Latest news with #KingstonUponThames
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Young tennis star soars to victory to claim silverware at Wimbledon
KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES' Sophie McGrane lifted silverware on the manicured lawns of Wimbledon last week in what was an unforgettable experience at SW19. McGrane, 14, who attends Tiffin Girl's School and lives in Kingston, featured in the national finals at Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, which is the UK's largest individual mass participation tennis competition and is delivered by Vodafone in partnership with the LTA and the All England Club. Thousands of players took part in the qualifying stages this year, leading to county and regional finals in June and July, with the winners progressing to the national finals on Wimbledon's Aorangi Courts last week. McGrane soared to victory in the girls' U14 singles event to clinch the crown at one of the world's most iconic sporting venues. She said: "I don't believe this is actually true. When I entered I had no idea this would happen. "It's been amazing to play on the courts, I've never played on such good courts before and so being at Wimbledon is really cool. "I almost lost a few times so I am very proud of coming back when I saved a few match points. "It's really inspiring to be here and to have my family here supporting me has been really encouraging." This year's tournament delivered over 10,000 playing opportunities with thousands of singles and doubles players taking part at 800 venues, leading to county and area finals in June and July, with the winners progressing to the national finals on the All England Club's Aorangi Courts from 3 – 9 August 2025, with McGrane representing YMCA Hawker Tennis Club. The competition aims to broaden playing opportunities and to inspire people of all ages and abilities to play tennis and follow in the footsteps of their tennis heroes by competing for a chance to play on Wimbledon's iconic courts. In addition to 14 and under singles, 18 and under doubles and adult doubles draws, the categories include wheelchair (adult and juniors), learning disability and visually impaired competitions. The national finals will also see the return of popular para-standing and deaf tennis exhibition matches held during the week. World No.1 wheelchair doubles partners and Vodafone ambassadors Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid were in attendance to cheer on the youngsters at SW19 and offer his experience and advice. 'We would have loved to have had something like this when we were younger and playing'' said Hewett. 'Play your Way to Wimbledon is a massive event for someone to pick up a racket for the first time or start playing again if they haven't for a while. 'It's about being active at grassroots level, making friends and new tennis partners and that is the beauty of events like this.' Reid added: 'We want tennis to be available and accessible to everybody and get as many people as possible enjoying the sport. 'This event encapsulates that perfectly and we're proud to be a part of it.'
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trial date set for Palestine protest organisers accused of public order offences
A trial date has been set for two pro-Palestinian protest organisers charged with committing public order offences at a demonstration. Benjamin Jamal, 61, of Kingston upon Thames, and Christopher Nineham, 63, of Bow, are both accused over the protest held in central London on January 18, which saw 77 people arrested in total. The Metropolitan Police alleged that some protesters tried to breach conditions imposed on the protest by marching out of Whitehall. Jamal, who is the director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), is facing offences including inciting people to fail to comply with protest conditions. Nineham is vice chair of the Stop the War Coalition. Both defendants appeared in the dock and spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth during a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday. District Judge Minhas granted the defendants unconditional bail and fixed a trial date of February 23 next year at the same court, with a time estimate of six days. The judge said Jamal and Nineham would be allowed to give evidence during the trial. Ten other people were charged by police for offences relating to the same demonstration, which also saw former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and MP John McDonnell voluntarily interviewed by the force. Owen Greenhall, defending Jamal, told the court that Jamal and Nineham's trial had been identified as 'the lead trial' of all the related cases, with the others pushed back as a result. The judge said: 'Each case will be determined on a case-by-case basis.' A group of pro-Palestinian supporters gathered outside the court chanting and waving flags ahead of the hearing. Several counter-protesters also appeared carrying Israeli flags and holding signs that read 'Defend protest for all', and were subsequently blocked off from the larger crowd by police officers. Speaking on stage outside the court before the hearing, Nineham said the defendants were 'very, very confident that in the end, we will get justice.' He said: 'The proscriptions, the arrests, the mounting campaign against the movement are clearly designed to intimidate us and to divide us, and they have, of course, attacked our marches and our protests from the very start of this campaign. 'Once again, we are here to say that we stand united and we stand defiant, and I think it's important to recognise that the attempts to shut the movement down are backfiring.' In a statement shared ahead of the hearing, the PSC said the charges should never have been brought against Jamal and Nineham and were 'a political attack designed to suppress solidarity with the Palestinian people'. 'It is outrageous that Chris and Ben, their families and friends will be left with this threat of criminal charges hanging over them, possibly for many more months,' the statement added.
