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Why Arthur Fery’s Wimbledon fairytale distracts from the real issues within British tennis

Published

6 hours ago

13 July 2026

It’s been a good summer to be the world No 114. First Maja Chwalinska produced one of tennis’ great fairytale stories to reach the French Open final as a qualifier, winning nine matches in a row to get there; then Britain’s Arthur Fery embarked on a similarly unpredictable run to the Wimbledon semi-finals as a wildcard.

But while Fery’s magical run has stolen the headlines and the hearts of punters around Wimbledon, it stands in stark contrast to the overall performance of the home nation. Only a week before the wildcard’s astonishing win over Grigor Dimitrov in a five-set thriller, Britain endured its worst-ever opening day at Wimbledon, with 10 defeats from 10 matches.

All in all 15 Britons were to fall in the first round. Some of those were wildcards or qualifiers who simply ran into far superior opposition; others, including some of Britain’s best players, utterly failed to take the golden chance offered to them. There is a wider crisis in British tennis; Fery’s feelgood run has simply papered over the cracks.

Since Andy Murray’s retirement British tennis has been led by Cameron Norrie, usually a dependable, solid player who was left bitterly disappointed by a first-round exit. In his absence there is little leadership among the Brits on the men’s tour, which is largely populated by talented if injury-prone athletes who are yet to turn themselves into consistent features at big tournaments, or the women’s, which has the odd top-50 presence but is mostly top-100 players who have probably reached their ceiling.

It’s not like there are no Brits at all – there are 19 men in the top 300, a good return – but few have been able to truly break through, or stay there, and the gulf between winning at Challenger level – as three Brits did this weekend – and on the ATP Tour is mighty.

Despite having much more financial might, particularly as the host of a grand slam which generates a huge chunk of overall Tour revenue, the UK’s tennis system is light-years behind the likes of Italy (eight men in the top 100, including five-time major winner Jannik Sinner, grand slam semi-finalist Matteo Arnaldi and French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli) on the men’s side or Czechia (nine in the top 100 and three of the last four Wimbledon champions) on the women’s.

There are lessons to be drawn from those countries, but also from much closer to home: the scarcely believable success story which is British men’s doubles. For the last four years running a Brit has won the Wimbledon title; last year it was two, Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool. There are five British men in the world’s top 20 and they frequently battle for the top titles, notably at the ATP Finals last year, where all of those five made the semi-finals. Their success is owed in part to the highly regarded Louis Cayer, the national men’s doubles coach – the only one in existence.

Arthur Fery has jumped up the rankings to world No 36 and British No 1 (PA Wire)

One could point simply to luck of the draw: you can’t manufacture a tennis prodigy out of thin air, and there’s nothing to be done about once-in-a-generation talents cropping up elsewhere in Europe. But a lot of it comes down to the environment players are raised in and the access they have to opportunity.

Some would suggest the fact that promising young players are recruited to the National Academy in Loughborough, and the nature of the centralised model the LTA has recently opted for, have weakened grassroots tennis. Few local clubs are given the resources to produce top players in the manner in which clubs across Europe’s tennis behemoths do, while children who aren’t talent-spotted at a young age can fall through the cracks without the opportunity to develop. There is little investment in coaching and clubs at a micro level, with the inevitable result that young players who can’t afford or access expensive coaching, top-class facilities, or regular, quality tournament fields go by the wayside.

And it hardly bodes well for the health of the centralised system that most of the top British players of the current era, rather than progressing all the way through that pathway, went to college in the US. Norrie paved the way in playing college tennis at Texas Christian University, which Jacob Fearnley also attended, while Fery progressed to the professional tour via a tennis scholarship to Stanford, where he became the top-ranked college player in the States. Andy Murray famously joined Barcelona’s Sanchez-Casal Academy as a teen and grew up training in Spain rather than in the UK. It hardly inspires confidence in a system if players choose to leave it in their droves – and if they achieve greater things than those staying behind.

Cameron Norrie was knocked out by collegiate player Michael Zheng in a surprise first-round defeat (PA Wire)

And there are concerns over the durability of home players, too. Jack Draper is capable of astonishing highs, reaching a peak ranking of fourth in the world last year, but since then he has been consigned to the treatment room with a series of worrying injuries, having already endured numerous injury layoffs earlier in his budding career. The litany of injuries Emma Raducanu has had to deal with could fill an entire book. Another promising Brit, Sonay Kartal, has missed the entire clay and grass swings with a troublesome back injury. Perhaps it is simply awkward timing, a strange coincidence; but few other countries have half their top talent laid off at the same time.

