Coco Gauff believes she is on track for Grand Slam glory in the near future after powering past her doubles partner Jessica Pegula to reach the semi-finals of a rain-affected Rothesay International in Eastbourne.

Wet weather delayed the start of play on day four at Devonshire Park before world number seven Gauff wasted little time in dispatching her fellow American 6-3 6-3 in an hour and 10 minutes.

The 19-year-old fifth-seed is the highest-ranked player remaining in the competition following victory over world number four Pegula and will face another compatriot, Madison Keys, in the last four.

Gauff spoke earlier in the week of feeling like a contender going into every major tournament and is growing in confidence ahead of Friday’s Wimbledon draw.

“That would be the greatest thing,” the 2022 French Open finalist said of the prospect of winning a Grand Slam title.

“I don’t know how my career will pan out but I do think I’m giving myself the best opportunity and the best chance with the day by day work that I’m doing and that’s all I can control.

“Obviously when I get on the court I will try my best but I definitely feel like I’m on the pathway to getting one soon.”

Gauff burst on to the scene as a 15-year-old at Wimbledon in 2019 by defeating five-time champion Venus Williams en route to the fourth round.

She admits the weight of expectation has increased going into her fourth championship at the All England Club.

“I am trying to be more aggressive and I think I feel a little bit more pressure now,” she replied when asked about how her game has developed during the past four years.

“The more established you become, the more people expect from you, so sometimes I do try to take myself back to that mindset I had when I was 15.

“It’s really about balance. You have to know you’re going to do well but don’t expect too much where you, I guess, crumble under the pressure.”

There is guaranteed to be an American in the women’s final in East Sussex after Keys – the 2014 Eastbourne champion – won five games in a row during a 6-4 6-1 success over Croatian lucky loser Petra Martic.

Meanwhile, world number five Caroline Garcia endured a disappointing day as a right shoulder injury caused her to retire while trailing Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-2 2-1.

Kasatkina awaits the winner of Birmingham Classic champion Jelena Ostapenko and Italy’s Camila Giorgi.

In the men’s draw, Argentinian fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo defeated China’s Zhizhen Zhang 6-2 6-3 to reach the maiden grass court semi-final of his career.

Cerundolo’s last-four opponent will be American Mackenzie McDonald, a 6-4 3-6 6-3 victor against Swede Mikael Ymer.

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 June 29.

Jude Bellingham said goodbye to his teens.

Gareth Bale visited Windsor Castle.

Lisandro Martinez was happy to be back at training.

Much to his team-mate’s delight.

Arsenal’s new boy got a joining gift.

While Tottenham’s latest signing watched his son get kitted out.

Everton showed off a new design.

As did Barnsley, to mixed responses.

Lord’s turned Red for Ruth.

Photobombed by a pigeon.

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton could see his World Cup preparations hampered after misconduct complaints were lodged following his behaviour towards match officials in the wake of Leinster’s Heineken Champions Cup final defeat by La Rochelle.

Leinster suffered a heartbreaking 27-26 loss to the French club at the Aviva Stadium on May 20.

Sexton, 37, did not play in the match in Dublin after suffering a groin injury during the Guinness Six Nations victory over England, which brought his season to an early end and required surgery.

However, following the end of the game – which Leinster had led 23-7 on the half-hour mark – Sexton came onto the pitch and became involved in what appeared to be a heated exchange with South African referee Jaco Peyper and the other match officials.

On Thursday, European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) issued a statement confirming misconduct complaints had now been submitted following “thorough fact finding and careful review” of Sexton’s actions and also Leinster for not exercising reasonable control over their player.

Veteran fly-half Sexton is set to retire after the World Cup in France later this year, and if the independent disciplinary panel – which will hear the case on July 13 – issues a substantial ban, his involvement in Ireland’s preparations could be affected.

A statement from the EPCR read: “Misconduct complaints against the Leinster Rugby player, Johnny Sexton, and against Leinster Rugby, arising from the Heineken Champions Cup final on Saturday May 20 2023, have been lodged by EPCR.

“After thorough fact finding and careful review of Johnny Sexton’s behaviour towards match officials after the match, in accordance with EPCR regulations, the EPCR disciplinary officer has submitted misconduct complaints so that an independent disciplinary panel can determine whether any misconduct has been committed by Mr Sexton (through his behaviour) and Leinster (through failing to exercise reasonable control over Mr Sexton).

