After nearly four years away from professional tennis, Serena Williams is back in the winner’s circle.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion made a successful return at Queen’s Club, teaming up with Victoria Mboko to defeat Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6(2), 6-2 in the doubles draw.

This is her first professional match since the 2022 US Open and her first victory in 1,376 days.

While fans celebrated Serena’s winning return, the pair admitted afterwards that they saw plenty of room for improvement.

“Well, we had a lot of fun. We feel like there’s room for improvement,” Serena said with a laugh.

Mboko agreed.

“There were so many times in the match where we were kinda like… this could be so much better.”

Serena then joked about some of the mistakes they made during the match.

“Yeah, or ugh, this is embarrassing… I missed that, oh my God.”

Mboko revealed the pair were constantly critiquing themselves throughout the contest.

“It was a vibe and it was also just us being realistic a little bit. Say like, she missed two returns or I missed two returns… we’d be like, ‘Damn, we suck.’”

Despite the self-criticism, Serena was quick to praise her young partner.

“I think Vicky is doing great,” she said. “I need to make some returns next match. I didn’t miss one in practice. But ugh, that was a little embarrassing out there.”

“The good news is I can do better.”

After 1,376 days away from professional competition, she is back on court, back in front of fans, and back in the winner’s circle.

That is a pretty good way to start a comeback.

The BBC has unveiled its new state-of-the-art World Cup studio in Salford, hitting back at Gary Lineker’s ‘green box’ jibe

The BBC’s director of sport appears to have hit back at Gary Lineker by insisting their new “work-from-home” World Cup studio is not a “green box in Salford”.

Back in April, former BBC presenter Lineker took a swipe at the corporation, ridiculing its decision not to establish a base in the United States. The 65-year-old added that his departure from the broadcaster has enabled him to attend the World Cup in New York, and stated he has no regrets about missing out on fronting their coverage of this summer’s tournament.

Then in mid-May, BBC presenter Gabby Logan mounted a staunch defence of the BBC’s decision to remain in the UK until the last week of the five-and-a-half-week tournament. She cited the “very expensive cost” of moving the studio to the US for the start of the World Cup and claimed it won’t “harm our coverage to not be there”.

Now on Tuesday, six weeks after Lineker’s remarks and just two days before the tournament kicks off, BBC director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski unveiled the broadcaster’s headquarters for this year’s World Cup.

There was no green-screen backdrop in sight, with the BBC instead splashing out on a cutting-edge studio, boasting a vast panoramic screen as its centrepiece. This is designed to create the impression that the studio is overlooking whichever of the 16 World Cup host cities a match is being broadcast from, including Mexico City and New York.

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They have even fitted fans beside the screen to circulate air and replicate a soft breeze. This will sit alongside augmented reality elements in a 360-degree partly-real, partly-virtual environment where BBC presenters, including Logan and Mark Chapman, and pundits will be stationed until the tournament’s final week this summer.

Lineker had been anticipated to front the BBC’s coverage for the competition until his exit was announced in 2025 following a social media post containing a rat emoji, a symbol that has featured in anti-Semitic material. The former Tottenham and England striker subsequently secured a £14million contract with Netflix to host his The Rest is Football podcast from a New York studio, which is due to launch this week.

On 30 April, Lineker boasted about heading to the US for the World Cup and “overlooking Times Square”, while his previous employers remain “in Salford in a green box”.

However, Kay-Jelski said on Tuesday: “It’s not a green box in Salford. It’s a beautiful state-of-the-art studio. No one’s seen it until now. It’s completely fine to assume that what was there before was what it was going to be. And I’m really proud of this.

“The actual end product people are getting at home, I don’t really think it’s that different,” Kay-Jelski added. “If these people were sitting somewhere else, would your viewing be massively changed?

“If I was standing here saying, ‘Everything is going to be done from a studio in Dallas’, you would rightly be saying to me, ‘How can you justify that spend?’”

The tournament gets under way on Thursday when host nation Mexico take on South Korea, while the BBC’s first fixture is anticipated to be Canada’s Group B clash against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday.

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Serena Williams makes a triumphant return to professional tennis at the Queen’s club, securing a first-round doubles victory alongside Canada’s Victoria Mboko. Playing on the Andy Murray Arena, the 44-year-old American icon inspired the crowd by declaring “you can do anything at any age” following their progression to the second round.

READ MORE: Williams rolls back the years on return at Queen’s

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FILE–Ateneo’s Divine Adili reacts during a game against UE in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Ateneo de Manila University, rocked by drowning deaths of two of its basketball players in a team activity, provided a statement on Tuesday.

