Britons Appleton, Tarvet & Stewart within one win of Wimbledon
Britons Emily Appleton, Oliver Tarvet and Hamish Stewart are each within one victory of securing a first appearance in the Wimbledon main draw.World number 403 Appleton, 25, came through a 10-point match tie-break against Czech player Barbora Palicova to win 6-2 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (10-7) and set up a meeting with Slovenia's Veronika Erjavec in Thursday's third and final qualifying round.The 719th-ranked Tarvet, 21, defeated Canada's Alexis Galarneau 6-3 6-2 to set up a meeting with Belgium's Alexander Blockx.Stewart, 25, will face Swiss player Leandro Riedi after the Scottish world number 550 overcame France's Luca van Assche 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 7-6 (11-9).But Ryan Peniston, Paul Jubb, Oliver Bonding and Amarni Banks all had their Wimbledon hopes ended in Roehampton on Wednesday.Peniston lost 3-6 6-4 6-4 to Spain's Martin Landaluce, while Jubb was defeated by Giulio Zeppieri 6-3 6-2, and Bonding beaten 7-5 6-4 by Argentine Juan Pablo Ficovich.In the women's draw, Banks lost out 6-2 6-4 to Poland's Katarzyna Kawa.Players must come through three qualifying rounds to reach Wimbledon, the draw for which takes place on Friday at 10:00 BST - before the action begins on Monday.
Cornet closes in on slam return
Also on Wednesday, Alize Cornet moved within one win of earning a Wimbledon return.The 35-year-old Frenchwoman, who came out of retirement earlier this year, fought back to defeat Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 3-6 6-3 6-3.Cornet, who set an Open era record of contesting 69 consecutive slams between 2007 and 2024, called time on her career after last year's French Open.She has twice reached the Wimbledon fourth round, including in 2014 when she knocked out top seed Serena Williams, and faces compatriot Elsa Jacquemot for a place in the main draw.Canada's Carson Branstine followed up her victory over France's breakout Roland Garros star Lois Boisson by defeating compatriot and long-time friend Bianca Andreescu.Branstine outlasted the former US Open champion over three sets, winning 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-1 to reach the final qualifying round, where she will face Raluca Serban, of Cyprus.The 24-year-old, who beat French Open semi-finalist Boisson in three sets on Tuesday, won the Australian Open and French Open girls' doubles titles alongside Andreescu, who has fallen down the rankings amid struggles with injury and illness.
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North Wales Chronicle
29 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Emma Raducanu hoping to get her head right in time for Wimbledon
Raducanu almost pulled off an incredible comeback in her second-round match against Maya Joint before losing on a final-set tiebreak. The 22-year-old revealed on Tuesday after her opening round win that she had received 'some pretty bad news' and that appeared to affect her against Joint as she looked subdued on court. Magical Maya 🔮 Joint takes down Raducanu 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4)!#LexusEastbourneOpen — wta (@WTA) June 25, 2025 With her home grand slam around the corner, Raducanu says she needs to focus. 'Unfortunately I couldn't get over the line today but I can get some rest ahead of next week,' she told the BBC. 'I feel quite tired. Just going through some stuff and I need to do my best to get my head in the game ahead of next week. 'Realistically, the turnaround is pretty soon – it's only four days away really that Wimbledon starts. Emma Raducanu loses out to Maya Joint in an Eastbourne thriller Onto @Wimbledon we go #BackTheBrits 🇬🇧 | #LexusEastbourneOpen — LTA (@the_LTA) June 25, 2025 'I think I'm just going to start with (a day off) tomorrow and then hopefully I can get on the court on Friday.' The British number one looked dead and buried in her second-round battle with the Australian, trailing 5-2 in the deciding set. But she produced an inspired spell, breaking Joint three times when she was serving for the match, to set up a tie-break. Victory was in sight when she got a mini-break to lead 4-3 but Joint reeled off four successive points to claim a 4-6 6-1 7-6 (4) victory and move into the quarter-finals. Joint said: 'Today was really tough, there was a lot of ups and downs, I was happy I was able to tough it out at the end. 