In the Davis Cup quarter-finals, Italy defeated Austria to become the first country to win three straight titles for the first time in 53 years.
Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli won straight-sets singles matches despite missing Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti, the nation’s top two players.
After their upcoming opponents defeated France on the opening day of the Finals in Bologna, Italy will face Belgium in the semi-finals on Friday.
They will start the match with a 12-tie winning streak that will go back to the Davis Cup Finals’ group stages in 2023.
It’s so special to represent my country.
Despite the absence of several top players at this year’s event, the organizers of the Davis Cup announced this week that discussions will be held regarding the future format of the competition.
Italian top-10 players Sinner and Musetti are among those who chose to focus on recovery after winning the ATP Finals on Sunday. The second-ranked world no. 2 Sinner chose to take advantage of the sport’s brief six-week off-season.
Berrettini and Cobolli replaced them, shining brightly for their country.
Jurij Rodionov, who is now ranked 177th, defeated Italy 6-3 7-6 (7-4). Former Wimbledon runner-up Berrettini put Italy on a strong start.
The world no. 56 faced a difficult set-up when Berrettini was broken for the first time and fell 5-2 behind in the second set after taking the opening set with a single break of serve.
two hours ago
a day ago
23 hours ago
“When I play for my country, I just try to win the next game and work really hard for my team-mates, for everyone who is here, and for everyone who is watching from home,” Berrettini said.
The biggest privilege, in my opinion. It’s better if I win, but I always try to enjoy being outside. It’s truly unique.
Filip Misolic, the Austrian number one, defeated world number 22 Cobolli 6-1, 6-3, to claim the victory for his country.
Cobolli, 23, won the first set for only 30 minutes with three break-of-service, which impressed with a rematch of his previous year’s Wimbledon quarter-final performance.
He quickly regained control of the match, securing a crucial break as he jumped out to a 3-0 lead before triumphing with assurance.
In his post-match interview, Cobolli echoed his team-mate’s sentiments, saying, “I felt the support of the bench, it was unbelievable.
Although Meghan Markle and Prince Harry exchange sweet hugs, one expert has discovered a hidden sign of discomfort after releasing a glittery new trailer for her Netflix Christmas special.
Assistant Head of Features (Audience), Ellie Fry
3 images to be seen
Meghan’s new Netflix Christmas special will release on 3 December(Image: Netflix)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have packed on the PDA in a new trailer for the Duchess’ upcoming Netflix show, but one expert says there’s more than meets the eye.
The Duke has made a rare cameo in the glitzy video, which Meghan proudly released on Instagram today. He barely appeared in the first season of her controversial lifestyle show – With Love, Meghan – and was nowhere to be seen in the second series, released earlier this summer.
But this time around, Harry is spotted within seconds in the trailer, hinting there’s more of him to come this time. The short clip even shows Harry and Meghan sharing a quick smooch in the kitchen, a rare occurance in public for the couple. Dressed in a casual light brown linen shirt, the Duke quickly leans in for a kiss as Meghan locks her hand around his neck in a sweet embrace. He’s also holding a bowl of food, clearly about to tuck in before they lock lips.
READ MORE: Meghan Markle makes cryptic remark about family and ‘feeling seen’ in new videoREAD MORE: Inside Donald Trump’s ‘unstable’ mind after vile ‘piggy’ outburst at female journalistREAD MORE: Royal couple ENGAGED as prince pops question on trip abroad for another wedding
Meghan’s show has been a huge success, but body language expert Judi James has revealed that the Duke may not have felt as comfortable in his own presence. Judi says in the clip, “It’s Harry’s cameo appearance that might cause the discomfort here.” She points to subtle tells in the clip. As he holds a small bowl aloft and too high for comfort as he mixes whatever small dollop he has inside, he appears to be looking like a very self-aware fish out of water.
“Has he been invited to stir the pudding at last, having missed out on the four generational royal pudding stirring event that his brother appeared on?” Judi asked. “If so, this looks like a very censorious portion size version.” She is referencing the moment Prince William and Prince George joined the late Queen and then-Prince Charles at a Christmas pudding cooking session in 2019. Harry was notably absent, and swiftly self-exiled from royal life just one year later.
