Five million watch Sabalenka beat Raducanu

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A peak TV audience of five million people watched Aryna Sabalenka beat Emma Raducanu in straight sets in the third round of Wimbledon.

Raducanu’s latest Centre Court appearance attracted the third-highest peak for a non-final match in four years behind only her own fourth-round match with Lulu Sun last year and Andy Murray’s match against John Isner in 2022.

There were also more than 1. 2 million requests on BBC iPlayer, making it the most-streamed match of the day.

He added: “We’re proud to make these iconic and unforgettable sporting moments available to everyone free-to-air across TV, radio and online – and there’s still plenty of drama to come in week two. “

BBC Sport has recorded 31. 6 million online requests for Wimbledon 2025, with 7. 3 million of those coming on the opening day.

The 31. 6 million online requests is a 50% increase year-on-year and the highest-ever digital engagement for the tournament’s opening week.

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  • Tennis

Sinner Powers Into Wimbledon Last 16 As Djokovic Eyes Century

Wimbledon top seed Jannik Sinner crushed Pedro Martinez to reach the last 16 without losing a set on Saturday while title rival Novak Djokovic targets his 100th victory at the tournament.

Sinner took just one hour and 55 minutes to demolish 52nd-ranked Martinez 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 in a Centre Court masterclass, though the Spaniard was struggling with a shoulder issue.

The 23-year-old will face Bulgarian 19th seed Grigor Dimitrov or Austria’s Sebastian Ofner in the fourth round at the All England Club.

Sinner has lost just 17 games across his first three matches at this year’s tournament, in contrast to defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who has shown patchy form on route to the last 16.

The Italian returned from a doping ban in May, losing the Italian Open final to Alcaraz and squandering three championship points against the Spaniard in the French Open final last month.

His best performance at Wimbledon was a run to the semi-finals in 2023 and he reached the quarter-finals last year.

“Every time you reach the second week of a Grand Slam it’s a very special occasion,” said Sinner, who acknowledged Martinez’s discomfort with his shoulder.

“Even more special here in Wimbledon, so I’m very happy to be in the second week. ”

Later on Centre Court, Djokovic will resume his bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam crown.

The seven-time champion, locked with the long-retired Margaret Court on 24 majors, is aiming to reach the fourth round for the 17th time in his 20th appearance at Wimbledon.

A third-round clash against Serbian Davis Cup teammate Miomir Kecmanovic will hold few fears for the sixth seed, who has not lost against his 49th-ranked compatriot in three previous meetings.

If Djokovic beats Kecmanovic he will reach a century of victories at the All England Club, a feat only surpassed by eight-time champion Roger Federer, who won 105 times on the lawns of southwest London, and Martina Navratilova, who chalked up 120 victories.

“If I play like this, I feel like I have a very good chance against anybody, really, on the Centre Court of Wimbledon, a place where I maybe feel the most comfortable on any court,” Djokovic said after beating Britain’s Dan Evans in the second round.

Djokovic’s first Wimbledon win came against Argentine Juan Monaco 20 years ago, when Kecmanovic was aged just five.

Swiatek’s title chance 

Former champion Elena Rybakina became the latest star to suffer a shock exit, losing to Denmark’s Clara Tauson 7-6 (8/6), 6-3.

Rybakina, the Kazakh 11th seed, won her maiden Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2022 and reached the semi-finals last year.

But the 26-year-old’s hopes of another strong run were ended by 23rd-seeded Tauson in a third-round tie on Court Two.

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva thrashed American world number 55 Hailey Baptiste 6-1, 6-3 in just 78 minutes on Court One.

The 18-year-old, seeded seventh, is one of the few leading players left in the women’s draw.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka is the only player remaining from among the top six seeds.

Iga Swiatek has quietly gone about her business at this year’s Wimbledon but will have watched the mass exodus of her top rivals with interest.

The five-time Grand Slam champion is seeded eighth at the All England club after slipping down the rankings, though she is now back in the world’s top four after reaching the Bad Homburg final last week.

The Pole, who faces American Danielle Collins in the third round, has never been beyond the quarter-finals at the All England Club.

Swiatek, who has won four titles on the French Open clay, was beaten by former Australian Open finalist Collins at the Italian Open in May.

Defending women’s champion Barbora Krejcikova is also in action on Saturday against American 10th seed Emma Navarro.

Mel B breaks her silence with sweet update after marrying Rory McPhee

Scary Spice star, Melanie Brown, has tied the knot with hairdresser, Rory McPhee, at a £28,000 ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral in London

Mel B has got married for the third time(Image: officialmelb/Instagram)

Spice Girl star, Mel B, has got hitched for the third time after marrying her fiancé, Rory McPhee. The happy couple, who have known each other for years, tied the knot at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, surrounded by their famous pals.

Mel, 50, who has been married before to Dutch dancer, Jimmy Gulzar, and American film producer, Stephen Belafonte, looked gorgeous for her special day, wearing a stunning bridal gown with a sweetheart necklace and pearl detail.

