Cameron Norrie will face Novak Djokovic for a place in the Wimbledon final after the British number one defeated David Goffin.
Tuesday's topsy-turvy quarter-final was only the second meeting between Goffin and Norrie and it was the world number 12 who came out on top 3-6 7-5 2-6 6-3 7-5.
The first appearance from a Briton in a Wimbledon quarter-final since 2017 did not get off to a good start from a partisan home crowd's perspective, though, and Goffin looked well in control when he broke to go a set and 4-3 up.
Yet Norrie's resolve got him through, the 26-year-old hitting straight back before breaking again to restore parity.
The momentum swung Goffin's way again in the third set, the Belgian breaking three times and getting back in front, but he lost his way from then on.
A near 50-minute fourth set went the way of the Briton, who claimed the crucial break at 5-5 and then converted a third set point.
Norrie saved a break point on his first service game of the decider, but it was neck and neck until a truly dismal serving display from Goffin gifted the home favourite the chance to serve out the win.
It was an opportunity he did not pass up as, despite seeing a first match point go begging when Goffin sliced a wonderful effort down the line, Norrie regained his composure and forced the world number 58 into an underhit backhand, wrapping up the Brit's progress to a clash with top seed Djokovic.
Data slam: Norrie the home hope
Having won two Tour-level tournaments already in 2022, Norrie is into his first grand slam semi-final, and there is hardly any bigger test than going up against reigning Wimbledon champion Djokovic.
Norrie, who was born in South Africa, is only the fourth British man to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals in the Open Era, after Roger Taylor, Tim Henman and former world number one Andy Murray.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Norrie – 49/46
Goffin – 38/46
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Norrie – 5/4
Goffin – 6/3
BREAK POINTS WON
Norrie – 5/8
Goffin – 5/10
Denmark star Pernille Harder is "so happy" that Christian Eriksen is back playing football, and is hoping the playmaker will join Manchester United.
Eriksen collapsed on the pitch while playing for Denmark in Euro 2020 last June, suffering cardiac arrest.
The former Tottenham midfielder recovered and was fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, but that prevented him from playing in Italy for his club Inter.
Eriksen was subsequently released and did not find a new club until January, when Brentford offered him the chance to show his quality and prove his fitness.
He managed to do just that, making a huge impact by scoring once and assisting four more goals in 11 league appearances to help Brentford, who had been out of form prior to his arrival, stay up with ease.
To highlight Eriksen's importance, he created 30 chances following his Bees bow in March, with only Martin Odegaard (38) and Kevin De Bruyne (42) topping that in the division.
However, the 30-year-old only signed a short-term contract and is now expected to join United, to the delight of Harder, who is preparing for the Women's Euro 2022 with Denmark.
She told Stats Perform: "It's amazing, I'm so happy that he’s back and that he's playing really good football as well.
"It seems like he's enjoying playing, if he's going to Manchester United I will be happy as a United fan but also for him.
"I don't know if it's just rumours or if it's actually happening."
Harder's sentiments were echoed by her Denmark team-mates Sanne Troelsgaard Nielsen and Signe Bruun.
Nielsen said: "So happy, we just enjoy following Christian Eriksen, of course Manchester United is a big club and it's huge in Denmark as well."
Bruun added: "It was so sad last year, him going down at home in our national stadium but to see him coming back like that and performing like that for the national team and Brentford as well is great.
"We all supported him, we were all behind him and for him now to make a big move like that, I think he deserves it, he's a hard worker, so I'm very, very happy to see that."
Novak Djokovic revealed "a little pep talk in the mirror" gave him the motivation to rescue his Wimbledon mission after Jannik Sinner threatened a monumental Centre Court upset.
Seeking a fourth consecutive Wimbledon title, and seventh in all, Djokovic fell two sets behind against 20-year-old Italian Sinner and left the court for a toilet break at the height of his crisis.
Djokovic returned recharged to win 5-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 for a 26th consecutive Wimbledon match win, reaching the semi-finals for an 11th time and later revealing what had occurred away from the public glare.
"I went out and had a little bit of refreshment, toilet break and a little pep talk in the mirror," said Djokovic.
That sparked laughter from the crowd, but Djokovic said: "It's actually true. Sometimes in these sort of circumstances where nothing is happening positively for you on court, and the other guy is dominating the play, sometimes these things are necessary: a little break and a little pep talk and try to recuperate and regather the thoughts, and reassemble everything that you have, and come at your opponent with the best possible game.
"I was fortunate to start the third set very well. I broke his serve early in the set and I think that has given me a confidence boost, and I saw a little bit of doubt in his game, in his movement, and I guess the experience of playing on this stage for many matches helped me a little bit to deal and cope with the pressure."
