British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland insisted he is not concerned about the viability of his side's tour of South Africa, despite a coronavirus outbreak hitting his squad just hours before their 54-7 win over Sharks.
One member of Gatland's playing squad and one of his management team tested positive for Covid-19, prompting the Lions boss to make eight changes to his matchday squad.
He handed debuts to Tom Curry, Josh Navidi and Adam Beard and saw the trio contribute to a confident performance in which Josh Adams and Duhan van der Merwe scored three tries each.
Asked whether he had experienced another day like it, Gatland told reporters: "No not really. It's been surreal. A real challenge.
"Players were in rooms until 6pm. I'm proud of performance and how they adjusted.
"I came away thinking I was proud of the togetherness of the group more than the performance or result.
"My message to the players is let's use this as a positive. Nothing is going to phase us.
"We had to go with the flow. We had to adapt and then change. The players were outstanding in their approach."
The Lions' clash with Bulls was postponed before the game, and positive coronavirus tests in the Springboks and Bulls camps have cast the entire tour into doubt.
But Gatland is confident it remains viable, saying: "We've been incredibly vigilant with what we’ve been doing for the last four weeks.
"The most challenging thing was the hotel. All our tests had been negative until today.
"We'll address it as it goes. We knew there'd be certain challenges."
On the prospect of arranging a replacement fixture for the Bulls game on Saturday, Gatland added: "I need to talk to the medical team about that.
"We'll talk about the chance of a game. We'll need to wait on the close contacts and see how the players from today are.
"Josh Adams has started three games so he needs a rest. These players have fronted up."
The British and Irish Lions brushed off uncertainty threatening to engulf their tour as they made it two emphatic wins from two matches in South Africa with a 7-54 win over Sharks in Johannesburg.
After two members of the Lions staff tested positive for Covid-19 hours before kick-off, ruling eight members of the squad out of the game, Warren Gatland gave debuts to Tom Curry, Josh Navidi and Adam Beard.
Three tries each for Josh Adams and Duhan van der Merwe ensured Gatland's patchwork side made light work of a defensively frail Sharks team.
Further tries from Bundee Aki and Louis Rees-Zammit and composed kicking by Owen Farrell and Finn Russell gave the Lions a scoreline that will keep morale in the camp high despite the uncertainty shrouding the tour.
Adams made it six tries in three matches before a neat attacking move saw Van der Merwe round Thaakir Abrahams to go over, with Farrell converting both to give the Lions a 14-point lead inside seven minutes.
Farrell sent a superbly weighted grubber deep into Sharks territory where Van der Merwe beat Elliot Daly to the ball and touched down to make it 0-19.
A fine half of attacking rugby was capped with a fourth try when Luke Cowan-Dickie drove Sharks back before Aki forced his way past James Venter and made his first score for the Lions, and Farrell converted to make it 0-26 at half-time.
Sharks improved after the interval and pulled a try back through Venter, who could not be stopped down the right touchline and went over before Curwin Bosch converted.
Farrell, struggling with a shoulder injury, was replaced shortly before Adams capitalised on a Marius Louw error, hacking on to score a try that Russell converted.
Adams fed Rees-Zammit, who showed his electric pace to score under the posts and Russell converted to make it 40-7 with 20 minutes left, and Van der Merwe completed his hat-trick when Daly's clever pass put him through in the corner.
Two minutes from time, Adams emulated his team-mate, scoring his third of the game after good hands in midfield from Beard and Taulupe Faletau.
Lions continue to roar, for now
Should the outbreak of coronavirus in the Lions camp spread beyond the two positives already detected, the uplift from this result may be shortlived.
What's more, Gatland has injuries to Farrell (shoulder), Rees-Zammit (hamstring) and Navidi (shin) to contend with.
Simmonds makes his mark
Sam Simmonds went into the game determined to make a point to England head coach Eddie Jones, who has not rewarded his outstanding performances for Exeter Chiefs.
The number eight had a superb first half, making more carries (six) than any other Lions forward, and only Josh Adams (31m) and Elliot Daly (51m) made more metres than his 30.
Roger Federer is unsure if he will make a return to Wimbledon, after the 20-time grand slam champion lost to Hubert Hurkacz in Wednesday's quarter-final.
Federer slipped to a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-0 defeat on Centre Court, with the 39-year-old failing to take the chance to become the oldest male to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals in the Open Era.
Having taken the majority of 2020 out to recover from knee surgery, Federer had played in four tournaments prior to this year's grass-court grand slam, but failed to progress beyond the round of 16 in any of them.
He made it a step further at Wimbledon yet fell well short against world number 18 Hurkacz.
