Pep Guardiola enjoyed the Centre Court action at Wimbledon as Alexander Zverev sought an opportunity to entice the Manchester City manager to Bayern Munich.
Premier League title-winning coach Guardiola turned his attention away from football on Saturday, watching on as Zverev overcame Cameron Norrie in straight sets.
The Man City boss was joined by Arsenal Women and England captain Leah Williamson, as well as cricketing stars Jos Buttler and Joe Root in a star-studded lineup.
Yet Zverev was most interested in pointing out former Bayern boss Guardiola as the fourth seed urged the Spaniard back to Bavaria.
"For me and for all tennis players it's an honour to play on this beautiful Centre Court and in front of the Royal Box, we had so many sporting legends today," Zverev said.
"For me, Pep Guardiola, when I saw Pep I got so nervous for a few games. Thanks a lot for coming, it's a privilege to play.
"Last thing – Bayern Munich needs a coach. If you're tired of football you can coach me on a tennis court any time."
Zverev was not the only one to notice the football, though, as Novak Djokovic acknowledged the Centre Court crowd were following England's Euro 2024 penalty shoot-out victory over Switzerland.
Having lost the first set 6-4, seven-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic was leading 4-1 in the second when fans burst into applause, leaving both players briefly puzzled.
Yet the pair soon realised the crowd were celebrating England's quarter-final win over Switzerland, before Djokovic mimicked a penalty effort towards Alexei Popyrin.
"I assumed it was a penalty shoot-out between England and Switzerland," Djokovic explained after his 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-3) win.
"It felt like for a set and a half the crowd really wanted to understand what the score was in the football match. Did England win in the end? That's why you guys stayed. Congrats to England.
"I tried to shoot a penalty, I'm left-footed, but Alexei defended it well!"
Lewis Hamilton said it was "incredible" to see home drivers take the top three places in British Grand Prix qualifying as he and George Russell led McLaren's Lando Norris.
Russell beat fellow Mercedes driver Hamilton to pole position by 0.171 seconds at Silverstone, with Norris 0.211 seconds off.
Three-time world champion Max Verstappen was fourth, damaging the floor of his Red Bull in a rain-affected first session and struggling from then on.
Coming just one week after Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix, the result provided further evidence of a Mercedes upturn following their miserable start to the year.
The Silver Arrows have seen both of their drivers finish inside the top four places at each of the last three races, and Hamilton believes improvements to the team's car have given them a great chance of holding off Norris in Sunday's race.
"Three Brits in the top three is incredible. George did such a great job. We didn't expect to be on the front row this weekend," he told Sky Sports.
"This is huge for our team. The car felt great, it was just about getting tyre temperatures in the right place.
"There was still time left on the table, which George managed to find. I feel really confident about the car tomorrow and I think with the conditions, we can work together to keep Lando behind."
Norris, who has seven podium finishes in the last nine races, was full of praise for Mercedes but admitted he had failed to hit the heights of recent weeks.
"It's tough. I think George and Lewis did a great job. For two cars to get there shows the team were also doing an amazing job," he said.
"It was super close. I think if I'd put in a good enough lap it was close and could've been a bit of a fight.
"But this team have been very quick all weekend, since FP1. We're there or thereabouts, but I just didn't deliver it today."
Novak Djokovic claimed his fourth-set tie-break against Alexei Popyrin was the best he has played this year after defeating the Australian at Wimbledon.
Djokovic came from a set down to beat Popyrin in four, confirming his place in the last 16 with a 3-6 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-3) triumph. He will face Holger Rune next.
The world number two continued his record of having never lost to Popyrin in what was their third meeting, the previous one coming at the Australian Open earlier this year.
The Serbian praised Popyrin for his valiant effort, going on to admit the tie-break in the fourth saw him produce his highest level this year.
"It was another tough match. I didn’t expect anything less than what we experienced on the court today from Alexei," Djokovic said.
"I knew he was going to come to the match with confidence, a lot of self-belief. He was close to winning [when we played] in Australia earlier this year.
"With that serve and powerful forehand, he’s dangerous on any surface.
"I knew he was in form and he was going to come out believing he could win. He was the better player in the first set.
