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[ad_1] LONDON: British tennis chiefs are set to abandon their controversial ban on Russian and Belarusian players ahead of this year's Wimbledon championships, it was reported Friday. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, the UK's governing Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) came under pressure from the British government to impose a ban. Russian and Belarusian players were eventually barred from all five ATP tournaments staged by the LTA, including the longstanding Queen's Club event in London. The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), which runs Wimbledon, imposed a similar suspension. But Britain's Daily Telegraph reported Friday: "All expectations suggest that the AELTC will lower the ban on Russians and Belarusians". However, it added players from those countries may need to sign a declaration promising they will not "promote or glorify" Russia president Vladimir Putin's war in any way during the tournament. Jon Wer

[ad_1] LONDON: Marketa Vondrousova admitted even she was stunned by her historic Wimbledon triumph as the injury-plagued Czech became the first unseeded woman to win the tournament in the Open era. Vondrousova upset the odds in Saturday's final on Centre Court as she powered to a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Tunisian sixth seed Ons Jabeur. The 24-year-old clinched an unexpected maiden Grand Slam title at the second attempt after losing to Ash Barty in the 2019 French Open final. "After everything I have been through, I had a cast last time, it's amazing I can stand here and hold this trophy," said Vondrousova, who was sidelined with a wrist injury in 2022. "I don't know how I've done it. Tennis is crazy." Vondrousova joins Jana Novotna and Petra Kvitova as the only Czech women to win a Wimbledon title. She is just the ninth unseeded champion at a Grand Slam tournament. Vondrousova's triumph completed a remarkable comeback after a rash o

[ad_1] LONDON: Tearful Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur described her third defeat in a Grand Slam final as the "most painful" of her career as she vowed to learn from the tennis greats who were also jinxed at the majors. World number six Jabeur was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by unseeded Czech Marketa Vondrousova on Saturday, one year after she lost the Wimbledon final to Elena Rybakina. More pain followed at the US Open later in the year where she was runner-up again, this time to Iga Swiatek. The 28-year-old is only the eighth woman to lose her first three Grand Slam finals. However, she can take comfort from knowing that the likes of Chris Evert, Kim Clijsters and Simona Halep also suffered the same fate before going on to capture Grand Slam titles. "It will be tough to speak. I am going to look ugly in the photos so that's not going to help," said Jabeur after again being thwarted in her bid to become the first Arab or African woman to win a Grand Slam sing

[ad_1] LONDON: Carlos Alcaraz heralded the changing of the guard in men's tennis as he ended Novak Djokovic's long reign at Wimbledon with a rip-roaring 1-6 7-6(6) 6-1 3-6 6-4 victory to win the All England Club title for the first time on Sunday. The 36-year-old Serbian had been indestructible on Wimbledon's Centre Court for a decade but on Sunday he finally met his match as he ran out of ideas to stop young gun Alcaraz from hurtling towards the title. Read more:  Vondrousova stuns Jabeur to win Wimbledon After the 20-year-old had broken for a 2-1 lead in the fifth set with a stupendous passing shot winner, Djokovic's racket felt the full force of his anger as he smashed it against the wooden net post to leave it in a mangled mess. That earned Djokovic a second warning in the match, with the Serb also being cautioned earlier for taking too much time to launch into his serves. But all that distraction failed to throw an inspired Alcaraz off course as he bec

[ad_1] LONDON: Ons Jabeur hopes it will be third time lucky when she attempts to become the first African or Arab woman to win a Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon on Saturday. The 28-year-old Tunisian takes on Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, hoping to go one better than last year when she was defeated by Elena Rybakina in the final at the All England Club and lost to world number one Iga Swiatek at the US Open later in the year. Unlike her two final losses at the majors, this time world number six Jabeur will start as the favourite against the left-handed Vondrousova, the first unseeded woman in the Wimbledon final in 60 years. She has had a tough run to Saturday's championship match, beating two-time former winner Petra Kvitova in the last 16, third seed Rybakina in the quarter-final and then coming from a set down to knock out second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals. By doing so she became the first woman to defeat three top-10 players at Wimb

[ad_1] LONDON: Ons Jabeur says she wants to make history for Tunisia and Africa by winning a Grand Slam title after reaching her second successive Wimbledon final on Thursday. The sixth seed, a beaten finalist last year, powered back from a set and 4-2 down to beat world number two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-3. Jabeur, who has now fought back three times from dropping the first set at this year's tournament, will face unseeded Czech player Marketa Vondrousova, ranked 42nd, in Saturday's final. The Tunisian trailblazer last year became the first African and Arab woman in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. The 28-year-old has admitted she cannot bear to watch the video of last year's final, which she lost to Elena Rybakina after winning the first set. Jabeur, who also lost in the US Open final in 2022, said the Tunisian fans were always behind her, whatever her results. "The good thing about those people, they always

