Wildcard Arthur Fery has defied the odds to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals, beating former world No 3 Grigor Dimitrov in a five-set thriller on Centre Court

Arthur Fery’s fairy tale journey at Wimbledon will continue into the tournament quarter-finals after the Brit prevailed in an epic five-set thriller against Grigor Dimitrov. The final home hope couldn’t believe that ‘the greatest of all time’ Roger Federer watched his victory.

The 23-year-old wildcard, who has been carrying British hopes in the competition following men’s No 1 Jack Draper’s injury withdrawal, secured his place in the second week of Wimbledon with a massive victory over Zizou Bergs on Saturday.

His prize was a Centre Court clash with Dimitrov, where he displayed extraordinary character to overturn a two-sets-to-one deficit and triumph in a final-set tiebreak, winning 5-7 6-3 6-4 4-6 6-7 (7-10).

Fery has won over thousands of supporters at Wimbledon with his extraordinary run and this encounter against former World No 3 Dimitrov appeared to be his toughest test yet. But in front of Wimbledon royalty in Federer, Fery produced an exceptional performance to secure the greatest victory of his burgeoning career.

He received praise from former Wimbledon favourite and British No 1 Tim Henman, who said: “An incredible performance, he’s shaking his head in disbelief about what has just happened.

“He’s been behind time and time again in this tournament but he keeps fighting.”

Fery acknowledged that battling back from difficult positions had characterised his tournament after surviving when Dimitrov was serving for the match.

“It’s been the story of the tournament for me,” he told BBC Sport. “I was really close to losing my last round as well and again today, a break down in the fourth. Just trying to keep fighting, keep having a good attitude, committing to what I’m trying to do on the court and it managed to pay off. I’m playing really well with my back against the wall and again it paid off today.”

He went on to say: “I grew up five minutes from here, I grew up coming to watch matches on this court. We’ve got probably the greatest of all time watching in the front row. I saw him. And now playing here in front of all you guys, having the support and winning. It’s unbelievable.”

“When I switched the TV on in the changing rooms for the first match [on Centre Court today], the women’s match, I saw Roger was in the Royal Box. I didn’t know he was coming,” Fery added.

“I sent a message to my team saying, ‘Roger’s in the box, I’m pretty tight’.

“It’s incredible to be in that position where one of the greatest of all time is watching you, let alone watching me play a five-set match against Dimitrov on Centre Court, Wimbledon.”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin is returning for a 22nd season with the Washington Capitals.

Will this be the final act of his illustrious career?

“I don’t know,” he said. “We’ll see.”

The NHL’s career leader in goals didn’t formally commit to returning in 2026-27 until last week, so it was perhaps no surprise that Ovechkin remained noncommittal on whether this is going to be his swan song in Washington. Ovechkin said his wife suggested he play “one more year, or maybe two years, I don’t know” — so if anyone was expecting him to announce a retirement tour for this season, that did not happen.

Instead, Ovechkin is focused on showing he can still be effective — he’ll be 41 — and help the team win. The organization he’s returning to has been one of the most active in the league this offseason, adding Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch and Boone Jenner — among others — via the trade and free agent markets.

Those three have all reached 30 goals at some point in their careers, and Ovechkin did that even last season at his advanced age. The Capitals missed the playoffs, but they had the same number of points (95) as Vegas did before the Golden Knights made a run to the Stanley Cup Final. Washington also finished tied for third in the NHL in even-strength goal differential.

“When you look at our roster, it’s a Stanley Cup contender,” Ovechkin said. “I know I still can play, and bring energy to the locker room, energy on the ice.”

The Capitals have mostly remained competitive even though almost everyone from their 2018 Stanley Cup-winning team is gone. Ovechkin and Tom Wilson are still around, but Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie, Braden Holtby and Evgeny Kuznetsov exited at various points since then. Veteran defenseman John Carlson, who was in his 17th year in Washington, was traded last season.

Now it’s a team led by Ovechkin, Wilson, Dylan Strome, Jakob Chychrun, Pierre-Luc Dubois and goalie Logan Thompson — plus new additions.

