an unfamiliar name to most British fans but, having pushed his ranking up to 167, the tall 27-year-old has been awarded a wild card for the first time.
He represented his native Germany until 2018 when he opted to switch to Britain courtesy of his British mother Dominque.
A professional ballet dancer, she grew up in Southampton before studying at the Royal Ballet School and then moving to Germany, where she met Polish dancer Andrzej Choinski.
The couple own a ballet school but, for their son, dancing was a passion only as preparation for tennis.
Choinski is grateful for the support he has received from British tennis, and said: “I really enjoy being here and I really have enjoyed playing the whole grass-court season. It’s a totally new experience because I haven’t played a lot on grass. I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunities I got.”
Charlie Appleby and Godolphin are used to dining at the top table and by their lofty standards, the first part of the season has not been an easy one.
Though Godolphin took a Classic when Mawj landed the 1000 Guineas for Saeed bin Suroor, the royal blue silks have not been seen with regularity in many of the top races.
Though Appleby’s 28 per cent strike-rate is among the best, with 52 winners from 185 runners this year, his yard had an unusually disappointing Royal Ascot with no winners from 18 runners.
However, he remains confident the tide will turn and with some smart juveniles already unveiled, has high hopes Sheikh Mohammed’s operation will thrive in the coming months.
“At the end of the day, you play the cards your are dealt with,” said Appleby.
“As we know, at the back end of last year, we didn’t have a champion two-year-old.
“That will always show in terms of three-year-olds, needless to say. If you are not in the first three in the Dewhurst, National Stakes, Futurity Trophy or Fillies’ Mile, you are not, realistically, going to be bang there in the Classic picture the following year, and that’s where we were.”
He went on: “It is nothing to worry about 100 per cent. Ascot was one bad week.
“At the end of the day, we have a team who have a system in place and we know it works. The most important thing is to keep a good, steady hand on the tiller.
“I’m happy with the way the two-year-olds are progressing and we knew we would have to place the three-year-olds in the races we knew where, hopefully, they would be the most competitive. The Classics were not realistically our target.”
On Saturday at Newmarket, he unleashed Dance Sequence, who looked a filly of immense promise. The strapping daughter of Dubawi could develop into a Classic contender next season, following her eyecatching success in a fillies’ maiden.
Appleby is also looking forward to running Ancient Wisdom, a Dubawi colt who won by five lengths on debut at Haydock and then followed up under James Doyle in a seven-furlong novice race at Newmarket last week.
Appleby said: “I’m very pleased with him. He is two from two. I brought him up here (Newmarket) with a mindset obviously towards the Superlative Stakes, just to gain course experience.
“The ground was quick enough that day, James felt. He has a bit of a knee action on him and he has a pedigree, as you know.
“He is going to be a next-year horse. I am not going to be forcing him to come here again.
“But if conditions and himself are right, we’ll be here for the Superlative. If not, we will look towards Sandown for the Solario.
“A race I have in my mind for him, which is a race we have used many times for our nice two-year-olds, is the National Stakes. That is what I am working back from.”
Imperial Emperor won a maiden on his debut on the Rowley Mile course last October and made a winning return to action in a mile novice on the July Course last week.
A late developer, he also appears a promising type with plenty to look forward to as a four-year-old next year.
“I was delighted with him off a long lay-off,” said Appleby. “He is a horse who has had to be managed well by the team there.
“We toyed whether he was a mile or a mile-and-a-quarter horse.
“On what we’ve seen so far, we’re happy to stick to the mile and therefore we will aim towards the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes before we start stepping him up.
“He has a page, a pedigree that would suggest going further. He will be a nice horse and is definitely one for next year, we hope.”
Dazzling Star was another recent winner for the Moulton Paddocks handler.
She stepped up on her Kempton debut to score in style in a six-furlong fillies’ maiden at Newmarket on Friday evening.
“We were very happy with her and was pleased with her performance,” said Appleby.
“She has been a filly at home who has pleased us one morning and disappointed us the next. She is a bit like that. We got back on track with her on Friday.”