The Independent
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Trial date set for Palestine protest organisers accused of public order offences
A trial date has been set for two pro-Palestinian protest organisers charged with committing public order offences at a demonstration. Benjamin Jamal, 61, of Kingston upon Thames, and Christopher Nineham, 63, of Bow, are both accused over the protest held in central London on January 18, which saw 77 people arrested in total. The Metropolitan Police alleged that some protesters tried to breach conditions imposed on the protest by marching out of Whitehall. Jamal, who is the director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), is facing offences including inciting people to fail to comply with protest conditions. Nineham is vice chair of the Stop the War Coalition. Both defendants appeared in the dock and spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth during a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday. District Judge Minhas granted the defendants unconditional bail and fixed a trial date of February 23 next year at the same court, with a time estimate of six days. The judge said Jamal and Nineham would be allowed to give evidence during the trial. Ten other people were charged by police for offences relating to the same demonstration, which also saw former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and MP John McDonnell voluntarily interviewed by the force. Owen Greenhall, defending Jamal, told the court that Jamal and Nineham's trial had been identified as 'the lead trial' of all the related cases, with the others pushed back as a result. The judge said: 'Each case will be determined on a case-by-case basis.' A group of pro-Palestinian supporters gathered outside the court chanting and waving flags ahead of the hearing. Several counter-protesters also appeared carrying Israeli flags and holding signs that read 'Defend protest for all', and were subsequently blocked off from the larger crowd by police officers. Speaking on stage outside the court before the hearing, Nineham said the defendants were 'very, very confident that in the end, we will get justice.' He said: 'The proscriptions, the arrests, the mounting campaign against the movement are clearly designed to intimidate us and to divide us, and they have, of course, attacked our marches and our protests from the very start of this campaign. 'Once again, we are here to say that we stand united and we stand defiant, and I think it's important to recognise that the attempts to shut the movement down are backfiring.' In a statement shared ahead of the hearing, the PSC said the charges should never have been brought against Jamal and Nineham and were 'a political attack designed to suppress solidarity with the Palestinian people'. 'It is outrageous that Chris and Ben, their families and friends will be left with this threat of criminal charges hanging over them, possibly for many more months,' the statement added.
The Sun
06-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Brit tennis sensation Hannah Klugman becomes first Brit female since Sue Barker 49 years ago to reach French Open final
SHOCKED Hannah Klugman will attempt to win a maiden Grand Slam on Saturday… aged 16. The Kingston-upon-Thames schoolgirl is the first British player to reach the French Open juniors final in almost 50 years. 2 2 The 16-year-old battled through the semi-finals with a gritty 1-6 6-3 6-3 win over Bulgarian Rositsa Dencheva. Michelle Tyler, now 66, claimed the girls' title in Paris in 1976, the same year Sue Barker won the women's senior event. Klugman will face Austrian Lilli Tagger, 17, in Saturday's final and she said: 'I'm just a bit shocked to be honest. 'I wasn't playing my best and I found it tough to get myself into the match. 'I felt like as soon as I did that I was in a good space and I thought I could do well if I got into the match. 'I think I've been mentally very good this week. "I think I'm staying calm in big moments and also just trying to take it in. 'These moments don't happen a lot, so trying to enjoy it is a big part. 'My coach and physio are basically saying: 'Go out there and enjoy it.' Because you never know if you'll be in the spot again.' Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski reached the final of the men's doubles as they beat Americans Christian Harrison and Evan King 6-7 6-3 7-6 in a deciding-set tie-break. They will meet Spaniard Marcel Granollers and Argentina's Horacio Zeballos for the Championship but the last British winners on this trophy were Fred Perry and Pat Hughes in 1933. Alfie Hewett beat Argentine Gustavo Fernández 6-4 4-6 7-6 to reach the wheelchair singles final – where he plays No.1 seed Tokito Oda – and he is trying to win a fourth title, a first since 2021.
The Independent
06-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Hannah Klugman ends 49-year wait for British junior French Open finalist
Hannah Klugman has become the first British player to reach the French Open juniors final in almost 50 years. The 16-year-old from Kingston-upon-Thames battled through to her maiden grand slam final after a gritty 1-6 6-3 6-3 win over Bulgarian Rositsa Dencheva. Klugman is the first Briton to achieve the feat since Michelle Tyler claimed the title in 1976, the same year Sue Barker won the women's event. "I'm just a bit shocked to be honest," she said. "I wasn't playing my best and I found it tough to get myself into the match. "I felt like as soon as I did that I was in a good space and I thought I could do well if I got into the match. "I think I've been mentally very good this week. I think I'm staying calm in big moments and also just trying to take it in. "These moments don't happen a lot, so trying to enjoy it is a big part. My coach and physio are basically saying 'go out there and enjoy it', because you never know if you'll be in the spot again." Klugman will face 17-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger in Saturday's final. Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski are through to the final of the men's doubles. The British pair beat Americans Christian Harrison and Evan King 10-7 in a deciding-set tie-break. Neither Skupski or Salisbury, who linked up at the start of the season, had previously progressed beyond the men's quarter-finals. They will meet Marcel Granollers of Spain and Argentina's Horacio Zeballos in the final. PA