Following Federer's defeat, another legend of the Wimbledon courts – Boris Becker – suggested the end of the road may be approaching for the world number eight, who turns 40 in August.
And asked in a post-match news conference if he would be returning to Wimbledon, Federer conceded he is uncertain.
"I don't know. I really don't know. I've got to regroup. My goal was always for the last year and more to always try to play another Wimbledon," the eight-time champion said.
"The initial goal was to play last year, but that was never going to happen, plus the pandemic hit. I was able to make it this year, which I'm really happy about.
"With everything that comes after Wimbledon, we were always going to sit down and talk about it because clearly now Wimbledon is over. I've got to take a few days.
"Obviously we're going to speak a little bit tonight, depending on how I feel, then the next couple of days as well. Then we go from there. Just see, okay, what do I need to do to get in better shape so I can be more competitive?
"I'm actually very happy I made it as far as I did and was able to play Wimbledon at the level that I did after everything I went through. Of course, I would like to play it again, but at my age, you're just never sure what's around the corner."
Federer's exit leaves Novak Djokovic, who faces Denis Shapovalov in the semi-finals, as the clear favourite.
The 34-year-old world number one is aiming for his third grand-slam title of 2021, after triumphing in Melbourne and at Roland Garros.
Matteo Berrettini kept his momentum going with victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets to reach the Wimbledon 2021 semi-finals.
Champion at Queen's last month, Berrettini dropped just his second set of the tournament at SW19 but saw off Auger-Aliassime 6-3 5-7 7-5 6-3 in just over three hours.
The seventh seed hit 33 winners against Auger-Aliassime to set up a showdown with Hubert Hurkacz, who ended Roger Federer's quest for a ninth title earlier on Wednesday.
Berrettini promptly moved into a double-break lead but he then squandered four set points at 5-2 and allowed Auger-Aliassime to get back into it.
The Italian put things right in the next game even if he ultimately had to wait until his seventh set point, breaking for the third time in the set to move ahead.
Auger-Aliassime hit back with a break in the third game of the second, Berrettini finding the net after a double fault had given the Canadian an opportunity.
But a double fault of Auger-Aliassime's own allowed Berrettini to level matters at 3-3 and he soon forced three break points that would have allowed him to seize full control.
However, the younger man showed impressive character to save them and later broke again himself at 5-5 before holding to level the match.
The third set went the way of the serve until the 12th game when Berrettini earned a crucial break to move within a set of a showdown with Federer's conqueror Hurkacz.
And the world number nine did not look back as he got off to a flying start to the fourth set by breaking his nervy opponent in the second game.
Auger-Aliassime, who at 20 was bidding to become the youngest male to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals since Djokovic in 2007, failed to hit back and big-serving Berrettini saw the job through to advance.
Data Slam: History-making Berrettini marches on
Berrettini showed more consistency than Auger-Aliassime, who was competing in his first major quarter-final, and with this victory becomes the first Italian to reach a Wimbledon semi-final in the Open Era.
The Italian has a 23-5 tour-level record on grass and, after winning his first ATP 250-level title at Queen's last month, he will now fancy his chances of overcoming Hurkacz for a place in the final.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Berrettini – 33/45
Auger-Aliassime – 24/41
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Berrettini – 12/3
Auger-Aliassime – 13/6
BREAK POINTS WON
Berrettini – 6/14
Auger-Aliassime – 3/12
Roger Federer may well have played his last match at Wimbledon after being dismantled at the quarter-final stage, according to Boris Becker.
Federer, seeking a ninth title at the grass-court grand slam, was comprehensively beaten in straight sets by the relatively unfancied 14th seed Hubert Hurkacz on Wednesday.
The 39-year-old was beaten 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-0 on Centre Court, missing out on becoming the oldest male to reach the semi-finals of the championship in the Open Era.
Three-time champion Becker thought the manner of Federer's defeat, in which he hit 31 unforced errors and suffered the ignominy of losing a set to love for the first time in his Wimbledon career, could leave him questioning whether this was his last visit.
"I don't know if we'll ever see the great man again here," he said to the BBC.
"It's normal for anybody to make mistakes, but if you're such a perfectionist as Roger Federer, some of these mistakes were way out of his league.
"It can happen in a game or a set even, but in his case it was pretty much the whole match.
"As they always say, time doesn't stand still for any man or woman."
Federer came into this year's tournament having played just eight matches in 2021 following a lengthy recovery from knee surgery.
The 20-time major winner battled through the first round when Adrian Mannarino retired in the fifth set but looked to have regained some sharpness in victories over Richard Gasquet, Cameron Norrie and Lorenzo Sonego.