“We came in looking to add skill to our top six,” president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan said. “We wanted to get a physical, long defenseman that had a net-front presence. We were looking at veteran leadership.”

Ovechkin said it took “maybe 10 minutes” to finalize a deal after telling the team he’d return. He’ll make a $1 million salary with bonuses worth an additional $8 million — including $4.75 million if he plays 10 games. The contract counts just $4.25 million against the cap after Washington made plenty of use of its substantial salary cap space.

“Alex, thank you very, very much for the way you handled this,” owner Ted Leonsis said.

Ovechkin appeared on a video conference while vacationing in Turkey. Leonsis, MacLellan and general manager Chris Patrick were on the call. Coach Spencer Carbery, who will be tasked with arranging all the new talent on the ice, wasn’t.

Ovechkin scored 32 goals last season and 44 in 2024-25, when he broke Wayne Gretzky’s career record of 894. He’s still a threat in the offensive zone, although oddly, he managed only five power-play goals on 86 shots last season. The power play was a big problem for Washington in general.

The role Ovechkin will play going forward remains to be seen.

“I think we have a pretty balanced team,” Patrick said. “Like a lot of our players, he can move up and down the lineup as how Carbs sees fit, and how he wants to use the lines and deploy the lines on a given night. And obviously the power-play piece as well, where Alex has proven time and again he’s an effective player.”

Ovechkin’s news conference came shortly before the start of Monday’s Portugal-Spain match in the World Cup. Ovechkin spoke glowingly about how Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi continue to perform against younger opposition.

“If you look at Messi and Ronaldo, those players show example that if you’re able to continue show the level what you have, the skill, it’s tremendous,” he said. “You can see how they play. It’s tremendous. I’m really impressed.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

“I was already nervous enough anyway so hearing that on my wedding day completely broke me.”

This was the tear-jerking moment a groom got the surprise of his life from his non-verbal daughter on his wedding day and it’s sure to melt your heart.

When Kevin Lynch tied the knot with his long-term partner Rachael, their daughter Hope stole the show.

Both Hope, aged 7, and her 6-year-old sister, Harper, are autistic and non-verbal, so the very last thing Kevin expected to hear on his big day was the sound of their voices.

But as Rachael walked down the aisle of St Eugene’s Cathedral in Derry on January 24 this year, she had a big surprise up her sleeve for her future husband, as well as their families and friends.

The couple, both aged 30, are also parents to Hayden, aged 4, and have been together for nine years. They got engaged in 2025 at Disneyland Paris.

In the lead up to the wedding, Rachael had been working hard behind the scenes to make the dream a reality, as Kevin, head chef in Da Vinci’s hotel in Derry, told Belfast Live: “It still gets me even now. The girls are both non-verbal but about six weeks before the wedding Rachael got them to point to pictures and say the word.

“She then mashed together these wee videos of the recordings so it was different clips of them saying the word to make it sound like a full sentence. It was Hope doing the speaking but they both still couldn’t say a full sentence and if they do speak, it’s only be one or two words. So when Rachael got them to do that she absolutely nailed it on the spot for me.

“Hope is so special to me. She was born at 25 weeks and weighed just 1lb 2oz. We were told she had an 80% chance of brain damage and that her odds of survival were very slim. She spent a long time in ICU and it was likely she would not make it. So for her to be able to speak to me on my wedding day seven years later was the best feeling in the world.”

Kevin added: “Most parents always long for those kind of moments so I think that’s what got me so bad. I was already nervous enough anyway so hearing that on my wedding day completely broke me.

“Also having my grandparent (Caroline McCusker) also playing the violin at the same time was also amazing so yes I cried! I think half of the half of the church was crying behind me too so I wasn’t the only one. Rachael thank you for making one of the most important days even more special.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Prince Harry is still ‘looking forward’ to spending time with King Charles this week despite the offer of a night at Buckingham Palace being withdrawn.

Meghan Markle is determined to visit Britain in the next few days amid the row over security and accommodation, a source close to the Invictus Games in Birmingham has claimed.