Without prior authorization, content cannot be displayed.
Judi explained in the film’s rare PDA show that “but he gets a reward kiss from Meghan for taking part,” pointing out that the couple’s kiss suggests total approval for his rather show-pony appearance in her idealistic version of the Holidays.
It’s long been claimed that Harry feels somewhat uncomfortable in the glossy celebrity world Meghan has now rooted her career in, and instead flourishes in charity work. Jennie Bond, former royal correspondent at the BBC, previously told The Mirror: “I think he is coming to recognise that the LA celebrity world is one in which he is not especially comfortable. And he seems quite willing to let Meghan take the limelight over there. He speaks frequently about a life of service, and [charity] trips like this certainly serve a very good cause indeed.”
The glossy trailer has released on the same night that Princess Kate and Prince William are attending the Royal Variety Show. Throughout the new video, Meghan is seen crafting, decorating and even shopping for Christmas trees – swapping her high-end red carpet garbs for more laid-back, casual outfits. She also gushes about “embracing traditions and making new ones,” hinting at preparations she’s making with her young children Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4.
Reflecting on what the season means to her, she adds: “It’s about finding time to connect with the people we love”. It may be a difficult listen for King Charles, who has not seen Archie for five years. Heartbreakingly, he has also only met Lilibet once.
Continue reading the article.
The former actress also asserts that “being a host or host is about making people feel comfortable” while cooking up a storm. Then, Gasturateur Will Guidara says, “You can do things that make people feel a little bit.” before they both use the phrase “more seen”
Although Meghan Markle and Prince Harry exchange sweet hugs, one expert has discovered a hidden sign of discomfort after releasing a glittery new trailer for her Netflix Christmas special.
Assistant Head of Features (Audience), Ellie Fry
3 images to be seen
Meghan’s new Netflix Christmas special will release on 3 December(Image: Netflix)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have packed on the PDA in a new trailer for the Duchess’ upcoming Netflix show, but one expert says there’s more than meets the eye.
The Duke has made a rare cameo in the glitzy video, which Meghan proudly released on Instagram today. He barely appeared in the first season of her controversial lifestyle show – With Love, Meghan – and was nowhere to be seen in the second series, released earlier this summer.
But this time around, Harry is spotted within seconds in the trailer, hinting there’s more of him to come this time. The short clip even shows Harry and Meghan sharing a quick smooch in the kitchen, a rare occurance in public for the couple. Dressed in a casual light brown linen shirt, the Duke quickly leans in for a kiss as Meghan locks her hand around his neck in a sweet embrace. He’s also holding a bowl of food, clearly about to tuck in before they lock lips.
READ MORE: Meghan Markle makes cryptic remark about family and ‘feeling seen’ in new videoREAD MORE: Inside Donald Trump’s ‘unstable’ mind after vile ‘piggy’ outburst at female journalistREAD MORE: Royal couple ENGAGED as prince pops question on trip abroad for another wedding
Meghan’s show has been a huge success, but body language expert Judi James has revealed that the Duke may not have felt as comfortable in his own presence. Judi says in the clip, “It’s Harry’s cameo appearance that might cause the discomfort here.” She points to subtle tells in the clip. As he holds a small bowl aloft and too high for comfort as he mixes whatever small dollop he has inside, he appears to be looking like a very self-aware fish out of water.
“Has he been invited to stir the pudding at last, having missed out on the four generational royal pudding stirring event that his brother appeared on?” Judi asked. “If so, this looks like a very censorious portion size version.” She is referencing the moment Prince William and Prince George joined the late Queen and then-Prince Charles at a Christmas pudding cooking session in 2019. Harry was notably absent, and swiftly self-exiled from royal life just one year later.
Without prior authorization, content cannot be displayed.
Judi explained in the film’s rare PDA show that “but he gets a reward kiss from Meghan for taking part,” pointing out that the couple’s kiss suggests total approval for his rather show-pony appearance in her idealistic version of the Holidays.
