Hamish Stewart determined to learn from Qualifying defeat
The Strathblane star valiantly battled to the last against Leandro Riedi, but went down 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4 in Roehampton
It brought down the curtain on an action-packed week for Stewart, who had already come through four matches before his progress was checked by Riedi.
But the 25-year-old world No.550, who trains in Stirling, is insistent that he heads home with his head held high.
'It's been tough on the body a little bit but not too bad, said the 25-year-old. 'I'm very proud and if you told me at the start of pre-qualifying, that I'd get to qualifying, I'd have bit your arm off.
'I'm proud. I'm disappointed not to get the last one but it's a huge confidence booster and has given me a lot of drive and belief for the rest of the year.
'It's motivated me a lot for the rest of the year getting this close. To think back to this time last year that I would be one match away from getting in is huge and I just want to get back out there.
'I want to be here off my ranking next year. That's achievable and something I'm looking to do.'
Stewart wasn't the only Brit taking centre stage in Roehampton, with compatriots Oliver Tarvet and Emily Appleton also in action.
Tarvet made history by becoming the first British man to advance to the main draw through qualifying since Alexander Ward in 2017.
The world No.719 got the better of Alexander Blockx 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-1 to reach his first-ever Grand Slam main draw, at the same tournament he attended as a child.
'It's a great feeling, qualifying for your first Slam,' said Tarvet. 'As a kid, we used to go every year with either my parents or my sister.
'I played tennis growing up and was pretty good, so it was something I'd always looked forward to, coming down to Wimbledon and seeing the professionals.
'It seemed so far away then but it's the reality now and it's a great feeling. I was happy to pull through.'
But there was no such happy ending for Appleton, who was defeated by Veronika Erjavec 6-2 2-6 6-0.
For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
29 minutes ago
- The Guardian
John Clark obituary
John Clark, who has died aged 84, was a member of the Celtic team that won the European Cup in 1967, the first time the trophy was secured by a British club. Playing alongside the imperious centre-half Billy McNeill, Clark was the ultra-efficient sweeper at the heart of defence. Clark and McNeill always shared a room, and a snap taken on the morning after the triumph in Lisbon showed the two men, both from working-class backgrounds in Lanarkshire, sleeping contentedly with the greatest prize in world club football perched between their beds. It was an image that epitomised the character and camaraderie of the Celtic team, all of whom were drawn from within a 40-mile radius of the club's stadium, mostly from similar backgrounds. Throughout his life, Clark remained the same quiet, dignified figure, intensely proud of what they had achieved while unfailingly modest and understated. A profile written after the Lisbon victory noted that 'John has kept his feet on the ground because he has shunned the temptations which can come with fame in the big city', preferring to live in his home village of Chapelhall. At that time, his friend, Paddy Crerand, who had moved from Celtic to Manchester United, said: 'John Clark is a player's player because he's always thinking of the team and never plays for himself. If he's given the job, he does it without any fuss or fancy stuff.' These same characteristics continued throughout a life built around the three pillars of family, faith and football. He was loved by the supporters as a man with whom they could so easily identify; one of their own who had risen to the heights but had never left them, or Celtic, behind. His daughter, Marie, recalled an incident from childhood when her dad took her into Glasgow to buy a Christmas party dress but when she came home, it had gone. He explained there was a cleaner at Celtic Park who had no money to buy her daughter a dress. 'He told me: 'She had nothing. We can get another one.' He was doing things like that all his life. He was a kind man.' When John was 10 years old, his father, also John, was killed in a railway accident while working on the track at Watford. He had gone south for work and planned for his family to follow. His wife, Lilly, was expecting their fourth child and they returned to her native Limerick, where John went to school for a time, before coming back to Lanarkshire. In his teens, Clark signed for the semi-professional side Larkhall Thistle, a tough learning school that helped develop the physicality of his game. He soon caught the eye of Celtic, at that time developing a youth policy that was to yield such momentous results. Jock Stein, his playing career cut short by injury, was in charge of youth coaching and, McNeill later recalled: 'Suddenly, the whole thing became much more than reading your name up on the list in the dressing room. John Clark, Jim Conway [later of Norwich City] and I were particularly lucky because, like him, we lived in Lanarkshire and we used to get [Stein's] company home, listening and talking about football.' Clark made his debut against Arbroath in October 1959. It was a dismal period for Celtic and to the dismay of the young players, Stein departed from his coaching role to manage Dunfermline Athletic. His return as Celtic manager in 1965 was transformative, not least by building round the Clark-McNeill partnership. Within weeks, they had won the Scottish Cup, the club's first trophy since 1957. Thereafter, the run of success was giddy, including nine league titles in a row. Clark played 140 consecutive games and was the only ever-present in the 1966-67 season when Celtic won a 'quadruple', which included the European Cup. His career was affected thereafter by injury and he played his last Celtic game when the Lisbon Lions were reunited for a final bow in the last game of the 1970-71 season. Despite the club honours he assembled, Clark was capped only four times for Scotland; an under-representation which he shared with other Celtic players of the era. He spent two seasons with Morton before retiring as a player and soon returned to a coaching role at Celtic. When McNeill went into management, Clark was his assistant first at Aberdeen and then at Celtic. There had been some expectation that Clark would succeed as manager when McNeill left in 1983 but this did not materialise. However, he continued to serve Celtic in various roles and in 1997 became kit manager, a post he held for 20 years and addressed with characteristic diligence and efficiency. His daughter recalled: 'My dad always told us, if you are doing anything, do it properly – and that's the way he lived his life.' Players arriving at Celtic were impressed to learn that the man in charge of their kit was also the possessor of a European Cup winners' medal. To a succession of Celtic managers including Martin O'Neill, Gordon Strachan and Neil Lennon, Clark remained a valued source of footballing wisdom and experience. The current manager, Brendan Rodgers, said: 'John's continued presence at Celtic across the decades served as an absolute inspiration to so many players, managers and staff.' The Celtic chairman, Peter Lawwell, described him as 'a wonderful man who achieved so much and remained so humble'. Clark is survived by his wife, Eileen (nee Martin), whom he married in 1963, their daughter, Mairi, and son, Martin, and three grandchildren. John Clark, footballer and coach, born 13 March 1941; died 23 June 2025
