Category Archives: Sport

Club tennis ‘endangered’ as other racket sports grow, Novak Djokovic warns

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World No 2 calls for creation of foundation to protect tennis at ‘base level’ amid rise in popularity of padel and pickleball

Novak Djokovic has warned that club tennis is “endangered” amid the growing popularity of alternatives such as padel and pickleball.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion said “we are still doing a very poor job” of maintaining tennis at “the base level” and that its future was under threat.

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‘Andy Murray has changed culture of sport’: Wimbledon reflects on legacy

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Billie Jean King praises Murray for bringing ‘credibility and excitement to British tennis’ as Raducanu makes ‘tough decision’ to exit doubles partnership

The day finally came: Andy Murray has played his final match at Wimbledon. The 37-year-old Scot, Britain’s greatest postwar tennis player, had been due to contest the mixed doubles with Emma Raducanu, the shock 2021 US Open champion, yesterday evening. To say there was excitement about the pairing would be a wild understatement: fans have been coming up with portmanteau names (Raducandy, Em&M, Maducanu) ever since the unlikely team was announced on Wednesday. Roger Federer was in the stands, ready to watch.

But Em&M was not to be. “Unfortunately, I woke up with some stiffness in my right wrist,” Raducanu announced on Saturday afternoon, “so I have decided to make the very tough decision to withdraw from the mixed doubles tonight. I’m disappointed as I was really looking forward to playing with Andy, but got to take care.”

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Tennis fans queue to bid adieu to Andy Murray but cheer new British stars

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Murray is due to compete in doubles at his last Wimbledon, yet fans are also ‘pretty excited’ to see younger players

Thursday marks a changing of the guard. While for many this might mean electing a new prime minister, at Wimbledon, tens of thousands queued for a chance to bid adieu to Andy Murray and cheer on the next generation of British tennis stars.

Murray is due to compete alongside his older brother, Jamie, in the men’s doubles this week in his final Wimbledon showing. There had been hope he would play in the tournament’s singles, but he pulled out on Tuesday after being unable to sufficiently recover from the back surgery he underwent 12 days ago.

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Germany summons Turkish ambassador over ‘wolf’ goal celebration

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Diplomat urged to explain gesture by Turkey footballer Merih Demiral and take measures to prevent a repeat

Turkey’s ambassador to Germany has been summoned to the foreign ministry in Berlin over the rightwing extremist “wolf salute” displayed by the Turkish footballer Merih Demiral, as his goal celebration at the European Championship became the subject of diplomatic exchange.

Ahmet Başar Şen was urged to explain the gesture and take measures to prevent its further use, a ministry spokesperson said, the day after Germany’s ambassador to Turkey was summoned to the foreign ministry in Ankara as Turkey’s government accused Berlin of “xenophobia” over its criticism of the symbol associated with the Grey Wolves group.

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Turkey’s Merih Demiral facing ban over ‘wolf’ celebration in win over Austria

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  • Defender’s gesture has apparent far-right connotations
  • Uefa inquiry could lead to him missing quarter-final tie

Merih Demiral, Turkey’s goalscorer from their last-16 win over Austria, could face a ban from their quarter-final against the Netherlands on Saturday after Uefa opened an investigation into a gesture with apparent far-right connotations.

Demiral, a centre-back, was the unlikely match winner for Turkey in Leipzig but may be in line for disciplinary action after celebrating his second goal with a “wolf” salute. It is associated with the right-wing extremist nationalist group Grey Wolves and is banned in Austria, where it is punishable by fines of up to £3,400, since 2019.

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