Archive May 29, 2025

On day one of the European Rowing Championships in Plovdiv, British Paralympic champion Benjamin Pritchard set a new world record.

Pritchard, 33, clinched gold in the PR1 men’s single sculls in Paris on Thursday night in the final of the competition in Bulgaria with a time of nine minutes, three 84 seconds.

The Welshman’s new world record, set at 8:47.88, beat the previous best of 8.50.38 set by Ukrainian Roman Polianskyi.

Pritchard claimed that his performance was a result of the LA 2028 Games’ “performance reset.”

Once the 2024 season was over, it was back to zero, he said, “we’ve got a mantra back at British Rowing.”

“Yes, I won the Paralympics, but this cycle is entirely different. You have to keep up the training to keep moving forward because you are unaware of what other people have done in the winter and what new athletes are gaining.

To go out there and get the world’s best time, which I still feel like I’m early in my season preparations, shows how much the effort I’m making, including trying to be an athlete, working in the city, and being a father, is worthwhile.

In addition, British record-holder Lauren Henry won the women’s single sculls competition, setting a British record.

The third fastest time Henry has ever won was 7:09.76, which Henry won in Paris last year as part of the quadruple sculls.

On Friday, the Englishwoman will compete in the semi-finals.

For my first senior international single race, the 23-year-old said: “It’s an exciting result.” I’m delighted that my plan has been carried out.

French Open 2025

Location: Roland Garros, May 25 – June

As the nation’s interest in the French Open women’s singles ended, British No. 1 Katie Boulter failed to shock American seventh seed Madison Keys.

In the second round, Boulter suffered a number of self-inflicted injuries, including nine double faults in eight service games, beating Australian Open champion Keys 6-1, 6-3.

Boulter, who was broken five times, said, “You’re always under pressure” if you don’t have a great serving day against someone like that.

“I believe I hit a double-fault in almost every service game I play.” You simply can’t afford to do that against someone of that caliber.

Sonay Kartal, a fellow Briton, was also knocked out shortly after Boulter’s exit.

In her first French Open appearance, Kartal struggled for consistency as Marie Bouzkova, a Czech, lost 6-1, 6-4.

After falling to Iga Swiatek, the pair followed Emma Raducanu, who is currently competing in the clay-court Grand Slam tournament, out of the competition.

As their quest for the title of Britain’s top women’s player continues in the grass-court season, all three players are currently ranked in the top 50.

After Boulter, Kartal, and Raducanu’s euphoria of winning their opening matches, no British women have qualified for the third round of Paris.

The trio’s winnings in the first round were among the six British singles players, which was the most successful total since 1973.

The conflict between Boulter and Raducanu was obvious because he had the unenviable task of facing one of the best players in the world on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The 28-year-old had four break points to start off strong, but her momentum lost and her serve began to deteriorate as a result.

Double faults occurred during both of Keys’ breaks in the opening set, with one occurring at break point in the second set’s opening game.

Boulter’s second serve sank as she was 4-1 broken once more, and as a result, Keys, 30, won the match with her second match point.

“It was a really difficult match,” he said. Boulter admitted that he was a little off the mark.

“Granted, she was playing pretty well, but I initially felt a little off base.

It might have been a little easier for myself if I’d perhaps experienced one of those breaks or been held to a tie.

Boulter will enjoy her clay-court season despite the humiliating nature of the defeat.

In the run-up to Roland Garros, she received her first clay title in the French capital after falling into the second-tier of the WTA Tour.

Boulter has struggled with fluidity and confidence in her movement because playing on clay has never been an easy experience.

She can now concentrate on the grass, where her serve and forehand can flourish, despite how she was outclassed by Keys’ methods on the surface.

Kartal, who has climbed more than 200 places in the rankings over the past year, was the first player to participate in the French Open main draw.

After winning her opening match, the British number three now hopes to remain there for the grass season and beyond.

My end of year goal was “the top 50,” Kartal said.

I knew I had to hit it, and given how I had the year off, I knew I could do it sooner than I had anticipated.

The new objective is now to remain there.

The Briton broke in the match’s opening service game, but neither Kartal nor Bouzkova had a fluent beginning.

In the following game, Kartal was unable to convert a break-back point and was quickly led to surrender before serving.

A dubious doubles player named Bouzkova dictated the action, and Kartal’s double fault gave her the first set.

The second set featured a topsy-turvy match between the players, who traded six serve breaks before Bouzkova finally tied the match at 5-4.