“The complaints were referred to the chairman of the independent disciplinary panel, who has appointed Christopher Quinlan KC (England, Chair), Adam Casselden SC (Australia) and Marcello D’Orey (Portugal) as the independent disciplinary committee to hear the case and consider whether misconduct took place.

“The hearing will take place by video conference, on July 13. EPCR will be making no further comment.”

Ireland have three warm-up fixtures on the horizon, including against England in Dublin on August 19.

Andy Farrell’s men begin their World Cup campaign against Romania on September 9 at Stade de Bordeaux, with South Africa, Scotland and Tonga also in Pool B.

Lewis Hamilton has called on Formula One’s lawmakers to introduce a radical new rule to end Max Verstappen’s dominance of the sport.

Hamilton believes the FIA should deny all of the grid’s teams the chance to develop next season’s machine until a specific start date.

The seven-time world champion says Verstappen’s Red Bull team are so far ahead this year that they have already started work on their 2024 project.

But Verstappen, who has won six of the opening eight rounds on his seemingly unstoppable march to a hat-trick of world championships, bit back at Hamilton’s suggestion, telling his British rival he was not complaining about the current rule when he was winning.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg, Hamilton, already 93 points behind Verstappen in the championship, said: “At the end of the year we will probably catch Red Bull, but that’s probably because they are already focusing on next year’s car.

“They don’t have to make any changes to this car because they’re so far ahead.

“I have been here for 17 years, and before I got here there has been periods of dominance and it continues to happen.

“I was fortunate to have one of those periods and Max is having that now, but with the way it is going it will continue to happen over and over again and we don’t need that for the sport.

“If you are so far ahead, you don’t need to develop the car so you can start early with the next car and with the budget cap you can spend this year’s money on next year’s.

“But if everyone had a time where you could only start on next year’s car – say August 1 – no one has a head start. Then it is a real race in that short space of time for the future car.

“Maybe that would help everyone be closer the following year. I might be wrong, but something has to change.”

Hamilton won six of his record-equalling seven titles in a period of dominance for Mercedes. And when his theory was put to Verstappen, the two-time world champion said: “We were not talking about that when he was winning his championships right, so I don’t think we should now.

“That is how Formula One works. When you have a competitive car it is great but at one point you have to look ahead to the next year.

“A lot of things in life are unfair so we just have to deal with it.”

Hi Royal could have another crack at Paddington in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on August 2.

Kevin Ryan’s colt massively outran his odds in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket when second to Chaldean at 125-1.

He then went on to prove that was not a performance out of the blue by attempting to make all in the Irish equivalent and was only caught late on by Aidan O’Brien’s subsequent St James’s Palace Stakes winner Paddington.

Hi Royal lost second close to the line also but having skipped Ascot, connections are hoping his freshness will reap dividends at Goodwood.

“Hi Royal has been a real credit. He proved his run in the 2000 Guineas was no fluke when he went to Ireland last time at the Curragh, that was another solid race,” said owner Jaber Abdullah’s assistant racing manager Philip Robinson.

“Hopefully it is all systems go and I think he’s going to run in the Sussex next.

“Paddington won well at Ascot, so I think you could say Hi Royal improved from Newmarket to Ireland, he’s getting better and better with each run.

“Goodwood should be interesting.”

The same owner saw his silks carried to glory in the French 2000 Guineas by Marhaba Ya Sanafi, who beat Isaac Shelby at ParisLongchamp before stepping up in trip for the French Derby.

He once again ran with great credit at Chantilly, finishing third behind arguably France’s two best three-year-olds, Ace Impact and Big Rock.

“Marhaba Ya Sanafi won the French Guineas and then stepped up in trip for their Derby,” said Robinson.

“I think he stayed the trip there, you couldn’t really say he didn’t.

“He could come back to a mile if the trainer (Andreas Schutz) wanted, but I think he got 10 furlongs well so he’s got options.

“It will be up to the trainer where he goes but the French Derby winner did look very impressive that day, I was very impressed with him.”

Mark Cavendish knows he will have to put sentiment to one side as he looks for one last hurrah in his final Tour de France.

The 38-year-old will start his 14th and last Tour in Bilbao on Saturday as he moves into the final months of a glittering career, having announced in May that he will retire at the end of the season.

Cavendish is a former world champion and an Olympic medallist, but for the Manxman nothing compares to the Tour, a race in which his 34 career stage wins stand level with Eddy Merckx for the most of all-time.

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The next three weeks will be a long goodbye, but Cavendish knows he cannot allow emotions to get the better of him as he looks to taste victory again.

