Jonathan Jurejko, BBC Sport tennis news reporter in Melbourne and Emily Salley, BBC Sport journalist
Zeynep Sonmez, a ball girl who was rushing to help her at the Australian Open, says it is more important to be a “good human being than a good tennis player.”
The ball girl, who was standing next to the umpire’s chair, fell flat on her back before quickly rising up as Sonmez’s opponent Ekaterina Alexandrova served for the second set.
Sonmez ran over to the side of the court and assisted in getting the youngster medical care in the shade.
After a six-minute delay, the ball girl managed to get back on her feet and was helped off the court by medical staff. Play resumed.
She was actually struggling, she said. Sonmez told BBC Sport that she was fine, but it was clearly too obvious that she was not.
So I grabbed her and said, “Sit down and drink, you’re not fine.”
She fainted as we were walking, so luckily I grabbed her. She was genuinely trembling.
Tennis Australia confirmed that the girl had been treated on-site before returning home.
World No. 112 Sonmez continued, “I always say it’s more important to be a good person than a good tennis player.”
three hours ago
After going through the second set, Russian qualifier Sonmez rallied from 3-0 down to win the decider to seal a 7-5, 4:4, 6-4, 7-0 upset over her fourth match point.
Somnez said, “I’d love to talk to the ball girl if I see her tomorrow or later in the tournament.”
As Melbourne Park’s first major of the year began, the mercury was forecast to reach 35C by next weekend. The highs were 28C on Sunday.
After conducting research into the effects of heat stress on tennis players, the Australian Open updated its extreme heat policy (EHP) in 2019.
The heat stress scale (HSS), which is used to determine when the conditions become too challenging and when players’ health may be in danger, was born out of this study.
Jacquemot stuns Kostyuk with “I won it with heart and guts”
Images courtesy of Getty
In a record-setting match, the 20th seed of Ukraine, Marta Kostyuk, also suffered a surprise defeat on day one when she defeated Elsa Jacquemot, the country’s no. 58.
Frenchwoman Jacquemot won 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (10-7) in what was the first triple tie- break match in Melbourne in the Open era.
After a grueling three hours and 31 minutes, Jacquemot fought back after going set and five and five to one and saved a match point.
It was just two minutes shy of 2025’s longest match, which was the longest of the season so far.
Afterward, Jacquemot said, “I won it with the heart and the guts.”
Adolescence star, Owen Cooper, trained at Tina O’Brien’s drama school in Manchester before he shot to fame in the Netflix series and ended up bagging a Golden Globe
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Adolescence star, Owen Cooper, trained at Tina O’Brien’s drama school in Manchester before he shot to fame in the Netflix series (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Coronation Street’s Tina O’Brien is feeling a bit miffed by Adolescence star, Owen Cooper, according to reports. The Golden Globe winner, 16, has the world at his feet after wowing audiences on both sides of the pond with his incredible performance in the Netflix series
Last weekend, Owen was the toast of Tinseltown when he bagged the Best Supporting Actor gong for his portrayal of 13-year-old murder suspect, Jamie Miller, in the award-winning show. Taking to the stage in front of a whole host of A-listers, he thanked his family while explaining he “took a risk” when he signed up for his drama class. However, there was no mention of Tina, whose acting school, Drama Mob, he trained at.
Sources now claim the Corrie legend, 42, who set up the drama school with her friend, Esther, because she thought there was a lack of acting classes for her daughter, Scarlett, 16, feels ‘abandoned’ by Owen, who she did so much to help.
READ MORE: Myleene Klass hits back as she’s told ‘I hope you get cancer’ by vile trollsREAD MORE: Adolescence star Owen Cooper issued stark warning around ‘ruthless business’
Speaking to the Daily Mail, they said: “Tina was absolutely key in Owen’s success, but she was forgotten last week. It was pretty rotten to have left her out like that.
” While Tina is humble and so proud of her young starlets, she did start him on his road to stardom, and she is just so thrilled for him. But someone could have given her a bit of a big-up after the Globes. “
The lack of recognition for Drama Mob in Owen’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed by its teaching staff either. When Adolescence aired last year, some reviews suggested the young actor from Didsbury had no training before his debut, which” frustrated us a bit”, co-founder Esther said at the time.
