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.
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 its second straight and sent New York to its seventh shutout of the season.
Lewis Hamilton acknowledged "anything's possible" but dismissed speculation surrounding his interest in buying MotoGP team Gresni.
The seven-time world champion has spoken of his desire for further involvement in sports teams in order to boost black ownership and equity.
Hamilton joined the ownership structure of NFL franchise Denver Broncos in 2022 - the same year he was part of an unsuccessful bid to buy Premier League side Chelsea.
Reports in British and Italian media have suggested he is looking to invest in MotoGP - a sport close to his heart having once taken part in a sponsored swap of machinery with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi.
However, Hamilton revealed it is a potential avenue he will explore further down the line.
"I've always loved MotoGP," he told reporters ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix. "I'm interested in the potential growth of the sport, but I haven't looked that far into it just yet.
"But anything's possible. I'm definitely interested in equity and already with the Broncos, it was a first step in team ownership. I think over the next five to 10 years, there'll hopefully be more. We'll see where."
Hubert Hurkacz was the highest-profile casualty on day four of the Wimbledon men's singles, with the seventh seed forced to retire injured during his clash with Arthur Fils.
The Pole beat Roger Federer on the way to reaching the semi-finals in 2021, while he was runner-up to new world number one Jannik Sinner in Halle last month.
However, when trailing by two sets to one against his French opponent, Hurkacz sustained a knee injury during the tie-break in the fourth.
Despite valiantly attempting to battle on, he aggravated the problem further soon after when diving for a return, and was subsequently unable to continue with Fils advancing to round three.
There, he will play Alex de Minaur after the ninth seed enjoyed a straight-sets victory over Jaume Munar.
Fourth seed Alexander Zverev also prevailed in three sets as he continued his rich vein of form. The Italian Open champion, who was also runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz at Roland-Garros, was a commanding 6-1 6-2 6-4 winner over Marcos Giron.
Next up for him is Cameron Norrie after the 2022 semi-finalist ousted compatriot Jack Draper in a battle of the Brits on No.1 Court.
Eastbourne champion Taylor Fritz overcame Arthur Rinderknech in four sets, as did 15th seed Holger Rune against Thiago Seyboth Wild.
Meanwhile, Grigor Dimitrov recovered from two sets down to beat Juncheng Shang in a decider. The 2014 semi-finalist will now play Gael Monfils, who completed a straight-sets victory over fellow veteran Stan Wawrinka.
Although, there was no joy for 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. The two-time major finalist was beaten in four sets by world number 87 Emil Ruusuvuori.
Andy Murray said he wished he could play on forever after his final Wimbledon began with a doubles defeat alongside brother Jamie on an emotional Centre Court.
Murray and brother Jamie suffered a 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 defeat to Australian pair John Peers and Rinky Hijikata, two days after he announced he would not participate in the singles.
The two-time Wimbledon champion, who underwent back surgery just over a week ago, has since announced he will pair up with Emma Raducanu in the mixed doubles.
Following his doubles match on Thursday, the likes of John McEnroe and Novak Djokovic were invited onto Centre Court for an emotional ceremony to mark his achievements at the tournament, which he won in 2013 and 2016.
In an interview with BBC Sport's Sue Barker, Murray said of teaming up with his elder brother: "It was obviously really special, I never had the chance to do it before.
"The way things worked out, there was a chance this year and it was a race against time.
"Physically it wasn't easy but I'm glad we could get out here and do it just one time together."
Murray has repeatedly said he will retire at the end of 2024, with an appearance at the Paris Olympics now his target.
Speaking about his impending retirement, Murray said: "It's hard. I would love to keep playing but I physically can't, it's too tough now.
"The injuries have added up and they haven't been insignificant. I want to play forever. I love the sport, it's given me so much and taught me so many lessons."
Reflecting on his two victories at SW19, Murray said the pressure of winning his first grand slam title meant he could not fully enjoy the 2013 success, but opened up on the big celebrations that followed his second triumph.
"I didn't really enjoy it as much as I should have done, I just found it very, very stressful," Murray said. "2016 was different.
"I felt way less pressure and the enjoyment I got out of that win was amazing, I could enjoy it with the people closest to me.
"Of the slams, that was my favourite one. I don't remember much of that night, I had a few drinks and I did unfortunately vomit in the cab on the way home!"
England intend to play on the front foot as they go in search of their first win in New Zealand since 2003 on Saturday, says captain Jamie George.
Steve Borthwick's team will face New Zealand at Forsyth Barr Stadium in the first of two Tests, on their first tour of the country since 2014, when they lost all three games.
England have not won on the road against the All Blacks since a 15-13 triumph in Wellington 21 years ago, though they did produce a memorable comeback to draw 25-25 when the teams last met at Twickenham in 2022.
George, however, is certain England will stand up to the challenge, telling reporters: "We've come to New Zealand to play our way and take New Zealand on.
"We can't sit back and wait because if we do that we'll be behind our poles 20 points down trying to create some sort of comeback, like we did in 2022.
"We've come to New Zealand to win. The challenge we've laid down is that we play at our physicality and our intensity.