“I know I’ve still got a job to do,” he said. “I know I’ll regret that, not living in the moment of enjoying things. The whole experience of the Tour de France, you can’t describe it. This race gives you the most incredible emotions.

“Unfortunately you don’t really analyse it and appreciate them until afterwards. It’s the same every year. I know it’s my last one but it’s the same, I’ve got a job to do and I can’t really afford those little moments of sentiment.

“But I can definitely appreciate them later.”

Cavendish moved level with Merckx in 2021 when, just a few short months after fearing his career was over, he capitalised on an unexpected opportunity with what was then the Deceuninck-QuickStep team to turn back the clock with four stage victories.

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Cavendish had landed on his feet in securing a short-term deal with Deceuninck, who in Michael Morkov have arguably the best lead-out man in the business.

But when Cavendish again found himself scrambling for a contract this winter following the sudden collapse of the B&B Hotels squad, the phone call that came was from Astana-Qazaqstan, a team with no sprinting pedigree and no sort of lead-out train in place.

Cavendish’s former team-mate and lead-out man Mark Renshaw has joined in the past week as a lead-out consultant, but the work to develop a train has been an ongoing project for Cavendish and his team-mates since the day he joined.

“With Astana-Qazaqstan being new to sprinting, it doesn’t mean the resources aren’t there to be able to have an incredible lead-out team, it just means it takes time to practice it and learn it,” Cavendish said.

“A lot of races where I haven’t crossed the line first I’ve taken as wins because I’ve seen the growth of the team, and that’s across different guys – even down to climbers and (general classification) guys committing to a bunch sprint.

“Whether I cross the line (first) or not, if I see the improvements it counts as a win so I’m really happy.”

Whatever happens during July, Cavendish is grateful to have been able to extend his career this far, having given a tearful interview as far back as 2020 when he feared he would be forced out of the sport as he struggled to find a new team.

“I’ve created the most incredible memories, that’s for sure,” he said. “I’m deeply privileged that I could continue my career in the way I did…

“I think the biggest thing you can instil is to never give up. That’s the biggest thing I instil into my kids. They can do what they want and enjoy it but they commit to it if that’s what they want to do. It’s a good way to live life.”

Savannah Marshall has admitted talk of a rematch with Claressa Shields will not go away as she prepares to challenge Franchon Crews-Dezurn for her undisputed world super-middleweight titles on Saturday.

Marshall is making her first appearance since she was comprehensively outpointed by Shields last October, and knows victory over Crews-Dezurn is likely to propel her towards another shot at the American next year.

The respective trajectories of Marshall and Shields have been tied together since their amateur days and Marshall told Sky Sports: “It’s the only fight out there after these fireworks.”

Marshall took four months off after her first professional loss but says the experience has turned her into a better fighter as she prepares to step up to face Crews-Dezurn at Manchester’s AO Arena.

Marshall got the better of her opponent in an amateur meeting in 2011 and believes the move to 168lbs will be a significant factor in wresting the belts from Franchon-Crews.

“I was beaten by the better fighter and that was hard to take,” added Marshall.

“I had the opportunity to become the best pound for pound in the world. I hate losing so it was a bitter pill to swallow. But it’s dead and buried.

“I’m not having to struggle to make the weight, this time it’s been a lot easier, and camp’s being a lot more enjoyable.”

Crews-Dezurn has won eight times since she lost her ambitious professional debut against Shields in 2016.

She accused Marshall of complacency heading into her bout against Shields and believes the Hartlepool fighter lacks the motivation to rebound and claim the win that would set up a prospective rematch.

“Unfortunately she got a defeat because she underestimated,” said Crews-Dezurn.

“That’s what happens when you get content, when you think everything is going to be given to you. You let somebody come to your home town and take something you thought was yours because you got complacent.”

LTA chief executive Scott Lloyd insists British tennis is “moving in the right direction” despite having just three direct entries in Friday’s Wimbledon singles draws.

Cameron Norrie, a semi-finalist at the All England Club in 2022, Dan Evans and two-time winner Andy Murray are the only UK players to have qualified for the Championships based on ranking.

British participation at SW19 will be swelled by a host of wildcards, including Katie Boulter, who replaced the injured Emma Raducanu as her country’s number one female player earlier this month.

National governing body CEO Lloyd believes there are plenty of reasons for positivity.

“Over the last 12 months, we’ve had four men in the top 50 of the world, which we’ve never had in the history of our sport in this country before,” he told the PA news agency.

