Skipper KL Rahul's unbeaten 103 and disciplined bowling helped Lucknow Super Giants to a resounding win over IPL powerhouse Mumbai Indians who remain winless this season.
Rahul's second ton of this edition steered Lucknow to 168 for six, a total their bowlers defended by restricting Mumbai to 132-8 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Rohit Sharma's Mumbai, the richest and most successful side in Indian Premier League history with five titles, slipped to their eighth straight loss to stay bottom of the 10-team table.
"We haven't batted well in the tournament," Rohit said after their 36-run loss that only gives them a slim mathematical chance of making the play-offs.
"You have to ensure one of the batter bats long but we have failed to do that in this tournament. Some of the opposition players have done that and that has hurt us."
The in-form Rahul, who has amassed 368 runs in eight matches, stood out for Lucknow as he put on 58 runs with Manish Pandey and then a 25-ball 47 with Ayush Badoni for the sixth wicket.
Badoni hit 14 off 11 balls to boost the team total with Rahul reaching his fourth IPL hundred with a six off Riley Meredith, who took two wickets, in the final over.
West Indies medium-pace bowler Kieron Pollard hurt Lucknow's batting with the key wickets of Pandey, for 22, and Krunal Pandya for one in his two overs to return figures of 2-8.
But Mumbai faltered in their chase to lose regular wickets despite a 31-ball 39 from Rohit who fell to Krunal's left-arm spin after five fours and one six.
Part-time spinner Ayush Badoni got Suryakumar Yadav for seven as Mumbai slipped to 67-4 in 11.2 overs.
Tilak Varma and Pollard attempted to raise hopes of a chase in their 57-run partnership that was finally broken by West Indies fast bowler Jason Holder.
Holder took down Varma for 38 and Pollard fell to Krunal in the final over as a glum Mumbai side and their fans at the Wankhede sauntered off.
SACHIN TENDULKAR said "life has truly come full circle" after a portrait of him was unveiled at Lord's on Thursday.
Tendulkar, widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen, scored 34,357 runs across Tests, one-day internationals and one T20 match for India during his international career from 1989 to 2013.
(Photo credit: PTI)
His total is over 6,000 runs more than the next highest of 28,016 scored by Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara.
In a post on X, Tendulkar recalled his first visit to Lord’s in 1988. "I remember standing near the pavilion, soaking in the history and dreaming quietly," he wrote.
"Today, to have my portrait unveiled at this very place is a feeling that's hard to put into words. Life has truly come full circle. I’m grateful, and filled with wonderful memories."
I first visited Lord’s as a teenager in 1988, and returned in 1989 with the Star Cricket Club team.
I remember standing near the pavilion, soaking in the history and dreaming quietly.
Today, to have my portrait unveiled at this very place is a feeling that’s hard to put into… pic.twitter.com/ZC987eH8oZ — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 10, 2025
The portrait was created by Stuart Pearson Wright, based on a photograph taken by the artist at Tendulkar’s home in Mumbai 18 years ago. It was unveiled before the first day of the third Test between England and India.
It is the fifth portrait of an Indian player to be added to the collections of Marylebone Cricket Club, which owns Lord's.
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Swiatek broke early in the match, racing to a 3-0 lead and never allowed the 35th-ranked Bencic to settle. (Photo: Getty Images)
Iga Swiatek storms into her first Wimbledon final with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Belinda Bencic
Swiatek will face Amanda Anisimova, who beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka
Anisimova reaches her first Wimbledon final and will break into the top 10 rankings
Sabalenka exits in the semi-final for the second time, despite a strong 2024 season
IGA SWIATEK reached her first Wimbledon final on Thursday with a dominant 6-2, 6-0 win over Belinda Bencic in just 71 minutes on Centre Court. The 24-year-old, seeded eighth, will face Amanda Anisimova in the final after the American defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set semi-final.
“Honestly, I never even dreamed that it's going to be possible for me to play in the final,” said Swiatek. “So I'm just super-excited and proud of myself and, I don't know, tennis keeps surprising me. I thought I had experienced everything on the court but I didn't experience playing well on grass, so that's the first time. I'm super excited and just enjoying it.”