There are further awkward questions to be asked, too. Until Fery’s glorious run, discussions about wildcards at Wimbledon largely centred around Dan Evans, the retiring hero who was not granted a proper send-off at his home slam, his career instead coming to an end on the lowkey Court 15 alongside doubles partner Henry Searle.

Dan Evans’ playing career came to an end in front of around 300 people on court 15 (Getty)

He lambasted the LTA for “not having the minerals” to tell him explicitly why he wasn’t given a singles wildcard (the governing body advises the AELTC on its wildcard selection), and for its failure to wish him well on his retirement in person. It all added to the impression of a governing body locked away in an ivory tower, interested in bottom lines rather than nurturing players both young and old.

Perhaps this is unfair, but sport is a results-based business, and those results aren’t forthcoming. Fery’s run to the semi-finals is a stunning achievement and not to be trifled with. But it shouldn’t obscure the deeper issues within British tennis, which cannot be solved by one young starlet having a dazzling breakout run every few years. Instead, it should be the catalyst to turn those runs into sustained success and consistency at the top, to put Britain’s talent among the tennis elite.

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Open Championship tee times: Scheffler paired with LIV Golf’s DeChambeau, Hatton

Published

10 minutes ago

13 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Sep 27, 2025; Bethpage, New York, USA; Team USA golfer Scottie Scheffler and golfer Bryson DeChambeau on the 11th hole on the penultimate day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is paired with LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton for the opening round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on Thursday.

Scheffler, playing the Open Championship for the sixth time, arrived after missing the cut at the Scottish Open. It was the first time he failed to reach the weekend since the 2022 St. Jude Championship.

Scheffler has 11 sub-70 rounds in 20 total rounds in his Open Championship career.

He won the Open last year at Royal Portrush at 17-under par to run away with the Claret Jug. He has two other top-10 finishes among his previous five starts (T7 at Royal Troon in 2024 and T8 in his debut at the 2021 Open at Royal St. George’s).

Scheffler and DeChambeau have been partners for the United States in the Ryder Cup.

This is the ninth Open Championship for DeChambeau. He overcame a first-round 78 at Portrush last year to finish tied for 10th, his best showing since St. Andrews in 2022, when he tied for eighth. DeChambeau’s first-round score of 69 in 2022 is the only time he shot better than 70 on his opening 18 in the event.

Their group, which remains together for another 18 holes Friday, goes off for the first 18 ahead of a threesome of Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood.

Matt Fitzpatrick and Rory McIlroy are playing with two-time major winner Xander Schauffele.

–Open Championship tee times

First round, Thursday

First tee (local time/ET)

6:35 a.m./1:35 a.m.: Matthew Baldwin, Thomas Detry, James Nicholas

6:46 a.m./1:46 a.m.: Michael Kim, Daniel Hillier, Andy Sullivan

6:57 a.m./1:57 a.m.: Ryan Fox, Andrew Novak, Matthew Jordan

7:08 a.m./2:08 a.m.: Henrik Stenson, Max Homa, Joe Dean

7:19 a.m./2:19 a.m.: Robert MacIntyre, Rickie Fowler, Alex Fitzpatrick

7:30 a.m./2:30 a.m.: David Duval, Martin Couvra, Matthew Southgate

7:41 a.m./2:41 a.m.: Sungjae Im, Daniel Brown, Fifa Laopakdee (a)

7:52 a.m./2:52 a.m.: Gary Woodland, Jake Knapp, Jordan Smith

8:03 a.m./3:03 a.m.: Francesco Molinari, Tom McKibbin, Lev Grinberg (a)

8:14 a.m./3:14 a.m.: Hennie du Plessis, Jose Luis Ballester, Dan Bradbury

8:25 a.m./3:25 a.m.: Angel Ayora, Victor Perez, Mateo Pulcini (a)

8:36 a.m./3:36 a.m.: Stewart Cink, Scott Vincent, Joakim Lagergren

8:47 a.m./3:47 a.m.: Michael Thorbjornsen, Kota Kaneko, Travis Smyth

9:03 a.m./4:03 a.m.: Alex Smalley, Sam Stevens, Ryo Hisatsune

9:14 a.m./4:14 a.m.: Akshay Bhatia, Harris English, Rasmus Hojgaard

9:25 a.m./4:25 a.m.: Ben Griffin, Hideki Matsuyama, Min Woo Lee

9:36 a.m./4:36 a.m.: Russell Henley, Justin Rose, Viktor Hovland

9:47 a.m./4:47 a.m.: Justin Thomas, Alex Noren, Jason Day

9:58 a.m./4:58 a.m.: Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton, Bryson DeChambeau