It’s long been claimed that Harry feels somewhat uncomfortable in the glossy celebrity world Meghan has now rooted her career in, and instead flourishes in charity work. Jennie Bond, former royal correspondent at the BBC, previously told The Mirror: “I think he is coming to recognise that the LA celebrity world is one in which he is not especially comfortable. And he seems quite willing to let Meghan take the limelight over there. He speaks frequently about a life of service, and [charity] trips like this certainly serve a very good cause indeed.”
The glossy trailer has released on the same night that Princess Kate and Prince William are attending the Royal Variety Show. Throughout the new video, Meghan is seen crafting, decorating and even shopping for Christmas trees – swapping her high-end red carpet garbs for more laid-back, casual outfits. She also gushes about “embracing traditions and making new ones,” hinting at preparations she’s making with her young children Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4.
Reflecting on what the season means to her, she adds: “It’s about finding time to connect with the people we love”. It may be a difficult listen for King Charles, who has not seen Archie for five years. Heartbreakingly, he has also only met Lilibet once.
Continue reading the article.
The former actress also asserts that “being a host or host is about making people feel comfortable” while cooking up a storm. Then, Gasturateur Will Guidara says, “You can do things that make people feel a little bit.” before they both use the phrase “more seen”
The Loose Women legend is still as straight-talking as ever(Image: ITV/Ray Burmiston/Shutterstock)
Janet Street-Porter is so unashamedly honest, witty and entertaining that you wish you could spend days, not hours in her company. Described on her own website as “the nation’s favourite pissed-off pensioner”, this is a woman with plenty of stories to tell.
The Loose Women stalwart, who turns 80 next year, vibrant red hair still intact, spills the beans on her recent surgery and her riotous UK tour Off The Leash in an exclusive chat with OK! – also telling us why she believes a rant is good for the soul.
READ MORE: Stacey Solomon’s ‘pretty and sophisticated’ Abbott Lyon watch plummets in price
With her famous cackle, she says she’s truly on her way to becoming a bionic woman. She recently had her right knee “done” following a hip replacement last year and a left knee replacement eight years ago.
She claims that she was waving my arms around and showing off as she was walking to the loo without a stick two hours later, and that she was still full of painkillers. She acknowledges that she has since relinquished that high and is still suffering greatly.
“I’m walking around fine but at night the nerve pain is shocking. Really awful You have just got to tough these things out, she says, but I’m putting a lot of ice on it.
It’s hard to imagine someone like Janet wallowing. She asserts that you can make the decision to become someone who looks backwards, to embrace getting older, to discuss the drawbacks but also to applaud the benefits.
With her milestone birthday next December, we ask if there’s a big star-studded bash in the works. She admits she’s not sure yet, reminding us she’s had plenty in her time, attended by the likes of I’m A Celebrity star Ruby Wax, James Bond actor Daniel Craig and her close pal of 40-odd years Sir Elton John.
She’s unsure how she feels about turning 80. “My agent keeps saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to call a new tour 80 not out ?’ I say, ‘Darling, when you get to 80 and you’re a woman, you’re not interested in bloody cricket. And does that mean at 81 I kick the bucket? I’ll still be working and growing veg, but I’ll probably find a younger person to do the donkey work.”
She declares that she will continue to enjoy a greasy fry-up and the occasional glass of wine while also getting irritated about articles about healthy living. She claims, “I still detest those health pages.” “I read them then start ranting. However, ranting benefits the soul.
Janet has never shied away from making controversial comments, especially when she sits on the Loose Women panel. Asked if they ever get her into hot water, she insists they’ve merely “ruffled a few feathers”.
“I sometimes look at Coleen [Nolan]’s face and she’s totally amazed at something I’ve said. But on a live show, people want spontaneity, to see women saying things they secretly think but don’t have the guts to say. We’re saying it on their behalf.”
She adores working with pals like Coleen, Ruth Langsford and Brenda Edwards, and says they very often don’t agree on things, which is what makes the programme so watchable.
People are extremely concerned about upsetting people today. To me, it’s adding a level of anxiety that’s not necessary”, she says. However, I don’t intend to offend or cause harm to anyone. My observations, which are not hostile toward others, are the majority of my own.
” But I do have an opinion about everything. My partner suggests that I express my thoughts on the refrigerator’s yoghurt. And I do, because we actually discussed it this morning.