It was a third victory from two sets in arrears for Djokovic at Wimbledon, and a seventh overall in his grand slam career.
Djokovic described Sinner as "so mature for his age", adding: "He's got plenty of time, and it was unfortunate for him today, but he's had a very good tournament."
The defending champion said the first two sets and the final three felt like "two different matches", the change having been striking once Djokovic emerged from his talking-to in the mirror.
"I go through the same kind of doubtful moments as anybody else," said 35-year-old Djokovic, who is chasing a 21st grand slam title this fortnight.
"The inner fight is always the biggest fight you have to fight on the court, and so trying to win that internal fight is a big challenge.
"Once you do that, the external circumstances are more likely to go in your favour. I always believed I could turn the match around. I've done that quite a few times in grand slams, from being two sets to love down. Maybe it's the experience, maybe it's the toilet break, maybe it's everything combined, but I'm just glad I'm through.
"Every single time I step on this court the love affair keeps going and keeps growing, so hopefully I can maintain that run."
Trinidad and Tobago hammered Martinique 8-2 on Sunday to secure the bronze medal in Men’s Futsal at the Caribbean Games in Guadeloupe.
Captain Che Benny carried the Trinidadians with five goals and two assists in the game played at the Palais des Sports du Gosier.
Cuba won the gold medal after a 6-2 win over Suriname while Guadeloupe came fifth after a 12-6 win over Curacao.
Wout van Aert put any frustration from the first three Tour de France stages behind him as he won in emphatic fashion in Calais.
Van Aert finished second in each of the first three stages in Denmark but made sure of victory on Tuesday with a wonderful late surge that left the rest of the race in his wake.
Having worked with his Team Jumbo-Visma team-mates and a clutch of INEOS Grenadiers riders - including Adam Yates and general classification hopeful Geraint Thomas - to catch Anthony Perez (Cofidis) on the final climb with just over 10 kilometres remaining of the route from Dunkirk to Calais, Van Aert powered off down the home stretch.
A brilliant all-rounder, GC leader Van Aert turned what might have been a bunch sprint finish into a solo time trial, and he was able to celebrate as he crossed the line, assured of a well-earned success.
Having been pipped to the line by Fabio Jakobsen on Saturday and Dylan Groenewegen a day later, Van Aert was in no mood to leave anything to chance.
"I didn't want to take the risk anymore," Van Aert said when asked if he was tired of bunch sprints.
"We were in perfect position, it opened up on the climb. I came over the top alone... so I decided to go alone and then it was 10km of all-out suffering."
Asked what it was like to win a stage of Le Tour while wearing the famous yellow jersey, 27-year-old Van Aert, who now holds a 25-second lead in the GC standings, replied "this jersey gives you wings", seemingly referencing his celebration as he crossed the line, when he spread out and flapped his arms.
"This stage was most likely to end in a sprint in a bigger group, so it's one of the most difficult things to do to go alone," he continued. "I could only do it with the help of my team-mates. They did half the work, it was up to me to finish it off."
Philipsen left red-faced
Joy turned to embarrassment for Jasper Philipsen, who executed a perfect sprint finish to snatch second place.
He celebrated wildly as he crossed the line, only to be told that it was Van Aert who had already claimed victory. Such was the latter's lead, it is no surprise that Philipsen lost track.
STAGE RESULT
1. Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma) 4:01:36
2. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 4:01:44
3. Christophe Laporte (Team Jumbo-Visma) same time
4. Alexander Kristoff (Intermarche–Wanty–Gobert Materiaux) same time
5. Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies) same time
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma) 13:02:43
2. Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) +0:25
3. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) +0:32
Points Classification
1. Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma) 170
2. Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) 109
3. Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies) 80
King of the Mountains
1. Magnus Cort Nielsen (EF Education–EasyPost) 11
2. Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma) 1
Novak Djokovic pulled off a great escape on Centre Court to deny Jannik Sinner in five sets and reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for an 11th time.
Djokovic won 5-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 in three hours and 35 minutes for his 26th consecutive Wimbledon match win, moving two steps away from a fourth successive title at the All England Club.
It gave him a 10th victory in the 11 five-set matches he has contested at Wimbledon, a fourth-round loss to Mario Ancic in 2006 the exception.
From 4-1 ahead in the second set, Djokovic's game went into sleep mode for an hour as his inspired Italian opponent stole a march, Sinner threatening to pull off a shock to follow up his outstanding fourth-round win over Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner was profiting from Djokovic's lethargic and erratic display, the crowd lending him their full support, which was no doubt jarring for Djokovic given his status as one of the tournament's greatest champions.
