Daniel Ricciardo has said he needed to fall back in love with Formula One before taking the opportunity to return to racing with AlphaTauri.
The eight-time grand prix winner has not driven in anger since he was axed by McLaren at the end of last season, but will make a surprise return to the grid at the Hungarian Grand Prix next week after replacing Nyck De Vries at Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri.
The 34-year-old Australian’s career looked to be all but over after he was deemed surplus to requirements by McLaren following two underwhelming seasons with the British team.
Ricciardo did return to Red Bull as a reserve driver, but said he needed the enforced time off to ask himself if he really did want to return to racing.
“Falling out of love with it took a hit on my confidence and of course if you’re competing in a sport where you’re trying to be the best at something, the best in the world at something, obviously you need full confidence and belief,” Ricciardo said in an interview on F1’s YouTube channel.
“When that starts to diminish a bit, your enjoyment drops a bit as well. There’s a lot of factors. Getting back to Red Bull, just the reception I had walking back into that team was in a positive way a little bit overwhelming.
“Getting back on the sim, I was a bit unsure how it was going to go, if the car would feel like it used to, if I was going to be like – for the lack of better words – ‘the old me’.
“But once I’d done a few sim sessions and started feeling like myself again it brought me back to normal Daniel where I was falling back in love and ready to go again.”
Ricciardo said attending the Super Bowl in Arizona in February reminded him of the buzz of a competitive environment, while being at his home grand prix in Melbourne and then the Monaco race helped him get the Formula One bug back.
“I’ve enjoyed these six months off and it was really good for me but the more races I started to attend, the more sims I’ve started to do, I was getting the bug back. And then jumping in the car a few days ago I thought, ‘Oh yeah’. It all felt very normal, very familiar…
“I didn’t really need to think too much about (accepting the call to return). I think being back in this family, I’m kind of going through it all again…there was no question I was going to say yes.”
Ricciardo said joining AlphaTauri for the rest of the season was like going “full circle” given he raced the team, then known as Toro Rosso, in 2012 and 2013, after starting his F1 career with HRT Racing in 2011.
AlphaTauri sit last in the constructor’s championship after the opening 10 races of the season and Ricciardo is under no illusions that he will be racing a top-end car any time soon.
“I’m excited about it,” he said. “It’s a challenge for sure to jump in and try to hit the ground running. But also I guess I feel like I’ve been through a lot in the last few years where I’m not really scared of anything that’s going to be thrown my way – so I actually really do like the challenge.
“It will be a challenge but I don’t know if I’d have it any other way.”
Wolverhampton’s Henry Searle is one match away from becoming Britain’s first boys’ singles champion at Wimbledon for 61 years.
The 17-year-old knocked out the top seed in the opening round and is yet to drop a set, overcoming windy conditions to defeat American fourth seed Cooper Williams 7-6 (4) 6-3 in the semi-finals.
Backed by his noisy fan club consisting of family members and friends from his tennis club, Searle moved to the brink of emulating Stanley Matthews, son of the famous footballer, who triumphed back in 1962.
Jack Draper was the last British player to make the final five years ago, while Liam Broady also reached the trophy decider in 2011, but both came out on the losing side.
Searle showed a cool head in a first set of few chances, saving the first break point and then creating two on Williams’ serve, which the 18-year-old did well to save.
The tie-break went the way of the British player, though, who opened up a 5-1 lead and did not allow his opponent to claw his way back.
A sizeable crowd were gathered around Court Four and there was another huge cheer when Searle’s pressure on the Williams serve paid off with a first break of serve to lead 4-2.
He then clinched his third match point before celebrating with his jubilant friends sat courtside.
Carlos Alcaraz says the blockbuster Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic is going to be the “best moment of my life”.
The world number one is gunning for his first title in SW19 but is coming up against the toughest test of all in Djokovic, who has eyes on a record-equalling eighth success on Centre Court.
A 16-year age gap between the two players makes Sunday the ultimate generation game as Alcaraz looks to dethrone 36-year-old Djokovic.
And the Spaniard, who disposed of third seed Daniil Medvedev, is going to cherish the moment.
“It is probably going to be the best moment of my life – probably,” he said. “Playing a final here in Wimbledon is something that I dream about when I start playing tennis. As I said before, it’s even better playing against Novak.
“It’s going to be a really emotional moment for me. But I’ll try to stay calm in that moment. For Novak it is one more day, one more moment. For me, it’s going to be the best moment of my life I think.”
It is a rematch of the recent French Open semi-final where Alcaraz played brilliantly to level at one set all before cramp ruined his chances and Djokovic raced to a four-set win on his way to a record 23rd grand slam title.
Alcaraz, chasing his second after winning last year’s US Open, has vowed to do things differently in his preparation.
“I will try to get into the court with not as much nerves as I probably had in French Open, in the semi-final,” he said. “I will try to pull out all the nerves, try to enjoy that moment because probably in the semi-final at the French Open I didn’t enjoy at all in the first set.
“I’ll do something different. I’ll prepare the match a little bit different from the French Open. It’s going to be different for me. I hope not to get cramp during the final.