After losing the opening set against Hurkacz, Federer let a 4-1 lead slip in the second before succumbing in the tie-break, after which he never regained a foothold in the contest.
"Maybe in the first round he was trying to find his feet, he was lucky to get through, but in the following matches, he played better and better. Did he have a perfect match? No, but he had moments of perfection," said Becker.
"On paper, he was the favourite today. For him to go out and lose potentially his last ever set six-love... oh, God.
"I hope [he comes back in 2022], I don't want to see Roger losing his last set here. But there are certain rules in professional tennis that even Roger Federer has to obey: it's matches. You don't get your match fitness in practice, you're not going to get it in rehab. You don't know how strong your knee, your thigh or your mind is unless you're put in a position [to win]. He wasn't good enough today."
Becker drew parallels between Federer's defeat and his own 1995 final loss to Pete Sampras – a match that convinced him his time on tour had come to an end.
However, the former world number one advised Federer to play the remainder of the year and see if he can start 2022 on a positive note.
"My moment came when I lost to Pete Sampras in the Wimbledon final of 1995. I thought I was playing good, and I lost in straight sets against the better player," he said.
"I always felt that, when I'm not able to win Wimbledon anymore, why bother coming? Roger won it eight times; he's not coming here to play a tough quarter-final. He's coming here to win.
"He has to take a bit of a rest, play the hard-court season, go to the US Open and play the rest of the year. Go to Australia – he won there a couple of times – and hopefully win another tournament or two. Only then [will] he realise if he's good enough still to compete at the highest level."
Roger Federer's quest for a ninth Wimbledon title is over after he suffered a stunning straight-sets defeat to Hubert Hurkacz in Wednesday's quarter-final.
Federer has not reached the heights of years gone by at the All England Club, as an injury spared his blushes in the fifth set in the first round against Adrian Mannarino and he lost a set to Cameron Norrie in the third round.
And the 39-year-old was undone in style by the big-serving Hurkacz, playing at this stage of a grand slam for the first time in his career after claiming a surprise five-set win over Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round.
That match stretched into a second day but Federer was the player bereft of energy, Hurkacz emerging victorious from the biggest match of his life by a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-0 scoreline.
Hurkacz settled quickly despite the challenge of facing his childhood idol and had three break points at 2-2 and 40-0 in the first set, only to let that advantageous situation slip.
He did not make the same mistake two games later, emphatically dispatching a backhand volley to claim the sole break he needed to take the opener.
That looked a rare blip for Federer when he surged into a 4-1 second-set lead, only for Hurkacz to reel off the next three games en route to forcing a tie-break.
Hurkacz's prowess at the net continued to cause Federer problems and it was the Pole who eventually forged ahead in the tie-break, moving two sets up with a booming serve down the middle.
Unsurprisingly errant on the forehand side, a frustrated and flat Federer surrendered a break in his first service game of the third.
And two more came with a tame shot into the net and a wide forehand as the 20-time grand slam champion's challenge came to an end with him losing a set 6-0 at Wimbledon for the first time.
Wout van Aert claimed a superb victory after Wednesday's unprecedented double climb of Mont Ventoux as Tadej Pogacar came through a stern examination of his bid for back-to-back Tour de France titles on stage 11.
It was the first time in Tour history that riders climbed the imposing and iconic Giant of Provence twice in the same stage and Belgium's Van Aert showed his superb all-round capabilities after finishing second to Mark Cavendish in the Green Jersey during Tuesday's sprint finish at Valance.
The Jumbo-Visma rider crested Ventoux first the second time around and then showcased his expert descending skills to claim an unforgettable first Tour win in five hours, 17 minutes and 43 seconds, ending the day triumphantly for his team after colleague Tony Martin suffered another painful fall and withdrew.
"I'm lost for words," Van Aert said. "It's stupid to say but I wanted to win this stage before the Tour de France.
"Maybe it's my best victory ever. If you believe in it everything is possible. It's emotional."
Pogacar's advantage is now five minutes and 18 seconds, ahead of Rigoberto Uran, with Australia's Ben O'Connor dropped by the Yellow Jersey group inside the final 30 kilometres to fall from second to fifth overall, behind fourth-placed Richard Carapaz and Van Aert's team-mate Jonas Vingegaard.
Vingegaard supplied the most dramatic moment of the day when he dropped Pogacar near the end of the second ascent and opened up a 37-second gap.
Pogacar was able to claw that back in the company of Uran and INEOS Grenadiers' Carapaz to cross the line in fourth – ahead of his Danish rival Vingegaard, who was given the same time of +1:38 having exposed hitherto unseen hints of weakness within the favourite's considerable armour.