Djokovic gained a foothold in the contest by breaking to love to lead 3-1 in the third set, beckoning to the crowd to show him a little love in the next game.
From that point he never looked back. The tide was not so much turning but lapping urgently at the Sinner shoreline, threatening to wash away his challenge, and when he conceded a break in the third game of the deciding set the script was almost complete.
Sinner had rolled an ankle at the end of the fourth set but was quickly back to his feet, only to be mowed down by the relentless Serbian juggernaut on the other side of the net, a highlights-reel crosscourt backhand winner from Djokovic crowning the comeback as the winning line approached.
Data slam: Joining Jimmy as Djokovic survives
Djokovic has still not lost at Wimbledon since having to retire from a quarter-final against Tomas Berdych in 2017 due to an elbow injury. He has now matched Jimmy Connors' total of 84 match wins at Wimbledon, a total only beaten in men's singles by the 105 achieved by Roger Federer. The 11 Wimbledon semi-finals also put him level with Connors, with Federer's 13 the total to beat.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Djokovic – 41/33
Sinner– 43/41
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 8/5
Sinner– 8/7
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 6/15
Sinner - 4/9
Wimbledon surprise package Tatjana Maria said she was living out a dream after reaching her maiden grand slam semi-final.
Maria also matched a feat achieved by Serena Williams and only two other players since 1984 – Mirjana Lucic (1999) and Zheng Jie (2008) – in reaching the last four at Wimbledon as a player ranked outside the top 100 on the WTA list.
The 34-year-old German, who beat compatriot Jule Niemeier 4-6 6-2 7-5 on Tuesday, is ranked 103rd, and despite her efforts at Wimbledon she will not soar in the standings after the WTA's decision to strip the grand slam of ranking points.
Yet that will matter little for the mother of two, who knew she would face either Marie Bouzkova or Ons Jabeur in her first slam semi-final.
"I have goosebumps everywhere. It was such a tough match against Jule. I think today we made Germany really proud after our match," said Maria in her on-court interview.
"My two little girls, it's a dream to live this with my family, to live this with my two girls. Almost one year ago I gave birth, it's crazy.
"Ons [Jabeur], I mean it would be really nice to play her [in the semi-final]. She is part of my family, she loves my kids, she is playing with them every day.
"It would be great to play her, we never know. But I am only happy that I am in a semi-final now."
Tatjana Maria's late-career Wimbledon charge continued into the semi-finals after she rallied past Jule Niemeier in the last eight on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old's best grand slam run before last week had taken her only as far as round three at the All England Club in 2015, but she is now one win away from a Centre Court final after edging Niemeier in an entertaining 4-6 6-2 7-5 triumph.
Niemeier, at the opposite end of her career at 22, was making her main-draw Wimbledon debut and had looked on course to ride her momentum into the last four.
In only the third all-German grand slam quarter-final of the Open Era, Maria's nerves showed in the first set as she immediately dropped serve and was unable to recover.
But after quickly being broken again at the start of the second, the veteran seized control, battling back as Niemeier appeared to lose her composure.
The decider could have gone either way, with one crucial point going in Maria's favour as Niemeier dived headfirst after a drop shot at the end of a 13-stroke rally, yet experience told at the last.
Data slam: Mother Maria in fine company
Maria gave birth to her second daughter just 15 months ago, but she has returned better than ever and joined esteemed company with a semi-final appearance at 34.
She is just the sixth female player in the Open Era to make the last four at Wimbledon after her 34th birthday, alongside Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams and Venus Williams. Meanwhile, Mirjana Lucic (2017 Australian Open) is the only other European player to achieve that feat at any of the majors.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Maria – 26/37
Niemeier – 39/54
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Maria – 4/7
Niemeier – 3/11
BREAK POINTS WON
Maria – 5/7
Niemeier – 3/9
Nick Kyrgios has been charged with common assault and summoned to appear before a court in Canberra next month, it has been reported in Australian media.
Australian Capital Territory Policing, who did not name Kyrgios directly, confirmed one charge of common assault relating to an incident in December 2021.
A barrister representing the tennis player responded by saying Kyrgios "takes the allegation very seriously" but would not be making an immediate public comment.
Kyrgios is in England, playing at Wimbledon, and is scheduled to face Cristian Garin in the quarter-finals of the competition on Wednesday.
The player's barrister, Jason Moffett, confirmed the charge.