"I think I played a good second and third and the fourth was anybody’s game. He was serving very well. It was very difficult to read his serve.
"It was just a very challenging match, mentally as well, to hang in there. I'm not allowed to have big concentration lapses.
"I think I’ve done well in that regard in one of the best tie-breaks I’ve played this year, that’s for sure."
Data Debrief: Resilient Djokovic shows his class
While Djokovic was far from vintage in the first set, he showed the kind of resilience that we've seen throughout his career.
Djokovic became only the third player in the Open Era to achieve 50 Grand Slam match wins after turning 35, along with Ken Rosewall (64) and Roger Federer (62).
Iga Swiatek suffered a shock third-round exit at Wimbledon as the top seed fell to world number 35 Yulia Putintseva on Saturday.
Despite taking the first set, Swiatek was outclassed by the world number 35, falling to a 3-6 6-1 6-2 defeat on No. 1 Court.
The world number one had to wait until the eighth game to undo Putintseva, earning her first break point before closing out the set in dominant fashion.
Though many predicted Swiatek to hammer home her advantage, the Kazakh had other ideas.
Putintseva responded emphatically, cutting through Swiatek to battle into her first round of 16 at Wimbledon and first at any major since making the 2020 US Open quarter-finals.
Jelena Ostapenko awaits in the clash for a last-eight position on Monday after the Latvian needed just 59 minutes to win 6-1 6-3 against Bernarda Pera earlier in the day.
Data Debrief: Swiatek's Wimbledon hoodoo continues
Putintseva is the first women's player since Alison Riske against Ashleigh Barty in 2019 to win against the world number one at Wimbledon after losing the first set.
In stark contrast between the pair, Putintseva extended her win streak to eight matches after ending Swiatek's own run of 21 straight wins.
Swiatek still leaves the third major of the year with an outstanding 45-5 record on the season, yet grass-court tennis and Wimbledon remain a troublesome issue for the Pole.
George Russell said he could have only dreamt of securing pole position at the Silverstone but realised his fantasy on Saturday afternoon.
Russell edged Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton and McLaren's Lando Norris to claim pole position at the British Grand Prix.
For the first-time ever at Silverstone, and the first time anywhere in F1 since 1968, the front three positions on Sunday's grid will be taken up by a trio of British drivers.
Russell beat Hamilton to pole position by 0.171 seconds with Norris, second to Russell after the first laps in the final session, 0.211secs off the pace after failing to complete his second lap.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen will start in fourth, with Norris' team-mate Oscar Piastri making up the top five.
“What a feeling, at the start of this year I don’t think we could of even dreamt of being on pole here, one-two for me and Lewis, and Lando it’s just mega," Russell said.
"It’s down to these fans as well they give us so much energy so thank you for that.
“The car at the moment is feeling so good, it really came alive in quali and what a joy to drive around this circuit.
"We are riding this wave at the moment and I’m absolutely buzzing, but eyes on tomorrow, we’ve got a race to win and it’s going to be tight with Lando, Max is going to be fast as well but I’m so excited right now.”
It was an afternoon to forget for Ferrari, with Carlos Sainz finishing seventh-fastest behind Haas' Nico Hulkenberg, with team-mate Charles Leclerc starting in 11th.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll finished in eighth, with Williams driver Alex Albon and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso completing the top 10.
Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez will start at the back of the grid in 19th after spinning out in the first qualifying session.
Top 10
1. George Russell (Mercedes)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
3. Lando Norris (McLaren)
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
6. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
7. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
8. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
9. Alex Albon (Williams)
10. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
Jamaican Shimona Jok was again on song for Melbourne Mavericks, as they edged GIANTS 55-54 in a nail-biting Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League affair in Sydney on Saturday.
Not only did the win propel Mavericks into the top four, but it also marked an historic feat as it was their first time securing back-to-back victories in the First Nations Round opener.
Jok, with 34 goals from 35 attempts, and Eleanor Cardwell, with 21 goals from 24 attempts, got the job done for the Mavericks, while Jo Harten (14 goals from 18 attempts), Sophie Dwyer (24 goals from 28 attempts) and Matisse Letherbarrow (16 goals from 16 attempts) fought gallantly for GIANTS, the team of another Jamaican Jodi-Ann Ward.
