Gary Lineker and Anthony Joshua among famous faces in Royal Box at Wimbledon
The football pundit and former world heavyweight boxing champion were photographed entering the grounds ahead of British tennis star Emma Raducanu's highly anticipated clash with world number one Aryna Sabalenka
Gary Lineker and Anthony Joshua were among the celebrities spotted arriving at Wimbledon on Friday as the Royal Box began to fill for day five of the Championships.
The football pundit and former world heavyweight boxing champion were photographed entering the grounds ahead of British tennis star Emma Raducanu's highly anticipated clash with world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
Joshua posed for cameras alongside his longtime promoter Eddie Hearn, with the pair wearing near-matching cream blazers.
They were joined by former Great British Bake Off star Dame Mary Berry, physicist Professor Brian Cox and astronaut Major Tim Peake among the day's invited guests.
Centre Court will host three third-round ties, with Raducanu and Sabalenka leading the schedule, followed by Carlos Alcaraz versus Jan-Lennard Struff and Taylor Fritz versus Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
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Highs of 26C are forecast in SW19, with sunhats and umbrellas again on display as spectators queued for ground passes early on Friday morning.
Elsewhere, Portuguese doubles player Francisco Cabral wore a black ribbon on court after the All England Club relaxed its strict all-white dress code to allow tributes to Diogo Jota, the Liverpool forward who died in a car crash on Thursday.
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Leader Live
3 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Emma Raducanu tipped for a top-10 return after running Aryna Sabalenka close
Raducanu reminded the tennis world what a special talent she is to push the top seed in a 7-6 (6) 6-4 defeat under the roof in a raucous atmosphere. The first set alone took 74 minutes, with Raducanu saving seven set points and creating one of her own, while she led 4-1 in the second before Sabalenka recovered to set up a fourth-round clash with Elise Mertens. Raducanu will now drop to British number three behind Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal, who is the last home woman left in singles, but that will not be the case for long if she can maintain this level. The former US Open champion has made it her goal to close the gap to the world's best and, having lost twice heavily to Iga Swiatek in the other two grand slams this year, she can feel very differently after her performance here. 'She played such incredible tennis and she pushed me really hard to get this win,' said Sabalenka. 'I fight for every point like crazy. 'I'm super happy to see her healthy and back on track. I'm pretty sure that she will be back in the top 10 soon.' SABALENKA SHINES ✨ The world No.1 beats Emma Raducanu 7-6(6), 6-4 in a thrilling Centre Court battle#Wimbledon — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 4, 2025 For the second time in just over 24 hours, a leading British hope came into the press room with eyes red from tears, but, unlike Jack Draper, Raducanu will leave Wimbledon feeling she is closer to the very top rather than further away. 'It's hard to take a loss like that,' said Raducanu, who revealed she had sought solace in a locker room KitKat. 'At the same time, I'm playing Aryna, who is number one in the world, a great champion. I have to be proud of my effort today. 'It's nice of her to say that, but I think it was pretty clear the difference. In the big moments, she was able to convert, she was able to hit some incredible shots. I just need to keep working and get back to the drawing board and improve a lot more. 'It does give me confidence because I think the problem before was that I felt like I was gulfs away from the very top. Having a match like that where I had chances in both sets, it does give me confidence.' Unlike Draper, Raducanu is naturally at home on grass, with her exceptional ability to take the ball early, particularly on return, mitigating her lack of pure power. She gave Sabalenka a decent run for her money in their only previous meeting, in Indian Wells last spring, and a clean return winner off a second serve in the opening game showed the Belarusian that she very much meant business. Raducanu broke to lead 4-2 before ceding her advantage in a rush of errors – something she later blamed on problems with string tension in the indoor conditions. A remarkable 10th game saw Sabalenka fail to take seven set points, six of them through backhand errors, and the home crowd were on their feet when Raducanu broke to lead 6-5. But Sabalenka is a much stronger mental competitor these days and she played a classy game to break back before saving a set point in the tie-break with the coolest of drop shots. Raducanu dealt with the disappointment of losing the set extremely well and hit a purple patch to move into a 4-1 lead. She played her best tennis of the match to create a chance for the double break but just missed a forehand long, giving Sabalenka the chink of light she needed to power through to the next round. 'I don't think I could have made different choices, I think I should have just executed better,' added Raducanu, who will now turn her attention to the North American hard court swing. 'I'll probably find it tough to sleep tonight, or I'll be so exhausted and crash, I don't know. It's going to take me a few days to process that. But at the same time it really motivates me.'