Meanwhile, Great Truth, another son of Dubawi who took apart a Leicester novice field by five and a half lengths and more on debut, looks another colt full of potential.
“Very pleased with that first run,” added the trainer. “A first foal out of Beyond Reason, a filly we know.
“He has come out of the race well, but we haven’t got a go-to race at the moment.
“Whether we go down a novice route or step him up into something a little bit punchier, we’ll see.
“We have a nice bunch of two-year-olds and there is plenty to look forward to. There’s certainly nothing to worry about.”
Olly Stone’s faint hopes of featuring for England in this summer’s Ashes might rest on the outcome of a scan on Monday to determine the severity of his latest injury.
Stone was ruled out of the early part of the series because of a hamstring problem and he bowled just three balls on his comeback for Nottinghamshire in the Vitality Blast on Friday before limping off.
The PA news agency understands Stone felt a twinge at the back of his knee on the same leg as the hamstring complaint, prompting him to exercise caution in Nottinghamshire’s loss to Birmingham Bears.
The results of Monday’s assessment will shed some light on the extent of the issue – and whether England will be deprived of another fast bowler in their bid to reclaim the urn from their arch rivals.
England wanted plenty of options with the Tests coming thick and fast but Stone’s lack of match sharpness must also be a considerable factor, even if the 29-year-old’s fresh knock is not serious.
While Stone has played just three Tests, the last in June 2021, his ability to consistently hit speeds of 90mph was recognised earlier this year by England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Rob Key.
England’s other express pace options have also not featured in the first two Tests against Australia, with Jofra Archer sidelined for the summer although Mark Wood could return at Headingley next week.
Stone has had a luckless run with injuries that have limited him to just 46 first-class matches since June 2012, including four stress fractures of the back – the most recent led to surgery to reinforce his lower spine with two metal screws in a bid to improve his prospects of playing more Tests.
He made an impact in four ODIs and a T20 over the winter after returning from a broken finger last summer – and could be in contention as England defend their World Cup in India later this year.
Stone was an unused squad member during England’s Test tour of New Zealand in February before taking six wickets in two matches for Nottinghamshire in the LV= Insurance County Championship.
Injury struck in early May against Lancashire but despite being in obvious discomfort, Stone hobbled to the crease as last man and kept out the last four legal deliveries of the Division One match to help Nottinghamshire salvage a draw.
The 29-year-old took a fine catch against the Bears as he came back for Nottinghamshire but pulling up midway through his first over meant an early exit from the match.
Owner John Deer has revealed his desire to try to win the Prix de l’Abbaye for a third time following Saint Lawrence’s Royal Ascot triumph.
Although a regular in some of the best sprinting contests over the past few seasons, the son of Al Kazeem was scoring for the first time since landing the Denford Stakes during his two-year-old days when storming to Wokingham glory – the last leg of a treble for Archie Watson and Hollie Doyle at the big meeting.
It was also Saint Lawrence’s first run for Lambourn-based Watson and having credited former handler Roger Varian for his input regarding the five-year-old’s switch from Newmarket, Deer – who enjoyed Prince of Wales’s Stakes glory with Al Kazeem – is keen to leave future plans to Watson.
“To have won twice there is quite fantastic really,” said Deer of his latest trip to the Royal Ascot winner’s enclosure.
“Roger Varian was very good and without any prompting suggested that perhaps a change of scenery might benefit the horse. Who knows, but there was a hell of an improvement. That improvement may have come with Roger in Newmarket, no one will ever know, but from my point of view it was sensational really.
“There has been such a change now in his performance that I’m just going to leave it (running plans) to his trainer and hope for the best!”
It was somewhat appropriate that Saint Lawrence should win the Wokingham for Deer, with the owner-breeder having seen his Averti withdrawn at the start when fancied for the race in 1996 and like the William Muir-trained sprinter, Deer hopes Saint Lawrence will one-day carry his colours at ParisLongchamp on Arc day.