Swiatek broke early in the match, racing to a 3-0 lead and never allowed the 35th-ranked Bencic to settle. The Swiss player, who won Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, managed to win two games in the first set but was unable to respond as Swiatek took full control in the second.
“Today was just a different level from Iga. She played amazing and I didn't feel like she let me in the match for one second,” said Bencic. “There's nothing I really regret. In the end, she was just too good, and I was a step too short.”
Swiatek has now dropped just one set in the tournament. Although four of her five Grand Slam titles have come at the French Open, she made her first grass-court final at Bad Homburg two weeks ago and has now reached her second on the surface.
Swiatek, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year, has won all five of her previous Grand Slam finals. She will face Anisimova in their first professional meeting.
Anisimova, seeded 13th, advanced to her first Wimbledon final after beating Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a match lasting just over two and a half hours.
“This doesn't feel real right now, honestly,” said Anisimova. “Aryna is such a tough competitor and I was absolutely dying out there. I don't know how I pulled it out. We've had so many tough battles and to come out on top and be in the final of Wimbledon is incredible.”
The 23-year-old, who now holds a 6-3 head-to-head record over Sabalenka, won the first set before the Belarusian levelled the match in the second. Anisimova closed out the final set to complete a notable victory.
Anisimova made headlines in 2019 when she reached the semi-finals of the French Open at the age of 17. In 2023, she took an eight-month break from tennis for mental health reasons and dropped out of the top 400. At Wimbledon last year, she failed to qualify for the main draw.
On Thursday, she became only the second player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam final after losing in qualifying at the same event the previous year. She is now guaranteed to enter the top 10 of the rankings on Monday.
“If you told me I would be in the final of Wimbledon, I would not believe you. It's indescribable to be honest,” she said.
For Sabalenka, it was another disappointment at Wimbledon. The 27-year-old has now failed to progress past the semi-finals at the tournament. She won the US Open last year and reached the finals of both the Australian Open and French Open earlier this season.
“Losing sucks,” Sabalenka said. “You feel like you are getting close to your dream and then this is the end. You always feel like you want to die and not exist any more. But then you sit there a little bit and think about what you could have done differently.”
AN Indian sprinter who recently broke a national record has said he wants to win an Olympic medal to inspire young athletes to pursue similar dreams.
Animesh Kujur, 22, last Saturday (5) smashed the 100-metre national record with a stunning 10.18 seconds at the Dromia International Sprint and Relays Meeting in Greece.
The Odisha athlete’s record-breaking performance was an improvement on Gurindervir Singh's previous mark of 10.20 seconds, making him the first Indian to hold both the 100m and 200m national records, simultaneously. His 200m record stands at 20.32 seconds, set at the Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea in May.
In an interview with Eastern Eye, Kujur said, "When I finished the line, I saw the clock and it stopped at 10.20. I was like, 'Oh, I just equalled the national record'. Then I went to my coach and said, 'Coach, if it was 10.19, then I could have done the national record, but I didn't.' Then my coach said, 'No, you did 10.18 - you did break the record.' I was like, 'Oh, wow.' Then my coach and I were shouting."
The achievement comes as Kujur prepares for another historic milestone - becoming the first Indian man to compete in the 200m at a Diamond League event in Monaco on Friday (11). Though competing in an under-23 race rather than the main event, his coach views it as a crucial experience.
"It's a big step up to eventually race against Noah Lyles (US athlete)," said Englishman Martin Owens, the head coach of Reliance Foundation Youth Sport Odisha High Performance Centre (HPC). "He'll get the atmosphere with 15,000 spectators without the pressure of running against the Olympic champion and world champion."
Kujur's transformation began when he joined the Reliance Foundation programme in December 2022. The change was dramatic and immediate. "Before joining Reliance, I was a normal athlete. I didn't know what professional training or a professional athlete's life looked like," he said. "After joining Reliance, I got everything - physio support, psychology, coach, everything. I came to know what a professional life looks like."
The foundation's investment in Indian athletics reflects the broader ambitions of the Ambani family, who are heavily backing India's Olympic aspirations both to host the Games in 11 years and to produce potential medal winners.
