Category Sports News

British number three Sonay Kartal has said she wants help picking a new tattoo after reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon.

The 23-year-old booked her place in the last 16 with a 6-4 6-2 victory over France’s Diane Parry on Friday.

Kartal will face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the next round on Sunday, but has made no secret of her desire to add to the 14 tattoos she already has.

“I’m not one to say no to a tattoo,” she said after her win over Parry. “I think I can easily be persuaded.

“I’m just lacking on a few creative ideas myself so if people have any ideas let me know and I’m sure that I will definitely get one. “

Kartal was ranked 298th in the world before Wimbledon last year but is now 51st and is the only Briton left in the women’s singles draw.

Her run at this year’s tournament is her best ever performance at a Grand Slam, beating her appearance in the third round in 2024.

Of her 14 tattoos, Kartal includes the year ‘2022’ to mark the first time she played in all four Grand Slams.

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has been ruled out of the remainder of the T20 series against India with a groin injury.

The 32-year-old suffered the injury in Tuesday’s second T20 defeat and missed Friday’s third match.

She will miss the games at Old Trafford on Wednesday and Edgbaston on 12 June, with Tammy Beaumont continuing to lead the side.

However she is expected to be fit for the three one-day internationals that follow from 16 July.

Those matches will be England’s last in the format before the 50-over World Cup in the autumn.

After winning gold at the British Karate Championships, a 10-year-old Harlem Eubank went with his mother to the shop, where they bumped into his famous uncle.

“Harlem’s just won a British title,” his mum, beaming with pride, told Chris Eubank Sr.

She expected a hug or at least a smile… But the former world champion didn’t miss a beat.

“I have 19 world title defences,” he replied flatly, before carrying on with his day.

“That was it, he was gone,” Harlem says now, laughing. “My mum was probably fuming but even at that age, I understood what he was trying to say. He was planting the seed that it’s never enough, there’s always more to do. Aim higher. “

It was vintage Eubank Sr – dismissive yet full of purpose.

It’s a lesson Harlem still carries with him today as he prepares for the biggest fight of his professional career.

The 31-year-old welterweight will face fellow Briton and former world-title challenger Jack Catterall at Manchester’s AO Arena on Saturday.

“It’s a massive statement fight. That’s why I pushed for it. I believe I’ll be a world champion and this is the fight that proves it,” Harlem adds.

The Eubank name is steeped in British boxing folklore with unforgettable nights and iconic rivalries.

A two-time world champion, the eccentric Eubank Sr was a boxing superstar who transcended the sport. And by the time Harlem turned professional in 2017, his cousin Chris Eubank Jr was already a British champion.

But Harlem – a noticeably less flamboyant and more reserved character than his uncle and cousin – never intended to follow in their footsteps.

“I tried to stay away from boxing at first because my family had already done it,” he explains.

“They’d been to the top of the mountain so what’s the point in me starting? “

In his early years, Harlem threw himself into karate and football. He earned a black belt by the age of 11 and later for signed for Brighton & Hove Albion’s youth set-up.

At 14, he walked into a boxing gym for the first time out of curiosity, but football coaches told him he had to choose. And so, boxing was put aside.

Four years later, though, something pulled him back.

Harlem turned professional aged 23 but, much like his cousin, quickly realised that being a Eubank in boxing can be a double-edged sword.

“Everyone wants to beat you. They bring their best version into the ring every time because they think they’re fighting for a world title,” he says.

In an age of influencer boxing, Harlem could have arguably chosen an easier and more lucrative route rather than trading on his name.

Instead, he fought on small-hall shows and steadily honed his craft.

“I’ve done it the traditional way. There’s not a door I haven’t kicked down myself,” he says.

In a throwback to the ITV era when his uncle headlined to millions on free-to-air television, Harlem has spent the past few years as a regular headliner of Channel 5’s Friday night boxing cards.

With his uncle and cousin watching from ringside, Harlem stopped Tyrone McKenna in the 10th round in March.

But Chorley’s Catterall is a different proposition.

A proven contender who has operated at world level, Catterall is regarded by many as the man who should have become England’s first male four-belt undisputed champion after a controversial points loss to Josh Taylor.

Harlem, though, is relishing the role of underdog.

“Time and time again, I’ve had to prove people wrong,” he says.

“But I think people are starting to take notice of me now.

Summer tour first Test: Japan v Wales

Japan (7) 24

Tries: Matsunaga, Nakakusu, Vailea Cons: Matsunaga 3 Pens: Lee

Wales (19) 19

Japan stunned Wales in Kitakyushu with a first-Test fightback that condemned the visitors to an 18th successive defeat.