He explained: “Many many years ago I had a very good horse called Averti with William Muir and he was supposed to be favourite for the Wokingham.
“He had been in the stalls for a long time and the horse that came in next to him played up and Averti got frightened or something and he was pulled out and didn’t run. That was a pity because he was a lovely horse and deserved a big race like that.
“He went on to be second in the Abbaye (in 1998) and then subsequently Patavellian (2003) and Avonbridge (2005) went on to win that race, so I think I have got close to breeding three of them.
“I would love to win the Abbaye again and he would be a candidate. Whether he goes this year I don’t know, but if he didn’t I would want him to go next year.”
Ben Stokes smashed his way to an angry century at Lord’s after Jonny Bairstow was controversially dismissed amid febrile scenes on the final day of the second Ashes Test.
Stokes went on a six-hitting rampage as he set out for apparent retribution in the aftermath of Alex Carey’s highly divisive stumping of Bairstow, hammering his way to a jaw-dropping hundred.
By the time the lunch interval intervened, England needed another 128 runs on 243 for six, with Stokes looking imperious on 108 not out.
The home of cricket, renowned as one of the most polite sporting arenas in the world, erupted in a chorus of boos and chants of “same old Aussies, always cheating” after Bairstow was given out in bizarre circumstances at a pivotal point in the game.
England were 193 for five chasing 371 when Bairstow ducked under a bouncer from Cameron Green, tapped the crease and began to walk down to prod the pitch.
Australia wicketkeeper Carey sent an under-arm throw in after catching the ball, leaping for joy as he hit the stumps. There was confusion in the middle, Bairstow seemingly believing the ball was dead at the end of the over but Australia were happy to proceed with a deeply divisive appeal.
The umpires sent the decision upstairs for review by TV umpire Marais Erasmus, who had no option but to confirm Bairstow’s dismissal.
The Yorkshireman reluctantly stomped off to the pavilion as a crowd of almost 32,000 – taking advantage of reduced £25 tickets – poured out their anger on the touring team.
A bitter row about the ‘spirit of cricket’ will surely follow, while Bairstow’s lack of attention to detail is also liable to receive plenty of attention.
Stuart Broad threw himself into the row, seemingly picked up on stump microphone telling Carey he would be remembered forever for his actions, and later making an ostentatious show of grounding his bat behind the line at the end of an over.
But Stokes was the man at the centre of the storm. He was on 62 not out at the time, playing with notable maturity, but suddenly began a frenzied display of furious hitting with 46 runs off his next 21 deliveries.
He pulled Green for three muscular boundaries in his next over, then sent a rocket straight back at Pat Cummins, who could not hang on – attracting a few more words from Broad as the Australia captain lay on the ground.
Stokes then blazed 24 off the hapless Green’s next visit, with three consecutive sixes heaved into the on-side.
The session ended in unbearable tension, with television cameras apparently picking up Australian players exchanging words with members in the Long Room.
Jamaica's legendary swimmer, Alia Atkinson, made a splash at the Aquatic Centre in Kingston on Saturday as she launched her first book, "Day 1 Not One Day: An Athlete's Seven-Step Guide to Success." The five-time Olympian and world record holder, whose illustrious career spanned an impressive 19 years, revealed the inspiration behind her book.
"The idea for this book came about after I retired. I received a lot of messages on social media from people asking for guidance and advice on how to achieve their goals and maintain a winning mindset. It wasn't just young athletes; it was people from all walks of life, including seasoned athletes," Atkinson explained.
The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on people's confidence, creating doubts and uncertainties and Atkinson saw this as an opportunity to help and inspire others. "I wanted to answer their questions and offer some guidance. Even if the book could help just one person improve their life or find their inner strength, I considered it a success," she said.
"I wanted to provide answers and support to those who reached out to me. If I could offer something that could make a positive difference, even if it's just one takeaway."
Atkinson's book, "Day 1 Not One Day," outlines seven key principles that she believes can transform lives, both in and out of the pool. Although it primarily caters to swimmers due to her swimming background, she emphasizes that the athletic mindset can be applied to anyone's life.