Nita Ambani sits on the International Olympic Committee, while her daughter Isha Ambani has joined the board of volleyball's international governing body, FIVB.
Mukesh Ambani, who heads Reliance Industries, is India’s richest.
For Kujur, the 200m remains his preferred event. "Because 200 is tougher compared to 100 metres. That's why I like to do 200, and from the beginning, my coach has been mainly focusing on 200 metres," he said.
Unlike traditional Indian coaching approaches that focus intensively on single competitions, Kujur's programme involves year-round planning and multiple competitive opportunities.
"My coach prepares my training for the next year - which is the main competition you have to focus on," he added. "Foreign coaches make you compete in so many competitions so that you can get more experience."
Recent training camps in Switzerland and working with movement specialist Chris Woolley have focused particularly on improving Kujur's starts - historically his weakest area. The work has paid dividends, with both athlete and coach noting significant improvements in his acceleration phase.
Owens, who has worked with Kujur for almost three years, credited the athlete's dedication and the systematic approach they've developed together. "When he came to the HPC, he was a 21.1-21.2 runner, and now he's a 20.32 runner," Owens said. "That's a lot of his hard work and dedication. He learns all the time, makes mistakes - like we all do - but he tries not to make the same mistake twice."
His strategy extends beyond individual achievement to building a sustainable sprint programme for India. "The aim is to get as many athletes running and training with each other as possible, supporting each other," he said. "We're driving the relay programme. Very few athletes in India at the moment are going to be competitive on the world stage individually, but the young sprinters we've got could collectively be competitive in relays."
The foundation promotes clean athletics, with the coach proudly noting that Kujur is "the most tested athlete in India" and emphasising "there are no shortcuts - hard work is the best way."
Kujur's transformation began when he joined the Reliance Foundation programme in December 2022
For Kujur, the immediate focus is performing well at the World Championships, where he wants to break the pattern of Indian athletes failing to deliver at major competitions. "Every time Indian athletes go to big competitions, but they don't perform. I want that if I'm competing in World Championship - such a big competition - I want to perform well there."
Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, Kujur spoke of his ambition. "For longer term, I'm preparing for the Olympics - I want to win a medal for India in Los Angeles," he added.
His coach shares this optimism, believing that international exposure is crucial for development. "You need to get out of your backyard to get a good view of the world," he said. "That exposure trip last year changed Animesh completely. This one will make him better."
Owens added that Kujur holds "10 of the top 10 times run in India this year" in his events, with "the second fastest runner half a second behind him, which is massive in sprinting."
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Root, in his 156th Test, again played a crucial role after England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bat on a sunny day at Lord's. (Photo: Getty Images)
JOE ROOT finished unbeaten on 99 as England reached 251-4 at stumps on the opening day of the third Test against India at Lord's on Thursday.
England were struggling at 44-2 after Indian pacer Nitish Kumar Reddy struck twice in his opening over, removing openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. Root came in and steadied the innings, building partnerships and keeping the scoreboard moving at just over three an over, slower than England’s usual 'Bazball' tempo.
Root, in his 156th Test, again played a crucial role after England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bat on a sunny day at Lord's. Stokes was 39 not out at the close, having added an unbroken 79-run partnership with Root for the fifth wicket.
Stokes appeared to tweak his groin towards the end of the day, raising concerns for England, especially as fast bowler Jofra Archer was recalled to the side after a long injury break.
Earlier, Root had shared a 109-run stand with Ollie Pope. The partnership, built over 35 overs, helped England recover after the early wickets. Pope scored 44 after surviving a close chance on his first ball.
"It's not always been the way we've gone about our cricket, but I think long term in the game hopefully that will reward us if we can kick on tomorrow," Pope told Sky Sports.
Before the match, much of the focus was on the return of Jasprit Bumrah, the top-ranked Test bowler, after he was rested in India’s 336-run win at Edgbaston that levelled the five-match series at 1-1.
However, it was Reddy who made the biggest early impact. Bowling from the Nursery End, the 22-year-old took two wickets in four balls on his debut at Lord’s, ending the day with 2-46 in 14 overs.