The Sussexes also still hope to bring Archie and Lilibet to the UK, provided it ‘can happen safely’, the insider added.

A spokesman confirmed on Monday afternoon that the 41-year-old Duke of Sussex had touched down in the UK amid the row. 

After 10 days of toing and froing, and just hours before he was due to arrive, the prince’s trip was thrown into further chaos when he was told he could no longer stay at Buckingham Palace.

Harry was apparently informed by royal officials on Saturday night. Yet, 36 hours later, his own team announced to the world that he would be staying there.

The Duke had been told he took too long to accept the King’s invitation. In response, Harry’s spokesman went nuclear, issuing a statement accusing the Palace of withdrawing the offer ‘at the last moment’.

But despite the bitter back-and-forth, Harry wants to see his father and is hopeful that his wife and children can join him in Britain when he leaves London for Birmingham later this week.

Harry and Meghan, pictured at Invictus in 2023 in Germany, still hope to be at ‘year to go’ events in Birmingham later this week

The Duke of Sussex would also love Archie and Lilibet to be in the UK this week – but only if it can be done safely

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‘Harry is still keen to see Charles, which he is looking forward to,’ the Mail’s insider said. 

Meghan is also still expected at Invictus events in Birmingham, with the Games only a year away on Friday.

The Sussexes have been holidaying in Europe and it is not out of the question that Archie and Lilibet will join them, potentially flying in and out of the UK in 24 hours.

‘They are working on ways that this can happen safely,’ the source said.

Harry had been hoping his wife and children would accompany him to the UK for five days. 

His visit coincides with the countdown to his Invictus Games in Birmingham in 2027.

The trip was set to include a visit to King Charles as well as a poignant stop at Althorp Estate in Northamptonshire, where Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, is buried.

Archie and Lilibet have not seen their grandfather since their last trip to Britain in June 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II‘s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

As exasperation appeared to grow on both sides over the trip, it is understood the duke initially turned down the offer of staying at Buckingham Palace for himself and his family, who are no longer accompanying him to London, on Saturday, before making a U-turn later in the day and asking to stay himself.

The appropriate hospitality and staffing provision was said to be no longer available.

The duke wanted to stay at the Palace for one night, it is understood.

Questions have been raised on the Sussex side as to whether the offer of a bed at a royal residence was ever intended to be available once Harry had accepted it.

Private conversations are said to have taken place between the duke and his father.

A spokesman for the duke said: ‘I am aware of multiple briefings from Buckingham Palace last week suggesting that the duke had not accepted the offer of accommodation at a royal residence.

‘Following RAVEC’s decision not to provide security for his family, the duke spent last week making alternative security arrangements.

‘Once those arrangements were in place, he was able to formally accept the offer of accommodation for himself over the weekend.’

The spokesman added: ‘It is therefore disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with Tuesday’s judgment in the Associated Newspapers Limited case cited as the reason.

‘Buckingham Palace has, however, been aware of that judgment since last Thursday. It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment.’

Amid the drama surrounding his son’s visit, King Charles appeared to enjoy himself riding in a British Army Challenger 3 battle tank in Bovington, Dorset, on Monday

The decision by the Palace was said to have been taken in consultation with the King, with outcome communicated to Harry through the appropriate channels.

Accommodation at a royal residence will be made available to Harry and his family for future visits, it is understood.

At the weekend, it was announced Meghan, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet would no longer be joining Harry in London amid concern over their security.

No decision has been made as to whether the family will join the duke for other parts of the UK visit outside of the capital.

Harry had also been hoping to reunite his children with their grandfather the King, who is still undergoing treatment for cancer, for the first time in four years, but it is not clear whether this will go ahead.

It is also not yet known for sure if and when Harry will see his father during his trip. Although both father and son are said to be keen.

The King has a busy run of engagements this week, while Harry is carrying out five days of appearances in London and Birmingham, including marking the one year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games.

The duke had been waiting for a review by the Risk Management Board (RMB), part of the process by which the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) rules on his security requirements, but found out on Friday this has yet to take place.