“I think I’ll be better on Sunday.”
Playing in the final is not a new thing for Djokovic as he aims to join Roger Federer on eight titles and notch a fifth in a row.
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“It’s an ultimate showdown,” said Djokovic, who has not lost on Centre Court since 2013. “Everything comes down to one match.
“All eyes of the tennis and sports world will be directed on this Sunday’s Wimbledon’s final. It’s probably the most watched tennis match globally. I look forward to it.
“I obviously have more experience than most of these guys that I faced here, and that I will face on Sunday, as well.
“Experience could help a little bit I think maybe in some important moments, beginning the match, managing the nerves, managing the occasion, circumstances. Yeah, that’s where experience could play a role.
“But it’s not going to be the deciding factor really. So whoever on a given day is in a better state, I mean, mentally and physically, will be the winner.”
Alex Fitzpatrick accepts he will have to live in the shadow of his more famous golfing brother Matt for some time yet but an Open debut will at least give him a chance to showcase his talent to a wider audience.
He is not naive enough to think that for the duration of his time at Royal Liverpool he will not be referred to as the younger sibling of the 2022 US Open champion.
The 24-year-old, four years Matt’s junior, is comfortable with the reality, however, after only turning professional 13 months ago.
Asked whether the Open would allow him to emerge from Matt’s shadow, he said: “Probably not, no – but I’m OK with that to be honest.
“He can’t help being US Open champion, I’d never wish him not to be. I couldn’t be prouder.
“It’s a very difficult topic. It’s something I’ve dealt with from being young.
“I’m not going to sugar-coat it, at times it is pretty hard. You have Tweets being sent to you with random messages like ‘You’re not as good as your brother’.
“I love my brother to death and obviously he is a fantastic golfer and I’d never change it for the world but people expect you to do a lot of things and I think it is hard sometimes to live up to that.
“But you make your own path and I’m on the way to doing that.”
Fitzpatrick is trying to break into the big time via the Challenge Tour this season but has already had one significant moment in the sun after coming through qualifying at West Lancashire Golf Club a fortnight ago in a field which contained Ryder Cup players Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell and Jamie Donaldson.
That booked his first appearance at a major and the chance to play on the same stage as his brother, with whom he will practise at Royal Liverpool.
“It’s cool. I’ve now played in a couple of events with him but I’ve never played in a major and it’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid,” he added.
“It’s super-special, especially the Open Championship where you have home support and it’s great for the family.
“I’m very appreciative and thankful to have someone so high up in the world rankings and so good at golf who’s only a text message or a phone call away or even in person.
“I’m in a very privileged spot that a lot of people aren’t but I’m very appreciative of it so it’s the best of both worlds for me.”
Fitzpatrick has some knowledge of the Hoylake layout, having played the 2019 Walker Cup there while still an amateur.
His memories, however, of that defeat to the United States are not the most positive.
“I remember pooing my pants on the first (the Open’s third hole) knowing that the range (internal out of bounds) is just there but I don’t care what’s there and what’s around, teeing it up there will just be a dream,” he said.
Corbin Burnes overcame a brief dizzy spell to strike out 13 batters over six innings and lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday.
Milwaukee recorded its fourth win in five games to move into a first-place tie with Cincinnati atop the National League Central.
In a game played in high heat and humidity, Burnes bent over behind the mound after striking out TJ Freidl in the fifth inning to prompt a visit from the Brewers' training staff and manager Craig Counsell. Following a brief pause in play and after drinking some water, the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner continued on and got Matt McClain to pop up to end the bottom of the fifth.
Burnes then struck out the side in the sixth to finish a dominant outing in which he held the Reds to two hits and two walks.
Cincinnati's Graham Ashcraft kept the game scoreless until the seventh, when Willy Adames led off with a double and Owen Miller followed with a single to chase the Reds' starter. Victor Caratini then greeted reliever Lucas Sims with a single to plate Adames with the game's only run.
Ashcraft was charged with one run in six-plus innings while yielding five hits and two walks.
Astros beat Ohtani, extend Angels' skid to six games
Jose Abreu went 3 for 4 with an RBI single as the Houston Astros dealt Shohei Ohtani a second straight loss with a 7-5 win over the badly slumping Los Angeles Angels.
Mauricio Dubon added a two-run single to help send the Angels to a season-high sixth consecutive defeat and 10th loss in 11 games.
Ohtani kept Houston scoreless over the first three innings, but was reached for two runs in the fourth as the Astros overcame a 2-0 deficit. The 2021 American League MVP surrendered two more runs in the fifth before exiting in the sixth following a leadoff walk to Corey Julks.
The two-way star's departure may have been due to a finger blister he developed in his final start before the All-Star break. Ohtani was charged with five runs - four earned - on five hits and three walks while recording seven strikeouts in five-plus innings.
Ohtani did go 2 for 5 with a run scored at the plate for the Angels, while Mickey Moniak finished 3 for 5 with an RBI and Taylor Ward had a solo home run in defeat.