As for all the staff cuts at Loose Women and the reduced shows from January, Janet – who has produced and presented over the years – says she’s philosophical about it.
I’ve had to shave myself. She explains, “I’ve been made redundant.” For those concerned it’s very traumatic and I empathise. I’ve been told to stop watching TV and getting kicked out of it. It really wounds you.
“But there’s another job out there, and sometimes, especially when it’s early in your career, it can improve your chances and give you strength. I’m not talking about the Loose staff right now, but what worries me is that some young people don’t have the ability to look at something that isn’t working their way and get past it without collapsing or breaking down.
She adds, “People love our show exactly because the women on it have been through so much – the menopause, cheating husbands, money problems, we’ve done it all between us”.
After recovering from surgery, Janet returns to the road with her hilarious and autobiographical Off the Leash tour. Her close friend Elton aptly states, “The bitch is back.
In the first scene, Janet explains how she came to live in a working-class family in London in the 1950s and how she coped with her parents’ problems.
“I thought they were a bit weird,” she admits. “As a teenager, I’d look at them and think, ‘They can’t possibly be my parents. They’re far too boring.’ People might think I’m a bit odd, but I think when you see the show you’ll understand more about why I turned out the way I did.”
When they met, Janet claims, “They were very secretive,” despite the fact that both of her parents were married to other people. I’m a typical Baby Boomer in that my parents met during tumultuous times and were married very young to other people. I was raised in a family with a lot of rules and secrets. My father served in Burma during the war, and it had a negative impact on his personality.
During the show, she often gets audience members who identify with her descriptions so strongly that they shout out, “Mine were just like that”.
The production also includes hilarious descriptions of the food Janet’s mother, who “couldn’t cook to save her life,” would serve up, including a salad made from a lettuce on a plate, a spring onion and tomato, and, if you were lucky, a “tin of mystery meat.”
“I’ve done so much telly about food over the years – The F Word with Gordon Ramsay and MasterChef , twice – but I try to explain that none of that love of food comes from growing up.”
Janet kept a detailed diary from the age of 14 to 16, and in her show, she reads some excerpts from it. It touches on everything, including the boys she was dating, her beloved mod outfits, her famous hair, and her love of the Rolling Stones’ early music (surprise, she wasn’t impressed).
The star, who’s been married four times and has been in a long-term relationship with Peter Spanton since 1999, also opens up about key moments in her colourful life. There’s the time when she was forced to have a backstreet abortion as a teenager and the time she met her first husband Tim and promptly dumped the man she was engaged to be married to.
In retrospect, Janet acknowledges feeling bad about it. “I thought nothing of dumping the man I was supposed to marry, which in retrospect was very cruel. I chose my first husband because he was so gorgeous, funny, and wise. I followed my mother’s instructions exactly. But my mother then had the cheek to tell me she couldn’t hold her head up because she was so embarrassed about it. She appeared to be a bit of a hypocrite.
Her illustrious career in journalism and broadcasting is discussed in the show. She started off on Petticoat Magazine, as did Claudia Winkleman’s mum Eve Pollard, before becoming a columnist aged just 21.
She claims, “I’ve never really looked back since.” However, things weren’t always as it seemed. I remember the horrible prejudice about my accent when I first did radio. Although it’s not new, I had it in the early 1970s because of my working-class accent.
She says she left her television career in 1975, and she still finds it hard to believe that her own television show, The London Weekend Show, is still airing on the now-defunct channel LWT, has lasted fifty years. “Reading out my diaries on stage, I do sometimes wonder if I’m really that different from the silly teenager I was back then. I don’t believe I am.
The Loose Women legend is still as straight-talking as ever(Image: ITV/Ray Burmiston/Shutterstock)
Janet Street-Porter is so unashamedly honest, witty and entertaining that you wish you could spend days, not hours in her company. Described on her own website as “the nation’s favourite pissed-off pensioner”, this is a woman with plenty of stories to tell.
The Loose Women stalwart, who turns 80 next year, vibrant red hair still intact, spills the beans on her recent surgery and her riotous UK tour Off The Leash in an exclusive chat with OK! – also telling us why she believes a rant is good for the soul.
