Category News

Wimbledon 2025

Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club

Cameron Norrie says he used a crowd tactic deployed by Andy Murray to get himself fired up during his third-round Wimbledon victory over Italian Matteo Bellucci.

Playing on Court One – which he describes as his favourite at the tournament – the 29-year-old said he picked out members of the crowd to feed off their energy as he battled to a 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 6-3 victory.

“I think it’s important to use the crowd to your advantage,” he said.

“I was just pulling from random people in the crowd today, getting fired up with them. You can see they’re loving it. “

Focusing on particularly passionate individuals in the crowd to motivate himself was a strategy often used by three-time Grand Slam champion Murray.

At Indian Wells last year, former world number one Murray paid tribute to a fan who had provided him with constant support in a first-round win over David Goffin.

“I wanted to pull from the energy from not just my team but from some random people in the crowd. I’ve seen Andy Murray do that a lot in his matches,” Norrie added.

“They’re there to watch tennis. They’re there to enjoy. I wanted to try to give them something to cheer about.

“I think the people quite like it when you look at them and get fired up. They feel like they’ve played a part in the win. “

Norrie’s win over world number 73 Bellucci means he remains the last Briton standing in the men’s singles draw at the All England Club.

He had already gone one better than British number one Jack Draper, who suffered a shock second-round exit on Thursday, but ensured British interest is not over yet by booking his place in the last 16 for the second time in his career.

Having overcome stern tests in his opening two rounds against Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut then American 12th seed Frances Tiafoe, Norrie faced a more straightforward task, on paper at least, against Bellucci.

The Italian was enjoying his best career run at a Grand Slam but caused Norrie problems in a tense first set.

Currently ranked 61 in the world, Norrie found his stride to weather the storm, then comfortably navigated the next two and set up a meeting with Chile’s Nicolas Jarry.

Norrie came into the Championships at the All England Club knowing all the scrutiny was on compatriot Draper, seeded fourth.

That could be a contributing factor as to why Norrie said he is enjoying his tennis “more than ever” with less of the pressure that comes with being British number one.

That, and the chance to play free-flowing tennis after a turbulent period – he was ranked as low as 91 in April, having been inside the world’s top 10 three years ago.

With Draper out, the crowd on Court One were suitably fired up to support the last remaining home player in the men’s draw, although they did not have much to shout about in the opening exchanges as Bellucci immediately broke to love.

Norrie almost secured an instant break back but an enthusiastic Bellucci put up staunch resistance to consolidate his advantage.

When the break back did eventually come in the eighth game, the crowd were only too willing to join in with Norrie’s celebrations before rising to their feet again after a stunning backhand winner helped him seal a tightly contested tie-break.

The gusto that had carried Bellucci through the first set faded in the second as the error count began to creep up and Norrie took full advantage.

The pair exchanged breaks in the second set but, when Norrie moved ahead in the seventh game, Bellucci could find no response and the Briton took the set with his second opportunity.

Norrie again found the early break in the third set with a stunning forehand winner down the line before pushing further ahead with a glorious drop shot to take the double break.

Women’s Irish Open second-round leaderboard

-11 L Woad (Eng*); -8 C Tamburlini (Swi); -7 C Hull (Eng), A Garvey (NZ), K Rudgeley (Aus), M Sagstrom (Swe); -6 A Swayne (USVI), H Screen (Eng)

Selected others: -4 E Hamilton (Eng); -3 M Rhodes (Eng); -1 A Foster (Ire); Level E Fleming (Ire*); +1 L Maguire (Ire), G Hall (Eng)

Woad, 21, recorded seven birdies and just one bogey in windy conditions to lead Switzerland’s overnight joint-leader Chiara Tamburlini, who birdied her last hole for a two-under 71.

World number 19 Charley Hull of England shot a bogey-free 69 and shares third place alongside Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley (68), Sweden’s four-time Solheim Cup player Madelene Sagstrom (71) and New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey (70).

England’s Hannah Screen (72) and Alexandra Swayne of the Virgin Islands (72) are a shot further back on six-under.