Urias, Dodgers blank Mets for fifth straight win
The Los Angeles Dodgers put together a stellar pitching performance of their own on Friday, as Julio Urias and three relievers combined on a one-hitter in a 6-0 win over the New York Mets.
Hours after the Dodgers announced ace Clayton Kershaw would remain sidelined into August, Urias filled his injured teammate's role by yielding just one walk and a hit batter after New York's Brandon Nimmo led off the bottom of the first inning with a double. The left-hander added seven strikeouts to help the Dodgers to a fifth consecutive victory.
The win, coupled with Arizona's loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, moved Los Angeles a game ahead of the Diamondbacks for first place in the NL West.
At the plate, the Dodgers took advantage of Justin Verlander's six walks in five innings to score three times off the star right-hander in the fifth, with Freddie Freeman delivering the big blow with a two-run double.
Mookie Betts knocked in the first run with a single and ended 2 for 5 for Los Angeles, while fellow All-Star J.D. Martinez tacked on a solo homer in the eighth.
The Mets have now dropped three in a row after beginning July with a season-high six-game winning streak.
Mike Tindall became the final member of England’s 2003 World Cup-winning team to retire on this day nine years ago.
Then 35, Tindall decided to hang up his boots after almost two decades in the game with Bath and Gloucester.
Four days earlier, Iain Balshaw confirmed his retirement after failing to recover from a knee injury, briefly leaving Tindall as the only member of England’s World Cup-winning squad still active.
The Otley-born back, who married the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips in 2011, started his career with Bath in 1997 and spent eight seasons at the Rec before moving to their West Country rivals Gloucester.
Tindall spent almost a decade at Kingsholm and became player-coach following the arrival of director of rugby Nigel Davies in 2012.
He played 75 matches for England and since retirement has featured on reality television shows ‘The Jump’ and ‘Bear Grylls: Mission Survive’ before finishing fourth in the 2022 series of ‘I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’.
History will be made on women’s final day as Tunisian Ons Jabeur takes on Czech Marketa Vondrousova.
A new name will on the Venus Rosewater Dish after the Centre Court showpiece as last year’s runner-up takes on the first unseeded women’s finalist in SW19 since 1963.
Elsewhere, Neal Skupski is going for a Wimbledon hat-trick and the schedule is playing catch up as play was washed out on the outside courts on Friday.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at day 13.
Ons the way to redemption
Ons Jabeur is back in the Wimbledon final 12 months after she suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Elena Rybakina.
The Tunisian has said that 2022 was never her time, but there is a real sense she is now ready to become a grand slam champion.
She has looked every inch the title contender throughout the tournament with her all-round game and fighting spirit getting her this far.
If she can go one better than last year then she will become the first female singles winner of a grand slam from an Arab or African country.
Vondrousova’s road to recovery
Marketa Vondrousova is also on the path to redemption after injury stalled her promising career.
After reaching the French Open as a teenager in 2019, she has suffered with health issues and revealed that her only participation in Wimbledon last year was watching her best friend in qualification at Roehampton while wearing a cast on her left wrist.
But 12 months on she is in the final after going under the radar until ending Elina Svitolina’s emotional run in the last four.
She will have extra support in her box as her husband has found a cat sitter so is travelling over for the match.
And if she wins, she will become the first unseeded women’s title winner in Wimbledon history.
Skupski going for the hat-trick
Not since Dorothy Round in 1937 has a British player won a hat-trick of Wimbledon titles, but Neal Skupski could be about to emulate that achievement.
The Liverpudlian won the mixed doubles in 2021 and 2022 and is now going for the “pinnacle” in the men’s doubles with Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof.
Skupski will not have his brother and coach Ken in his box as he went on a family holiday to Ibiza on Friday, but he did provide tactical analysis via video.
Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos, who beat Skupski and Koolhof at the French Open, stand in the way.
Order of play
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Centre Court
Marketa Vondrousova v Ons Jabeur
Wesley Koolhof/Neal Skupski v Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos
Court One
Alfie Hewett v Martin De La Puente
Wozniacki/Black v Radwanska/O’Brien
Hewett/Reid v Miki/Oda
Weather
Very strong winds, with the chance of early showers.
Four-time PGA Tour winner Lucas Glover leads the pack after the second day of the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky with Englishman Daniel Brown in second, two strokes behind the lead.
Glover continued his hot run of form which resulted in his 10th consecutive round in the 60s as he shot a four under par for 68 on Friday at Keene Trace.
“Uncharacteristically drove it very poorly,” Glover said after the day’s play.
“I just didn’t hit enough fairways to hit the ball close and take it low again. Happy the way I finished and happy the way I rolled it, just not many of them were very close today.”
The 43-year-old hit five birdies and just the one bogey to leave him 13 under par.
Brown, 28, also hit a 68 with six birdies and two bogeys as he hopes to earn a PGA Tour card by winning the tournament.
“I’ll try and stay as calm as I can until back nine Sunday, hopefully, and we’ve got a chance, fingers crossed,” Brown said after the day’s play.
Tied in second with Brown on 11 under par are American Adam Long and Swedish player Vincent Norman.