"It's in the context of a domestic relationship," Moffett told the Canberra Times. "The nature of the allegation is serious, and Mr Kyrgios takes the allegation very seriously.
"Given the matter is before the court – he doesn't have a comment at this stage, but in the fullness of time we'll issue a media release."
An ACT Policing spokesperson in Canberra said: "ACT Policing can confirm a 27-year-old Watson man is scheduled to face the ACT Magistrates Court on the 2nd of August in relation to one charge of common assault following an incident in December 2021."
Olympic swimming gold medallist Bronte Campbell says any work on the sport's new open category should require talks with the "unbelievably marginalised" transgender community.
World governing body FINA last month announced the banning of all transgender women from elite female competition, if they have experienced any stage of male puberty.
The authority has received praise from long-time campaigners and strong criticism from LGBT advocacy groups for its decision, while World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said the swimming body was acting in its best interest.
Campbell, who won freestyle relay gold medals with Australia at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, says any discussion over the introduction of an open category requires discussion with those who will be affected by the decision.
"I think it's important to look at all options," she said, quoted by the Australian Associated Press. "It's something you have to engage with the transgender community on. You have to figure out what they want to do in this situation.
"It's not for us to sit back and make up things without talking to the appropriate people."
Campbell's sister and fellow Olympic gold medallist Cate previously stated the gender inclusion policy would preserve the "fairness" of the sport.
Bronte Campbell added: "It's a really complicated issue. You're talking about a community that has been so unbelievably marginalised over the years and still faces that.
"So it's important to make sure that we're doing something to protect those people as well. Everyone's going to get past that next hurdle before they start thinking and engaging with it."
England wing Jonny May is set to miss Saturday's pivotal second Test against Australia in Brisbane as he makes a "graded return" from a coronavirus lay-off.
The 32-year-old Gloucester player has yet to return to full squad training after emerging from quarantine, and that means he is not expected to figure in Eddie Jones' selection for the weekend.
Defence coach Anthony Seibold said on Tuesday: "It was a long seven days for Jonny. He's been back on his feet today, running, but he didn't join in with the team. It will be a graded return to full training for him.
"We tried to include Jonny while he was in isolation, so sending him the team meetings, the backs meetings. We've used him as a really experienced Test player. We have a really young group in the backs, so he's been a bit of a resource for those guys."
May was absent as England loss the first Test 30-28 in Perth, where two late tries prevented the tourists incurring a heavier defeat. London Irish teenager Henry Arundell made a big impression off the bench as a wing and could come into contention to start in Brisbane, or Jones may elect to use him again as a high-impact replacement.
England will also be without flanker Tom Curry, due to concussion, and the Sale Sharks man will not feature in the third Test in Sydney either.
Seibold said potential replacements Lewis Ludlam, Sam Underhill and Jack Willis were "three really good guys".
Quoted on Skysports.com, Seibold added: "Lewis Ludlam came on and competed really strongly when Tom Curry came off on Saturday.
"He's been a great leader for Northampton this year and when he comes into camp you can certainly tell why he is the captain of his club.
"Jack Willis is really good over the ball and competes really strongly defensively, while Sam Underhill was one of the outstanding players at the 2019 World Cup.
"He missed out on selection for the first Test, but he’s competed really strongly to put himself in the frame for the second. So we've got some options there. Tom's a big part of our team so he'll be a loss, but it's an opportunity for somebody else."
Losing senior figures means a difficult task for England becomes even more complicated. Australia have won their last five Tests on home soil – their best-such run since 2008 – and five of their last eight when hosting European opposition.
Rafael Nadal spoke about how he is fighting against his physical decline after defeating Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4 6-2 7-6 (8-6) to advance to the Wimbledon quarter-final.
It was Nadal's second consecutive straight sets win after dropping a set to both Ricardis Berankis and Francisco Cerundolo in his first two rounds.
After not competing at Wimbledon since reaching the semi-final in 2019, Nadal is back as he tries to keep his dreams of a calendar slam alive, having won the Australian Open and the French Open already this year.
Speaking to the media after his fourth-round win, the Spaniard declined to give detail about his injuries, saying he is "healthy enough to keep going".
"I am a little bit tired of talking about my body," he said. "It's not that I don't want to answer the question, but at the same time, sometimes I am tired of myself, and all the issues I'm having.
"I'd prefer to not talk about it now – I'm sorry for that – but I am in the middle of the tournament, and I have to keep going.
"All respect to the rest of my opponents, I am just trying my best every single day, and for the moment I am healthy enough to keep going, and to fight for the things that I want."
He added: "I think I made a big effort to be here.
"It takes a lot of mental and physical effort to try to play this tournament after the things I went through the last couple of months.