'I am really glad I was able to win this match.' Jodie Burrage become the second Briton in two days to miss match points to oust former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova. Twenty-four hours after Harriet Dart spurned victory, Burrage, the British number seven, was 0-40 up on the Czech's serve at 6-5 in the deciding set, but she could not get over the line, with Krejcikova winning the tie-break. In the men's draw, Dan Evans' recent upturn in form continued with a standout win over world number 13 Tommy Paul. The 35-year-old is trying to find his way back to the top of the game after slumping down the ranking and results like this will help. He ousted the number two seed 6-4 3-6 6-3 to set up a quarter-final tie with American Jenson Brooksby. Lucky loser Billy Harris continued to take advantage of his reprieve, winning 6-3 6-4 against Mattia Bellucci, but British number two Jacob Fearnley is out, losing 6-3 6-1 to Marcos Giron.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Lauren Hemp is the Lionesses' quiet star who could have been a cricketer, writes TARA ANSON-WALSH - but she's ready to take centre stage at the Euros
Lauren Hemp wanders into a padel club in Manchester on a sunny Saturday afternoon to very little fanfare. She's greeted at the door by the owner, but beyond that, people are too preoccupied with the sweaty battles going on inside their glass cages to pay much attention to what's going on outside – or to the Manchester City and England footballer who has just walked into their midst. And this is just the way Hemp likes it – without too much fuss. 'I do get nervous speaking,' Hemp says as she sits down to talk with Mail Sport, which is perfectly understandable. The women's game has grown at a breakneck pace, and many players are still growing accustomed to the intense media scrutiny that comes with being an England player. 'I feel like on the pitch is where I feel most comfortable,' she says. 'When I get on the pitch all my nerves go away, and I feel so confident – that's the way I express myself. 'Off it, I feel like I'm quieter, more reserved. I get on with everyone I meet, but I don't take centre stage. I'm not one to put myself out there. I'm pretty chilled and laid-back. But then when I'm on the pitch, it feels like something just changes. A spark ignites in me.' The problem is, Hemp deserves far more recognition. At just 24, she's already a European champion and World Cup finalist. She's the youngest player to reach 50 goals in the Women's Super League (WSL), has won a record four consecutive PFA Young Player of the Year awards – more than anyone in the competition's history, male or female – and was nominated for the Ballon d'Or last year. Add an FA Cup and League Cup to that list for good measure. Those who follow the women's game closely understand just how vital Hemp is to the Lionesses' hopes of defending their Euros title this summer. After playing every game of the Euro 2022 success in her first major tournament, including whipping in the corner for Chloe Kelly's final winner, her star has been on an infinite, upward trajectory. Yet her quiet nature off the pitch has often left her overshadowed in the wider public eye, as louder personalities have dominated the spotlight. That said, a fully fit and fired-up Hemp is really all England need. At just 5ft 5in, she's one of the quickest players in the game. When Mail Sport asked the Lionesses which teammate they'd back for pace, the response was unanimous: 'Hempo'. Her directness is refreshing at Manchester City, where the team's possession-heavy style can sometimes test the patience of fans. A naturally left-footed winger with extraordinary ball-carrying ability, Hemp never shies away from taking on defenders – and whenever she gets on the ball, seats inevitably start to bang. Hemp topped the WSL assist leaderboard for the second consecutive time this season – an incredible feat given she spent half of it on the bench, playing just 10 of the 22 league games. And when she's not setting up her England or City teammates, Hemp is scoring the goals herself – her opener in the 2023 World Cup semi-final against Australia was one of the tournament's defining moments. Asked what she attributes her meteoric rise to, Hemp replies: 'I don't know. I feel like whenever I get accolades like PFA Young Player of the Year, one thing I haven't done – which I wish I maybe did do – was celebrate it. I've always thought, 'You won that, nice one, right on to the next.' I've always thought about the thing after. 'I've made the Ballon d'Or list, and now I want to get one step closer. Things like that – just taking every game as it comes, and every accolade that I get along the way is great, and I want to win as many trophies as I can. Equally, I don't put too much pressure on myself. I remind myself that I love playing football, and that's how I perform at my best.' Hemp's sporting prowess When we meet at The Padel Club near the Trafford Centre, Hemp unexpectedly arrives dressed in jeans. Having only recently returned from injury, she wisely decides to sit out – unwilling to risk the summer ahead. Still, padel has become a part of her life, and just talking about it stirs her natural competitiveness. 