Daily Mail
9 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Grieving Liverpool stars arrive to pay tribute to Diogo Jota: Arne Slot and Virgil Van Dijk join ex-skipper Jordan Henderson in Portugal as heartbroken teammates pay their respects
Diogo Jota's Liverpool teammates past and present flew to Portugal to pay their respects to their fallen friend, who died this week in a tragic car crash alongside his brother Andre. A number of the current squad were given a round of applause by mourners as they were pictured going into the Chapel of the Resurrection, including Virgil Van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Kelleher, Federico Chiesa, goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher and manager Arne Slot. A number of Liverpool alumni also made the trip, such as James Milner and Jordan Henderson, who jetted straight to Portugal after paying a heartfelt tribute during a tearful return to Anfield earlier in the day. Henderson was Jota's captain when the Portuguese arrived in September 2020, the pair quickly developing a close friendship, and the England international was left in a state of disbelief by the news of the car crash that claimed the lives of Jota and Silva. Hundreds of mourners lined the streets of Gondomar to pay tribute to the Liverpool at the city's chapel. Fans snaked around the Portuguese principality as the tearful crowd queued to honour the footballer before his funeral tomorrow - alongside a host of Premier League stars including Manchester City icon Bernando Silva, Manchester United 's Diogo Dalot and Nottingham Forest 's Jota Silva. Liverpool's chief executive of football Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes also flew in to lead a club delegation at the wake. Mourners sobbed and carried roses and national team scarves in homage to Jota, who won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal less than a month ago. Aerial footage showed queues stretching from the small chapel, around the corner to the nearby church where his funeral will be held. Diogo Jota's heartbroken wife and parents gathered at a wake and held a vigil at the coffins of the former Wolves striker and his brother Andre as the world of football mourned their deaths today. Jota's wife Rute Cardoso, who only married the 28-year-old footballer last month on June 22, walked into Sao Cosme Chapel in Gondomar after returning with her husband's body from Spain late last night. The city overlooking Porto is where the couple met and started dating as teenagers. They married less than two weeks ago and have three young children. It is believed the bodies of Diogo and Andre Silva are lying in the Chapel of Rest, which is behind the main church. It came as Diogo's friend, former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, wiped away tears as he laid flowers and a scarf outside Anfield this afternoon. The father of Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva is conforted by a woman during the wake for his two sons in Gondomar Portugal's Prime Minister Luis Montenegro arrives for the brothers' wake at the Sao Cosme Chapel in the town of Gondomar near Porto He was overwhelmed as he looked at the flowers and other tributes Former captain of Liverpool Jordan Henderson hugging with Diogo Jota last year. Jordan wept for him today Diogo and Andre's mother Isabel, father Joaquim and their grandfather were emotional on arriving at the chapel. Joaquim hugged several people and was supported by his brother and later raised a hand to mourners as he left with his wife. They returned around an hour later. Portugal's Prime Minister Luis Montenegro also attended the wake along with Diogo's agent Jorge Mendes. The President of Portugal, Marcelo de Sousa, came later. The mood outside Sao Cosme Chapel was one of respectful silence and contemplation today. There is a major police presence and officers taped off roads and installed barriers near the church. Even on the streets beyond, in the restaurants and cafes of this Porto suburb, the mood is subdued and silent. Father-of-three Diogo Jota was killed in the early hours of yesterday morning along with his footballer brother Andre Silva, 26. Their acid green 200mph £180,000 Lamborghini Huracan burst into flames after a suspected tyre blowout on the A-52 highway near Zamora in north-west Spain. No other vehicles were involved, police have said. The brothers were on a road trip to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to catch a ferry to the UK after the Liverpool player and Portuguese international was advised not to travel by plane following lung surgery. Family members were filmed embracing each other as they broke down in tears before walking together towards the chapel. The wake proper is set to start around 4pm, with Portugal's president Marcelo de Sousa confirming he will be among those arriving at that time to pay their last respects ahead of a funeral mass in the neighbouring church - the Igrega Matriz de Gondomar - at 10am tomorrow. It is not yet clear how public the wake will be. The chapel and neighbouring church are around a half-hour drive from the church in Porto where Diogo and his wife got married less than two weeks ago. Local priest Jose Manuel Macedo initially revealed the funeral would take place at 4pm today before confirming yesterday evening it had been put back to tomorrow morning. 