"But as everybody knows, Wimbledon is a tournament that I like so much, and it's been three years without playing here. I really wanted to be back, and that's what I'm doing, so that's why it means so much to be in the quarter-finals."
Nadal did not want to get into a discussion about his physical struggles, but it was unavoidable when he was asked about how his grass-court play has evolved over the years.
"I won here in 2008, and I played the final in 2006 and 2007," he said. "So I have to say that during that period of time there were a lot of things I did well [on grass courts].
"At very early stages of my career I was able to play very well on this surface too, but of course I am running less than before, that is obvious.
"When I am losing things, in terms of physical performance, you need to add things to keep being competitive. That's what I did all my career, try to add things to my game, and improve things I need to still be competitive after losing some physical capacities, and other things you lose during your career.
"At the same time, one of the things I'm more proud of is the way I've been able to adjust and accept the challenges in terms of physical issues, and to be able to always find a way to be competitive and improve my game."
Looking forward to his quarter-final clash with American Taylor Fritz – who defeated Nadal in the final of the Indian Wells Masters back in March – the legend said he was in too much pain during that contest to learn any lessons.
"Honestly, what I learned out at our last match was zero, because I had a stress fracture in my rib," he said. "That made it difficult to learn many things, because honestly the pain was terrible playing that match.
"He's playing at a very, very high level, having a great season, winning matches everywhere, and you can see it. He won the tournament last week – the week before Wimbledon – and now the quarter-finals, winning already in a Masters 1000, he's in a very high position in the race already."
He added: "At the same time, we're in a quarter-final, so you can't expect an easy opponent."
It was a unique day at the ballpark as the Milwaukee Brewers treated their home fans to a 5-2 extra-innings win against the Chicago Cubs on Independence Day.
Pitchers dominated the early stages, with the only run in the first six innings coming from Cubs center-fielder Nelson Velasquez, who sent a ball 418 feet for the first home run of his career.
Cubs starter Justin Steele retired 20 batters before finally conceding his only run as Pedro Severino collected an RBI double in the seventh inning, tying things at 1-1.
Steele finished his day with nine strikeouts in six-and-two-thirds innings, with his one earned run coming from two hits and four walks.
Milwaukee's Eric Lauer was just as impressive, pitching six full innings for one earned run from two hits and two walks, also striking out nine.
With scores tied in the top of the ninth inning, in his return from over a month on the sidelines due to injury, Seiya Suzuki sent a ball to deep center-field. It bounced awkwardly off the wall to evade the outfielders, allowing the Japanese rookie star to round the bases for an inside-the-park home run and give the Cubs a 2-1 lead.
But David Robertson could not complete the save for Chicago, giving up a single, a double, a hit-by-pitch and a walk to drive in the tying run, sending the game to extra innings.
The Cubs were unable to put a run on the board in the top of the 10th, setting up the Brewers for a walk-off win.
After Rowdy Tellez was intentionally walked, putting two men on base, Victor Caratini blasted a 411-foot, walk-off home run to finish the contest.
It was the first time in MLB history there had been a player hit his first career home run, another hit an inside-the-parker, and another hit a walk-off homer in the same game.
Alvarez delivers in the clutch
The breakout star of the Houston Astros, Yordan Alvarez, capped off a big comeback on Monday with a walk-off home run to defeat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 at home.
It was the Royals who started hot, jumping out to a 5-0 lead after M.J. Melendez's solo home run in the third inning, and that is when the Astros would begin their fightback.
The Astros pulled back three runs through RBIs to Kyle Tucker, Jose Altuve and Mauricio Dubon, and after Melendez's second home run of the game made it 6-3, Tucker drove in another two runs in the eighth inning.
Lourdes Gurriel tied things at 6-6 in the eighth frame, before with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Alvarez completed the comeback with a no-doubt, 444-foot solo home run to center-field.
Mateo takes one for the team in Orioles win
The Baltimore Orioles took a gutsy 7-6 home win against the Texas Rangers as shortstop Jorge Mateo wore a hit-by-pitch in the botttom of the 10th inning for an unconventional walk-off.
A pair of clutch hits in the ninth inning – first a solo home run from Texas' Marcus Semien to put his side up 6-5, and then an RBI double from Baltimore's Adley Rutchsman to tie it at 6-6 – forced extra innings in the back-and-forth contest.
The Rangers were unable to put on a run on the board in the 10th, allowing the Orioles to escape with the result after a bunt single, an intentional walk and finally Mateo's hit-by-pitch drove in the winning run.