The families of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili were promised all the help they need even as Baternonia’s family had requested than an autopsy be done on the promising native of Davao.

READ: Grieving Baterbonia mom airs frustration over info gap, spread

“At the request of Rene’s parents, an autopsy will be conducted,” the statement read. “The University…has coordinated with the appropriate authorities, including the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), to facilitate this process.”

Adili’s remains, meanwhile, will be flown to Nigeria.

“The family of Divine Adili has expressed its wish to have his remains returned to Nigeria, in keeping with family and cultural practices that are important to them,” the school said. “The University is assisting the family in the necessary arrangements and is awaiting the written authorization required to begin processing the relevant documentation.”

Ateneo has also emphasized that it is providing support and assistance to the families of Rene and Divine after the tragic incident.

READ: Ateneo players’ deaths put spotlight on Blue Eagles ‘bootcamp’

The school also said that the team has arrived back in Manila following the mishap in Aurora during their team building, and that each member of the team will undergo counselling and psychological sessions to be “facilitated by the College Guidance Office.”

“The University recognizes that the emotional impact of this tragedy extends beyond a single session and has committed to providing continuing counseling, psychological support, and other forms of care for the student-athletes, coaches, and staff in the days and weeks ahead.”

Coach Tab Baldwin, meanwhile, under whose watch the tragedy happened, has yet to give a statement regarding the matter.

If you haven’t heard by now, former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen is a fan of quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Thielen has not been shy in the last two years about pounding the table for McCarthy, and this week, he continued the pattern.

McCarthy’s stock is low right now, playing second fiddle to new Viking Kyler Murray. But if Thielen has it right, McCarthy’s upside is very much intact.

Vikings QB Plan Still Depends on McCarthy’s Next Step

Thielen on McCarthy

Thielen spoke with Kyle Brandt, and the McCarthy topic surfaced. Thielen opined, “He’s got all the traits to be a successful quarterback in this league. He has the skills. He has the strong arm. He has the mindset that not a lot of guys have, has this dog mentality that everyone wants to find. So, I love those two aspects of him. I think he’s a guy who loves football; he loves his teammates.”

“You feel that in the locker room with him. Now, was there some things that he needs to work on? Yes. Absolutely. He knows that. And I think he’s gone to the drawing board this offseason, I think he’s taken feedback from coach O’Connell, and coach, I think, was very candid with him of ‘This is what you need to improve on.’”

Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill also shared a similar opinion about McCarthy last week.

Thielen continued, “And I think he’s gone to the drawing board and really worked on those things. I think you have to wait and see what that looks like in training camp, when you put the pads on, when you put a full defense coming at him, with preseason games and things like that.”

“But I think he’s gonna step in the right direction.”

McCarthy May Have to Wait for Serendipity

While McCarthy may have all the right stuff, according to Thielen, he likely won’t get a chance to strut in September. For now, Murray is the runaway frontrunner at Vikings organized team activities to win the QB1 job. McCarthy has not struggled; Murray has just looked too impressive for a QB2 job.

On the other hand, Murray is not known for his durability — neither is McCarthy — at 5 feet and 10 inches tall. So, there’s a decent chance that Murray gets hurt sometime in 2026, and in that scenario, all eyes would turn to McCarthy, who would enter the huddle and be asked to script a mini-redemption tale.

There’s a world where Murray gets injured, McCarthy takes over, McCarthy plays great, and just never gives the job back. That happens in the NFL. McCarthy, at least for 2026’s sake, could be down to that alternative, based on the way Murray is trending early this summer.

A High-Pressure Season for His Career

And make no mistake: the stakes are elevated for McCarthy, even if he’s not tapped on the shoulder for the QB1 job this season. Most young quarterbacks show their true colors in Year No. 3, a tell-tale marker of quarterback development.

For instance, if McCarthy sees playing time in 2026 and balls out, there’s no reason to believe the Vikings would deviate from his candidacy as the long-term QB1. After all, not long ago, he was the one-and-only QB1 solution for a team ending the Kirk Cousins era.

Conversely, if Murray refuses to relinquish the QB1 title, well, McCarthy may not stay in Minnesota longer than the 2026 campaign. The Vikings already bungled the Sam Darnold situation. There is precisely zero chance that Murray would thrive in Minnesota while the Vikings’ front office said “thanks but no thanks” to a Murray contract extension in 2027. In that scenario, McCarthy would be looking at a trade sweepstakes in the 2027 offseason.

Thielen Knows Best?

On Thielen, he worked in the NFL for 13 years. He knows things; he’s seen some stuff. If he’s going out of his way to praise McCarthy, he would not do that as a hot-take merchant. There’s no reason to hype a quarterback who stinks, and to Thielen’s credit, he’s pounded the table for McCarthy more than a couple of times.