World champion Julian Alaphilippe was the first over the summit of Ventoux on the initial climb but faded from contention.
Fans lining the route at least had something to cheer as Frenchman Kenny Elissonde crossed the line in second alongside Bauke Mollema – the Trek-Segafredo duo each clocking in at +1:14 behind Van Aert.
STAGE RESULT
1. Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) 5:17:43
2. Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo) +1:14
3. Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) +1:14
4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) +1:38
5. Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First) +1:38
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 38:25:17
2. Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First) +5:18
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +5:32
Points Classification
1. Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) 218
2. Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange) 160
3. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) 142
King of the Mountains
1. Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) 50
2. Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) 44
3. Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation) 42
What's next?
After a day of hard toil, the sprinters can again be the main attraction on stage 12, with the 159.4km route from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Nimes expected to end in a bunched finish.
Denis Shapovalov beat Karen Khachanov in an enthralling five-set thriller to move into his first grand slam semi-final at Wimbledon.
Shapovalov will face defending champion Novak Djokovic in the last four after fighting back to defeat Khachanov 6-4 3-6 5-7 6-1 6-4 in a pulsating contest on No.1 Court.
The exciting 22-year-old Canadian struck 59 winners and served 17 aces, breaking new ground at the All England Club with a brilliant performance.
Khachanov gave a great account of himself in his first quarter-final at SW19, but appeared to tire as 10th seed came out on top in a match that took three hours and 26 minutes to settle.
Shapovalov dug himself out of a hole to draw level at 3-3 after saving four break points and serving three double faults and claimed the first break of the match in the next game, putting away a backhand volley at the net.
The left-hander served out the set, but trailed 2-0 in the second when he sprayed a backhand wide and Khachanov maintained the momentum with another break.
Shapovalov got on the board at 4-1 but it was one set apiece when his backhand floated between the tramlines.
Khachanov produced some ferocious clean striking as he fended off two break points in a tight third set and the 25th seed had the chance to serve for the set after Shapovalov sent a forehand wide to trail 6-5.
He saved a break point before moving one set away from the last four, yet a fired-up Shapovalov was pumping his fist while bellowing out a roar when he went 3-1 up in the fourth.
Shapovalov was brimming with vibrancy and confidence as he took it to a deciding set in commanding fashion.
Khachanov showed great fight to dig deep from 0-40 down and hold for a 3-2 lead, then again to save another three break points in a tense game before he overcooked a forehand to go 5-4 down and Shapovalov kept his cool to serve it out.
Data slam: Persistence pays off for Shapovalov
A combination of great fight from Khachanov and unforced errors from Shapovalov prevented the world number 12 from getting the job done earlier.
He failed to convert 14 break points, but five proved to be enough to set up a showdown with the world number one.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Shapovalov – 59/48
Khachanov – 31/50
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Shapovalov – 17/10
Khachanov – 3/7
BREAK POINTS WON
Shapovalov – 5/19
Khachanov – 3/8
Novak Djokovic continued his pursuit of a third successive Wimbledon title with a straight-sets quarter-final victory over unseeded Marton Fucsovics.
The number one seed was not at his brilliant best but still emerged with a comfortable 6-3 6-4 6-4 victory on Centre Court.
Djokovic is now two matches away from a record-equalling 20th grand slam title and will play Denis Shapovalov or Karen Khachanov in the last four.
The Serbian's calm celebration - having taken the first of his two match points when Fucsovics sent a forehand long after two hours and 17 minutes - highlighted how untroubled he had been.
Djokovic raced into a 5-0 lead and although Fucsovics broke back in the seventh game – the only time he was able to do so in the match – the world number one closed out the opener.
The second set was a much closer affair, though Djokovic never offered up a break-point chance and then made the decisive breakthrough at 4-4.
Djokovic capitalised on his momentum with a break in the first game of the third set and then cemented that advantage with a crucial hold after saving four Fucsovics break points.
Despite his Hungarian opponent continuing to battle from there, that break proved enough and Djokovic soon got over the line to reach his 10th Wimbledon semi.
"Going for history is a huge inspiration for me – let's keep it going," Djokovic said after his win, which came as Shapovalov and Khachanov neared the end of a gruelling five-set battle.
"It was a solid performance – I started off extremely well - then one break of serve in the second and third set was enough to clinch victory.
"Credit to Marton for fighting and hanging in there - he had a great tournament."
Data Slam: Second set key for Djokovic
The second set was pivotal to Djokovic's victory. The Serbian failed to take four break points in the opening game and that allowed Fucsovics to find some momentum.