10:09 a.m./5:09 a.m.: Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm

10:20 a.m./5:20 a.m.: Brian Harman, Si Woo Kim, Nick Taylor

10:31 a.m./5:31 a.m.: Ryan Gerard, Maverick McNealy, David Puig

10:42 a.m./5:42 a.m.: Kazuma Kobori, Tom Sloman, David Howard (a)

10:53 a.m./5:53 a.m.: Antoine Rozner, Ren Yonezawa, Caleb Surratt

11:04 a.m./6:04 a.m.: MJ Daffue, Frederic Lacroix, Jack McDonald

11:15 a.m./6:15 a.m.: Jeongwoo Ham, Ryutaro Nagano, Alejandro De Castro Piera (a)

11:41 a.m./6:41 a.m.: John Parry, Eric Cole, Tiger Christensen

11:52 a.m./6:52 a.m.: Eugenio Chacarra, Matt Wallace, Max Greyserman

12:03 p.m./7:03 a.m.: Michael Brennan, Sahith Theegala, Laurie Canter

12:14 p.m./7:14 a.m.: Cameron Smith, Keith Mitchell, Stuart Grehan (a)

12:25 p.m./7:25 a.m.: Sepp Straka, Joaquin Niemann, Kurt Kitayama

12:36 p.m./7:36 a.m.: Sami Valimaki, Shaun Norris, Jackson Suber

12:47 p.m./7:47 a.m.: Darren Clarke, Adrien Saddier, Bernd Wiesberger

12:58 p.m./7:58 a.m.: Keegan Bradley, Corey Conners, Casey Jarvis

1:09 p.m./8:09 a.m.: Matt McCarty, Harry Hall, Haotong Li

1:20 p.m./8:20 a.m.: Padraig Harrington, Marco Penge, Michael Hollick

1:31 p.m./8:31 a.m.: Tom Kim, Billy Horschel, Mason Howell (a)

1:42 p.m./8:42 a.m.: Johnny Kiefer, Pierceson Coody, Keita Nakajima

1:53 p.m./8:53 a.m.: Louis Oosthuizen, Jesper Svansson, Jack Buchanan (a)

2:09 p.m./9:09 a.m.: Bud Cauley, Jayden Schaper, Lucas Herbert

2:20 p.m./9:20 a.m.: Kristoffer Reitan, Patrick Reed, J.T. Poston

2:31 p.m./9:31 a.m.: Chris Gotterup, Sam Burns, Adam Scott

2:42 p.m./9:42 a.m.: Collin Morikawa, J.J. Spaun, Nicolai Hojgaard

2:53 p.m./9:53 a.m.: Shane Lowry, Aaron Rai, Brooks Koepka

3:04 p.m./10:04 a.m.: Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Luvig Aberg

3:15 p.m./10:15 a.m.: Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick

3:26 p.m./10:26 a.m.: Jacob Bridgeman, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Tim Wiedemeyer (a)

3:37 p.m./10:37 a.m.: Patrick Cantlay, Daniel Berger, Nico Echavarria

3:48 p.m./10:48 a.m.: Peter Uihlein, Alistair Docherty, Francesco Laporta

3:59 p.m./10:59 a.m.: Cameron John, Austen Truslow, Sam Bairstow

4:10 p.m./11:10 a.m.: Naoyuki Kataoka, Marcus Plunkett, Baard Bjoernevik Skogen

4:21 p.m./11:21 a.m.: Kazuki Higa, Jiho Yang, Nevill Ruiter (a)

Second round, Friday

First Tee (local time/ET)

6:35 a.m./1:35 a.m.: John Parry, Eric Cole, Tiger Christensen

6:46 a.m./1:46 a.m.: Eugenio Chacarra, Matt Wallace, Max Greyserman

6:57 a.m./1:57 a.m.: Michael Brennan, Sahith Theegala, Laurie Canter

7:08 a.m./2:08 a.m.: Cameron Smith, Keith Mitchell, Stuart Grehan (a)

7:19 a.m./2:19 a.m.: Sepp Straka, Joaquin Niemann, Kurt Kitayama

7:30 a.m./2:30 a.m.: Sami Valimaki, Shaun Norris, Jackson Suber

7:41 a.m./2:41 a.m.: Darren Clarke, Adrien Saddier, Bernd Wiesberger

7:52 a.m./2:52 a.m.: Keegan Bradley, Corey Conners, Casey Jarvis

8:03 a.m./3:03 a.m.: Matt McCarty, Harry Hall, Haotong Li

8:14 a.m./3:14 a.m.: Padraig Harrington, Marco Penge, Michael Hollick

8:25 a.m./3:25 a.m.: Tom Kim, Billy Horschel, Mason Howell (a)