Four more players are one stroke behind, tied in fifth place
Carlos Alcaraz wants the scalp of Novak Djokovic in a Wimbledon final on his CV.
The 20-year-old became the youngest man to reach the final since fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal in 2006 with a commanding 6-3 6-3 6-3 victory over Russian Daniil Medvedev.
Alcaraz, the world number one and top seed, will face Djokovic, the seven-time champion who is 16 years his senior, in the ultimate generation game on Centre Court.
The US Open champion could be forgiven for waiting for Djokovic to finally disappear from the scene – something the Serbian shows no sign of doing yet – before Alcaraz can begin racking up more grand slam titles.
But he said: “It gives you extra motivation. I think it’s more special to play the final against a legend from our sport.
“If I win, it could be amazing for me – not only win a Wimbledon title but to do it against Novak would be super special.
“But I always say if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Novak is one of them. It would be great if I can do it.”
Medvedev, the third seed and a former US Open champion, has been playing some superb grass-court tennis this fortnight.
But Alcaraz is no respecter of reputations and the Russian was barely in the match until a couple of breaks of serve were exchanged in the third set.
Even then, Alcaraz finished Medvedev off with a brutal forehand, his 27th winner of the semi-final.
“This one probably was one of my best matches, not only on grass but on the tour,” he added. “I rate it like eight out of 10, something like that.
“It was amazing for me. I showed a great level. Yeah, probably one of my best matches.”
Alcaraz had only played six matches on grass when he arrived at Queen’s Club last month, yet he took the title and has made serene progress in SW19.
“It could become my best surface,” he said with a smile.
“No, but I always like to play on grass. Probably after this year even more.”
It was a victory which also spared Wimbledon chiefs the uncomfortable situation of the Princess of Wales handing a trophy to, and shaking hands with, a player from Russia, after they were banned from the Championships last year due to the war in Ukraine.
Medvedev said: “Maybe against other guys you can be playing not bad, you’re going to have your chances, during the match you’re going to find something to work with.
“With Carlos, you need to be at your absolute best and that’s how you can win. Unfortunately, I was not.”
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will do battle in a hotly-anticipated Wimbledon final on Sunday.
The world’s two best players have negotiated their way safely through the draw to set up a rematch of last month’s French Open semi-final, which was locked at one-set all when Alcaraz was stricken by cramp.
The Spaniard followed up his straight-sets win over fellow young gun Holger Rune by taking out third seed Daniil Medvedev in emphatic fashion, winning 6-3 6-3 6-3.
Earlier, Djokovic had overcome some difficult moments to beat eighth seed Jannik Sinner 6-3 6-4 7-6 (4) and reach a record 35th grand slam singles final.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how day 12 of the Championships unfolded.
Quote of the dayAlcaraz breezes through
The 20-year-old dropped sets in both the third and fourth rounds and it appeared this year’s Wimbledon may perhaps be too soon for him to challenge for the title.
But Alcaraz has been imperious in his last two matches and he took apart Medvedev to become the youngest man to reach the Wimbledon final since his compatriot Rafael Nadal 17 years ago.
Last year’s US Open champion will now attempt to do what no man has done since Nadal at the French Open last year and beat Djokovic at a slam.
Djokovic stays on course
Djokovic extended his winning run at Wimbledon to 34 matches as he continued to fight off the next generation.
The 36-year-old took his chances better than 21-year-old Sinner, who was playing in his first slam semi-final, and fought off his annoyance over a hindrance call for a loud grunt that saw him docked a point early in the second set.
Djokovic then became irritated by the crowd when Sinner created two set points at 4-5 in the third, miming crying after saving both before winning a 15th straight grand slam tie-break.
Picture of the dayRain, rain go away
It was a soggy scene on the outside courts at the All England Club on Friday.
Rain that began before the gates opened at 10am did not relent enough for any play to take place away from Centre Court and Court One, barring a few under-14 junior matches that were moved to indoor hard courts.
With the forecast predicting more rain and very strong winds on Saturday, it could be a major headache for organisers to ensure all the categories finish on time.
Shot of the dayStat of the day
Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls are the country’s highest ranked sport team so when the Netball World Cup comes around, expectations are always high.
This year is no different as the team prepares to take on the world’s best in the 15th edition of the globe’s premier Netball showcase scheduled for July 28-August 6 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Jamaica’s best results in the Netball World Cup are a trio of third-place finishes in 1991, 2003 and 2007.
The 2019 edition, held in England, saw the Sunshine Girls finish fifth.
Head Coach of the Sunshine Girls, Connie Francis, believes the team’s togetherness will allow them handle the pressure.
“They are a happy bunch. They love each other and support each other. Whether the person is wrong or right, the back each other,” Francis told SportsMax.tv at a sendoff for the team on Wednesday before noting a key difference between this group and the previous one at the World Cup.
“One difference about the team this time around that I love is that they hold each other accountable for play,” Francis said.
