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China is gearing up to send fresh supplies to its space station.
Components of a Long March 7 rocket arrived at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan island, south China, on April 13 after shipping from the northern port city of Tianjin.
The rocket is now being assembled. It will launch the Tianzhou 6 cargo spacecraft to the Tiangong space station in the first half of May.
Tianzhou 6 had earlier been delivered to Wenchang and will carry supplies for astronauts for the Shenzhou 16 and Shenzhou 17 crewed missions, due to launch around late May and November this year, respectively. Tianzhou 6 will also carry propellant to be transferred to Tiangong to allow it to fire its engines and maintain its orbit.
The spacecraft notably features improvements over previous Tianzhou flight modules, according to Chinese space officials.
The manufacturer of Tianzhou spacecraft, the China Academy of Space Technology, has expanded (opens in new tab) the cargo capacity of the pressurized segments of Tianzhou by about 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms). This means that China now needs to launch just three supply missions every two years, instead of launching one every six months.
Tianzhou 6 and the following two Shenzhou crewed missions make up the three missions due to launch to Tiangong this year. | Space Technology |
An Indian spacecraft has blazed its way to the far side of the moon in a follow-up mission to its failed effort nearly four years ago to land a rover softly on the lunar surface, India’s space agency said.
Chandrayaan-3, the word for “moon craft” in Sanskrit, took off from a launch pad in Sriharikota, an island in southern India, with an orbiter, a lander and a rover, in a demonstration of India’s emerging space technology. The spacecraft will embark on a journey lasting slightly over a month before landing on the moon’s surface later in August.
Applause and cheers swept through mission control at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, where engineers and scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) celebrated as they monitored the launch of the spacecraft. Thousands of Indians cheered outside the mission control centre and waved the national flag as they watched the spacecraft rise into the sky.
“Congratulations India. Chandrayaan-3 has started its journey towards the moon,” said the ISRO director, Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, shortly after the launch.
A successful landing would make India the fourth country – after the United States, the Soviet Union and China – to achieve the feat.
The six-wheeled lander and rover module of Chandrayaan-3 is configured with payloads that would provide data to the scientific community on the properties of lunar soil and rocks, including chemical and elemental compositions, said Dr Jitendra Singh, the junior minister for science and technology.
India’s previous attempt to land a robotic spacecraft near the moon’s little-explored south pole ended in failure in 2019. It entered the lunar orbit but lost touch with its lander that crashed while making its final descent to deploy a rover to search for signs of water. According to a failure analysis report submitted to the ISRO, the crash was caused by a software glitch.
The $140m mission in 2019 was intended to study permanently shadowed moon craters that are thought to contain water deposits and were confirmed by India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission in 2008.
Somanath said the main objective of the mission this time was a safe and soft landing on the moon. He said the Indian space agency has perfected the art of reaching up to the moon, “but it is the landing that the agency is working on”.
Numerous countries and private companies are in a race to successfully land a spacecraft on the lunar surface. In April, a Japanese company’s spacecraft apparently crashed while attempting to land on the moon. An Israeli nonprofit tried to achieve a similar feat in 2019, but its spacecraft was destroyed on impact.
With nuclear-armed India emerging as the world’s fifth-largest economy, Narendra Modi’s nationalist government is eager to show off the country’s prowess in security and technology.
India is using research from space and elsewhere to solve problems at home. Its space programme has already helped develop satellite, communication and remote-sensing technologies and has been used to gauge underground water levels and predict weather in the country, which is prone to cycles of drought and flood.
“This is a very critical mission,” said Pallava Bagla, a science writer and co-author of books on India’s space exploration, adding that India will require soft landing technology if it wants to attempt more missions to the moon.
India is also looking forward to its first mission to the International Space Station next year, in collaboration with the US as part of agreements between Modi and the US president, Joe Biden, at the White House last month.
This one-off visit by an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station will not hamper India’s own programme, which aims to launch an Indian astronaut from Indian soil on an Indian rocket in late 2024, Bagla said.
India has launched satellites for itself and other countries since the 1960s, and successfully put one in orbit around Mars in 2014.
Singh said that based on the current trajectory of growth, India’s space sector could be a trillion-dollar economy in the coming years.
As of April, India has launched 424 satellites for 34 countries, including Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The ISRO has earned approximately 1.1bn rupees (£10.2m) in the past five years from the launch of foreign satellites, Singh told India’s parliament in December. | Space Technology |
George Freeman told a fringe meeting of leading space experts that the UK would announce an initiative to regulate the rapidly expanding sector in the coming months.
Currently there are almost 8,000 satellites, with the majority in low earth orbit, but 3,000 of them are redundant, posing a danger to others.
“We need to create a very basic space capability standard,” Mr Freeman told the Winning the Space Race event at the Conservative conference in Manchester. “And if you are compliant, we'll give you more competitive insurance over licensing.”
Currently, 95 per cent of satellites are uninsured, suggesting issues with their disposal or maintenance.
“Why don't we smaller, responsible, sovereign state space countries create a kitemark for everyone,” he said. The idea had the support of both Switzerland and Canada, he added.
While Britain was excellent at innovation in space technology, it was continually failing to maximise the commercial potential with other countries exploiting the advances and poaching its scientists, Mr Freeman said.
“People are laughing at how the Brits do all the science and amazing tech” but then lose it to global competitors, he said.
“If ever a sector needs an industrial strategy the space sector is it,” he said. “We need the state actively working with private sector in partnerships.”
While the space economy was worth £17 billion in Britain, half of this was taken up with Sky television subscriptions, he added.
With a multitude of countries developing space programmes, there was a “race on over who gets the first launch in Europe of satellites into polar orbit”, said Lord David Willetts, chairman of the UK Space Agency.
While the SaxaVord space centre in the Shetland Islands, Scotland, was leading the way for Europe’s first vertical rocket launch, it would be a “close race” with Norway and Sweden both forging ahead, he added.
The Moon was also set to experience a substantial rise in interest, presenting further commercial opportunities, said Lord Willetts, formerly Britain’s science and university minister.
“In the next 10 years we are going to see more missions to the Moon than we have seen in the previous 50,” he said.
Both Britain and Italy were now working on a project to provide “lunar communications”, putting up satellites around the Moon for countries undertaking activities, he added. | Space Technology |
(WIVB) – Anita Alvarez, a two-time Olympian from New York, had a scare Wednesday when she passed out in the pool during the FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. But her coach said on social media that Alvarez is doing fine, and has been cleared by doctors. Alvarez passed out at the end of her solo routine in artistic swimming, formerly known as synchronized swimming. Andrea Fuentes, Alvarez’s coach, jumped in to rescue Alvarez from the bottom of the pool, lifting her to the surface. Another person helped Fuentes lift the swimmer out of the water, before she was placed on a stretcher. Anita Alvarez is carried on stretcher after passing out in the pool at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Alvarez had previously passed out during an Olympic qualifier in 2021. (AP Photo/Anna Szilagyi) “Anita’s solo was so good too, it was her best performance ever, she just pushed through her limits and she found them,” Fuentes later wrote on Instagram. “But Anita is OK and the doctors also said she is fine. “We all know it happens in other sports: cycling, marathon, track and field … some don’t make it to the final line and some even finish crawling or passing out,” Fuentes added. “Our sport is very hard too. Now it’s time to rest and recover. Tomorrow is highlight day and free duet finals! Ready to give our best.” Alvarez scored 87.6333 in the women’s solo free artistic swimming event, placing seventh. Alvarez had previously passed out in the pool during an Olympic qualifying event in 2021. When discussing the 2021 incident with Nexstar’s WIVB, Alvarez claimed she felt like she was merely falling asleep. “I honestly thought I was asleep,” Alvarez told WIVB after the qualifier. “I started hearing people saying, ‘It’s going to be OK.’ I thought, ‘Stop telling me that! I’m trying to sleep.’ Then I realized that no, I was still in the pool.” “Unfortunately, I’ve seen it happen to her before,” Alvarez’s mother said last year. “Never in competition, though. I knew right away. On their last element, I could tell something was up.” Alvarez, seen here before competing in Wednesday’s solo free final of artistic swimming at the 19th FINA World Championships, is said to be recovering after losing consciousness during the event. (AP Photo/Anna Szilagyi) In 2021, Fuentes had also dived into the pool, fully clothed, to rescue Alvarez. “I felt more tired than usual, but I didn’t think I was going to pass out,” Alvarez remembered of the 2021 incident. “On that last arm, I’m like 45 degrees horizontal when I’m supposed to be vertical. I remember doing it and thinking I was vertical. Then the feeling kept spinning, like I was in a hamster wheel. I don’t remember anything until I got to the wall. They had already carried to me to the wall and I kind of woke up out of it and realized my coach was in the pool, and that was that.” Alvarez attributed last year’s incident to exhaustion, as she was competing in several events in a short span. This time, she was coming back after a foot surgery, posting a photo with crutches as recently as five weeks ago. Alvarez previously told WIVB she’s hoping to compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. For now, though, Team USA has not confirmed whether Alvarez plans to compete in the final later this week. “Whether or not she will swim in the free team final on Friday … will be determined by Anita and expert medical staff,” USA Artistic Swimming said in a statement to the Associated Press. | Swimming |
Swimming - 18th FINA World Swimming Championships - Women's 50m Butterfly Heats - Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, South Korea - July 26, 2019. Swimmers compete. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBENGALURU, June 21 (Reuters) - Transgender cyclist Veronica Ivy questioned the move by swimming's governing body FINA to restrict the participation of trans athletes in elite women's competitions, telling Reuters that there had not been enough research to guide such decisions.Ivy also criticised FINA's plans to explore an "open" category as part of its policy that was passed following a vote at its extraordinary general congress on Sunday, saying such a move does not show respect to trans athletes.FINA's decision, the strictest by any Olympic sports body, came after members heard a report from a transgender task force comprising medical, legal and sports figures. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThe new eligibility policy for FINA competitions states that male-to-female transgender athletes are eligible to compete only if "they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 (of puberty) or before age 12, whichever is later."Canadian Ivy, who in 2018 became the first transgender UCI masters world track cycling champion by winning in the women's 35-44 years category, described FINA's policy as "unscientific"."There hasn't been a single peer-reviewed study on trans women competitive swimmers to show that there's any competitive advantage for transitioning post puberty," Ivy said."So to single out puberty as the break-off point isn't based on any evidence, it's not based on them seeing an advantage for trans women, they have only looked at cisgender male athletes compared to cisgender female athletes."That's not how this works. When you're trying to single out trans women, you need to study trans women athletes... FINA has not done that."With the world championships currently taking place in Budapest, FINA was not immediately available for comment.But FINA's contention that trans women athletes retain some physical advantages despite testosterone suppression after going through male puberty has been backed by a study from Joanna Harper, a doctoral researcher at Loughborough University.That paper concluded "strength may be well preserved" in trans women during the first three years of hormone therapy.'MEANINGFUL COMPETITION'"It's reasonable to put restrictions on trans women in international level sports competitions," Harper said, adding she was disappointed but not surprised by FINA's policy."Restricting participation to only those trans women who have never experienced male puberty is not necessary to ensure meaningful competition for all women."In terms of the open category, I'm sceptical, but I'll reserve judgment until I see the finished product. Will there be Olympic medals in swimming in the open category? Will swimmers in that category be able to earn a living as professionals?"The debate surrounding trans women athletes has intensified after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history after winning the women's 500-yard freestyle this year.Rugby league also banned transgender players from women's international competition on Tuesday. read more Soccer's global body FIFA is in a consultation process over transgender participation while World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe has praised FINA for its stance. read more The International Cycling Union has also tightened its rules on transgender participation. read more Ivy said that FINA's decision was likely because of Thomas, who has not won a world title or participated in the Olympics."In the United States trans people are under attack... People trying to outlaw treatments and access to healthcare and sport... politicians calling for us to be murdered," she said."That's the context in which we see something like this."Harper said it was important for sports bodies to continue collecting data."I'd suggest that whatever decisions they make today, they review them regularly and hopefully, as more and better data is published, they make better policies," Harper said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru
Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Swimming |
American swimmer Anita Alvarez is breathing a sigh of relief on Thursday after her coach dramatically rescued her when the athlete fainted and sank to the bottom of the swimming pool in the middle of her routine on Wednesday night.The dramatic scenes unfolded at the World Aquatic Championships in Budapest, Hungary, while Alvarez, 25, was competing in the final of the women’s solo free event and suddenly lost consciousness, causing her to sink to the bottom of the competition pool.A member of Team USA swims to recover USA's Anita Alvarez, from the bottom of the pool during an incident in the women's solo free artistic swimming finals, during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest on June 22, 2022.Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty ImagesAndrea Fuentes, Alvarez’s coach, immediately dove into the water and was able to pull Alvarez to the surface before the swimmer was taken off for medical treatment on a stretcher as the rest of Team USA, who were watching the competition inside the arena, looked on clearly shaken by the ordeal.Fuentes, speaking exclusively to "Good Morning America" on Thursday, explained what was going through her mind during the ordeal."When you finish, you really want to breathe because you hold your breath for a long time and the first thing you want to do is breathe," Fuentes said. "And I thought she was going down, so I was like, immediately, [I] knew that something was happening so I went as fast as I could. And I reach her and grab her to the surface and tried to calm her down and make her breathe."A member of Team USA recovers USA's Anita Alvarez from the bottom of the pool during an incident in the women's solo free artistic swimming finals, during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest on June 22, 2022.Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty ImagesFuentes began administering CPR until medics and the team doctor were able to take over.“Anita is okay,” Fuentes said in a statement after the terrifying incident. “The doctors checked all vitals and everything is normal: heart rate, oxygen, sugar levels, blood pressure, etc… all is okay.”Fuentes continued: “We sometimes forget that this happens in other high-endurance sports. Marathon, cycling, cross country… we all have seen images where some athletes don’t make it to the finish line and others help them to get there. Our sport is no different than others, just in a pool, we push through limits and sometimes we find them.”Anita Alvarez of Team United States is attended to by medical staff following her Women's Solo Free Final performance on day six of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships on June 22, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary.Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty ImagesEven after having to be rescued, Alvarez still managed to finish the competition in seventh place with a final score of 87.6333.Alvarez suffered through a similar event at the FINA Olympic Games Artistic Swimming Qualification Tournament in Barcelona in June 2021 when she fainted while competing and Fuentes came to her immediate aid in the pool again on that occasion.Anita Alvarez of Team United States competes in the Women's Solo Free Final on day six of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships on June 22, 2022, in Budapest, Hungary.Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty ImagesFor now, however, a decision on whether or not Alvarez will continue on in this year’s competition has yet to be made.“Anita feels good now and the doctors also say she is okay,” concluded Fuentes. “Tomorrow she will rest all day and will decide with the doctor if she can swim free team finals or not. Thank you for all of your well wishes for Anita.”Members of the United States team react as swimmer Anita Alvarez receives medical attention during the women's solo free final at the FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on June 22, 2022.Lisa Leutner/Reuters | Swimming |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Canadian swimming star Mary-Sophie Harvey revealed in a social media post Wednesday she was drugged at the World Aquatics Championships.Harvey shared her harrowing experience on Instagram. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Tessa Camile Cieplucha of Canada and Mary-Sophie Harvey of Canada greet after competing in Women's 400m Individual Medley Final A on Day 14 of Lima 2019 Pan American Games at Aquatics Center of Villa Deportiva Nacional on August 09, 2019 in Lima, Peru. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)She wrote the incident occurred on the last night of the World Championships, which took place Sunday in Budapest, Hungary. She wrote she was debating whether to post anything about it and decided to be "transparent" with her followers."On the last night of the Worlds (sic) Championships, I got drugged," she started."At the time I wasn’t aware of what got inside of me, I just remember waking up the next morning completely lost; with our team manager and doctor at my bedside. I remember celebrating my competition while also being reasonable and aware of my next objective, which is (the) Commonwealth Games. But then, I don’t remember anything. There’s this four-to-six-hour window where I can’t recall a single thing. I’ve heard bits and pieces by people and I’ve experienced judgment too. Canada's Mary-Sophie Harvey competes in the women's 200m medley semifinals during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships at Duna Arena in Budapest on June 18, 2022. (FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT/AFP via Getty Images)"The only thing I can say is this: I’ve never felt more ashamed."STOLEN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL FOUND IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAHarvey recalled feeling different when she traveled back home to see her family."It felt like the body I was in, wasn’t mine (it still feels this way). I got home and found a dozen bruises on my body. Some of my friends told me afterwards that they to (carry) me while I was unconscious and it probably explained why."I didn’t make me feel any better."Harvey wrote she consulted with doctors and was told she was "lucky" to only suffer a rib sprain and a small concussion."It did help me cure some of the fears I had but sadly not all of them," she added.Harvey implored her followers to be careful. Canada's Mary-Sophie Harvey competes in the women's 200m medley semifinals during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships at Duna Arena in Budapest on June 18, 2022. (ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images)"I thought I was safe, that it would never happen to me, especially while being surrounded b[y] friends," she wrote. But it did… and I wish someone had educated me on the matter prior to that night."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHarvey won a bronze medal in the 4x200-meter freestyle at the World Championships. She took home three silver medals and a bronze in the 2019 Pan American Games. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Swimming |
Spencer Webb, a Sacramento high school football standout who went on to star for the University of Oregon, died Wednesday in an accident at an Oregon swimming hole.
The accident happened around 2:30 p.m. at Lake Creek Falls, about 25 miles west of Eugene, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Webb, 22, was among a group of people who were swimming in the creek and tubing on what is known locally as the Triangle Lake rock slide — a natural 100-foot chute that ends in a splash pool. He reportedly fell and hit his head on the rocks, and his companions were unable to revive him.
Webb was to enter his junior year at the university this fall. A 6-foot-6 tight end, he played as a freshman and redshirt freshman in 2018 and 2019, then appeared in one game during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Last season, considered his sophomore year, he played in all 14 games, catching 13 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. At Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, Webb was rated California’s No. 1 tight end by ESPN and 247Sports, his University of Oregon bio said.
A 2016 profile in the Sacramento Bee described how football was a stabilizing influence for Webb, who had bounced from home to home, being raised by various relatives before finally coming under the custody of his older brother, Cody.
“We took it on full steam. We had a game plan. We used football as a third-party discipline and rewards,” Cody Webb told the Bee.
Spencer Webb was recruited by numerous universities, including Cal, UCLA, Colorado and Texas A&M. | Swimming |
Australian swimmer Shayna Jack’s world championships are over after she broke a hand in a warm-up area. Jack had collected gold and silver medals in relay events ahead of her scheduled individual swims at the world titles in Budapest but the 23-year-old, on return to international competition after a two-year doping ban, was hurt in a freak accident on Wednesday.“I’m broken-hearted to announce that I have to withdraw from the rest of the competition and that I won’t have the opportunity to achieve everything I wanted to,” Jack posted on Instagram. “I am still so proud of what I’ve achieved, how far I’ve come with the amazing teammates I’ve been able to medal with.”Jack said she broke a hand “due to an unfortunate incident in this morning’s training session”. News Corp reported the injury happened when she got her hand caught in another swimmer’s suit as she turned in the water at the wall of the pool.The Australian was due to swim the 50m and 100m freestyle events after earlier making a successful return to international racing. Jack was part of Australia’s gold-medal winning 4x100m freestyle relay on the opening night of competition and added a silver medal as part of the nation’s 4x100m mixed medley team.Jack said she would now turn her attention to competing at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham starting 28 July. “As I always do, I turn my focus to the future and that is the Commonwealth Games,” she posted. “Starting this afternoon I will be back in the pool for a kick session.”Jack was banned for two years just before the last world championships in 2019 after traces of a banned substance were found in her system. She was initially suspended for four years but the ban was reduced to two years.The Queenslander has maintained her innocence of performance-enhancing doping, admitting she did not know how she tested positive to the banned substance Ligandrol.Silver medalists Kaylee McKeown, Matthew Temple, Zac Stubblety-Cook and Shayna Jack. Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Mollie O’Callaghan raced to her third medal of the world championships by spearheading the Australia 4x200m freestyle relay quartet to silver. Though she could not bring home the main prize on the anchor leg in Wednesday’s final, the 18-year-old star also demonstrated earlier with an amazing swim in the 100m freestyle that a second gold could soon be on its way.And Thursday also offers the scent of another gold with Zac Stubblety-Cook ready to dominate the 200m breaststroke final to complete an Olympics-world championship double.Queenslander O’Callaghan took the limelight as she attempted to top off the efforts of Madi Wilson, Leah Neale and Kiah Melverton on the previous three legs of the 4x200 by overhauling American anchor-leg swimmer Bella Sims. But having competed a breathtaking semi-final of the 100m only 90 minutes earlier, O’Callaghan, the individual 200m silver medallist, couldn’t get near the flying Sims.After fine work from Claire Weinstein, Leah Smith and the great Katie Ledecky, who produced a decisive third leg, Sims brought the US home in a championship record 7 minutes 41.45 seconds, well clear of Australia (7:43.86).“Coming in here I knew I would be swimming against Ledecky on that third leg and she is one of the best swimmers of all time,” Melverton said. “I just did what I needed to do and held my ground and I thought I did a pretty good job of that. The 4x2 has such a great history in our country and so for us to get up and win a silver medal together is pretty special.”O’Callaghan, though, had earlier produced an astonishing performance in her individual semi, clocking the fastest-ever second half to a women’s race, amazingly shooting from last to first place over a landmark final length timed at 26.43sec.That was just one-hundredth of a second slower than her first half of the race and her 52.85sec saw her qualify fastest for Thursday’s final, ahead of Sweden’s eight-time world champion Sarah Sjostrom. Having also won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay, O’Callaghan could potentially end up with six medals as she also has chances in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay and women’s 4x100m medley relay.The Dolphins have now picked up eight medals in total – two golds, five silvers and one bronze – after five days of competition to put them fourth on the table behind the USA (11 golds), Italy (four golds) and China (three golds). | Swimming |
Nadine Dorries has said she expects sporting bodies to reserve competitive women's sport "for people born of the female sex" after holding a meeting with a number of governing bodies.The culture secretary, whose department also covers sport, said on Twitter that "asking women and teenage girls to compete against someone who was biologically born a male is inherently unfair".
It is the latest intervention in the debate over transgender rights in sport and follows the decision by FINA, the international swimming federation, to ban trans athletes from elite women's competitions.Politics Hub: PM dismisses Tory defection rumoursFINA's decision sparked outrage from the likes of Tom Daley, the British gold-medal wining diver. But in an article for the Mail on Sunday at the weekend, Ms Dorries urged other sporting bodies to follow FINA's example.
