Novak Djokovic aimed a brutal swing at the Wimbledon crowd after slamming "disrespect" from Centre Court spectators towards him during his victory over Holger Rune.

The 24-time grand slam champion breezed past Rune in straight sets on Monday, reaching his 15th quarter-final at the grass-court major, a tally only bettered by Roger Federer (18).

Denmark's Rune struggled throughout a humbling 6-3 6-4 6-2 defeat, though enjoyed the majority support at Wimbledon's top attraction, with Djokovic shushing the crowd at one point during the second set.

The seven-time Wimbledon winner noted that interaction in his on-court interview, hitting back at those who were against him.

"To all the fans that have had respect and stayed here tonight, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I appreciate it," a visibly frustrated Djokovic said.

"And to all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player, in this case, me, have a good night!"

When Rishi Persad, master of ceremonies on Centre Court, suggested the support was purely for Rune and not to disrespect, Djokovic doubled down on his assessment.

"They were. They were. I am not accepting it. No, no, no, I know they were cheering for Rune but that's an excuse to also boo," the 37-year-old responded.

"Listen, I have been on the tour for more than 20 years. I know all the tricks. I focus on the respectful people that pay for the ticket, and love tennis and appreciate the players.

"I have played in much more hostile environments, trust me – you guys can't touch me."

Rune failed to break Djokovic's service throughout a one-sided clash as the latter set up a quarter-final meeting with ninth seed Alex de Minaur.

"I don't think he has played anywhere close to his best to be honest," Djokovic said of his 15th-seed opponent. "It was a tough start for him. He lost the first 12 points and I think that got to him mentally.

"Waiting all day to come out on the court is never easy. The tension is building up and [you are] stressed to get out on the court.

"On my end I think I've done things at the important moments. Things could have looked different if I lost those services games but very solid at the end and I'm very happy to get through in straight sets."

Djokovic appeared a doubt for this tournament, having pulled out of the French Open midway through at Roland-Garros before undergoing surgery for a troublesome knee issue.

"I'm feeling great on the court and let's take it day by day," Djokovic assured.

"There's always something to work on in the off days. I'll speak with my team tomorrow and analyse this match and get ready for the next one."

Novak Djokovic coasted into the Wimbledon quarter-finals after dispatching Holger Rune in straight sets on Monday.

The 24-time major champion held his serve throughout a dominant Centre Court performance, triumphing 6-3 6-4 6-2 to move into the 60th grand slam quarter-final of his illustrious career.

Djokovic never looked troubled by his opponent, nor by the knee injury that required surgery last month, en route to setting up a last-eight meeting with ninth seed Alex de Minaur.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion dropped sets in his previous two victories but Rune's early showing suggested a routine victory from the off, as the Dane committed nine unforced errors in a one-sided first set.

Serbia's Djokovic latched onto those failures at will, taking just half an hour to seize a 1-0 match lead after breaking Rune's first service game and holding out from then on.

Rune improved in the second set, yet a cruel drop of service handed a 4-3 advantage to Djokovic, who then relinquished six set-point chances on his opponent's struggling serve.

A partisan crowd appeared in favour of Rune, celebrating every point won, yet Djokovic needed just one more set point to seal the second before glancing towards the spectators to quieten them down.

Djokovic repeated the dose in the third – and final – set, breaking Rune's opening serving game, though the 15th seed did squander an opportunity to break when attempting to level midway through.

That missed chance was once again punished emphatically as Djokovic secured another break in the following game before sealing a convincing victory in just over two hours.

Data Debrief: Djokovic edging toward Wimbledon history

Djokovic held a modest 3-3 against top-20 players in 2024 before this clash, though Rune proved no match for the Wimbledon veteran.

With this victory, Djokovic moved second in the all-time list for most quarter-final appearances at the grass-court major, surpassing Jimmy Connors (14) – only Roger Federer (18) can better the Serbian's 15.

Djokovic's next aim will be levelling Federer's record eight triumphs at Wimbledon, starting with a last-eight clash against De Minaur.

An emotional Elina Svitolina says she struggled to focus during her last-16 win at Wimbledon after Russian attacks killed at least 29 people and hit a children's hospital in her native Ukraine.

The 29-year-old overcame China's Wang Xinyu to reach the quarter-finals on Monday but was reduced to tears in her on-court interview after the ongoings in her homeland.

The strike was part of one of the heaviest attacks on Ukraine's capital Kyiv since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, with Svitolina sporting a black ribbon to pay tribute to her home country.

"It was a good performance from my side and it's a very difficult day today for Ukrainian people," said Svitolina, who has regularly addressed the impact of the war on Ukraine.

"It was not easy to focus on the match. Since the morning it was very difficult to read the news and just to go on the court... it's extremely tough.

