Archive July 4, 2025

A week ago, Solana Sierra was out of Wimbledon. Since then, she has picked up her fourth different room key as she keeps up her historic progress at the grass-court Grand Slam.

The 21-year-old Argentine has become the first ‘lucky loser’ in the Open Era to reach the women’s singles fourth round at the All England Club.

Lucky losers are players who lost in qualifying but end up in the main draw if others withdraw.

Sierra only got 15 minutes’ notice before her first-round match that she would be playing, following an injury to Belgium’s Greet Minnen.

And Sierra has grasped her opportunity with both hands, beating Cristina Bucsa 7-5 1-6 6-1 in the third round on Friday.

“I remember I was really sad that day [I lost in qualifying], and today is like the best day of my life,” she told BBC Sport.

“So it’s been really crazy. Seven days ago, I was out of the tournament, right now I’m into the second week. So it’s really crazy, and I’m just super happy. “

She is the first Argentinian woman since Paola Suarez in 2004 to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon.

By getting to that stage, Sierra will take home a minimum of £240,000 in prize money, adding considerably to her £330,000 career earnings until this point.

“[I feel] super lucky,” said the world number 101, who beat Britain’s Katie Boulter in the second round. “But I think I also take the opportunity, and I really want to keep going and to keep dreaming in this tournament. “

While Sierra is the first woman to achieve the feat, there have been five lucky losers to reach the men’s singles fourth round, most recently Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in 2024.

And there is a lucky loser impressing in the men’s singles this year too.

The 2021 Wimbledon quarter-finalist Marton Fucsovics beat Gael Monfils over five sets, and across two days, to reach the third round.

Second Rothesay Test, Edgbaston (day three of five)

India 587 & 64-1: Rahul 28*; Tongue 1-12

England 407: Smith 184*, Brook 158; Siraj 6-70

India lead by 244 runs

Jamie Smith and Harry Brook produced a stunning England fightback but India remain in a dominant position at the end of the third day of the second Test at Edgbaston.

Smith counter-attacked after Joe Root and Ben Stokes fell in consecutive deliveries in the second over of the day, racing to an 80-ball century and going on to make a supreme 184 not out.

He shared an epic partnership of 303 with Brook, who made a more measured yet equally as crucial 158, to haul England back into the contest.

India came roaring back with the second new ball, however, dismissing Brook and sweeping aside the lower order as the final five England wickets fell for just 20 runs. The hosts were all out for 407 with a fired-up Mohammed Siraj taking 6-70.

That meant India took a big first-innings lead of 180, although not as significant an advantage as they looked set for when Stokes was out with his side five down and 503 behind.

India reached 64-1 in 13 overs before the close, extending their advantage to 244.

The first two days of this match were absorbing. On Friday it burst into life to produce one of the most remarkable days in recent memory.

The first session was scarcely believable. England scored 172 runs and excitement built that Smith could reach three figures in less than 76 balls to make the fastest century by an England player – a record that has stood for 123 years.

He failed in that quest but, having come in with his side 85-5 and staring down the barrel, still made the highest score by an England wicketkeeper in men’s Tests, eclipsing Alec Stewart’s 173 in New Zealand in 1997.

Either side of Smith’s mammoth stand with Brook, England lost seven wickets for 28 runs. India deserve immense credit for the way they sensed their moment after tea.

Significant seam movement for Akash Deep helped him bowl Brook while the occasional ball has turned for the spinners and others kept low to the quicks.

That means chasing anything more than the 371 England pursued at Headingley to win last week’s first Test will be tough.

But if England do not bowl out India, their opponents will be left with an intriguing tactical decision of when to declare given England’s chasing credentials – they also pursued 378 to beat India in 2022 – and the hosts’ stated disinterest in playing for a draw.

Ten balls into the day, England’s hopes looked as good as over.

Having resumed on 77-3, Root was caught down the leg side and a ball later Stokes gloved behind a brutal Siraj bouncer.

But Smith drove his first ball – Siraj’s hat-trick delivery – for four through mid-off. It was an emphatic sign of intent from a highly-rated 24-year-old, who played one of the great England knocks in recent memory.

After a quick start he went up another gear as India turned to a bouncer ploy and the Surrey man flogged Prasidh Krishna for 23 in one over.

When Smith planted spinner Ravindra Jadeja into the stands, he had 84 from 61 balls and the record held by Gilbert Jessop looked in real danger. Despite failing there, Smith still beat Brook, who began the day on 30, to three figures.

After lunch, India played on the pair’s patience by bowling wide. The England duo smartly meandered along, taking 106 runs in the session compared to the rampant flow of runs earlier.

Having been calm most of the day, Brook charged his first delivery against the second new ball.

He survived swiping on that occasion but could do little to a ball from Deep that jagged back in the seamer’s next over.

From there India were re-energised.

Chris Woakes nicked Deep to slip for five and Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue were both pinned lbw without scoring by Siraj.

The India quick then bowled last man Shoaib Bashir, having hit him on the helmet a ball earlier. Bashir was the sixth batter to make a duck on a remarkable scorecard – the most in an innings in England’s Test history.

With the momentum against them again, the hosts began poorly with the new ball and allowed Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul’s opening stand to reach 51 in 48 balls.

When they did strike, Jaiswal reviewed an lbw decision after he was hit on the pad by Tongue despite appearing to be out of time to do so.

England batter Harry Brook, speaking to BBC Test Match Special: “It was nice to spend some time out there with Smudge [Jamie Smith]. He has a long England career ahead of him. Hopefully we’ve clawed ourselves back in the game.

“If I hadn’t got out we would not be in this situation now but we saw last week how quickly it can change. Akash and Siraj bowled well. They attacked the stumps with all modes of dismissal in play.

“Thankfully we’ve seen the back of Jaiswal and hopefully we can make inroads tomorrow. India are in the driving seat but hopefully we can put pressure with early wickets and make them crumble. “

Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan: “The one concern I would have is that India had much more movement with the new ball. From what I’ve seen now, England have to get a little bit of seam into their action because it’s a flat pitch.

“India are brought up on these kind of wickets. I can’t see them collapsing tomorrow, they aren’t going to give them anything. They’ve dominated completely other than about three hours today. “

Former England bowler Steven Finn: “If I was inside in the India dressing room just play that first session, be cautious and don’t let England get wind in their sails with early wickets. Then you can have fun as a batter.

“They might have one eye on the weather, but I’m not sure they will be brave enough to make a declaration. They will be wary of Headingley and what happened here last time.