8:26 a.m./3:36 a.m.: Johnny Kiefer, Pierceson Coody, Keita Nakajima

8:47 a.m./3:47 a.m.: Louis Oosthuizen, Jesper Svansson, Jack Buchanan (a)

9:03 a.m./4:03 a.m.: Bud Cauley, Jayden Schaper, Lucas Herbert

9:14 a.m./4:14 a.m.: Kristoffer Reitan, Patrick Reed, J.T. Poston

9:25 a.m./4:25 a.m.: Chris Gotterup, Sam Burns, Adam Scott

9:36 a.m./4:36 a.m.: Collin Morikawa, J.J. Spaun, Nicolai Hojgaard

9:47 a.m./4:47 a.m.: Shane Lowry, Aaron Rai, Brooks Koepka

9:58 a.m./4:58 a.m.: Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Luvig Aberg

10:09 a.m./5:09 a.m.: Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick

10:20 a.m./5:20 a.m.: Jacob Bridgeman, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Tim Wiedemeyer (a)

10:31 a.m./5:31 a.m.: Patrick Cantlay, Daniel Berger, Nico Echavarria

10:42 a.m./5:42 a.m.: Peter Uihlein, Alistair Docherty, Francesco Laporta

10:53 a.m./5:53 a.m.: Cameron John, Austen Truslow, Sam Bairstow

11:04 a.m./6:04 a.m.: Naoyuki Kataoka, Marcus Plunkett, Baard Bjoernevik Skogen

11:15 a.m./6:15 a.m.: Kazuki Higa, Jiho Yang, Nevill Ruiter (a)

11:41 a.m./6:41 a.m.: Matthew Baldwin, Thomas Detry, James Nicholas

11:52 a.m./6:52 a.m.: Michael Kim, Daniel Hillier, Andy Sullivan

12:03 p.m./7:03 a.m.: Ryan Fox, Andrew Novak, Matthew Jordan

12:14 p.m./7:14 a.m.: Henrik Stenson, Max Homa, Joe Dean

12:25 p.m./7:25 a.m.: Robert MacIntyre, Rickie Fowler, Alex Fitzpatrick

12:36 p.m./7:36 a.m.: David Duval, Martin Couvra, Matthew Southgate

12:47 p.m./7:47 a.m.: Sungjae Im, Daniel Brown, Fifa Laopakdee (a)

12:58 p.m./7:58 a.m.: Gary Woodland, Jake Knapp, Jordan Smith

1:09 p.m./8:09 a.m.: Francesco Molinari, Tom McKibbin, Lev Grinberg (a)

1:20 p.m./8:20 a.m.: Hennie Du Plessis, Jose Luis Ballester, Dan Bradbury

1:31 p.m./8:31 a.m.: Angel Ayora, Victor Perez, Mateo Pulcini (a)

1:42 p.m./8:42 a.m.: Stewart Cink, Scott Vincent, Joakim Lagergren

1:53 p.m./8:53 a.m.: Michael Thorbjornsen, Kota Kaneko, Travis Smyth

2:09 p.m./9:09 a.m.: Alex Smalley, Sam Stevens, Ryo Hisatsune

2:20 p.m./9:20 a.m.: Akshay Bhatia, Harris English, Rasmus Hojgaard

2:31 p.m./9:31 a.m.: Ben Griffin, Hideki Matsuyama, Min Woo Lee

2:42 p.m./9:42 a.m.: Russell Henley, Justin Rose, Viktor Hovland

2:53 p.m./9:53 a.m.: Justin Thomas, Alex Noren, Jason Day

3:04 p.m./10:04 a.m.: Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton, Bryson DeChambeau

3:15 p.m./10:15 a.m.: Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm

3:26 p.m./10:26 a.m.: Brian Harman, Si Woo Kim, Nick Taylor

3:37 p.m./10:37 a.m.: Ryan Gerard, Maverick McNealy, David Puig

3:48 p.m./10:48 a.m.: Kazuma Kobori, Tom Sloman, David Howard (a)

3:59 p.m./10:59 a.m.: Antoine Rozner, Ren Yonezawa, Caleb Surratt

4:10 p.m./11:10 a.m.: MJ Daffue, Frederic Lacroix, Jack McDonald

4:21 p.m./11:21 a.m.: Jeongwoo Ham, Ryutaro Nagano, Alejandro De Castro Piera (a)

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Man City lay down £150m transfer marker as Blues avoid chaos and confusion

Published

19 minutes ago

13 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Manchester City’s summer transfer business has kicked into gear in recent weeks.