"I'm happy I could play today and get a win."

Wimbledon organisers made a rare exception to relax the tournament's strict all-white rules for Svitolina's fourth-round match, allowing the 2023 semi-finalist to wear the black ribbon on the chest of her white outfit.

"I feel like it would be understandable after such a big attack on my country," she later added at a press conference.

Ukraine's largest children's hospital was among the buildings hit in the attack and world number 21 Svitolina will continue to raise awareness of the war.

"It's [an] incredibly sad day today for all Ukrainians. It was really difficult for me to really be here in a way and do anything," she continued after her 6-2 6-1 win.

"I just wanted to be in my room, just be there with my emotions, with everything.

"I have to put my head down and show up and do my best, my very best. Every Ukrainian is using their own way to raise awareness, to raise money, to help in every possible way they can."

Svitolina faces Russia-born Kazakh player Elena Rybakina in the next round of the grass-court major.

Taylor Fritz fought from behind to win a five-set thriller against Alexander Zverev on Centre Court, reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the second time.

Fritz, who previously made the last eight in 2022, was on the brink of defeat as a typical big-serving display from Zverev saw him take the first two sets.  

However, the match turned on a fourth-set tie-break dominated by the American, Zverev losing his way as he missed out on a first quarter-final appearance at SW19, losing 4-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.

The Centre Court crowd had to remain patient for a break in the opening set with both players excellent with ball in hand, Zverev winning 83% of his first-serve points to Fritz's 81%. A powerful backhand ensured it was Zverev who got the breakthrough nine games in.

Neither player could force a break point in a slog of a second set, which Zverev took in a tie-break, roaring to the crowd as Fritz sliced a backhand wide on set point. 

But Fritz refused to go away, drawing Zverev to the net far more regularly and finally breaking the German's serve at the 15th attempt. 

It was a similar story in the fourth as both players served well, but Fritz stepped up in the tie-break, Zverev looking dejected as he fell 6-1 down before slicing a backhand long on set point.  

The momentum was with Fritz from there as he secured a huge break four games into the decider, holding his nerve from there to tee up a meeting with first-time grand slam quarter-finalist Lorenzo Musetti.

Earlier on Monday, Alex de Minaur sealed his place in the last eight – where he will face Holger Rune or Novak Djokovic – with a 6-2 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory over Arthur Fils.

Ninth seed De Minaur squandered a 4-2 lead in the third set but recovered to take the match in four, his flat groundstrokes proving too much for spirited 20-year-old Fils.

The Australian suffered a scare as he appeared to hurt his ankle on match point, but he played down fears over his condition after the match. 

"I will be alright, I will find a way," he said. "I made it a lot harder than I should have but I'm happy to get through."

Data Debrief: Rare upset for Fritz 

Fritz showed great character to hold firm in the face of Zverev's big-serving display before launching a rousing comeback in front of a delighted Centre Court crowd.

He previously held a 1-13 record against top-10 opponents at grand slams, but he has now become the first American to reach the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon in a single year since Andy Roddick in 2009.

Elena Rybakina has reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon for a third straight year, with her progress to the last eight accelerated after opponent Anna Kalinskaya was forced to retire with an injury in the second set.

Fourth seed Rybakina was in complete control of the fourth-round match on Centre Court, leading 6-3 3-0 before Kalinskaya had to call time on the contest after 53 minutes of play, halting what had been her best career run at the tournament.

"Definitely not the way I wanted to finish the match," said Rybakina after her win.

"Anna is a great player. I know she was suffering with a couple of injuries and, if it is the wrist, it is of course very difficult to continue playing. I just wish her a speedy recovery."

Rybakina had also won the last contest between the two players – in Rome last year – due to a retirement from Kalinskaya.

With a strong grass-court record and as one of only two players seeded in the top 10 left in the women's singles tournament, Rybakina is seen as the favourite and player to beat in the second week. She will face either Elina Svitolina next.

Data Debrief: Rybakina in elite company

With a remarkable 18-2 match record at Wimbledon, Rybakina is now one of just three players in the Open Era to hold a win percentage of 90% or higher in the women’s singles.

The other two players are, like Rybakina, former Wimbledon champions: Ann Jones (12-1) and Steffi Graf (74-7).

While Rybakina thrives on grass, she has also impressed on other surfaces and she has now reached the quarter-final or better in 11 of her 12 tournaments played this season.

Aside from Rybakina, Iga Swiatek is the only other player over the past three seasons to hold a match win percentage of over 70% on all three surfaces at WTA level.

Stephen Curry believes the dynasty built by the Golden State Warriors throughout his career will be the last of its kind in the NBA.

Curry has won four NBA championships with the Warriors since being drafted seventh overall in 2009, leading them to glory in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022. 