'We're available to celebrate [their life] with everyone and to share the pain and the Christian hope,' Macedo told CNN. Jota and his wife after Liverpool won the title in May It is understood the delay was linked to minor paperwork issues the men's loved ones, who were still in Spain until late yesterday, were trying to resolve before being able to repatriate the bodies. Gondomar Town Hall issued an emotional statement late yesterday as it confirmed it had decreed a day of official mourning. It said: 'Gondomar Town Hall expresses its deepest sympathy at the death of international footballer Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, illustrious Gondomar residents who left prematurely, leaving behind a remarkable sporting career and an example of dedication and professionalism. 'Throughout his career, Diogo Jota stood out for his footballing talent and for the committed way in which he always represented the region and the country, winning national and international recognition. 'At this time of sorrow and consternation, Gondomar Town Hall extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of these two Gondomar residents. 'By way of tribute, the Mayor of Gondomar Luis Filipe Araujo, has decreed by official order a day of municipal mourning to be observed this Friday, 4 July. 'During this period, the municipal flag will be flown at half-mast in all municipal buildings and facilities.' The mayor described Diogo Jota today as 'an extraordinary talent and a true ambassador for Gondomar' where he grew up and went to school. The bodies of Diogo and his brother were greeted by heartbroken supporters and applause as their coffins arrived at a church in Portugal ahead of their funeral tomorrow. Mourners will gather early this morning to pay their respects at a wake in Gondomar after Jota, 28, and his sibling died in a fiery crash in the early hours on Thursday. Dozens were already standing outside at the church last night and tears rolled down their faces as the hearses transporting the two bodies arrived after 11pm. The tyre of Jota's Lamborghini Huracan is said to have blown out while overtaking another vehicle on the A-52 at Cernadilla near Zamora, just ten miles over the border from Portugal. The supercar then came off the road, rolled and burst into flames. The acid green front of what appears to be the front of Jota's Lamborghini Huracan lies at the side of the road where the incident took place in the early hours of Thursday morning The crash, which took place at around 12.35am, also ignited the surrounding vegetation. The emergency services were called but the brothers could not be saved. Police have said they do not know who had been behind the wheel. Spanish government official Angel Blanco said the siblings died at the scene. On Thursday afternoon, hearses were spotted arriving at a funeral home in the Spanish town of Puebla de Sanabria, where the bodies were taken after the incident. Jota's agent Jorge Mendes was pictured accompanying the player's mother as they entered the funeral home, and he told reporters it was a 'very difficult' time. 'We lost two great people. Diogo is an example as a person, husband, son, professional. I still can't believe it, it's very difficult,' said Mendes, in tears. The hearses later departed for Gondomar. This morning's wake will take place just a half-hour drive from Jota's home city of Porto, northern Portugal - where just two weeks ago the 28-year-old married his childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso in a service packed with family and friends. Jota and his brother Andre, 26, were reportedly on a road trip to Santander to catch a ferry to Britain after he was advised not to fly following lung surgery. Local priest Jose Manuel Macedo said the wake will take place at Sao Cosme Chapel before the funeral Saturday at the Catholic church next door - the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar (pictured) Jota is pictured (far right) with his wife Rute and younger brother Andre Tyre marks can be seen on the road where Jota's Lamborghini overtook a car and then collided straight into the crash barriers. Tragically the crash claimed the lives of the two brothers Liverpool are due to start pre-season training on Monday, so Jota was heading back to the UK on a road trip. A Brittany Ferries service