His third delivery dismissed Duckett (23), caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant off a gloved pull. With the last ball of the same over, Reddy bowled a full-length delivery that swung late and took Crawley’s outside edge, with Pant taking the catch. Crawley made 18.
"I feel great bowling from that (Nursery) end," Reddy said after stumps. "I don't know much about the slope, but from that end when I bowled it's been moving a lot, and after pitching also it's going good."
Root masterclass
Root reached his half-century with a glance through fine leg off Reddy, his seventh four, coming off 102 balls. He remained steady throughout the day.
Pope was dismissed to the first ball after tea, edging Ravindra Jadeja to substitute wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who was fielding after Pant suffered a finger injury.
Harry Brook followed soon after, bowled by Bumrah between bat and pad for 11. Bumrah ended with 1-35 from 18 overs.
At 172-4, Stokes came in to join Root. Stokes, who last scored a Test hundred during the Ashes two years ago at Lord's, was on 27 when Reddy’s lbw appeal was turned down on umpire’s call.
Root went past 80 with an on-driven boundary off Reddy, and play was briefly halted due to a ladybird interruption at the ground.
In the final moments, Stokes defended Akash Deep’s last two deliveries of the day, unable to rotate the strike, leaving Root one run short of his 37th Test century and eighth at Lord’s.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Djokovic serves to Italy's Flavio Cobolli during their men's singles quarter-final tennis match on the tenth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships on July 9, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
Djokovic to play Sinner in his 14th Wimbledon semi-final
Alcaraz aims for third straight final against American fifth seed Fritz
Sinner leads Djokovic 5-4 in head-to-head, winning last four matches
Fritz seeks to become first American man in Wimbledon final since 2009
NOVAK DJOKOVIC will face world number one Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals on Friday, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz plays Taylor Fritz in the other last-four clash.
Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, is aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title and sees the grass courts of the All England Club as his best chance to achieve it. Now 38, he is preparing for what he calls the “biggest challenge” of his campaign.
The Serb, who has not won a Grand Slam since claiming his 24th major at the 2023 US Open, will be playing in his 14th Wimbledon semi-final, with 10 wins from his previous 13 matches at this stage. He has reached every final at Wimbledon since 2018, and his last semi-final loss at the tournament came in 2012 against Roger Federer.
A win on Friday would put Djokovic into his 11th Wimbledon final and 38th Grand Slam final overall. If he progresses, he would equal Federer’s Open era record of seven consecutive Wimbledon men’s finals.
Djokovic beat Sinner in the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2022 and again in the semi-finals in 2023. However, Sinner has had the upper hand in recent meetings, defeating Djokovic at the 2024 Australian Open and again at this year’s French Open. The Italian currently leads their head-to-head 5-4 after nine encounters and has won their last four matches.
“Sinner and Alcaraz are the leaders of tennis today. I couldn't ask for a bigger challenge, for sure. I look forward to it,” Djokovic said.
Sinner, who brushed aside Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals, dismissed concerns about an elbow injury. A win for the 22-year-old Australian Open champion would send him into his first Wimbledon final. It would also mark his fourth consecutive Grand Slam final appearance, making him the sixth man to do so in the Open era.
“Me and Novak, we know each other better because we played quite a lot. So we understand what's working and what's not,” Sinner said.
In the other semi-final, Spain’s Alcaraz will be aiming for his third successive Wimbledon final when he takes on American fifth seed Fritz.
Alcaraz, 22, had a slow start to the tournament. He went to five sets against Fabio Fognini in the opening round and dropped sets against Jan-Lennard Struff and Andrey Rublev. But he returned to form with a straight-sets win over Cameron Norrie in the quarter-finals.
The world number two is currently on a 23-match winning streak since losing to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April. He has won 34 of his last 37 matches on grass.
“Taylor is playing great. The grass season has been really successful for him so far. I have to be ready for that battle,” Alcaraz said.
Fritz, 27, is looking to reach his second Grand Slam final. He lost his first, against Sinner, at the US Open last year. If he defeats Alcaraz, he will become the first American man to make the Wimbledon final since Andy Roddick in 2009.