The £116million capture of Elliot Anderson saw the Blues secure their top target early in the transfer window and City have since added goalkeeper Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday and highly-rated winger Jeremy Monga from Leicester City. Mathys Detourbet has also joined from Troyes and subsequently left for Monaco on loan.

While Detourbet, and to some extent Monga, are buys for the future, Charles will fill a crucial goalkeeping role given the uncertainty surrounding James Trafford’s future and the desire for City to ensure they hit homegrown squad quotas in the Premier League and Champions League. Monga, tipped for top, was snatched from under Arsenal’s noses and is viewed as a first-team prospect by the Blues.

So far so good for City, who would still like to add a right back and another winger but in Anderson have achieved their statement signing already.

The Blues face a pivotal summer with Enzo Maresca now in charge after a decade of Pep Guardiola and have made a good start to the window, particularly considering there is a World Cup ongoing.

And a quick glance around the rest of the Premier League shows how calm City’s summer has been compared to the choppy waters elsewhere.

Manchester United wanted Anderson and Mateus Fernandes and missed out on both, while an agreed move for midfielder Ederson could yet fall through. The Reds are set to sign Andre Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively but have moved for both after missing out on top targets.

Villa didn’t want to lose Tielemans but have gazumped Newcastle to the signing of highly-rated Switzerland midfielder Johan Manzambi to leave serious questions on Tyneside given the departure of Sandro Tonali for Tottenham and the historical issues of missing out on top targets at the last minute and seeing key players leave. Bruno Guimaraes could also depart St James’ Park with Arsenal keen, but the Gunners have not yet struck a deal.

Mikel Arteta’s men are also eyeing Julian Alvarez but Atletico Madrid are unwilling sellers and Barcelona are also interested, while the Argentine is still at the World Cup, and so far Arsenal are having to wait on their top targets.

Liverpool have spent big on Víctor Muñoz and Jérémy Jacquet as their rebuild under Andoni Iraola begins, while Spurs have also hit the ground running with a slew of spending. The picture is more complicated at Chelsea, with the Blues once again experiencing a fraught summer with big money deals expected but several departures necessary as they try to balance the books for new boss Xabi Alonso.

It all adds up to a chaotic summer as Premier League clubs scramble for the best talent. City still have work to do, and the window is open for another 50 days so there will be no great panic elsewhere, but the early signs show just how calm, considered and calculated City are in the window, particularly considering the change in management this summer.

It doesn’t guarantee success, and there will be more twists and turns to come, but the Blues are well placed to transition from one era to the next.

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World Cup final’s halftime show to fund FIFA’s Global Citizen Education fund

Published

34 minutes ago

13 July 2026

NewsAdmin

For the first time in history, the World Cup final will feature a halftime show modelled on the US Superbowl’s. The show will support FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to raise $100 million for children worldwide during the tournament. FRANCE 24 spoke to its CEO, Hugh Evans.

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Tim Bradley delivers honest verdict on Rolly Romero vs Teofimo Lopez: “He’s got freaky strength”

Published

49 minutes ago

13 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Tim Bradley has considered the “freaky strength” of Rolando Romero, believing it could play a factor in his welterweight showdown with Teofimo Lopez.

The pair will collide at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, on August 22, with Romero making a first defence of his WBA world title.

He became the sanctioning body’s regular champion by defeating Ryan Garcia, who he floored in round two before winning their contest by unanimous decision in May 2025.

Since then, the American has been elevated to full WBA champion, only to remain out of the ring after attempting to secure fights with the likes of Devin Haney and Conor Benn.

Now, though, Romero will finally return to action against Lopez, who comes off a wide unanimous decision defeat to Shakur Stevenson in January.

As a result of being comprehensively outboxed, the 28-year-old was relieved of his WBO super-lightweight title but now looks to reinvent himself at 147lbs.

According to Hall of Famer Bradley, however, facing the hard-hitting Romero in his first outing at the new weight could prove to be a catastrophic mistake for Lopez.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Bradley highlighted the difference in power as a major factor when assessing their WBA title fight next month.