“They’re all serious about ensuring that, going into this World Cup, we take it seriously because we have a group of players that play in Australia and shake the world. We have a group of players that play in Jamaica that also shake the world. It’s about that learning and hoping that, when we play those finals, mistakes don’t come back and haunt us. It’s about us respecting each opponent and playing to the best of our ability,” she added.
The definition of a successful tournament varies from team to team. For Francis, it means a tournament where her team leaves no stones unturned in their efforts to try to get the job done.
“A successful tournament is having everybody putting out 110%. That would define a successful World Cup for me,” she said.
Jamaica will compete in Pool C alongside the hosts, Wales and Sri Lanka. They will first meet Sri Lanka on June 28th before taking on Wales a day later before completing stage one of the preliminaries against South Africa on June 30.
Feed The Flame ran out a stylish last-to-first winner of the Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp, denying Adelaide River and Soul Sister in a thrilling finish.
Dropped right out by Cristian Demuro, the Pascal Bary-trained Kingman colt had last been seen finishing fourth to Ace Impact in the Prix du Jockey Club over an extended 10 furlongs and was supplemented for this mile-and-a-half feature.
Racing more in mid-division were Aidan O’Brien’s Adelaide River – runner-up to Auguste Rodin in the Irish Derby – and John and Thady Gosden’s Oaks heroine Soul Sister.
When Ryan Moore elected to make his move on Adelaide River it looked like Kieran Shoemark had him covered on Soul Sister, but as the pair locked in battle Feed The Flame was produced to perfection by Demuro to run them both down.
A length was the winning margin from Adelaide River, with Soul Sister just behind in third.
Novak Djokovic is looking forward to a “feast” of a Wimbledon final against Carlos Alcaraz after overcoming spats with the umpire and the crowd in a straight-sets victory over Jannik Sinner.
The end of the fortnight will see the contest that was widely predicted at the start, with the world’s two best players fighting it out for the trophy.
Djokovic is making history with virtually every victory and a 6-3 6-4 7-6 (4) win against Sinner in his record-equalling 46th grand slam semi-final earned him a record-breaking 35th final, taking him past American great Chris Evert.
Alcaraz, who blitzed third seed Daniil Medvedev, is the only man who can now prevent Djokovic matching Roger Federer by winning an eighth Wimbledon title and Margaret Court with a 24th grand slam crown.
A month ago at the French Open, Djokovic and Alcaraz clashed in a semi-final that hit the heights for two split sets before the young Spaniard was struck down by cramp.
“Judging by the performances that we have seen from all the players, I think this is probably the best final that we could have,” said Djokovic. “We are both in good form. We’re both playing well.
“I want to take this title without a doubt. I look forward to it. It’s going to be a great challenge, the greatest challenge that I could have at the moment from any angle really: physical, mental, emotional.
“He’s one of the quickest guys on the tour. He can do pretty much anything on the court. I consider myself also a very complete player.
“We had a very good match until he started struggling physically in Paris. I think we really took the level of tennis very high. I think it was great for the audience and great for us players to be part of that.
“Obviously completely different conditions here. I do have more experience playing in many more grand slam or Wimbledon finals than him. Still, he’s in great shape. He’s very motivated. He’s young. He’s hungry. I’m hungry, too, so let’s have a feast.”
While on paper it appeared a comfortable win for Djokovic against Sinner, there were moments of real tension, particularly when he saved two set points at 4-5 in the third set and before that in the fourth game of the second, when he was penalised for a hindrance by British umpire Richard Haigh.
At 15-15, Djokovic suddenly let out a loud and late grunt after hitting a backhand down the line that he probably expected to be a winner only for Sinner to reach it.
It is unusual for a grunt to elicit a hindrance ruling and Djokovic reacted with disbelief, saying to Haigh: “You must be joking. Calling that in the semi-final of Wimbledon? What are you doing?”
To compound the situation, Haigh then gave Djokovic a time violation in the same game for taking too long on his serve.
“I have to accept the decision from a chair umpire,” said the 36-year-old later. “I’ve never had a hindrance call for an extended grunt. I saw the replay. I saw that my grunt finished before he hit the shot. So I thought that chair umpire’s call was not correct.
“I was just trying to hold my things mentally together and not really get upset, even though I was really upset because I didn’t think it was the right call.”
The crowd were willing Sinner to make a contest of it and sensed the moment had come when the 21-year-old Italian created two set points in the third.
Djokovic clapped sarcastically and gave a thumbs up when noise delayed his second serve, with a man shouting ‘Vamos Rafa’, and was then booed for taunting the crowd when Sinner missed both chances.
When Djokovic held serve, he turned to the fans closest to him and mimed crying.
It is far from the first time the second seed has expressed annoyance with crowds cheering against him but, asked about it in his press conference, he said only with a smile: “It’s all love. All love and acceptance.”
Sinner and Djokovic had met in the quarter-finals here last year, when the Italian opened up a two-set lead only for his opponent to win in five.
Sinner certainly had his chances in this one but was unable to take any of the six break points he created, while 20 unforced errors on his powerful forehand, often at important moments, rather told the story.