The Mavericks, who pulled off a thrilling 72-71 last-minute win over the Sunshine Coast Lightning in Hobart last week, somewhat repeated the feat on this occasion as it was a crucial intercept from Player of the Match Kim Jenner that paved the way for Cardwell to score the winning goal in the final minute.
Earlier, the GIANTS got off to a brisk start, scoring three unanswered goals, before the Mavericks responded. In fact, it was end-to-end action for much of the first quarter before a pair of late goals pushed the Mavericks ahead 14-12.
It was another action-packed second quarter, as the GIANTS lifted their intensity and again scored the first three goals. Jodi-Ann Ward made a crucial intercept, which was converted, but a misplaced pass allowed the Mavericks to regain possession.
Melbourne Mavericks and GIANTS players tussle for possession.
Despite being dominant in possession, the Mavericks conversion rate was low. They struggled to advance the ball down the court efficiently, often taking wide drives and long passes, instead of tightening up their play and improve their second-phase transitions.
That, along with the fact that both teams also demonstrated strong defensive efforts, saw the score locked at 25-25 at the half-time interval.
The Mavericks tried to explode at the top of the third quarter, but the GIANTS applied pressure to keep their opponents in check. However, the game finally opened up for the Mavericks with five minutes remaining at the backend of the quarter, as they opened up a five-goal lead at 44-39 heading into the final quarter.
The GIANTS needed to make an early impact to close the deficit, and they did just that with two unanswered goals.
Ward, who had been dominant throughout, grabbed a defensive rebound and sent the ball down the court. However, the GIANTS struggled with composure, allowing the Mavericks to regain possession.
With the scores locked at 51-51 heading into the Power Five, a missed shot by Cardwell saw Ward again recover the rebound, but the GIANTS again failed to capitalise as the Mavericks won back possession.
Letherbarrow then delivered a crucial Super Shot, putting the GIANTS ahead with 90 seconds left, but Cardwell responded with a Super Shot of her own, leveling the score once more.
With the GIANTS looking to score the winning goal, Jenner made a critical intercept, and the Mavericks scored the winning goal to keep their final hopes alive.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland said there were positives to take from his side's 25-16 defeat against Australia in the first match of their summer series.
The Dragons slipped to their eighth straight test defeat in Sydney, giving Joe Schmidt an opening victory in his first match in charge of Australia.
Tries from Taniela Tupou, Filipo Daugunu and Tom Wright set up the victory, while Wales managed a penalty try and nine points from new fly-half Ben Thomas.
Wales' winless run is now their worst losing sequence since a run of eight in 2012 and 2013.
Gatland was impressed with his team's performance, but questioned why James Botham's second-half try was disallowed for obstruction.
"I just need to get some clarity on the disallowed try in terms of the decision which was made, I'm not 100% sure," Gatland said.
"We know where we are at the moment. We're developing this team, and we're going to have to learn from these experiences.
"There were some real positives out of there in terms of what we are trying to do."
It was a 14th loss in 20 matches for Gatland in his second stint in charge after returning as head coach at the end of 2022.
"Unfortunately, resilience doesn't win games. Credit to the heart and the dig-in the boys showed - that's going to get us far," captain Dewi Lake said.
"But a young team, we've got to learn how to win games, put points on the board, and see games out.
"Credit to Australia, they put points on the board and made us chase the game.
"There were a couple of opportunities we missed and that's probably the difference on the scoreboard."
Australia will now look to wrap up the two-Test series in Melbourne next Saturday.
Data Debrief: Wales' losing rut continues
The latest loss for Wales means they drop to their lowest position in World Rugby's rankings, slipping to 11th and falling outside the top 10 for the first time.
It was also a 12th successive defeat against the Wallabies in Australia in an away losing streak that stretches back to 1969.
Andy Murray's Wimbledon career came to an early end after Emma Raducanu pulled out of their planned appearance in the mixed doubles.
The pair were due to team up on Saturday in what would have been Murray's final event appearance at Wimbledon ahead of his retirement.