The tourists led 19-7 at the break, but Japan scored all the second-half points with Halatoa Vailea crashing over from a close-range line-out in the 71st-minute to claim the win for Eddie Jones’ side.

Summer tour first Test: Japan v Wales

Japan (7) 24

Tries: Matsunaga, Nakakusu, Vailea Cons: Lee 3 Pens: Lee

Wales (19) 19

Wales’ record losing international run extended to 18 games as they were beaten 24-19 by Japan in extremely hot and humid conditions in Kitakyushu.

The tourists led 19-7 at the break, but wilted in the intense conditions in a match that took two hours to complete.

There were water breaks in each half and an extended half-time period to cope with the extreme weather with players wearing ice hats to cool down.

Japan coped better with the conditions and scored all the second-half points with Halatoa Vailea crashing over from a close-range line-out in the 71st-minute to claim the win for Eddie Jones’ side.

After losing lock Ben Carter to injury after only 24 seconds, Wales took the initiative through tries from from Ben Thomas, Tom Rogers and a penalty try, but they faded badly in the searing heat.

It was a second victory for Japan against Wales with head coach Jones also masterminding the first in 2013.

The defeat means Wales have fallen to a new low and they are now without a Test win in 21 months and have slipped two places to an all-time low of 14th in the world rankings, below Japan and Samoa.

The game kicked off at 14:00 local time and with temperatures reaching 34C with a very high humidity reading, the players were given a three-minute water break in the middle of each half, while the interval was extended from 15 to 20 minutes.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had enquired about delaying the kick-off until later in the day so conditions would be cooler, but Japan wanted to play at this time.

Home coach Jones had said whoever dealt with the conditions better would win and that he hoped for a hot day because the hosts would try to “run Wales off their feet”.

The water break and extended half-time measures are being taken under World Rugby’s updated heat and air quality guidelines, to support players playing in hot conditions.

The half-time extension was applied because conditions were deemed the second-most severe reading, with the next step being to consider “delaying or suspending the game”.

That never materialised, but the excruciating conditions played a part in the length and quality of the contest.

Kitakyushu had been Wales’ training base for the 2019 World Cup with the local population taking Warren Gatland’s squad to its heart.

More than 15,000 locals had crammed into the stadium just to watch Wales train before the home supporters launched into a rendition of the nation anthem.

Six years later there was again a capacity crowd this time to watch what was only the second rugby international to be staged at the venue.

Cardiff coach Sherratt was again in caretaker charge after he had been brought into lead Wales for the final three Six Nations games after Gatland’s departure in February.

He made 11 changes to the side that lost 68-14 to England in Cardiff with flankers Josh Macleod and Alex Mann, lock Teddy Williams scrum-half Kieran Hardy and centre Johnny Williams rewarded for strong domestic form.

Carter, who missed the 2024 autumn internationals and 2025 Six Nations because of injury, lasted only 24 seconds on his international return.

He was injured while making a tackle and after a lengthy stoppage, was taken off on a stretcher. James Ratti came on in his place, with both sides having to regroup.

Wales responded with a well-worked move that allowed Taulupe Faletau to provide a simple try-scoring pass to Thomas with Costelow converting.

Some more incisive attacking saw Adams burst down the left-hand side with his inside grubber kick almost finding scrum-half Hardy.

Wales had the early upper hand in the scrum, but their line-out was struggling and Japan capitalised on their first opportunity with a well-worked try for full-back Matsunga.

Scarlets midfield man Williams, who was back in Test rugby after an absence of almost two years, formed an eighth different Wales centre partnership in nine games this season.

Williams is more used to playing at inside centre but his defensive inexperience in the wider channel was exposed as Japan produced a fine attacking move, involving new cap Kippei Ishida before Matsunaga crossed.

Lee converted and it was 7-7 at the first water break after 20 minutes where Wales players used ice hats and towels to cool themselves.

Wales rallied and a clever kick from Hardy resulted in replacement wing Ichigo Nakakusu slapping the ball deliberately out of play to deny Adams a try-scoring opportunity and resulted in a penalty try and a yellow card.

Wales took advantage of their extra man after another fine Faletau break released the backs and wing Rogers scored in the corner.

The hosts responded with number eight Amato Fakatava denied by a last-ditch tackle by Ben Thomas.

The 40-minute first half lasted more than an hour with all the stoppages but Wales led by 12 points as both sets of players almost staggered off the field.

Sherratt had stated the importance of his 23-man selection as he introduced experienced replacement forwards Gareth Thomas, Tommy Reffell and Aaron Wainwright compared to six uncapped Japan players on the hosts’ bench.