The Sussex family were not eligible to receive taxpayer-funded protection while in the UK, other than when they were within royal residences.

The duke criticised his father Charles, stepmother the Queen, brother the Prince of Wales and sister-in-law the Princess of Wales in his Oprah interview, Netflix documentary, interviews and his autobiography Spare, after stepping down from the working monarchy six years ago.

Plans for put up 36 banners and flags on routes to the National Railway Museum (NRM) have been approved by City of York Council.

The museum’s application stated they were needed due to visitors being given the wrong direction by online map services which have not caught up with changes to nearby roads.

Council planning officers stated the signs would not have a negative impact on amenity or public safety.

It comes after changes in access routes to the museum amid ongoing regeneration works in the surrounding area as part of the York Central scheme.

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A new Central Hall at the museum is being built as part of the scheme following the signing of a contract for the works which are now underway.

Museum Square, a new public space planned for York Central, is also set to host a new entrance to the site.

Hudson Boulevard and Foundry Way, which have been been built as part of the roughly £2 billion redevelopment of the wider Leeman Road area, now provide access to the museum.

The approval of plans by the council are set to see 36 1.5m-high and 70cm wide PVC banners fitted to lampposts along the new routes.

Designs for banners planned along routes to the National Railway Museum, in York (Image: National Railway Museum)

They will direct people coming from York Station or the city centre to the right way to the museum’s entrance while works are ongoing.

Plans stated: “Visitors are often being led on unnecessary, long or incorrect routes.

“The flags will assist the public in finding their way to the museum, thus contributing to public safety.

“The flags will be made of high quality, durable material and will be maintained on a regular basis.”

No objections were lodged against the plans though York Civic Trust said they should only be temporary due to their excessive scale.

Council planning officers stated large black banners with arrows would be interspersed with ones featuring colourful designs.

They said: “The proposed banners are explained to be necessary in the application due to the ongoing works associated with the York Central Project and redevelopment of the National Railway Museum and its Central Hall.

“It is noted that the road layout surrounding the museum has changed as part of these works, with Leeman Road closed, and visitors have been struggling to locate the museum’s relocated entrance.

“The proposal would only be granted on a temporary basis.

“This would allow the museum to solve the issue of the wayfinding during the construction period, whilst also protecting the amenity of the heritage assets located nearby which would only be temporarily affected.”

A three-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after he ended up in the crocodile enclosure of a zoo

The Care Quality Commission has said it will look into the care of a man who was arrested after a young boy was “thrown” into a crocodile enclosure. Emergency services were called to Johnson’s Zoo in Old Hurst, near Huntingdon, on the afternoon of June 18.

A three-year-old boy ended up in the crocodile enclosure and suffered serious injuries. He remains in hospital. A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He was later released on bail until September as police deemed him “not fit for interview”.

The CQC is now investigating the care provider that cared for the man arrested. A CQC spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with this young boy and his family at what must be an incredibly difficult time.

“We continue to liaise with partner agencies as they take forward their safeguarding investigation. CQC is conducting an assessment of the related registered provider, and has begun the process of taking regulatory action to address concerns identified as part of this assessment.

“As part of our assessments, should we find evidence of immediate risk, we will always use our regulatory powers to keep people safe.”

Norfolk County Council confirmed it isn’t involved with the incident. However, a council spokesperson confirmed a “Section 42 enquiry is underway”.

A Section 42 under the Care Act applies when a local authority has reasonable cause to suspect that an adult in their area: has needs for care and support; is experiencing, or is at risk of abuse or neglect; as a result of those needs is unable to protect himself or herself against abuse or neglect or at the risk of it.

Basic bank accounts offer access to essential services, such as the ability to receive wages and benefits and pay bills

People who have poor credit or no fixed address will find it easier to open a basic bank account after some of the biggest financial institutions agreed to improve their services.

It comes after widespread poor practice was identified by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Basic bank accounts offer access to essential services, such as the ability to receive wages and benefits and pay bills.