But in not offering up a break point, winning 16 of his 18 points on first serve, Djokovic was ultimately able to claim the set and remain on track despite being short of his best.
He ended up with only 23 winners to 30 unforced errors in the match, but victory never looked in doubt.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Djokovic – 23/30
Fucsovics – 24/31
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 4/3
Fucsovics – 5/5
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 4/14
Fucsovics – 1/6
The British and Irish Lions' clash with the Sharks is in doubt after a member of their management team tested positive for coronavirus, while South Africa's game with Georgia is off.
Warren Gatland's men are due to face the Sharks in the second match of their tour of South Africa on Wednesday.
However, four members of the touring party, including two players, are now isolating having been deemed to be close contacts of the individual who had the positive test result.
Kick-off has been pushed back to 20:00 local time (19:00 BST) pending the results of PCR tests for the rest of the touring party. The game will go ahead should those tests return negative results.
"We have followed all necessary precautions since the start of the tour, which included regular testing and rigorous COVID-19 counter measure planning and protocols," said Ben Calveley, managing director for the Lions.
"Our priority is to ensure the health and safety of the entire touring party, which is why we quickly isolated the players and staff upon receiving the news of the positive result.
"Everyone has subsequently been lateral flow and PCR tested. The Medical Advisory Group await the results of the PCR testing in order to make a decision on tonight's game.
"The five individuals affected will be monitored closely during isolation and receive the best possible medical attention as we await the results of their PCR tests."
The Springboks' second Test with Georgia was cancelled due to COVID outbreaks in both camps.
South Africa's playing and management group returned 12 positive tests this week, with Georgia returning four.
Jurie Roux, CEO of South Africa Rugby, said: "In the context of the loss of life and economic damage that COVID and this third wave are wreaking, the cancellation of a rugby match is pretty trivial.
"But it is still a major disappointment for the many stakeholders who have invested so much time, energy and resources into making these matches happen.
"I especially feel for the fans and players, and for our visitors from Georgia who travelled here at relatively short notice to take on the series, which has now been cut short. We've not been able to interact with them because of the bio-secure environments, but I'd like to thank them publicly for their support.
"We continue to plan for the Springboks' re-emergence from isolation and the completion of the Test series but in the short term we wish a speedy recovery for those who have been infected."
The Lions' clash with the Bulls on Saturday is already off and, while they are scheduled to face South Africa 'A' next Wednesday, the remainder of the tour now looks to be in question.
France suffered a heartbreaking late 23-21 defeat to the Wallabies in the first Test as their 32-year wait for an away win over Australia goes on.
Les Bleus travelled to Suncorp Stadium knowing history was against them, France's last away win over Australia having come 11,330 days ago on June 30, 1990.
But a pair of tries from Gabin Villiere put France in command, with Australia unable to respond until Brandon Paenga-Amosa went over in the 34th minute to make it a 15-7 half-time deficit.
Noah Lolesio reduced the gap to five points from the tee and his second penalty sandwiched three-pointers from Louis Carbonel and Melvyn Jaminet to keep the Wallabies in touch.
Australia captain Michael Hooper backed over the line nine minutes from time and Lolesio knocked over a simple conversion to fray France nerves as they were left to nurse a one-point advantage.
Lolesio had the chance to be the hero in the 77th minute but his drop goal drifted wide of the right-hand upright.
It looked as if Australia's chance had gone but France inexplicably failed to get the ball out of play from a lineout with the clock in the red, conceding possession and allowing Australia to earn a decisive penalty that Lolesio converted from in front of the posts.
Mike Budenholzer says Giannis Antetokounmpo deserves great credit for playing in the NBA Finals opener and expects the Milwaukee Bucks superstar to make a bigger impact in Game 2.
Antetokounmpo revealed he initially feared he would be out for a year after suffering a left knee injury during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks last week.
Yet the two-time MVP was back in action for a 118-105 Game 1 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
Antetokounmpo scored 20 points and claimed 17 rebounds in his 35 minutes on court and Budenholzer praised the Greek forward for making such a swift return.
Asked how Antetokounmpo had gone from being doubtful to starting, the Bucks head coach replied: "He had a good workout before the game. I think you've got to listen to Giannis first. He felt good.
"The sports performance group felt good, he had been checking boxes the last couple days and making progress and so he was cleared, and he wanted to go and everybody was on the same page.
"it's just a credit to him. And we talked, just the work he puts in, the work the sports performance group puts in, for him to be back playing in Game 1, it's really impressive what he did."
Budenholzer was encouraged by Antetokounmpo and is looking forward to seeing what he can do in Game 2 at Phoenix Suns Arena on Thursday.