Therefore, when you see fans on social media hinting that McCarthy is a bust or just flat-out stinks, Thielen may be a more credible source and quarterback evaluator.

In fact, McCarthy feels like the type of guy who eventually “figures it out,” not unlike Baker Mayfield or the aforementioned Darnold.

McCarthy will turn 24 next January. He still has youth in his favor, and the Vikings have the option to control his contract for the next three seasons.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Emma Raducanu is hopeful her commanding first-round win over Anna Blinkova at Queen’s can serve as a “really good stepping stone” for her Wimbledon preparations.

British number one Raducanu was dominant for most of the contest, winning the first eight games without reply before going on to complete a 6-0 6-3 victory over the Russian qualifier.

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It was the 23-year-old’s first win since 6 March, when she beat qualifier Anastasia Zakharova in the Indian Wells first round.

Raducanu’s season has since been disrupted by a post-viral illness that kept her off the WTA Tour for more than two months, and she lost her only two matches on clay on her return – in Strasbourg and at the French Open.

But Raducanu appeared comfortable as she opened her grass-court season in London – and delighted to be competing in front of her home support.

“I’m so happy to have come through that match. To be back here playing at Queen’s… I haven’t actually won a match for a few months and there isn’t a place I would rather have done it. I’m really grateful for all the support,” Raducanu told the crowd.

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‘A lot of clarity’ – Raducanu ‘feels at home’ at Queen’s

In her two matches following illness, Raducanu appeared to be lacking in both energy and confidence as she showed little emotion on court.

But, 16 days after her first-round exit at Roland Garros, the Briton looked much more relaxed on Andy Murray Arena.

She smiled at the crowd during her warm-up, while there was a celebratory roar or fist pump after every point she won.

“The way I was feeling on the court, the way I was moving, the way I was expressing myself, just the whole package – not necessarily the tennis – just how I kind of was acting on the court, I really enjoyed it,” Raducanu said.

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“I was just feeding off the atmosphere, and it felt free, it felt clear, and a lot of clarity. Not necessarily thinking too much, not trying to do too much. It felt very natural.”

The 2021 US Open champion held a commanding 3-0 lead before rain halted play – but that would not disrupt her rhythm.

She captured the first set without reply after just 20 minutes on court, winning 25 of the 31 points played – hitting 11 winners and just two unforced errors.

Raducanu maintained that excellent level to begin the second set with a break of serve – although she would not have it entirely her own way.

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A Queen’s quarter-finalist last year, Raducanu was hampered by double-faults as she allowed Blinkova back in – with four successive breaks of serve tying the set at three games apiece.

However, Raducanu broke again, courtesy of a fortuitous net cord, to set up the chance to serve out the match, and she wore a beaming smile in the sunshine as a closing backhand winner down the line on her second match point was met by huge cheers.

Writing ‘back home’ with a heart on a TV camera lens before exiting the court, Raducanu will return to face Romanian seventh seed Sorana Cirstea in the second round on Wednesday.

‘Really hard to sleep at night when you’re in the middle of a match’

British number three Katie Boulter also reached the second round, although her win was less straightforward as she fought back from a set and a break down to beat eighth seed Leylah Fernandez 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-5.

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Their match was played over two days after rain on Monday evening saw play suspended with the Canadian leading 6-3 3-3.

But Boulter, the world number 73, stepped up the intensity on Tuesday to force a deciding set before wrapping up the win after two hours and 45 minutes.

“I am really pleased with the way I came back today. I was a step slow last night and she was playing great,” she said.

“I had to respond and it’s really hard to sleep at night when you’re in the middle of a match but I managed to get a few hours and I am really pleased how I managed to turn it around.”

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Raducanu and Boulter joined Harriet Dart, who won her match on Monday, in the second round but British number four Francesca Jones and 17-year-old Briton Mika Stojsavljevic were both beaten in straight sets.

Boulter and Raducanu, nicknamed ‘Boultercanu’ for short after their doubles exploits at Queen’s last year, returned to play together again later on Tuesday.

But they were beaten 6-4 3-6 10-5 in a match tie-break.by fourth seeds Storm Hunter and Zhang Shuai.

Real Madrid have had a 150m euro (£130m) offer for striker Julian Alvarez rejected by city rivals Atletico Madrid.

Real president Florentino Perez last week pledged to make a 150m euro offer for an unnamed “galactico” player if re-elected to his position.

Having successfully retained control on Sunday, Perez made good on his promise.

However, the move for the 26-year-old Argentina forward was turned down by his club, who cited Alvarez’s release clause of 500m euros (£430m).

