SERENA WILLIAMS'S dream of winning an eighth Wimbledon singles title and equalling Margaret Court's Grand Slam record of 24 ended in tears on Tuesday (29) as further doubt was cast on her future in the sport.
The 39-year-old was leading 3-1 in the first set of her first round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus when she slipped and injured her right leg.
Williams returned from receiving medical attention but called it a day at 3-3 and walked off Centre Court in tears.
"I was heartbroken to have to withdraw today after injuring my right leg," she said in a statement posted late evening on her Instagram account.
Perhaps tellingly, she waved to all four sides of the court as she left.
However, she gave no indication in the statement of how serious the injury was nor about her future.
It is the first time that Williams has bowed out in the opening round of Wimbledon in 20 appearances.
She had only once previously lost in the first round at any Slam, in the 2012 French Open.
The tears said it all as with the withdrawals of 2019 champion Simona Halep and of Naomi Osaka prior to the tournament the American would have fancied her chances of at last equalling the controversial Court's landmark.
"Brutal for @serenawilliams but centre court is extremely slippy out there. Not easy to move out there," tweeted British star Andy Murray.
Wimbledon's 2019 star Coco Gauff said she could not look as the player who inspired her to take up tennis wept as she left the stage.
"I turned away," said 17-year-old Gauff after beating British wildcard Francesca Jones in her first round match.
"I was in the gym actually stretching. I turned away because stuff like that makes me, like, really emotional."
'Oh my God'
Gauff, who in 2019 as a qualifier beat Serena Williams's elder sister Venus on her way to the last 16, said she hoped the injury was not too severe.
"I wish that hopefully she can have a speedy recovery," said Gauff.
"Yeah, you could tell she was really emotional.
"Nobody ever wants to retire, but especially at a Grand Slam, a place as special as Wimbledon after waiting two years to come back (it was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic)."
Williams, who also had strapping on her right thigh, hasn't won a Slam since the 2017 Australian Open losing in four finals, twice at Wimbledon and two at the US Open.
Sasnovich said she felt for her "a great champion, and it's a sad story."
"It was very slippery, I felt, as well.
"When she did the angled shot, I couldn't run because it was so slippery.
"But, okay, it's the same for everyone," added Sasnovich.
Williams's slip came at the same end of the court as that of Adrian Mannarino which brought a premature end to the Frenchman's hard fought match with Roger Federer.
Mannarino fell late in the fourth set and pulled out at the beginning of the fifth set.
Federer felt the surface was more slippery when the roof is in use which it had been due to rain earlier on Tuesday.
"You do have to move very, very carefully out there. If you push too hard in the wrong moments, you do go down," said Federer.
"This is obviously terrible that it's back-to-back matches and it hits Serena as well. Oh, my God, I can't believe it."
Serena's tearful exit does not mean the end of the Williams family's interest in the singles.
Venus came through her first round match earlier on Tuesday in what is her record 90th Grand Slam appearance.
The 41-year-old five-time champion beat Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.
INDIA’s bowlers kept creating opportunities despite another sloppy day in the field, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said on Wednesday (17) after her side beat Australia Women by a record 102 runs to level the series.
The victory marked the first time any team had beaten Australia by more than 100 runs in women’s ODI history. It came on the back of Smriti Mandhana’s blazing 91-ball 117 — her second-fastest century for India.
Put in to bat, India were bowled out for 292, their highest-ever total against Australia. The visitors could only manage 190 in 40.5 overs.
After dropping four catches in the series opener, which they lost by eight wickets, India put down another six in the second ODI but still recorded a comprehensive win.
“Today also we missed a few chances, but our bowlers kept creating opportunities so that we could capitalise and keep the result in our favour,” Harmanpreet told the broadcaster after the match.
“This series is where we want to give everyone a chance. That is something we have kept in mind — to try a few combinations. I am happy with today’s combination and that everyone took responsibility and contributed,” she added.
Overall, Harmanpreet said she was pleased with the team’s effort. “We are happy that we played good cricket today. Happy that we got the result in our favour. We talk about keeping things simple and clear, that’s giving us breakthroughs, and we want to keep doing that again and again. Smriti got the runs, others didn’t score as much, but we still managed to get close to 300,” she said.
Mandhana, who shaped the win with her superb knock that included 14 fours and four sixes, said she was glad to finally score a century against Australia in a winning cause.