The newspaper reported that Ms Dorries was to meet Sport England, which promotes the take-up of sport and physical activity across the country, as well as organisations representing football, cricket, rugby, tennis, athletics this week. More from Politics Nicola Sturgeon sets a date and question for proposed Scottish independence referendum Politics latest: PM dismisses Tory defection rumours but senior backbencher says Johnson's downfall 'only a matter of time' Boris Johnson calls questions over his leadership 'political commentary' amid rumours some Tory MPs could defect to Labour She said on Tuesday that she had just met the sporting bodies to discuss trans participation and that it was "a complex and emotionally charged issue" that had "been ducked for too long"."We can't pretend that sex doesn't have a direct impact on a person's athletic performance," she said."Today I have made my position absolutely clear: I expect sporting bodies to follow the policy that competitive women's sport must be reserved for people born of the female sex."We need to do this in a way that protects and shows compassion to all athletes - including the creation of open categories."But fairness in competitive sport has to take priority above all else."Some clear direction is long overdue - not only for athletes, but also event organisers and fans. There is evidently more to do to make sport fairer for female athletes."Nancy Kelley, chief executive of the LBTQ+ group Stonewall, said in response to the comments that International Olympic Committee guidelines made clear that "inclusion is the starting point and that we should not presume an advantage based on someone's trans status or intersex characteristics"."What we are seeing today is blanket bans being encouraged by the minister as a knee-jerk response to a tiny number of elite level trans athletes globally," she said."Many of these athletes have not even been given a chance to compete."Daley last week told iNews that he was "furious" at FINA's decision, adding: "You know, like most queer people, anyone that's told they can't compete or can't do something they love just because of who they are, it's not on."It's something I feel really strongly about. Giving trans people the chance to share their side."However, former Olympic medal-winning swimmer Sharron Davies said FINA was "standing up for fair sport for females".The debate comes after the controversial success of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the US and New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard becoming the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.Boris Johnson made his position clear in April when he said that "biological males should not be competing in female sporting events". | Swimming |
Artistic Swimming - FINA World Championships - Alfred Hajos Swimming Complex, Budapest, Hungary - June 22, 2022 Anita Alvarez of the U.S. receives medical attention during the women's solo free final REUTERS/Lisa LeutnerRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 23 (Reuters) - American artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez was in danger of drowning after losing consciousness in the pool at the world championships in Budapest on Wednesday before being rescued by her coach Andrea Fuentes.Spaniard Fuentes, a four-time Olympic medallist in synchronised swimming, jumped into the pool after she saw Alvarez sink to the bottom at the end of her solo free final routine.She was given medical attention beside the pool before being taken away on a stretcher.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comIt was the second time Fuentes has had to rescue Alvarez after she leapt into the pool during an Olympic qualification event last year and pulled her to safety along with the American's swim partner Lindi Schroeder."Anita is much better, she is already at her best. It was a good scare, to be honest," Fuentes told Spanish newspaper Marca on Wednesday."I jumped into the water again because I saw that no one, no lifeguard, was jumping in. I got a little scared because she wasn't breathing, but now she's fine. She has to rest."In a statement on the U.S. Artistic Swimming Instagram page, Fuentes said 25-year-old Alvarez would be assessed by doctors on Thursday before a decision was made on her participation in Friday's team event.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Swimming |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Former Olympic gold medalist and Title IX advocate Donna de Varona applauded FINA, swimming’s international governing body, for approving a new policy that would limit the participation of transgender women from competing in high-level women's swimming events."I’m very proud of FINA for spending months and months and months talking to researchers, looking at science-based peer review research on the impact of puberty on male bodies and what impact that would have if you are trying to mitigate your high testosterone and if you could ever do that," the 1964 Olympic gold medalist in swimming, told "America Reports" on Monday. Penn transgender swimmer Lia Thomas speaks to her coach after winning the 500 meter freestyle during an NCAA college swimming meet with Harvard Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, at at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)FINA announced its new "gender inclusion policy" on Sunday that only permits swimmers who transitioned before the age of 12 to compete in women’s events. There was also a proposal for a new "open competition policy." The organization said it was setting up "a new working group that will spend the next six months looking at the most effective ways to set up this new category."The policy comes after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas made headlines for dominating on women’s teams as a transgender athlete, raising questions of fairness as scientists determined that transgender women athletes who went through typical male puberty during adolescence still hold a competitive edge over their biologically female competitors.FINA FACES BACKLASH OVER NEW ‘GENDER INCLUSION POLICY’ FOR TRANSGENDER SWIMMERSPointing to the 1976 Olympics, de Verona recalled how the world "watched the East German swimmers who had been pumped with testosterone destroy our women’s team.""Many of those women are still suffering from having to compete in an uneven playing field," she said."But," she added. "Swimming has been very definitive in what they have done, and they’ve taken their time, and I’m very proud of them." Megan Rapinoe #15 of OL Reign looks on before the game against the San Diego Wave at Lumen Field on April 14, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)The FINA decision faced immediate backlash from LGBTQ advocates and athletes, among them U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe, who spoke out on Sunday about transgender inclusion in sports.De Verona said that while she applauds Rapinoe for her "passion and her humanity," she feels compelled "to call her out on the fact that no one has lost a podium or an opportunity.""When you are talking about elite sports, you are talking about numbers and opportunities and there are very few, and you work a lifetime for that. So…it was unfair to those swimmers, and so I will call out Megan on that," she said.CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP"Lia Thomas, in leaving the men’s team, and she did follow the rules, she followed policy, left an open spot that could have been filled…got on the women’s team and she did not just displace one varsity swimmer who trained all her life since the age of 10, but displaced three swimmers from competing and getting on the bus to go to the Ivy League championships." Yael Halon is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Swimming |
The Essex district attorney’s office on Thursday identified the 18-year-old Everett man who died Wednesday after he was pulled from a Gloucester quarry where he was swimming with friends.In a statement, the office identified the victim as Fabieri Fabert.The Gloucester police and fire departments responded to a 911 call reporting a missing swimmer in a quarry in the Lanesville section of Gloucester about 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, police Chief Edward Conley and Fire Chief Eric Smith said Wednesday in a shared statement.State Police said Fabert had jumped into the water from a high rock with a friend. The friend returned to the surface, but Fabert did not, State Police said.First responders reached the quarry six minutes after the 911 call and began their search, followed by dive teams from the State Police and Beverly Fire Department, while a State Police helicopter searched from above, the statement said.Divers found Fabert in the water at 2:49 p.m. and rescuers immediately began performing CPR, the statement said. He was then placed in an ambulance and taken to Addison Gilbert Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.The teenager’s death is under investigation by Gloucester police and State police detectives assigned to the Essex district attorney’s office, and foul play is not suspected, officials said Wednesday.“Mayor Greg Verga, Chief Conley, and Chief Smith wish to extend their condolences to the family and friends of the deceased,” the Wednesday statement said.Travis Andersen can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe. Nick Stoico can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @NickStoico. | Swimming |
Transgender athletes could be banned from track and field next, as World Athletics president Sebastian Coe backs FINA’s ruling as being ‘in the best interests of sport’ because ‘biology trumps gender’FINA voted that trans women who 'experienced any part of male puberty' can no longer enter female eventsWorld Athletics will re-examine transgender guidelines at the end of the yearThe governing body could follow FINA's decision as President Seb Coe spoke in support of the hardline approachCoe insisted fairness for females in athletics will always come ahead of inclusionHe backed FINA, insisting swimming's governing body is working in the interest of its sport Published: 12:01 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 12:01 EDT, 20 June 2022 World Athletics will re-examine their transgender guidelines at the end of the year after Sebastian Coe spoke in support of the hardline approach adopted by swimming’s governing body.In the past week, FINA has voted that trans women who 'experienced any part of male puberty' can no longer enter female events - a marked departure from the prevailing stances of Olympic sports.While World Athletics rules say a transgender athlete can compete if she has a testosterone level below 5 nmol/L continuously for a period of at least 12 months – six months longer than stipulated by their regulations around athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) - Coe has been emphatic in his belief that ‘biology trumps gender’. His point of view is bolstered by testosterone research around the DSD issue in track and field, which was challenged in the lengthy case with Caster Semenya. In giving his opinion on FINA’s position, Coe said: ‘We see an international federation asserting its primacy in setting rules, regulations and policies that are in the best interest of its sport. This is as it should be. 'We have always believed, and repeated constantly, that biology trumps gender and we will continue to review our regulations in line with this.’ Seb Coe has been emphatic in his belief that ‘biology trumps gender’and World Athletics will re-examine their transgender guidelines at the end of the year Testosterone research around the DSD issue was challenged in the lengthy case with Caster SemenyaWhen asked if WA would adopt a similar stance, Coe added: ‘We have always said our regulations in this area are a living document, specific to our sport and we will follow the science. FINA (pictured president Husain Al Musallam) voted that trans women who 'experienced any part of male puberty' can no longer enter female events'We continue to study, research and contribute to the growing body of evidence that testosterone is a key determinator in performance and have scheduled a discussion on our DSD and Transgender regulations with our council at the end of the year.’Coe insisted that on his watch fairness for females in athletics will always come ahead of inclusion.He said: ‘My responsibility is to protect the integrity of women’s sport and we take that very seriously, and if it means that we have to make adjustments to protocols going forward, we will. 'And I’ve always made it clear: if we ever get pushed into a corner to that point where we’re making a judgement about fairness or inclusion, I will always fall down on the side of fairness.‘You have to and that’s my responsibility. Of course, it’s a societal issue. If one of my colleagues here in my team suddenly becomes transgender, it doesn’t make a difference to me. They will continue to do the same job with skill and aplomb in exactly the way they were before they made that transition. This is not possible in sport. It is fundamental to performance and integrity and that, for me, is the big, big difference.’Coe indicated some organisations could fear taking a hardline stance against inclusivity for fear of crippling legal challenges. Coe said some organisations could fear taking a hardline stance for fear of legal challenges University of Pennsylvania trans athlete Lia Thomas prepares for the 500m freestyle at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in MarchHe said: ‘We’ve spent $1,000,000 (on legal fees related to DSD). We’re not Fifa but we’re not bereft. But there are other sports that are genuinely fearful that, if they go down that road, they’ll bankrupt themselves defending this. So it’s not that easy for us to just sit there and say, “Well, some sports are sort of tiptoeing around it”.‘The reality of it is it’s quite an outlay and they’ve also got limited data and research.‘The International Olympic Committee created the framework, which said that nobody should be making these decisions unless you’ve got 10 years of longitudinal study.‘Well we have. I doubt whether, on transgender, anybody in sport has got 10 years of longitudinal study – they just haven’t.’ Advertisement | Swimming |
Mollie O’Callaghan has made it a hat-trick of golds while leading the mixed 4x100m relay quartet to Australia’s first global landmark at this year’s world swimming championships.And Kaylee McKeown has underlined her standing as one of Australia’s marquee swimmers with her first world championship triumph in the 200m backstroke in Budapest on a milestone penultimate day for the Dolphins.Queenslander Kiah Melverton also got into the act, grabbing silver behind the ever-astonishing Katie Ledecky, who took her fifth consecutive 800m freestyle crown with another landslide win on Friday.Yet even the incredible American couldn’t top the performance of the day from the Dolphins’ quartet of super-charged freestylers - Jack Cartwright, Kyle Chalmers, Madi Wilson and O’Callaghan, as they clocked a new world record of 3 minutes 19.38 seconds in the day’s final event.That shaved two-hundredths of a second off the record set by the United States at the last worlds in Gwangju, South Korea, in July 2019 as they blew away Canada (3:20.61) and the US (3:21.09).“It’s insane,” declared the Rio Olympics 100m freestyle champ Chalmers. “You have the world champion (O’Callaghan, 52.03sec), a girl who would probably have won silver if she’d been in the race (Wilson, 52.25), Jack (Cartwright, 48.12) coming back from shoulder surgery to swim an amazing first split ... I think we were always going to be hard to beat.”They were especially hard to beat thanks to Chalmers’ own astonishing second leg, clocked at 46.98.“I’m extremely happy, so proud of this team, it’s just an amazing result,” said O’Callaghan, who now boasts five medals from the championships, including three golds.Pride of place had earlier gone to triple Olympic champion McKeown, who had previously won five world silvers, including two already this week in Budapest, but only broke her golden duck with a quite nail-biting triumph.She just edged to victory with one final push for the wall, prevailing in 2:05.08, with American Phoebe Bacon just a fingernail behind in 2:05.12.“To come away with a gold medal is pretty spectacular, I wasn’t expecting to be here at the beginning of the year, so to come out with two individual podium swims is amazing,” said McKeown, who also won silver in the 200m individual medley.“I was really nervous coming in tonight off the back of last year but it’s an awesome feeling.”It was also a night of high emotion for McKeown, who dedicated her medal to her late father.“You’ll quite often see me before my warm up, I’ll sit on the edge of the pool and have a little a moment for myself. I believe in my little way that he is there every step of the way, so that’s my thank you,” she said.The 20-year-old had bypassed her best event, the 100m backstroke, at which she holds the world record and is Olympic champion, to tackle the medley, a decision which had raised a few eyebrows.But she was determined not to miss out in her other Olympic-winning discipline and timed her push for victory with split-second precision.Bacon, the fastest qualifier, went for broke to open up a 0.64sec lead by half-way before McKeown gradually hauled her back on the third length and then began to just forge past in the final 10 metres.Nobody had any chance against Ledecky in the 800m as she became the first athlete ever to win one discipline five times in a row and landed a 22nd world medal.She won by more than 10 seconds in 8:08.04 but Melverton (8:18.77) swam the race of her life for the silver, her first individual global medal in the 50m pool. | Swimming |
Diana Ross at Glastonbury 6.45pm, BBC OneLauren Laverne and Clara Amfo present as the queen of Motown takes her rightful Teatime Legends slot on the last day of the festival. Turn over to BBC Two at 8pm for highlights of performances from Lorde and Years & Years, then watch Pulitzer-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar close the Pyramid Stage at 9.30pm. The Pet Shop Boys headline the Other Stage on BBC Four at 10pm, bringing the coverage – and Glasto – to an end. HRThe Outlaws 9pm, BBC OneDeep into season two, every episode of this unlikely comedy thriller is still a precise blend of wacky, gripping, funny and sad, based always on its beloved characters’ foibles and flaws. On the latter point, Darren Boyd and Christopher Walken both reveal the lost boys within their ageing men to touching effect. JSMurder in the Alps 9pm, Channel 4“I know I could have done better,” admits a detective in this three-part true-crime documentary. “How I could have done things differently does live with me.” It follows the case of three “ordinary” British family members who were found shot dead in a car in the woods near Lake Annecy 10 years ago. HREddie Hall: The Beast v the Mountain9pm, BBC ThreeOverflowing with sad-eyed, performative masculinity, this documentary tells the story of the March 2022 prize fight between strongmen Eddie “The Beast” Hall and Hafthor Bjornsson. These enormous man-babies used to be pals before their relationship turned toxic. We witness the training, the protein shakes, the torn biceps and the fight itself. PHKelly Holmes: Being Me 10.20pm, ITVHolmes truths: Kelly lays it on the line. Photograph: ITVAfter not publicly speaking about her sexuality for over 34 years, the Olympian recently shared that she is gay. Here, Holmes gets candid about how this has affected her life – specifically her mental health, as keeping the secret made her feel depressed and even suicidal. HRWalter Presents: Seizure11pm, Channel 4Scandi noir goes supernatural in this new series about two Oslo detectives investigating the mysterious deaths of four teenage boys in an abandoned swimming pool. Film fans may also recognise the troubled Detective Max Sørensen as actor Anders Danielsen Lie, who played the drippy ex in 2021 Cannes hit The Worst Person in the World. Ellen E JonesSportWorld Para Swimming Championships, Sun, 8.25am, Channel 4From Madeira, where all 14 British medallists from Tokyo are included in Team GB’s 30-strong team. | Swimming |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Mermaiding, the artistic swimming activity in which people wear mermaid fins and tails, is growing in popularity around the world.The activity has led to the formation of mermaid swim schools, groups and conventions in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Philippines and China, according to the Associated Press.Previously, entertainment venues around the country had led the performative sport.Such venues hired trained swimmers with acting chops, including professional mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Spring Hill, Florida, and various casinos and lounges in Las Vegas.FLORIDA'S WEEKI WACHEE, KNOWN FOR ITS MERMAIDS, DISSOLVED 54 YEARS AFTER ITS CREATIONConservationists and visual artists also brought attention to the sport in the early 2000s as they donned mermaid tails while swimming with sea life or while serving as educators or entertainers at parties or special events.Mermaiding has become more accessible with the rise of monfins and fabric mermaid tail companies that sell these themed swimming accessories to children and adults.REAL LIFE 'MERMAID' SWIMS WITH WHALES FOR A GOOD CAUSEHobbyists and professionals opt to swim in pools and open water for personal enjoyment."Life is so much better when you learn to have just a little bit of fun, or a lot bit of fun, because we all believe in magic at some point," Merman Maui of Los Angeles told the Associated Press."A lot of times, life can get pretty dull and boring," he added. "So why not just enjoy every aspect of it that you can?"Maui, a dancer and choreographer, documents his merman adventures on social media and works with three mermaid production companies, according to his Instagram account. In this photo from May 22, 2022, Queen Pangke Tabora (far right) swims with mermaid students during a mermaid swim class in Mabini, Batangas province, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Marielle Henault of Montreal also told the Associated Press that she thinks mermaiding is a fun activity.'PROFESSIONAL MERMAID' SAYS CREEPY 'MERVERTS' ARE THE WORST PART OF THE JOB "When you put your mermaid tail on at the beach or pool, you become a superstar," Henault, 31, said. "Kids and adults — everybody’s happy to see a mermaid," she continued.Henault’s love of mermaiding has helped her grow her business, the AquaMermaid School.It offers mermaid swim lessons, certification, mermaid tail rentals, purchasable mermaid apparel (seashell bras, silicone and fabric tails, monofins and T-shirts) and mermaid performer bookings throughout Canada and the U.S.MARINE OR MERMAID? SERVICE MEMBER'S PHOTO SHOOT A JOKE FOR BUDDIES DEPLOYED OVERSEAS, HE SAYSOver in Australia, Lauren Metzler, founder of Sydney Mermaids, is planning to teach mermaid swim classes now that she has her certification.She likes to swim at Manly Cove Beach, a popular swimming destination in Sydney. In this May 26, 2022, photo, Lauren Metzler, founder of Sydney Mermaids, sits on the shoreline of Manly Cove Beach in Sydney, Australia. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)"Some people have a coffee in the morning to wake up. Some people have a mermaid swim," Metzler told the Associated Press."The more we open up our imagination and accept everyone for how they are, it makes it more of a beautiful experience," she continued. "The sky — or ocean floor — is the limit of what you can do with mermaiding."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPIn the Philippines, mermaid swim instructor Queen Pangke Tabora has been teaching swimming and freediving lessons full-time at a rock beach in south Manila."The world outside is really noisy and you will find peace underwater," Tabora told the Associated Press. "It’s a good skill in the real world, especially during the pandemic." Queen Pangke Tabora swims in her mermaid tail in May 2022 while she conducts a mermaid swim demonstration in front of an Ocean Camp in Mabini, Batangas province, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Tabora’s mermaid school, DIVERSity by SeaReynang Pengki, references the mermaid community’s acceptance and her personal journey as a transgender Filipina woman."Everyone can be a mermaid," said Tabora to the AP. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWSLast year in China, mermaiding received mainstream recognition from Guinness World Records after 110 professional mermaids performed the world’s largest underwater mermaid show at the Atlantis Sanya, an ocean-themed resort in Sanya, Hainan Island.Mermaiding comes with its own set of risks, since the participants' feet and legs are bound together with monofins and tails.The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) and Swim School International (SSI) all offer courses in mermaiding.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERFin Fun Mermaid, a leading monofin and mermaid tail company, shares a safety guide that recommends aspiring mermaids follow seven safety procedures when entering any body of water. The tips include swimming when there’s adult supervision (particularly for children); making sure you've already mastered regular swimming; putting on monofins at the edge of the water instead of hopping in with legs bound; swimming only in areas where you’re comfortable; learning how to kick off monofins and tails in case of an emergency; making sure you know how to breathe while swimming or floating on your back; and being considerate of other people in your surroundings.Mermaid conventions ("Mercons") are now held globally — and just recently, masses of "merfolk" swarmed New York streets for the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade. The Associated Press contributed reporting to this article. Cortney Moore is an associate lifestyle writer/producer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent on Twitter at @CortneyMoore716. | Swimming |
A teenager is facing the loss of one of her legs after a shark bit her while swimming off the coast of Florida, according to authorities.Facebook posts shared by the Taylor county sheriff’s office and the girl’s father, Shane Bethea, recounted the nearly fatal attack Thursday.Bethea’s daughter, Addison, was swimming to collect scallops in waters 5ft deep off Keaton Beach, about 75 miles south-east of Tallahassee, the state’s capital. A 9ft-long shark suddenly began biting her, including on her right thigh, said the posts from Shane Bethea and the sheriff’s office.“She tried poking it in the eyes and punching it but it would not turn loose,” Shane Bethea wrote of his daughter, whose exact age wasn’t immediately released.Addison’s brother – firefighter Rhett Willingham – was with her, and he got into the water with her to “literally fight off the shark”, Shane Bethea added in his statement, which was shared by the sheriff’s office.Using his training as an emergency responder, Willingham pulled his sister into a nearby boat and put a tourniquet on her wounded leg to minimize the loss of blood from her massive wound, the girl’s father said.Willingham kept his sister conscious, “ultimately saving her life”, as they returned to Keaton Beach on the boat, according to Shane Bethea. A helicopter crew flew her to a hospital in Tallahassee to undergo emergency surgery.Bethea said Addison was sedated until Friday morning, when she woke up and – because she was intubated – communicated with her family by typing notes on her mobile phone. She joked about having beat up the shark who attacked her, her dad said.Once doctors removed the breathing tubes from her, she asked for a frosted dairy dessert from a Wendy’s fast-food restaurant.“She’s been through more than I could ever imagine, but she is being a trooper,” Shane Bethea wrote of Addison. “Please pray for her and the difficulty of her days ahead.”“She isn’t out of the woods by any stretch, but she is alive and that’s what’s most important to us.”Shark attacks are relatively rare, with 73 such cases worldwide being recorded as unprovoked last year, according to an ABC News report. However, a disproportionate number of those attacks occurred in Florida.The state, whose waters are popular with tourists and residents, accounted for 28 such cases – 60% of the total in the US and 28% worldwide, ABC News reported.Addison’s attack came about nine days after a shark reportedly bit a retired information technology specialist named Steve Bruemmer while he swam in the California coastal community of Pacific Grove. | Swimming |
The swimmer, two-time Olympian Anita Alvarez, is now doing fine.Posted 27 minutes ago Nikola Krstic / Getty Images After a swimmer fainted in the pool at a world championship competition in Budapest on Wednesday, her coach immediately dove in for a dramatic rescue.Photos of the moment show the coach, four-time Olympic gold medal-winning Spanish swimmer Andrea Fuentes, pulling Anita Alvarez out of the water to safety. Oli Scarff / AFP via Getty Images Alvarez — a Team USA artistic swimmer and two-time Olympian — had just finished her solo free routine at the FINA World Aquatic Championships when she fainted and sank to the pool's bottom, according to the Olympics blog.The 25-year-old's coach, Fuentes, did not hesitate. With her clothes still on, she jumped into the water, dragging her to the surface. She received medical treatment at the side of the pool before being taken away on a stretcher. Oli Scarff / AFP via Getty Images Fuentes told Spanish newspaper Marca she made her split-second decision because she "saw that no one, no lifeguard, was diving in.""I got a little scared because she wasn't breathing, but now she's fine," she said. Dean Mouhtaropoulos / Getty Images Fuentes said in a statement shared by USA Artistic Swimming on Instagram that "doctors checked all vitals and everything is normal.""We sometimes forget that this happens in other high-endurance sports. Marathon, cycling, cross country… we all have seen images where some athletes don’t make it to the finish line and others help them to get there," Fuentes said. "Our sport is no different than others, just in a pool, we push through limits and sometimes we find them."Alvarez will spend Thursday resting and consult her doctor to decide if she can compete in Friday's free team finals, the coach added. incomingYour weekday morning guide to breaking news, cultural analysis, and everything in between | Swimming |
World June 23, 2022 / 6:42 AM / CBS News USA Artistic Swimming team member Anita Alvarez, left, hangs motionless in the water after fainting at the end of her solo routine at the World Aquatic Championships in Budapest, Hungary, June 22, 2022, as her coach Andrea Fuentes swims to the rescue. AFP/Getty A member of the USA Artistic Swimming team was rescued by her coach after fainting near the end of her routine at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Wednesday. Underwater cameras caught the dramatic rescue as Anita Alvarez hung motionless in the pool and her coach, four-time Olympic medal winner Andrea Fuentes, dove in and pulled her to the surface. "What a day!!!" Fuentes remarked in an Instagram post later Wednesday evening. She said Alvarez' solo routine was "her best performance ever, she just pushed through her limits and she found them." USA Artistic Swimming team member Anita Alvarez is pulled toward the surface by her coach Andrea Fuentes after fainting at the end of her solo routine at the World Aquatic Championships in Budapest, Hungary, June 22, 2022. AFP/Getty The head coach jumped into the water quickly after seeing Alvarez sink to the bottom at the end of her solo routine. The underwater camera images show Fuentes gliding through the water toward Alvarez without anyone else around. Soon others helped Fuentes pull the still-unconscious Alvarez onto the side of the pool, where she was given immediate medical attention before being carried out on a stretcher. Anita Alvarez of the USA Artistic Swimming team is taken on a stretcher from the pool after collapsing during the solo free final at the 19th FINA World Aquatic Championships in Budapest, Hungary, June 22, 2022. Anna Szilagyi/AP "Anita is ok and the doctors also said she is fine," Fuentes said in the Instagram post. "We all know it happens in other sports: cycling, marathon, track and field… some don't make it to the final line and some even finish crawling or passing out. Our sport is very hard too. Now it's time to rest and recover."Fuentes was quoted by the Spanish newspaper MARCA as saying she dove into the pool "because the lifeguards didn't do it." "I was scared because I could see she wasn't breathing, but she's feeling great now, she's at her best," Fuentes told the paper.She said the team's coaches and doctors would decide whether Alvarez should compete in the next events at the championships after she rests for a day. In: Rescue Hungary Swimming Tucker Reals Tucker Reals is the CBSNews.com foreign editor, based at the CBS News London bureau. Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue | Swimming |
I asked my friend if she wanted to come swimming in the Yarra/Birrarung – near the city – as dawn broke last week.“It’s safe, they test!” I said. She paused, and for a second I thought she would join me in this foolhardiness. Then she replied: “That’s like saying drinking your own piss is safe.”For years the Birrarung has been used as a dumping ground. Its reputation is that it’s filled with filth, carries E coli and acts as a winding ashtray, flushing the cigarette butts and industrial chemicals out into the bay.It’s not the sort of image that makes you want to jump in.But a group of hardy swimmers have been doing just that since lockdown.Nearly every day, the Yarra Yabbies meet at Deep Rock, 4km up-river from the CBD.The full group is more than 100 strong. During summer, when the river hits 27C, it’s filled with Yabbies doing laps, floating on their backs, relaxing in the river.But during the depths of winter, when it’s 4.6C on the bank and 6C in the river, only the true believers gather.Some are there for the fitness, others for the laughs – there are plenty – and for a few, it is about coming to commune with nature before day breaks.“We all have busy lives, and this, this is weirdly where we can be in the moment,” says Marie Louise Zeevaarder. “Because once your feet hit that water, you’re not anywhere else but here.”When I decided to take the plunge, I resolved I wouldn’t google E coli beforehand lest I chicken out.As I met the Yabbies on the bank at 7am, my first question was obvious – was it safe? Was I about to meet my maker, Yarra-style?Deep Rock in the Yarra/Birrarung. Photograph: Jackson Gallagher/The GuardianFran Cusworth prepares for her early morning swim. It is pitch black when the Yabbies meet at Deep Rock. Photograph: Jackson Gallagher/The Guardian“It’s always the first question, isn’t it?” says Donna Wheatley.“I think the river has a reputation from the 80s of industrial waste, dead bodies, shopping trolleys. The work of the River Keepers has really turned that around,” she said.If you swim north of Dights Falls, above where the Merri creek flows into the Birrarung, it is normally safe. Swimmers are advised to check the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) updates, which are carried out weekly in summer. The Yabbies also do their own testing.“Sometimes it’s better than the bay,” Wheatley says.Donella Connors has been in every day for the last year. She puts her head under and has caught nothing but good vibes from her swims. I thought she must be lucky and made a mental note to swim next to her.Knowing I was new, the Yabbies took great care to make sure I made it out alive. There are some rules: if it’s rained heavily 48 hours before, the water is a no-go; if it’s your first swim you’re allowed to swear.The uniform for seasoned winter swimmers is a pair of togs – but I grabbed some neoprene boots and gloves (for about $50) and did not regret it.Thermometer used to measure the water temperature – the morning air temp is also noted and recorded. Photograph: Jackson Gallagher/The GuardianEntry is everything. I was in a hurry to get in and get it over with – but Meg Elkins showed me to stand thigh-deep for a minute – painful but important. Once the shock subsides, you’re good to go.And go we did. Eight women swimming up the Yarra in the morning light - the sound of my own voice – “oh my God”, “oh my God”, “oh my God” – jumping off the 400,000-year-old rockface. It appeared I too was there to pray.I come from a long line of proud swimmers – the evening before my godfather told me to stay in as long as the group did, so I earned their respect.But wild cold swimming is about the quality, not quantity, of your shock.You swim as long as you can – and as the Yabbies repeated to me: “listen to your body”. You get out when you get completely numb. I didn’t last as long as the pros but I scrambled out exhilarated, almost high with euphoria.“Your body goes into collapse, then you start to feel a tingle that comes over you,” Elkins says. “It’s like a vibration that’s going all over your body; you can feel the blood flow coming in.”Marie Louis Zavarda, reacting to the icy cold water of the Birrarung River. Photograph: Jackson Gallagher/The GuardianThe brown colour isn’t pollution but clay particles. Zeevaarder says there was a day in summer it was so clear they could all see their feet.If you’ve got good heart health the benefits of cold water swimming are huge – it floods your brain with endorphins, boosts your immune system and lowers stress.Wheatley suffers from PTSD – she’s been a Yabby for a year now and says she has never felt better.“When I first joined, I was really struggling, like in very intense therapy and suicidal,” she says.“When I compare this time of year to last year … how my treatment’s going … the river, the cold, the nature and the community have really helped me with my journey with PTSD.”After the swim everyone has their own process for getting warm. Fran Cusworth is the most thorough – a hot water bottle, a cup of tea and a tub of warm water to put her feet in.Others have Oodies, ugg boots and long puffers that look like sleeping bags.I brought a towel. I had regrets.Daniella Connors getting warm on the bank after her swim. Photograph: The GuardianThe Yabbies were started by two mates in lockdown who – perhaps a little bored – decided to jump in. The group grew – there’s a WhatsApp full of members – but with no other social media, they recruit people by meeting them along the banks, asking them to join, inviting them in.“I was jogging down here,” Holly Jones says. “And I saw the group swimming. And they were very friendly and said, ‘Come and join us’. And I was like, no, no.”Then on her birthday, celebrating 10 years free of cancer and the completion of her PhD, she decided to take the plunge.“It was really beautiful,” Jones says.“The river is always changing. It’s always different. I am always celebrating the water.”Underneath the exhilaration of the swim though is a much stronger current – the Yabbies are about reclaiming the river, seeing it as a living thing, and learning to love it again.Amanda Donahoe, Meg Alkins and Fran Cuswoth share a warm drink after their swim. Photograph: Jackson Gallagher/The GuardianWhere the Merri Creek meets the Yarra it is too polluted to swim. Photograph: Jackson Gallagher/The GuardianLoretta Bellato – a Yabby all year round but strictly summer swimmer – is from the Centre for Urban Transitions at Swinburne University and has big plans to make the river fully swimmable by 2030.“We’ve used it as a sewer and a dumping ground,” she says. “We need to move towards a beneficial relationship with the river and recognise it as a living entity.“When people start swimming in the river they start to realise there is a much stronger connection to nature and they need to start advocating for it.”New developments are a continuous threat to the health of the river and towards the Yarra Valley it’s too polluted to swim, as chemicals run off from the surrounding farms.Bellato wants to see the full river – right to the CBD – swimmable and, with a coordinated effort, she knows it’s possible.“My wish is, when people do start to swim, it actually inspires them to start thinking about how they can live in more sustainable ways – and actually start to take action, not just sit back and wait for the government to improve our city.” | Swimming |
Yee and Taylor-Brown were part of the GB mixed relay team that won gold at the Tokyo OlympicsGreat Britain's Georgia Taylor-Brown and Alex Yee secured a British double with gold in the World Triathlon Championship Series in Montreal.Taylor-Brown, who came second in the previous round in Leeds, finished ahead of France's Cassandre Beaugrand in the women's race, with team-mate Beth Potter coming third for her first medal in the series.Yee, the Olympic gold and silver medallist, then sprinted home in the men's race ahead of New Zealand's Hayden Wilde and Frenchman Leo Bergere.It was revenge of sorts for Yee as Wilde was forced to apologise after the last round in Leeds for causing a crash that eliminated the Briton and his compatriot Jonny Brownlee.The Canadian leg of the World Championship Series was a shorter sprint format than other rounds, with 30 competitors reduced to a final day after two elimination races, before a third race to decide the winner.Taylor-Brown, 28, came home in a time of 24 minutes 04 seconds and leads the overall championship standings."It was all about emptying the tank on the final leg," she said."That was really really hard. After the first race I came in and I felt, I don't think I can run any faster than that. But I seemed to get into it as the race got on. My swimming got better - either that or everyone else got slower."Britain's Sophie Coldwell was seventh in the event.Watch World Triathlon Series live on BBC SportHow does the sprint eliminator format work?The top 30 qualifiers for each event take part in three-leg super sprint eliminators.The slowest 10 are eliminated after each of the first two legs, with the fastest 10 competing in final race.Each race includes a 300m swim, a 7.2km bike ride and a 2km run. | Swimming |
(CNN) — U.S. swimmer Anita Alvarez was rescued from the bottom of the pool by her coach after she fainted while competing at the FINA World Aquatic Championships in Budapest, Hungary, according to Reuters. Coach Andrea Fuentes jumped into the pool after she saw the 25-year-old artistic swimmer sink to the bottom at the end of her routine in the women’s solo free event on Wednesday.
Fuentes lifted Alvarez to the surface, and another U.S. swimmer helped bring her to the edge of the pool.
Alvarez, who competed in synchronized swimming at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, received medical attention beside the pool, Reuters reported, and was then carried off in a stretcher. It was the second time Fuentes has had to rescue Alvarez, according to Reuters. The athlete also fainted during a duet competition at an Olympic qualification event last year.
Speaking to Spanish broadcaster Cadena COPE in a radio interview, Fuentes said the lifeguards didn’t react quickly enough on Wednesday, which is why she jumped in.
She said: “When a swimmer finishes their routine, the first thing they want to do is breathe and so I saw that instead of going up, she was going down and I told myself, ‘Something is going on,’ and I called for the lifeguards, like, ‘Go into the pool, can’t you see she’s going down in the water?’
“And they weren’t reacting, so after a couple of seconds, I went in as fast as I could.
“I don’t think I’ve swum as fast ever before, even when I got Olympic medals and, well, in the end, I was able to get her up and she wasn’t breathing … In the end, everything came out OK.” The International Swimming Federation (FINA) — the sport’s governing body — did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for a comment on the speed of the rescue.
But in a statement to CNN on Thursday, FINA said it had been in contact with Alvarez, her team and medical staff following what it described as a “medical emergency.”
“Ms. Alvarez was immediately treated by a medical team in the venue and is in good health,” the statement read.
In a statement on the US Artistic Swimming Instagram page, Fuentes said Alvarez would rest on Thursday and consult her doctor to see if she would be fit to compete in the swim free team finals, which are scheduled to take place Friday, according to FINA.
“Anita is okay — the doctors checked all vitals and everything is normal: heart rate, oxygen, sugar levels, blood pressure, etc … all is okay,” Fuentes said in the statement.