However, Raducanu has withdrawn from the event due to stiffness in her right wrist.
The 21-year-old booked her place in the women’s singles fourth round on Friday with another commanding win, beating Maria Sakkart in straight sets.
"I have decided to make the very tough decision to withdraw from the mixed doubles," Raducanu said.
"I’m disappointed as I was really looking forward to playing with Andy, but I've got to take care."
Murray, a two-time singles champion at Wimbledon, had already pulled out of the men's event after having minor surgery on his back in the build-up to the tournament.
It means the 37-year-old played his last game at All England Club on Thursday when he and older brother Jamie were knocked out of the men's doubles in the first round.
Murray is set to finish his career at the Paris Olympics later this month, competing in both the singles and the doubles, alongside Dan Evans.
England will have to wait at least another week to end their 21-year run without a victory in New Zealand after a 16-15 defeat on Saturday.
The All Blacks, in their first Test under new coach Scott Robertson, held on in Dunedin to start the series with a victory.
England's last win against the All Blacks in New Zealand came in 2003, but Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's try early in the second half gave them a fantastic chance of ending that run.
Sevu Reece and Ardie Savea had scored either side of a Maro Itoje try in the first half, with the teams level at the interval.
But it was not to be, with Marcus Smith's misses with the boot compounded by the accuracy of New Zealand kicker Damian McKenzie, who nailed two penalties to complete the turnaround.
"I am proud of the group to come together in 10 days and play a sharp England side," New Zealand captain Scott Barrett told Sky Sports after his team's first Test since they lost the 2023 World Cup final to South Africa.
"That was a reminder of what Test rugby is all about. There were arm wrestles everywhere and different levels of pressure.
"We adapted pretty well to drive back into it and just get our noses in front."
Itoje says while England can be proud of their efforts, they simply need to be better in the next Test.
"It was a good effort but we need to be better," he said.
"We raised the intensity at the start of the second half but a few inaccuracies slipped into our game and allowed the All Blacks back into it.
"Every game is something to learn from. We'll lick our wounds and learn from our mistakes. This will be an invaluable experience. We'll relish the opportunity to go again next week."
The second Test takes place in Auckland on July 13.
Data Debrief: New Zealand's home comforts
New Zealand were winless across their previous two Test matches against England (D1 L1) after winning six in a row against them before that.
But the All Blacks kept up their run of never going three successive Tests against England without a win, and made it eight in a row against the Red Rose on home soil.
Indeed, New Zealand have now won each of their last five home Test matches.
Masataka Yoshida hit a game-tying, two-run home run with two outs in the ninth, Ceddane Rafaela went deep to open the 10th inning and the Boston Red Sox rallied from a 3-0 deficit to stun the New York Yankees 5-3 on Friday.
The Boston victory kept the two AL East rivals on their recent paths, with the Red Sox winning 15 of their last 20 games and the Yankees falling to 3-12 in their last 15.
New York’s Clay Holmes was one out away from a save in the ninth before pinch-hitter Dominic Smith singled. Yoshida fought back from an 0-2 hole before driving a full-count pitch over Yankee Stadium’s famous right field wall.
Tommy Kahle pitched the 10th for the Yankees, with Rafaela taking him deep on his second pitch and driving in automatic runner David Hamilton.
The bullpen collapse spoilt a strong start from Nestor Cortes, who allowed three hits and one run in six innings with eight strikeouts.
New York’s big bats remained mostly quiet, with AL MVP favourite Aaron Judge going 0 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Dodgers C Smith bashes trio of homers in win
Will Smith went deep three times, including a game-tying shot in the 7th inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5 in a matchup of NL division leaders.
Smith, who walked in his other two plate appearances, became just the fourth Dodgers catcher to hit three home runs in a game, joining Yasmani Grandal (2016), Mike Piazza (1996) and Roy Campanella (1950).
On a night when Shohei Ohtani went 0 for 5, the Los Angeles offence was powered by Smith and Miguel Vargas, who was 2 for 3 with a walk and a two-run home run. Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez had clutch RBIs in the eighth to give the Dodgers the late lead.
Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow cruised through the first three innings but gave up two singles and two walks in the fourth before Rhys Hoskins put the Brewers ahead with a grand slam.
