World number five Taylor Fritz says “there’s something about Eastbourne” after he won his fourth title at the tournament by cruising past fellow American Jenson Brooksby. Fritz beat Brooksby 7-5 6-1, imposing control over the match by winning eight of the final nine games. Victory means two-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist Fritz has won seven of his...
British men’s number one Jack Draper says he can cope with the responsibility of leading the home nation’s hopes at the first Wimbledon since Sir Andy Murray retired. Draper, who is ranked fourth in the world, has emerged as a genuine Wimbledon contender following a stunning rise over the past 12 months. The left-handed Englishman...
If Sabalenka is the title favourite, then French Open champion Gauff is one of the few players who can truly disrupt and frustrate her. An outstanding mover, Gauff can get every ball she faces back, extending the rallies and drawing the errors out of the big hitters like Sabalenka. Wimbledon was where Gauff broke through...
Britain’s Jay Clarke believes there is still a “barrier” stopping young black tennis players from developing in the UK. Last month, the LTA launched its ‘equity, diversity and inclusion plan’, saying it will “not be satisfied until the diversity of everyone involved in tennis reflects the diversity of the communities in the country”. Clarke, 26,...
Emma Raducanu has been drawn against teenage wildcard Mimi Xu in an eye-catching all-British first-round match at Wimbledon. If British number one Raducanu beats 17-year-old Xu, she will face either 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova or 32nd seed McCartney Kessler in the second round. Raducanu, ranked 38th in the world, fell just short of a seeding...
For the first time in Wimbledon history, there will be three British players aged 17 and under in the women’s singles draw. Mika Stojsavljevic, Hannah Klugman and Mimi Xu have been rewarded with main-draw wildcards after demonstrating their potential over the past few years. Stojsavljevic, 16, has made the most notable progress, having won the...
The Englishman, who is from St Albans, competes on the US collegiate circuit and has one year left on his studies at the University of San Diego. Most college sports in America are strictly amateur, so Tarvet will be unable to claim the vast majority of his £66,000 prize money for reaching the Wimbledon first...
Relegated Luton Town will open the League One season against promoted AFC Wimbledon, while Cardiff City will host Peterborough United a day later. The Hatters, who dropped into the third tier after back-to-back relegations, host League Two play-off final winners AFC Wimbledon on Friday, 1 August (20:00 BST). Plymouth, who were also relegated from the...
Being able to anticipate a player’s movement on the court and the type of shots they will probably play is key to securing victory, which is why someone as unpredictable as Alcaraz is so hard to play against. Most players fall into familiar patterns of play and studying those becomes important in attempting to secure...
“Athletes across all sports have been discussing this for a long time, but it hasn’t really changed. Hopefully something can get done soon.” Asked for his view – as both an ex-player and father-of-four – about what could be done to eradicate toxic abuse, Murray said: “If I’m being honest I don’t know. Me and...
Thomas Sweeney’s first incentive to become a line judge was the offer of a free sandwich. For Pauline Eyre, who called the lines at Wimbledon for 16 years, some natty blazers and the chance to buy tickets for the tournament were the main recompense for work she had to take annual leave to do. Nowadays...
Britons Emily Appleton and Amarni Banks progressed to the second qualifying round in the women’s draw. Appleton, 25, completed a comeback victory over Swiss player Simona Waltert, winning 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-3 to set up a meeting with Czech player Barbora Palicova. The 22-year-old Banks also went the distance in a 6-4 1-6 6-3 victory...
The All England Club is set to recognise Sir Andy Murray’s contribution to tennis with a statue of him at Wimbledon. Murray ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s singles champion at Wimbledon with a memorable victory over Novak Djokovic in 2013, and triumphed again at SW19 in 2016 when he beat Milos Raonic. Former...
Not worrying about his body breaking down means Draper can have more trust in executing his key weapons, which are well-suited to the grass. Coach James Trotman, a fellow Briton who has come through the LTA’s coaching pathway, is helping Draper learn how to play aggressively in the right moments. That means being willing to...
Raducanu shot to worldwide fame when she won the US Open as an 18-year-old in 2021. She has previously been the victim of a stalker, with another man given a five-year restraining order in 2022 after he walked 23 miles to her home. The Englishwoman has often had a greater security detail with her at...