“We sometimes forget that this happens in other high-endurance sports. Marathon, cycling, cross country … we all have seen images where some athletes don’t make it to the finish line and others help them to get there,” Fuentes added. “Our sport is no different than others, just in a pool, we push through limits and sometimes we find them. Anita feels good now and the doctors also say she is okay.”
Alvarez — USA’s 2021 Artistic Swimming Athlete of the Year — finished seventh. Japan’s Yukiko Inui claimed gold, while Ukrainian Marta Fiedina and Evangelia Platanioti of Greece came second and third respectively.
Alvarez, from Buffalo, N.Y., competed at the 2012 US Olympic trials wehn she was 14. Four years later, she made the team, finishing ninth in the duet at Rio 2016. She was 13th in the same event at Tokyo 2020.
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INDIANAPOLIS -- Manager Ashley Ford strode the perimeter of one of Indianapolis' five open swimming pools, monitoring kids as they jumped off a diving board or careened into the water from a curved slide. Four lifeguards, whistles at the ready, watched from their tall chairs stationed around the water.With a dozen of the city's pools shuttered due to a lifeguard shortage, families sometimes line up more than an hour before the one at Frederick Douglass Park opens, Ford said. Many days, it reaches capacity.A national lifeguard shortage exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted communities such as Indianapolis to cut back on pools and hours. In other spots around the United States, swimming areas go without attendants. That’s left some Americans with fewer or riskier options, even as a significant part of the nation endures a second heat wave in as many weeks. Public health experts say the risk of drowning decreases significantly when lifeguards are present.“That’s my biggest thing, is making everybody safe,” Ford said.The American Lifeguard Association estimates the shortage impacts one-third of U.S. pools. Bernard J. Fisher II, director of health and safety at the association, expects that to grow to half of all pools by August, when many teenage lifeguards return to school. “It is a disaster,” Fisher said.Summer shortages aren’t unusual, but U.S. pools are also dealing with the fallout from earlier in the pandemic, when they closed and lifeguard certification stopped, Fisher said. Starting pay lags behind many other jobs, though some cities are ramping up incentives.Indy Parks and Recreation has 100 lifeguards on staff this year when normally it would have double that, said Ford, who was worked for the agency for 20 years. Even as lifeguards from closed neighboring pools bulk up the open facilities, pools in Indianapolis must still close for an hourlong lunch and cleaning break each day.When a local pool is not open, young people may go swimming in places without lifeguards, Fisher said. That can result in more drownings, which disproportionately affect people of color. In the U.S., Black people under 29 are 1.5 times more likely to drown compared with white Americans of the same age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 330,000 people enroll the American Red Cross’ lifeguarding course annually. That figure shrank, as many pools shuttered due to the pandemic, but is now rising, Jenelle Eli, senior director of media relations for the American Red Cross said in a statement to The Associated Press. Indy Parks requires its lifeguards to pass a course in which they swim 100 yards, tread water for a minute without using their hands and retrieve a 10-pound object from the bottom of a pool. Starting pay is $15 per hour, up from $13 an hour earlier this year. Those who stay through the season will receive a $100 retention bonus, Boyd said. “I’ve tried to get some of my friends that want to get a summer job and want to have money in their pockets,” said second-year lifeguard Donald Harris, 17. “They’ve just said lifeguarding isn’t for them.”At Indiana's state parks, lifeguards are paid $11 an hour. All of the state’s 37 facilities remain open, but some operate on limited hours, said Terry Coleman, director of the Division of Indiana State Parks. Many Indiana state parks additionally have shallow swimming areas without lifeguards, Coleman said.“We’re looking at potential incentives for maybe the 2023 recreation season, but nothing in stone yet,” he said.In Maine, several state parks started the season without lifeguards, and visitors are informed at the park entrance when no lifeguard is on duty, said Jim Britt, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. The state pays lifeguards about $16 an hour.“It’s a concern,” Britt said. “There’s no two ways about it. We want lifeguards to be there and to be on duty.”Chicago, which boasts one of the nation's largest aquatic programs — 77 public pools and 22 beaches that serve a population of nearly 2.75 million — pushed opening day for pools back to July 5 from June 24.“Chicago families rely on our park programs during the summer, so we are not giving up,” Chicago Park District Superintendent Rosa Escareño said in a news release. Escareño attributed the scarcity in part to “mass resignation” — referring to post-pandemic labor shortages.Chicago Park District pays $15.88 hourly and is now offering bonuses of $600, up from $500 in May, to new hires who stay through the summer. It also relaxed residency requirements, meaning applicants do not have to live in the city.One cause for applicant hesitation unrelated to the pandemic may be a lifeguard sexual abuse scandal that rocked Chicago Park District last year. Escareño said the organization has since strengthened its accountability and reporting systems.“I think right now, the most important thing is to ensure that we open safely, and that we place the greatest priority on safety, not just the safety of our residents, but also the safety of our employees,” she said.———Associated Press reporter David Sharp in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report. Savage reported from Chicago. She and Rodgers are corps members for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. | Swimming |
The Chicago Park District will open 37 swimming pools on July 5.Brian Rich/Sun-Times file With nearly half of its lifeguard jobs still unfilled, the Chicago Park District will limit access to no-swimming-allowed portions of North Avenue Beach and Calumet Beach to divert enough lifeguards to open 37 neighborhood pools on July 5. Last week, Park District officials assured a joint City Council committee that some of its shuttered pools would be open on July 5. But Chief Program Officer Daphne Johnson said the precise numbers and locations would depend on how many lifeguards could be hired and trained in the coming days.The answer to the question Chicago alderpersons and their sweltering constituents have been asking for weeks came on Tuesday with the media spotlight diverted to election coverage.With only 55% of the “targeted number of qualified seasonal lifeguards” having “successfully completed the hiring process,” the Park District will be able to open only 22 of its 49 outdoor pools and 15 of its 28 indoor pools.And even that shrunken pool presence will require the Park District to “limit access to small, underutilized portions” of North Avenue Beach just south of Fullerton; close a “small beach” at Calumet Park just north of the Coast Guard Station; and prohibit swimming at 12th Street Beach “due to ongoing construction.”That beach retrenchment — at a time when Chicago police officers have been struggling to control rowdy parties at North Avenue beach that triggered a recent shooting and nearly a dozen gun-related arrests — will pave the way for up to 25 lifeguards to be reassigned to pools in neighborhoods away from the lakefront. Most of the pools will be open between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. five days a week. Specific days will be “determined by park hours and capacity.”The Park District manages 49 outdoor pools and 28 indoor pools and works with the Chicago Public Schools to operate school pools for community use in neighborhoods without a park pool.
Efforts to open those pools have been hampered by a nationwide shortage of lifeguards and exacerbated locally by what critics called the Park District’s painfully slow response to the sexual harassment and abuse of lifeguards at the city’s pools and beaches that forced the ouster of Supt. Mike Kelly and three of his top aides and the resignation of Park Board President Avis LaVelle.Under fire from City Council members for keeping lakefront beaches open and neighborhood pools closed, the Park District waived its residency requirement for lifeguards, offered applicants a $600 bonus and offered a $500 bonus for “referrals.”But it was only enough to fill 55% of the seasonal vacancies.That left Park District Supt. Rosa Escareno little choice but to reassign the limited workforce to serve residents of South and West side neighborhoods far from the lakefront.“Despite the many challenges we’ve faced hiring lifeguards, including the national shortage, we have not given up and remain committed to a pool opening plan rooted in safety first,” Escareno said in a news release.“Neighborhood pools are incredibly valuable resources for our residents and families and provide recreation and relief from the summer heat. This plan allows us to maximize our limited workforce to open as many pools as possible so that families across the city have access to and can enjoy neighborhoods pools this summer as well as the beaches.”Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) said the North Avenue beach reassignments will have “no impact” on that portion of the beach where swimming is allowed.“There’s no swimming at Fullerton. However, in the past, the Park District has stationed lifeguards there,” Smith said.“Now, there’s life rings. There were never life rings before. And there’s pretty heavy-duty signage about not swimming. And those couple of guards who were there near Fullerton where there are rocks and no swimming beach — those couple of guards are being reassigned to pools. But the whole beach is open and it is fully staffed with lifeguards.”During last week’s hearing, South Side Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) didn’t buy the argument that a nationwide shortage is the primary factor hampering efforts to open those pools.As for the recent fights at North Avenue beach, Smith said there has been a “considerable quieting down” after nearly a dozen gun arrests.“I was out at the beach several times this beautiful weekend and there were no problems — just like it usually is,” she said. “So, I’m very hopeful that we have seen the troubles we had earlier — that they will be behind us.”She laid most of the blame on the Park District’s mishandling of the lifeguard scandal. On Tuesday, Escareno said she “understands the frustration” Chicagoans feel about seeing their neighborhood pools padlocked while temperatures rise, prompting a potentially dangerous surge in fire hydrant openings as kids seek relief from the heat. But even offering the “equivalent of $17.08 an hour” to lifeguards, including the $600 bonus, was not enough to attract the full complement of lifeguards in the middle of what she called a “post-pandemic” labor shortage, she said.“The national lifeguard shortage and the Great Resignation have impacted our ability to hire employees,” Escareno said. “Even with the unprecedented incentives we’re offering, the competitive job market makes it difficult for us to go against local businesses paying youth summer wages ranging between $18 and $20 an hour.”A full list of pools opening on July 5 and the hours of operation can be accessed at the Chicago Park District’s website: www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. | Swimming |
Team USA coach Andrea Fuentes leapt into the pool to rescue artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez, a two-time Olympian. “Anita is okay,” she said of Alvarez following the incident.June 23, 2022, 10:37 AM UTCA Team USA Artistic swimmer was dramatically rescued by her coach after she appeared to faint in the water during the world aquatics championships in Budapest on Wednesday.In harrowing images, 25-year-old Anita Alvarez could be seen floating toward the bottom of the pool, apparently unconscious, after completing her solo free routine. Her coach, Andrea Fuentes, who previously won four synchronized swimming Olympic medals for Spain, leapt into action, the Olympic Games said on its news blog. In photos, Fuentes, still fully clothed in a T-shirt and shorts, can be seen swimming to Alvarez before pulling the swimmer up toward the surface of the water. She can then be seen dragging Alvarez, a two-time Olympian, toward the edge of the pool with the help of an unidentified man.Alvarez was given medical attention before being stretchered away.Peter Kohalmi / AFP via Getty ImagesAlvarez was given medical attention before being stretchered away, according to the Olympics Games website. In a statement shared on the USA Artistic Swimming Instagram page, Fuentes said: "Anita is okay" after the harrowing incident."The doctors checked all vitals and everything is normal: heart rate, oxygen, sugar levels, blood pressure, etc… all is okay," she said. "We sometimes forget that this happens in other high-endurance sports. Marathon, cycling, cross country," she continued. "We all have seen images where some athletes don’t make it to the finish line and others help them to get there.""Our sport is no different than others, just in a pool, we push through limits and sometimes we find them," she said. "Anita feels good now and the doctors also say she is okay."In an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, Fuentes said she jumped into the water "because I saw that no one, no lifeguard, was diving in.""I got a little scared because she wasn’t breathing, but now she’s fine," she saidAlvarez had to be dragged from the bottom of the pool.Oli Scarff / AFP via Getty Images“Watching yesterday’s medical emergency of 2x Olympian Anita Alvarez and subsequent rescue by coach Andrea Fuentes was heartbreaking for our community," USA Artistic Swimming told The Associated Press in a statement."She gave an exceptional solo performance and competed brilliantly in four preliminary and three final competitions across six days," it said.Alvarez finished seventh in the Wednesday individual final. She is expected to take a day of rest on Thursday and will decide with a doctor whether she can swim in the upcoming free team finals, Fuentes said.Chantal Da SilvaChantal Da Silva is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital based in London. | Swimming |
In Budapest, Hungary, swim coach Andrea Fuentes rescued U.S. artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez from drowning. During a solo free routine on Wednesday, Alvarez stopped moving and started to sink to the pool floor. Fuentes, watching from the pool deck, reacted quickly, diving into the pool fully clothed and pulling the unconscious Alvarez to the surface before another person helped her get Alvarez out of the pool. HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE PASSES DEFENSE SPENDING BILL WITH $37 BILLION BUMP “Anita has been evaluated by medical staff and will continue to be monitored. She is feeling much better and using today to rest," USA Artistic Swimming said in a statement to the Associated Press. “Watching yesterday’s medical emergency of 2x Olympian Anita Alvarez and subsequent rescue by coach Andrea Fuentes was heartbreaking for our community. She gave an exceptional solo performance and competed brilliantly in four preliminary and three final competitions across six days," the statement continued. Alvarez continues to recover as medical staff monitor her health, checking her heart rate, oxygen levels, and blood pressure. USA Artistic Swimming said that Alvarez's eligibility to swim in the free team final on Friday will be determined by the medical staff's report. | Swimming |
Tom Daley is "furious" over world swimming bosses' decision to ban transgender athletes from elite women's competitions.Daley, 28, told reporters at the British LGBT Awards on Friday that the decision by FINA - the governing body for international water sports - is "not on".
After collecting his sports personality of the year award, he told iNews: "I was furious."You know, like most queer people, anyone that's told they can't compete or can't do something they love just because of who they are, it's not on."It's something I feel really strongly about. Giving trans people the chance to share their side." According to new FINA rules, transgender women who have gone through male puberty are not allowed to compete in women's events. Their testosterone levels in serum or plasma must have been consistently under 2.5 nmol/L since the age of 12.
By contrast, the regulation state: "Female-to-male transgender athletes (transgender men) are fully eligible to compete in men's swimming competitions." More on Tom Daley Attitude Awards: Elaine Paige, Tom Daley and It's A Sin among winners at glitzy ceremony Tom Daley thanks son and husband - and knitting - after winning fourth Olympic medal Tokyo Olympics: Tom Daley spotted knitting in the stands during women's springboard final New 'open' category will open up sport to allSeparately, FINA says it has commissioned a working group to create an "open" category.It claims it will give "everyone the opportunity to compete at elite level", opening up competitions to those who have "complete androgen insensitivity and therefore could not experience male puberty".Former Olympic medal-winning swimmer Sharron Davies said FINA is "standing up for fair sport for females", but there has been a bitter backlash elsewhere. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2019: Ex-Olympian defends view on transgender athletes Transgender rights in sport have been put back in the spotlight after the International Rugby League banned transgender women, claiming it would "balance the individual's right to participate".The surrounding conversation intensified after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history after winning the women's 500-yard freestyle earlier this year.Before that, New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard last year became the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.President of World Athletics Lord Coe suggested his sport could soon follow swimming, warning that "fairness is non-negotiable". | Swimming |
An Italian resort town has banned tourists from walking around in swimming costumes and bare torsos to stop what the mayor has described as “widespread indecorous behaviour”.Massimo Coppola, of Sorrento, said bare flesh was upsetting for locals, damaged the image of the town and will from now on incur fines of up to €500 (£425)The town had recently witnessed “behaviour that is seen by the majority of people as contrary to decorum and to the decency that characterises civilised cohabitation,” he said.“The continuation of this situation, as well as causing discomfort and unease in the resident population and among visitors, could lead to a negative judgement on the quality of life in our town, with consequences for its image and for tourism,” | Swimming |
Ukraine claim first ever gold medal at the World Aquatics Championships Ukraine won their first-ever FINA World Championship gold medal in the team free combination final in Budapest.The Ukraine team scored 95.03 in the synchronised swimming event after a performance called A Magic Circle,Maryna Aleksiiva: “It’s our first gold medal in this championship, so we are very excited and so proud of our nationality."We want to show to the world how brave the Ukrainian people are, and we are so happy to be able to be here and do just that."Japan finished second, ahead of Italy who took home bronze. In pictures: Putin pays tribute to Second World War victims Ikea 'hopeful' of reopening Russia stores one day Ingka Group, which owns Ikea stores, said that it is hopeful of returning to Russia one day but that was not possible right now. Ikea still operates 14 shopping centres in Russia but is exploring its option for 17 furniture store branches that are closed. Last week, the group announced it would sell factories, close offices and reduce its workforce because it does not see any possibility to resume sales in the foreseeable future. "Having a long history in Russia, with great colleagues and
a dream to furnish the many Russians' homes, this has been a
difficult decision for us," Ingka Group said in a statement on Wednesday. "We remain hopeful that one day in the future, we will be
able to bring back IKEA to the many people in Russia. "However,
today the preconditions are not in place." The comments were made after Russia's deputy industry and
trade minister, Viktor Evtukhov, told Rossiskaya Gazeta that he
believed that by keeping its 'Mega' shopping malls open, Ikea was leaving the door open to a return. One killed in missile strike in port city At least one person has died in Mykolaiv as a result of a Russian air strike, according to Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych. The attack caused several fires, damaged residential and business buildings and left smoke hanging over the port city. "I keep saying it's still dangerous in the city. Before people were going out in droves but they go out less now," Mr Senkevych said. Regional Governor Vitaliy Kim had earlier said that seven missiles had hit Mykolaiv. Grain handler Viterra said its Everi terminal in Mykolaiv was on fire after being hit but that no one had been killed there.Sky News has not verified the situation in Mykolaiv. Moment drone strikes Russian oil refinery A second strike was aimed at the refinery after this moment - but caused no fire, according to the plant. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said the fire had been contained and there were no casualties. NATO allies can rely on Germany for military support, says German chancellor NATO allies in eastern Europe can rely on Germany as it was re-equipping its army, Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday. Mr Scholz said that its changes to the German military will enable it to defend Germans as well as its allies. "In Europe's biggest security crisis for decades, Germany - the EU's biggest economy and most populous country - is taking on a very special responsibility," Mr Scholz said in a speech to parliament about the upcoming European Union, G7 and NATO summits. "And not just for its own security but also for the security of its allies." Lithuania 'ready' for any 'unfriendly' retaliation measures from Russia Lithuania said it is prepared if Russia disconnects it from the regional power grid in retaliation for blocking trade into the Kaliningrad enclave. Gitanas Nauseda said that he does not expect a military confrontation, saying: "We are ready and we are prepared for unfriendly actions from Russia (in response), such as disconnection from the BRELL (power grid) system, or others." Baltic states Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia still depend on Russia for stable power supplies.However, Lithuania installed equipment on its power link to Poland last year to connect with the continental European grid quickly as an insurance policy in case Russia cuts off the flow of electricity, potentially causing blackouts. Russia discussing trade options with BRICS countries Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia is in the process of rerouting trade toward countries from the BRICS group due to continued sanctions on Russia. The Russian president said Moscow was in discussion to increase the presence of Chinese cars in Russia, as well as opening Indian supermarkets. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa make up the BRICS nations. 'It is a lie': Russia says West is spreading false accusations about global food crisis The West is spreading lies about the global food crisis, Russia says. Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said that the food crisis is being stoked due to sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries, which have sent the price of grain, cooking oil, fertiliser
and energy soaring. Ms Zakharova told
reporters in Moscow that she is dismayed by Western statements that Russia is to blame for the crisis. "It is a lie - such accusations are complete lies,"
she said. "So the West can supply all these arms to
Ukraine but for some reason, nothing can be taken out of
Ukraine?" Steelmarker urges customers not to buy products from Mariupol plants Metinvest, Ukraine's largest steelmaker, has urged customers not to buy any products made at plants in Mariupol because of fears they may have been stolen by Russian forces. In a statement, more than 234,000 tonnes of steel products manufactured at its Ilyich Steel and Azovstal factories had been in storage in Mariupol at the start of the invasion. The plants have not cooperated with Russia since Mariupol was taken by Russian and separatist forces in May and the Russian military has blocked Ukrainian ports in the Back and Azov seas. This has prevented the plants from exporting products to Europe and the Middle East "Metinvest enterprises have underlined that there is a high
probability of theft and smuggling of Ukrainian steel products,"
Metinvest said in a statement. "Metinvest Group's enterprises, therefore, ask all potential
buyers to reject any offers related to the stolen products, as
any purchase thereof would not be considered as having been made
in good faith." The statement provided no evidence of theft. Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this. Open Privacy Options | Swimming |
Pictured: Briton, 21, who drowned in hotel swimming pool during Cyprus holiday with his parents - as family pay tribute to 'brilliant young man'The Brit who drowned in Cyprus on holiday has been named as Ben Woods, 21The man, from Wigan, was found unconscious by side of the hotel poolGuests pulled him out of the pool but he died shortly after in intensive care Published: 06:43 EDT, 7 July 2022 | Updated: 08:16 EDT, 7 July 2022 The 21-year-old rugby player who drowned in a hotel swimming pool while on holiday in Cyprus has been named as Ben WoodsThe 21-year-old rugby player who drowned in a hotel swimming pool while on holiday in Cyprus has been named as Ben Woods.The young man from Leigh, Wigan, was found unconscious by the pool at the King Evelthon Hotel in Paphos on Tuesday.Guests pulled him out of the pool and he died shortly after in intensive care at Paphos General Hospital.Tributes have flooded in for Woods, whose family said he was a 'brilliant young man' who will be 'truly missed.'His aunt Joanne Bennet told the Sun Online: 'Ben was the life and soul of any party, he would just walk into a room and it'd just [light] up.'Ben was on holiday in Cyprus with his parents when he was found.'We are going to miss him, we can't believe what happened, we just can't,' she added, saying his mother is too traumatised to speak.'A 21-year-old, we are shocked. We just can't believe it.'A friend of Ben's, posting on social media, said: 'Really am lost for words, what a cruel world we live in RIP to one of the most down-to-earth, caring and realist lads you’ll ever meet Ben Woods you'll be well and truly missed by us all.' Tributes have flooded in for Woods, whose family said he was a 'brilliant young man' who will be 'truly missed' His aunt Joanne Bennet said: 'Ben was the life and soul of any party, he would just walk into a room and it'd just [light] up'Leigh East Rugby Club, where Ben had played since he was a boy, said: 'It is with the greatest sadness we have to announce the passing of Ben Woods one of our young Open Age players after an accident while on holiday with his family.'Ben had played at Leigh East from a very young age and had progressed through the age groups to become a valuable member of our club. Ben was always there with a cheeky smile and will be sorely missed.'Our thoughts and condolences go out to Mick, Mel and Josh, his family and friends at this saddest of times. 'RIP young man you will never be forgotten.'Mike Latham, chairman of Leigh Centurions, of which Ben was a former member, said: 'On behalf of everyone at the club, we send our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ben Woods, brother of our former player Josh, on their tragic loss.'Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.' 'We are going to miss him, we can't believe what happened, we just can't,' she added, saying his mother is too traumatised to speakGuests desperately tried to revive the man with CPR - and the lifeguards only noticed the victim was unconscious after an entertainer screamed at them that the man had been pulled out of the pool, a witness was reported as saying.One person who witnessed the incident said the lifeguards were sitting too far from where the body was found.'From where they sit they would not be able to see what's happening, it's a good 100m away,' he said. 'They were just two lads probably in their early 20s if that and they didn't seem geared up for the job.'The lifeguards eventually performed CPR on the man and tried to revive him at the edge of the pool while they awaited paramedics.Ben failed to regain consciousness and he was rushed by ambulance to Paphos General Hospital.He was intubated and admitted to the intensive care unit before he was pronounced dead at 9pm on Tuesday. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are providing consular support to the family of a British national who has died in Cyprus.'Police are currently investigating the incident but have ruled out the possibility of any criminal activity. Advertisement Read more: Heartbreaking tributes to Brit rugby player, 21, with ‘cheeky smile’ who drowned in Cyprus pool on hols with his family | The Sun | Swimming |
PACIFIC GROVE — The swimmer that was attacked by a great white shark at Lovers Point Beach Wednesday morning — 62-year-old Steve Bruemmer — is in fair condition and expected to make a full recovery, according to his doctors at Natividad Medical Center.
“The quick reaction of bystanders and EMTs placing tourniquets combined with the proximity of Natividad Trauma Center was crucial in saving Mr. Bruemmer’s life,” said Dr. Nicholas Rottler, one of Natividad’s trauma surgeons. Rottler and Dr. Kuong Ngann operated on Bruemmer for approximately two hours.
Bruemmer was swimming at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday when he was bitten by the shark. Witnesses saw him go underwater briefly before resurfacing and calling for help.
“The shark bite was unlucky, but after that, I’ve just had so much good luck,” Bruemmer said in a statement released to the media. “The day was so calm and warm and the beach was crowded. There were no waves and there was no chop. So people could hear me yelling ‘help’ from a great distance, including from the Rec Trail, where someone called 911.” Salinas resident, Fernando Beltran, called 911 while a group of two paddleboarders and one surfer rushed out to assist Bruemmer in the water. The three bystanders were able to get Bruemmer onto an extra board and back onshore.
“I remember I was lying in the ambulance and I thought, ‘my lungs are good. I can breathe.’ So I didn’t know if I was going to bleed to death, but my lungs were good,” Bruemmer continued. “It seemed really lucky that the shark got me in a spot that seemed survivable.”
Rottler said that Bruemmer lost several liters of blood and required a blood transfusion of nearly 30 pints. He said that it was fortunate that first responders were able to get Bruemmer to the trauma center in under an hour, and if it had been a longer travel time, he could have lost much more blood.
“The fact that Natividad has a trauma center was a lifesaver,” said Bruemmer. “Without all those things going right, I could have bled out.”
Bruemmer’s wife, Brita Bruemmer, thanked the good Samaritans who rescued him, the first responders and the trauma team at Natividad for saving Bruemmer’s life. She said that if people really want to help, they should donate blood. “We are so grateful for the blood, he needed a huge amount of blood and they had it at Natividad Medical Center,” she said. “That doesn’t happen if people don’t donate. Thank you to the people who have already donated for Steve. They helped save his life.”
Dr. Alexander Di Stante, Natividad’s trauma medical director and chief of surgery, said of the few shark attacks he’s seen at Natividad since the trauma center opened in 2015, Bruemmer’s was the most severe.
“He’s lucky he’s alive,” Stante admitted.
Stante said the severe nature of Bruemmer’s injuries was because the great white’s bite covered both of his legs, his arm and his abdomen. He explained that in many shark attacks involving surfers, the shark bites a limb or the board and then releases, but because Bruemmer was swimming, there was nothing between him and the shark.
Rottler said Bruemmer’s injuries were fortunate, as there was no damage to any major arteries, bones or organs.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife analyzed forensic evidence and confirmed the species of shark involved was a great white. Ken Paglia, the department’s information officer for the Bay Delta and Central regions, explained that it would be ‘nearly impossible’ to track down the exact shark responsible for the attack, as white sharks are highly mobile and travel extreme distances.
John Ugoretz, program manager for the department’s marine region, explained that most incidents where sharks bite people are accidents and occur when the shark mistook the person as a seal or sea lion.
White sharks are protected in California under both state and federal laws. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, it is illegal to catch, pursue, hunt, capture or kill a white shark.
“Sharks, unlike some terrestrial mammals, do not become habituated to humans and other terrestrial predators that may lose their natural fear or have other issues that lead them to repeatedly interact with people,” Ugoretz explained.
Paglia said Bruemmer’s attack was the 16th shark-attack incident in Monterey County since 1950, two of which were fatal. Wednesday’s attack was only the second reported incident at Lovers Point. Barry Wilson, 16, was killed by a great white shark in 1952 while he was swimming.
“Most important, we should reinforce the idea that the ocean is a wilderness,” Ugoretz said. “Just like when you go into the forest and may encounter a bear, when you go in the ocean, you may encounter a shark.”
But the chance of that is extremely low, he continued. In fact — the most dangerous animal in the ocean in terms of the number of people injured is the round stingray, and Ugoretz said hundreds of people are stung each year.