In a statement, Real said: “Following the meeting of the board of directors held today, it has made an offer of 150 million euros to Club Atletico de Madrid for the federative rights of the player Julian Alvarez.

“After reviewing and evaluating the offer, Club Atletico de Madrid has expressed its gratitude for the proposal, made within the framework of the good relations between both clubs, and has rejected it, referring to the player’s release clause.”

Atletico quoted the Real Madrid statement on X alongside a series of laughing emojis., external

In a subsequent post, external they stated: “You must have confused education with gratitude, but to leave no doubt: we don’t thank you for anything.

“We neither study nor consider any offer for Julian. How could we not get along, when you make us laugh even more than Barcelona does.”

In a final post, Atletico added, external: “P.S. Taking advantage of the good relationship with your new president, let’s see if you stop ‘stealing’ players from our Academy. Thanks a lot, @realmadrid!”

Former Manchester City player Alvarez, who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, joined the La Liga club in an £81.5m deal in 2024.

He scored 20 goals in 49 appearances for Atletico last season as they finished fourth in the table and reached the Champions League semi-finals.

The World Cup will be hosted across 16 different venues this summer, 11 of which host NFL games every fall and winter.

One might think not much will change on the security front, but whatever NFL fans see, it will be that on steroids, and for good reason.

Forty-eight teams will be vying for the coveted trophy in North America in 104 matches, and just about everything we are used to seeing when attending a sporting event will be thrown out the window.

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Fans go through security during a U.S. Men’s National Team community training session at Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine on June 8, 2026, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register/Getty Images)

To use MetLife Stadium, which will host the final, as an example, NJ Transit train tickets are $98, Penn Station will be closed for non-World Cup attendees four hours before matches, and no parking is available aside from “premium parking” at nearly $300 in the nearby American Dream mall.

But on the security front, there are massive changes because for the vast majority of the fans in attendance, everything will be new.

“When you’ve got different people from different countries who’ve flown in with different languages, currencies, and unfamiliarity with the subway systems, you have to put more layers of rigor in,” Peter Evans, CEO of security company Xtract One Technologies, said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Evans also mentioned how in a heightened political environment, surroundings could get testy rather quickly.

“You have people who have flown in just for that game and spent a lot of money. They might be bringing their political opinions or issues they want to make a statement about at an event like MetLife Stadium, which has global attention and scrutiny. The security risks are different than a Super Bowl,” Evans said.

Teams like Evans’ Xtract One will team up with the security teams of FIFA, local law enforcement and even other agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which will be at games for safety but not customs enforcement, in hopes of as smooth sailing as possible.

“People start planning for these activities years in advance because there is so much complexity involving local law enforcement, the DHS, FBI, CIA and Interpol. It takes a lot of coordination regarding technology, scanning social media and even counter-drone activities. It’s particularly complex now because of AI software, smartphones, and drones,” Evans said.

MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will host games during the 2026 World Cup. (Getty Images)

OFFICIALS LAY OUT ICE’S ROLE AT LOS ANGELES WORLD CUP PLANS, ANNOUNCE BOOSTED SECURITY FOR IRAN GAMES

“Security people do not see each other as competition. They share a common interest in protecting people. You will see organizations like ours partnering with competitors to deliver the right solution.”

It should also surprise nobody if President Donald Trump is in attendance for multiple games – he did attend the Club World Cup final at MetLife last July, and he just attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals. If that’s the case, Evans did say that it should be announced sooner rather than later “so people have time to prepare accurately.”

“You’ve got multiple more layers because these activities are a potential target for someone wanting notoriety and impact. When you add a president to the welcoming ceremony, it just heightens the security levels that much more and requires coordination,” he said.

Considering the amount of matches in such a short span, Evans believes that security teams will change protocols on the fly and take notes from prior matches all over the continent. And while it is nearly impossible to avoid conflict completely, Evans believes it is possible to minimize the risk as best as they can.

“I think individuals would be very surprised by how much sharing and coordination goes on. We see this with arenas and stadiums; for example, during a Harry Styles tour, all the venues would get together to share what they learned — like people concealing items in Big Bird or banana outfits. There is an unbelievable amount of sharing in a coordinated fashion and debriefing calls after each event to allow time to adjust before the next match,” Evans said.

United States fans go through security checks as they arrive to watch training in Irvine, California, on June 8, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

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“The primary focus is to minimize the risk and minimize the impact. You have millions of people attending with their children and families. Ultimately, you want to make sure no one in that fan group is impacted negatively. Is someone going to get drunk and disorderly? Probably. How quickly can you contain that risk so the general population has the experience they should have?

“The win: nobody gets hurt.”

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