She added:” We invest a lot of time in our young people, including Owen. We really got to know him and his parents and supported them through the process. “
Esther told Lorraine Kelly on her show last week, “I knew he was good enough back then. Tina, whose daughter Scarlett studied with Owen at her mother’s drama school, has not yet commented on his success.
As he reflected on his “unbelievable journey,” there is no denying that Owen has earned every bit of his success. He addressed the star-studded audience at the Los Angeles Golden Globes, which included Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio, and thanked them for their incredible journey.
I took a chance and took a chance by enrolling in drama classes, which I initially thought I might enjoy. It was embarrassing because I was the only boy there.
However, I made it through, and I’m still a student learning from those who were my inspiration throughout the day. Without you, I wouldn’t be here. What is going on, madness?
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Tina’s representative has been contacted by The Mirror for comment.
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Emma Smith
Utilita Arena in Sheffield, a journalist for BBC Sport
There was just one performance in Sheffield.
You could have your face on Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson’s bodies for your photo on the arena concourse, which would be in the pleasure-beach style.
The band’s official Instagram account called the “Disco Brits,” and it was named the “Disco Brits” for their Spice Girls-themed rhythm-dance routine that won praise from the audience.
There were muddled up tales about Fear being a flower girl when the European Figure Skating Championships were last held in Sheffield in 2012, which were unheard.
And she was already creating her own clothing for the competition, living a lifelong dream.
Prepare to hear Fear and Gibson frequently in the upcoming weeks as the 2026 Winter Olympics approach.
But when the Europeans start to shine, the question is, are they capable enough to win an Olympic medal?
Yes, but only if they are flawless.
On Saturday, Fear and Gibson won their fourth European medal of the same kind. However, there was potential for more, perhaps.
They placed second on the leaderboard ahead of the decisive free dance, earning the season’s best score in the rhythm dance.
They have “found a niche,” they claim.
Getty Images
At the Ice Academy of Montreal under renowned coach Romain Haguenauer, they will face Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who are unbeaten overall and stablemates of Fear and Gibson.
Guillaime Cizeron, the current Olympic champion, joined Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaime Cizeron in March. What appears to be a world-class partnership already has them in Europe.
Therefore, Fear and Gibson must overcome a difficult road ahead if they want to win the country’s first medal at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics with Dame Jayne Torvill and Sir Christopher Dean.
Their is an unusual story in a field where many partnerships are competing by the mid-20s.
Fear, who is now 26 years old, and Gibson, who are both 31 years old, first met in Montreal in 2016 and were just starting out in the sport. Before turning to ice dancing at age 21, he had only begun skating at the age of 11.
However, they won the British title in their first season together, and Robin Cousins, a man who is well-versed in Olympic success, believes that their uniqueness is what sets them apart from the norm.
They don’t have a history, Cousins, who won the 1980 Olympic figure skating gold, told BBC Sport, “because, in contrast to some of the couples they are dating, they came together later in their careers.”
They found a niche in their performance compared to the rest because there was no time to play catch up, and that worked. They are adored by people and their performance.
It takes time for them to get it so neat and competent, and it’s time they didn’t. They are attempting to mold themselves and perfect their bladework, which other people have spent a lot more time doing.
There is “an amazing confidence here.”
Getty Images
Their routines reflect Fear and Gibson’s individuality. With a mix of “The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond,” “Auld Lang Syne,” and The Proclaimers hit “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), the Spice Girls compilation also serves as a tribute to Gibson’s Scottish roots. To perfect the choreography, they collaborated with experts in highland dance.
They are considered the hits! Their musical preferences were feared. They are popular with fans because we had a slower middle at the beginning of the season, but we gradually changed it.
They are also not afraid to challenge the ice’s figure skating mold. Gay Pride star Ianson added his voice to a growing movement in favor of the change after speaking at the Europeans about his desire for same-sex relationships to be permitted on the international stage.
They maintain momentum on the ice. Fear and Gibson have won the first World Championship medal for Great Britain in more than 40 years since placing 10th overall in Beijing in 2022, the ISU in first place after the 2024-2019 season, and continental medals at every opportunity.
We’ve grown so much since Beijing, and it feels really meaningful to enter this season with the momentum we’ve built, according to Fear.
The Olympics were such a big deal four years ago, Gibson continued. You simply want to make it there because it occurred during Covid, so it was even more heightened. Our main goals were always to compete in the Olympics, but this time there is less pressure.