“So when you go into the water, I’d recommend shuffling your feet to avoid stingrays rather than searching the horizon for a shark fin,” he said. | Swimming |
By Tom OakleyBBC NewsImage source, Pete MoyesImage caption, The group of four, who have a combined age of 226, completed the challenge in just over 15 hoursA group of charity swimmers are set to become Guinness World Record holders for being the oldest mixed relay team to swim the English Channel.The Robin Hood Swimmers, from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, started their attempt on Monday at 07:33 BST. The group of four, who have a combined age of 226, completed the challenge in just over 15 hours - beating their 16-hour target.Their efforts have seen them raise more than £7,500 for Dementia UK. After leaving Samphire Hoe between Folkestone and Dover on Monday morning, they reached their destination in France's Cap Gris-Nez to finish the feat at 22:35 BST. It took them 15 hours and two minutes in total. Team captain, Pete Moyes, who is chief executive of the Life Skills Education charity in Mansfield, said: "It feels quite emotional having completed the challenge. It's been more than three years in the making; two years of training - we can't quite believe we've done it!"Endurance swimming is typically a sport for younger people but here we are demonstrating that people of our age can do something like this."The early part of the swimming was comfortable, but battling with the tide, current and wind in the second half was a real challenge. That brought it home to us why so few people do this. "It was a real challenge - the pinnacle of any physical challenge I've ever endured." Image source, Pete MoyesImage caption, The group first came up with the idea to swim the Channel three years agoThe team is made up of team captain Pete Moyes, aged 61, and Phil Field, 57, of Newark, Theresa Tomlinson, 50, of Retford and Anne-Marie Lawrence, 57, from Stanton by Bridge.Each team member swam for an hour at a time before another swimmer took their place. They were accompanied by a small fishing boat.The challenge was originally expected to take place earlier in July, but poor conditions at sea meant they were forced to delay it.Guinness World Records is expected to officially confirm the group as record breakers in about a week, according to Mr Moyes. A spokeswoman for the organisation said: "What an incredible achievement. We look forward to receiving evidence for our Records Management Team to review."Image source, Pete MoyesImage caption, Team captain, Pete Moyes says the wind helped him swim 7km in an hour at one pointHe added: "Our age and experience ended up playing to our advantage. We prepared well in advance and thought about what the difficulties each of us could face."Phil doesn't deal with the cold water very well, so he worked hard getting his body used to it. I'm not very good on a boat and get seasick, so I did my best to prepare for that."We're all delighted. It's been a dream which we've turned into a reality."Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] Internet LinksThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | Swimming |
FINA members voted 71.5% for a new “gender inclusion policy” that permits only swimmers who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events.Lia Thomas finishes the 200-yard freestyle for the University of Pennsylvania at an Ivy League swim meet against Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., on Jan. 22.Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty ImagesJune 19, 2022, 7:06 PM UTCBUDAPEST, Hungary — World swimming’s governing body effectively banned transgender athletes from competing in women’s events on Sunday.FINA members at the organization’s extraordinary general congress voted 71.5% in favor of its new “gender inclusion policy” that only permits swimmers who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events.“This is not saying that people are encouraged to transition by the age of 12. It’s what the scientists are saying, that if you transition after the start of puberty, you have an advantage, which is unfair,” James Pearce, who is the spokesperson for FINA president Husain Al-Musallam, told The Associated Press.“They’re not saying everyone should transition by age 11, that’s ridiculous. You can’t transition by that age in most countries and hopefully you wouldn’t be encouraged to. Basically, what they’re saying is that it is not feasible for people who have transitioned to compete without having an advantage.”FINA’s new 24-page policy also includes proposals for a new “open competition” category. FINA said it was setting up “a new working group that will spend the next six months looking at the most effective ways to set up this new category.”Pearce told the AP that the open competition would most likely mean more events but those details still need to be worked out.“No one quite knows how this is going to work. And we need to include a lot of different people, including transgender athletes, to work out how it would work. So there are no details of how that would work. The open category is something that will start being discussed tomorrow,” Pearce said.The members voted after hearing presentations from three specialist groups — an athlete group, a science and medicine group and a legal and human rights group — that had been working together to form the policy following recommendations given by the International Olympic Committee last November.The IOC urged shifting the focus from individual testosterone levels and calling for evidence to prove when a performance advantage existed.FINA said it recognizes “that some individuals and groups may be uncomfortable with the use of medical and scientific terminology related to sex and sex-linked traits (but) some use of sensitive terminology is needed to be precise about the sex characteristics that justify separate competition categories.”In March, Lia Thomas made history in the United States as the first transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming championship. She won the 500-yard freestyle.Other sports have also been examining their rules.On Thursday, cycling’s governing body updated its eligibility rules for transgender athletes with stricter limits that will force riders to wait longer before they can compete.The International Cycling Union (UCI) increased the transition period on low testosterone to two years, and lowered the maximum accepted level of testosterone.The previous transition period was 12 months but the UCI said recent scientific studies show that “the awaited adaptations in muscle mass and muscle strength/power” among athletes who have made a transition from male to female takes at least two years. | Swimming |
Swimming — like most sports at elite level — is tough. It demands early starts, long, gruelling hours of training, absolute dedication, and utter, single-minded determination. I've barely worked for the past three years thanks to bullying by a small but ferocious trans activist lobby, writes SHARRON DAVIESYou must face down disappointment and criticism and carry on. The mental resilience I developed as an Olympic swimmer — I competed in the 1976, 1980 and 1992 Games — has served me well over the past four years as I have campaigned for fair sport for females in the face of a ferocious campaign by a small but aggressive trans- activist lobby.They have unleashed horrific, often misogynistic abuse and intimidation on anyone who disagrees with them. They issued threats to me and my children, calling me a ‘transphobe’, a ‘bigot’ and far worse.I barely worked for three years because trans activists made my life hell. I have many friends in the transgender community, and all I have ever wanted is fairness. But the trans-bullies don’t care about that.Their aim is to silence me, and anyone else who believes in a level playing field — if you’ll pardon the pun — in sport.Champion trans swimmer Lia Thomas (left) stands on the podium alongside fellow female swimmers (right, L to R) Emma Weyant, Erica Sullivan and Brooke Forde, on March 17, 2022Transgender activists can do or say anything, it seems — no matter how vile — while those who disagree with them are silenced.But, at last, common sense has prevailed, at least in swimming.FINA, the world governing body, has passed a policy (with a 71 per cent majority) barring anyone who has experienced male puberty, or who has not transitioned by the age of 12, from elite female competitions. It did so after consulting members of 152 national swimming federations.I couldn’t be more pleased about this decision, which was welcomed by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Nadine Dorries, yesterday. World Athletics President Seb Coe (pictured in February) yesterday backed the FINA rulingIt means that female-born swimmers who dedicate their childhood and youth to reaching the very highest level will no longer face being beaten before they have even begun — not by superior talent or training, but by biology.Because that is what happens if female athletes are forced to compete against those born male who passed through male puberty before transitioning.In swimming, the issue was brought to worldwide attention when, earlier this year, Lia Thomas, a transgender American swimmer, was photographed beside swimmers she’d beaten in a race.The wider public immediately recognised the absurdity of the fact that someone who had been ranked 554th in the country when competing as a man beat three women with Olympic medals. The FINA ruling doesn't exclude transgender athletes, despite what the trans-bullies say (Davies pictured at a For Women Scotland event in Edinburgh on Thursday)Why must feelings be allowed to trump biological realities? Whatever happened to equality?Men and women’s bodies are biologically different from birth. After puberty, when testosterone levels in males increase, these differences are multiplied and magnified, permanently.Larger lungs and hearts give biological males more oxygenated blood, greater muscle mass, greater bone density — and an overwhelming physical advantage that no amount of testosterone-suppressing drugs will eliminate.Mediocre biological males will always beat even elite female athletes.In America there are 13 and 14-year-old boys in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle who all swim faster than the women’s world record holders in these events.I have some experience of this, to my cost. In the Olympics, I lost out to swimmers representing what was then East Germany who had been dosed with testosterone by their coaches, giving them on average a nine per cent advantage.In Moscow in 1980 I was beaten to gold by Petra Schneider, who later admitted to taking testosterone.Without it, she would have been 17 seconds behind me. The injustice still smarts.My father, who was my swimming coach, spoke out against this. Strangely, he was never selected as an international coach despite training Olympic medallists.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) didn’t want to acknowledge the truth. Then, as now, it put politics and money above athletes.I have more than one friend who came fourth in an Olympic final behind three testosterone-fuelled East German women.My friends should have got gold, and if they had their lives might have been different, enabling them to build careers on their Olympic success. But today nobody even knows their names.This injustice is partly why I have committed myself to fighting for fairness in female sport. Nobody stood up for my generation in the 1970s and 1980s.But my campaign is also fuelled by the many phone calls and emails I have received from young female athletes and their coaches and parents.Many are desperate: how can they and their families sacrifice so much — training before school and after school, and at weekends, as I did — when they would have no chance of winning against transgender competitors?The young female athletes themselves cannot speak out. They are barred from doing so by their sports’ governing bodies which, like the IOC, tend to be dominated by men who make decisions behind closed doors, without consulting anyone except the trans lobby.That is what the IOC did in 2015 when it changed its guidelines to enable anyone who has self-identified as a woman for a year and reduced their testosterone levels to ten nanomoles per litre of blood to compete alongside women.Until then, you needed to have had surgery and lived as a woman for many years. Almost no one was in that position.As far as I am aware, no athletes or governing bodies were consulted; nor were any independent scientists.Despite this week’s victory, the battle is far from over. Incredibly, while FINA has listened to unbiased scientists, FIFA — football’s governing body — has just done the opposite, reversing a decade of hard-won gains for women in football by drawing up regulations suggesting that anyone who identifies as a woman is welcome in the women’s game. They don’t even have to take testosterone suppressants.This is discriminatory and dangerous — women will be pushed out by biological males who are stronger and faster.Forcing women and girls to compete against trans athletes who were born male leads not to greater inclusion, as activists claim, but to exclusion. It will push women out of sports, including cricket and rugby, where they have made great strides.How will they get selected for a team or attract sponsorship if sponsors know they will never win because they are competing against those born male who are bigger, faster and stronger?Those of us who point out these obvious, scientific facts are vilified.Yet in a recent Twitter survey of 60,000 respondents — young athletes, parents, coaches and the public — 97 per cent thought that male-born athletes should not compete in female sport.FINA has done what no other governing body has done. It consulted athletes, coaches and, most importantly, scientists, who were unequivocal: hormone suppressants cannot mitigate against the advantages male puberty brings.Other sports’ governing bodies must follow FINA in recognising this, otherwise women will be eliminated from competitive sport altogether, turning the clock back a century.FINA’s decision doesn’t exclude transgender athletes, despite what the trans-bullies claim. FINA is consulting on the possibility of a third category open to anyone, including trans athletes.And transgender men and non-binary athletes — born female — often opt to compete in women’s competitions, against other biological women (provided they have not taken testosterone), as seen in U.S. college championships and the Tokyo Olympics last year.Categories have always existed in sport to ensure fairness: we don’t have under-15s competing against under-11s, or heavyweight boxers against bantamweight. It would be dangerous and unequal.Likewise, Paralympic sport categorises people according to their disability.Common sense and science must prevail similarly when it comes to trans athletes.We cannot throw fairness for female athletes under the bus of inclusivity and see female sport destroyed while men’s sport carries on unaffected.The Government must instruct publicly funded sports’ governing bodies to ensure that girls and women can compete equally — that is, with each other — from the grassroots level upwards.Otherwise, where will tomorrow’s female Olympians come from? | Swimming |
Having an ace time! Kate Middleton puts on a VERY animated display at Wimbledon as she's joined by Prince William and David Walliams to watch Novak Djokovic and Jannik SinnerDuchess of Cambridge is making her first appearance at Wimbledon this year, on day nine of the tournamentKate Middleton, 40, looked elegant in a blue polka dot blue as she arrived at the courts in London Kate, an avid tennis fan and patron of the Lawn Tennis Association, beamed as she took in the action today Published: 08:34 EDT, 5 July 2022 | Updated: 11:40 EDT, 5 July 2022 Advertisement The Duchess of Cambridge looked elegant in a polka dot dress as she took in the action alongside Prince William at Wimbledon today.Kate Middleton, 40, cut a polished figure in a £1,515 Alessandra Rich frock as she arrived at SW19 on day nine of the two-week tournament. An avid tennis fan, Kate is patron of the Lawn Tennis Association and a regular fixture at Wimbledon. Today is her first appearance at the championship this year.The royal parents-of-three looked in excellent spirits as they took their seats in the Royal Box - which also hosted David Walliams - to watch defending champion Novak Djokovic. Tennis fan! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are on hand to watch Novak Djokovic and Italy's Jannik Sinner in their quarterfinal match Paying close attention: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge couldn't keep their eyes off the tense match this afternoon All the emotions! Kate put on a very animated display as she watched this afternoon's match alongside Prince WilliamKate Middleton, 40, cut a polished figure in an Alessandra Rich frock as she arrived at SW19 on day nine of the two-week tournament Celebrity pals: The Duchess and Duke of Cambridge speak to David Walliams (top right) and Kathleen Williams during the quarter final match between Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner A greeting for Mum! The Duchess appears to blow a kiss to her parents Carole and Michael Middleton, who were also seated in the Royal Box The Duchess of Cambridge beamed as she took her seat at Centre Court at Wimbledon on Tuesday afternoonDotty for spots! The Duchess of Cambridge wore a Alessandra Rich frock which she previously wore over the Jubilee weekend Celebrity guests: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge greeted actor and author David Walliams on their arrival Family outing! Kate's parents Carole and Michael Middleton also received an invitation to the Royal Box on TuesdayDefending champion Djokovic will get the action underway on Centre Court as he takes on a high-flying Jannik Sinner for a place in the semi-final, in what is expected to be a thrilling match-up. Following Djokovic on Centre Court will be third seed Ons Jabeur, who is yet to drop a set en route to the quarter-finals, as she takes on unseeded Marie Bouzkova. Britain's Cameron Norrie will look to cement a place in a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time as he takes on David Goffin this afternoon on Court 1. The ninth seed had previously never gone beyond the third round at a Slam. Kate, who wore an Alessandra Rich frock which she previously wore over the Jubilee weekend, was joined at the event by her parents Carole and Michael Middleton, who also received an invitation to the Royal Box.All smiles: The Duchess couldn't keep the grin off her face when watching the tennis, sharing plenty of laughs with her husband Keeping things simple: The Duchess of Cambridge added a simple pair of white drop earrings that matched her dress Mother-of-three Kate, sporting eye-catching drop pearl earrings, appeared to pay close attention to the matches today Beaming: The Duchess of Cambridge laughed while watching Prince William react to the tennis on display today All smiles! The Duchess of Cambridge giggled during one light-hearted moment ahead of Djokovic's match on Centre CourtTaking her seat: The Duchess of Cambridge greeted comedian and author David Walliams as she made her way to her seat Game face: Prince William looked concentrated as he watched the action unfold on Centre Court on Tuesday afternoonLike mother, like daughter: Carole Middleton took her seat in the Royal Box. Right, Kate greets David Walliams on arrival Famous friends: Prince William chats with David Walliams as they both attend Day Nine of Wimbledon this afternoon Shocked: The Duke of Cambridge in the royal box on day nine of the 2022 Wimbledon ChampionshipsToday's appearance from the Duchess comes amid a busy period for the royal, who earlier this month visited Cambridgeshire with husband Prince William. During their final appointment at the County Day, at Newmarket Racecourse, Kate was seen looking delighted as she held a youngster, who was wearing a pink dress.A video of the sweet moment shows the mother-of-three smiling at and chatting with the baby, who she asked if she could hold, telling her mother: 'I love babies.' The Duchess of Cambridge in the royal box on day nine of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon All smiles: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge couldn't keep from smiling as they attended Wimbledon together today Royal welcome: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were greeted on their arrival at the All England Club on Tuesday An avid tennis fan, Kate is patron of the Lawn Tennis Association and a regular fixture at Wimbledon. Today is her first appearance at the championship this year The Duchess of Cambridge looked elegant in a polka dot dress as she took in the action alongside Prince William at Wimbledon today Ready for the action: The Duchess of Cambridge was escorted to her seat ahead of the Djokovic match today A royal wave! Beaming Kate greeted well-wishers as she made her way to her seat in the Royal Box on Tuesday afternoonMeanwhile, Prince William was seen loitering nearby, watching his wife as she cuddled the tot, and Kate was certainly in no hurry to go when he urged her to move on.The baby's mother, Marianne Provoost, who had travelled from the Netherlands for the event, said the duchess had asked to hold her child by saying: 'I love babies.'Her daughter, four-month-old Norah, was handed back to her, with Ms Provoost telling the duchess: 'Enjoy your day and enjoy your children.' Advertisement | Tennis |
Emma Raducanu has rocketed to superstardom in the last 12 months, having arrived at the All England Club ranked world No.338 and without a single win on the WTA TourEmma Raducanu will take centre stage at Wimbledon this yearEmma Raducanu has admitted her very public profile is “surreal” on her return to Wimbledon after going from anonymity to international superstardom in the last 12 months. But the teenager, who has been re-watching highlights of her run to the fourth round here, claimed she feels under no personal pressure of expectation at her home Grand Slam. “I’m just like rocking up here this week basically,” she smiled. The A level student arrived at the All England Club last year ranked world No.338 and without a single win on the WTA Tour. She is back this year as the US Open champion and British No.1 with her image on posters all over London – including outside Wimbledon station – for her latest blue-chip sponsor HSBC; ‘Strawberries and dreams’ is one caption. “I haven’t seen that but I think it is pretty surreal to have my face there,” said Raducanu. “It’s a bit unrecognisable, like, ‘That can’t be me!’.” The No.10 seed now has more big commercial deals – nine – than her seven wins this season. Her number of endorsements, along with her number of injuries and her coaching set-up, has been a recurring theme since her fairytale in New York. But Raducanu, 19, and her agency IMG claim critics, such as England rugby coach Eddie Jones, are not seeing the bigger picture of backing from Evian, Porsche, Tiffany, British Airways and Dior et al. “I’m obviously very lucky to be working with some amazing partners,” she said. “And although I am a tennis player, there’s so much more to life, and I think that I learn and can apply those areas of business and how they approach their work with utmost standards to my tennis as well. It’s broadening all sorts of knowledge.” The 19-year-old has come in for criticism for her off-court activities as he profile has grown (
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Getty Images) The build-up to this year’s event has been a quest for knowledge about her niggling side strain – she finally declared “it’s full steam ahead” this weekend – before an appearance in the main press room along with countless TV interviews. “I don’t think I did any real media days last year,” said Raducanu ahead of Monday afternoon’s Centre Court match against Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck. “I was just training. I was definitely experiencing some nerves and uneasiness. It’s funny because the exams I was studying nine or 10 hours a day, I had my head in a book. And coming out is just such a relief to be moving full stop. “The last month I haven’t necessarily had the best preparation, I didn’t play tennis for two and a half weeks. In that regard I feel like I shouldn’t have any expectations on myself. “Other opponents have been playing a few matches each week. I’m just like rocking up here this week basically. But I’m feeling good and I’m looking forward to playing on Centre Court.” Could we see a repeat of Raducanu's miraculous US Open triumph? (
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PA) Her fitness remains a doubt after playing only 34 minutes on grass this season after pulling out of the Nottingham Open with a side strain. But her young career also has to be kept in context. Andy Murray made his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon in 2005 as an 18-year-old – and won his first Major over seven years later. Raducanu is not 20 until November. Taking to the most famous stage in tennis on Centre Court is the latest chapter in her story over the last year. “Sometimes I go through my photos and camera roll and go through all the experiences and emotions I was feeling at the time, and relive that,” she said. “When I rewatched my third round match from here, I remember I was hitting some incredible shots that just came out of nowhere. But I was just thinking at the time that I had no idea how I had ever pulled that off. And I was literally just experiencing the feelings and I can relive every single moment of that. "That just gives you a lot of joy obviously, the feelings you had, everybody watching you and getting really fired up.” Read More Read More | Tennis |
Thousands of tennis fans will cheer on Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray at Wimbledon on Monday as the tournament returns to capacity for the first time in three years.The grounds will be packed with up to 42,000 people each day after crowds were reduced by 50% last year because of the Covid pandemic.Record numbers are expected as the world’s oldest tennis tournament will be running for the full 14 days for the first time.Fans camped out from 11pm on Friday in an attempt to buy on-the-door tickets before a blockbuster first day.Fans camp in the queue before the first day’s play at Wimbledon. Photograph: Hannah McKay/ReutersDave Sullivan, 60, from Derby, and his mother Pam, 85, from Leicester, were excited to join the famous queue again.Sullivan said: “We’ve camped since 6pm yesterday, it’s my ninth time and Mum’s eighth time, she’s 85. We’ve upgraded the tent over the years and the camp beds, air beds, seats.“We’ve done this for years. This is the furthest forward in the queue we’ve ever been, number 76 and 77. We’ve always loved Wimbledon.”It comes after the tournament was cancelled in 2020. It went ahead in 2021 but with 50% crowd capacity and no queue.Sally Bolton, the chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, told reporters she was really excited about the extra day of play. “[This is the] first year of permanent middle Sunday, so we are expecting a record crowd because of that,” she said.Traditionally, players have taken a break on the middle Sunday to allow the courts to recover. But Bolton said this was no longer necessary due to improvements in “grass court technology, care and attention”.She added that the cost of living crisis had an impact on this year’s tournament, which had caused a glass of Pimm’s to increase by 15%, from £8.50 to £9.75.“Like every other business, our costs are increasing across the board, so we’re having to balance that challenge. As much as we can, we’re trying not to pass that on to the consumer,” she said.“One of the most iconic parts of our food and drink offer, strawberries, are kept at £2.50 and have been now since 2010, so we’ve retained those at an accessible price despite input prices going up.”Spectators fill the grounds on the first day of the championships. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPAMichelle Patrick, a tennis fan from Glasgow, said she was shocked by the cost of Pimm’s. “The last time I was here was in 2009 and I think I paid £12 for two drinks – now I have just paid £20. It’s very expensive, even by London standards,” the 33-year-old said.Bolton said the tournament had avoided food shortages after focusing on sustainability over recent years.Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am“We’ve been moving very distinctly towards as much local sourcing as we can – so, very much focused on UK food. But we can’t get all of the things that we serve at the championships from a 10-mile radius,” she said.Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am“The driver for that wasn’t about supply chain originally, it was actually about supporting UK producers and reducing our environmental footprint, but actually that served us well in a situation where supply chains have been challenging.”The US Open champion Raducanu will make her Centre Court debut against the Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck, 28, on Monday afternoon as part of a bumper line-up of British stars.The 19-year-old said on Saturday that she was fit and ready to go after sustaining a side strain injury at a tournament in Nottingham this month.The two-time champion Murray, 35, who has an abdominal strain injury, faces Australia’s James Duckworth. | Tennis |
'I do what I want': Aussie bad boy Nick Kyrgios is defiant after flouting Wimbledon's all-white dress code by wearing a red cap and trainers before and after his last-16 win, as he insists 'any publicity is good publicity'Nick Kyrgios is in Wimbledon's quarter-finals after beating Brandon NakashimaHe defied Wimbledon's all-white dress policy by wearing red trainers and cap Kyrgios says he will do what he wants but is not above the competition's rulesThe Australian star will face unseeded Chilean Cristian Garin on Wednesday Published: 15:12 EDT, 4 July 2022 | Updated: 19:44 EDT, 4 July 2022 Nick Kyrgios told Wimbledon's rule makers 'I do what I want' after flouting their all-white dress code before and after his fourth-round victory over Brandon Nakashima.The Australian walked on to Centre Court wearing red trainers, then changed into them again, along with a red cap, once he had completed his five-set win against the American.Kyrgios has already been fined twice this tournament and is now likely to receive another ticking off for breaching rules which state white must be worn 'from the point at which the player enters the court surround'.Nick Kyrgios wore a red cap and trainers before and after his last-16 Wimbledon victoryBut asked about his latest transgression, the defiant world No 40 said: 'I do what I want. I'm not above the rules, I just like wearing my Jordans (trainers). 'It's more attention for me. What's that saying? Any publicity is good publicity, right?'I sit here now in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon again and I just know there's so many people that are so upset. It's a good feeling.'On the court, Kyrgios was more subdued than in Saturday's fiery clash with Stefano Tsitsipas, when he berated the umpire for not defaulting his Greek opponent after hitting a ball into the crowd.The 27-year-old will meet unseeded Chilean Cristian Garin on Wednesday in his first Wimbledon quarter-final since his debut here as a 19-year-old in 2014, when he famously knocked out then world No1 Rafael Nadal in the fourth round. The Australian star reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon after beating Brandon Nakashima'I stepped out here against one of the greatest of all time and beat Nadal,' he recalled. 'These are all things I have in the back of my mind.'I feel like I've been around for a long time. I feel comfortable here. I feel like a bit of a veteran.'I was telling people back home that I wanted to go for the title this year round. But now I'm not thinking about lifting a trophy or making semi-finals or making the final. I'm just trying to stay in the moment.'Despite the controversy that has followed Kyrgios in recent days, he believes he has 'a long way' since the 'darkest period' of his life in 2019, when he battled depression and alcohol and drug abuse. He will meet Cristian Garin on Wednesday in his first Wimbledon quarter-final since 2014That year, Kyrgios was spotted in Wimbledon's Dog and Fox pub the night before he played Nadal in the second round on Centre Court, a match he lost in four sets.'There was a time where I was having to be forced out of a pub at 4am to play Nadal second round,' he said. 'My agent had to come get me out before I played my match on Centre Court.'I've come a long way. I've just got so many people around me, they just support me. I feel like I can reflect on all those dark times when I pushed them all away.'Now, to sit here quarter-finals of Wimbledon, feeling good, feeling composed, feeling mature, having that around me, I'm extremely blessed.'Kyrgios, who has never reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam, is set to meet Nadal again in the last four if they both win their quarter-finals. Kyrgios required treatment after suffering a shoulder injury during the win over NakashimaAnd he has played down fears his Wimbledon chances will be derailed by a shoulder injury, which required medical attention during the third set against 20-year-old Nakashima.'I woke up after Tsitsipas and had some shoulder pain,' he explained. 'I've played so much tennis in the last month and a half, so I almost knew that it was time for my body to start feeling some niggles.'I think that's normal. At this time in the event, I don't think anyone is feeling 100 per cent. It's just something I manage.'Mentally I feel like I just deal with these things a lot better now. But I need a glass of wine tonight, for sure.' Advertisement | Tennis |