Golden State missed the playoffs for just the third time in the last 12 seasons in 2023-24, finishing 46-36 then losing a Play-In tie against the Sacramento Kings.

Between 2014 and 2022, the Warriors made the NBA Finals on six occasions, having failed to do so in 39 years after winning the 1974-75 championship.

Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have, alongside Curry, formed the spine of the Warriors' lineup throughout that period, but the former left for the Dallas Mavericks last week after 13 years in San Francisco.

Speaking to ESPN's Malika Andrews, Curry said: "Obviously defining a dynasty can take a lot of different looks.

"People thought this was over in 2019, but 2022 was an amazing championship because we defied the odds. That's 11 years, almost 12 years, of championship relevancy built around a certain core."

Asked whether the Warriors' achievements during that period will be replicated, Curry said: "I don't think it will, just because it's very hard to keep things together in this league. There's a lot more player movement. 

"Me, Klay and Draymond, we complemented each other so well for so long. We all brought something different to the table, so we'll see. 

"Records are meant to be broken. Dynasties come in all different shapes and sizes, so we'll see."

While Thompson has made the decision to leave the Bay Area, Curry – who has two years remaining on his own contract – wants to stick around for the rest of his career, as long as the team can be competitive.

"Being in one place for my whole career, I know it's really hard to do that," he said. "I want to be greedy and say we can be relevant and be in the mix and give ourselves a realistic chance to win while I'm still growing these grey hairs and doing high school visits in the Bay for my daughter. 

"It's crazy. It's just the nature of where I'm at. But yes, all that is to say I love the Bay and the Bay is home and I never want that to change."

Bronny James "doesn't give a f***" what people think of him, his father LeBron has warned.

LeBron and his eldest son will team up for the Los Angeles Lakers next season, after Bronny was selected as the No.55 overall pick in the NBA Draft.

But LeBron, the NBA's all-time leading points scorer, has warned the media not to expect Bronny to struggle under pressure or fail to cope with any criticism.

"I don't know if people really understand Bronny," James told ESPN.

"He doesn't care. I actually care a little bit. When I came in [as a rookie], I wanted people to like me, and some of the things that people were saying about me kind of bothered me early on in my career. He doesn't give a f***.

"He does not care about nobody. He doesn't even listen to that stuff. He's like the coolest.

"He's the complete opposite of his dad. His dad will say something [to address the critics]. This bro does not care. Everything that's being said about him, he really does not care."

LeBron, though, believes his son, who is 19, has shown a fantastic mentality and attitude to make his own way in basketball.

"Just imagine if you were a kid, you were born into a situation where your dad was super famous, super wealthy and you the kid still had the drive to want to be able to accomplish things for yourself," James added.

"I personally don't know if I would've been able to do that if the roles were reversed.

"When I was coming up, I had no choice. I literally had no choice. I had to make it out for me. My mom, my family, my hometown, my city.

"Bronny has all the choices in the world. If Bronny wants to stop right now or never played basketball or just wanted to be a gamer or wanted to be a chef or wanted to do whatever, he could have done that.

"People don't understand how hard that is and the commitment for him to be coming out of heart surgery less than a year ago, for him to be able to be in the NBA, the kid, he's special."

Emma Raducanu says her Wimbledon run has "fuelled the fire" as she looks to return to her best form.

Raducanu, who stormed to a shock US Open win in 2021, has endured a difficult few years.

Yet she looked strong in her opening three rounds at Wimbledon, dumping out Maria Sakkari en route to a tie with qualifier Lulu Sun on Sunday.

However, with the odds in her favour, Raducanu failed to deliver as Sun prevailed 6-2 5-7 6-2 to claim a surprise victory. 

With Aryna Sabalenka having withdrawn and both Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek also crashing out over the weekend, a path to glory might have opened up for Raducanu.

Instead, she is aiming to use an encouraging run at the All England Club as motivation for the rest of the season.

"I feel good about things going forwards. I feel optimistic," said Raducanu.

"As bitter as it is to take, I think [this defeat] happened for a reason.

"You don't want things to happen too easily and too quickly. I had that before. I don't necessarily want just a massive spike.

"Six months ago when I was starting out after surgery, I would have signed for the fourth round at Wimbledon.

"Of course I'm disappointed. Of course, I want more. It fuels the fire and makes me more hungry."

Raducanu has received some criticism, though, for withdrawing from the mixed doubles event on the eve of her match with Sun.

That withdrawal marked the end of Andy Murray's farewell Wimbledon appearance.

Rafael Devers hit home runs in the seventh and ninth innings, Kutter Crawford needed just 68 pitches to get through seven innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 3-0 on Sunday.

New York managed just four hits and were handed a 15th loss in their last 20 games.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, have fought their way back into contention in a competitive AL East by winning 16 of their last 22 games.