Glasnow allowed three hits and five runs over six innings in the no-decision.
Pirates’ 7 HRs back Skenes in blowout of Mets
Rookie sensation Paul Skenes threw seven strong innings, and the Pittsburgh Pirates tied a club record by hitting seven home runs in a 14-2 rout of the New York Mets.
Skenes, last year’s No. 1 overall draft pick, continued the dominant start to his career. The 6-foot-6 flamethrower improved to 5-0 after allowing four hits and two runs over seven innings while striking out eight.
Bryan Reynold and Rowdy Tellez each had two home runs, including a grand slam each, as the pair combined for 11 RBIs.
Jack Suwinski, Yasmani Grandal and Michael A. Taylor also went yard for the Pirates in front of a sell-out crowd at PNC Park.
The Mets’ Luis Severino was tagged for seven runs in six innings, while Ty Adcock gave up six runs in 1 2/3 innings as the Mets lost their third straight game.
World number two Coco Gauff proved far too strong for qualifier Sonay Kartal as she eased into the last 16 at Wimbledon on Friday.
Kartal, the first female British qualifier to reach the third round at the All England Club since 1997, had eliminated Sorana Cirstea and Clara Burel to reach this stage.
But Gauff represented a clear step up and, after a slightly testing first set, accelerated to a 6-4 6-0 win.
The US Open champion has never been beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon but will get the opportunity to do so against Emma Navarro on Sunday.
"I've never come out with someone like Coco before," said 298th-ranked Kartal. "There's a reason why she is where she is, number two in the world.
"She played some unbelievable tennis in that second set."
Data Debrief: Gauff's glass ceiling?
Gauff's breakout main-draw run at a major came at Wimbledon in 2019 when she reached the fourth round, but she has since surpassed that performance at each of the other three grand slams, most notably triumphing at Flushing Meadows.
Crucially, however, the 20-year-old has plenty of time on her side as she seeks to make strides at the grass-court major.
Indeed, not since Agnieszka Radwanska, in 2009, has a younger women's player reached the fourth round at Wimbledon for a third time. Gauff will hope it is third time lucky.
To win on grass, you have to be kind to the court, so quipped Jannik Sinner after his win over Miomir Kecmanovic at Wimbledon.
Sinner breezed past Kecmanovic on Friday to claim his place in round four with a comfortable 6-1 6-4 6-2 victory.
The world number one continued his record of having never lost to Kecmanovic in what was the duo's fourth meeting.
After going four sets in rounds one and two against Yannick Hanfmann and Matteo Berrettini respectively, Sinner wrapped up this encounter in just one hour and 36 minutes.
The Australian Open champion reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year, and explained what he has learned from playing on the surface over the years.
"To make friendship with the grass! Be very kind to the grass and something positive will happen," Sinner said with a smile.
"In the beginning, I was struggling a lot but every year I feel like I am improving so let's see what I can do this year but being happy on the court is the most important."
Sinner will now face the winner of Denis Shapovalov and Ben Shelton, with that tie among several that was interrupted by rain earlier in the day.
Data Debrief: Sinner's stroll in the park
Sinner's triumph on Centre Court was his 41st at ATP level this year, taking him beyond Casper Ruud (40) for the most outright wins of any player in 2024.
The Italian's dominance was demonstrated by the statistics, with Sinner winning 36 of his 42 first-serve points, striking 11 aces, 35 winners and converting five break points while offering up just one in return, which he saved.
The Orlando Magic have locked up one of their young core players for the foreseeable future by reportedly agreeing to a five-year, $224 million extension with forward Franz Wagner.
ESPN reports Wagner's new deal, which will begin during the 2025-26 season and runs through 2029-30, could be worth up to $269 million should he make an All-NBA team.
Wagner, the eighth overall pick of the 2021 draft, has been a mainstay in the Magic's starting lineup since his rookie season while quickly developing into a cornerstone two-way player. The 22-year-old has averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.96 steals while starting all 231 of his career games.
The native German set career highs in points (19.7), rebounds (5.3) and assists (3.7) per game this past season.