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — The Latest from Wimbledon (all times local):___4:10 p.m.Novak Djokovic has won the third set of the men’s Wimbledon final to take a 2-1 lead against Nick Kyrgios.Djokovic leads 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and is one set away from his seventh Wimbledon title.At 4-4 in the third set, Kyrgios double-faulted to set up break point, then netted a backhand to hand Djokovic the break. ___3:35 p.m.Mili Poljicak became the first Croatian player to win a junior Wimbledon title after defeating American player Michael Zheng 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3) in the boys’ final.The third-seeded Poljicak came from a break down in both sets to win his first junior Grand Slam title.Zheng beat Poljicak in three sets in the first round of this year’s French Open and was trying to become the second straight American to win the Wimbledon boys’ title. Samir Banerjee won last year. Poljicak lost to Banerjee in last year’s quarterfinals.___3:20 p.m.Novak Djokovic has won the second set of the men’s Wimbledon final against Nick Kyrgios to level the match at one set apiece.Djokovic won the set 6-3 after breaking at love for a 3-1 lead and saved four break points in the final game. Kyrgios won the first set 6-4. Djokovic is looking for a seventh Wimbledon title and 21st Grand Slam title overall. Kyrgios is playing his first career Grand Slam final.___2:50 p.m.Shingo Kunieda finally won his first Wimbledon title to complete a career Grand Slam in men’s wheelchair singles.The 38-year-old Japanese player defeated Alfie Hewett of Britain 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-5). It is Kunieda’s 28th Grand Slam title overall but he had only reached one Wimbledon final in four previous appearances, finishing as runner-up in 2019.He is the first men’s wheelchair player to complete a career Grand Slam, and now holds all four major titles at the same time after winning this year’s Australian Open and French Open, as well as last year’s U.S. Open.Hewett was looking for his sixth Grand Slam title and first at Wimbledon. He also lost in the final to Kunieda at last year’s U.S. Open and this year’s Australian Open. ___2:40 p.m.Nick Kyrgios has won the first set 6-4 against Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles final at Wimbledon.Kyrgios broke for a 3-2 lead when Djokovic double-faulted on break point. He converted his second set point with an ace. The Australian is playing his first career Grand Slam final. Djokovic is looking for a seventh Wimbledon title and 21st Grand Slam title overall.___2:10 p.m.The men’s final at Wimbledon between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios has started on Centre Court.Djokovic is trying to win a seventh title at the All England Club and a 21st Grand Slam singles title overall. Kyrgios is playing in his first major final.___1 p.m.Novak Djokovic will play for his seventh Wimbledon title and 21st Grand Slam singles title overall against Nick Kyrgios on Centre Court.Djokovic has won the last three championships at the All England Club. Kyrgios is playing in a major tennis final for the first time in his career.Kyrgios is 2-0 against Djokovic but both of those matches were in 2017.The women’s doubles final will be on Centre Court following the men’s singles match. Top-seeded Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai will face second-seeded Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova.___More AP Wimbledon coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/wimbledon and https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | Tennis |
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has broken a strict Wimbledon code for the second time this week - a move described as a "final act of defiance".Nick Kyrgios has been called out over his "final act of defiance" after breaking Wimbledon's strict dress code for the second time this week.The Aussie world No. 40 was slammed for his behaviour after losing the men's finals to Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic, who defeated him four sets 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and 7-6 (7-3) on Sunday.Shortly after the match, Kyrgios put on a red Nike Air Jordan cap to receive his runners up trophy from Kate Middleton, who is the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club.Stream more sports news live & on demand with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022 Wimbledon's strict dress code requires competitors to be dressed in "almost entirely white from the point at which the player enters the court".The rulebook states clothing, caps, shoes and undergarments visible during play must also be completely white.Tennis fans were left divided over Kyrgios' choice of accessories - and it wasn't the first time he was criticised for his behaviour at the All England Club.Journalist Mike Dickson called the move a "final act of defiance" in a turbulent few weeks which started when he spat in the direction of a spectator."Meanwhile Kyrgios has put his red cap on, a final act of defiance," he tweeted.Tennis reporter Jose Morgado predicted there would be a "big fine incoming" for the Aussie star."Kyrgios receiving the runner up trophy with a red cap. Big fine incoming," he tweeted.It's not the first time the world No. 40 found himself in trouble for breaking the dress code. The tennis player was last week asked whether he was "above the rules" after trading his all-white shoes for a red-and-white pair of basketball sneakers and a matching hat before being interviewed at Centre Court about his return to the quarter-finals."Why would you walk on to centre court and put bright red trainers on and do an interview in a bright red cap?" one reporter asked during his post-match press conference."Because I do what I want," he replied."So you're above the rules?" the reporter asked."No, I am not above the rules…. I just like wearing my Jordans." | Tennis |
Key events:35m agoPreambleShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureOdd as it may seem, these two have only met twice on the ATP Tour, and Kyrgios has won both times. Per Sporting News.Both meetings came in 2017 and on both occasions, Kyrgios won in straight sets. Their first match came at the quarter final at Acapulco in Mexico. While the match only lasted two sets, it was a hard-fought encounter in which Kyrgios won 7-6(9) 7-5. Kyrgios’ serve was the difference on that occasion as he sent down an incredible 25 aces to Djokovic’s two. Their second clash was just a few weeks later, this time in the round of 16 at the ATP Masters Indian Wells. Kyrgios again emerged victorious 6-4 7-6(3) on the back of his winning 86 per cent of points on first serve. Both previous meetings came on hard court as opposed to the grass courts at Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic’s press conference was a little more circumspect. The experience that I have at this level, playing in the finals against someone that has never played a Grand Slam final, could be slightly in my favour. But at the same time, knowing who he [Krygios] is and how he goes about his tennis and his attitude on the court, he doesn’t seem to be falling under pressure much. He plays lights-out every time he steps out onto the court. Just [has] a lot of power in his serve and his game. So I’m sure he’s going to go for it. No doubt he’s going to be aggressive. I expect him to do that.Some incendiary quotes from “Nasty Nick” in his press conference. Scorched earth very much the policy here. The only great that’s ever been supportive of me the whole time has been Lleyton Hewitt. He kind of knows that I kind of do my own thing. I’m definitely the outcast of the Australian players. It sucks. It’s pretty sad because I don’t get any support from any of the other Australian tennis players, the male side. Not the players, but like the past greats. It’s weird they just have like a sick obsession with tearing me down for some reason. “I never thought I’d be here at all, to be brutally honest with you,” he said. “But I’m just super proud and I’m just ready to go. I’m going to give it my all and we’ll see what happens.Weather Report: no, not Jaco Pistorius Pastorius, but it’s the hottest day of Wimbledon so far. Today, Britain is expected to bask in sunshine with people in London and south-east England told to expect highs of 29C and clear skies. Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud said: “We should see pretty much wall-to-wall sunshine across the bulk of England and Wales and a good portion of Scotland.”And a Wimbledon fortnight photo essay from Tom Jenkins.An Australian perspective. Djokovic had history. A year earlier, he’d penned an open letter to the people of Australia, which ought to have been grounds for a 14-day quarantine in itself. Some of his more lowly-ranked brethren were holed up in hotels whacking forehands against fridges, trapping rodents and going nuts. Djokovic’s call for preferential treatment fell on deaf ears. But he really pushed his luck this January. Djokovic’s mug led the news for more than a week. His supporters were camped outside his quarantine hotel, singing Balkan folk songs. The live stream of his visa appeal was bedevilled by lengthy dropouts, porn and spamming. The local newspapers published columns by comedians, immigration lawyers and experts on Serbian nationalism. They pondered which actor would play him in a mini-series. The prime minister, always energised on border control matters, played the hard man.Tumaini Carayol previewed the battle of the bad guys. In the final, Kyrgios will reacquaint himself with Novak Djokovic, who he has had a turbulent relationship with. In a 2019 interview with the No Challenges Remaining podcast, Kyrgios unloaded on Djokovic, claiming he was obsessed with being liked. It was a one-sided dispute, with Djokovic never criticising Kyrgios publicly and he was confused by Kyrgios’s public hostility given their previous amicable encounters. But in January, Kyrgios supported Djokovic when he was detained and then deported from Australia. While Kyrgios joked they now have a “bit of a bromance”, Djokovic was less enthusiastic, but he expressed his appreciation for Kyrgios’s support: “When it was really tough for me in Australia, he was one of the very few players that came out publicly and supported me and stood by me. That’s something I truly appreciate. So I respect him for that a lot.”Djokovic: “It took you five years to say something nice about me.” Kyrgios: “But I defended you when it mattered.” Djokovic: “You did, I appreciate that.” Kyrgios: “We friends now?” Djokovic: “If you are inviting me for a drink or dinner, I accept. PS winner of tomorrow pays.” Kyrgios: “Deal, let’s go to a nightclub and go nuts.”This is a day for sad goodbyes. Who else could have done a court-side chat with Chris Evert that went straight in on her ovarian cancer and still kept the mood high? Who else could have made a new wave of British hopefuls – including the surprise semi-finalist Cameron Norrie – so comfortable under the sudden spotlight?PreambleIf it can’t be Rafa Nadal that Novak Djokovic faces to try and win his 21st grand slam, then why not Nick Kyrgios, the beneficiary of Nadal’s injury withdrawal. This does feel like a case of bad guy versus villain, with apologies to all the Djoko and Big Nick fans out there. Controversy follows both, though in different forms perhaps best not gone into here. Can Krygios, with his pistol serve deal with Djokovic, the sport’s ultimate competitor, or can he get into the head of a six-time singles champion at SW19? Can his silly games get into the head of Djokovic, who these days is not as implacable as a few years back. Kyrgios is going for his first ever singles grand slam, having been seen as someone who had squandered his talent. There is something of Djokovic’s close friend and mentor about Kyrgios, and the two finalists do seem to have something of an affinity, a shared outsider status despite one of them being one of the three greatest men’s players to have ever hit a crosscourt forehand. It could be a classic, it could be a walkover, it’s bound to feature one or both of them roaring like a lion somewhere along the line. It starts at 2pm, London time. | Tennis |
Barney RonayThere has been an eagerness to cling to these pegs of the pre‑pandemic summer: Glastonbury, Wimbledon, queueing endlessly for a low-cost airline seat. And Monday was a red-letter day for the All England Club in other ways, with first-round appearances for the only two British players to win a grand slam singles title in the past 45 years, Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu.PreambleEmma Raducanu and Andy Murray were the headline-makers yesterday as Wimbledon welcomed a capacity crowd for the first time in quite a while. Raducanu, the 19-year-old US Open champion, performed admirably on her Centre Court debut to see off Alison Van Uytvanck. Murray dropped a set against James Duckworth before finding his rhythm and progressing to a second-round date with John Isner.It’s another packed day of tennis today: women’s singles top seed Iga Swiatek, the French Open champion, is up first on Centre Court against Jana Fett of Croatia at 1pm. Rafael Nadal (No 2 seed) will then face the Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo before the seven-times women’s champion Serena Williams takes on Harmony Tan in the final match scheduled on Centre. Matteo Berrettini, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Simona Halep, Coco Gauff, Karolina Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza will be taking to the court later, too. That sounds like plenty to be going on with. Let’s do this. | Tennis |
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has been charged with assaulting his former girlfriend Chiara Passari in Canberra late last year, and has been summoned to appear in court.The Australian Capital Territory Police confirmed to the Canberra Times that Kyrgios had been charged and would appear in court early next month."ACT Policing can confirm a 27-year-old Watson man is scheduled to face the ACT Magistrates Court on the 2nd of August in relation to one charge of common assault following an incident in December 2021," police said on Tuesday.The Canberra Times reported that the charge "relates to an allegation Kyrgios grabbed former partner Chiara Passari." If convicted, he could face up to two years in prison.Kyrgios' lawyer, Jason Moffett, said that his client is aware of the charge."It's in the context of a domestic relationship," Mr Moffett told The Canberra Times.Kyrgios, known for his wild and often volatile behavior on the tennis court, is currently preparing to play Cristian Garin in the Wimbledon 2022 quarterfinals, which is just the third Grand Slam quarterfinal of his nine-year pro career. He last made a Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open in 2015, and made the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2014.Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios, who is currently playing at Wimbledon, has been charged with one count of simple assault in Australian court after allegedly grabbing his former girlfriend in Dec. 2021. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images) | Tennis |
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Fernanda Contreras Gómez never had been to the All England Club until this weekend, after becoming the first woman from Mexico since 1996 to hold a spot in the main-draw field at Wimbledon.She felt as if she knew her way around the place rather well, though. That’s because the 24-year-old Contreras Gómez has been hearing tales of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament from her grandfather since she was a kid — Francisco “Pancho” Contreras Serrano reached the semifinals of mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 1958 and also played singles there.“It was really cool to walk around the grounds,” Contreras Gómez said. “It’s like, ‘Someone pinch me!’”She qualified in May for the French Open, then won a first-round match in the main draw there. She qualified last week for Wimbledon, and, her ranking up to 154th, lost her first-round match in the main draw on Monday, beaten 6-1, 6-4 by 65th-ranked Magda Linette of Poland.Contreras Gómez’s enthusiasm was not dimmed a bit.“It was still so magical. There were some moments that I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I’m in London. This is insane. I had a pretty nice court with a view of Centre Court. Everything was pristine. The grass was really green. Barely used. I was kind of floating. It was awesome,” said Contreras Gómez, who moved with her family from Mexico to Austin, Texas, when she was 13, then studied mechanical engineering and played tennis at Vanderbilt.“There was happiness. There were moments of uncertainty — ‘Am I going to play with the rain today?’ — and patience,” she said. “The jittery nerves of, ‘Ooh, I’m about to play. I’m about to walk out on the court.’”Her grandfather told her about the grind of the tennis tour, especially the travel involved, back in his day in the sport. She said he missed the births of each of his four children while away playing and gave each one a middle name to note where he was competing at the time: Altamira, Cleveland, Brisbane and — yes, for a son born in 1958 — Wimbledon.The two spoke on the phone after Contreras Gómez earned the right to participate during the off-site qualifying rounds.His message to his granddaughter?“He said: I’m so proud of you. Another ‘F. Contreras’ is in the Wimbledon draw.”After her one-hour match against Linette, Contreras Gómez said she planned to talk with her grandfather on Tuesday.“I’m sure,” she said, “he’s going to want to compare how my experience was to his.” | Tennis |
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 30, 2022 Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in action during his fourth round match against Denmark's Holger Rune REUTERS/Dylan MartinezRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 25 (Reuters) - Stefanos Tsitsipas said that his victory in the final of the Mallorca Championships on Saturday was a major milestone in his career as the Greek claimed his maiden grasscourt title leading up to Wimbledon next week.World number six Tsitsipas, who has only enjoyed moderate success on grass, toppled Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4 3-6 7-6(2) in a major boost ahead of Wimbledon, where the 23-year-old has never gone past the fourth round."It has been a very important and a really wanted win on grass. I won tournaments on clay and hardcourts previously," said Tsitsipas, who will take on Switzerland's Alexander Ritschard in the first round at the All England Club.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"Today was probably the most important day of the year for me to be able to get a title that I really wanted."Tsitsipas suffered defeats by Andy Murray and Nick Kyrgios earlier in the grasscourt swing but found his range against Bautista Agut, who tried to mount a comeback in the decider after going down 4-1 but was undone by his opponent's superior quality."This was an incredible fight and an incredible battle. I know it can be difficult for one person to deal with the loss, but I think for tennis it is great that we are able to play at this high level," added Tsitsipas.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Dhruv Munjal in Bengaluru
Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Tennis |
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLONDON, June 25 (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal returns to Wimbledon for the first time in three years but it will feel a little odd for the Spaniard who, for the first time at the All England Club, will not have sparring partner Roger Federer for company.Their epic rivalry includes three successive Wimbledon finals from 2006 -- the first two won by Federer and the last by Nadal in unforgettable fashion in 2008.Federer played in the juniors at Wimbledon in 1998 and has been back every year since, winning a record eight titles and establishing himself as the king of the lawns.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBut the 40-year-old will be absent this year as the 36-year-old Nadal seeks to continue his quest for the calendar year Grand Slam, having won the Australian Open and French Open to take his haul of majors to a record 22.Federer's absence because of a knee injury that has sidelined him for a year will leave Wimbledon a little empty.Nadal acknowledges that without the Swiss raising the bar, his own achievements might not have been possible."I mean, we shared lot of important things together," second seed Nadal told reporters on Saturday. "It's difficult in some ways to think of tennis in the last 15, 20 years without thinking about the rivalry that we have."I think in some way we push each other. I always wanted to think that my motivation never comes to me because of others, that it's a personal motivation.Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 5, 2022 Spain's Rafael Nadal in action during the men's singles final against Norway's Casper Ruud REUTERS/Yves Herman/Files"But, of course, to have somebody like him, like a rival, that he's amazingly good, helps you to let you know the things that you have to do better."Federer has hinted at making a comeback after Wimbledon with an eye on the U.S. Open, which could allow Nadal to complete his collection against the Swiss great."We've been playing in every big stadium, but not in New York, that's the only thing that bothers me a little bit, that we never played in New York," Nadal said.Nadal's appearance at Wimbledon was thrown into doubt over a foot injury that required him to have a numbing injection at the French Open just to get through his matches.A small surgical procedure since has allowed him to play without terrible pain, but the Spaniard said that he does not know whether the injury will flare up again."I can't tell you if I'm going to be in this positive moment for one week, for two days, or for three months," he said.Of course, the treatment that I did didn't fix my injury, not improving my injury at all, but it can take out a little bit of the pain. That's the main goal."For the last two weeks, I didn't have one terrible day where I can't move at all. Of course, some days are better; some days are a little bit worse."Nadal opens his quest for a third Wimbledon title against Argentine debutant Francisco Cerundolo.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Martyn Herman
Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Tennis |
Topline Rafael Nadal will withdraw from Wimbledon ahead of his Friday semifinal match against Nick Kyrgios due to an injury, he announced Thursday, sending 27-year-old Kyrgios into his first Grand Slam singles final amid allegations he assaulted his former girlfriend last year. Nick Kyrgios shakes hands with Rafael Nadal following their fourth round match at the 2020 ... [+] Australian Open. Getty Images Key Facts Nadal will not vie for his third Wimbledon title because of an abdominal injury he sustained during his quarterfinal match against Taylor Fritz, he told reporters at a news conference Thursday. He said he hopes taking off between three and four weeks to recover will allow him to resume his playing schedule this season, after winning both the French and Australian opens this year. Because of Nadal’s exit, Kyrgios will be granted a walkover bye and play in Sunday’s final against either defending champion Novak Djokovic or Cameron Norrie, who will face off in their semifinal match Friday morning. Key Background
Kyrgios has been a controversial figure at Wimbledon this year, amid legal trouble stemming from allegations he assaulted his former girlfriend Chiara Passari. Reports circulated this week that Kyrgios was ordered to appear in an Australian court in August to face assault charges. The case is in relation to claims that Kyrgios grabbed Passari, and he faces a maximum of two years behind bars if he’s found guilty, according to The Canberra Times, which first reported the charges. "The nature of the allegation is serious, and Mr. Kyrgios takes the allegation very seriously,” his attorney told The Canberra Times. Kyrgios has declined to comment on the charges when asked by reporters. Further Reading
Amid Assault Charges, Nick Kyrgios Reaches First Major Semifinal At Wimbledon (Forbes)
Controversial Tennis Star Kyrgios Accused Of Domestic Assault Amid Wimbledon Run (Forbes) | Tennis |
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 10, 2022 Czech Republic's Katerina Siniakova and Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova pose with the trophies after winning the women's doubles final against China's Zhang Shuai and Belgium's Elise Mertens REUTERS/Toby MelvilleRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - The Czech pair of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova beat top seeds Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai 6-2 6-4 on Sunday to win the Wimbledon women's doubles title for the second time.The second seeds, who also won the event in 2018, dropped only one set en route to their fifth Grand Slam title and their second of the year after winning the Australian Open.While the men's doubles final on Saturday lasted over four hours, the women's match was done and dusted in 67 minutes as the Czechs stamped their authority and denied Belgian Mertens back-to-back titles at the All England Club.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"Always playing Wimbledon final, I think it doesn't really matter what category you play, you always get goose bumps when you enter the court," Krejcikova told reporters."For us, we really like to play on a big court, so I think we really enjoyed the atmosphere. From the very first point we really, really wanted to win. I'm really proud of us, that we managed to do that and that we get another trophy."The Czech pair broke early to take a 3-0 lead in the opening set and did not look back as they wrapped it up in half an hour.Although they were in a spot of bother when they were broken at 3-3 in the second, opening the door for Mertens and Zhang to make a comeback, they rallied to win the next three games for the loss of only one point to seal victory.The two Czechs, who also won Olympic gold in Tokyo last year, have won 17 matches together at Wimbledon and Krejcikova said they had their eye on more doubles titles despite their singles commitments."For sure we have many goals. I think the main goals are the slams, really want to do well there," she said."I think we just want to keep going, keep having fun, just try to be better player and better person every single day."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond and Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Tennis |
'700 drinks? I'd only had two... but it WAS rather hot and that might have got to me', says 'drunken' woman who Nick Kyrgios had thrown off Wimbledon's Centre Court - as she reveals she was only trying to cheer the fiery Australian onKyrgios said that 32-year-old Ania Palus 'looks like she's had 700 drinks' in finalMs Palus said she'd had one Pimms and one rosé, adding that the heat got to her The Australian was furious with a spectator who he claimed was putting him off Published: 20:05 EDT, 10 July 2022 | Updated: 22:14 EDT, 10 July 2022 The ‘drunken’ woman who Nick Kyrgios had thrown off Centre Court yesterday after saying she'd had '700 drinks' has said that she only had two and was trying to support the tennis player.Ania Palus, 32, who was temporarily ejected from the Wimbledon Grand Slam final, said that the temperature impacted her while watching the game.The Polish medical lawyer said that she was trying to support Kyrgios, who 'always says the crowd is against him'. Ania Palus (centre), 32, who was temporarily ejected from the Wimbledon Grand Slam final, said that the temperature impacted her while watching the game She was given water and allowed back into the match after about 15 minutes in order to watch the rest of the final'I wanted to show we were for him, I wanted to encourage him,' she told The Sun. She also told The Telegraph that she supported the sportsman because she had suffered from depression, like him, and sympathised. 'I wanted to give him support. Maybe I took it too far... but I only had good intentions,' she said. Ms Palus said that she drank a Pimms and a rosé, after the tennis player called her 'drunk out of her mind'.'It's the temperature for me, I had no hat,' she said. 'I'm really sorry.' She was given water and allowed back into the match after about 15 minutes in order to watch the rest of the final. Kyrgios' outburst came in the third set, as he pointed Ms Palus out in the crowd and claimed that she was putting him off. 'She's distracting me when I'm serving in a Wimbledon final,' he fumed at the umpire about the spectator. 'There's no other bigger occasion, you didn't believe me and then she did it again. It nearly cost me the game. 'Why is she still here? She's drunk out of her mind and speaking to me in the middle of a game. What's acceptable?' Nick Kyrgios demanded a fan was kicked out of the Wimbledon final as she 'looks like she's had about 700 drinks' The Australian raged at the umpire as he claimed that he was being distracted by the spectatorAfter the umpire replied 'nothing is acceptable', Kyrgios said: 'Ok kick her out. I know exactly which one it is. The one in the dress, who looks like she's had about 700 drinks bro.'After the match, said: 'I don't need someone absolutely smashed talking to me point in, point out.' Kyrgios' first ever Grand Slam final was never going to pass by without an infamous outburst from the Australian. After taking the first set against Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon showpiece, Kyrgios dropped the second set and then let his anger get the better of him in the third. Twenty minutes before his outburst about Ms Palus, Kyrgios launched into a furious argument with his team in his box after dropping the second set. Kyrgios was seen drinking a from what appears to be a beer bottle after leaving the Wimbledon final, having lost to Novak Djokovic After the match, Kyrgios said: 'I don't need someone absolutely smashed talking to me point in, point out.' Pictured with what appears to be a beer bottle after the final Kyrgios shows the fans his runners up plate after losing to Djokovic in the final The Australian was broken early in the set to allow Djokovic to get into a position where he could serve for the set at 5-3 up.But Kyrgios raced into a 0-40 lead in his opponent's service game, earning him three break points.However he failed to make any of them count and also could not convert a break point at deuce as Djokovic fought back to take the game and the second set.Kyrgios was seen shaking his head as he made his way to his chair for the break and in true and then began attacking his team. Kyrgios also launched into a furious argument with his team in his box after losing the second set After winning the first set against Novak Djokovic, Kyrgios dropped both the second and third Kyrgios' girlfriend Costeen Hatzi - who he calls his 'biggest blessing' - was seen desperately trying to calm him down as he raged from the court'Why don't you say something?' he yelled. 'Why? You said nothing that whole point, 40-love down, nothing.' His girlfriend Costeen Hatzi — who Kyrgios calls his 'biggest blessing' — was seen desperately trying to calm him down as he raged from the court. Kyrgios has gained a reputation in the tennis world for his angry outbursts, with his third round match against Stefanos Tsitsipas this year proving particularly fiery. The Australian has actually appeared slightly calmer though as he has progressed through the tournament and reached his first ever Grand Slam final, but it appears that the pressure involved on Centre Court has seen him crack. 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Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comNUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan, July 12 (Reuters) - Newly crowned Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina said on Tuesday that her win at the All England Club was a collective triumph that would not have been possible without the support of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation.The Moscow-born Rybakina, who switched allegiance to Kazakhstan in 2018 to get more financial support, became the country's first major singles champion at the weekend when she rallied to beat Tunisian third seed Ons Jabeur to lift the Wimbledon title. read more "Since the moment I started to represent Kazakhstan I was just happy that I could continue playing and that it was a professional career," Rybakina told Reuters after arriving in the capital Nur-Sultan.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"So no one knew how it was going to be. So, of course, I'm super happy that in the end everything happened in this way. I think it was a very important decision for me."And with all the support of the Kazakhstan Federation, with the support of (president) Bulat (Utemuratov), I think it's our win together."People cheer as Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina appears on a balcony of the Kazakhstan tennis federation in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan July 12, 2022. REUTERS/Pavel MikheyevThe 23-year-old added that it was not easy to transition into a top professional after leaving Russia."From a junior career to the professional, it's very difficult and not many people can make it, and especially become a very high-ranking player," said Rybakina."So I think it's very important and for me it was a very important time - so I'm really thankful and grateful for the time and opportunity I got."The Wimbledon triumph did not sink in until much later for Rybakina, whose muted reaction after winning the match point was in contrast to the euphoric celebrations usually expected from a champion on the manicured Centre Court."I didn't really understand in the moment I finished the match that I'd won the biggest slam and biggest tournament, so I'm super happy and, for sure, it's a different time for me now," she said."So many people are waiting for me, so much attention, so it's not going to be easy, but I'm going to try to take some time to recover, rest and prepare for my next tournaments."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Tamara Vaal, writing by Dhruv Munjal in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Tennis |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A Peng Shuai supporter was booted from the Wimbledon final Sunday between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios after causing a disruption during a break in the action.Drew Pavlou, an activist, shouted, "Where is Peng Shuai?" during a break in play. He was tackled by security and told to leave the grounds. He shouted the message in the third set.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Security staff and spectators remove a protester from the stands during the men's singles final match between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon on July 10, 2022, in London. (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)"I didn’t want to disrupt the actual match itself so I waited to make sure there was a break in the play and then I just basically held up a sign saying ‘Where is Peng Shuai?’" Pavlou told The Associated Press. "And I just said, ‘Where is Peng Shuai? This Chinese tennis star is being persecuted by the Chinese government. Why won’t Wimbledon say something?’"Pavlou said he brought the sign onto the grounds by folding it up and hiding it in his shoe. He also had a T-shirt with the message tucked into the waistline of his jeans."I tried to be as loud as possible," he said. "I screamed it because I wanted people to hear it."Pavlou said security wrestled him to the ground and then four of them restrained him with his arms behind his back. He was brought to a public area just outside Centre Court and was then told to leave the grounds. When he tried to re-enter, he was told his tickets had been canceled. Peng Shuai reacts during her first round singles match against Nao Hibino at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Jan. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)JOHN MCENROE SAYS NOVAK DJOKOVIC SHOULD PLAY US OPEN DESPITE COVID VAX STATUS: 'THIS IS RIDICULOUS'Pavlou also commented on the incident on Twitter."The Chinese Government tried to wipe Peng Shuai from the face of the Earth because she came out and accused a top CCP official of sexual assault. And the saddest thing is they have almost been successful in making everyone forget about her. I just don’t want people to forget," he wrote."I’m sorry that I disrupted the match for 30 seconds, I tried to pick a break in between games to silently hold up my #WhereIsPengShuai sign but security immediately crash tackled me which is why I shouted out so people would hear Peng Shuai’s name on the broadcast."He added that he was "thrown down the stairs" by security guards and his head was "smashed" into the wall.The All England Club said Pavlou was removed "after disrupting play by shouting, running down the stairs and causing a nuisance to their fellow spectators."The incident came days after of Peng Shuai supporters were questioned by Wimbledon security guards.All England Club CEO Sally Bolton said at the beginning of the tournament that Peng supporters would be allowed to attend."We do have ground entry rules, and those ground entry rules are really focused on everyone’s quiet enjoyment of the tennis. So that’s not about what people are wearing; it’s about the way people behave," Bolton said. China's Peng Shuai watches the women's freestyle skiing big air finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 8, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Peng, who won two Grand Slam doubles titles in her career, disappeared from the public eye for months last year after accusing former Communist Party official Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault. Her accusation was scrubbed from the internet in China.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPPeng has made very few appearances in public since the accusations were made. She made an appearance at the Winter Olympics and spoke to a French newspaper for an interview in February.The Associated Press contributed to this report. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Tennis |