"I made sure a wide range of people read the book, not just athletes. It resonated with sports enthusiasts and individuals outside the sporting realm as well. Everyone found something valuable and applicable to their own lives. While the book draws heavily on my swimming background, the athletic mindset can benefit anyone."
During the book writing process, Atkinson found it surprisingly smooth. "The hardest part was anything related to formatting and figuring out the technical aspects. But when it came to the content itself, it felt like I was talking to the athletes and readers. Each chapter was like having a personal conversation with someone, guiding them towards their goals," Atkinson shared.
"Day 1 Not One Day" holds a special place in Atkinson's heart, as she poured her experiences and insights into its pages. The Jamaican darling has left an indelible mark on the sport, becoming the first black woman to win a world title in swimming in 2014. Her world record time in the short course 100-metre breaststroke showcased her prowess in the pool.
As Alia Atkinson embarks on her new journey as an author, she hopes that her book will serve as a guiding light for athletes and non-athletes alike, helping them achieve their dreams and become the best version of themselves. The aquatic icon's legacy continues to inspire generations, both in Jamaica and across the globe, leaving a lasting impact on the world of sports and beyond.
Nick Kyrgios declared himself fit for Wimbledon after his long injury lay-off but said he was “almost dreading” his return to tennis.
The 28-year-old pulled out of the Australian Open on the eve of the tournament, announcing he needed surgery on his knee, and he has played only one match since, last month in Stuttgart.
Kyrgios enjoyed by far the best season of his career last year, reaching the Wimbledon final and achieving the sort of consistent results that for a long time appeared beyond him.
View this post on InstagramHe has made no secret of his wavering love for the sport and the lifestyle it requires and, while he described the first five months of the year as “brutal”, he was brutally honest about his feelings regarding his comeback.
“I don’t miss the sport at all,” he said. “I was almost dreading coming back a little bit. But it’s my job.”
It was clear in his defeat by China’s Wu Yibing in Stuttgart that Kyrgios’ knee was far from fully recovered and he pulled out of subsequent tournaments in Halle and Majorca.
The Australian has been practising at the All England Club over the last few days, though, and said: “I still think there’s some question marks, for sure.
“Obviously five-set tennis is a completely different base altogether. I look at my preparations last year coming in, I probably had the most ideal preparation possible. It couldn’t be any different this year.
“I’m not going to discredit the work I’ve put in for the last six months just trying to maintain my fitness, get back on court.
“I’ve been hitting with some really good players this week and my body is feeling OK. I’m going to take it one day at a time. I’m not going to look forward and put unfair expectations on myself.
“I’m just going to try to do everything I can, prepare, go out there and play some good tennis. I feel probably as good as I could feel at the moment.”
At his best, Kyrgios would be high up a list of possible challengers to defending champion Novak Djokovic, who he took a set off in the final 12 months ago.
The Australian has been handed a potentially tricky opener against Belgian David Goffin, who reached the quarter-finals last year, and in a 10-minute press conference veered between playing down expectations and insisting he can defy his limited preparations.
“I’m extremely confident,” he said. “I’ve never been a player that needs a lot of matches before playing a grand slam. I’ve always been kind of on the side of not playing too much.
“What I’ve achieved in my career never leaves. Last year, it wasn’t that long ago really. I feel like I’m still serving as good as ever. I’m still able to beat a lot of people on the court.
View this post on Instagram“The thing about tennis is the tour is so vigorous, there’s tournaments week in and week out, you kind of don’t have time to reflect on anything you’ve done. I’ve had so much time to sit back and be forced to look at everything I did last year. I wanted to do more.
“Pulling out of the Australian Open was one of the hardest things I had to do because I generally feel like, with the tennis I was playing and with my grand slam experience, just the way I was feeling, I felt like I could win that tournament.
“It’s been hard. I’m trying to expect the same sort of tennis that I was playing last year, and I don’t think that’s fair at the moment.”