South Wales Guardian
32 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Toto Wolff again opens door to Max Verstappen-George Russell pairing at Mercedes
Wolff has long been courting Verstappen and Russell, 27, revealed prior to Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix that he believes talks with the four-time world champion and Mercedes are ongoing. Russell, who has been one of the grid's standout performers this season – winning at the previous round in Canada – also suggested Mercedes' discussions with Verstappen could be delaying the renewal of his deal which expires in six months. Verstappen and Russell have a rocky history. They were embroiled in a vicious war of words in Abu Dhabi last December. Verstappen then accelerated into the British driver's Mercedes in Spain earlier this month – a wild move that leaves the Dutchman one penalty point away from being banned for next weekend's British Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg's relationship descended into chaos in the three years they fought for the world championship as team-mates at Mercedes. But, when asked if Verstappen could be paired with Russell, Wolff said: 'I can imagine every line-up. I had Hamilton and Rosberg fighting for a world championship so everything afterwards is easy. 'There are pros and cons to having two drivers fighting each other hard. We have seen examples where they have functioned and others where they didn't.' Russell's Italian team-mate Kimi Antonelli, 18, has impressed in his rookie season. However, he is under contract for this season only, and has no guarantee of a seat with Mercedes beyond this year. He is 73 points behind Russell in the standings. Verstappen's contract at Red Bull runs until 2028, although performance clauses within his current deal could activate an early release. Pressed directly on whether he is in dialogue with Verstappen, Wolff replied: 'At the moment, clearly we need to explore what is happening in the future. 'That doesn't change what I think about George, or Kimi or the line-up that I am extremely happy with. I want to have conversations behind-closed-doors and not in town halls.' It had been suggested that Russell's Mercedes extension could coincide with his home race at Silverstone next weekend. However, it is understood that a fresh deal for Russell, who is 62 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri, is not imminent. And Wolff continued: 'When it comes to the contract situation, our sport is pressure, constant pressure, whether you are inside the car or outside the car, and you just need to cope with that. George knows that. 'I feel like when you are put into a comfort zone that is more detrimental to performance. 'He has always performed to the expectations we have set and he is continuing to do so. We have not given him a car to win the world championship, and that is on us. 'But in the times when the car has been good he is winning races, he is always there and you know he will extract what is in the car. 'He needs to be top of our list because he is a winner, a Mercedes junior, and he has been with us for a long time.'
BBC News
35 minutes ago
- BBC News
GB's Xu ready for 'role model' Raducanu at Wimbledon
Wimbledon 2025Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England ClubCoverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. Full coverage details. Almost four years ago, a 13-year-old Mimi Xu was part of a group of aspiring players who sat and watched Emma Raducanu stun the world with her US Open Monday, Xu will make her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon - and will face British number one Raducanu, who she describes as an "inspiration", in the first 17-year-old Welsh player has been given a wildcard at the All England Club, a reward for the potential she has long showed and her progress over the past few is ranked just outside the world's top 300 and has earned two victories over top-100 players on the British grass this summer."I was at the national academy in Loughborough when Emma was playing in the US Open final and me and all the girls who boarded there watched it," Xu told BBC Sport."We were all gathered around the TV - it was absolutely amazing. "She's someone I've looked up to and I think she's a really good role model to have." Why Xu was left in suspense over Wimbledon draw Xu sat A-Level biology exams in-between her matches at the British grass-court tournaments, but she is now able to fully focus on US Open junior semi-finalist believes she will not be daunted by playing 22-year-old Raducanu on one of the biggest stages in the sport - potentially on Centre Court or Court was moving between rented accommodation when the draw was made at Wimbledon on Friday, and was left in suspense about who her opponent would and mum Wendy started receiving messages before they had seen the news."It was funny because we were moving at like 10:05am and I got a message from my coach saying what an exciting draw," Xu said."And then my mum's getting messages saying 'that's so good and so exciting', but they weren't saying the name."So I'm like, 'oh my gosh, what is the draw? Who am I playing?' so I went onto the Wimbledon website and it wasn't there. Eventually someone told me."I feel like I'm really ready and excited for it. It's going to be a really good test for me - a good opportunity to go out, play and have fun."Xu is one of three British players aged 17 and under in the women's draw - the first time this has happened in Wimbledon Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic – both aged 16 – have also been handed tough draws against seeded trio have known each other since they were little and have developed together through the ranks."To play Wimbledon for the first time together is cool," US Open junior champion Stojsavljevic added.