Wimbledon tells players to tighten their belts and stop using all of their £90 daily food allowance as canteens struggle to meet demand after one coach put through 27 bottles of probiotic yoghurt drinkThe coach bought a huge amount of yoghurt to use up the rest of their cashThe All England Tennis Club has asked players to be 'judicious' when buying foodPlayers are given £90 a day to buy food and drink while their coaches get £45Wimbledon athletes have at least six places to buy food from on the grounds Published: 06:59 EDT, 5 July 2022 | Updated: 07:05 EDT, 5 July 2022 Wimbledon players have been warned to stop buying unnecessary food after a coach bought 27 bottles of yoghurt at once to get the most out of their allowance.Players and coaches at Wimbledon have been buying food and drink using the daily allowance given to them by the All England Club.Athletes have £90 a day to spend on food and drink at the cafes and food stands at Wimbledon, while their coaches are given £45. Nick Kyrgios ate sushi during a fiery interview where he blasted 'disrespectful' fans and criticised match officials The players lounge at the All England Club (pictured) has a number of spots where players can buy food, including a sushi bar Wimbledon has asked players and coaches to be more 'judicious' when buying food on the grounds This has led to coaches and players picking up more food than they need to use up their money for the day, as they seem to treat the allowance as a target rather than a cap.One Wimbledon coach even went so far as to buy 27 bottles of a probiotic yoghurt drink to use up the rest of their cash, the i reported. The All England Club has now written to players asking them to be 'judicious' when choosing how to spend their daily allowance.Players use electronic tags they wear around their neck to buy from six outlets on the Wimbledon grounds including sandwich bars, restaurants, cafes and even a sushi bar in the Players' Lounge next to Centre Court.The outlets offer a wide range of food to athlete to cater to their specific dietary requirements. Quartet-finalist Nick Kyrgios, 27, raised eyebrows when he ate sushi during a Wimbledon press conference.The conference came after he spat towards someone in the crowd he said had been showing him 'pure disrespect' during his first-round win over Britain's Paul Jubb. The All England Club was contacted for further comment. What do Wimbledon players eat? Despite his sushi-eating, Nick Kyrgios has largely been a vegan for a number of years and avoids all animal products - more because of his opposition to animal cruelty than for health reasonsRafael Nadal, 36, is known to eat a diet of seafood, with shrimp dumplings said to be one of his favourite mealsAndy Murray, 35, who was knocked out in the second round by John Isner, has said he mostly eats salads, grilled chicken and fruitWimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, 35, focuses his diet on vegetables, fruit, nuts as well as white meat and fishEight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, 40, has eaten pasta with a light sauce before every match for over 20 years. He is missing this year's tournament for the first time since 1999 Advertisement | Tennis |
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — LOOKAHEAD TO THURSDAYThe women will take center stage at Wimbledon all on their own Thursday with both semifinal matches on Centre Court. Third-seeded Ons Jabeur will face Tatjana Maria in the first match and Simona Halep will play Elena Rybakina in the second. Jabeur is trying to become the first Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final. Halep has already won this tournament and is playing again at the All England Club for the first time since earning the title in 2019.THURSDAY’S FORECASTPartly cloudy. High of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius).WEDNESDAY’S KEY RESULTSWomen’s Quarterfinals: No. 16 Simona Halep beat No. 20 Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-4; No. 17 Elena Rybakina beat Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.Men’s Quarterfinals: No. 2 Rafael Nadal beat No. 11 Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-4); Nick Kyrgios beat Cristian Garin 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (5).STAT OF THE DAY5 — Number of first-time Grand Slam semifinalists at Wimbledon this year, the most at any major tournament since the 1997 U.S. Open — Jabeur, Kyrgios, Maria, Rybakina and Cam Norrie.QUOTE OF THE DAY“I don’t have a coach. I would never put that burden on someone.” — Kyrgios speaking on court after reaching the semifinals at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in his career.___More AP Wimbledon coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/wimbledon and https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | Tennis |
So what has caused the resurgence in British tennis at SW19? Simon Cambers reports that the team spirit forged in lockdown, plus Andy Murray’s advice and Emma Raducanu’s achievements, has given everyone a lift. Order of play for Saturday(All times BST, seeds in brackets)Centre Court13:30: (11) Cori Gauff (USA) v (20) Amanda Anisimova (USA), (4) Paula Badosa Gibert (Spa) v (25) Petra Kvitova (Cze), (27) Lorenzo Sonego (Ita) v (2) Rafael Nadal (Spa)Court 113:00: (19) Alex De Minaur (Aus) v Liam Broady (Gbr), (1) Iga Swiatek (Pol) v Alize Cornet (Fra), Nick Kyrgios (Aus) v (4) Stefanos Tsitsipas (Gre)Court 211:00: Harmony Tan (Fra) v Katie Boulter (Gbr), Richard Gasquet (Fra) v (21) Botic Van de Zandschulp (Ned), Magdalena Frech (Pol) v (16) Simona Halep (Rom)Court 311:00: Christian Garin (Chi) v (29) Jenson Brooksby (USA), Alex Molcan (Svk) v (11) Taylor Harry Fritz (USA), Petra Martic (Cro) v (8) Jessica Pegula (USA)Court 411:00: (4) Gonzalo Bueno (Per) v Juan Manuel La Serna (Arg), Jeremy Jin (Aus) v (3) Mili Poljicak (Cro), Kristyna Tomajkova (Cze) v (10) Annabelle Xu (Can), (8) Edas Butvilas (Lit) v Mika Brunold (Swi), Alessio Basile (Bel) v (11) Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez (Mex)Court 511:00: Mia Kupres (Can) v Angella Okutoyi (Ken), Linda Klimovicova (Cze) v Michaela Laki (Gre), Paul Barbier Gazeu (Fra) v Connor Henry Van Schalkwyk (Nam), Julie Struplova (Cze) v Ella McDonald (Gbr), Aysegul Mert (Tur) v (3) Nikola Bartunkova (Cze)Court 611:00: Patrick Brady (Gbr) v (15) Martyn Pawelski (Pol), Phoenix Weir (Gbr) v Alexander Blockx (Bel), Sarah Tatu (Gbr) v Celine Naef (Swi), Juan Carlos Prado Angelo (Bol) v William Jansen (Gbr), Talia Neilson Gatenby (Gbr) v Nina Vargova (Svk)Court 711:00: Kalin Ivanovski (Mkd) v Luca Pow (Gbr), Henry Searle (Gbr) v (2) Jakub Mensik (Cze), Renata Jamrichova (Svk) v Jasmine Conway (Gbr), Joelle Steur (Ger) v Isabelle Lacy (Gbr), Benjamin Gusic Wan (Gbr) v Peter Privara (Svk)Court 911:00 Amelia Waligora (Bel) v Anastasiya Lopata (Ukr)Court 1011:00: Irina Balus (Svk) v Andrea Obradovic (Ser), Peter Nad (Svk) v Jaden Weekes (Can), Ella Seidel (Ger) v Lucciana Perez Alarcon (Per), (4) Nikola Daubnerova (Svk) v Dominika Salkova (Cze)Court 1111:00 Sara Saito (Jpn) v Olivia Lincer (USA), (14) Lucija Ciric Bagaric (Cro) v Rose Marie Nijkamp (Ned)Court 1211:00: Ajla Tomljanovic (Aus) v (13) Barbora Krejcikova (Cze), Brandon Nakashima (USA) v Daniel Elahi Galan (Col)Court 1411:00 Hynek Barton (Cze) v Arthur Gea (Fra)Court 1511:00 Olaf Pieczkowski (Pol) v Ozan Colak (USA)Court 1611:00 Pedro Rodenas (Spa) v Matej Dodig (Cro)Court 1711:00 Dylan Dietrich (Swi) v (5) Nishesh Basavareddy (USA), Giorgia Pedone (Ned) v Amelie Van Impe (Bel)Court 1811:00: Jack Sock (USA) v Jason Kubler (Aus), Qinwen Zheng (Chn) v (17) Elena Rybakina (Kaz)PreambleGood morning. It’s already day six at Wimbledon – where did the week go? The show courts don’t get going until a bit later on, with Coco Gauff v Amanda Amisova on Centre Court at 1.30pm and Alex De Minar v Liam Broady on Court No 1 at 1pm. It’s been a great week for British tennis, with Heather Watson and Cameron Norrie breaking new ground by reaching the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time in their careers and Broady and Katie Boulter have hopes of doing the same today. Boulter is not on a show court so I’ll be paying particular attention to her match against Frances’s Harmony Tan on Court 2 at 11am. It promises to be extremely tight, with Tan ranked 115 in the world and Boulter 118. Like her British opponent, Tan is looking to make the last 16 in a slam for the first time, too. I’m looking forward to 4th seed Paula Badosa v 25th seed Petra Kvitova on Centre Court later, too. Kvitova has won Wimbledon twice and despite slipping down the rankings in the last couple of years, I feel she can go deep in 2022. And expect fireworks – and lots of entertaining chat – when Nick Kyrgios takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas on Court 1 later. Kyrgios just wants to be loved, you know. | Tennis |
Game, set and match? Jubilant Keir Starmer beams in Wimbledon royal box as he plots bid to smash Boris out of No10 - if Tory MPs don't do it - with a no-confidence voteKeir Starmer takes a break from Westminster drama to enjoy day at Wimbledon in Centre Court's Royal BoxLabour leader is joined by wife Victoria as he swaps SW1A for SW19 to watch women's semi-finalsHe earlier vowed to table a no confidence motion in the Commons in a bid to eject the PM immediately Published: 11:14 EDT, 7 July 2022 | Updated: 14:20 EDT, 7 July 2022 Advertisement While Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister less than nine miles away - a smiling and laughing Sir Keir Starmer took a break from the drama unfolding at Westminster and enjoyed a day out at Wimbledon.The left-wing politician was spotted among the posh seats in Centre Court's Royal Box, alongside his wife Victoria, on women's semi-finals day.As well as engaging in a public display of affection with his spouse, Sir Keir was also seen sharing jokes with fellow attendees.His journey from SW1A to SW19 came shortly after he unveiled a plot to remove Mr Johnson from power immediately.The Prime Minister, who has seen vast swathes of Tory MPs turn against him over the past 48 hours, this afternoon announced his intention to leave Downing Street.But Mr Johnson also revealed how he wants to stay in office until a new Tory leader is elected, which could take a number of weeks, if not months.Many Conservatives' are resisting the PM's plan - wanting him to go as soon as possible - and Sir Keir had earlier attempted to further fuel the Tory civil war.He vowed to table a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson and the Government in the House of Commons, if the PM was not removed immediately. Sir Keir Starmer took a break from the drama unfolding at Westminster today and headed to WimbledonThe Labour leader was spotted enjoying the posh seats in Centre Court's Royal Box, alongside his wife Victoria, on women's semi-finals daySir Keir's journey from SW1A to SW19 came shortly after he unveiled a plot to remove Boris Johnson from power immediately The Labour leader and his spouse watched Tunisia's Ons Jabeur reach the women's final after she defeated Germany's Tatjana Maria Sir Keir shared a joke with TV presenter and Liberal Democrat peer Floella BenjaminCommenting on Mr Johnson's quit pledge, Sir Keir said: 'He needs to go completely, none of this nonsense about clinging on for a few months.'He's inflicted lies, fraud and chaos on the country.'We're stuck with a Government which isn't functioning in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.'All of those who have been propping him up should be utterly ashamed of themselves.In a message to Tory MPs, Sir Keir added: 'He needs to go, he can't cling on in this way. His own party have finally concluded that he's unfit to be Prime Minister.'They can't now inflict him on the country for the next few months.'And, making his promise of a no confidence vote if the PM does not leave No10 immediately, Sir Keir said: 'If they don't get rid of him then Labour will step up in the national interest and bring a vote of no confidence.'Because we can't go on with this Prime Minister clinging on for months and months to come.'The Labour leader is effectively daring Tory critics of the PM to vote with opposition parties to bring down Mr Johnson's Government and forcibly eject him from power.But the plot risks triggering a general election, which Sir Keir would head into with a huge question mark still lingering over his own political future.He has repeatedly vowed to resign himself if he is fined by Durham Police over the 'Beergate' allegations that he broke Covid rules with a boozy curry in April last year.Tory MP Andrew Bridgen, who is among those who demanded Mr Johnson resign, branded Sir Keir's plan as 'futile'.He told LBC Radio: 'Conservative MPs will not vote for that because that would push us into a general election with Boris Johnson leading us.'They will not vote no confidence in the Prime Minister because that would bring the Government down and that would lead to a general election.'Every time Labour try and put confidence votes on the Conservatives all it does is force Conservatives to line up behind Boris Johnson.'It would be futile. The last thing the country needs is a general election.' The Prime Minister, who has seen vast swathes of Tory MPs turn against him over the past 48 hours, this afternoon announced his intention to leave Downing Street But Mr Johnson also revealed how he wants to stay in office until a new Tory leader is elected, which could take a number of weeks, if not months Many Conservatives' are resisting the PM's plan - wanting him to go as soon as possible - and Sir Keir had earlier attempted to further fuel the Tory civil war He vowed to table a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson and the Government in the House of Commons, if the PM was not removed immediately Lord William Hague and the ex-Conservative leader's wife Ffion also enjoyed an afternoon of tennis Lord Hague last month said Boris Johnson staying on as PM would be 'like trying to drive along the M1 with two flat tyres'Sir Keir was joined in Centre Court's Royal Box by a fellow critic of Mr Johnson, as Tory grandee Lord William Hague and the ex-Conservative leader's wife Ffion also enjoyed an afternoon of tennis.Lord Hague last month said Mr Johnson staying on as PM would be 'like trying to drive along the M1 with two flat tyres'.The Labour leader is a keen sports fan - but it is something that recently got him into trouble with parliamentary authorities.Last month, an investigation was launched into claims Sir Keir twice broke the MPs' rules of conduct on registering interests. It is said to relate to the late registration of freebie football tickets, as well as book royalties.The Labour leader received tickets from Premier League sides Crystal Palace in April and Watford in May worth more than £2,000.Both matches were to watch Arsenal, the team Sir Keir supports. Advertisement | Tennis |
Jul 10, 2022; London, United Kingdom; Nick Kyrgios (AUS) returns a shot during the men’s final against Novak Djokovic (not pictured) on day 14 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY SportsRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Nick Kyrgios admits it felt "ridiculous" for a basketball-mad guy from Canberra to be playing a Wimbledon final but after losing to Novak Djokovic he feels like he belongs.Many thought the controversial world number 40 had blown his immense talent and that he would never better his quarter-final run as a teenaged debutant in 2014 when he beat Rafa Nadal.While there have been trademark antics during the fortnight and Kyrgios continues to divide opinion over whether he is a force for good in tennis, the 27-year-old Australian proved he is not far away from landing a Grand Slam.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comA sensational first set left Djokovic dazed in the Centre Court sunshine, before the Serb seized control to win 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) in three absorbing hours.In the end it was not to be, but Kyrgios sounded upbeat about his future prospects."It's taken me almost 10 years in my career to finally get to the point of playing for a Grand Slam (final) and coming up short," Kyrgios told reporters."I feel like if I had won that Grand Slam, I think I would have lacked a bit of motivation, to be honest. I would have kind of achieved the greatest pinnacle of what you can achieve in tennis."I played a slam final against one of the greatest of all time, and I was right there."I came out in the first set and I looked like I was the one who had played in a lot of finals. I thought I dealt with the pressure pretty well."BIGGEST MATCHKyrgios said being given a walkover by an injured Nadal in the semi-final and having five days to think about the biggest match of his life had not been ideal."The anxiety of obviously having that day off from the semi-final, I slept terribly again last night," he said."I was just thinking about it all the time. I thought I handled myself well today. I just came up short and I'm happy with that. So I've got that under my belt now, a Wimbledon finalist. I can kind of draw from experience."I felt like I belonged. I feel like my level has always been there. I feel like I've put it together a little bit these couple of weeks."Kyrgios said he had played a "hell of a first set" but praised Djokovic's ice-cool composure."In big moments, it just felt like he was never rattled," Kyrgios said of Djokovic who collected a seventh Wimbledon and 21st Grand Slam title.Although Kyrgios's hopes of becoming the first Australian man to win a major for 20 years evaporated, his overriding feeling was one of relief."I'm not supposed to be a Wimbledon finalist, like where I'm from, everything I've been through. I just feel ridiculous, to be here talking as a Wimbledon finalist."I feel like there's so much weight on my shoulders all the time when I step out on the tennis court, now it's just released and I feel amazing. Like I'm two beers deep."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Tennis |
All the tennis greats have graced Wimbledon over the years, and many displayed a unique approach to on-court style. Italian tennis star Lea Pericoli was way ahead of the curve in 1965 when she paired her ruffled Teddy Tinling minidress with an Anne Boleyn-esque statement headband. And who could forget US player Anne White’s quintessentially ’80s Lycra catsuit at the 1985 tournament?Meanwhile, rivals Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams have taken a similarly bold approach to their kit as to their serves. Their shared sponsor, Nike, provided the contemporary tennis dresses the pair wore for the 2004 Wimbledon Women’s Singles Final, from which Sharapova ultimately emerged as the victor. Though competitors must adhere to the strict all-white Wimbledon dress code, Williams has famously played with offbeat silhouettes, textured detailing, and diamanté embellishments in her years at SW19. Her sister and fellow champion, Venus, celebrated her 2000 win in a cut-out mini dress with orange piping.Here, Vogue looks back at some of the most memorable on-court style moments from SW19.William VandersonGertrude Moran, 1950Tony DuffyMargaret Court, 1960sKeystoneLea Pericoli, 1965 | Tennis |
There are few things in this world that Serena Williams has enjoyed more than a comeback throughout her career. She underwent knee surgery in 2003, yet within a year of her return she was a grand slam champion again. After arriving at the 2007 Australian Open ranked 81st, she left with the title. She nearly died from a pulmonary embolism in 2011, but she toiled back to enjoy her greatest years. In 2017, Williams survived a life-threatening childbirth, yet she recovered to reach four grand slam finals.Over the course of her 27 years as a professional tennis player, Williams has seen generations rise and fall, with most of her contemporaries over a decade into retirement. But time comes for us all, and in a torrid evening on Centre Court showed the challenge before her in the final chapter of her career.After tearing her hamstring in a fall on Centre Court last year and then not playing another singles match for 52 weeks, on Tuesday she made her return in the same venue and round. Rusty, rhythmless and dearth of confidence against a player who gave her none, Williams recovered from a set down before falling in the first round of Wimbledon 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7) to France’s Harmony Tan.In terms of ranking and experience, this was one of the more pleasant draws Williams could have possibly received. Tan, ranked 115, had lost seven of her last eight tour level main draw matches. But Tan is a tricky player with a deep toolbox of varied shots, slices and spins, and as Williams tried to find her range after a one year layoff, she raised her level and offered no rhythm at all.“When I saw the draw, I was really scared,’ said Tan afterwards. “Because it’s Serena Williams, she’s a legend. I was like, oh my god. How can I play? If I could win one game, or two games, it’s really good for me.’”Harmony Tan celebrates following her victory. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianA week ago, Williams had returned to tennis last week in the humble surroundings of Eastbourne in doubles only alongside world No 2 Ons Jabeur. During their two wins, before Jabeur withdrew, Williams’ game looked in decent shape. But it remained to be seen how well she would move so Tan wasted no time in thoroughly examining her footwork.From the very beginning, Williams was off. She could not find her range off her groundstrokes, her feet were rooted to the spot and she struggled to deal with Tan’s low backhand slice. After losing six of her first seven points and trailing 0-2, Williams turned the set around to lead 4-2, 40-15 as it seemed that she had taken control. Instead, Tan continued to work Williams with drop shots and slices off both wings, forcing her to move forward and bend her knees, arresting her rhythm. She took the set by dragging Williams forward and angling a forehand passing shot winner.As Williams seethed, the pair took a break as the roof was erected over Centre Court. She broke serve after a seemingly endless 20-minute game on Tan’s serve that required seven break points and was sealed in comical fashion with a high, loopy backhand that elicited a shanked forehand from Tan.With the break secured, Williams seemed to settle. Her serve began to fire as she dictated from on top of the baseline instead of chasing Tan’s slice around. But she first lost her 3-1 lead, then she served for the match and Tan wrestled it from her with a backhand passing shot.As Tan edged ahead 6-5 with a drop shot winner, Williams served to stay in the match. She saved the match point with a forehand drive volley, the crowd roaring as loud as they ever have for their seven-time champion. With their support, she forced a tiebreak, but she could not close it out.Serena Williams fought back from one set down to force a thrilling tie break in the third. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianThroughout Williams’ career and the countless comebacks she has, the common refrain has been to never count her out. But she is 40 years old and this is surely the final chapter of her illustrious career, however long it lasts.In her press conferences over the past week, she has insisted that she has no idea exactly how long she intends to be out here. She runs a venture capitalist company now, Serena Ventures, which takes up an immense amount of time, and this year she became an Oscar-nominated producer at King Richard. She said that she has put on her out-of-office message for a few weeks, but then she’ll be back.Williams has ensured that she will be stimulated and relevant when her career finally comes to an end. But there is nothing like walking out on to Centre Court and finding a way and the will to drag out the best tennis in herself, and so she keeps on coming back. Time comes for us all, and the question after her second career grand slam first round loss is whether this new comeback will turn out to be a farewell to Wimbledon. | Tennis |
Novak Djokovic knew there was something about Jannik Sinner long before the Italian threatened to bundle him out of Wimbledon on Tuesday afternoon. What he rediscovered about himself after coming back from two sets down to beat Sinner in five sets in the first quarter-final was that winning has never been easy for him in the tournament he treasures above all others.Seven times in his career, Djokovic has recovered from two sets down to win. Yet there has been a shakier hand on his racket under pressure at Wimbledon, where, 20 times now, he has lost the first set and recovered to win only 11 times. In baseball parlance he is not always batting a thousand at the place where he has won six titles and might win a seventh on Sunday.Last year those faltering starts in the slam tournaments put him in peril 10 times – the longest sequence of his career – and he managed to get over the line nine times, including twice at Wimbledon, where he first bounced back against Jack Draper and then against Matteo Berrettini to win the title.Five-set tennis is the ultimate test but, until they reach the last few hurdles, most ambitious players would prefer a few easier tests. Still, struggle has often been Djokovic’s experience at Wimbledon, a place of garlanded deeds for him, nonetheless.This is his strength. He is one of the game’s great fighters, a player with extraordinary reserves of self-belief, built up through many campaigns at the highest level. Indeed, he is probably more vulnerable in the shorter forms of the game than on the big stage, because it is in best-of-five where champions thrive. It is the battlefield that separates great players from very good ones, established kings from young princes.Sinner is one such prince, 20 years old, and one day he will surely have a kingdom of his own. If it is Wimbledon, he will have a ready-made audience of fans. On Tuesday they rose time and again to acclaim his crazily powerful crosscourt forehand, his wicked serve and his all-round coolness. It was in show also when he beat the Spanish prodigy, Carlos Alcaraz, in the fourth round two days earlier.This was another afternoon when he must have wondered if he could make an early breakthrough. He was superb in going two sets up before Djokovic steeled himself to the fight over three hours and 35 minutes to win 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. It was Sinner’s first slam quarter-final. Victory put Djokovic into his 11th Wimbledon semi-final.“It was a tough match,” Sinner acknowledged. “ I knew that before. I was playing well and he raised his level during [the] fourth [set]. and I think the fifth I played in the right way, just I missed the final shots. I think I can be proud of what I have done here.”Jannik Sinner fires a forehand to Djokovic. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianAll delivered with the right amount of quiet humility missing in other parts of the Wimbledon forest. And he recognises the fine margins that decide big results.“When you are up two sets to love, you play every set in the best possible way. In the third when I was serving and was love-15, I hit an easy forehand in the net: love-30. Then he played a good point. Instead of being 15-30, I was love-40, and then he broke me. From that point he was playing better.”It sounds simple, but far from it. Djokovic needed to dig into all his reserves to swamp the Sinner confidence. He has done it for so long against the best in the history of the game that it is second nature to him.As he said courtside, “As for the first two sets, comparing to the last three, we probably had two different matches. He was the better player for two sets.”He said later of his mixed opening: “I thought I started very well, was 4-1 up and break point for double break. He served well. I was playing against the wind and just played a very bad game, two double faults, two missed drop shots to lose the serve 4-3, and momentum shifted to his side.”And being the better player for two sets is not going to win anyone a five-set match.“Then I went out and had a toilet break and a little pep talk in the mirror,” he revealed. It did the trick – just as it had worked for Andy Murray when he took a break after four sets and came back to beat Djokovic in the US Open final in 2012.On day nine here, Djokovic started fast, faded fast and recovered slowly. Sinner played outstandingly well to win the first set in just under an hour, and even better to go two sets up.The youngest player to break the top 10 since Juan Martin del Potro in 2008, Sinner was playing tennis beyond his years. His face, mostly, was expressionless. Even when he fell heavily and ricked his ankle towards the end of the fourth set, he returned after brief treatment as if nothing had happened.He will come again – and he will win big titles, maybe even this one, on a surface that is still new to him. | Tennis |
An island the size of two tennis courts has "changed the course" of the River Thames - and it's made from wet wipes.Campaigners regularly comb through the muck on the riverbank near Hammersmith Bridge, where they find up to 150 wet wipes per square metre.
The UK uses 11 billion of the "disposable" products every year, according to Labour MP Fleur Anderson, causing untold problems for the environment and wreaking havoc on plumbing to the tune of £100m in blockages.The government is considering a ban on wet wipes, but Ms Anderson wants the issue resolved faster, and has tabled legislation to bring it about.It comes after Boots pledged to stop selling all wet wipes containing plastic by the end of the year. Speaking during a session of questions on the environment, food and rural affairs in the Commons, Ms Anderson told MPs: "Billions of wet wipes containing plastic are still being used across the country, causing environmental damage, blocking our sewers."