“We actually had more players – men’s and women’s singles players – in the top 200 of the world than we’ve had for the last 40 years, so we’re moving in the right direction.

“Obviously we always want more players at the very top of the game inspiring the fans to follow tennis and to watch on their televisions and that’s very much what we’re striving for.

“We’re looking forward to a good Championships.”

The enforced withdrawals of 2021 US Open champion Raducanu (wrists and ankle) and Jack Draper (shoulder) have deprived Britain of two of its most talented young players for the Grand Slam tournament.

Norrie, who is ranked 13th in the world, is the only seeded British player, with Evans, Murray and the wildcard entrants at risk of drawing a star name in the first round.

While there was a complete absence of British players in the women’s singles draw at this year’s French Open, that doom and gloom has been eased by a raft of encouraging results on grass, including world number 88 Boulter beating compatriot Jodie Burrage to win her first WTA title in Nottingham.

“I think we’re the only nation in the world that has had a men’s and a women’s Grand Slam singles champion and doubles and mixed doubles champion in the last decade,” continued Lloyd, speaking in Eastbourne as part of a £30million investment by the Government and LTA which has led to 1,000 public tennis courts across the UK being refurbished.

“And I think ourselves and Spain are the only nations in the world that have had men’s and women’s singles champions (during that time).

“We’re right up there at the top of the game but obviously we want to keep doing better and better.”

Lando Norris has revealed he had a number of expensive items stolen in a robbery at a villa in Marbella.

It is the second time the British Formula One star has been targeted by thieves after he was accosted by two men and had his Richard Mille designer watch stolen after the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.

McLaren driver Norris, 23 was understood to be on holiday in the south of Spain for three days when the incident took place.

Speaking to the PA news agency ahead of this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, Norris said: “We were out for dinner and our place got robbed.

“A mixture of many things were stolen. Some were expensive and some were not so expensive. It is still an ongoing conversation so I cannot say too much.”

Norris was reported to be on holiday with a group of friends, including influencer Jennie Dimova.

Dimova posted a video to her TikTok, saying: “If you are wondering why I look like that it is because our villa got robbed and everything I have ever owned – my clothes, my shoes, my bags, my jewellery – everything has been taken – and I am left with literally nothing. I cried for two hours but what can I do?”

The popular Norris is only 11th in this season’s drivers’ championship having scored points at just three of the opening eight rounds in his under-performing McLaren machine.

The British team have brought an upgrade to this weekend’s event in Spielberg in the hope of turning their disappointing season around.

Dual Group One-winner Nashwa adds star quality to proceedings at Newcastle on Friday as the headline act in the Jenningsbet In Shiremoor Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Nashwa helped Hollie Doyle create a piece of history when winning the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) last season, meaning she became the first woman to ride a Group One European Classic winner.

Doyle and Nashwa went on to double their top-level tally against older fillies and mares in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.

Nashwa ended her season by finishing second in the Prix de l’Opera and fourth at the Breeders’ Cup, where she lost all chance with a slow start.

Slightly below her best on her seasonal reappearance in France behind Above The Curve, the daughter of Frankel looks the one to beat in this Group Three with no penalty.

Owner Imad Al Sagar’s racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe, said: “She had hard races in the Opera and at the Breeders’ Cup.

“She needed her first run back in the Prix Corrida, she really needed that, so to try to get a good run at the nice autumn prizes we wanted her to hopefully get back to her level with the plan then possibly being to head to the Nassau.

“We need to get her back on track now and the timing of this race is good with the Nassau a month away.

“Hollie is on a roll, she completed a full set of winners (at British Flat tracks) at Carlisle so that is good.”

He went on: “Imad has shown patience, these fillies pretty much tell us when they are ready so it is a question of hopefully getting everything lined up in the right order.”

Nashwa’s main market rival is the Roger Varian-trained Al Husn, winner of a Listed race at Ayr last time out.

Hughie Morrison’s One For Bobby, Simon and Ed Crisford’s Misty Dancer and the Karl Burke-trained Bright Diamond are also among the nine runners

Frankie Dettori will miss the ride on Coral-Eclipse favourite Emily Upjohn at Sandown next week after failing in his appeal against the nine-day careless riding ban imposed for his ride on Saga at Royal Ascot.

Dettori attempted to switch right-handed towards the rail in the early stages of the Wolferton Stakes and in doing so caused James McDonald to quickly snatch up Cadillac. Certain Lad and Notre Belle Bete, who were behind Cadillac, were also hampered in the scrimmaging.