They just don’t offer things like overdrafts, to stop people spending above their means. Nine of the biggest UK banks and building societies legally have to offer basic bank accounts. But a mystery shopping exercise by the FCA found a third of experiences with basic bank accounts rated as poor or very poor.

The mystery shop revealed that the bank account providers were not consistently offering these accounts to customers who could benefit from them.

This included people facing financial hardship or without ID, and especially those with no fixed address. The firms often failed to mention basic bank accounts at all and pushed customers in vulnerable circumstances towards online applications which were unsuitable for their needs.

The banks and building societies have now agreed to individual improvement, including a commitment to provide the right account for customers, first time, with clear communication.

They have also pledged to make it straightforward for customers without standard ID or a fixed address to open an account and to spot vulnerable customers early. In the UK, around 7 million fee-free basic bank accounts are currently open.

Emad Aladhal, director of retail banking at the FCA, said: “Progress has been made with over 97% of UK adults having a current account, but our latest work shows that all too often banking firms’ engagement with customers still needs improvement.

“Bank accounts are important for financial inclusion, and this is about making sure the very people who could benefit from basic bank accounts are not missing out.

“That’s why the biggest banks have now committed to improving how they are offered – and we’ll be holding them to account to make sure change happens.”

Peter Tyler, Director of Personal Banking at UK Finance, said: “A basic bank account can be an important first step towards financial independence, and while most customers who hold one have positive experiences, we recognise that more can be done to ensure consistently good outcomes for everyone.

“That is why UK Finance and our members are committed to raising industry standards and expanding access.

“The recently expanded Breaking the Cycle initiative is a key part of this work, providing practical support to those facing barriers to accessing essential banking services, such as individuals without a fixed address.”

Disruption is expected for the rest of the day

Some trains in Cambridgeshire are being delayed or cancelled due to an electrical supply “problem”. Trains are disrupted across the county on Monday, July 6.

Thus is due to a problem with the electrical supply to the trains in the Ely area. There has been damage to the overhead electric wires between Cambridge and Kings Lynn.

As a result, some of services can’t move as normal until power is restored and disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Routes affected include Greater Anglia services between Ipswich and Peterborough, between Stansted Airport, Cambridge and Norwich, and also between London Liverpool Street and Ely. Great Northern services between London Kings Cross and Ely or Kings Lynn are also affected.

The National Rail website said: “Damage has been reported to the overhead electric wires in the Ely area. As a result of this, trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or revised. Great Northern services are currently unable to run between Cambridge and Kings Lynn. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.”

It added: “We been advised of a problem with the electrical supply to the trains in the Ely area. This means that some of services can’t move as normal until power is restored.

“If you’re on a train which is being held in the area, it may take longer to get you to the next station, and onwards to your destination.”

Rail users are advised to travel using an alternative route during the disruption. Passengers should allow at least an extra 30-minutes to complete their journey, Great Northern has advised.

Replacement buses have been requested from suppliers to run between Ely and Kings Lynn, but there has not been confirmation of these yet.

If your family is looking for thrills this summer without a jump scare at the bill, there is an amusement park vacation under $100 per person — and it’s not in Florida.

Vacation home rental site HomeToGo has released its list of the most affordable theme parks to visit this summer, with about 40 locations across more than 20 states to choose from.

Analysts looked at three factors to determine which parks were the best bang for your buck — the price of admission, parking and nearby accommodations.

While Florida is known to be a hit with kids looking to meet their favorite Disney characters and ride attractions inspired by their favorite Universal Studios films, families looking for the most affordable option will have to travel further north along the East Coast.

Quassy Amusement Park

Quassy Amusement Park in Connecticut was ranked No. 1 on HomeToGo’s list. You pay just $33 for an adult ticket, $9.40 for a day of parking and $34.03 for accommodations for a grand total of $76.43.

The accommodation price for each park on the list was calculated by using the median nightly cost per person for a vacation rental on HomeToGo.

Located on Lake Quassapaug in Middlebury, Quassy Amusement Park offers dozens of amusement park rides and a waterpark with waterslides and splash zones.