Djokovic took his only chance in the first set and it was not until Sinner fought back from 0-40 to hold serve in the third game of the third set that he was really able to apply any consistent pressure.
He made errors on both of his set points, though, and then squandered a 3-1 lead in the tie-break with a double fault and more mistakes – Djokovic’s winning tie-break streak at grand slams now stands at 15.
Sinner was left to rue his missed chances, saying: “Regardless of the score, I felt like I was more close this year than last year.
“I’m trying to play in these situations more often. I felt like I was ready. I went with the right mentality on the court. I had a belief to win this match. I felt like my level was good. It was just, especially in the pressure points, I messed it up a little bit.”
Having harboured ambitions to expand squash in Bermuda, Head coach Micah Franklin, believes fielding their largest team to the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships is the first step to achieving that objective.
Franklin and his 17-member team, comprising nine boys and eight girls, are currently in the St Vincent and the Grenadines for the one-week tournament which gets under way on Saturday.
While his team will have defending champions Guyana and last year’s runners-up Barbados among others to contend with, Franklin, a former player, who was Bermuda’s flagbearer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, is excited about the prospects, particularly where the players’ development and progress is concerned.
“This is indeed the largest team we’ve ever been able to send to this year’s tournament and all our players are between the ages 9-18. Historically, Bermuda has always been able to send a team to the competition, however, very seldom do we have the luxury of sending enough to bring reserves,” Franklin told Sportsmax.tv.
“The team event portion of the competition requires five boys and five girls, so we are thrilled with the options this gives us. The biggest driver for this larger team is the fact that we gave our juniors goals and achievements to reach, which gives them a reason to train at squash on a regular basis and the Junior Casa this year was their motivation,” he added.
What lies ahead where medal-contention is concerned for Bermuda’s team, is left to be seen, but the Franklin is cautiously optimistic.
“Like everything, it is up in the air, but the team is incredibly excited for CASA this year. Every player has separate aspirations, but for me as the coach, I would love to see us leave with some medals. Anything on the podium will be a fabulous achievement,” he noted.
According to Franklin, there have been some improvements where corporate and government support of squash stands, but he would like to see much more done to continue their sport’s growth in the British Overseas Territory.
“Recently we have been incredibly fortunate to have received support from our government and corporate sponsors and Bermuda Squash is really grateful to Hiscox Re. ILS and the Bermuda Department of Youth Sport & Recreation for their support in Junior Squash development,” he said.
“The growth of squash in Bermuda is most likely similar to the growth of the world of squash. The sport does still suffer from not being an Olympic sport, and also inclusion. So, we are working on inclusion regularly to ensure every player gets a chance to play no matter the background,” Franklin shared.
On that note, he declared an unwavering desire to steer Bermuda Squash onto a new path, starting with this historic achievement at CASA which he believes serves as a springboard for their charge going forward.
“The overall goal and ambition for Bermuda Squash is to achieve full inclusion from all ages, races and genders. We want to prioritize squash first and let everything else fall into place,” Franklin ended.
Rory McIlroy vowed to handle whatever the weather could throw at him after claiming a narrow lead at the halfway stage of the £7million Genesis Scottish Open.
McIlroy added a second round of 66 to his opening 64 at the Renaissance Club to reach 10 under par, a shot ahead of Ryder Cup team-mate Tyrrell Hatton and South Korea’s Tom Kim.
It is the fifth time in his PGA Tour career – the event is co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour – that McIlroy has started a tournament with two scores of 66 or better.
The world number three has a runners-up finish and three wins from those previous four occasions, the most recent being his 2014 Open triumph at Royal Liverpool, venue for the final major of the year next week.
“I hit the ball really well tee to green, gave myself a ton of looks (at birdie),” McIlroy said. “Honestly it felt like four under was probably the worst I could have shot out there.
“But you know, it’s swings in roundabouts. I holed a couple of long ones on Thursday to shoot a good score and then missed a couple today, but overall really pleased with how the last two days have went.”
Saturday’s tee times have been brought forward by several hours due to the forecast for afternoon thunderstorms, with winds gusting up to 40mph predicted for Sunday.
“I don’t really have any expectations,” McIlroy added. “It would be silly of me to try to pick a potential target score to get to.
“So really just embrace the conditions and just sort of make the best of them.
“I know that I’m playing well enough tee to green to give myself some looks and hang in there, so I’m pretty confident going into the next two days, no matter what the weather throws at us.
“I keep saying that yes, we are all looking forward to next week, but I want to go and win this tournament over the weekend.”
Hatton had earlier surged into contention for a first victory in two-and-a-half years with a “stressful” second round of 62.
Asked if his round was as easy as he made it look, Hatton said: “No, it was stressful at times, as most of my rounds are.
“But very happy with the chances I gave myself. I feel I hit a lot of good iron shots today, especially compared to Thursday. Very happy with how that was and nice to see some putts drop, too.
“I had three weeks off after the US Open and you probably saw a little bit on Thursday, I was fatting a few shots.
“I was hitting balls off mats last week and, even though I got here Monday night, I still had not managed to get the ball first. We managed to do that today and hopefully that continues this weekend.”