Owned by the King and Queen and trained by John and Thady Gosden, Saga eventually finished fifth in the 10-furlong Listed event, which was won by Royal Champion.

An independent disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority on Thursday considered evidence from all relevant parties, including Dettori, and elected to uphold the careless riding offence originally decided upon by stewards on the first day of Royal Ascot.

The panel then retired to deliberate over submissions from Dettori’s legal representative seeking a reduction in the penalty, but ultimately decided that nine days was appropriate and made no amendment to the sanction.

The BHA, who called Rob Hornby, rider of Foxes Tales, as a witness, made the case that Dettori had been unaware of the presence of Cadillac on his inside when riding towards the rail on the first bend of the race.

Charlotte Davison, representing the BHA, pressed Dettori on whether or not he would have made the manoeuvre had he spotted his horse on the inside, to which Dettori repeated he was “surprised” that McDonald had taken that line.

Davison put forward that Hornby and McDonald were both entitled to move towards the rail as they did as no orange markers had been deployed to prevent it, and that it was Dettori’s carelessness with regards to his surroundings that had caused the incident.

Rory Mac Neice, representing Dettori, argued the jockey had positioned himself to account for the false rail and that the incident was set in motion by McDonald riding into a gap that would inevitably close when the rail came into play.

Mac Neice agreed that riders were entitled to track across the inside rail as soon as the race began, but said that in doing so Saga was left short of room and unsettled, causing Dettori to seek cover – at which point he submitted that McDonald had ridden into the gap left on the rail, a gap he described as a “cul-de-sac”.

That act “sandwiched” Dettori, Mac Neice argued, and though he was aware of the horses surrounding him, he was in a “no-man’s land” and unable to prevent the incident.

After several hours of listening to each party and their submissions and evidence, the panel confirmed it found the careless riding rule had been breached.

They then considered any change to the penalty imposed after further submissions on either side, but again returned to say they were adhering to the original findings of the stewards on the day and that the nine-day penalty had not been reduced.

James O’Mahony, chair of the panel, said: “Coming to our conclusions, firstly it is clear, and as Mr Dettori has accepted, that he did move laterally right. He said to get cover, and we do find that his lateral movement right was connected with the interference as a matter of cause and effect.

“Secondly, he couldn’t and shouldn’t have moved right if he was aware of the presence of Mr McDonald as he was not clear. He says he was not aware of the presence of Mr McDonald, our conclusion is that he should have been aware.

“It may have come as a surprise to him that Mr McDonald would take that course, and maybe with his experience Mr Dettori wouldn’t have taken that course so close to the rail, but there it is – he did and he was there.

“We have carefully assessed the relevance and question of to what extent, if any, there was pressure on Mr Dettori from the outside, from the presence of other horses, in particular Rob Hornby’s mount.

“We have carefully sifted and worked through the evidence of Mr Hornby and Mr Dettori and our clear conclusion on balance of probabilities is that there were no significant problems in relation to the presence of other horses.

“In our judgement, on the balance of probabilities, Mr Dettori was in breach of the rule preventing careless riding and this appeal, as far as that matter is concerned, is refused.”

Dettori’s dates of suspension are July 4-12, while he will also be out of action from July 13 after picking up an eight-day whip ban for his ride on Queen Anne runner-up Inspiral, which sees him miss the July meeting at Newmarket.

Winner of the Coronation Cup at Epsom, Emily Upjohn is odds-on in places for the Eclipse, which takes place on July 8.

Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki has announced her intention to return to tennis after a three-year retirement.

Wozniacki, who won the 2018 Australian Open and was runner-up in two US Open finals in 2009 and 2014, is targeting her grand slam return at Flushing Meadows later this year.

The 32-year-old Dane wrote on Twitter: “Over these past three years away from the game I got to make up for lost time with my family, I became a mother and now have two beautiful children I am so grateful for.

“But I still have goals I want to accomplish. I want to show my kids that you can pursue your dreams no matter your age or role. We decided as a family it’s time. I’m coming back to play and I can’t wait!”

Wozniacki won 30 tour-level titles and played her last match in the third round of the 2020 Australian Open, where she was beaten by Ons Jabeur.

Wozniacki told Vogue: “I’m going to play the US Open. There’s just an electric atmosphere in New York that I can’t get enough of.

“I’ll start out playing in (the Canadian Open in) Montreal just to get back into the groove, and then we’ll all head to New York.

“After that, I’ll have a couple of months to prepare for Australia, and we’ll take it from there. The Paris Olympics are definitely a goal too.”