Fun Spot America Themepark

If you love the Florida sunshine, but don’t want to pay the steep admission fee for Orlando’s more popular parks, Fun Spot America Themepark may be the place for you.

It costs $59.95 for a ticket to the Orlando amusement park, and there’s no parking fee, according to HomeToGo’s list. Factoring in the $57.61 for accommodations, the total daily cost to go to Fun Spot America Themepark is $117.56 per person.

The park is also home to Orlando’s only wooden roller coaster, dubbed White Lightning, along with bumper cars and multi-level go-kart tracks.

Castles N’ Coasters

You’ll have to visit the West Coast for the third most affordable theme park on HomeToGo’s list — Castles N’ Coasters in Arizona.

It costs just $31 for a ticket to the Phoenix theme park and parking is free. But nightly accommodations are a tad pricier at $98.63 per person, bringing the total cost to $129.63.

Castles N’ Coasters offers several classic rides, along with other attractions such as a zip line, mini golf and a more than 10,000 square-foot arcade.

If you are looking for parks that may be more familiar to your family, nine Six Flags locations from across the country made it on HomeToGo’s list, including Six Flags Frontier City in Oklahoma, which took the No. 5 spot.

Country music icon Dolly Parton’s Dollywood in Tennessee placed 26th on the list.

Several Disney and Universal Studios parks made the list, including Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida, tying at No. 32 and Disney’s Epcot and Hollywood Studios, tying at No. 34.

With taxation having consistently the number one issue facing businesses for the past few Quarterly Economic Surveys, it is now clear that rising prices are impacted the region’s businesses to a far greater extent than seen in the last few years.

The fieldwork was conducted during the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a geopolitical crisis which has massively impacted energy costs and shipping, leading to the inflation spike.

The chamber says there was also a significant decline in export performance among the region’s firms, something it is hard not to partially attribute to the war in the Middle East.

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There were more encouraging signs, with the region’s service sector firms showing an increase in hiring intent for the first time in more than a year, with domestic sales continuing to improve along with willingness to invest in upskilling current staff.

However, manufacturing firms a more challenged situation, with order books and recruitment declining.

The data shows cashflow to be an ongoing issue, with cost pressures continuing to increase, creating a challenging environment for all businesses.

Mark Casci, head of policy and representation at the Chamber, said: “This latest QES shows that Yorkshire’s economy is stabilising but not strengthening.

“Across the region, businesses are showing resilience in the face of continued uncertainty. Encouragingly, domestic trading conditions have improved, particularly within the service sector, where modest growth signals that underlying demand has held firm. This is an important foundation. However, the lack of momentum in order books tells its own story – one where confidence remains tentative and the outlook uncertain.

“The labour market reflects this mixed picture, with job creation is being driven primarily by the service sector.

“Taken together, this quarter’s results point to an economy that is holding its ground rather than accelerating. There are clear signs of resilience, but also clear signs of risk. Sustained growth will require stronger demand, improved export performance and a more stable operating environment for businesses to plan and invest with confidence.

“As ever, these findings underline the importance of creating the conditions in which businesses can thrive – supporting investment, unlocking trade opportunities and addressing the cost pressures that continue to shape the economic landscape.”

David Bharier, Deputy Director Economics and Insight, at the British Chambers of Commerce said: “The continued fall in SME investment sentiment is further evidence of a longer-term pattern that no single shock explains.

“Our data shows a risk-aversion cycle taking hold. Firms have not lost ambition, but years of compounding cost pressures and geopolitical shocks have produced defensive behaviour for the average SME.

“Most firms are now experiencing policy as downside risk rather than opportunity – with the rise in employer NICs a prominent example, still being felt almost two years on. Reducing the cost and complexity of the administrative burden would give many firms the space to grow.

“But more broadly, government policy needs to pass a ‘growth delivery test’. Each proposal should start from the question of exactly how it will cause firms to increase investment, exports, hiring, or expansion. Until that test is being applied, our survey is likely to show the same pattern quarter after quarter.

“The challenge for the new Prime Minister and his team is clear.”