Nick Kyrgios reflected on what he feels is a new-found maturity after defeating Brandon Nakashima to earn his spot against Cristian Garin in the Wimbledon quarter-final.
The 27-year-old Australian needed five sets to make it past the 20-year-old American, eventually winning 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-2.
In a match that was far from smooth sailing, Kyrgios needed a medical timeout following the first set to deal with some shoulder discomfort that has flared up since his fiery win against Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Speaking to the media after his success, Kyrgios said everyone is dealing with niggling injuries this deep into a grand slam, but he is proud of the way he has handled adversity this time around.
"I woke up after Tsitsipas and had some shoulder pain," he said. "I’ve played so much tennis over the last month and a half that I felt it was about time for my body to start feeling some niggles.
"I don’t think anybody is feeling 100 per cent at this time, Rafa – you see him dealing with something all the time – so it’s something I just manage. Mentally, I think I deal with these things a lot better now.
"I knew today I wasn’t feeling 100 per cent, but mentally I stayed quite calm, knowing that I wasn’t able to serve full out for the five sets."
His ability to fight through his injury was just one aspect of how Kyrgios feels he has grown as both a player and a person, touching on how far he has come since being dragged out of the pub by his manager in 2019.
"I feel like I’ve been through so much, now I can stay composed," he said. "It’s the first time in my career that I wasn’t playing well, but I was able to say ‘wow, look how far I’ve come’ – It was rewarding.
"I think I’m enjoying the battle a bit more – I’m expecting everyone to play well against me now. I was that kid once, the underdog, whereas today walking on Centre Court being the favourite was completely different for me, but I was able to navigate that.
"There was a time when I was having to be forced out of a pub at 4am to play Nadal [in the second round of 2019] – my agent had to come and get me out of a pub at 4am before I played my match on Centre Court, Wimbledon.
"So I’ve come a long way, that’s for sure… to sit here, quarter-finals at Wimbledon, feeling composed, mature, completely blessed and comfortable in my own skin."
Having burst onto the scene at such a young age, Kyrgios said he feels he helped pave the way for the current generation of young stars.
"This is almost my 10th year on Tour," he said. "I kind of feel like I was the first guy who broke through young, like at 19, beating Rafa at Wimbledon.
"I was the first young guy to show all the other guys – like Zverev and Thiem and stuff – that they could do it as well, I feel like I was the first one to break the mould. You look at guys like Alcaraz, Sinner who are just absolutely fearless.
"I think a lot of players think that Federer, Djokovic and Nadal are almost Gods and you can’t hurt them. I feel like I showed at least one of them was human that day."
Players on the LIV Golf roster will be allowed to compete in the DP World Tour's Scottish Open after their bans for featuring in the Saudi-backed league were temporarily stayed as their appeals are considered.
Both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour had refused to grant waivers for players to participate in LIV Golf's lucrative tournaments, with the first two events being held in London and Portland over the past month.
Ian Poulter has been leading the chorus of dissent from the European LIV Golf players, as the biggest names in the sport descended on Ireland's Adare Manor this week for the JP McManus Pro-Am.
He told the media he was going to fight any restrictions that tried to keep him away from a tour he feels he has dedicated a large chunk of his life to.
"My commitment to the European Tour has been there since day one," he said. "And it's still there today.
"I'm proud of playing so often, when it was to the detriment of world ranking points and FedEx Cup points I could have earned playing more in America.
"I feel disappointed and offended that I've been suspended from playing golf on a Tour that I've played for 24 years."
Chief executive of the DP World Tour, Keith Pelley, said the ruling does not mean players from the Saudi-funded tour will be granted full access to the European tour, but the field for the Scottish Open will be expanded to fit the LIV Golf players.
"I will simply say we are disappointed by the outcome of today's hearing, but will abide by the decision," he said.
"It is important to remember, however, this is only a stay of the sanctions imposed, pending the hearing of the players' appeal as to whether those sanctions were appropriate.
"The make-up of the field for the Scottish Open will be advised in due course, but based on this decision the field size will increase beyond 156.
"We will make further comment on this in due course, but not during our time at Adare Manor."
Wimbledon quarter-finalist Nick Kyrgios admitted to having a "chip on his shoulder" but dismissed the suggestion he bemoaned the controversy that seems to follow him, insisting he "loves it".
Two days on from an ill-tempered victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas that resulted in both players been fined, Kyrgios defeated 20-year-old Brandon Nakashima to progress to the quarter-finals of a grand slam for the third time in his career.