Woad is the world’s top-ranked amateur and served notice of her potential with victory in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and a top-10 finish in the Women’s Open last year.

And while she has not yet turned professional, the Florida State University player has put herself in a strong position to win her first Ladies European Tour title with 36 holes to go in County Kildare.

After a bogey-free opening 68, Woad started Friday’s round on the 10th and picked up three shots on her front nine.

Woad, from Farnham in Surrey, gained another three strokes in the first six holes of her second nine, and while a solitary blemish came on the par-four eighth, a closing birdie extended her advantage at the top of the leaderboard.

Woad led by four until 2024 Order of Merit winner Tamburlini knocked her approach at the final hole to within a foot for a closing birdie.

But while Woad shone, home favourite Maguire failed to build on her opening 72 as she dropped three shots in her first five holes.

The three-time Solheim Cup player then mixed three birdies with a double bogey on the back nine to sit in a tie for 49th alongside England’s former Open champion Georgia Hall, who shot 76.

Wimbledon 2025

Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz kept himself on course for a third Wimbledon title in a row by overcoming Jan-Lennard Struff in an enthralling encounter to reach the fourth round.

The world number two has yet to really hit his stride at the tournament but came through some big pressure situations and produced moments of quality in this match to seal a 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4 win.

Alcaraz will next face 14th seed Andrey Rublev – who beat Adrian Mannarino 7-5 6-2 6-3 – for a place in the quarter-finals.

“I knew it was going to be difficult,” the 22-year-old Spaniard said.

“He has big serves, approaches the net and I am really pleased with everything I had done today.

“I am proud to get the win in four sets. It was stressful as well. I was suffering in every set that I did today. “

Alcaraz had to battle through five sets and almost five hours on court to see off Fabio Fognini in the opening round and, although he did then beat British wildcard Ollie Tarvet in straight sets, he had to fend off a number of chances the Wimbledon debutant had to break him.

Initially, it looked like he would sail past world number 125 Struff in front of an expectant Centre Court crowd on Friday as he wrapped up the opening set in under 30 minutes, dropping just one game to the German.

But the second set was a different story as Struff found his power and accuracy on his serve. Having not managed a single ace in the first set, he hit four in the second to help him break Alcaraz twice and level up matters.

But that accuracy deserted the German number three early in the third. Three double faults gifted Alcaraz a break to go 2-0 up and he stayed in control to take the set.

The pressure ramped up in the fourth but Alcaraz showed the quality that has allowed him to go 21 matches unbeaten.

He fended off a couple of potential break opportunities before a wonderful backhand volley at the net helped him on the way to a crucial break at 4-4.

That had the Centre Court crowd up on their feet before Alcaraz wrapped up the set and the match with a dominant hold to love to cement his place in the next round.

Taylor Fritz must not want to be anywhere else but on court at Wimbledon, given how long his matches have been.

All three of his matches have lasted more than three hours – in his latest epic, he beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-4 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-1.

The American did at least get it done in four sets rather than the two five-set marathons that preceded it.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m a bit sore after this match, because even though it was four, it was much more physical than my other two matches,” he said.

“I did a lot more side-to-side running in the heat as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m a bit sore. But overall I’m feeling good. “

He will next face Australian Jordan Thompson in the last 16.

Thompson, who had never reached this stage of Wimbledon before, beat Italian Luciano Darderi 6-4 6-4 3-6 6-3.

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker is close to joining Burnley after passing a medical at the Premier League newcomers.

The 35-year-old England right-back will sign a two-year contract with the Clarets, having spent the second half of the 2024-25 season on loan at Serie A side AC Milan.

The move will end Walker’s eight-year stay at City, where he won 17 trophies including six Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League.

He made 15 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side in the last campaign before joining Milan, who did not activate the option to sign Walker permanently.

Walker will link up at Burnley with head coach Scott Parker, who he played alongside at Tottenham during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.

The defender was part of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad during June’s international fixtures and won his 96th cap in a 3-1 friendly defeat by Senegal.