She added: "There's an island the size of two tennis courts, and I've been and stood on it - it's near Hammersmith Bridge in the Thames, and it's a metre deep or more in places of just wet wipes. It's actually changed the course of the River Thames." More on London Seven more cases where Metropolitan Police officers strip-searched children referred to watchdog Motorcyclist has 'lucky escape' after trying to 'jump' sinkhole on London road Polio: Detection of virus in London is a major blow - there are urgent questions on why it is being transmitted Wet wipe companies, she said, are able to substitute plastic with other materials, adding: "It's perfectly possible… there are biodegradable alternatives such as bamboo."Ms Anderson pointed to the current "confusing packaging", adding: "That's why banning any plastic in the manufacture of wet wipes is really important… It's very confusing for the public, they want to do the right thing."Read more: Thousands of 'unflushable' wet wipes found on one stretch of the Thames shoreEnvironment minister Rebecca Pow asked that if members of the public do need to use wet wipes, they do not flush them down the toilet.Asked about a ban in the Commons, she said: "We are working our way through the details and, of course, we have to make sure that, if a ban is brought in, it doesn't have knock-on effects that will cause similar problems because, even though other wet wipes might be deemed suitable to flush, they still get stuck in sewers, so we have to be mindful of all of that."What I would say to everybody is if you don't need to use a wet wipe, don't, but also don't chuck them down the loo." | Tennis |
Kyrgios, not one for holding his tongue, was particularly critical of Djokovic for organizing a charity exhibition tour in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Fast-forward to January of this year, and Kyrgios was an early voice supporting Djokovic when his decision to not get vaccinated against COVID-19 led to a legal saga and deportation from Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open.Get Sports HeadlinesThe Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.So where do things stand nowadays?“We definitely have a better relationship than what it was,” is the way the top-seeded Djokovic described things.Kyrgios sounded a tad more excited.“We actually message each other on DMs in Instagram now and stuff. It’s real weird,” Kyrgios said. “Actually, earlier in the week, he was like, ‘Hopefully, I’ll see you Sunday.’ ”Well, they certainly will see each other at Centre Court on Sunday afternoon, with quite a bit to play for.For the No. 1-seeded Djokovic, a 35-year-old from Serbia, it’s a chance to win a fourth consecutive trophy at the All England Club and seventh overall (Roger Federer’s eight singles championships at the grass-court major are a record for a man).It’s also a chance for Djokovic to claim a 21st Grand Slam title, which would move him one ahead of Federer and just one behind Rafael Nadal, who withdrew before his semifinal against Kyrgios because of a torn abdominal muscle.And there’s this to factor in, too: Djokovic can’t know for sure the next time he will get to participate in one of the four major tournaments, the events that matter the most to him these days. As things stand, he is not allowed into the United States as an unvaccinated foreigner, which mean he couldn’t go to New York for the US Open in August.His status for returning to Australia in 2023 is up in the air, too, after his visa was revoked this year.“Every match, every Grand Slam that I get to play at this stage of my career, there is a lot on the line. I don’t know how many Grand Slam opportunities to win the trophy I will still have,” Djokovic said after beating No. 9 seed Cam Norrie of Britain, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, in the semifinals on Friday.“So, of course, I’m approaching it with positive attitude and self-belief and willingness to win. There’s no doubt about it,” added Djokovic, who is on a 27-match unbeaten run at Wimbledon. “I don’t want to speak about all the details and routines that I have that make me feel well-balanced and prepared. But there are things that I do in order to make myself mentally, emotionally, and physically well-prepared.”For Kyrgios, it is a chance to prove that someone with enough talent to have beaten Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal the first time he faced each also has enough staying power to triumph at a major. He is 2-0 against Djokovic, albeit in a pair of matches on hard courts five years ago.Even Kyrgios himself did not expect to see this day.“I never thought,” he said, “I’d be here at all, to be brutally honest with you.”The matchup offers one key, intriguing conflict: Djokovic’s returning against Kyrgios’s serving.Kyrgios has won 95 of 101 service games this fortnight. He is averaging 24 aces per match. He reached 137 miles per hour during Wimbledon (only John Isner, at 138 m.p.h., hit one faster).It’s not just the pace.“He disguised it pretty well. It’s tough to read his serve when he tosses the ball up,” said Brandon Nakashima, an American who lost to Kyrgios in the fourth round. “He could hit all the spots out there, different speeds, different spins.”With Kyrgios, it’s not just about the tennis, of which he says: “There’s definitely times where I hate this sport.”He has been fined a total of $14,000 during Wimbledon — $10,000 for spitting toward a heckling spectator after a first-round win; $4,000 for cursing during his contentious victory over No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.A far more serious matter: Kyrgios is due in court in Australia in less than a month to face an assault allegation, something he has declined to discuss this past week.It’s rare that he holds his tongue. It will be fascinating to see whether Kyrgios bottles things up on Sunday — and how Djokovic handles the moment, too.“One thing is for sure,” Djokovic said. “There’s going to be a lot of fireworks, emotionally, from both.” | Tennis |
Wimbledon’s Centre Court has been the stage for some of the world’s greatest tennis over the years. It has had tantrums, tears and triumphs for players who have come and gone. It has been bombed, poisoned, and even serenaded by Sir Cliff Richard during a rain delay.At 3.45pm, June 26, 1922 Leslie Godfree hit the first serve on Wimbledon’s new Centre Court on Church Road. After the return was netted he ran and pocketed the ball as a keepsake. It was as if he knew this ball marked the beginning of a new dawn in global tennis and the opening of the largest tennis arena of its time.The first Wimbledon Championships took place as early as 1877 when the club extended its name | Tennis |
CNN — With the dust hardly settled from the clay-court season, the gaze of the tennis world has already turned to Wimbledon for the third grand slam of the year. The tournament, which gets underway on Monday, was wrapped in controversy weeks before a ball was due to be hit at SW19 with organizers banning Russian and Belarusian players amid the war in Ukraine. That decision led the ATP and WTA Tours, the governing bodies of men’s and women’s tennis, to strip this year’s Wimbledon of ranking points, but that hasn’t deterred the world’s best players from taking part. Indeed, Serena Williams is scheduled to make a return to grand slam tennis after a year-long absence from the sport. This week, she has been competing in the women’s doubles event at Eastbourne alongside Ons Jabeur, although the pair had to withdraw from the tournament semifinals after Jabeur picked up a knee injury. With so little match experience, it’s difficult to predict how the 23-time grand slam champion will fare at Wimbledon, where French Open champion Iga Swiatek, currently on a 35-match unbeaten streak, is arguably the favorite to win the women’s singles title. In the men’s draw, Rafael Nadal has a chance to equal Williams’ tally of 23 grand slam titles, but he is set to face fierce competition from top seed Novak Djokovic, who is looking to win his fourth consecutive title at Wimbledon. Williams told CNN earlier this year that she is “not giving up” on her pursuit of a 24th grand slam title, but her Wimbledon participation has nevertheless come as a surprise. The 40-year-old, granted a wild card entry for the tournament, will face France’s Harmony Tan in the first round. Despite grass not being her favored surface, world No. 1 Swiatek’s supreme form so far this year makes her well-placed to win a third grand slam title and her first at Wimbledon – though she did win the girls’ championship in 2018. She faces Croatian qualifier Jana Fett in the first round. Ashleigh Barty’s retirement from tennis earlier this year means there will be no defending champion in the women’s draw, but previous Wimbledon champions Simona Halep, Garbiñe Muguruza, and Angelique Kerber are among the top 16 seeds. Teenagers Emma Raducanu, the US Open champion playing at her home grand slam, and Coco Gauff, the French Open runner-up, could also enjoy deep runs in the draw. On the men’s side, the top two players in the world rankings will be absent – Daniil Medvedev due to the ban on Russian players and Alexander Zverev due to a long-term injury sustained at the French Open. That means few would look past Nadal and Djokovic for this year’s title, with the Spaniard looking to win his third consecutive grand slam title. Nadal’s participation at Wimbledon looked uncertain after he revealed the extent of his ongoing foot injury at the French Open, relying on daily injections in order to get through the tournament. But ahead of Wimbledon, he said he hasn’t limped for a week, adding that “day to day, the pain has been different and that’s progress.” He will make his first appearance at the tournament in three years against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo. Djokovic, meanwhile, could move one grand slam title behind Nadal if he triumphs at SW19. In doing so, he would become the fourth man in the Open Era to win four consecutive Wimbledon titles after Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Bjorn Borg. If the draw progresses according to seeding, Djokovic and Nadal will meet each other in the Wimbledon final for the second time. Other contenders for the men’s title include Matteo Berrettini – last year’s finalist who triumphed at Queen’s Club this week – French Open finalist Casper Ruud and fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. An added incentive for players at Wimbledon this year is the increase in prize money to £40,350,000 (around $49,400,000) – a 15.2% increase on last year. The winners of the men’s and women’s singles finals, which take place on July 9 and 10, will each earn £2 million (around $2,450,000). Following the Covid-19 pandemic, it will also be the first time in three years that the tournament can be held at full capacity. Another piece of history has already been made at Wimbledon after players were permitted to practice on the show courts ahead of the tournament for the first time. With several players slipping on the surface last year, the decision enables players to get used to the conditions and help bed in the courts, according to organizers. For viewers in the United States, Wimbledon will be aired on ESPN and the Tennis Channel, while the BBC and Eurosport will broadcast action for UK viewers. A full list of broadcasters for countries around the world is available here. | Tennis |
Novak Djokovic sparks more confusion about his bizarre Wimbledon drink habit as he refuses to explain and instead claims it is 'MAGIC POTION' after appearing to inhale the contents in video that went viral on social mediaWimbledon top seed Novak Djokovic was spotted 'inhaling' from a bottleMany tennis fans were puzzled, with one report saying it is likely isotonic powderHe was asked about the contents of the bottle after beating Cameron Norrie to reach the men's singles final at Wimbledon on FridayHowever, Djokovic refused to elaborate as he said wasn't able to speak about it Published: 15:08 EDT, 8 July 2022 | Updated: 15:56 EDT, 8 July 2022 Novak Djokovic sparked more confusion about his bizarre Wimbledon drink habit by refusing to reveal what was in the bottle that he inhaled during a match at Wimbledon and then claiming it is 'magic potion'.The men's top seed, who beat British hope Cameron Norrie to claim a place in Sunday's Wimbledon final, has been the subject of debate on social media after he was seen appearing to inhale from a drinks bottle during a change of ends. After Friday's 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Norrie, Djokovic was asked about what's in the bottle after a video went viral. Novak Djokovic has sparked more confusion about his bizarre Wimbledon drink habit I would very much like to know what was in this bottle. It certainly wasn’t liquid, and he gestured to his coach before inhaling it. Very odd. pic.twitter.com/bBG62BOMFh— Damian Reilly (@DamianReilly) July 5, 2022 He replied: 'Magic potion, that is all I can say.' The Serb refused to elaborate as he said wasn't able to speak about it, adding: 'You'll find out soon, but I can't speak about it now. You'll find out soon.'His bizarre habit of seemingly inhaling contents from a drinks bottle in his Wimbledon quarter-final match created quite a stir among tennis fans. The Serb appeared to look towards his support crew sitting courtside during his last-16 win over Tim van Rijthoven before seemingly breathing in the contents rather than drinking them. When asked about his habit, the six-time Wimbledon champion said it was a 'magic potion' ISOTONIC POWDER Easily digestibleSimilar appearance to washing powder Quickly replenishes carbohydrate/energy levelsUsually taken dissolved in water and drunk either before or during exerciseCommon in endurance sports when energy levels drop and need to be topped upIsotonic supplements vary in strength depending on the intensity and duration of exercise One fan said: 'I would very much like to know what was in this bottle. It certainly wasn’t liquid, and he gestured to his coach before inhaling it. Very odd.'According to The Telegraph, the Serbian star, 35, is one of many professional players opting to take unmixed energy supplements or isotonic powder during matches.'You wouldn't really get any benefit from doing it mid-match, but I'm sure this is isotonic,' a source told the publication. 'A lot of players have started eating powder, even pre-workout isotonic powder.'They've started eating it without water. It's mainly pre-workout stuff because it gives them a buzz. 'I imagine it's disgusting in the throat. It's weird, but it is what they are doing.'Isotonic powder is easily digestible and replenishes carbohydrates quickly when energy levels need to remain high during such elite and intense competition. Such supplements are usually taken by dissolving the powder in water and then drunk either before or during exercise to ensure the body can perform at maximum levels. Taken with water softens the metallic taste as well as rehydrating the body.Isotonic products can be use to load energy levels before performance or are often used during endurance sports to restore energy that has been lost during exercise.Djokovic will play Nick Krygios in Wimbledon final after beating Cameron Norrie on FridayThe supplements vary in strength depending on the intensity and duration of exercise.It is common for tennis players to take nutritional drinks and snacks during matches, particularly when they go the distance to five sets.Djokovic was in fact involved in a five-set thriller when tennis fans started to comment about squeezing something out of a plastic bottle with the No 1 seed coming back from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. The top seed faced similar questions at the Australian Open two years ago and joked: 'The liquids were magic potions that my physio prepares in his lab,' when asked what was in his drinks bottle.Djokovic is gluten intolerant and has an incredibly strict diet. He changed his diet after blood tests showed difficulties with digesting wheat and dairy.He promoted smoothies, drinking water, avoiding all confectionary products - there was once a story where Djokovic, after not having chocolate for 18 months, had one singular cube melt on his tongue before he was satisfied. Djokovic now stands two wins away from a 21st Grand Slam title, with his 20th major achieved at Wimbledon last year.Given it is unlikely he will grace the courts at the US Open due to his ongoing vaccination stance, the All England Club looms as the final venue this year where Djokovic can potentially equal Rafael Nadal's tally of 21 career Grand Slams. Advertisement | Tennis |
Zara's tennis whites! Queen's granddaughter is ready for summer in a breezy shirtdress as she joins dapper husband Mike Tindall at WimbledonZara Tindall put on a summery display in a white dress as she arrived at SW19The Queen's granddaughter, 41, posed for photos with husband Mike The couple are on hand to watch tennis stars including Serena Williams Published: 07:53 EDT, 28 June 2022 | Updated: 07:58 EDT, 28 June 2022 Zara Tindall looked ready for summer in a white dress as she joined husband Mike at Wimbledon today.The Queen's granddaughter, 41, opted for a breezy linen shirtdress with contrasting black accessories for the sunny afternoon at the All England Club.The couple looked in typically good spirits and smiled as they stopped to pose for photos before making their way to the Royal Box on Centre Court. Bright and breezy! Zara Tindall looked ready for summer in a white dress as she joined husband Mike at Wimbledon today Light-hearted: The couple looked in typically good spirits and smiled as they stopped to pose for photos before making their way to the Royal Box on Centre Court PDA: Zara reached out and placed a hand on her husband's arm as they arrived at the All England Club on TuesdayZara, a mother-of-three, looked chic in her white midi which boasted a collar, button detailing and flattering belt that cinched in her waist.Choosing to keep things simple, Zara added a pair of navy wedges and a black quilted handbag slung across her shoulder.She finished the look with gold jewellery and wore her blonde locks loose around her shoulders. Former England rugby star Mike looked smart in a white shirt, black trousers and navy shoes. In keeping with the Royal Box dress code, added a blazer and tie. The couple are the first senior royals to attend this year's Wimbledon. The two-week tournament is popular with the Royal Family and the Duchess of Cambridge is expected to attend in the coming days. Chic: Zara, a mother-of-three, looked chic in her white midi which boasted a collar, button detailing and flattering belt that cinched in her waist Classic combo: Choosing to keep things simple, Zara added a pair of navy wedges and a black quilted handbag slung across her shoulder Ready for summer! Zara whipped out a pair of trendy tortoiseshell glasses as the sun broke out from behind the clouds at WimbledonThe action at SW19 continues on Tuesday as Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek take centre stage on Wimbledon Day Two.The opening day saw defending champion Novak Djokovic get his tournament underway, but he didn't put in an entirely convincing display as he needed four sets to beat the unseeded Kwon Soon-woo.Emma Raducanu overcame a race to be fit for the tournament, and the 19-year-old showed no sign of any troubles as she produced a brilliant performance to defeat an in-form Alison Van Uytvanck in straight-sets. Dapper: Former England rugby star Mike looked smart in a white shirt, black trousers and navy shoes. In keeping with the Royal Box dress code, added a blazer and tie Loved-up: Zara and Mike Tindall held hands as they made their way to their seats on TuesdayAndy Murray was up last on Centre Court, and the two-time Wimbledon champion gave the crowd their money's worth as he defeated a stubborn James Duckworth after dropping the opening set.Today, it will be No 1 seed Swiatek who gets the action underway on Centre Court as she takes on Jana Fett. Up next will be Rafael Nadal up against Francisco Cerundolo, before Williams makes her return - after a year out - against Harmony Tan.Also taking to the grass today will be Matteo Berrettini and Stefanos Tsitsipas on Court 1, and Coco Gauff and Dan Evans on Court 2. Advertisement | Tennis |
Former Liberal MP and professional tennis player John Alexander has come to the defence of Nick Kyrgios after the Australian tennis ace faced heavy criticism over his Wimbledon behaviour.The former Liberal MP came to Kyrgios’ defence after he was slammed by tennis greats Pat Cash and John McEnroe for his “embarrassing” behaviour during his third-round Wimbledon clash against Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas.“His creed is if you’re not on the edge, you’re taking up too much space – he lives by that rule – and it makes for extraordinary excitement because you never know what he’s going to do,” Mr Alexander told Sky News Australia.“Several times this tournament, he’s really buckled down and just concentrated and played.“He is maturing, and I’m sure, in time, he’ll gain even more acceptance – one day, he might be as perfect as John McEnroe has rewritten his history.“He has a real chance of winning this event.” | Tennis |
Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte-Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 11, 2022 Croatia's Borna Coric in action against Italy's Jannik Sinner during their first round match REUTERS/Denis BalibouseRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLONDON, June 25 (Reuters) - Croatia's Borna Coric has withdrawn from Wimbledon because of a shoulder injury, tournament organisers said on Saturday.The 25-year-old, who was drawn to play 12th seed Diego Schwartzman in the first round, will be replaced by a lucky loser from the qualifying tournament.Coric, who reached 12th in the world in 2018, underwent right shoulder surgery in March 2021 and was out for a year.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Martyn Herman
Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Tennis |
Veteran tennis broadcaster Sue Barker shed a tear on Centre Court yesterday as she received a standing ovation at her last Wimbledon tournament after 30 years of presenting the BBC's coverage.However there was an awkward moment for Barker as her fellow presenter John McEnroe referenced her previous relationship with singer Sir Cliff Richard, after the pair dated between 1982 and 1986.Sir Cliff had rewound the clock to sing 'Summer Holiday' a capella in the stands yesterday – some 26 years after he rose from his seat to entertain the crowd with an impromptu performance during a rain delay on July 3, 1996. And three-time Wimbledon champion McEnroe said: 'Let's hear it for Sir Cliff Richard! Sue, didn't you have a...' An embarrassed Barker replied: 'No, stop, stop, stop... we'll move on, thank you John' to raucous laughs in the crowd.It comes as Britain's hopes for week two of Wimbledon ride on Cameron Norrie as the only British singles player left in the tournament, following the 26-year-old's exhilarating win yesterday against Tommy Paul of the US.The new home favourite will next appear tomorrow against David Goffin of Belgium. In addition, Britain's Alicia Barnett will return tomorrow in the doubles with Jonny O'Mara, as will Heather Watson with partner Harriet Dart. Sue Barker sheds a tear on Centre Court during the centenary celebrations for the Wimbledon tournament yesterday Sue Barker receives a standing ovation yesterday at her last tournament after 30 years of presenting the BBC's coverage Veteran tennis broadcasters Sue Barker and John McEnroe introduced the players on Centre Court yesterday The winners present yesterday, from left to right, were: Angela Mortimer Barrett, 90, champion in 1961; two-time Wimbledon winner Rafael Nadal, 36; Stan Smith, 75, who won in 1972; and 2011 and 2014 champion Petra Kvitova, 32. Next up was 1969 winner Ann Jones, 83; Andy Murray, 35, who has two Wimbledon titles; Jan Kodes, 76, who won in 1973; three-time winner Margaret Court, 79; and 1987 champion Pat Cash, 57. Next to him was three-time champion John Newcombe, 78; 1994 winner Conchita Martinez, 50; Chris Evert, 67, who won Wimbledon three times; 1997 winner Martina Hingis, 41; and Goran Ivanisevic, 50, the only wild card to lift the trophy. To his left was Bjorn Borg, 66, who won five consecutive titles; Lleyton Hewitt, 41, champion in 2002; four-time winner Rod Laver, 83; Venus Williams, 42, who won Wimbledon five times; and 2013 champion Marion Bartoli, 37. She stood next to Billie Jean King, 78, a six-time champion; 2018 champion Angelique Kerber, 34; six-time winner Novak Djokovic, 35; Simona Halep, 30, who won in 2019; three-time champion John McEnroe, 63, who introduced the players; Stefan Edberg, 56, a double winner; and eight-time champion Roger Federer, 40 Also yesterday, some 26 Wimbledon champions spanning 60 years lined up for the centenary ceremony as they stood shoulder to shoulder to mark 100 years of action on the hallowed grass in South West London. Previous champions Sir Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Billie Jean King were present. Barker, 66, and McEnroe, 63, introduced them in order of how many Championships they had won, before Barker shed a tear.And McEnroe said: 'One final word to the crowd. On behalf of all the players, I just want to say that we're going to be lost without you. After 30 years of covering this tournament magnificently, please give it up for Sue Barker.'The 'lost without you' phrase was a reference to British singer Freya Ridings having performed her song Lost Without You on a white piano as the grand slam winners looked across the grass and some spectators wept. Following a lengthy applause, Barker said: 'Just to say thank you so much, but this is about the tournament and all I can say is that from now on John McEnroe's going to be commentating on Court 17 after that, going off script. But thank you, that really does mean the world to me, it really does.'Writing in his book My Life, My Way in 2008, Sir Cliff had previously said of Barker: 'I seriously contemplated asking her to marry me, but in the end I realised that I didn't love her quite enough to commit the rest of my life to her. There were no broken hearts.'Yesterday, each tennis star was greeted with applause - and fans got to their feet and cheered when the record eight-time Wimbledon winner, Roger Federer, strode on to the court wearing a suit and tie with white trainers. Sue Barker on centre court during day seven of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships yesterday John McEnroe hugs Sue Barker during the Centre Court centenary celebration in Wimbledon yesterday Barker, 66, and McEnroe, 63, introduced the players yesterday in order of how many Championships they had won John McEnroe and Sue Barker present the Centre Court centenary ceremony at Wimbledon yesterdayAmerican former number one King wore a bright pink blazer and blew kisses to the crowd.During an on-court interview with Barker, she said: 'As a 17-year-old I played my first match ever here at Wimbledon. I had two days on this court. It was magical and wonderful and I knew I belonged here.'She paid tribute to nine-time Wimbledon winner and her friend, Martina Navratilova, who was wiped out of the line-up by coronavirus.Navratilova had been due to attend with Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who also had to cancel her royal box slot yesterday morning.Novak Djokovic, the favourite to win the men's singles this year, said it was an 'absolute honour and privilege' to be sharing the court with 'the legends of our sport' and revealed he was more nervous than when he had been playing.The Serbian 20-time grand slam winner said: 'Definitely this court has been truly special for my childhood and I always dreamed of being here and hopefully winning as well. The dreams came true and I was blessed back in 2011 - probably the highlight of my career and the most beautiful moment.'Swiss great Federer gave a characteristically humble speech, saying he felt 'awkward' to return to the court without playing and he had 'missed' Wimbledon this year.'I hope I can come back one more time,' the 20-time grand slam winner, who is out with a knee injury, told the audience. The knee has been rough on me but I've been happy at home, it's been a good year.'Centre Court has been the main stage at the Championships since 1922, when the tournament relocated from SW19's Worple Road to Church Road. Sir Cliff Richard performs at the Centre Court centenary celebration at Wimbledon yesterday Wimbledon spectators sing along as Sir Cliff Richard performs at the Centre Court centenary celebration yesterday Sir Cliff Richard rewound the clock to sing 'Summer Holiday' a capella in the stands at Wimbledon yesterday 1996 -- Sir Cliff Richard entertained the Wimbledon crowd with an impromptu performance during a rain delay on July 3, 1996From Althea Gibson being the first black player to win Wimbledon in 1957, to the now-jailed former grand slam great Boris Becker winning the year the Berlin Wall came down, it has hosted many memorable moments in history. Sir Cliff Richard and Sue Barker dated from 1982 until 1986The court was also bombed in October 1940, during the Second World War, and Wimbledon was unable to repair the damaged section until 1947.In 1979, it was expanded to host a larger capacity and in 2009 it gained a retractable roof.Over the last two years, the tournament has been compromised by coronavirus, as 2020 saw it cancelled, while it had a 50 per cent capacity limit in 2021.This year, thousands of free tickets have been given to Ukrainian, Syrian and Afghan refugees, as well as to community groups and schools.Ukrainian refugees Inna Ohrimchuk, 28, and Oleksandra Alimova, 28, were among the crowd, having arrived in the UK in May after fleeing the war in their home country.Miss Ohrimchuk said: 'I've never been to a tennis tournament. We want to get our mind off everything that is going on back home.'It's like you are a watching the tournament but checking the news at the same time to see what is happening back home - it was an experience for me. You are trying to enjoy life but not forget that it is not exactly like this back in Ukraine.'Miss Alimova added: 'It is the first time I've experienced something like this. It is something to show off about that we've been to Wimbledon as everybody knows about it!' Freya Ridings performed Lost Without You on Centre Court during the Wimbledon centenary celebration yesterday Freya Ridings performs at the Centre Court centenary celebration at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club yesterday Freya Ridings performed Lost Without You on Centre Court during the Wimbledon centenary celebration yesterday Freya Ridings performs at the Centre Court centenary celebration at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club yesterdayThe winners appearing yesterday were: Angela Mortimer Barrett, 90, champion in 1961; two-time Wimbledon winner Rafael Nadal, 36; Stan Smith, 75, who won in 1972; and 2011 and 2014 champion Petra Kvitova, 32.Next up was 1969 winner Ann Jones, 83; Andy Murray, 35, who has two Wimbledon titles; Jan Kodes, 76, who won in 1973; three-time winner Margaret Court, 79; and 1987 champion Pat Cash, 57. Next to him was three-time champion John Newcombe, 78; 1994 winner Conchita Martinez, 50; Chris Evert, 67, who won Wimbledon three times; 1997 winner Martina Hingis, 41; and Goran Ivanisevic, 50, the only wild card to lift the trophy.To his left was Bjorn Borg, 66, who won five consecutive titles; Lleyton Hewitt, 41, champion in 2002; four-time winner Rod Laver, 83; Venus Williams, 42, who won Wimbledon five times; and 2013 champion Marion Bartoli, 37.She stood next to Billie Jean King, 78, a six-time champion; 2018 champion Angelique Kerber, 34; six-time winner Novak Djokovic, 35; Simona Halep, 30, who won in 2019; three-time champion John McEnroe, 63, who introduced the players; Stefan Edberg, 56, a double winner; and eight-time champion Roger Federer, 40.Today, first on Centre Court in week two will be fiery Australian Nick Kyrgios against America's Brandon Nakashima.This comes after the Canberra-born star beat equally-bullish Stefanos Tsitsipas in a drama-filled game which saw the players pick up three code violations between them.Kyrgios was cautioned for swearing, while his Greek opponent breached the rules twice for smashing the ball away into the crowd.Athens-born Tsitsipas slammed Kyrgios as 'a bully' with 'a very evil side' after the match, and spectators were divided over whether it was 'absolutely incredible' entertainment or an 'embarrassing' display of temper tantrums. A host of former Wimbledon winners were on show for the Centre Court Centenary celebrations yesterday: (from left to right) Chris Evert, Martina Hingis, Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver, Venus Williams, Marion Bartoli, Billie-Jean King, Angelique Kerber and Novak Djokovic Venus Williams (left) and Marion Bartoli (second left) stand alongside Billie-Jean King and Angelique Kerber yesterday Rodger Federer was one of the former champions that returned to the court for the celebration yesterday Roger Federer was joined on court yesterday by Novak Djokovic - who is currently playing in the tournament Sir Andy Murray was also presented to the SW19 crowd yesterday - having recently suffered his earliest Wimbledon exit as he lost in four sets against John Isner in the second round Chris Evert of the US, Rod Laver of Australia, and Bjorn Borg of Sweden attend the event at Wimbledon yesterdayTwo-time grand slam winner, Romanian Simona Halep, will take on Spaniard Paula Badosa, who has never won a grand slam but is now more highly ranked at world number four.Tennis titan Rafael Nadal, who has 22 grand slam titles under his belt, will face the Netherlands' Botic van de Zandschulp for today's Centre Court finale.The success of Norrie, along with previous wins from Britons Heather Watson and Katie Boulter, seemed to spark a rise in attendance after a lower-than-expected turnout over the first four days of the tournament.Figures rose from 38,620 fans on Thursday to 42,173 tickets sold on Friday, with another slight increase on Saturday to 42,561.Tennis-lovers said attendance in the famous Wimbledon queue for premium on-the-day tickets, which returned after a Covid-induced two-year hiatus, was at least five times lower this year than in 2019.Fans attributed the drop to a combination of the cost-of-living crisis, fears about catching Covid, and the absence of eight-time Wimbledon winner Roger Federer who normally draws in swathes of international observers.The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) told the Daily Telegraph it is considering making the queue partly digital in response to the sudden dip in popularity - something superfans have said would be 'a disastrous idea'.They opposed an additional virtual queue in any form, saying it would detract from the atmosphere and allow people to claim tickets easily, only to drop them later. | Tennis |
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Serena Williams joked — or was it a joke? — that she activated the “Out of office” message on her email account so anyone trying to reach her about her many non-tennis activities while she’s at Wimbledon would know why no response arrived immediately.Great as Williams is with a racket in her hand, successful as she’s been, her sport has never been the only activity that interested her or occupied her time. All of which might very well be a factor in why, just shy of 41, she is still in the game, returning to singles action for the first time in a year, and was smiling and chuckling occasionally while taking questions Saturday in the All England Club’s main interview room during a pre-tournament news conference.“A little surreal,” the 23-time Grand Slam champion said, “sitting here again.”She hasn’t competed in singles since she injured — “ripped” was the verb the American used — her right hamstring during the opening set of her first-round match at Centre Court in 2021. That disappointing exit provided “a tremendous amount of motivation,” she said.Get Sports HeadlinesThe Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.“I didn’t retire. I just needed to heal physically, mentally. And I had no plans, to be honest. I just didn’t know when I would come back. I didn’t know how I would come back,” Williams said. “Obviously, Wimbledon is such a great place to be, and it just kind of worked out.”No one else knew until recently when, or whether, Williams would play again, a not-insignificant matter, considering what a transcendent figure she is. She wouldn’t say whether this will be her last appearance at the All England Club, offering simply: “I can only tell you that I’m here. Who knows where I’ll pop up next?”The seven-time Wimbledon singles champion made a brief appearance this week in doubles at a grass-court event in Eastbourne, but Tuesday’s outing against Harmony Tan will be a much bigger deal. Williams said she decided to play Wimbledon “some time ago,” saying she made up her mind before the French Open, which began on May 22.Williams, a former No. 1 now ranked outside the WTA’s top 1,200 and allowed into the Wimbledon field via a wild-card invitation, practiced on Centre Court on Friday. She arrived for her session just as current No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who is on a 35-match winning streak, wrapped up hers.“I was pretty overwhelmed. ... I didn’t know how to react perfectly. I wanted to meet her. I saw that she had so many people around her. I don’t know her team. It was pretty weird,” Swiatek said, likening the feeling to when she was younger and “too shy to say ‘Hi’ to anybody.”“Just seeing her around is great, because she’s such a legend,” Swiatek continued. “There’s nobody that has done so much in tennis.”Williams has done plenty outside of tennis, too.That includes forays into business with investment firm Serena Ventures and entertainment via past acting roles and by joining her older sister, Venus — a seven-time major singles champion not entered in Wimbledon this year — as executive producers for “King Richard,” the film about their father that was nominated for five Academy Awards.“A part of me feels like that is a little bit more of my life now than tournaments. ... I absolutely love what I do. I love investing in companies,” Williams said. “And then the Oscars was really fun. ... At best, you think of winning Grand Slams, not being nominated for an Oscar for a film that you produce.”This is hardly her first comeback after time away because of operations, other health problems and having a baby.Williams also never was someone who entered every possible tournament, even when physically fine.“I never played as much as the next player throughout my whole career. I think that was all subconscious, me taking care of myself and knowing how to take care of myself,” she said. “A lot of people have to learn that. I think that was something that my parents built into me.”Williams did not answer every query put to her by reporters on Saturday.She avoided topics such as the U.S. Supreme Court decision Friday that stripped away women’s constitutional protections for abortion (“I don’t have any thoughts that I’m ready to share right now”), the All England Club’s ban on players from Russia and Belarus because of the war in Ukraine (“I’m going to step away from that”) or what it feels like to be without former coach Patrick Mouratoglou (“I didn’t even think about it”).But ever the competitor, ever the perfectionist, Williams was prepared when someone wanted to know what she would consider a good outcome for her at Wimbledon.“You know the answer to that,” she said, punctuating her reply with a laugh and a roll of her eyes. “Come on, now.”___ | Tennis |