It will be the Australian's first appearance in the last eight of the singles draw at a major since 2015 in Melbourne, however, with his other grand slam quarter-final showing having come at Wimbledon in 2014 – Kyrgios having beaten Rafael Nadal to reach that stage on that occasion.
Cristian Garin of Chile is next up, after what was a reasonably well-mannered display against Nakashima, who Kyrgios was full of praise for.
Yet he still managed to spark some contention on Monday, having wore a red cap and a pair of red Nike Jordan trainers during his post-match on-court interview, breaching Wimbledon's strict dress code.
This was put to Kyrgios in his post-match news conference, with the journalist in question asking the 27-year-old if he thought he was above the rules.
"Because I do what I want," Kyrgios replied. "I'm not above the rules. I just like wearing my Jordans. I'll wear some [Jordan] triple whites tomorrow.
"Nobody else, even after Wimbledon, really walks with Jordans on the court. I don't moan [about controversy], I love it – more attention for me.
"What's that saying? Any publicity is good publicity, right?"
Kyrgios' fellow Australian Pat Cash said over the weekend that his compatriot had taken tennis to "the lowest level".
Yet Kyrgios insists he now laughs off criticism, which he believes is a sign of how he has matured as a player.
"Honestly, I don't care. I just smile. It's so funny. It's hilarious," he chuckled. "I almost just wake up and read things and just laugh.
"I never forget things people might have said three, four years ago, they stick with me. I have a massive chip on my shoulder.
"And I sit here now, quarter-finals of Wimbledon again, and I just know there's so many people that are so upset. It's a good feeling.
"I don't think in the past when I’ve got this far in a grand slam, or played big matches, I used to be on my phone a lot, attached to technology, seeing everyone's opinions or highlights, but I feel like I'm able to switch off from that, and that's a big part of my growth. Being obsessed with my girlfriend helps!
"I'm really able to just let that go, separate tennis and life, I think that's the most important thing."
Rafael Nadal and Simona Halep claimed victories on Centre Court on Monday, a day on from celebrating the venue's centenary.
Nadal and Halep were among a host of champions, including Roger Federer and last year's winner Novak Djokovic, to stand on Centre Court on Sunday for a celebration of its 100th anniversary.
A day later, they were back at the venue to seal their respective progressions to the quarter-finals.
Halep, Wimbledon champion in 2019, defeated fourth seed Paula Badosa 6-1 6-2, while Nadal overcame Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4 6-2 7-6 (8-6).
Of female players still competing on the WTA Tour, only Serena Williams (14) and Venus Williams (13) have reached more Wimbledon quarter-finals than Halep (five), who will face Amanda Anisimova in the last eight.
Nadal, meanwhile, has now played 350 matches at grand slams – a total bettered only by Federer and Djokovic.
The 22-time grand slam winner was made to work for victory in the third set by Van de Zandschulp, but having overcome a wobble, went on to secure his 18th straight major match win of 2022.
Asked about being given the honour of taking to Centre Court on Sunday, Nadal said: "Yesterday was a beautiful thing sharing the court with legends of our sport.
"Centre Court for 100 years is something very special."
It was a sentiment echoed by Halep, who is looking to reach her first grand slam semi-final since the 2020 Australian Open and has not dropped a set so far at Wimbledon this year.
"Definitely it was a place I wanted to be today. I think I played a great match," she said. "It was a pleasure to be back on Centre Court with this great crowd supporting me.
"I missed it a lot, three years was a [long time]. Yesterday I was on the court with all the champions and it was amazing. I was more nervous than I was today."
Next up for Nadal is Taylor Fritz, who beat the Spaniard in their last meeting in the final of the Indian Wells Masters earlier this season.
While Nadal is into his eighth Wimbledon quarter-final – and his 47th at a grand slam, a tally that lags behind only Djokovic (53) and Federer (58) – Fritz has never reached the last eight of a major before.
"In a personal way, for me to be able to be in quarter-finals after three years, it's amazing for me, so I'm very, very happy," said Nadal, who is hunting the calendar Grand Slam in 2022.
"Every match is different," he added of his tie against Fritz, which he anticipates being tricky.
"He is playing well and having a very good year, including a first Masters 1000 title, against me by the way, but we will be in the quarter-final of Wimbledon, so what should I expect?"
Nick Kyrgios was the recipient of lenient treatment from the chair umpire during his feisty Wimbledon clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas, so says John Lloyd.
Kyrgios has caused a stir at The All England Club over the past week, making headlines not only for his high-quality tennis, but his on-court behaviour.
The outspoken Australian is no stranger to arguing with umpires and line judges but has been particularly vitriolic at times at Wimbledon.