He said: "I think there were a lot of good things, considering five days and what he's been through these last five, six, seven days.
"I think 17 rebounds, 20 points, some great playmaking, passing, defending the rim, he's just like everybody else. I'm sure we'll find some things where he could be better.
"I think it usually takes him playing - he's a rhythm guy. So, I'm excited about how he'll improve from Game 1 to Game 2. We'll see how he feels. But I think play-wise, he always gets better when he plays."
Chris Paul – making the first Finals appearance of his stellar career – posted 32 points and nine assists, while Devin Booker added 27 points and Deandre Ayton finished with 22 points and 19 rebounds in a strong start for the Suns.
Veteran Paul became the third player ever aged 36 or older to score 30-plus points in a Finals game, after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan.
Chris Paul called the tune in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday, with the Phoenix Suns point guard orchestrating a 118-105 triumph over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Making his first finals appearance in year 16 of his stellar career, Paul led the way for the Suns with 32 points as they capitalised on home advantage to take an early lead in the best-of-seven series.
Devin Booker contributed 27 and Deandre Ayton produced yet another playoff double-double, the center collecting 19 rebounds to go alongside his 22-point haul.
However, in a contest that saw Giannis Antetokounmpo make his return from injury for the Bucks, it was Paul who stole the show - including making six of his seven attempts in a third-quarter push.
"When it's going like that, you just want to space the floor well and let him orchestrate," Suns head coach Monty Williams said about Paul's third-quarter performance, which also included a trio of successful three-pointers.
"I thought he was making the right plays. They were switching a ton, and we have to offer that space and play faster if he gets off of the ball.
"But he was making shots and when he's in that mode, we just feed off of that.
"I don't have a marker or a segment in the game where I'm like, here he goes. It just happens. Our guys feed off of those moments in the game."
The Suns - back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993 - had benefited from some extra rest ahead of the series, having clinched the Western Conference title with a 4-2 triumph over the Los Angeles Clippers at the end of June.
In contrast, the Bucks' battle with the Atlanta Hawks only came to a conclusion on Saturday.
"It's the formula for any team. You want to win every game, but especially the first game it gives you a level of confidence," Williams told the media.
"Our starts over the course of the playoffs, when we start well, it tends to build confidence for our team.
"I think about Game 5 against the Clippers when we had that below-average start. We were digging ourselves out of a hole. And it wasn't just the offense. It was just having the energy and the juice that we typically play with. So I do think it's important.
"I think our guys understand that and we need to do it every time we step on the floor."
Back in action after hurting his left knee in Game 4 against the Hawks, Antetokounmpo had 20 points and 17 rebounds for Milwaukee in a losing cause.
Khris Middleton led the way for the Bucks with 29 points, but for a third straight series Mike Budenholzer's team have lost Game 1.
Bryce Harper flexed his muscles as the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies defeated the slumping Chicago Cubs 15-10 in MLB on Tuesday.
Harper homered and tied a career high with five hits as the Phillies scored double-digit runs in consecutive games for the first time since 2015.
Phillies star Harper hit his seventh home run of the season after crushing a three-run drive in the seventh inning, extending Philadelphia's lead to 15-4.
Andrew McCutchen hit a grand slam, while Rhys Hoskins also went deep for the Phillies on the road in Chicago.
The out-of-sorts Cubs tried to rally but crashed to an 11th straight defeat.
Ohtani star of the show
The Los Angeles Angels were 5-3 winners over the Boston Red Sox thanks to two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who allowed just five hits across seven innings on the mound. Ohtani also hit an RBI double.
Luke Voit fuelled the New York Yankees' 12-1 rout of the Seattle Mariners. Voit had five hits, three RBI and one run in Seattle. According to Stats Perform, he is the third player in Yankees history to have five-plus hits in a game after entering hitting below .200 (minimum 100 plate appearances), after Roy Weatherly (1943) and Cecil Fielder (1997).
Dodgers fall on wild pitch
The Los Angeles Dodgers lost 2-1 at the Miami Marlins after catcher Will Smith's wild throw flew past third base for a game-ending error in the 10th inning.
Catch of the season?
Wet weather but no worries for Chicago White Sox centerfielder Billy Hamilton. He produced a highlight moment with a leaping catch to thwart Max Kepler in the ninth inning. The White Sox topped the Minnesota Twins 4-1.