The Austrian Grand Prix will remain on the Formula One calendar until at least 2030 after a new long-term deal at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring was confirmed ahead of Sunday’s race.
The circuit, which was bought and re-branded by Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz returned to the F1 schedule in 2014 and has been a permanent fixture since.
Mateschitz died last year, aged 78, after battling a long-term illness.
“The vision and passion of Dietrich Mateschitz, a man who loved this sport, made this all possible and it is a very special moment and a tribute to him that we can confirm we will be racing at this incredible venue until 2030,” said F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali.
The race in Austria is a big favourite for the drivers and all our fans and we are looking forward to many years of excitement and action that are ahead of us.”
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen will start on pole position for Sunday’s 71-lap Grand Prix as he bids to extend his 70-point championship lead.
Derby-winning jockey Martin Dwyer has announced his retirement from the saddle having failed to recover from a serious knee injury.
Dwyer has been on the sidelines since March 2022 due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
The Liverpudlian has undergone several surgeries on his knee but they have failed to offer enough improvement to enable him to return to the saddle.
Dwyer rode over 1,500 winners and partnered Sir Percy to Derby glory for Marcus Tregoning in 2006.
“It’s tough saying it out loud, I’ve got my head around it, I’ve known for quite a while now I’ve been struggling with the injury,” Dwyer told Racing TV.
“I’ve thrown the kitchen sink at the rehab. I went to see the surgeon again when I had another operation two months ago and he said it’s not going to be stable enough or strong enough to ride professionally.
“It is what it is and I’ve just got to get on with it.
“It’s been tough, obviously. I’ve been in pain for a long time, it just throbs constantly but I’ve been in good hands and the team at Oaksey House have been brilliant.”
Looking ahead to the future, he said: “I’m getting back to some normality but I’ve just got to accept my career is over and I’ve just got to get on with things. It’s tough because I’m not finishing on my terms.
“I’d like to go out like Frankie (Dettori) and do a world tour, but I’d probably be at Wolverhampton and Southwell!
“It’s been a tough year or so, but it’s time to move on to the next chapter. It’s been a journey that has been unbelievable.”
As well as winning the Derby, Dwyer also won the Oaks in 2003 on Andrew Balding’s Casual Look and took the King Edward VII Stakes, Great Voltigeur and Coronation Cup on Pyledriver, trained by his father-in-law, William Muir.
Sarina Wiegman feels England are “in a very good place” with a few days to go before they depart the country for this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The Lionesses, who have been in a pre-tournament camp since June 19, were held to a 0-0 draw by Portugal at Stadium MK in a send-off warm-up match on Saturday, with their flight set to follow on Wednesday.
They are scheduled to have another warm-up, against Canada behind closed doors, on July 14 and kick off their World Cup campaign eight days later with the Group D meeting with Haiti in Brisbane.
Saturday saw Wiegman, who had captain Millie Bright unavailable, make some interesting calls for her starting line-up and six substitutions during a contest in which the European champions failed to score despite creating a considerable number of chances.
The England manager said: “I think we’re in a very good place.
“I think we had two very good weeks, on and off the pitch. I think this game was very helpful, although we are disappointed we didn’t score a goal.
“If you see how the game went and what we wanted to do and how we wanted to play, you can tell that we really know what we want to do, and that’s really what we’re working on.”
With regular skipper Leah Williamson having been ruled out of the World Cup by an ACL injury and fellow centre-back Bright still not involved as she continued to build up her fitness, Wiegman – who made goalkeeper Mary Earps captain for the game – brought Alex Greenwood into the defence in one of three changes to her starting XI from April’s 2-0 loss to Australia.
She opted to start the experienced Greenwood at left-back as Jess Carter came inside to partner Esme Morgan in the middle.
There was also Women’s Super League Golden Boot winner Rachel Daly coming in for Alessia Russo up front, and Lauren James for Chloe Kelly on the right side of the attack.