On Saturday he clashed with Tsitsipas, who subsequently accused the 27-year-old of being a "bully". Both players were fined for their conduct.
Now into the quarter-finals after beating Brandon Nakashima on Monday, Kyrgios has matched his best run at a grand slam, reaching the last eight at a major for the first time since 2015.
But former British number one Lloyd believes that stern calls from umpires are the way to keep a lid on Kyrgios' emotions.
Lloyd told Stats Perform: "I love watching Kyrgios because he is in some ways, it's almost like a [Roger] Federer, not in the personality, but the way he can conjure up shots that no one else can get.
"And plus, you never know what he's going to do with the drop, the underarm serves and various other things. That makes him a fun guy to watch. The game is looking for characters and I think we always say that [about Kyrgios].
"I have no problem with some of the stuff he does. But when it gets to the stage, which it was on Saturday, when it becomes a circus where it's all about him, there has to be a line there.
"I think what happened was the umpire messed up. Something I can't understand is when you're umpiring Nick Kyrgios in a match as big as this, you have to put the best guy out there that won't stand for any stuff. In other words, you've got to set the standard from the beginning.
"[A line judge] came up to the umpire after the second or third game in the middle of the rally to say basically that he had sworn and the umpire sort of looked and then hesitated, didn't give him a warning. It was almost like he was thinking, 'I'll let this one slip.'
"Well, with certain players, you could let it slip. But with Nick, he should have come right down on him. So he should put out the setting to say this is not going to happen and he didn't do that, and after that, Nick just got all over him."
Lloyd also feels that world number five Tsitsipas, who was defeated 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-3 7-6 (9-7) allowed Kyrgios to get under his skin.
"Tsitsipas was the sideshow. He's just trying to play tennis, and he's not being allowed to because of the constant barrage of talking going on," Lloyd added.
"He's rushing him the whole time. That's Tsitsipas' fault in some ways. He could have slowed it down. He was trying to be professional.
"When he lost the second set, he exploded. Hit the ball into the crowd, it did hit someone off a rebound. He could have got defaulted there.
"But for me, it was Kyrgios that goaded him for the first couple of sets and he was allowed to basically control the way the match was going, and I think that's got to be stopped. It's okay to have a bit of entertainment here and there, but not to the stage where your opponent can't play properly because of all the stuff that's going on."
Kyrgios will face Cristian Garin for a place in the semi-finals. It will be the first quarter-final between two unseeded players at Wimbledon since Arnaud Clement took on Rainer Schuttler in 2008.
Rafael Nadal will face Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon after marking his 350th grand slam match with a win over Botic van de Zandschulp.
Nadal is in the hunt for a clean sweep of the majors this season and the two-time Wimbledon champion remained on course with Monday's victory, though he ultimately needed a third-set tie-break to get the job done 6-4 6-2 7-6 (8-6).
The 36-year-old's wobble lasted the whole third set, with Nadal squandering the chance to serve out the victory before he gave up three match points.
But Nadal would not let a fourth opportunity slip from his grasp, and Fritz, who beat Jason Kubler in straight sets, is next up.
The American won his last meeting with Nadal, defeating the great Spaniard in the Indian Wells Masters earlier this season.
Nadal set the tone by forcing Van de Zandschulp to salvage two break points in the Dutchman's first service game.
Set one went Nadal's way with under 45 minutes played when he claimed the match's first break, and Van de Zandschulp was swiftly 2-0 down at the start of the second, which the Spaniard went on to dominate.
The 22-time grand slam champion endured a wobble at the start of the third when he squandered a 40-0 lead on his own serve.
Nadal struck straight back, and a second break followed when the world number four reeled off an exquisite, cushioned cross-court winner.
Yet Van de Zandschulp was handed a reprieve, with a double fault and some sloppy shots seeing Nadal fail to serve out the win.
Nadal seemed to have the edge in the tie-break when he came out on top in a wicked rally, yet he saw three match points escape before, finally, an overhit Van de Zandschulp volley sent him into an eighth Wimbledon quarter-final.
Data slam: Another milestone up for Nadal
Nadal has now played in 350 singles matches at grand slam events, becoming just the third man to do so in the Open Era, behind fellow greats Novak Djokovic (378) and Roger Federer (429).
He has won his first 18 grand slam matches in 2022. In the Open Era, only Djokovic (last year) and Rod Laver (1969) have won more matches at the majors from the start of the season.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Nadal – 29/17
Van de Zandschulp – 31/34
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Nadal – 9/2
Van de Zandschulp – 11/7
BREAK POINTS WON
Nadal – 5/11
Van de Zandschulp – 2/4
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