READ MORE: Stacey Solomon’s ‘pretty and sophisticated’ Abbott Lyon watch plummets in price
With her famous cackle, she says she’s truly on her way to becoming a bionic woman. She recently had her right knee “done” following a hip replacement last year and a left knee replacement eight years ago.
She claims that she was waving my arms around and showing off as she was walking to the loo without a stick two hours later, and that she was still full of painkillers. She acknowledges that she has since relinquished that high and is still suffering greatly.
“I’m walking around fine but at night the nerve pain is shocking. Really awful You have just got to tough these things out, she says, but I’m putting a lot of ice on it.
It’s hard to imagine someone like Janet wallowing. She asserts that you can make the decision to become someone who looks backwards, to embrace getting older, to discuss the drawbacks but also to applaud the benefits.
With her milestone birthday next December, we ask if there’s a big star-studded bash in the works. She admits she’s not sure yet, reminding us she’s had plenty in her time, attended by the likes of I’m A Celebrity star Ruby Wax, James Bond actor Daniel Craig and her close pal of 40-odd years Sir Elton John.
She’s unsure how she feels about turning 80. “My agent keeps saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to call a new tour 80 not out ?’ I say, ‘Darling, when you get to 80 and you’re a woman, you’re not interested in bloody cricket. And does that mean at 81 I kick the bucket? I’ll still be working and growing veg, but I’ll probably find a younger person to do the donkey work.”
She declares that she will continue to enjoy a greasy fry-up and the occasional glass of wine while also getting irritated about articles about healthy living. She claims, “I still detest those health pages.” “I read them then start ranting. However, ranting benefits the soul.
Janet has never shied away from making controversial comments, especially when she sits on the Loose Women panel. Asked if they ever get her into hot water, she insists they’ve merely “ruffled a few feathers”.
“I sometimes look at Coleen [Nolan]’s face and she’s totally amazed at something I’ve said. But on a live show, people want spontaneity, to see women saying things they secretly think but don’t have the guts to say. We’re saying it on their behalf.”
She adores working with pals like Coleen, Ruth Langsford and Brenda Edwards, and says they very often don’t agree on things, which is what makes the programme so watchable.
People are extremely concerned about upsetting people today. To me, it’s adding a level of anxiety that’s not necessary”, she says. However, I don’t intend to offend or cause harm to anyone. My observations, which are not hostile toward others, are the majority of my own.
” But I do have an opinion about everything. My partner suggests that I express my thoughts on the refrigerator’s yoghurt. And I do, because we actually discussed it this morning.
As for all the staff cuts at Loose Women and the reduced shows from January, Janet – who has produced and presented over the years – says she’s philosophical about it.
I’ve had to shave myself. She explains, “I’ve been made redundant.” For those concerned it’s very traumatic and I empathise. I’ve been told to stop watching TV and getting kicked out of it. It really wounds you.
“But there’s another job out there, and sometimes, especially when it’s early in your career, it can improve your chances and give you strength. I’m not talking about the Loose staff right now, but what worries me is that some young people don’t have the ability to look at something that isn’t working their way and get past it without collapsing or breaking down.
She adds, “People love our show exactly because the women on it have been through so much – the menopause, cheating husbands, money problems, we’ve done it all between us”.
After recovering from surgery, Janet returns to the road with her hilarious and autobiographical Off the Leash tour. Her close friend Elton aptly states, “The bitch is back.
In the first scene, Janet explains how she came to live in a working-class family in London in the 1950s and how she coped with her parents’ problems.
“I thought they were a bit weird,” she admits. “As a teenager, I’d look at them and think, ‘They can’t possibly be my parents. They’re far too boring.’ People might think I’m a bit odd, but I think when you see the show you’ll understand more about why I turned out the way I did.”
When they met, Janet claims, “They were very secretive,” despite the fact that both of her parents were married to other people. I’m a typical Baby Boomer in that my parents met during tumultuous times and were married very young to other people. I was raised in a family with a lot of rules and secrets. My father served in Burma during the war, and it had a negative impact on his personality.