Celebrities were out in force for the special day, with Cara Delevingne cutting a dapper figure in a chic suit as she attended the happy couple’s nuptials. Comic Alan Carr was all smiles as he boarded the party bus after Mel and Rory exchanged vows earlier today

Mel has now made her first social media post as a newly married woman. Taking to Instagram, the Spice Girl shared a joint post with her new husband as she shared a snap from her wedding day with fans.

MEL AND RORY OUTSIDE ST PAULS IN BRIDAL CLOTHES
The newly-weds shared this snap for their first post as a married couple(Image: officialmelb/rorymcphee/instagram)

The newly-weds simply captioned the snap of them posing outside St Paul’s Catherdral: “[heart emoji] 05/07/25. ” The pair were quickly flooded with messages of love from her thousands of followers.

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St Paul’s Cathedral is not usually a wedding venue, even though Prince Charles and Princess Diana married there in 19181. However, Mel was able to celebrate her nuptials at the iconic London landmark, which are rumoured to have cost £28,000, because she is an MBE, due to her charity work.

Joining her and Rory at the resplendent church, was Baby Spice star, Emma Bunton and her family. Victoria Beckham said she couldn’t attend due to ‘prior commitments’ and Mel C is in tour in Sweden.

Geri, meanwhile, has has had rocky relationship with Mel, with sources telling the Mail she’d “lost patience” with Scary’s “little jibes and digs” after Mel sensationally claimed she had slept with Ginger Spice when they were on tour.

The Mirror revealed earlier today that mum-of-three, Mel, would be given away by friend and journalist, James Steen. The former Mirror journalist filled in for Mel’s father Martin, who sadly died in 2017 after a five year battle with myeloma cancer.

James is the husband of Louise Gannon, Mel’s biographer. The couple are parents to Charlie Steen – the lead singer of punk band Shame.

Meanwhile, Rory’s best man was be his brother Jordan McPhee, while the flower girls were Mel’s nieces.

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Rory, who has known Mel before her Spice Girls fame and who is a friend of her cousin is said to be as “un-showbiz as they come”.

A close friend of the couple told us “It’s why everyone thinks that they get on so well… and why he is so good for Melanie. He doesn’t come from that fake, entertainment world. He is down to earth, family orientated and just a normal bloke. “

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‘Celebrities like Charlize Theron and Kris Jenner are dating younger men for one clear reason’

From Charlize Theron to Kris Jenner, an expert explains why older women in Hollywood are dating younger men and why the controversial trend might becoming more popular

Charlize Theron recently admitted to an age-gap hook-up(Image: Getty Images)

Age gap relationships in Hollywood are nothing new – but Charlize Theron still managed to cause a social media furore after admitting to sleeping with a younger man on a recent Call Her Daddy podcast. Now it seems she’s beckoning a new era: of cougar romances.

In a candid discussion about her dating life with host Alex Cooper, the 49-year-old actress said that she’s only had a few one-night stands in her life. However, she added: “But I did just recently f**k a 26-year-old, and it was really f**king amazing.”

She then asked herself: “Oh, f**k, I should have done this in my 20s. ” Then jokingly added: “Who has f**king time for dates and shaving and waxing and makeup? I’ve got two children that have to go to school the next [day]. “

Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron opened up about her dating life on the Call Her Daddy podcast(Image: Getty Images for CTAOP)

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Her story was quick to provoke backlash on X. “Uhh, why is she talking about this openly? ” a commenter asked. “I could not feel attraction to a man that could be the age of my son. Yucky,” another wrote.

However, there were others who were far more supportive. “And what is the problem? They both are adults, right? Let people live their lives as they want,” one user said. Another pointed out the double standard in attitude towards men and women: “And? If [Leonardo] DiCaprio or Elon [Musk] can, why can’t she? ”

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She’s far from the only woman in Hollywood to see the appeal in younger men. Massive stars like Tracee Ellis Woods, Madonna and even the world’s most famous momager Kris Jenner have publicly dated younger men.

Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble
Kris Jenner pictured with younger boyfriend Corey Gamble(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Kris Jenner, 69, first met 44-year-old Corey Gamble at a party in 2014 and eventually made their relationship Instagram-official the following year. In a 2024 confessional from The Kardashians, she admitted that she initially had her doubts about the 25-year age gap.

“I used to say to Corey all the time when I first started dating him, like why do you want to date somebody who is older than you? I didn’t get the age gap, and then he taught me that age is just a number,” Kris said. “It’s a f**king big number, but it’s a number! “

Meanwhile, Madonna has had a history of dating younger men – most recently 28-year-old Akeem Morris. In a 2017 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the 66-year-old said: “I have lovers who are three decades younger than me. This makes people very uncomfortable. I feel like everything I do makes people feel really uncomfortable.”

Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracee Ellis Ross has said she prefers dating younger men(Image: WWD via Getty Images)

Black-ish star Tracee Ellis-Woods also recently came out to express her preference for dating younger men. On the IMO podcast, hosted by Michelle Obama and her brother Craig Robinson, the 52-year-old said: “A lot of men my age are steeped in toxic masculinity and have been raised in a culture where there is a particular way that a relationship looks.”

“There is a difference. There is an openness that occurs with a younger man around, whether it’s gender fluidity or not even having an issue with homosexuality — something as basic as that,” she added.