'There's a padel court near where I live and me and my girlfriend (former Liverpool player Ashley Hodson) tried it one day. Turns out I was actually quite good. I let her be on my team and we took two other players on,' she says, grinning. 'I used to like tennis as well. I think I'm one of those annoying kids that was good at every sport. But it's nice to get together and do something other than football. I play a lot with my City teammates.' The Norfolk native is under-selling herself. She was more than just 'good' at other sports – she might have gone on to play cricket professionally. As for football, it was only because her dad used to take her to Norwich to watch her older sister Amy – a promising youth footballer whose career was cut short by double ACL injuries – that she ended up giving it a try. 'I wasn't really interested in playing football, to be honest. I'd be on the sidelines, not even watching the game. But when I was around seven, my dad took me to a trial, and I just joined in with my sister for a bit. Turned out I was actually pretty decent,' she laughs. 'As a kid it was always cricket in the summer, football in the winter. But as I got older, football became more of a full-time thing and I couldn't commit to both. 'It got to the point where I had to make a choice. When I was 15, Norwich City's Girls' Centre of Excellence – where I was training – shut down, and I had to think seriously about my future and how to get the best out of myself. 'There weren't any teams around me where I was going to be able to keep playing football, so I took the decision to join Bristol City, but I was really sad to stop playing cricket. I'd even started going to England camps – little weekend things – for cricket as well.' After two standout seasons at Bristol – where she was named PFA Young Player of the Year in her debut WSL campaign – Hemp moved to Manchester City in 2018, and the focus has remained firmly on football ever since. Return in time for Switzerland Now we turn to this summer's Euros and the difficult, drawn-out rehab that nearly cost her a place. 'I tore my meniscus last November. I had a scan on it, and I was told I was going to be out for two to three months with a repair. I got it repaired and I was coming back, I was back on the pitch and I was feeling good, feeling confident,' she says. 'And then it was getting a bit irritable when I was out on the pitch and I thought, 'This is a bit weird'. I was coming up to being ready to play. I had a scan and I was told I had to get a re-surgery. 'The recovery was a lot less than the time I had originally – it was around four to six weeks – but I ended up being out for a lot longer than I thought it would be. It was about six months in total. 'The bit that was probably the hardest was thinking that I'm so close to being back and then that being taken away – and then feeling like I was back to square one, even though it wasn't. That was probably the hardest part. Because if I'd been told at the start it was going to be six months, I'd have been able to mentally prepare myself for that. But when you're on the way back and you're thinking that you're nearly there – that was tough.' Still, she kept her sights on the summer, as England prepare for a difficult group stage against France, Netherlands and Wales. Hemp kept her sights on the summer, as England prepare for a difficult group stage against France, Netherlands and Wales 'Of course, my priority was always with City, but long term I was thinking about this summer – and that was a real driver for me. And then to finally get the call from Sarina to say that I was going to the Euros, it was a massive relief. I was so happy and I was quick to call my parents and tell them, because it means so much to me to play for England.' As the conversation winds down – after detours into her worst padel opponent ('Grace Clinton!') and childhood heroes ('Kelly Smith, Karen Carney, Jill Scott') – we come to one final question: how does she want to be remembered? 'The thing that I pride myself in is doing anything for the team, and I want people to think that no matter what, I'd run through a brick wall for my team,' she says, before adding: 'I'd love to go down as one of the best wingers in the world.' At just 24, and with the trajectory she's on, that goal feels well within reach. But first it's off to Switzerland where Hemp can get back to doing what she does best, letting her football do the talking.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
The inspirational football club helping everyone enjoy the beautiful game - as England captain Leah Williamson pays it a visit