from Santander to Plymouth left at 4pm on Thursday, arriving in Devon at 11.15am on Friday. The football club said in a statement that they were 'devastated' by the tragedy and that Diogo's family, friends and fans had suffered an 'unimaginable loss '. Flowers and tributes have been laid outside Anfield by supporters in tears. Jota had just married the mother of his three children and partner since the age of 16. He had described himself as the luckiest man in the world to be her husband, sharing footage of their wedding day in his final Instagram post on Wednesday. Rute shared more wedding day pictures in a social media post and said: 'My dream come true.' Jota then replied in the comments: 'I'm the lucky one.' The pair got together in 2013, it has been reported, and have three children together - two sons and a daughter who was born in November. Jota was part of Liverpool's Premier League-winning side in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances. He also played for Portugal's national team and helped them win the Nations League last month. His younger brother played for Penafiel, in the second tier of Portuguese football. The Spanish civil guard said Jota was found dead at the scene alongside his brother. Jota's agent Jorge Mendes was emotional when he arrived at the funeral home Two hearses were spotted arriving at the funeral home in the town of Puebla de Sanabria Police are investigating the cause of the crash but believe based on the marks on the road, pictured, a tyre blew out just before the incident The vegetation roadside caught fire after the incident (pictured) The couple have three children, pictured at Anfield in May after winning the Premier League 'The 1-1-2 Castilla y León operations room received several calls reporting a vehicle accident at Km. 65 of the A-52, in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. A car was reported to have been involved in an accident and the vehicle was on fire,' they said. '1-1-2 notified the Zamora Traffic Police, the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Brigade, and the Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center (CCU) of this accident. 'From there, a Medical Emergency Unit (UME) and the Primary Care Medical Staff (MAP) from the Mombuey Health Center were sent, who confirmed the death of two people on the scene.' The Portuguese national football team said they are 'devastated' by the death of Jota, adding he 'was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but an extraordinary person who was respected by all his teammates and opponents '. His death was confirmed by Pedro Proenca, head of the Portuguese Football Federation, who said in a statement: 'The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva, on Thursday morning, in Spain. 'Much more than an amazing player, with almost 50 matches for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with an infectious joy and a reference in the community itself. 'On my behalf, and on behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and Andre Silva, as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where, respectively, lined up the players. 'The Portuguese Football Federation has already asked UEFA for a minute's silence, this Thursday, before the match of our national team with Spain, in the women's European Championship. Lost to two champs. The happy couple with their children Denis, Duarte, and a daughter born in 2024 They showed off their rings after exchanging vows in front of family and friends Jota and Rute leave the church. They later said that they had both said: 'Yes to forever.' Jota described himself as the luckiest man in the world in an interview 'The disappearance of Diogo and Andre Silva represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football and we will do everything to, daily, honor their legacy'. Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and won three major trophies with the Merseyside club - including the Premier League title last season. Cristiano Ronaldo, Jota's friend and teammate, said on Thursday: 'It doesn't make any sense. Just now we were together for the national team, you were just married. 'To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Read More BREAKING NEWS Diogo Jota's funeral to start today: Liverpool star being taken home to Portugal after fiery crash 'RIP, Diogo and Andre. We will miss you.' Liverpool boss Arne Slot penned a touching tribute to Jota, vowing he will 'never be forgotten'. He began: 'What to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words but I know I do not. 'All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about.' There were also tributes from the likes of Jurgen Klopp, who described Jota as his 'great friend', as well as Liverpool team-mates Virgil van Dijk, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez.