Tuesday's results
Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 Atlanta Braves
Baltimore Orioles 7-5 Toronto Blue Jays
Miami Marlins 2-1 Los Angeles Dodgers
Texas Rangers 10-5 Detroit Tigers
Philadelphia Phillies 15-10 Chicago Cubs
Chicago White Sox 4-1 Minnesota Twins
Kansas City Royals 7-6 Cincinnati Reds
Houston Astros 9-6 Oakland Athletics
Los Angeles Angels 5-3 Boston Red Sox
Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 Colorado Rockies
St Louis Cardinals 6-5 San Francisco Giants
San Diego Padres 7-4 Washington Nationals
New York Yankees 12-1 Seattle Mariners
Milwaukee Brewers-New York Mets (postponed)
Tampa Bay Rays-Cleveland Indians (postponed)
Brewers at Mets
The Brewers (51-35) and Mets (44-37) will contest a doubleheader on Wednesday after Tuesday's clash was postponed due to inclement weather. All eyes will be on Mets ace Jacob deGrom as Corbin Burnes starts for the Brewers.
Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton led the way as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 118-105 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Bucks welcomed back superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo from a knee injury after the two-time MVP had been sidelined since Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, missing the final two contests of that series.
However, Antetokounmpo's presence on the floor and double-double was not enough as the Suns – eyeing a first championship – drew first blood in the Finals opener on Tuesday.
Paul – making the first Finals appearance of his stellar career – posted 32 points, nine assists and four three-pointers, while Booker added 27 points of his own as Ayton finished with 22 points and 19 rebounds at home.
Veteran Paul became the third player ever aged 36 or older to score 30-plus points in a Finals game, after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan.
It was Ayton's 12th double-double in his first playoff series, second most in the franchise's postseason history – only Charles Barkley has more (22 in four playoffs).
Meanwhile, the Suns – who used a 35-27 third quarter to move clear – were almost impeccable from the free-throw line, missing just one of their 26 attempts.
The Bucks had been outscoring teams by 12.1 points per game in the paint this postseason, but they only edged the Suns 44-42 in Tuesday's encounter.
Antetokounmpo had 20 points, 17 rebounds, four assists and two blocks for the Bucks, who are eyeing their first championship since 1971, while Khris Middleton registered a team-high 29 points.
Bucks at Suns
The Bucks and Suns will do it all again in Thursday's Game 2 at Phoenix Suns Arena.
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been cleared to return and will start Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns after overcoming a knee injury.
Antetokounmpo was initially doubtful for the series opener due to a hyperextended knee, which the two-time NBA MVP suffered during the third quarter of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks.
But after watching back-to-back games from the sidelines, Antetokounmpo has proven his fitness as the Bucks face the second-seeded Suns on the road on Tuesday.
Antetokounmpo averaged 28.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and a joint career-high 5.9 assists in the regular season, while he has been averaging a career-best 28.2 points, 12.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game in the playoffs.
The third-seeded Bucks – eyeing their first championship since 1971 – are featuring in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974.
Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are on pace to be the first trio of team-mates in NBA history to each average 15.0-plus points, 5.0-plus rebounds and 5.0-plus assists per game in the same postseason.
The Bucks are outscoring their opponents by 12.1 points per game in the paint this postseason, on pace to be the best differential by any team in a single playoff campaign (minimum 10 games) since the Los Angeles Lakers were plus-12.6 on their way to the title in 2001.
South Africa have recorded a further 10 COVID-19 cases, including head coach Jacques Nienaber, while the British and Irish Lions' match with the Bulls has been postponed.
A Lions statement on Tuesday confirmed they were exploring a rescheduling of the match or finding different opponents after five positive tests meant it was "impossible" for the Bulls to field a team.
The Lions' meeting with the Sharks in Johannesburg next Wednesday is set to go ahead as scheduled.
However, the Springboks' match with Georgia next week is also in doubt after Nienaber, five management figures and four players - Marvin Orie, Frans Steyn, Handre Pollard and Frans Malherbe - all returned positive tests.
There were also four cases of the virus within the Georgia team. Jurie Roux, CEO of South Africa Rugby, said the news underlined the problems posed by the Delta variant of the virus, which was first identified in India but has since spread to numerous countries.
"These positive results are a setback and have underlined the danger of transmissibility of the Delta variant," he said.
"The Springboks' second Test against Georgia is now in serious doubt, but we will wait for the MAG to consider the data and we will make the final decision tomorrow [Wednesday].
"The priority is to maintain the integrity of the Test series and we will continue to focus on that."
On Monday, South Africa suspended training and placed their squad in isolation after lock Lood de Jager tested positive for coronavirus.
There had been three further confirmed cases of the virus within the squad on June 27, although they were still able to go ahead with their first warm-up match against Georgia, which ended in a 40-9 victory for the Boks.
It was their first match since winning the World Cup in November 2019.
The first Test with the Lions is due to take place on July 24 in Cape Town, before moving to Johannesburg for the second and third matches.