So, are we seeing a rise in ‘cougar’ relationships? Hope Flynn, relationship expert and founder of So what?, says this sentiment that younger men are more open is fairly common. She explained: “The appeal of dating younger men often lies in their energy, enthusiasm and fresh perspectives on life. They may bring a sense of adventure, spontaneity and openness to new experiences.”

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She continues: “This dynamic can really boost a woman’s confidence and create a rejuvenating and playful connection. ‘Age-gap relationships’ are no longer just limited to older men and younger women, as we are seeing a rise in relationships that don’t follow traditional ‘age rules’. ”

Part of the trend is also coming from women’s increased autonomy. “Over the years women have become more and more independent, we are more educated than ever, we can pay our own bills and all of these things contribute to allowing older women to pursue relationships with younger guys as they no longer have to be dependent on a man. ”

The shift is also coming from men too. Hope adds: “Younger guys are also increasingly attracted to the independence and maturity that older women have to offer. This can make for a good relationship as younger men have less pressure to be the sole provider within a relationship like they used to years ago. ”

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Wimbledon 2025 glamour as Oti Mabuse, Glenn Powell and Binky Felstead lead celeb attendees

I’m A Celebrity star Oti Mabuse and former Made In Chelsea star Binky Felstead were among the stars attending Wimbledon on Saturday

Binky Felstead and Oti Mabuse were among the many stars who attended Wimbledon on Saturday to watch the matches unfold. While many are mainly there to see who wins the next grand slam title, others are waiting to see who is the best-dressed celebrity attending the games.

Keen fans queued up for their traditional strawberries and cream, eager to watch such intense athletes as Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter, Julian Cash, Lloyd Glasspool, Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury vie for this year’s Wimbledon trophy.

It’s been almost a week and the likes of Made In Chelsea’s Louise Thompson, This Morning’s Cat Deeley and Olivia Dean have been spotted at the event. But on Saturday, a host of big names were their in full force, including Binky, Oti, Hollywood star Glenn Powell and Danny Ramirez.

Oti was on theme rocking a navy tennis dress with a white collar. She added a pop of summer shine with bright white heels and flawless makeup. Binky hopped on the butter yellow trend in a matching co-ord set.

Cara Delevigne cuts a dapper figure at Mel B’s wedding as stuns in chic suit

Cara Delevigne was one of many high profile celebrities who attended the highly anticipated wedding between Spice Girl Mel B and Rory McPhee held at St Paul’s Cathedral

Cara Delevigne leads star-studded guest list of Mel B’s wedding(Image: TIM ANDERSON)

Cara Delevigne cut an elegant and stylish appearance as she made her way into the iconic St Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate the wedding of Melanie Brown and Rory McPhee. The 32 year old supermodel donned a tailored black suit teamed with a crisp white shirt, while her hair was tied up in black lace which was complimented by a hat.

The model, who has walked the runway for a number of high profile fashion houses, finished off her look with a large pair of dark sunglasses.

Cara was one of many A-list guests including Daisy Lowe, comedian Katherine Ryan, Emma Bunton and the man that created the Spice Girls turning them a global sensation, Simon Fuller.

Cara Delevigne leads star-studded guest list of Mel B's wedding
Cara Delevigne leads star-studded guest list of Mel B’s wedding(Image: TIM ANDERSON)

Despite the absence of Geri Horner, Victoria Beckham and Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton flew the Spice Girls flag as she attend the ceremony with her husband Jade and their son.

It has been reported that Victoria Beckham was unable to attend as she was out of the country. But she paid tribute to Mel B on Instagram after posting a picture of the pair of them looking glam.

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Other guests included presenters Angelica Bell, Gabby Roslin, comedian Alan Carr and her sister Danielle.

Emma Bunton arrived with her husband Jade and their son
Emma Bunton arrived with her husband Jade and their son(Image: PA)

Mel looked sensational in her pearl embellished white gown that showed off her amazing curves.

Arriving in a white Bentley, Mel looked radiant as she tweaked her veil as she made her way into the Cathedral.

Ahead of her nuptials, Mel revealed to WWD magazine details of her dress and the designers.

Katherine Ryan attended the nuptials with her husband
Katherine Ryan attended the nuptials with her husband(Image: PA)

She told the publication earlier this year: “I found an amazing bridal boutique called Evelie in London and in one incredible afternoon, I found two perfect dresses. “

She added: “One beautiful classic dress by Josephine Scott, a British designer and one stunning dramatic dress by a U. S. designer, Justin Alexander. “

The Spice Girl continued to tell the publication: “I’ve since had fittings in London and New York, so it’s a perfect blend of my love for Britain and America. “

Angelica Bell arrived at St Paul's Cathedral with comedian Alan Carr
Angelica Bell arrived at St Paul’s Cathedral with comedian Alan Carr(Image: PA)

She said at the time: “This will be a very formal, English wedding where I want to feel regal and very proper. “

She added: “All the ladies will wear hats or fascinators. Then, I’m having a second ceremony abroad, which will be more informal, sexy, and beautiful. “

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