After a first half in which Daly had two early headers saved and Georgia Stanway sent an effort against the bar, Wiegman then made a triple substitution at the break, Greenwood being replaced by Niamh Charles, Daly coming off for Russo and Kelly entering the fray, with James moving into a more central position.
A more lively showing from the hosts followed, but they remained unable to break the deadlock, with Lucy Bronze heading against the post and Russo to the fore amid a series of opportunities.
Wiegman highlighted the creation of chances and said that while finishing had been “a little problem” on Saturday it was “not a worry”, and also stressed that “in some positions it’s really tight” with regard to the potential decisions she will make about the starting line-up for the Haiti game.
When asked if she had come away from the Portugal match with more questions or more answers, she said: “Oh, more answers – and answers already give another question of course because we always want to improve.
“We are always thinking ‘where are we now, how do we want to improve, what do we need?’ And then we also think of course about who the next opponent is.”
Isa Guha has backed “ultimate professional” Clare Balding to excel as she succeeds Sue Barker to become the BBC’s face of Wimbledon.
Barker called time on 30 years presenting national coverage from the All England Club in emotional scenes last summer, with past and present greats of tennis paying tribute to her.
In March it was confirmed that Balding, who has been part of the BBC’s coverage since 1995, would step into Barker’s shoes, with former England cricketer Guha sharing presenting duties for a second year.
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Guha praised her co-host, telling the PA news agency: “Clare is the ultimate professional. She’s got so much energy about her and that’s what she brings to the screen. You very much feel you’re in there with her when she’s talking to you.
“I think she wants to do it in a way that’s true to her and that’s bringing that energy. I think as people who haven’t played tennis to a professional standard, it’s asking those questions the general audience wants to hear. You get that different take.”
Guha relished learning off Barker last year, saying: “She’s got an incredible warmth. When you watch her on television she feels like a friend.
“She was someone I certainly watched when I was younger, never imagined that I’d even be in her company so to be sat there with her and see how she goes about her business, her offering me advice and so forth, it was a little bit surreal but at the same time we’re just watching her in awe because she’s been the face of the BBC for such a long time and we absolutely respect and admire everything she’s done for sports broadcasting as a female.
“It was just an incredible time last year. The ability to be there with Sue, see how she operates, the doyenne of sports broadcasting, and to be in Clare Balding’s company and all these legends. It was a pretty amazing experience.”
With Wimbledon being one of the jewels in the BBC’s crown, it is no surprise to hear that Barker’s departure will not mean any radical departures from previous coverage of the grand slam, although Balding and Guha are keen to put their own stamp on it.
“No one can ever be Sue Barker,” said Guha. “She was who she was because she was true to herself as an individual, and that’s what made her so special. I just do the best I can to bring the best out of my guests.
“The role as a presenter is really managing the traffic and giving the audience what they want but also trying to make it fun as well as informative.
“I love the dynamism of broadcast and being able to throw it around a bit. I don’t think we’ll be moving too far away from what’s made it successful but we’d love to get out and about. I think that dynamism is really important.”
With Barker and Balding at the helm, tennis has been at the forefront of female-led sports broadcasting, and Guha has played a key role in the move to gender equality in cricket.
“It’s a huge honour and we absolutely understand what that signifies,” she said.
“We just see ourselves as broadcasters and I think what we’re striving to achieve is that normalisation across the board, whether that’s commentary, presenting or reporting or punditry.
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“That’s what’s excited me about cricket in recent times is that it doesn’t feel normal to not have a female on a broadcast now.”
Guha will be in the host’s chair when live coverage begins at 11am on Monday and there will be comprehensive coverage across the BBC’s platforms, including iPlayer and BBC Radio 5 Live, where John McEnroe and Tim Henman will present the 6-Love-6 phone-in.
Newcomer Qasa Alom, meanwhile, will host daily highlights show Today at Wimbledon daily on BBC Two.
In the week the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket’s report shone a sobering light on racism, sexism, elitism and classism within that sport, Guha shared her own more positive experiences of broadcasting.