Ash Barty set up a mouth-watering Wimbledon semi-final against Angelique Kerber by scoring a crushing win over Ajla Tomljanovic on Centre Court.
In the first all-Australian quarter-final at a grand slam since 1980, when Evonne Goolagong beat Wendy Turnbull at Wimbledon, Barty inflicted a 6-1 6-3 demolition in an hour and six minutes.
She is favourite for this title, looking to join compatriots Goolagong and Margaret Court by landing the Venus Rosewater Dish, and delivered a demonstration of dazzling grass-court tennis as Tomljanovic suffered.
Ten years have passed since Barty won the girls' title at Wimbledon, and at senior level her best performance until this fortnight was a fourth-round run two years ago.
Now though, the world number one looks in great shape to take the title on her favourite surface, and add to her tour-leading three titles in 2021, having previously won the Yarra Valley Classic, followed by Miami and Stuttgart.
From 6-1 4-1, there was a slight dip from Barty that gave world number 75 Tomljanovic some hope, but that was soon crushed, the top seed regaining authority with her ground shots and scoring another break before serving out, finishing with an ace.
"It's exciting. She was always going to bring out the very best in me," Barty said. "This is a dream come true, genuinely it is. This is my dream and I'm extremely grateful I've got an opportunity to come out here and have fun and live out what I worked so hard to do. I'm enjoying every minute."
Barty is bidding to become just the fourth women in the Open Era to follow up a junior title by becoming the women's singles champion at Wimbledon, after Ann Jones, Martina Hingis and Amelie Mauresmo.
Facing 2018 Wimbledon champion Kerber on Thursday will be the toughest examination yet of Barty's credentials to achieve that rare double.
"It's the ultimate test. Angie's obviously had success here before and had the best fortnight here possible," Barty said in her on-court interview.
"I love that match-up, I love playing Angie. She's an incredible competitor and knows her way around this court. I hope I can play well and give myself a chance and play a good match."
Data Slam:
Since 1968, the women's top seed at Wimbledon has gone on to be champion 24 times and runner-up on eight occasions. By reaching the final four, Barty has guaranteed she will stay at number one in the WTA rankings, whatever the result of the Kerber showdown.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Barty – 23/22
Tomljanovic – 5/20
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Barty – 5/4
Tomljanovic – 2/2
BREAK POINTS WON
Barty – 6/11
Tomljanovic – 2/4
Mark Cavendish pocketed a 33rd Tour de France stage win in expert fashion in Valance, closing to within one of Eddie Merckx's all-time record.
The resurgent sprint great claimed his third win of this year's race and was quick to pay tribute to the lead-out work of his Deceuninck-Quick-Step team, who left him in prime position to see off Wout van Aert and Jasper Philipsen with 150 metres to go.
Cavendish has extended his advantage over Michael Matthews in the points classification to 59 and, provided the 36-year-old emerges from the Alps unscathed, he will have the tantalising prospect of pulling level with Merckx in Paris when the Tour concludes on July 18.
"It was an old-school, run-of-the-mill, like you read in the cycling magazines, textbook lead-out," Cavendish said. "Just getting the lads on the front, pull as fast as they can so no one can come past you.
"We knew this finish, I didn't make it the last time we came here in 2015, I got dropped, but we studied it and we knew if we took that last corner wide, we could keep the speed up.
"I'm just humbled. I've got the winner of the Tour of Flanders [Kasper Asgreen], the world champion who’s been in the yellow jersey here [Julian Alaphilippe], Michael Morkov, who's going to the Olympics to try to win the Madison, the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner [Davide Ballerini] leaving everything on the road for me.
"I just had to finish it off. I’m grateful to all of them. I didn't have to do anything – just the last 150 metres. I'm thankful to everyone."
A stage that was always one for the sprinters to target meant, as expected, there was no change in the general classification picture, with Tadej Pogacar retaining his two minutes and one second lead over Ben O'Connor.
STAGE RESULT
1. Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) 4:14:07
2. Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)
3. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix)
4. Nacer Bouhanni (Team Arkea-Samsic)
5. Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange)
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 38:25:17
2. Ben O'Connor (AG2R La Mondiale) +2:01
3. Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First) +5:18
Points Classification
1. Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) 218
2. Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange) 159
3. Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) 136
King of the Mountains
1. Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) 50
2. Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation) 42
3. Wouter Poels (Bahrain Victorious) 39
What's next?
Pogacar has the chance to definitively stamp his authority all over this year's race during Wednesday's 198.9 kilometre stage from Sorgues to Malaucene, which features a double ascent of the infamously daunting Mont Ventoux.
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