[ad_1] LONDON: Novak Djokovic made the Wimbledon fourth round for the 15th time on Friday, beating old rival Stan Wawrinka and a night-time curfew as Andy Murray hinted his All England Club days may be over. Djokovic, chasing a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title and 24th career Grand Slam crown, came through 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) against the 38-year-old Wawrinka. World number two Djokovic will face Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, who he has defeated five times in as many meetings, for a place in the quarter-finals. Friday's win was Djokovic's 21st in 27 meetings with Wawrinka, a three-time major champion who famously defeated the Serb in the 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open finals. Djokovic never faced a break point under the Centre Court roof and completed victory just 15 minutes before the 11pm All England Club curfew kicked in otherwise they would have had to return on Saturday. "Stan's doing an amazing job for his age – we are two old guys," sai

[ad_1] LONDON: Lower-ranked players are not treated as equals to the big names at Wimbledon, France's former world number 11 Alize Cornet said on Thursday after losing in the second round. Cornet's 16th Wimbledon was ended by defending champion Elena Rybakina as she suffered a 6-2 7-6(2) defeat. The 33-year-old, now ranked 74th and playing in a women's professional era record 66th successive Grand Slam, said she noticed the difference at the All England Club this year. "It's a different treatment on every Slam," she said. "When I'm at home, in Roland Garros, I have priorities over the courts, I know everybody, I can ask when I want to play. "I think the organisation does everything for the French player to be successful there. Then in Wimbledon , you have a huge difference between the seeded players and the other players. This is not new. The difference of treatment and tickets." Asked to elaborate, Cornet said she had only bee

[ad_1] LONDON: Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka displayed vintage form at Wimbledon to book a third-round clash with holder Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev won a rain-delayed opener as the grasscourt Grand Slam cleared its backlog on Thursday. As drier weather finally arrived after a soggy start to the championships, the men's draw suffered its biggest casualty as British wildcard Liam Broady ousted Norway's fourth seed Casper Ruud for the biggest win of his career. On a day when 17 delayed first-round singles matches were finally completed, women's defending champion Elena Rybakina reached round three as she battled past France's Alize Cornet. She will next face Britain's Katie Boulter who ensured the home nation retains an interest in the women's draw with a three-set victory over Viktoriya Tomova. Fifth seed Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia also reached round three as she edged past 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez while fourth seed Jessica Pegul

[ad_1] LONDON: Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek were in cruise control at Wimbledon on Wednesday, but confetti-throwing climate protesters and rain delays caused more headaches at the All England Club. Djokovic, bidding for a record equalling eighth Wimbledon men's title and 24th Grand Slam crown, defeated Australia's Jordan Thompson 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5. It was the 36-year-old's 350th Grand Slam singles win, third only to Roger Federer and Serena Williams on the all-time list. Victory also preserved his 10-year undefeated record on Centre Court. "We have a very romantic and special relationship, this court and I," said Djokovic who could face old rival Stan Wawrinka in the third round. While Djokovic and Swiatek moved effortlessly into the last 32, there were still four first round matches which had yet to start. They were four of the 21 matches cancelled until Thursday due to rain. The day before, only eight ties were completed as torrential rain

[ad_1] LONDON: Wimbledon chiefs have tightened security over fears that climate activists could disrupt matches at the All England Club following high-profile protests at other sporting events. Three protesters from Just Stop Oil ran onto the ground during the second Ashes Test at Lord's last week, sprinkling the group's trademark orange powder. There were similar demonstrations during the recent World Snooker Championship and English Premiership rugby final, while the group has also targeted Premier League matches. Just Stop Oil wants the government to end all new oil and gas exploration and has promised not to let up in its protests until it does so. All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton, speaking before play started at the 2023 championships on Monday, said Wimbledon had boosted its security arrangements "in line with the relevant threat picture". "Of course we've taken account of what we've seen elsewhere so security has been upl

[ad_1] LONDON: Novak Djokovic has Roger Federer's record of eight Wimbledon titles and a 24th major in his sights as he closes in on a first calendar Grand Slam in 54 years. Fresh from breaking out of a tie with Rafael Nadal for 23 Slams at the French Open, the 36-year-old Djokovic will comfortably be the overwhelming favourite at the All England Club when he starts his title defence on Monday. With a 10th Australian Open and third Roland Garros already wrapped up this season, an eighth Wimbledon triumph would leave Djokovic needing just the US Open in September to emulate Rod Laver's sweep of all four majors in 1969. "He takes your legs, then he takes your soul, then he digs your grave and you have a funeral and you're dead. Bye-bye. Thank you for coming," said coach Goran Ivanisevic when asked to caption the Serb's Grand Slam mindset. Djokovic has won the title on his last four visits to Wimbledon and has not lost on Centre Court since the 201