Devers, whose seventh-inning solo shot off Luis Gil broke a scoreless tie, has hit seven home runs in his last 11 games and is batting .405 over that stretch.

Boston’s other run came on an eighth-inning homer by Ceddanne Rafaela.

Crawford was efficient in collecting his third win in his last four starts, throwing 54 of his 68 pitches for strikes.

New York’s offence wasted a quality start from Gil, who allowed four hits and one run in 6 2/3 innings while striking out nine.

Three of the Yankees’ four hits came from batters in the seventh, eighth and ninth spots in the order.

Braves bash 4 HRs to back Lopez

Reynaldo Lopez pitched six scoreless innings, and the Atlanta Braves hit four home runs en route to a 6-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Playing for his fourth team in two seasons, Lopez improved to 7-2 and lowered his ERA to 1.71.

The Braves jumped on Phillies starting pitcher Michael Mercado early, with Jarred Kelenic, Matt Olson and Adam Duvall each homering in the second inning to build a 5-0 lead.

Eli White added an insurance run by hitting a solo shot in the sixth inning.

The Phillies had five hits – including Alec Bohm’s 30th double of the season – and three walks but were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

Atlanta took two of three in the series but still trail Philadelphia by eight games in the NL East.

Guardians top Giants to continue home dominance

Bo Naylor launched a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the sixth inning to take the lead, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the San Francisco Giants 5-4 to continue their dominant play at Progressive Field.

The win gave the Guardians a league-leading 30-11 home record, and Cleveland are yet to lose a series at home this season.

Naylor’s clutch home run came with two outs and after falling behind in the count, 0-2. After working the count, Naylor sent a 2-2 pitch over the right-field wall for his first career pinch-hit home run.

Naylor’s older brother Josh, who was named to his first All-Star team on Sunday, had an RBI single in the fourth.

Josh Naylor will be joined at the All-Star Game by teammates Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan, David Fry and Emmanuel Clase. Cleveland’s five selections were the most of any American League team.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes reached another milestone in his meteoric rise Sunday, when MLB announced the rookie sensation was selected as an All-Star less than two months after his big-league debut.

Skenes, 22, has used his 100-mph fastball to dazzle fans and frustrate hitters, just 10 starts into his MLB career.

The 2023 top overall draft pick is 5-0 with a 2.12 ERA and has 78 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings pitched.

The Philadelphia Phillies had a league-high and franchise-record seven players selected to the All-Star Game, which will be played on July 16 at Globe Life Field in Texas.

The Phillies will send pitchers Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suarez, Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm to the Midsummer Classic. Position players Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Alec Bohm were voted by fans as starters, although Harper remains on the injured list with a left hamstring strain.

The Los Angeles Dodgers had six players selected, including injured shortstop Mookie Betts, who got the nod for the eighth straight season. Freddy Freeman was named an All-Star for the sixth year in a row (eight total selections), while Shohei Ohtani will make his fourth consecutive appearance.

The Cleveland Guardians had five players named to the All-Star roster, the most in the American League. Jose Ramirez and MLB batting leader Steven Kwan were voted in by the fans and will be joined by Emmanuel Clase, David Fry and Josh Naylor.

This year’s game will feature 32 players who are first-time All-Stars. San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar got the nod for the first time during his 11th MLB season.

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez and Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve were each selected for the ninth time, the most of any player on this year’s rosters.

Emma Raducanu has no regrets over her decision to withdraw from the mixed doubles tournament at Wimbledon, a call that ended Andy Murray's career at SW19.

The 2021 US Open champion was due to play alongside Murray on Saturday, in what would have been the Scot's final entry at a tournament where he has won two singles titles, ahead of his expected retirement later this year.

Murray was unable to play singles after undergoing back surgery but did appear alongside brother Jamie in the men's doubles on Thursday, losing in straight sets to John Peers and Rinky Hijikata.

Raducanu cited soreness in her wrist as she withdrew from the mixed doubles to prioritise her singles campaign, which ended with Sunday's last-16 defeat to Lulu Sun.

She is certain she made the right choice, saying after her elimination: "It was a very difficult decision. Of course, I didn't want to take his last match away from him. 

"But I think a lot of players in a similar situation would have done the same thing, prioritising their body. I still stand by making the right call.

"I don't think I would have done it any other way. I think in this sport especially, as an individual, you have to make your own calls and prioritise yourself."

Raducanu's withdrawal caused controversy on social media as Murray's mother Judy described the news as "astonishing" on X, later insisting the post was sarcastic and suggesting the tournament's scheduling had forced Raducanu's hand.

Asked about that initial post, Raducanu claimed she had not seen it before adding: "I'm sure she didn't mean it."