“The last two hundreds I scored against Australia were in losing causes, so I’m happy we won today. The game-plan was simple: in the powerplay, with two fielders out, try to play shots and then build the innings,” she said.
“It all depends on the conditions and who we play. Against Australia, you need 280–290. The wicket was flat and I had to be aggressive."
Australia captain Alyssa Healy admitted her side had been outplayed and said the defeat would serve as a valuable lesson.
“It’s good preparation for the World Cup. India were pretty good today in all facets of the game. We got outplayed a little bit,” she said.
“Great learnings for us heading forward. We did pretty well to hold them back as they were on course for over 300. The bowlers dug in well to restrict them to that score.
“They bowled really well with the new ball and we didn’t quite get the start we wanted. They bowled straight with straight fields, and varied their pace nicely as well. It’s good to have these opportunities heading into a do-or-die World Cup,” Healy added.
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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the new contract with Apollo Tyres runs until March 2028. (Photo: BCCI)
INDIAN cricket has signed Apollo Tyres as its new lead sponsor after fantasy sports platform Dream11 ended its contract following a government ban on online gambling.
The men's team travelled to the United Arab Emirates for the ongoing Asia Cup without a sponsor on their shirts after Dream11 exited the deal, which was worth about $44 million and was set to run until 2026.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the new contract with Apollo Tyres runs until March 2028. While the value was not disclosed, the board said it is higher than the previous deal.
"The new partnership, secured after a rigorous bidding process, represents a substantial increase in sponsorship value, signifying the immense and growing commercial appeal of Indian cricket," the BCCI said in a statement.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said, "We are excited about this being Apollo's first major sponsorship in India cricket, which speaks volumes about the sport's unparalleled reach and influence. This is more than a commercial agreement; it's a partnership between two institutions that have earned the trust and respect of millions."
Apollo Tyres Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Neeraj Kanwar said, "Cricket's unmatched popularity in India and worldwide makes it an honour for us to become the national team lead sponsor of Team India."
The Apollo Tyres logo will appear on the jerseys of the Indian men's and women's teams across all formats.
Last month, the Indian parliament passed a law banning online gambling. The government said gambling platforms had caused financial distress, addiction and even suicide, and were linked to fraud, money laundering and terrorism financing. Fantasy sports apps such as Dream11 continue to operate, though for prizes and not cash.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Tagenarine Chanderpaul. (Photo by PAT HOELSCHER/AFP via Getty Images)
BATSMEN Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Alick Athanaze were recalled to the West Indies ranks when they were named in the squad to tour India on Tuesday (16) while left-arm spinner Khary Pierre is included for the first time.
The two-Test series, with matches in Ahmedabad and Delhi, marks the West Indies' first tour to India since 2018 and forms part of the World Test Championship.
Neither Chanderpaul nor Athanaze were involved in the recent series against Australia but have been included to bolster the top-order batting.
"The return of Tagenarine Chanderpaul is to help transform our fortunes at the top of the order given the recent struggles, with Alick Athanaze being added for his strengths and qualities against spin bowling," said head coach Daren Sammy.
Pierre, meanwhile, has been included as the second specialist spinner in the squad after strong performances in the West Indies championship, where he claimed a chart-topping 41 wickets at an average of 13.56.
"Khary is included for the first time as our second spinner in what we expect to be helpful conditions," said Sammy.
Another left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, who has not figured since the second Test against Pakistan in Multan in January, has been rested for this red-ball series to focus on the upcoming limited-overs schedule which includes the T20 World Cup in February and March.
West Indies, who are ranked eighth in the Test rankings, face a stiff test against the fourth-ranked side who are always so strong on home soil.
"Playing in the subcontinent always presents a challenge and we have selected a team to be competitive in these conditions." said Sammy.
1st Test: October 2-6, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
2nd Test: October 10-14, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
(AFP)
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The PCB had complained to the ICC, alleging that Pycroft instructed Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav at the toss in Sunday’s Asia Cup match.
THE International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected Pakistan’s request to remove match referee Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup. The decision came after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) blamed the Zimbabwean official for the “no handshake” incident during their game against India and reportedly threatened to pull out of the tournament.
The PCB had complained to the ICC, alleging that Pycroft instructed Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav at the toss in Sunday’s Asia Cup match.
"Late last night, ICC had sent a reply to PCB stating that Pycroft won’t be removed and their plea has been rejected," an ICC source told PTI.