Wagner's emergence and the play of 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero were major factors towards the Magic winning 47 games in 2023-24, the franchise's highest win total in a season since 2010-11, and returning to the play-offs following a three-year absence.
The former University of Michigan star's new max contract comes just days after the Magic re-signed his older brother, Moritz, to a reported two-year, $22 million deal.
He's also the first Magic player to receive a maximum extension on his rookie contract since Dwight Howard in 2007, though Banchero is expected to join that group when he becomes eligible next summer.
Wagner's extension continues what has been a busy free agent period for Orlando. The Magic previously pried coveted veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from the Denver Nuggets on a three-year, $66 million deal and gave forward Jonathan Isaac a five-year, $84 million extension.
The rhythmic hum of wheels on the track, the exhilarating speed, and the fierce competition are nothing new to Nicholas Paul. Yet, as the Trinidad and Tobago cyclist prepares for a second-consecutive Olympic Games appearance, his excitement and determination are as fresh as ever.
At 25, Paul has already cemented his place as one of Trinidad and Tobago's premier athletes, as his dazzling career –filled with challenges, triumphs, and an unwavering commitment to excellence –has been nothing short of remarkable.
In fact, it is Paul’s relentless drive and unwavering passion that has brought him to this point where he not just races for medals, but more importantly, races to inspire a nation and leave a lasting legacy in the world of cycling.
“To compete at the Olympics Games is the pinnacle of every sport and one of an athlete’s greatest dreams. So it is really an incredible honour for me to qualify to represent my country Trinidad and Tobago on the world stage once again. It's definitely a proud moment and a great milestone in my cycling career that I am looking forward to,” Paul told SportsMax.TV.
“I firstly, always give thanks to God for the talents that he has given me, as well as my family, coaches, support staff, teammates and all my supporters for their support along my journey. It is the hard work, discipline and dedication combined with the assistance my support team that has attributed to my successes over the years and even now as I prepare to head to the Olympics,” he added.
A series of unstoppable performances on the International Cycling Union (UCI) circuits in Canada and Germany, followed by a classy display at the PanAm Elite Track Cycling Championships in Argentina, Paul's journey to the top has been marked by numerous milestones.
He also won three medals –gold, silver and bronze –at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, with another double medal-winning performance –gold and silver –coming at last year’s Pan American (PanAm) Games in Chile.
For many, that would more than represent a successful cycling career, but for Paul, this is only the beginning.
Despite the many successes which showcased his exceptional, Paul still views his career as a work in progress, possibly because he is still hunting that one prize or moment to really define things and that is the Olympic Games medal.
During his debut performance at the 2020 Tokyo Games, Paul demonstrated his mettle by making the quarterfinals in the men’s sprint event, and while he missed out on a medal, his performance was a testament to his skill, speed, and resilience.
Having taken those lessons to heart, Paul is now hoping to write the wrongs when he again graces the global multi-sport stage in Paris this summer.
"The experience in Tokyo was invaluable. Competing against the best in the world always taught me so much about myself and so I’ve worked tirelessly to improve every aspect of my training and preparation,” Paul shared.
“Whenever I compete and represent my country Trinidad and Tobago, I always want to win and put my best foot forward. My mindset for this Olympic Games is the same as well, but it is all about targeting one race at a time,” he added.
That said, the modest twin island republic cyclist pointed that his charge towards Olympic success will be a blend of physical conditioning, technical refinement, and mental fortitude.
“The Olympic Games is the biggest goal scheduled on my calendar and so I have been working very hard on and off the bike preparing myself mentally and physically for the challenge at hand. My training has been going well and I'm looking forward to participating at the Games in the best form possible,” Paul declared.
"The key is to stay disciplined and keep pushing forward, no matter what obstacles come your way. Every race, every training session, is a step towards achieving my dreams, and like I said earlier, I’m grateful for the support of my coaches, my family, and my country – they motivate me to give my best every single day,” he noted.
Looking ahead, Paul is determined to build on his past experiences and deliver a performance that will make his country proud. With eyes set on the podium, Paul embodies the spirit of perseverance and excellence that defines Trinidad and Tobago’s sporting legacy.