“What [version of] Rolly gonna show up? Do we need the more calculated Rolly – the one that fought Ryan Garcia … a very awkward boxing style?
“Or, do we need the Rolly that’s gonna bring it to Teo? Teofimo Lopez ain’t got no power. 140lbs – he ain’t knocked nobody out.
“He going to [147lbs], jumping up 7lbs. Rolly is thumping – he can punch. He’s been at [147lbs] for some time now. It’s a different feeling when you get hit with them bricks, and Rolly got that freaky strength.”

Bradley went on to admit that his comments can also be applied to Lopez, in terms of wondering which version of ‘The Takeover’ will actually show up.

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Anthony Rizzo hypes up Home Rub Derby on Netflix and the potential new fans

Published

1 hour ago

13 July 2026

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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

The unofficial halfway point of the MLB season is already here, and fans all over the country will be tuned into one of baseball’s spectacles on Monday night.

This year’s Home Run Derby, however, might be the most-viewed ever, as it will be streamed on Netflix.

“It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be really exciting. What they’re doing to our sport, getting basically worldwide recognition. Fans that maybe aren’t interested in baseball see that it’s on Netflix and think, ‘Hey, I’m gonna watch this.’ So, we have a really good opportunity to bring baseball to viewers that don’t necessarily see it on a daily basis,” former All-Star and Derby participant Anthony Rizzo, who is a Netflix analyst for the event, said recently to Fox News Digital.

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA MAY HAVE LEAKED SOME MLB ALL-STARS HOURS BEFORE THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

Anthony Rizzo bats at home plate during the Home Run Derby in Cincinnati.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo bats during the Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Elsa/Getty Images)

“They bring stardom everywhere. Everything they do, Netflix is first class. So, I’m excited for the guests we’re going to have on, the baseball players, the celebrities, the whole shebang.”

In an era where All-Star Games have turned into simply careful scrimmages, baseball’s remains different, as 100 mph fastballs with devastating breaking balls are still constant.

“I think when you get between the lines, it’s all fun and games until the game starts. It’s still relaxed and fun, but when you’re in the box or on defense, it’s very competitive. You want to take the guy deep, you want to get a hit, you want to showcase your All-Star talent on the national stage. If you get out, it doesn’t matter as much. If you get a hit, it doesn’t matter as much. But it feels good to perform at the All-Star Game,” Rizzo said.

One All-Star phenomenon in the NBA’s Dunk Contest unarguably has been watered down due to the fact that simply the game’s stars don’t participate. But that is not the case with the Home Run Derby, even with the exhaustion it brings.

Anthony Rizzo bats during the Home Run Derby in Cincinnati.

Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs bats during the Gillette Home Run Derby at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

FORMER SAVANNAH BANANAS PLAYER NAMED MLB ALL-STAR HOURS AFTER HITTING FOR CYCLE AS A ROOKIE

“I’ve done the Derby myself, and I was sore for a week afterward just because of how hard I was swinging. So, you’ve really got to assess where you’re at physically and mentally. It’s mentally grueling, too. The magnitude and the emotion that go into the Derby and the All-Star Game are intense, and then two days later you’re back playing. So, you’ve just got to know yourself,” said Rizzo.

But Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Junior Caminero, and Ben Rice are just some of the top names that will be in Philadelphia attempting to hit as many home runs in 20 swings each round.

“The Derby brings adrenaline that you’re just not used to having in July,” Rizzo said.

“You want the big stars in it all the time. It’s also really good for young players to showcase themselves. I don’t think the game will ever shy away from it, and the incentive to win now is higher than it’s ever been. To hit a few home runs over a couple of hours and win seven figures is a pretty nice outcome, for sure.”

The break, Rizzo inclined, has the potential to be one of the best ever.

“I think it’s just so hard to be an All-Star every year. What goes into being an All-Star in Major League Baseball, especially as a position player, is you’re not just going to roll out there and hit 20 to 30 home runs by the All-Star break and have a .280 to .300 average. There’s so much work that goes into it,” he said.

Anthony Rizzo looks on during batting practice at Great American Ball Park.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo looks on during batting practice before the 86th MLB All-Star Game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

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“Then you get to enjoy and celebrate that moment with all your peers who have also had a great first half. The Home Run Derby is awesome. It’s in Philly, and I feel like Philly right now is just on fire. The Phillies have completely turned their season around and are looking like World Series contenders again. It’s America’s 250th birthday, the World Cup is coming, and everything’s going right right now. Philly, the Home Run Derby there, the All-Star Game, I would imagine the city’s going to be rocking.”