To Milan, that is. Fear announced their big shot at a medal at the following post-Sheffield press conference that they would travel to Italy on January 31 for a few days of practice before the figure skating team event.
“Under the fun camaraderie, there is a great respect,” Cousins said. They each have their own lives, which is very important for those who work in such tight schedules.
They “and there is an amazing confidence,” they say, “and there is confidence.” When others don’t, they carry that on to the ice. It’s not arrogance. It’s confidence.
Morocco hosts Morocco, who will face Senegal for the first time in 50 years, as the continent’s two top footballing powerhouses come to an end in the continent’s final showdown on Sunday.
The match will begin at 1900 GMT at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, where almost all of the 69, 000 spectators will support the country’s side led by African player of the year Achraf Hakimi.
Read more about Nwabali’s heroics as Nigeria defeated Egypt to earn bronze at the Olympics.
The Atlas Lions hope to win the first AFCON that has ever started in one year and ended in another, with the host nation hoping to do so in Abidjan in 2024.
Morocco, which reached a World Cup semi-final in 2022 as a first-ever nation under the leadership of Africa, has established itself in recent years as the country’s top national team, just above Italy.
However, they have struggled in the AFCON, with their only title having been in 1976. With Regragui on the team, they will reach their first final since 2004, when they lost to Tunisia.
Meanwhile, Senegal are making their third final of four games and aiming for a second title in place of their 2022 success, when Mane scored the decisive penalty in a shoot-out victory over Egypt in Yaounde.
(COMBO) This set of images features Morocco’s Walid Regragui on January 9 and Senegal’s Pape Thiaw (L) on January 14 in Tangiers, as well as Morocco’s Pape Thiaw (L) and Pape Thiaw (L) on January 9, 2026. On January 18, 2026, Morocco and Senegal will square off in Rabat’s final game of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) football championship. (Photo by Paul ELLIS and SEBASTIEN BOZON of the AFP)
Regragui told reporters in the Moroccan capital on Saturday, “We dreamed of being here, and we have accomplished it.”
If he hadn’t at least led the team this far, he might not have been able to carry the title with him for the football-mad nation.
He continued, “I hope this is just the beginning, not our final AFCON final.”
“Big football nations aim to compete regularly.” We want to make history today (Sunday).
Senegal will need to be extraordinarily strong to defeat them at home, he continued.
The success of Morocco over the past four weeks has been attributed to Real Madrid’s winger Brahim Diaz’s attacking flair, which has allowed only five goals in the competition, as well as a defense that has conceded just once, as well as a penalty in a group-stage draw with Mali.
– Security concerns
This picture, which was taken on January 16, 2026, combines Senegal’s No. 16 Edouard Mendy with Morocco’s No. 01 Yassine Bounou for the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) in Rabat on January 9, 2026. On January 18, 2026, Morocco and Senegal will square off in Rabat’s final game of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) football championship. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT and Paul ELLIS, AFP)
Senegal have complained about the manner in which they were welcomed to Rabat ahead of the game, which adds extra pressure but can also be very advantageous.
Before arriving in Rabat by train on Friday, The Lions of Teranga spent the majority of their time in Tangiers, the city’s northern port city.
The Senegalese Football Federation expressed “serious concerns” in a statement, including “a lack of adequate security” for the team’s arrival, which “put the players and staff in danger.”
Additionally, it complained about the hotel the delegation received, the fact that there were fewer than 3, 000 tickets for the final for their supporters, and the Moroccan team’s nearby Sale training facility.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw remarked, “What happened was not normal.”
Anything could have happened, given the number there, they said. My players were in danger, I imagine.
That kind of interaction shouldn’t take place between two neighboring nations.
Mane, a two-time African player of the year winner, declared that Sunday’s game would be his final AFCON appearance after scoring the winner against Egypt in the semi-final.
Amazingly, Thiaw insisted that the former Liverpool player might not have had to reconsider his choice on the eve of the game.
I believe he made his decision in the midst of controversy, and I, the national team’s coach, do not agree, Thiaw said.
After a difficult 2025 that resulted in her mother being taken to the hospital, Gemma Collins is expressing a positive 2026 and is determined to keep it real going forward.
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In 2026, Gemma will make her best year of life (Getty Images).