But after the second-half water break, it was a Japan replacement in Nakakusu, who crossed after fine work from the home forwards, with captain Leitch at the forefront of the comeback.

Lee converted and slotted over a penalty to reduce the deficit to two points, although Japan could have taken the lead if a try for Ben Gunter was not ruled out for a forward pass from Cornelsen.

Cardiff captain Liam Belcher came on for his international debut when he replaced Lake, but Japan were preying on Wales’ indiscipline, poor line-out and general fatigue.

Japan took the lead for the first time through a try from Vailea with Lee again converting.

Japan: Takuro Matsunaga; Kippei Ishida, Dylan Riley, Shogo Nakano, Malo Tuitama; Seungsin Lee, Shinobu Fujiwara; Yota Kamimori, Mamoru Harada, Shuhei Takeuchi, Epineri Uluiviti, Warner Deans, Michael Leitch (capt), Jack Cornelsen, Amato Fakatava.

Replacements: Hayate Era, Sena Kimura, Keijiro Tamefusa, Waisake Raratubua, Ben Gunter, Shuntaro Kitamura, Ichigo Nakakusu, Halatoa Vailea.

Wales: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake (capt), Keiron Assiratti, Ben Carter, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Liam Belcher, Gareth Thomas, Archie Griffin, James Ratti, Aaron Wainwright, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, Joe Roberts.

Referee: Damian Schneider (Argentina)

Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England) & Luke Pearce (England)

England and Wales are flying the flag for the home nations at Euro 2025 this summer.

But the two teams have found themselves paired together in the trickiest group, alongside the Netherlands and France.

That means three of the four teams in the group are in the top 11 of Fifa’s world rankings.

Wales take on the Dutch (17:00 BST on Saturday) in a game you can watch and listen to across the BBC, before England face France (20:00), with radio commentary on 5 Live and BBC Sounds, with live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.

Group D, according to Netherlands boss Andries Jonker, is the “toughest group of all” at Euro 2025.

And Opta have backed up his claim, with the stat experts’ supercomputer predicting there’s a 37% chance a Group D team will win the tournament.

That’s 7% higher than the second-favourite group.

“It’s the most lopsided draw I have ever seen,” football journalist Tom Garry told the Football Daily podcast.

England arrive in Switzerland as the defending champions while the Netherlands won the previous tournament in 2017 – both were managed by Sarina Wiegman.

Both teams won all three of their group-stage games when they won the title.

The defending champions have never failed to progress past the group stage at a European Championship.

“Straight from the beginning, we need to be really sharp and strong but that’s also the case for the other teams,” England head coach Wiegman said when the draw was made.

The Lionesses have won their past 14 group-stage matches at major tournaments while the Netherlands are unbeaten in their past 13.

Jonker said: “This is the toughest group of all with three top countries. We have to accept this and go for the challenge and believe in ourselves.

France have never won a major trophy but they have an impressive group-stage record, progressing in each of their past eight major tournament appearances.

And Laurent Bonadei’s team have form on their side. They are on an eight-game winning run and have only conceded two goals since February while they last tasted defeat in December – to world champions Spain.

England full-back Lucy Bronze says Saturday’s opening match between the sides is not to be missed.

“Both teams are full of exciting attacking talent and I think it’s the game everyone is going to be watching because it’s surely the most exciting group game coming into a Euros,” right-back Bronze said.

Les Bleues left-back Selma Bacha also said she is “very happy” to play England first, adding: “That’s going to put us straight into the thick of things for the Euros. “

However, this will be the first time since 2005 that France have been at a Euros or World Cup without both Wendie Renard and all-time leading scorer Eugenie le Sommer, who were controversially left out of Bonadei’s side.

“The experience and the amount of caps that Renard and Le Sommer have is absolutely huge,” said former England forward Ellen White.

“To have that completely wiped from your squad is a really interesting dynamic to go into this tournament. “

Competing in their first major tournament and as the lowest ranked team in the compteition, Wales are not only the underdogs for Group D but for the whole of Euro 2025.

“People can call us underdogs and write us off as much as they want but our belief in ourselves will be the most important thing,” said Wales forward Jess Fishlock.

“I think we will embrace it and we will use it as an advantage. “

Despite their lower ranking, Wales have shown they can compete with top teams under coach Rhian Wilkinson, claiming two impressive draws against Sweden earlier this year.

“It absolutely terrifies me playing Wales in the last game and trying to get points because it will be such a hard game,” White said.

“It will be a European final for Wales. They’ve got enthusiasm, you don’t know what to expect, they’re competitive, the fans are going to be amazing. That’s going to be a really hard test for England. “