"We'll know whether we're there or not within the first few minutes after kick-off. Walk towards it, embrace it, love it. What an amazing opportunity we have got here."
New Zealand have not played since losing the World Cup final to South Africa last October, with Sam Cane stepping down as captain and the likes of Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Aaron Smith and Richie Mo'unga no longer available.
Former England scrum-half Danny Care believes they could be there for the taking, telling BBC Sport: "I look at this New Zealand squad and there are so many unknowns.
"They don't have the players any more that you fear. They have players you massively respect, but as a team, do you go there with fear? I don't think New Zealand have that at the moment.
"This is a massive opportunity for England to go down there and shock the New Zealand world."
Iga Swiatek underlined her status as favourite in the women's draw at Wimbledon by beating Petra Martic in straight sets on Thursday to reach the third round.
The world number one, who has never previously gone beyond the quarter-finals at SW19, was a 6-4 6-3 victor in one hour and 20 minutes on Centre Court.
Martic held her own until the 10th game of the opening set but the first break point she gave up was converted by Swiatek, who came through strong pressure in several games on her own serve.
The second set followed a similar pattern, Swiatek needing two break points this time as she made the breakthrough eight games in.
Martic was a beaten player from there as Swiatek served out her final game to love, a crashing forehand winner teeing up three match points, and a big serve on the first giving world number 79 Martic no chance.
Data Debrief: Swiatek replicates Serena run
Swiatek has now won 21 consecutive matches as world number one, the longest such streak by any player on the WTA Tour since Serena Williams had an identical run between the 2014 WTA Finals and the 2015 Madrid Open.
She has also made at least the round of 32 at 18 consecutive grand slams.
In the Open Era, only Martina Navratilova (35), Conchita Martinez (30), Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (25) and Steffi Graf (19) have ever done so at more majors in a row.
Novak Djokovic secured his spot in the third round of Wimbledon by claiming a four-set victory over British wildcard Jacob Fearnley.
Djokovic emerged a 6-3 6-4 5-7 7-5 victor on Centre Court as he aims to lift a 25th grand slam title just weeks after undergoing knee surgery.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion had to wait until the eighth game to finally earn a break point against the world number 277, claiming the first set soon after.
Fearnley continued to impress, again going toe-to-toe with the Serbian, but was undone by a sole break once more as he found himself two sets down.
However, the Edinburgh-born star would roar back in the third set, serving five aces along the way to put pressure on the world number two.
Despite Fearnley's spirited display in a close fourth set, Djokovic's class would prove too much, ending a three-hour encounter with a strong forehand on match point.
"I was not really comfortable in my own skin in the third and fourth sets," said Djokovic, who was relieved the match did not go the distance.
"Sometimes you have rough days where you are maybe not feeling your best.
"Of course it depends on your opponents across the net. Jacob played at a high level and he made me earn this victory.
"He played very good tennis and deserves a great round of applause. It was a great effort from Jacob, he played great. I had not had a chance to see him play until two days ago. There is always an element of surprise and nothing to lose.
"Playing him at Wimbledon was always going to be tough. Most of the British players grow up being exposed to grass courts, quick surfaces, so they know how to play.
"I thought he served very well. It was very difficult to break his serve. He made me work. I was probably a bit lucky in the fourth not to go a break down.
"I could have won the match in three but this match potentially deserved to go into a fifth, with the way he played in the fourth. But I am very glad it didn't."
Djokovic will play Alexei Popyrin in the next round of the competition on Saturday as he continues to build up his fitness.
"On my side, I should have done some things better when I was a break up in the third," he said.
"Can I be playing better and moving better? Absolutely. I hope as the tournament progresses I'll be feeling much better."
Data Debrief: Djokovic progresses, but a memorable day for Fearnley
Djokovic's quest for a major title in 2024 continues after he showcased the class that has already seen him reach nine Wimbledon finals. He has now reached the third round an astonishing 18 times at the tournament, tying the record held by Roger Federer.
The Serbian, however, was made to work for the victory. The world number two faced six break points but was able to save four of them.
Fearnley can be proud of his efforts. The Briton won 71% of his first-serve points against Djokovic, while also serving 13 aces during the contest.
Lando Norris drew a line under his collision with Max Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix as he looked ahead to their next battle at the British Grand Prix this weekend.
Norris was forced to retire from the race at the Red Bull Ring after a collision with the Dutchman late on, allowing George Russell to swoop in and claim the win.
Verstappen was able to finish fifth, further extending his lead at the top of the driver's championship to 81 points over Norris in second.
The McLaren driver was visibly upset about the incident shortly after the race, but is excited to get back on the track to challenge Verstappen once again.
"It's clear how he races. It's tough, it's on the limit. It's what we love, it's what I love," Norris said.
"I thoroughly enjoyed the whole fight I had with him. Of course it was a shame things ended the way they did.
"But apart from that, things are clear from what you see on TV and I'm excited to go racing again this weekend."
With all eyes firmly fixed on a new blossoming rivalry in F1, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was keen to steer clear of the situation.