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One surprise Liverpool player Man United should sign as Gary Neville delivers verdict

Published

1 hour ago

13 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Former Manchester United full-back Gary Neville has delivered his verdict on which Liverpool player he would like to see play for his old side

Gary Neville has picked Ryan Gravenberch as the Liverpool player he would sign for Manchester United. United have been in need of midfield reinforcements after Casemiro’s summer departure and Manuel Ugarte’s serious injury.

United confirmed the £50m signing of Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea on Monday. The club are also set to sign Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans after activating the Belgian’s £35m release clause.

But a move for Atalanta’s Ederson has still not been completed despite a £38m fee being agreed with the Serie A side in early June. The 27-year-old has been eager to join the Reds and hinted during the World Cup that the move was all-but confirmed.

The Manchester Evening News understands that United may seek to renegotiate the deal, which became complex after medical tests raised concerns about a knee injury sustained last season. Regardless of what happens with Ederson, United will still look to sign a third midfielder after Santos and Tielemans.

And former Reds captain Neville has told the Overlap podcast that he would like to see Gravenberch at Old Trafford if he had to choose a player from United’s bitter rivals.

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He said: “It’s harder because [Florian] Wirtz, Isak aren’t jumping out to me, [Hugo] Ekitike yeah, [Dominik] Szoboszlai maybe, [Alexis] Mac Allister hmm. I’d go Gravenberch.

“If you said to me now, I’d take Gravenberch because I think he’s the best of the three midfielders and we need a midfielder desperately.

“The forwards are good but I wouldn’t swap them over [Bryan] Mbeumo, [Matheus] Cunha, Bruno [Fernandes], Amad, I’d don’t think I’d be jumping to take any of them. I think they’ve got potential to do brilliant things but they’ve not proved it yet.”

Michael Owen was the last player to play for both Liverpool and United when he arrived at M16 in 2009. The striker went on to win the Premier League title and League Cup during his time in Manchester.

Neville was also asked which manager in world football he would most like to have played under. The 51-year-old said: “[Jurgen] Klopp. I’ve said this before, I think Klopp with his football, his personality, I just love it. Mad.

“For five or six years you couldn’t help but admire the team that I dislike the most, the team that I don’t want to win. Every time you went and watched Liverpool it was a proper game of football, you knew they weren’t holding back and you knew they were going to go for it.

“You knew they were electric in attack, speed, particularly in that two or three-year period when they had [Sadio] Mane, [Mohamed] Salah and [Roberto] Firmino at their peak. That was a proper front three, that. The runs of Salah and Mane and the goals, then you’ve got Firmino just dropping in and pulling centre-backs out and then they go in behind. It was devastating, honestly, it really was.

“It was an aggressive backline. If you think of the three, the two full-backs and [Virgil] van Dijk, [Andy] Robertson at his peak, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk and then you had [Joel] Matip or someone… but they were three brilliant defenders and Alisson was the best goalkeeper in the world. So for me, the style of football, the personality of Klopp, yeah, I’d say Klopp.”

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Mason Greenwood ‘transfer hijack twist’ after last-minute call as Man United eye developments

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1 hour ago

13 July 2026

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Former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood could be on the move this summer and his former employers will be looking on with interest

Al-Ahli have reportedly tried to hijack Fenerbache’s move for former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood. The Reds sold Greenwood to French Ligue 1 side Marseille in July 2024 for a deal worth £26.7million.

United secured a sell-on clause, which entitles them to a major portion of any future transfer fee which Marseille may receive from a sale. While initial reports varied, the clause is widely understood to be between 40 and 50 per cent – providing United with a financial boost for their next transfer if he moves.

Recent reports from Turkey claim that Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce are expected to sign Greenwood for €40m (£34m) plus €2m in bonuses. However, TalkSPORT now claim that Al-Ahli called the 24-year-old on Sunday to try and persuade him to join.

It is said that Al Ahli head coach Matthias Jaissle spoke directly with the player as they look to hijack his move to Fenerbahce. The report adds, though, that Greenwood’s mooted move to the Istanbul-based club is at an advanced stage.

It comes after recent reports that Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has requested his signing. It is said the Argentine seeks to reinforce the attacking positions following the departures of Antoine Griezmann, Nico Gonzalez, and the likely exit of Julian Alvarez.

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According to ESPN, both Fenerbahce and Atletico have agreed deals with Marseille. United would receive €14m (£11.9m) if Greenwood opts to move to Turkey, or €15.7m (£13.3m) if he returns to Madrid, having had a loan spell at Getafe while he was still registered at Old Trafford.

And because Greenwood was an academy product, the initial fee paid by Marseille was recorded as pure profit under the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). The same accounting benefit would apply to any sale-on income they receive down the line.