Ever been told football is a 'man's game'? One up-and-coming footballer, Fleur Cousens, grew so sick of hearing this claim that she decided to start her own grassroots club dedicated to proving football didn't need to be gendered. The young coach founded Goal Diggers FC in 2015, and it's since grown into a welcoming, vibrant community that gives everyone the chance to experience the joy of becoming part of a team, regardless of their ability or experience. After all, football doesn't just build athletes, it builds futures. By helping individuals feel part of something bigger, it gives them the confidence and motivation to succeed in other areas of life too. Fleur's success with Goal Diggers has attracted the attention of none other than England captain Leah Williamson OBE, who visited the club's base in north London to hear how they were helping more women take up football. 'It was me and 10 boys!' Fleur on how she began her coaching career Going through any form of assessment can be daunting, but it's even more so when you stand out from everyone else taking part. 'When I did the coaching course it was just me with 10 teenage boys,' she says. 'I was able to show my skills - with respect to the teenage boys - and I started coaching right away.' The footballing legend was recently named one of Weetabix's 'all-star' athletes joining Sir Mo Farah, Ade Adepitan MBE and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill to help the nation achieve their goals bix by bix, a role she's using to help further her mission of getting more women and girls into the beautiful game. A video of the visit shows Fleur telling Leah about her inspiration for starting Goal Diggers, and how it's gone on to change her life. 'I was fed up of being told football was a man's game - so the whole point of Goal Diggers is to make sure that no one's ever told no,' she says. 'Football has the power to change lives. Goal Diggers is my world, it's my community, it's where I feel most myself.' Meanwhile, other players share how the club has helped them find a community that now goes far beyond football, even though that's what brought them together. The footballer is deeply impressed by Fleur's achievement, telling her: 'The power of football is that you're one of many, so to tap into that is fantastic. 'I think when I reflect on my career it will be the people I think about more than anything else.' Goal Diggers is a shining example of what can happen when everyone is given the tools and support they need to achieve their ambitions. The chance to start playing football in a supportive and friendly environment has proved popular, with the side now boasting more than 200 members. Great starts are still central to Leah's success too, which is why she chooses Weetabix as her pre-match meal. 'A bit of Weetabix with milk suits me perfectly - I'm a plain girl anyway!' she tells Fleur while they break away from training to enjoy a bowl. But while not all of us are running out for England, we are all facing our own challenges every single day. And to do so with confidence, with energy and focus, we can learn from the Weetabix all-stars about what everyday habits help them be the best they can. From having a healthy breakfast to set you up for the day to joining in team sports to boost self-confidence and feel part of something bigger, there are many tips we can take from these top athletes. And let's share their secrets! Success is all about proper preparation, and by making Weetabix, part of this you can have a little bit of help to take on whatever the day brings**. And, just like that, we can all help Britain chase its ambitions Bix by Bix. Buy to send a FREE 24-pack of Weetabix* and give a great start to someone's day Give a great start to someone's day: Send a FREE pack of Weetabix Have you had your Weetabix? Feels amazing, doesn't it? Now you can do your bit to help rebuild Britain Bix by Bix by gifting a free 24-pack of Weetabix to a friend or relative who could benefit from an extra boost during a busy week. This could be anyone, from a friend who's training for a marathon to a parent wanting to feel energetic ahead of the school holidays. All you need to do is buy a Weetabix 48 or 24-pack and scan the QR code on display. This will then allow you to choose who you want to send a free 24-pack. Whoever it is, they'll be sure to thank you! *Weetabix 48 pack or 24 pack, scan the QR code on the display or visit to enter. **Weetabix is a good source of Thiamin, Niacin, folic acid which contributes to normal psychological function as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Weetabix is a good source of Iron which contributes to normal cognitive function as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Weetabix is a good source of Riboflavin, Niacin, Folic Acid and Iron which contribute to reduction of tiredness and fatigue as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