“I think sport is a reflection of society, it’s a reflection of every environment you go into, but, if we’re all trying to create progress and create environments that are truly inclusive, (then we can’t shy away from it),” said the 38-year-old.
“Certainly when I first started broadcasting in cricket it was male dominated and there was a sense of feeling the need to fit it, not speaking out too much. I’ve been very lucky to have support from many of my male colleagues and I’m genuinely thankful for that.”
Guha is still building those relationships within tennis but, a long-time fan of the sport, she treasures the experiences she had last summer.
“One of my favourite things was just walking into work every day,” she said. “I was going in at 6.30am and it was so peaceful and calm before the chaos. It was goosebumps every time I walked into the grounds.
“It was a bit like how I feel when I walk into Lord’s when it’s empty, just that sense of history and being a part of something really special.
“Also, I was there a couple of days before it started and I was being shown all the different camera zones where we would do our broadcasts.
“I walked with my director to Centre Court and I saw (Matteo) Berrettini practising with (Rafael) Nadal so it was just me and my director, those two playing on court and maybe one other person. That felt very surreal and just to be able to see Nadal at close quarters like that was a real privilege.”
Opportunities for women in sport continue to improve, but breaking down barriers of discrimination on or off the court was never going to be easy, according to London Lions women’s team general manager Vanja Cernivec.
Last summer, Slovenian-born Cernivec was appointed the first female general manager at a Women’s British Basketball League side.
Having previously been an international scout for the Chicago Bulls, the first woman in the NBA’s history to fulfil the position, Cernivec is no stranger to overcoming boundaries.
Emily Clarke was announced as the new general manager of the Women’s British Basketball League at the end of June.
Nevertheless, recent research commissioned by the Lions showed 25 per cent of women felt progressing in a sport, either at player or management level, was not viable as there were no role models to relate to.
Part of the study, which was conducted across a nationally representative cohort of 2,090 respondents, also revealed 20 per cent of females said they had experienced some kind of discrimination or exclusion which deterred them from participating in a sport.
Cernivec, though, feels appointments such as her own and that of Clarke – who previously held management roles at Basketball England – demonstrate there is a genuine drive to embrace change alongside having difficult conversations on delivering equality throughout the sport.
“Generally the reception (to my role) has been very positive,” Cernivec told the PA news agency.
“(London Lions owners) 777 have done an incredible step assigning that position. It didn’t matter who stepped in – in this case, it was me.
“By opening this position, they have kind of set a milestone and said how important this role is, setting the same standard for the women’s game as for the men’s.
“The hire of Emily as the GM (general manager) for the Women’s British Basketball League is a great step forward, but changes are never easy for people to accept.”
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Cernivec added: “Things are changing for the better, the fact we are talking about this right now says that.
“If you look at women’s sport globally, it is on the rise. It is not the next upcoming thing, it is the thing right now, so anyone who tries to ignore it is on the wrong path.
“But the fact that women still feel discriminated against in the grassroots and participation level is something which needs to be changed immediately – not only from a professional (sports) aspect, but also for the mental and physical health of our youth.”
Cernivec’s role also saw her become global director of London Lions Academy.
During June, the Lions took part in the inaugural junior NBA European finals in Valencia, sending both an under-15s boys and girls team to the elite youth tournament.
Cernivec hopes such projects can help further develop the talent pool of home-grown players and potential future professionals.
“If you look at the pathway for young British male or female players, it kind of ends in the last year of high school and if they want to continue playing (at an elite level), then they have to go abroad,” she said.
“That is something the Lions are trying to change and help create a professional pathway – with coaches around, nutritionists, mental health support, strength and conditioning, all that comes along with building the athletes to what they aspire to be.
“With the junior NBA platform, it was a great event which has exposed us to where the British talent is right now and where our coaching pool stands, so it was a great experience for everyone.
“We have a great pool of talent in Britain. It is just a matter of how fast we can build up the coaching staff and the facilities, everything which is needed to give them the right development they deserve.”
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