Greenwood has scored 48 goals in 81 appearances for Marseille. The forward’s impressive form has previously seen former Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi back him to win the Ballon d’Or.

He said: “I see him every day, he has huge potential. I don’t see any other players in Europe at the same level.

“He has the potential to win the Ballon d’Or. It will be up to him to decide whether he wants to do everything he can to fight for it or not.

“At the level of the qualities that nature has given him, that his parents have given him, I think he is worthy of the Ballon d’Or.

“I would like him to be more consistent. I know he needs to press with more intensity, he needs to manage the ball better when the team is in trouble, not lose the ball easily, but keep it to allow the team to move up because he has the ability to do it.”

Greenwood, who has one England cap, switched international allegiances to Jamaica last year. In August 2025, he received his passport for the Caribbean nation, opening the door for him to represent his grandparents’ country.

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5 Indian players part of the squad in ENG vs IND 2026 ODIs who toured in 2018 as well ft. Shreyas Iyer

Published

2 hours ago

13 July 2026

NewsAdmin

England are set to host India for a three-match ODI series, with the action shifting from the T20Is. The first one-day will be played in Birmingham on Tuesday, July 14. India will be bolstered by the presence of senior players as they aim to bounce back after the loss in the T20I series.

When the Men in Blue toured England in 2018, they lost the three-match ODI series 2-1. They won the first game by eight wickets but were defeated by 86 runs and eight wickets in the second and third games, respectively.

Several players who were part of the 2018 tour will return for the 2026 series as well. That said, here are five Indian players part of the squad in the upcoming series who toured in 2018 as well.

#5 Axar Patel

All-rounder Axar Patel was part of the ODI series in 2018. However, he did not feature in a single game out of the three matches that were played. He has played five ODIs against England (all in India), scoring 107 runs and picking up four wickets.

Axar did not have a good performance in the recently concluded T20I series. He scored just 19 runs from five matches and claimed only two wickets. The all-rounder will be keen to put up a better showing in the ODI series and will be expected to contribute with both bat and ball as the visitors aim to bounce back.

#4 Kuldeep Yadav

Wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav had a memorable series on the 2018 tour. He was India’s leading wicket-taker with nine scalps from three games at an average of 16.44 and an economy rate of 4.93 with best figures of 6/25.

In nine ODIs against England, Kuldeep has bagged 14 wickets at an average of 34.78 and an economy rate of 5.75. The wrist-spinner has done fairly well in England too, picking up 15 wickets from ten matches at an average of 32.33 and an economy rate of 5.00. He will have a key role to play against the English batters.

#3 Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer returned to India’s ODI squad as the vice-captain. With a packed batting line-up featuring Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, and MS Dhoni, Iyer did not get a chance to play a single ODI on the 2018 tour despite being part of the squad.

He has played just one ODI in England in 2022, but did not bat in that game. Overall, Shreyas Iyer has played six one-dayers against England and has scored 191 runs. He showed good form in the T20I series and will be expected to carry the same into the ODIs.

#2 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma was India’s second-highest run-getter in the 2018 series in England. He made 154 runs from three games at an average of 77 with a century. The veteran batter has toured England multiple times. (including ICC tournaments).

In 27 games, he has piled on 1428 runs at an average of 64.90 with seven hundreds and as many half-centuries. Given his experience playing in these conditions, he will certainly be among the key players for the Men in Blue this time around.

#1 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli scored the most runs for India during the 2018 ODI series. He made 191 runs from three games at an average of 63.66 with two half-centuries. Like Rohit Sharma, Kohli has also been to England several times, including ICC tournaments.

In England, Kohli has played 33 ODIs, scoring 1349 runs at an average of 51.88 with a hundred and 12 half-centuries. Overall, he has scored 1397 runs from 38 matches at an average of 41.08 with three hundreds and ten half-centuries. The star batter will also have a vital role to play in the 2026 series.

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5 Indian players part of the squad in ENG vs IND 2026 ODIs who toured in 2018 as well ft. Shreyas Iyer

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#3 Shreyas Iyer

#2 Rohit Sharma

#1 Virat Kohli

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Mason Greenwood ‘transfer hijack twist’ after last-minute call as Man United eye developments

Former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood could be on the move this summer and his former employers will be looking on with interest

5 Indian players part of the squad in ENG vs IND 2026 ODIs who toured in 2018 as well ft. Shreyas Iyer

#5 Axar Patel

#4 Kuldeep Yadav

#3 Shreyas Iyer

#2 Rohit Sharma

#1 Virat Kohli

Leave a Reply
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