Billie Jean King Cup finals to kick off on September 16
The tournament, traditionally held in November, was brought forward to September to align the premier women's team competition with the start of the WTA Tour's Asian swing.
World number 10 Paula Badosa will be in action on September 17 when Spain face Ukraine in the second quarter-final. The United States play Kazakhstan and Britain take on Japan in the remaining last-eight matches the next day.
The semi-finals will take place on the following two days, with the final set for September 21.
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The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
‘My wife would kill me' – Kyren Wilson makes vow after ‘silly' snooker shot
KYREN WILSON will not attempt a 'silly no-look' shot in high-pressurised situations or if big money is on the line – because he says his wife 'would kill me'. The Warrior is flying home from China £210,000 richer after lifting the Shanghai Masters following a 11-9 victory in the final over Ali Carter. 3 3 In his first match of the season, a 6-5 second-round win over Si Jiahui, Wilson was on 97 in the final-frame decider with one ball left on the table. Unexpectedly, he decided to 'entertain' the crowd by turning his head to the side, as if it was an exhibition, as he cued up for the century break. That final black, which was on its spot, was missed and it meant there was no seventh century in that clash, which would have been a record for a match consisting of 11 frames. Wilson, 33, was unaware that had he potted the ball normally it would have gone down in the record books. The Kettering cueist had no regrets about his antics and his priority, given the frame had been sealed, was 'to have a little bit of fun' and 'do things a little bit differently'. However, speaking to SunSport following his first title success of the season, Wilson admits he would NOT do this again if the ball he was aiming for had more riding on it. Considering how much money could be on the line in the future, he would be in serious trouble at home if he reattempted the cheeky shot again. The world No2 said: 'Every ounce of me would love to say, yes, I'll do it again. But, no. 'At the end of the day, I'm a professional. I wouldn't do it in a winning moment. 'It's all well and good doing it on a century, but no, I couldn't do it in a winning moment. Not if there was a trophy on the line. Kyren Wilson tells SunSport how he suffered breakdown in front of wife and turned to hypnotherapist Chris O'Connor for help 'Not only that, I think my wife would kill me. Maybe if I get to the deciding frame and I need the black for a century… 'I was meant to be on talkSPORT the next day to talk about it. "Unfortunately they couldn't get through because of the signal. There was a typhoon and they couldn't get to me. 'It was all about that debate: Would I have done it again? Trying to do something different in snooker gets people talking. It's all good for the game.' The Englishman became world champion in May 2024 and then played as much as he could, winning four ranking titles in the 2024-25 season. Yet his Crucible campaign was a disaster – it was ended in the first round, on day one, by debutant Lei Peifan as the Curse claimed another victim. The next few weeks were extremely difficult but it was only by playing in exhibitions around the globe and the love and support of his family that pulled him through the 'dark' times. The father-of-two – next in action in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in Jeddah – said: 'It really, really hurt to lose in the first round. 'I was in quite a dark place for a couple of weeks. 'I was meant to be working for the BBC straight after that. I did one day and said to the producer, I've got to get out of here. I can't do it. I don't want to be here. 'I had some exhibitions which took my mind off it fairly quickly. We travelled all over. We went to Dubai, China, Hong Kong and then Helsinki. So, thank god for that really. 'God knows what I'd have been doing otherwise. 'I gave so much last year. It was important to kick on this year and start in the same vein. "The world championships have gone now – I'll try my best to learn from it.'
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
Lewis Hamilton is talking his way out of Ferrari… and back into Mercedes?
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Extreme caution should be exercised when entertaining such dramatic theories. It is possible to put two and two together and come out with 44. There are any number of – quite frankly far more boring – reasons for these visits. The most likely topic of discussion is the upcoming regulation set for 2026, with dramatic changes to the power units the teams use and Ferrari and Mercedes are two of F1's engine manufacturers. Clearly though, Hamilton is not happy at the moment, but did that develop over the last two weeks, or is it more longstanding? His qualities as a driver and person were defended by both Wolff and Vasseur on Sunday, who essentially said that he was understandably upset at his performance, but he will be back – both in the car and also on form. Yet his demeanour in Belgium and Hungary suggests quite strongly that all is not well in Maranello, with a taciturn Hamilton talking about problems 'in the background'. What could that possibly be? Is he referring to issues with the car and its development or something broader within the Ferrari team and organisation? Whilst what happens behind closed doors at the team is hard to gauge – and the Italian giants have historically done a better job than any of keeping problems under wraps – issues with the car have been clear to see in 2025, though they are improving. As for Mercedes, they still have no drivers confirmed for 2026. That is a strange, almost bizarre situation when one of them is George Russell, who has been one of the standout performers of the season. He underlined that again by taking a sixth podium of the year on Sunday – that is more than anyone but the two McLaren drivers. Rookie teenager Kimi Antonelli in the other Mercedes is having a difficult first season. His early promise and results have disappeared and it says plenty that his 10th place in Hungary – his first points since Canada – felt like a minor success. 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Since beginning the year with five points finishes in the first six rounds, Antonelli has placed in the top 10 twice in the next 10 grands prix. Some of that was down to poor reliability but also mistakes from the driver. On Thursday Antonelli blamed his poor form on his failure to adapt to the demands of the car. He also said his own driving style made the car more unpredictable. What is worse is that not having a deal signed for 2026 is likely to have a greater effect on Antonelli than on Russell. Russell can be assured that he will be in demand from the very best teams after his performances in 2025. Antonelli, as talented as he is at such a young age, has not made an undeniable argument that he deserves to be at the front of the grid right now. But in the unlikely scenario that Hamilton suddenly returns to the driver market for next season, it is a certainty that every team on the grid would take a good look at the seven-time world champion before deciding their options.
Reuters
4 hours ago
- Reuters
ATP relocating tournament from Serbia to Greece
August 4 - The ATP Tour announced Monday that the Nov. 2-8 tournament in Belgrade, Serbia, is relocating to Athens, Greece. No official reason was given. Serbian media reported that Novak Djokovic and his family, who run the tournament, are behind the move. The 24-time Grand Slam champion recently expressed his support for students protesting government corruption in his native Serbia. Djokovic's brother, Djordje, has been the director of the ATP 250 tournament in the Serbian capital since 2021. The tournament in Athens, dubbed the Hellenic Championship, will be played on an indoor hard court at the OAKA Basketball Arena. "ATP 250 Hellenic Championship is organized by the experienced team behind nine previous international tournaments in Belgrade. This latest project builds on that legacy, with preparations well underway to deliver a world-class event in the historic city of Athens," read a statement from tournament organizers. "We look forward to welcoming the tennis world to Greece this November." --Field Level Media