“It’s just another set of races for me, I know I have been putting in the work, so I just have to believe in myself and execute to the best of my ability,” he said with an air of confidence.
“My overall ambition is to continue putting Trinidad and Tobago on the map in search of that historic Olympic medal in the sport of cycling, as the aim is to let the entire world know that we are a small island but we have a lot of talent,” Paul ended.
Emma Raducanu enjoyed herself on Centre Court as she stormed into the fourth round at Wimbledon by beating Maria Sakkari.
Raducanu made light work of the ninth seed on Friday to claim a statement win, triumphing 6-2 6-3.
The 21-year-old, who was handed a wildcard into the event, has now matched her best run at the All England Club.
Raducanu was in dominant form against Sakkari, as she continued her run of having not dropped a set at the tournament.
The 2021 US Open champion saved all seven of the break points she faced, and reflecting on her display, Raducanu said it was one of her most enjoyable experiences.
"Today was really up there with the most fun I’ve had on a tennis court," she said.
"I was telling myself, 'How many times in your life are you going to have in front of a full Centre Court?'"
Qualifier Lulu Sun is next up for Raducanu, as she aims to beat her run from the 2021 tournament, which set the tone for her incredible success at Flushing Meadows.
Data Debrief: Best of British
At the age of 21 years and 234 days, Raducanu is the second-youngest player from Great Britain in the past four decades to defeat a WTA top-10 ranked opponent at a grand slam.
The youngest player on that particular list is Laura Robson, who defeated Li Na at the US Open in 2012.
Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare as the defending champion won a five-set thriller against Frances Tiafoe to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon.
Tiafoe came into Friday's third-round match on Centre Court with low expectations due to what has been a difficult 2024 so far, but he won the first and third sets, before coming within a tie-break of causing a huge upset.
Alcaraz ultimately prevailed 5-7 6-2 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 in just under four hours to book a fourth-round meeting with either Brandon Nakashima or Ugo Humbert.
There were few signs of the drama that would follow when Alcaraz broke to take a first-set lead, but Tiafoe – who shocked Rafael Nadal at the US Open in 2022 – fought back with two breaks of his own to claim the opener and threaten another grand slam scalp.
A superb backhand winner clinched a comfortable second set for Alcaraz, but 29th seed Tiafoe produced an extremely impressive response, rallying the crowd when he confidently moved 2-1 in front having barely been troubled on serve in the third.
There were no break opportunities for either player in a keenly contested fourth set, but, with the pressure firmly on, Alcaraz produced a brilliant tie-break to send the contest into a decider, then taking his turn to celebrate with the fans.
The Spaniard made a crucial early breakthrough in game three and Tiafoe soon began to realise his opportunity had gone when Alcaraz consolidated his lead with a second break. He sealed the victory with a beautiful drop shot, with his relief and joy clear to see after getting over the line.
Data Debrief: Ten in a row for Carlos
Alcaraz is becoming a consistent grass-court performer and has now made the last 16 or better at Wimbledon for three consecutive tournaments, a run which includes his triumph last year.
The victory also means he has won 10 straight Wimbledon matches, with this surely being one of the toughest in that sequence.
Having also achieved that feat at the US Open, he is the third-youngest player to do so at both of those majors, with only Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander doing so at a younger age.
Despite a difficult afternoon on Centre Court, Alcaraz still racked up some impressive numbers, finishing with 16 aces and 55 winners.
Bahamian shooting guard Buddy Hield is on his way to San Francisco after the Philadelphia 76ers completed a sign-and-trade that will send the 31-year-old sharpshooting wing to the Golden State Warriors.
Hield has hit 200-plus 3-pointers in six straight seasons with a career 3-point shooting percentage of 40% on 7.6 attempts per game.
He’s played with the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers since being selected with the 6th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Hield started last season with the Pacers and was traded to Philadelphia at the trade deadline.
He joins a Warriors backcourt looking to replace the production of Klay Thompson, who agreed to a deal with the Dallas Mavericks this week after playing his entire career with Golden State.
Hield and new teammate Stephen Curry lead the NBA in 3-pointers made over the last five seasons.
Hield is currently starring for the Bahamas in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Valencia, Spain.