World number one Scottie Scheffler and three-time major winner Padraig Harrington lie three shots off the lead after rounds of 65 and 66 respectively, Harrington overcoming wet and windy conditions in the first group out at 7.15am.
“I hit a great drive off my first hole of the day, 80 yards short of where I hit it yesterday,” the 51-year-old said.
“The marshals were a full 50 yards away from where they should have been for the first three, four holes because they had no idea how short the ball was going.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever been out first and I was hoping that I might turn up and get a break with the weather, but we kind of got the opposite.
“Then it lightened up obviously after six or seven holes. The ball started going a bit and it got a little easier then.”
Harrington has not won on the DP World Tour since 2016, but has won five times on the Champions Tour in the last 13 months, including successfully defending his title in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open last month.
“I feel I can challenge anybody on a links golf course without a doubt,” Harrington said. “From years of playing, it comes natural to me.
“And I don’t have a problem coming back and playing with the young guys on any golf course, but obviously links makes it a little easier for me.”
Carlos Alcaraz set up a Wimbledon final for the ages after dismantling Daniil Medvedev on Centre Court.
The 20-year-old became the youngest man to reach the final since fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal in 2006 with a commanding 6-3 6-3 6-3 victory.
Alcaraz, the world number one and top seed, will face Novak Djokovic, the seven-time champion who is 16 years his senior, in Sunday’s mouthwatering showpiece.
Medvedev, the third seed and a former US Open champion, has been playing some superb grass-court tennis this fortnight.
But Alcaraz is no respecter of reputations, and the changing of the tennis guard could finally be on the cards if the man from Murcia plays with this ferocity against Djokovic.
It was a victory which also spared Wimbledon chiefs the uncomfortable situation of the Princess of Wales handing a trophy to, and shaking hands with, a player from Russia, after they were banned from the Championships last year due to the war in Ukraine.
Medvedev beat Alcaraz in the second round in SW19 two years ago, in what was only the then teenager’s second match on grass.
But the 27-year-old knew he was facing a very different opponent this year. Alcaraz, after all, is the current US Open champion and won on the turf at Queen’s last month.
Medvedev clearly had a gameplan and stood so far behind the baseline to receive the Alcaraz serve that he was virtually on Court One.
It was a tactic which Alcaraz exploited, serving and volleying to great effect as well as throwing in his usual dose of drop shots, including three winners in one service hold.
Alcaraz grabbed the solitary break in the first set, hitting a vicious return to the feet of Medvedev, who could only float his reply long.
At 1-1 in the second, a stunning reaction volley at the net brought up another break point for the youngster, converted with almost audacious ease, and another break put him two sets up with a little over an hour on the Rolex.
Medvedev twice retrieved breaks in the third but it was only delaying the inevitable, with Alcaraz sealing the deal with another brutal forehand before raising his arms in celebration.
Swingalong showed plenty of guts as she made every yard to claim the William Hill Summer Stakes at York.
The winner of the Lowther Stakes over course and distance as a two-year-old, Karl Burke’s daughter of Showcasing was sent off the 5-4 favourite to add to her tally on the Knavesmire following some fine efforts in hot contests since.
She was a gallant third behind Shaquille and Little Big Bear in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and dropping back to Group Three level here, proved her class in the hands of Clifford Lee.
Lee always had the filly on the front end dictating terms, but faced a strong challenge in the closing stages as both James Tate’s course winner Royal Aclaim – also in the colours of owner Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum – and last year’s third Gale Force Maya made eyecatching progress to get on Swingalong’s girths.
However, the Spigot Lodge runner pulled out extra when it mattered to return a neck verdict over Royal Aclaim and lead home a one-two for the duo’s owner, with Gale Force Maya a further three-quarters of a length back in third.
“She showed her class and had to do it the hard way I think,” said Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager for the owner.
“That suits her and that is her style of running, but with the ground going as it did it made it very hard towards the end and I think she was just coming to the end of her tether. I think had it been fast ground I think she would have won very easily, so I was very impressed with her.
“There were half plans in the pipeline to go up to six and a half at Deauville, but I don’t think that will be the case now. It would be easier coming back than going further and I think six is her limit.
“I think we will have to sit down and have a think and Karl says there are plenty of races for her, so we’ll have a chat with the owner and see where we would all like to go next.
“The main thing is she won today and she’s a really nice filly.”
Robinson was also thrilled with the performance of Royal Aclaim in second as last year’s City Walls Stakes winner tried six furlongs for the first time.
He added: “I was pleased with the second, I think she ran really well.
“That proved today that six furlongs is not a problem and she ran a big race.
“I think both these fillies will be better on better ground, the rain has come down here and it’s not just getting in, it seems very loose.”
Symbology looks a name to note having made an impressive debut in the William Hill Keep Your Raceday Positive Irish EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes.
The £230,000 purchase has always been held in high regard by Clive Cox, and this promising start comes fresh off the back of the trainer’s Group Two victory in the July Stakes with Jasour at Newmarket on Thursday.
“We were really pleased with that,” said Cox.