Hamilton, who has enjoyed many battles with Verstappen over the years, is focused on delivering a first win since December 2021 for Mercedes.
"Nothing really. I didn't think anything," Hamilton said on the situation between the two championship leaders.
"I was more concerned about my race and enjoying the team's win."
Asked if he had any advice for Norris about racing Verstappen, Hamilton said: "Again, I don't think I need to. They have raced each other for many years.
"It's nothing to do with me."
Should Hamilton emerge victorious at Silverstone, he would become the driver with the most wins in a single Grand Prix in F1 history (nine), surpassing the record of eight already held by the Brit in Hungary and Michael Schumacher in France.
DRIVERS TO WATCH
George Russell - Mercedes
Having secured his second victory in F1 at the Austrian Grand Prix, George Russell will be keen to emerge victorious once again on home soil.
The Brit has enjoyed an impressive season thus far, finishing in the top five in each of the last four races, as many times as in the previous 15.
Russell has also performed significantly better than Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, beating the seven-time world champion in 11 of the last 13 qualifying sessions and in nine of the last 12 races.
Mercedes have improved in recent weeks, and should Russell or Hamilton emerge victorious, it will be the first time the team has won two races in a row since 2021 between Sao Paulo and Saudi Arabia - all three won by Hamilton.
Oscar Piastri - McLaren
While much of the attention has been on team-mate Norris in recent weeks, Oscar Piastri's performances on the track have gone under the radar.
Piastri finished second behind Russell in Austria, but has been on the podium in two of the last four races, the other being in Monaco where he lost out to Charles Leclerc.
The Australian sits in sixth place in the driver's championship, a point ahead of Russell and six points behind Red Bull's Sergio Perez.
He could become just the third Australian driver to win the race after Jack Brabham and Mark Webber, and the first to claim a victory at Silverstone since Webber did so for Red Bull-Renault in 2012.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 237 points
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 156
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 150
4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) – 135
5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) – 118
Constructors
1. Red Bull – 355
2. Ferrari – 291
3. McLaren – 268
4. Mercedes – 196
5. Aston Martin – 58
Oliver Bearman will take a full-time seat in Formula 1 next season, having officially joined Haas.
Bearman, who finished seventh on his F1 debut for Ferrari at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix earlier this season, has signed a multi-year contract with Haas ahead of the 2025 campaign.
The 19-year-old will become the fourth British driver on the grid alongside Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris.
Bearman's first appearance on the track came in March in Jeddah, replacing Carlos Sainz after the Spaniard was diagnosed with appendicitis, becoming the third-youngest driver to start an F1 race at 18 years and 305 days old.
"It’s hard to put into words just how much this means to me," said Bearman.
"To say out loud that I will be a Formula 1 driver for Haas makes me so immensely proud.
"To be one of the very few people who get to do the thing that they dreamed of as a child is something truly incredible.
The Ferrari reserve driver will be on track at the British Grand Prix on Friday for the first free practice session before handing the car back to Kevin Magnussen for the rest of the weekend.
Bearman is 14th in the F2 standings this season.
Chris Sale pitched six strong innings to become the second 11-game winner in the majors and Austin Riley had a two-run double to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 3-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night.
Sale allowed three hits and struck out nine with two walks to join Kansas City’s Seth Lugo as 11-game winners.
The veteran left-hander needed only six pitchers to retire the Giants in order in the first and struck out the side in the third. He added two more strikeouts to open the fifth before Curt Casali lined a single to center for San Francisco’s first hit.
Three relievers finished the four-hitter with Raisel Iglesias working the ninth for his 21st save.
Atlanta had three straight hits to open the second and took a 1-0 lead on Adam Duvall’s run-scoring double off Jordan Hicks.
Riley’s two-run double off the right-field wall in the fifth made it 3-0.
Kremer, O’Hearn lift Orioles
Dean Kremer pitched five scoreless innings in his return and Ryan O’Hearn homered and drove in three runs to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.
Kremer was excellent in his first start since May 20 due to a triceps strain. He yielded just two hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.
Craig Kimbrel struck out two in the ninth for his 21st save of the season and 438th of his career, which moved him into sole possession of fourth place on the all-time list.
O’Hearn delivered a two-out, two-run double in a three-run third against Logan Gilbert and added a solo home run in the fifth.
Baltimore won for the sixth time in seven games and sent Seattle to its 10th loss in 13 contests. The Mariners’ lead in the AL West has been cut to two games over Houston.
Alvarez homers again as Astros roll
Yordan Alvarez homered for the third straight game and Jose Altuve delivered a tiebreaking single during a four-run seventh inning as the surging Houston Astros rolled to a 9-2 rout of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Yainer Diaz had three hits and three RBIs to help the Astros win for the 11th time in 13 games.
Alvarez doubled home a run in the third, led off the sixth with his 19th home run, scored after an intentional walk in the seventh and capped his night with an RBI double in the eighth.
Alvarez, who has seven home runs in 13 career games in Toronto, is 11 for 22 with three homers and eight RBIs in his last six games overall.
Last-place Toronto (39-47) has lost 11 of 15 to match a season high at eight games under .500.
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