The Bahamas are currently in the semi-finals where they will play Lebanon on Saturday while hosts Spain will tackle Finland in the other semi-final.
The tournament winners will advance to the Olympics in Paris.
Ardie Savea is being driven by some painful memories ahead of New Zealand's home Test series against England.
The reigning World Player of the Year confessed the All Blacks got "smacked in the nose" in a 12-11 defeat in the 2019 Rugby World Cup semi-finals, while their last meeting ended in a 25-25 draw at Twickenham in November 2022.
Number eight Savea is back available for New Zealand after a two-year sabbatical from playing in Japan and is itching to settle some scores in the first of the two-Test series in Dunedin on Saturday.
Speaking at the All Blacks' official season launch in Upper Hutt, in quotes reported by the Guardian, he said: "The last time we played them we drew so we've got a bit of history.
"We understand what they can bring and if we don't front up and match up it'll be a long day.
"That’s what happened in 2019 – we got smacked in the nose and couldn’t recover. They've just played Japan and have been going really well, so we need to get together quickly and rip into things.
"We don’t know what they’ll do this year but for us it is just about focusing on ourselves and making sure we nail it.
"It (the 2019 defeat) still stings a little bit. It's what drives me now to keep going. It's not a feeling you want to experience.
"I don’t think it hit until the chaos died down, it took a while. But you've got to get up, learn from it and try and make sure it doesn't happen again."
England hammered Japan 52-17 in Tokyo June 22 in a warm-up for the series and Ardea acknowledged to feeling slightly uneasy, but in a good way.
He added: "I'm nervous. But nerves bring the best out of us. And it's a great challenge for myself to step forward and try and own it."
Christian Walker continued his Dodger Stadium rampage with two more home runs and Joc Pederson added a blast against his former team to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 9-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.
Walker went deep in his first two at-bats for his 18th and 19th home runs in 42 career games at the ballpark. He has homered in five straight games at the third-oldest park in the majors, tying the longest single-season streak at Dodger Stadium with Pederson, who did it in 2015 with Los Angeles.
Walker hit five home runs in the three-game series, and he has nine this season against the Dodgers and 22 overall.
Pederson and Walker went back-to-back with two outs in the first inning off rookie Landon Knack. Pederson walked with two outs in the third and Walker followed with a two-run shot to extend Arizona's lead to 4-0.
Justin Martinez struck out five over three scoreless innings for the win.
Gabriel Moreno had three hits, including a two-run double in the ninth, as the Diamondbacks won for the fourth time in five games.
Dodgers' stars Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman struck out three times each.
Reds sweep struggling Yankees
Nick Martini, Jonathan India and Spencer Steer homered to back Frankie Montas' triumphant return to Yankee Stadium as the Cincinnati Reds defeated reeling New York 8-4 to complete a three-game sweep.
Steer's three-run shot in the fifth inning off Marcus Stroman extended Cincinnati's lead to 5-0, and Jake Fraley made it 8-2 with a bases-loaded triple in the seventh.
The Reds became the first NL team to sweep a regular-season interleague series in the Bronx.
Montas took a shutout into the fifth and allowed two runs, four hits and three walks in five-plus innings to end a four-start winless streak. He struggled to a 6.35 ERA in eight starts with the Yankees in 2022.
Ben Rice hit his first career home run, Austin Well also went deep and Juan Soto added his 21st of the season for the Yankees, who have lost 13 of 17 and 14 of 19 after a 49-21 start.
Irvin, Nationals 1-hit Mets
Jake Irvin pitched one-hit ball over a career-high eight innings and Jesse Winker hit a pinch-hit home run to lift the Washington Nationals to a 1-0 victory over the New York Mets.
Irvin struck out eight, walked one and threw 99 pitches. He gave up his only hit on Jeff McNeil's third-inning single.
Derek Law pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season.
Winker hit a curveball from reliever Adrian Houser 407 feet to right-center field for his fifth career pinch-hit home run and his 10th of any kind this season.
Jose Quintana nearly matched Irvin, allowing four hits over seven scoreless innings.
Washington won their second straight and sent New York to their seventh shutout of the season.
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