“She’s always been a Grade A student and we’ve loved her from the first minute we’ve had her. It was really pleasing for Sheikh Isa to see her take that first step on the track in such a good manner.
“She was clearly a little green early with just having horses on one side of her, but when she straightened up she went pretty true and straight. It was very much her first day at school and she hasn’t been away to gallop or anything so I do expect her to take a lot of advantages from her debut.”
The daughter of Havana Grey was sent off the 2-1 second-favourite for the six-furlong contest and having pleased the Beechdown Stables handler with her temperament, is now in line for a return to York for the Group Two Lowther Stakes on August 24.
Cox added: “The entry shows we held her high enough in regard before today and we will see how she comes back from this.
“She’s behaved impeccably, so we’re delighted with that debut.”
Tim Easterby’s evergreen Copper Knight (11-1) once again holds the record for winning the most races at York with a seventh success after holding on in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap.
He previously jointly held the record with Stradivarius.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from July 14.
FootballEngland stepped up their World Cup preparations.
The Premier League’s youngest ever player Ethan Nwaneri showed off his confidence.
Arsenal signed Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber.
Today was a good one in the history books for Manchester City.
Jude Bellingham impressed in training.
Leeds wished a happy retirement to a former favourite.
WimbledonThe men’s singles final was eagerly anticipated.
Still plenty of love for Ons Jabeur from the beaten Aryna Sabalenka.
Strike a pose!
Caroline Garcia vowed to bounce back.
Elise Mertens and Storm Hunter reached the women’s doubles final.
CricketEngland looked back on their World Cup triumph.
GolfGame recognises game.
BoxingTyson Fury got kitted out.
Motor racingIt was damp at Goodwood.
Ferrari turned the clock back.
Michal Kwiatkowski held on to take a solo win on stage 13 of the Tour de France on the Grand Colombier as Tadej Pogacar’s bid to snatch the yellow jersey from Jonas Vingegaard fell narrowly short.
Former world champion Kwiatkowski admitted he could not believe the position he was in as he emerged from a breakaway to take his second career Tour stage win, delivering for the Ineos Grenadiers a year after Tom Pidcock took a Bastille Day win on the Alpe d’Huez.
All eyes had been on UAE Team Emirates and Pogacar, who sought to control this 138km stage from Chatillon-Sur-Chalaronne aiming to repeat Pogacar’s stage win the last time the Tour finished here in 2020, and looking to overhaul Vingegaard’s slim advantage in yellow.
But although Pogacar was able to distance Vingegaard a little in the final few hundred metres, launching his attack just as Kwiatkowski came home, he picked up only four seconds, plus four bonus seconds for third place, meaning Vingegaard kept yellow by nine seconds.
UAE were left to rue allowing as many as 19 riders up the road on the flat start, a group that proved too big and powerful to bring back.
After sixteen riders hit the final climb with four minutes of an advantage, Kwiatkowski was initially distanced by a group of four riders that included Tour debutant James Shaw.
But he rode back to them and then straight past still with 11km to the summit, quickly opening up a sizable gap and winning by 47 seconds from fellow escapee Maxim Van Gils.
The last time the Tour visited the Grand Colombier in 2020, Kwiatkowski was nursing a struggling Egan Bernal who abandoned the race two days later, but this time he could savour very different emotions.
“When I entered the break I thought, ‘this is just a free ticket to maybe the bottom of the climb’ or something like that, I never thought this group will fight for the stage win because UAE were pulling pretty hard,” Kwiatkowski said.
“But it is not easy to chase 19 guys on the flat for more than 100km… I think UAE let too many guys in the front and I found the best legs I ever had in my life. I didn’t believe that was possible but here I am.”
Although Pogacar hoovered up the last of the bonus seconds on the line to keep the pressure on Vingegaard, the two-time Tour winner would have hoped for more on a climb which plays to his strengths.
“It’s very nice to take some more seconds, but hats off to the breakaway and Michal Kwiatkowski for today,” Pogacar said.
Instead there was relief for Vingegaard, whose team-mates enjoyed an easier day after the chaos of Thursday’s stage 12.
“The aim was to keep the yellow jersey,” Vingegaard said. “I still have it, so I’m happy. Tadej is more explosive than me and this stage suited him more, so I’m really glad to still be in yellow.”
Pogacar and Vingegaard both picked up time on the rest of the overall contenders, with third-placed Jay Hindley now two minutes and 51 seconds back, and the gap to Carlos Rodriguez in fourth nearing five minutes.
Although Ineos lost Ben Turner to illness, there was more good news as Pidcock came home fifth on the stage, 13 seconds behind Pogacar, to strengthen his hold on eighth. Adam Yates is fifth and twin brother Simon sixth, with all three Brits within six minutes of yellow.
“I think Bastille Day should be renamed Ineos day,” Pidcock said. “Two pretty iconic climbs, two pretty special wins.
“At one point we were talking about Kwiato coming back from the break to help with positioning for the final climb because UAE were not giving the break any time, and then he wins the stage. It always happens when you least expect it.”
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