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Emma Raducanu goes down swinging in thrilling loss to Aryna Sabalenka
The 22-year-old played some electrifying tennis under the roof on Centre Court but was unable to apply the finishing touches, eventually going down 7-6 (6) 6-4 after exactly two hours. The first set alone took 74 minutes, with Raducanu saving seven set points and creating one of her own, while she led 4-1 in the second before Sabalenka recovered to set up a fourth-round clash with Elise Mertens. Raducanu will now drop to British number three behind Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal, who is the last home woman left in singles, but that will not be the case for long if she can maintain this level. The former US Open champion has made it her goal to close the gap to the world's best and, having lost twice heavily to Iga Swiatek in the other two grand slams this year, she can feel very differently after her performance here. 'She played such incredible tennis and she pushed me really hard to get this win,' said Sabalenka. 'I fight for every point like crazy. 'I'm super happy to see her healthy and back on track. I'm pretty sure that she will be back in the top 10 soon. 'What an atmosphere, my ears are still hurting. I was telling myself, just pretend they're cheering for you, and I was having goosebumps.' SABALENKA SHINES ✨ The world No.1 beats Emma Raducanu 7-6(6), 6-4 in a thrilling Centre Court battle#Wimbledon — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 4, 2025 Unlike Jack Draper, Raducanu is naturally at home on grass, with her exceptional ability to take the ball early, particularly on return, mitigating her lack of pure power. She gave Sabalenka a decent run for her money in their only previous meeting, in Indian Wells last spring, and a clean return winner off a second serve in the opening game showed the Belarusian that she very much meant business. Raducanu played an almost flawless match to beat former champion Marketa Vondrousova in the second round and, although this was a very different prospect, the 22-year-old once more appeared calm and clear-minded. She had the top seed under pressure again in the fifth game, bringing up three more break points and taking the third when Sabalenka netted a backhand. That was greeted by a huge roar from the packed stands, but Raducanu then made her first missteps serving at 4-3 to hand the advantage back amid a run of eight points in a row for Sabalenka. A forehand winner played from virtually sitting down by Raducanu earned a clap from Sabalenka but too many errors had crept into the home favourite's game and a netted forehand gave her opponent a first set point. She saved that with an ace, and Sabalenka remarkably missed backhands on every one of six more opportunities before Raducanu finally held in one of Centre Court's more memorable games. It seemed impossible for it not to be a key moment, and Sabalenka had a face of thunder after watching two Raducanu passing shots fly beyond her reach. Concern replaced cheers when Raducanu suffered a nasty slip in retrieving a short ball, briefly staying down clutching her left hip before gingerly getting to her feet. It did not stop her creating two break points, though, and Sabalenka overhit a backhand to leave her opponent serving for the set. This time Sabalenka did not let Raducanu off the hook, forcing a tie-break, where a drive volley hooked wide of an open court at 5-4 looked like it might have cost the world number one when she then netted a return to give Raducanu a first set point. But Sabalenka saved it in style with a drop shot before finally taking her eighth opportunity, this time making no mistake at the net. It was important for Raducanu to recover from the disappointment quickly, and she did, producing two strong holds of serve and taking advantage of a dip from Sabalenka to move 4-1 ahead in the second set. Sabalenka has been far and away the best player in the world over the last year but suddenly she was struggling to live with Raducanu, who played a series of sublime points to create a chance to win a fourth game in a row only to just miss with a forehand. Had she taken it, a deciding set was most certainly on the cards, but Sabalenka, who is the only top-six seed left in the tournament, barged the door wide open and charged through it, reeling off five games in a row.