There’s only one thing Gemma Collins wants people to leave in 2025 – faking it on social media. It’s been a tough few weeks for the former The Only Way Is Essex star, whose mum Joan had been admitted to hospital in the run up to Christmas.
Whilst Gemma confessed it had been a tough festive period for her, she refuses to let 2026 begin on the hard note that 2025 ended on. Ahead of the New Year, Gemma sat down with us to talk all about her weight loss, manifestation, the lessons 2025 taught her and just why 2026 is the year of keeping it real.
I’ve learned to be humble this year. This year, my work has been very, very successful and very lucky. She says, “I’ve just been very quiet, I’ve appreciated the little things in life this year, like time spent in the garden and time with family.” And I’m starting to realize how important it is for users to keep it real on social media.
Not everyone is having a good day, despite all the cheers and joy, and it has just started to look so fake. Gemma has turned to manifesting to ensure she has everything she wants in the upcoming year, a thought she has had her entire life.
People must constantly raise their vibration, 11: 11, while working with the universe, and not using social media to raise their own vibration. In 2026, “people must rekindle their realness,” she says.
After receiving an astrologer’s consent on the ideal date, Gemma will wed Rami Hawash this year in a reportedly £250, 000 wedding. For her new Sky show Gemma Collins: Four Weddings And A Baby, she will be documenting her wedding planning journey as well as Rami’s and her husband’s IVF journey.
She has made no secret that this will be her “most significant year of life,” and she has made it clear that her brand-new show will feature the “real, raw me sharing the most intimate and personal experiences in my life.”
Gemma’s weight loss, which included Mounjaro injections, has been a significant improvement over the course of her 2025 weight loss. She has since been micro-dosing with the jab after having a gallbladder attack in August.
She said back in the summer that I had to stop the jabs because I had a gallbladder attack in August, but they assured me that it wasn’t actually related to Mounjaro, and that I’ve been taking a break. However, I believe I will begin microdosing because I believe that microdosing does not offer all the benefits.
Gemma plans to evaluate whether she wants to keep the weight in check into the new year in light of her weight changes over the past 12 months. On these weight-loss jabs, everyone’s journey is incredibly unique and individual. There is no mistake or error. The individual is entirely responsible for this. I had gallbladder issues before they were very successful, she says.
I will be reviewing them in the new year, but I have to stop them for now. However, I felt incredible when I started taking them because it was like no one was watching me.
For Gemma, the key to losing weight was not her appearance but her feelings. I’m much more upbeat. I can do jumping jacks, bend down, and cross my legs. I’ve been doing my best, running for three miles recently. The heart is less pressed to lose the extra pounds. There are many advantages to losing weight for your internal organs, she claims.
Due to what other people think of her, the GC refuses to put on weight. Her opinion is the only one that matters. No one is trying to pressure me, sweetheart. I’ve earned my diva-ship even though I’m only a teenager. I don’t care what other people think of me. She tells us, “My opinion is the only thing that matters to me,” she says.
“I think there’s gonna be a real movement; girls are going more natural, people being more real on Instagram. We need a whole new vibration on ourselves, on our self-esteem, and everything. Everyone needs to be a lot kinder to themselves.”
There’s been rumours Gemma might be heading into the I’m A Celebrity All Stars jungle when the show returns to our screens next year. But she doesn’t have fond memories of her time in camp.
Favorite memory from the jungle? She says, “I believe it was getting on the plane home, darling, first class back to Essex.” Without the presence of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Who would be my ideal campmate, she adds? The Rock . He would provide for me with food and help me with all the tasks.
Whatever Gemma’s future holds, it’s obvious she’s focusing on self-worth, self-acceptance, and not shrinking away from other people. Gemma is confident that 2026 will be even better than 2025 because her life’s true love is about to get married and, hoped for, having a baby.
Want to manifest the GC’s 2026 exactly like the GC’s? There is only one piece of advice left to Emma. Talk optimistically. Talk to your own self-confidence: You can transform anything you see in your head. You can accomplish anything you want. You must hold the vision, she says.
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The AliExpress See the Signs 11.11 campaign, in collaboration with Gemma Collins, encourages shoppers to use symbols of renewal and self-assurance, whether that means achieving goals for the year ahead or recognizing the ideal moment to make a wise purchase.