During the show, she often gets audience members who identify with her descriptions so strongly that they shout out, “Mine were just like that”.
The production also includes hilarious descriptions of the food Janet’s mother, who “couldn’t cook to save her life,” would serve up, including a salad made from a lettuce on a plate, a spring onion and tomato, and, if you were lucky, a “tin of mystery meat.”
“I’ve done so much telly about food over the years – The F Word with Gordon Ramsay and MasterChef , twice – but I try to explain that none of that love of food comes from growing up.”
Janet kept a detailed diary from the age of 14 to 16, and in her show, she reads some excerpts from it. It touches on everything, including the boys she was dating, her beloved mod outfits, her famous hair, and her love of the Rolling Stones’ early music (surprise, she wasn’t impressed).
The star, who’s been married four times and has been in a long-term relationship with Peter Spanton since 1999, also opens up about key moments in her colourful life. There’s the time when she was forced to have a backstreet abortion as a teenager and the time she met her first husband Tim and promptly dumped the man she was engaged to be married to.
In retrospect, Janet acknowledges feeling bad about it. “I thought nothing of dumping the man I was supposed to marry, which in retrospect was very cruel. I chose my first husband because he was so gorgeous, funny, and wise. I followed my mother’s instructions exactly. But my mother then had the cheek to tell me she couldn’t hold her head up because she was so embarrassed about it. She appeared to be a bit of a hypocrite.
Her illustrious career in journalism and broadcasting is discussed in the show. She started off on Petticoat Magazine, as did Claudia Winkleman’s mum Eve Pollard, before becoming a columnist aged just 21.
She claims, “I’ve never really looked back since.” However, things weren’t always as it seemed. I remember the horrible prejudice about my accent when I first did radio. Although it’s not new, I had it in the early 1970s because of my working-class accent.
She says she left her television career in 1975, and she still finds it hard to believe that her own television show, The London Weekend Show, is still airing on the now-defunct channel LWT, has lasted fifty years. “Reading out my diaries on stage, I do sometimes wonder if I’m really that different from the silly teenager I was back then. I don’t believe I am.
The Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) and Tennis Australia (TA) say they are likely to reach a settlement in the “near future” in relation to the lawsuit filed against multiple governing bodies.
Earlier this year, the PTPA – co-founded by Novak Djokovic in 2020 with a goal of increasing player power – began legal action against the men’s and women’s tours citing “anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare”.
In September, the four Grand Slams were added to the lawsuit.
A letter filed to the United States Southern District Court in New York says the PTPA and TA – which organises the Australian Open – are engaged in “substantive and productive bilateral settlement discussions”.
It asks Judge Margaret Garnett to stay proceedings against TA while a legal agreement is finalised.
But the letter also makes clear the request does not apply to the other defendants – the ATP Tour and the WTA Tour, as well as the French Tennis Federation, the All England Club and the US Tennis Association, which organise the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open respectively.
The 163-page lawsuit lodged in New York in March seeks to end the “monopolistic control” of the two tours. The PTPA believes they act as a “cartel” by forming agreements with tournaments that cap prize money and prevent potential competitors entering the market.
19 March
There is now the genuine possibility of TA and the PTPA reaching a final agreement before the Australian Open gets under way in January.
Whether TA will offer firm commitments around prize money or scheduling has not been divulged, but an agreement could strengthen the PTPA’s hand with the other Grand Slams.
The New York case could ultimately result in a jury trial. Separate complaints have been lodged with the European Commission and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, but the PTPA has previously admitted an out-of-court settlement is a goal.
“The goal is not to litigate this to the end,” the PTPA’s executive director Ahmad Nassar told BBC Sport in March.
“We are absolutely prepared to do that, but that’s not what we actually need or want.
“What we want is to get everybody to the table to reform the sport the way that many of them have already spoken about.”
The New York judge is currently considering a motion filed by the ATP and WTA to dismiss the antitrust lawsuit.
The ATP said in March it “strongly rejects the premise of the PTPA’s claims” and described the case as “entirely without merit”.
The WTA referred to a “baseless legal case which will divert time, attention and resources from our core mission to the detriment of our players and the sport as a whole”.