Pycroft, 69, is set to officiate Pakistan’s final group stage game against the UAE on Wednesday.
Pakistan team manager Naved Cheema also lodged a complaint with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), claiming Pycroft had insisted that team sheets not be exchanged between the two captains on Sunday, as is normally done.
After India’s seven-wicket win, Suryakumar and his team did not shake hands with the Pakistan players. The Indian players said it was a mark of respect for the Pahalgam terror attack victims and their families.
Pycroft is among the senior-most referees in the ICC Elite Panel, having officiated in 695 international matches across formats in men’s and women’s cricket.
It has emerged that the situation arose after PCB’s Director of Cricket Operations, Usman Walha, did not inform his captain about the tournament rules and regulations.
PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the ACC, was reportedly angry at the handling of the issue and ordered Walha’s removal on Monday.
According to PTI sources, Walha was responsible for briefing Salman about the “No Handshake” policy but failed to do so, leaving the captain unaware.
"Walha should have released a statement at the toss itself when the two captains didn’t shake hands. Naqvi apparently was furious as he handled it poorly," a PCB source told PTI.
The PCB had wanted Pycroft removed from the whole tournament, but the ICC, headed by India’s Jay Shah, rejected the request.
Reports suggest the PCB is exploring options for Pycroft not to officiate in their games. One proposal is to replace him with Richie Richardson for the UAE match, though it remains uncertain if that will be accepted.
The 11th UK National Gatka Championship was hosted near Cardiff, marking the first time in Wales.
Winners included Roop Kaur (girls), Navjot Singh (boys), and Gurdeep Singh (men’s).
Gatka Federation UK awarded £1,000 to each participating Akhara to support martial arts promotion.
Chief guests included MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi and Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the World Gatka Federation.
Gatka Championship marks Welsh debut
The 11th UK National Gatka Championship concluded on a high note near Cardiff, Wales, showcasing the traditional Sikh martial art with flair. Seven leading Gatka Akharas participated, thrilling spectators with their lightning-fast strikes, precision moves and elegant techniques.
Inauguration by global leaders
The tournament was inaugurated by Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the World Gatka Federation (WGF) and the National Gatka Association of India (NGAI). He was joined by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP, President of Gatka Federation UK, alongside other dignitaries including Jagbir Singh Jagga Chakar, President of Wales Kabaddi Club, and community leaders from the Haveli Hotel Pontyclun.
The 11th UK National Gatka Championship concluded on a high note near Cardiff, WalesUK Parliament
Competition results
All events were held in the Farrie-Soti (individual) format:
Girls’ Category: Roop Kaur (Akali Phoola Singh Gatka Akhara Coventry) won first place, defeating teammate Manroop Kaur. Rihanna Kaur (Baba Banda Singh Gatka Akhara Gravesend) took third.
Boys’ Category: Navjot Singh (Baba Fateh Singh Gatka Akhara Woolwich) secured first place against teammate Jashan Singh. Dharam Singh and Tejveer Singh (both from Akali Phoola Singh Gatka Akhara Coventry) shared third.
Men’s Category: Gurdeep Singh (Jangi Horses Club Wolverhampton) claimed the title, defeating Kuldeep Singh (Baba Banda Singh Gatka Akhara Gravesend). Third place was shared by Anmoldeep Singh and Nihal Singh (both Baba Mitt Singh Gatka Akhara Wolverhampton).
Awards and recognition
All winners received medals and trophies. In a significant gesture, Gatka Federation UK presented £1,000 to each participating Akhara to strengthen training facilities and promote wider engagement in the sport.
Leaders praise UK’s Gatka growth
Harjeet Singh Grewal commended MP Tan Dhesi for his sustained efforts in promoting Gatka since 2013, pledging WGF and NGAI’s continued support in advancing the martial art across Britain.
In his address, MP Dhesi — also Chairman of the House of Commons Defence Committee — highlighted the growing enthusiasm among young people in the UK and thanked the Gurdwara committees of Swansea and Cardiff for their support in making the event a success.
Dignitaries in attendance
The championship was attended by prominent figures including Herman Singh Johal (General Secretary, Gatka Federation UK), representatives from Swansea and Cardiff Gurdwara committees, media partners from Akaal Channel, Sikh Channel, Jan Shakti News, and several community leaders.