Emma Raducanu crashed out of Wimbledon at the second round as she lost her second round match with Caroline Garcia 6-3 6-3 on Centre Court.She was one of nine British players - a record number - who made it through to the second round but could not reach the last 32.The teenager got off to a rocky start, losing the first set 3-6 and then saw the second set go the same way - sending her out in her second match.The teenager's recent months have been dominated by injuries after her incredible US Open victory in New York last year.Short of matches after three weeks out with a side strain, Raducanu was simply unable to find the level required to match Frenchwoman Garcia across the 86-minute contest.Raducanu's mantra this tournament has very much been that, whatever she achieved last year, she remains a relative novice with everything to gain simply from experiencing these environments.She was quick to dismiss the idea that her main emotion after a first Centre Court victory on Monday against Alison Van Uytvanck should be relief.But expectations for a grand slam champion are inescapable and hopes for her second-round match were boosted by Raducanu having won her only previous clash against Garcia in Indian Wells in March. Raducanu looked to the sky when her exit was confirmed on the prestigious Wimbledon Centre Court today Raducanu's early-carer blues continued as she crashed out of Wimbledon in the second round to Caroline Garcia The Brit's famous smile was nowhere to be seen with her early tournament exit confirmed on Centre Court Raducanu waved goodbye to the SW19 faithful in her second Wimbledon exit - anticipating many more returns for the teen Wearing her trademark Tiffany earrings, the US Open champion, 19, was back in action against Garcia Emma Raducanu's mother Renee Zhang watched on as her starlet daughter's struggled after her US Open win carried on Emma Raducanu was met with cheers and applause as she stepped onto Centre Court at Wimbledon this afternoon for her second round match with Caroline Garcia - but a number of empty seats still remained Wearing her trademark Tiffany earrings, the US Open Champion, 19, was back in action after breezing past Alison Van Uytvanck on Monday Emma Raducanu during her second round match Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Day 3, The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London Britain's Emma Raducanu in action during her second round match against France's Caroline Garcia Britain's Emma Raducanu acknowledges the crowd as she walk onto centre court with France's Caroline Garcia before the start of their second round match Emma Raducanu during her second round match Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Day 3, The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club The teenager got off to a rocky start, losing the first set against Caroline Garcia 3-6 and the second set went the same wayBut despite being arguably the star attraction of the tournament, crowds have stayed sparser than usual in SW19 due to coronavirus fears and wet weather.Some 36,603 fans attended the first day while 39,450 came on the second.All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) organisers had expected 42,000 tickets to be sold daily.With blustery conditions causing problems for both players, Raducanu battled back from losing the opening two games, but was outhit by Garcia as the 28-year-old reeled off three games in a row.A clever second serve from Raducanu saved a set point at 2-5 but Garcia, who can be a wobbly closer, made no mistake on her own delivery.Both women left the court for a bathroom break as the stadium, which had been a long way short of capacity, belatedly filled up.Raducanu held serve twice to start the second set but was in trouble as soon as Garcia got into any rally, the Frenchwoman's weight of shot simply superior to that of her much younger opponent.This year marks the return to full capacity for the first time since 2019 amid cancellation in 2020 due to coronavirus and a 50% limit in 2021.Coronavirus has taken out last year's runner-up and one of the favourites for this year's men's title, Italy's Matteo Berrettini, and Croatian former finalist Marin Cilic.Mark Wyatt, 32, a fitness manager based in Wanstead, east London, said people were still cautious about returning to his gym due to coronavirus and he believed the same worries were affecting the Wimbledon turnout.He said: 'Wimbledon was reaching its peak in 2019 after 'Murray mania' and people really getting into tennis, and I think it's taken a hit with numbers this year, and the weather not being quite as hot as it has been is maybe a reason.'It's definitely not as busy as it was previously. I think Covid would put some people off for sure.'You've had people not going to sporting events, getting out of (the) habit, isolating a lot, not necessarily having social contact.'Mr Wyatt, who was queueing for premium on-the-day tickets on Wednesday morning with his father David Wyatt, 68, pointed out that many empty seats were in the corporate sections of the stands, leaving less space for 'true tennis fans'.The gym trainer said: 'I do feel that if they didn't get quite as many corporate tickets or giving these tickets to these associations and then people are taking them or turning up, we'd get better atmospheres for these big players, which would help.' Britain's Emma Raducanu falls during her second round match against France's Caroline Garcia Emma Raducanu during her second round match Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Day 3, The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club Emma Raducanu of Britain eats a banana during a break in the women's second round match against Caroline Garcia Britain's Emma Raducanu during her second round match against France's Caroline GarciaHis father, a retired teacher, added: 'When we've occasionally had a wet Sunday play, and they just sold tickets to everybody and it was the real tennis fans that turned up, there were no corporate people at all and it was a totally different atmosphere.'Alex Woods, 34, a consultant for an advertising firm in Bristol, said he believed the cost-of-living crisis and airport chaos was also impacting ticket sales.'There's obviously a few things going on at the moment which probably prohibits people coming to things like this – it's an expensive day out,' he told PA.'You've seen at Lord's as well, the cricket's not been selling out, and that's normally guaranteed.'Also, it's harder to move around, getting into this country is probably putting a few international tourists coming to Wimbledon off.'It's a shame, particularly when you see the later matches – Murray the other day with a few empty seats – thinking I'd love to be there.'But at the same time the atmosphere is great, there's a good amount of people here today, and obviously not being able to come to these sorts of things the last couple of years, or reduced at Wimbledon last year, I think it's still pretty great.'Tom Walewski, 64, who travelled from the Polish capital of Warsaw for the tournament, said seeing empty seats in Centre Court was 'frustrating' because 'there are a lot of people who really want to go and see and enjoy the day'.'I don't really know what the policy is regarding tickets, attendance, however, people who are queuing desperately want to go to the Centre Court, and second choice is of course Court 1,' he said.On Tuesday, tennis titan Serena Williams, 40, suffered a surprise defeat in her first singles match against France's Harmony Tan – possibly marking her last Wimbledon appearance. | Tennis |
Wimbledon 2022 men's singles final on the BBCVenue: All England Club Date: 10 July Time: 14:00 BSTCoverage: Live on BBC One from 13:00 BST, with coverage across radio, online, BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app.Nick Kyrgios says he will be playing for "the ultimate glory" and "tennis immortality" when he faces Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon men's final.Serbia's Djokovic is bidding for a fourth consecutive Wimbledon title and a 21st Grand Slam overall on Sunday.Kyrgios is aiming for a first major singles trophy when many thought the mercurial Australian's time had passed.He leads the head-to-head between the pair and Djokovic did not win a set in their two meetings in 2017.However, Djokovic at Wimbledon and in a Grand Slam is a different prospect.He has not lost a match at the Championships since 2017, when he retired through injury in the quarter-finals, and he will be playing in his 32nd major final - a men's record."I'm very anxious and nervous," Kyrgios told BBC Sport. "It's something I've never had a chance to do before, play in a Slam final. "I've been in a lot of finals in my career but this is the first time at Wimbledon, at a Grand Slam, the biggest tournament in the world. That's what kept me up at night - the chance to play for the ultimate glory and become tennis immortality."Kyrgios, who does not have a coach, says he does not compare himself to Djokovic or the other members of his sport's 'big three' - Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer - because "they're untouchable" and that he is doing things differently."They're the perfect role models," said Kyrgios, who has been fined twice at Wimbledon this year for his on-court behaviour. "I feel like there's a lot of people who know that's unobtainable so they look at me, who is relatable and has a lot of imperfections, and is still able to go up against the greats and give them a run for their money. "Wimbledon is clean-cut and you have someone in the final who is edgy, tattoos, not the clean-cut kind of Roger Federer."I think that's an inspiration to so many people. I think I have completely done it my way. I've never really listened to any coaches."Live scores, results and order of playListen to the latest Wimbledon Daily podcastAlerts: Get tennis news sent to your phoneKyrgios and Djokovic to put their 'bromance' to the testDjokovic and Kyrgios have moved beyond an initially spiky relationship, with Kyrgios describing the pair as having "a bit of a bromance now".Kyrgios previously called Djokovic a "tool" and said he would not take advice from someone "that is partying with his shirt off during a global pandemic", in reference to a tennis tournament organised by Djokovic that took place in the early months of Covid-19.Djokovic in return said he did not have much respect for Kyrgios away from the court.However, Kyrgios defended Djokovic when the Serb was deported from Australia earlier this year because of not being vaccinated against coronavirus.Kyrgios wrote on Twitter at the time: "I got vaccinated because of others and for my mum's health, but how we are handling Novak's situation is bad."Like these memes, headlines, this is one of our great champions but at the end of the day, he is human. Do better."Djokovic, who has been limited in which tournaments he can compete in because he has not been vaccinated, got in touch with Kyrgios to thank him for his support."I felt like I was almost the only kind of player and someone to stand up for him with all that kind of drama at the Australian Open," Kyrgios said."I feel like that's where respect is kind of earned. Not on the tennis court, but I feel like when a real-life crisis is happening and someone stands up for you."We actually message each other on DMs in Instagram now and stuff. It's real weird. Earlier in the week, he was like, 'hopefully I'll see you Sunday'."An amused Djokovic responded: "I don't know if I can call it a bromance yet, but we definitely have a better relationship than what it was probably prior to January this year."When it was really tough for me in Australia, he was one of the very few players that came out publicly and supported me and stood by me. I respect him for that a lot."'Big-match player'Kyrgios has long been regarded as a wasted talent - a player who was tipped to win Grand Slams but lacked either the mentality or the focus to do so.He said after his quarter-final that he did not expect to ever reach a major semi-final, let alone a final when Rafael Nadal withdrew injured.However, Kyrgios has credited winning the men's doubles title with close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis in front of raucous crowds at the Australian Open in January with improving his game at Wimbledon.Djokovic, who is two titles behind Rafael Nadal's men's record of 22 majors, will be wary of which Kyrgios will show up to the match and with how much freedom he may play."He's a big-match player," he said. "If you see his career, the best tennis he's played is always against the top guys."How can Kyrgios beat Djokovic?Many younger players have appeared awed when facing Djokovic, Nadal or Roger Federer, as though they were almost grateful to be on court with them. That will not be an issue for Kyrgios, says fellow Australian Todd Woodbridge, a 16-time Grand Slam doubles champion and BBC commentator at Wimbledon."He knows he's the underdog, but he also has massive confidence in his ability to beat the top guys," he said."He knows that he's one of the only guys that can do it. That's what he'll take into this match. He plays better with that mindset of, 'yes, underdog, but I'm better. I can beat you and I know you're rattled by me'. That's exactly the mindset that I think he'll bring." Despite Djokovic being set to play his 32nd Grand Slam final when this is Kyrgios' first, Woodbridge believes it is as "even-money match".He says the Serb will have to "come out sharper" than he did against Norrie and Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals, where he trailed by two sets to love, because Kyrgios might not allow him a way back into the match."Nick's not going to do that if he gets given a start because he holds serve so much easier," said Woodbridge. Having not played since Wednesday, Woodbridge feels the "four-day break could work against him" because it has disrupted his "flow of the tournament".Managing his emotions over that period, and in the hours before the final on Sunday, will be key to setting him up for the challenge of Djokovic and the occasion."Nick has to be able to cope with those hours leading in until the walk-on," said Woodbridge. "They are quite intense in the energy you can consume with nerves. If he can cope with that and not use too much, be relaxed, come out and play a really, really strong opening set, he's got a chance to win."I think the opening set, for Nick to win the championship, I really feel he has to win that, to set the tone for the match."To win that opening set, and go on to win the title, Woodbridge says Kyrgios needs to impose his game on the defending champion."He has to play aggressively, he has to serve well, he has to use his forehand," he said. "You don't want to engage in long rallies against Novak because he's better, he moves better and he will wear you down. We know he will last longer in a physical encounter than Nick will. He has to be keeping points short, he has to be dynamic and take some chances. Playing conservatively in a match like this is not going to win you the championship."Do you believe in a 'deep state'? Meet America's most powerful man in history who made US presidents waitWhat are the secret ingredients of a viral food video? Chef and internet sensation Sam Way shares his recipe | Tennis |
Tennis stars have bid an emotional farewell to Sue Barker as she said she wished she could front the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage for another three decades.The 66-year-old was reduced to tears on Sunday after players including Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Billie Jean King called her “simply the best” in a moving tribute.The former French Open champion had earlier walked off Centre Court for the last time with little fanfare, after 30 years of presenting the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage.Fans said it was “shocking” that her departure was not marked on court after top seed Novak Djokovic’s victory over Australia’s Nick Kyrgios.But John McEnroe later introduced a package of Barker’s highlights, as a player and a presenter, saying: “It’s time to say goodbye and farewell to the wonderful Susan Barker; [it’s] no easy job, I’ll tell you that. You see the thing about our Sue, she just is Wimbledon.”Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray said of Barker: “You’ve been amazing for our sport. I’ve grown up watching you on the TV, and then obviously I’ve been interviewed by you many times. I’ve loved watching you on Question of Sport as well. You’re going to be sadly missed by everyone who loves and watches tennis in this country.”Sue Barker crosses the players’ bridge with Tim Henman on Sunday 10 July. Photograph: John Walton/PAFederer, the 20-time grand slam champion, said Barker had made him cry “maybe not only once but several times”. “Thank you for those incredible 30 years and everything you’ve done for the game of tennis,” he added.Former world No 1 Chris Evert described Barker as an “outspoken, articulate, wonderfully knowledgable tennis presenter”, adding: “I don’t think I want to come back to Wimbledon if I’m not going to hear Sue Barker. But Sue, you had a tremendous career. You’re a wonderful person with integrity and I wish you the best of luck. Go have some fun with your husband, and I hope we can always be friends.”Tim Henman added: “We’ll miss her massively but hopefully it’ll give her more time to get to the royal box in the evening and have a few more glasses of champagne. So I look forward to that.”Barker wept after the moving tribute as she was joined by Henman, King, McEnroe, broadcaster Clare Balding and former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash at SW19. And fans lined up to chant “we love you Sue, we do” as the moving tribute was played. “It’s been an absolutely privilege, I’ve loved it, 30 amazing years, thank you,” she said as she wiped away tears. “I’ll miss the job, I wish I had the next 30 years to do it. I love it. Most of all I’m going to miss the people I work with, in front of the camera, behind the camera, you have been absolutely amazing. I’ve been so proud to front the programme.”King called Barker “the Goat” while Balding fought back tears as she paid tribute to the presenter’s professionalism, warmth and honesty.McEnroe gave Barker a final hug on Centre Court in the lead-up to the men’s final between Djokovic and Kyrgios.“Before I go I want to give you one last hug, Sue,” he said. “Thank you for everything. You’ve been amazing, unbelievable, we’re going to miss you absolutely big time, you’re like the Roger Federer of the broadcasting world.”Barker, who first presented Wimbledon in 1993, had been offered a three-year contract extension by the BBC but she vowed to bow out on top and announced her retirement last month. | Tennis |
The big news as Wimbledon kicks off today in London? Serena Williams is back! The longtime world’s number one—now ranked 1204th after not playing a singles match since injuring her hamstring at last year’s Wimbledon—makes her 21st appearance in the world’s most legendary tennis tournament tomorrow against 115th-ranked Harmony Tan of France. And even though a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title might seem like a long shot for Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon champion who’s now 40 and playing with a new coach but not a lot of recent court time, it’s safe to say we can throw out the numbers, the rankings, the seedings, the odds, and the conventional wisdom. Has Williams ever done the conventional thing?Her road to the finals won’t be easy, though. She’ll likely face seventh seed Karolina Pliskova in the third round, 12th-seeded Coco Gauff (who’s been on a bit of a roll lately) in the fourth round, fourth-seeded Paula Badosa in the quarters, and number one-seeded Iga Świątek in the semis. But Williams will be swinging for the fences and for history. Asked a few days ago by a reporter what she thought would be a good outcome for her Wimbledon return, Williams responded: “You know the answer to that—c’mon now.”The other big news this year: After the tournament announced that Russian and Belarusian players (meaning, most prominently, Daniil Medvedev and Victoria Azarenka) wouldn’t be welcome this year—a controversial decision in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—the ATP and WTA tours (the governing bodies of men’s and women’s pro tennis respectively) announced that they wouldn’t allow any ranking points to be given out at Wimbledon. Translation: If you win the tournament or do well this year, it won’t improve your ranking. Perhaps to assuage the burn, they’ll be giving out substantially more prize money this year. Such a move led a few players, including Naomi Osaka, to hesitate before committing to playing this year’s iteration (as it happens, though, Osaka soon sustained an injury that made the decision not to play an easy one).So, after all that qualifying and throat clearing: Who are the favorites? Everything would seem to point to Świątek, who’s fresh from her second French Open title, losing only a single set along the way (and who’s on an astounding 35-match winning streak this year). That said, Świątek hasn’t played a tournament since Paris (she withdrew from the German Open with shoulder discomfort), and so comes into Wimbledon with no grass court warm-up, making a title far from a slam dunk.Other players to keep an eye on are Gauff, who loves playing at Wimbledon and has enjoyed a great grass court season so far, and Ons Jabeur—Serena’s doubles partner on the grass at Eastbourne until a knee issue led to her withdrawal—who’s likely rested and ready. Looking for a Cinderella story akin to Emma Raducanu last year? (Raducanu is seeded 11th this year, and is on the opposite side of the bracket from Świątek, so keep your fingers crossed.) Keep an eye on Beatriz Haddad Maia, from Brazil, who emerged fairly from nowhere to go 13-1 on grass this year.On the men’s side, with Roger Federer still not back on the tour, conventional wisdom has this as an inevitable Novak Djokovic–Rafael Nadal showdown. A possible match between the two of them would be beyond great, but Nadal’s chronic foot injury may very well hamper him here. And let’s face it: Although Nadal has won at Wimbledon twice, that was in 2008 and 2010. Never ever count Nadal out, but if he wins, it’ll be after a monumental struggle.Other players to follow are Matteo Berrettini and Hubert Hurkacz. Both thrive on grass and come into Wimbledon with promising seasons on the surface so far. Fifth seed Stéfanos Tsitsipás seems almost cursed on grass, but he comes in riding some early season success. And if you haven’t yet witnessed the phenom that is Carlos Alcaraz, now’s the time to tune in. Some sort of elbow issue has prevented Alcaraz from playing since his quarterfinal loss at the French, and he’s not a grass specialist by any means, but if he’s playing his absolute best, there may be no one capable of stopping him. | Tennis |
“My dream was to have a doodle house and doodle over everything within that house,” Sam Cox said.Oct. 17, 2022, 2:17 PM UTCIt would be an unlikely sight anywhere, let alone in the English countryside. But nestled among rural homes with manicured gardens is a mansion covered entirely in cartoon-like doodles.Nothing is spared. Everything outside and inside the house is covered in black-and-white squiggles, a riot of video-game and comic-book inspired cutesy characters. The sofa, the stove, the fridge, the television and even the car parked outside have all been painted on. The six-bedroom property in England's Kent County is home to Sam Cox, 28, an artist who goes by the moniker “Mr. Doodle.” Cox told NBC News during a visit to his mansion Wednesday that after doodling over his bedroom at his parents' house when he was 15, he knew he wanted “to live in a completely doodled environment. “So my dream was to have a doodle house and doodle over everything within that house,” he said, adding that he funded his current home through sales of his increasingly popular doodle art.Artist Sam Cox and his wife, Alena, outside their house.Mo Abbas / NBC NewsCox, whose soft-spoken demeanor belies his wild red hair and bespoke black-and-white suit — covered in doodles, of course — has previously said that he once bartered his artwork for food as a student. His career took off in 2017 after videos of him spooling out doodles using thick black paint in a seemingly never-ending stream of consciousness went viral, netting him 2.7 million followers on Instagram. Today his pieces sell for tens of thousands of dollars and feature in promotional tie-ups with major brands such as Puma, Fendi and Samsung. Crowds quickly form when he works in public.Cox said his playful works were often compared with those of the late U.S. artist Keith Haring, whom Cox called “an amazing, great artist.” "Mr. and Mrs. Doodle" at their dining room table. Mo Abbas / NBC NewsHe said that plenty of other street and graffiti artists had also influenced him along the way, “as well as cartoons and video games that I played as a kid. “None of it’s ever sketched or anything like that because I find that when I add a sketch or pencil out something, it just kills the flow of the organic nature of a doodle,” he said Cox, who frequently showcases his work in time-lapse videos spread across walls and canvases, refers to his doodling as a “virus.”“When I was young, maybe about 16 years old, I realized that doodling was just kind of taking over my life. … I started drawing on my parents’ furniture and everything around me. I wanted my doodles to take over everything,” he said. “So I just became obsessed with it in the best way possible. And it’s been like a happy obsession ever since really.” Mo Abbas / NBC NewsThe mansion is covered entirely in cartoon-like doodles.Mo Abbas / NBC NewsSuccess, however, took its toll in 2020, when Cox said he was hospitalized for six weeks owing to stress brought on by the administrative side of his work.“I went through a wave of hallucinations and delusions from thinking that I was speaking to God to being hired to doodle all over Donald Trump’s wall,” Cox wrote on his Facebook page shortly afterward.He has since recovered, and now has the support of his Ukrainian-born wife, Alena, 32, who is also an artist. They married last year.They collaborate on some projects, with Alena introducing color to Cox’s hitherto monochrome creations.“Mrs. Doodle likes to color in my doodles so we sometimes work together on canvases or big pieces of work,” Cox said.“In the future we’ve got plans for maybe projects on the scale of this,” he said, gesturing at the mansion. “We could work together and create a colorful creation, or something new or something different, so watch this space.”Mo AbbasMo Abbas is a London-based multimedia producer for NBC News.Kelly CobiellaKelly Cobiella is a correspondent based in London. She previously worked at CBS News and ABC News in London, following several years with CBS in New York, Dallas and Miami. | Video Games |
Dozens of games feature testosterone-fueled heroes with guns as big as their muscles, but few projects star aristocratic con men. That makes “Card Shark” a standout in the world of video games. It’s as rare as a unicorn.
The project takes place in 18th-century France and follows a mute serving boy, who ends up in the care of the Comte de Saint Germain. Although he’s dressed like a nobleman, the Comte is anything but that. He’s a trickster who goes on to call the boy Eugene and takes him under his wing in order to teach the youth how to cheat at cards. It’s almost like an Enlightenment-era “Paper Moon.”
As Eugene, players learn 28 techniques (not all of them focus on cards) that help them through several trials and tribulations. They’re portrayed as minigames that require players to be perceptive and count cards. All of this is done under some time pressure. Sometimes players have to remember and signal the right suit and face card. Other times they have to stack the deck for the Comte. The longer it takes, the angrier an opponent gets and it can lead to calls of cheating and eventually death.
Players will need to know how to shuffle the cards deceptively and injog the correct sequences in “Card Shark.” (Devolver Digital)
THE MAGIC SLEIGHT OF HAND
What players are doing is essentially learning the basics of card-based magic tricks. The big benefit of video games, though, is that players don’t need the preternatural dexterity to perform the techniques. “Card Shark” attempts to weave the gameplay and the story as the Comte teaches Eugene the cons, and they pursue the truth behind the “12 Bottles of Milk” incident. It’s a nice setup, but the biggest problem with the project is that the developers at Nerial do a bad job of teaching players the concepts. At the very least, the techniques require an ability to multitask. Players will have to pour wine while also peeking at an opponent’s hand. At the worst, it inundates players with a slew of multistep techniques and jargon.
“Card Shark” throws a lot at players and it’s done in a haphazard fashion partly because players can pick from several locales through the campaign. That freedom is great for some games, but when you need to teach players the language of card tricks, that prevents the game from hammering home concepts, cementing players’ mastery and building on those techniques. At times, the Comte mentions tricks I’ve never heard of before and I just felt lost in the learning process.
All of this makes the “Card Shark” learning curve steep. It will take dozens of practice hands before players memorize the signals for card suits. What makes matters worse is that the controls don’t feel responsive or intuitive on the Nintendo Switch. Throw in time limits during the con and it’s a recipe for frustration.
“Card Shark” is full of twists and turns as players con their way to victory at card games. (Devolver Digital)
THE FLAWS
That’s a shame because the gameplay isn’t as sharp as the narrative, which is full of court intrigue and backstabbing. Players learn the secrets behind the Comte and his particular interest in Eugene. All of that is bulwarked by visuals that look like storybook illustrations. Despite the minigame aspect of gameplay, everything has a way of sucking players into the conspiracy. An even nicer touch is that Nerial steeps the game in history as the Comte and Eugene run into the likes of Voltaire and Casanova.
If players aren’t impressed by that, Eugene even has run-ins with Death, depending on how well players are at cheating at cards. Speaking of that, I did run into a game-breaking problem bug. It essentially stops the progress when confronting death a second time and trying to get back to the world of living. If players beat the being in cards or pay the toll, “Card Shark” offers no way to move on. Because the game allows one save slot per campaign and autosaves, I’m essentially stuck, and that ruins a game that has holds so much promise. ‘CARD SHARK’
1½ stars out of 4
Platform: Nintendo Switch, PC
Rating: Everyone 10 and up | Video Games |
Decades ago, when smartphones transformed into viable video game devices, I was very much a mobile gaming guy. I'd spend every second of my precious commute time on games like Doodle Jump, Angry Birds or Tiny Wings.Then at some point, I just… stopped playing video games on my phone. I never got hooked on any of the Clash of Clans style games or any exploitive pay to win online experiences. Slowly but surely, my phone became like a washing machine or a fridge – a piece of technology that solves a handful of extremely rote problems and nothing more. No fun allowed.But then I started playing Poinpy.
Poinby is the latest game by Ojiro Fumoto, better known as the guy who made Downwell, a gorgeously tactile retro shooter about a man who jumps down a well, blasting a lot of things in the process.But in Poinpy you don't go down. Poinpy is very much a video game about going up. At base level Poinpy is a video game about gathering fruit to feed a menacing looking monster intent on murdering you. But, mechanically, it's something of a greatest hits, borrowing liberally from viral mobile games of yesteryear. Much like Doodle Jump, Poinpy has you moving upward, only using slingshot arcs precisely like the ones in Angry Birds. Players slowly earn upgrades, making you more powerful like in, say, Jetpack Joyride. And you find yourself using those upgrades to reach new levels like you might in… every video game ever made.For someone like me, who bounced off mobile games after its first Golden Age, Poinpy is the perfect entry point. Familiar yet new, it's a pastiche of something comfortable but does just enough to keep you on your toes. Because Poinpy isn't just about going up, it's about collecting the right type of fruit, to feed a rampaging monster as a timer ticks ominously in the background. If you don't collect the right type of fruit quickly enough, you lose and have to start over. The time limit creates a panicked claustrophobia in the player and I can't get enough of it.
Better still, Poinpy is dense with flourishes that allow the best players to perform spectacular moments of skill. You're given a limited number of jumps to collect the right kind of fruit to feed the rampaging monster, but it's possible to break that limit via attacks on smaller monsters patrolling the levels. This provides the opportunity to create all kinds of inventive combos, forcing you to invent creative solutions on the fly in high pressure situations. The more you play, the better you become at manipulating the game's limited toolset, creating a sensation of mastery exclusive to the most effectively designed video games. In short: Poinpy rules.Perhaps the most bizarre part of Poinpy: It's a Netflix video game. It's not just a game funded by Netflix, it's a game exclusive to Netflix subscribers. After downloading and opening the app on the App Store, players need to sign into Netflix to play, which is just… incredibly interesting. Not entirely sure of the strategy there.Would a game like Poinpy inspire people to sign up for Netflix? I can't imagine it, unless it was the first in an expansive library of Apple Arcade-esque video games. It doesn't come close to justifying Netflix's monthly fee, but it is a nice bonus for existing Netflix subscribers. I'd also love to see Netflix launch more games like this in the future and help unique creators like Ojiro Fumoto bring their games to broader audiences.Either way, if you have a Netflix subscription, and you're looking for a game that takes you back to the halcyon days on endless mobile gaming, you could do a lot worse than Poinpy. | Video Games |
I would love to tell you that I was first introduced to dance music in underground Berlin clubs, where mysterious resident DJs blew my teenage mind performing indescribable magic with beats and synth lines. But that would be a lie. My first introduction to dance music came in the form of a futuristic 90s racing game called WipEout. Playing obsessively at a friend’s house, I was introduced to the Chemical Brothers and Orbital, who both graced the soundtrack; not long after, the admirably chaotic sim Crazy Taxi introduced me to the Offspring, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater had me grinding around to Bad Religion. I first heard Garbage on the soundtrack of an obscure PlayStation 2 DJ game, 2003’s Amplitude, made by a Boston developer called Harmonix – the same developer that would later go on to create the insanely popular Guitar Hero series. Those games sold 25m copies, and I know I wasn’t the only student who unearthed a previously undiscovered love for cheesy dad-rock whie tilting a plastic guitar to the heavens during Boston’s More Than a Feeling.Although I may be showing my age with these piping hot cultural references, video games are still a primary outlet for discovering music – especially among kids and teens, a full 90% of whom game regularly. In many ways, we’re in a golden era for gaming as a discovery tool. You might find a new favourite band in CHVRCHES after hearing their moody theme for expensive arthouse game Death Stranding, or discover Lil Nas X from his anthem for the League of Legends 2022 world championships.Artists premiere music through Minecraft and Roblox, and DJs play sets in Grand Theft Auto Online. It’s hard to imagine that anybody discovered Ariana Grande through her Fortnite concert series last year, given that she was already one of the world’s biggest pop stars – but given that more than 27 million people attended, it’s certainly not impossible that some of them were new to the music. Video games’ influence over music discovery is only growing; depending on which study you look at, between 25% and 30% of people now encounter new music through games – and the proportion is higher among gen Z.Most video game soundtracks are composed specifically for the game in question. In the 1980s and 90s, this involved talented musicians trying to wring characterful and evocative music from machines with three or four sound channels and negligible memory, a creative challenge that resulted in some of the most persistent earworms in pop culture history: think Pac-Man, early Mario, or Pokémon’s Game Boy themes.Nowadays, game scores are more like film scores, performed by full orchestras and unrestrained by technical limitations. (Video game soundtracks are some of the most-streamed albums on Spotify and have experienced their own vinyl boom.) But games that use licensed music for their soundtracks – from racing game Forza to the annual Fifa football games – introduce millions of people around to the artists featured on them.EA, the developer behind Fifa, likes to see itself as a career-maker for musicians. The soundtracks usually feature both established stars such as Bad Bunny and Gorillaz, both featured on the Fifa 2023 soundtrack, and newer artists such as Peggy Gou, who featured on Fifa 2019. Often, these newer artists are the ones you can expect to hear in adverts a couple of years down the line.Steve Schnur, head of music for EA, is bullish about the influence that the soundtrack holds over the music industry: “We knew that video games could become what MTV and commercial radio had once been in the 80s and 90s. Any given song in Fifa – whether it’s a new track by an established act or the debut of an unknown artist – will be heard around the world nearly 1bn times,” he told the Guardian in 2018. “Clearly, no medium in the history of recorded music can deliver such massive and instantaneous global exposure.”Fifa’s soundtrack has morphed as tastes have changed – although it predominantly featured mainstream rock in the mid-00s, it now also includes grime, EDM and pop – but it also shapes taste. It has given rise to the concept of “Fifa songs” – the kind of tracks you’d hear on repeat when you were a football-obsessed 11-year-old, the musical background to your generation. This hints at why video games are a particularly powerful avenue of music discovery: because game soundtracks find their audience at the exact age where music has the most profound impact on developing taste, and for ever link that music with indelible, iconic images.I first heard Flying Lotus in GTA5; a couple of summers later I saw him live, and felt strangely transported back to those fictional California streets. Streaming music can feel disposable – Spotify feeds you so many new tracks all the time that few of them really sink in. When you’re playing a game the music that you’re hearing settles deep in your emotional memory. That’s why, every time I’m reaching for the lasers at a Chemical Brothers set, I remember being 10 years old – hearing their music for the first time as I hurtled, wide-eyed, down the track in a PlayStation racing game. | Video Games |
Netflix is accelerating its push into video games with plans to double its catalog of offerings by the end of the year, but for now, few of the streaming giant's subscribers are playing.Since last November, the company has been rolling out the games as a way to keep users engaged between show releases. The games are accessible only to subscribers, but have to be downloaded as separate apps.The games have been downloaded a total of 23.3 million times and average 1.7 million daily users, according to Apptopia, an app analytics company. That's less than 1% of Netflix's 221 million subscribers.The importance of games to Netflix's overall strategy has arguably increased in recent months as the company faces intensifying competition for user attention. In the second quarter, Netflix lost nearly a million subscribers, after losing 200,000 subscribers during the first quarter — its first subscriber declines in more than a decade.In a letter to shareholders last year, Netflix named Epic Games and TikTok as among its biggest rivals for people's time."One of the many advantages to Netflix in pursuing the strategy is the ability to drive engagement beyond when the show first comes out on the platform," Prosek Partners analyst Tom Forte said.Still, Netflix Chief Operating Officer Greg Peters said last year the company was "many months and really, frankly, years" into learning how games can keep customers on the service."We're going to be experimental and try a bunch of things," Peters said during the company's fourth-quarter earnings conference call. "But I would say the eyes that we have on the long-term prize really center more around our ability to create properties that are connected to the universes, the characters, the stories that we're building."The company's current catalog of 24 game apps covers a variety of genres and Netflix shows, such as "Stranger Things: 1984." Several are modeled after popular card games, such as "Mahjong Solitaire" and "Exploding Kittens."The catalog will grow to 50 games by the end of the year, including "Queen's Gambit Chess," based on the hit Netflix series, according a company representative.Intentionally vagueNetflix has been cagey about how it plans to make video gaming a core part of the company's strategy, rather than merely a side hobby."We're still intentionally keeping things a little bit quiet because we're still learning and experimenting and trying to figure out what things are going to actually resonate with our members, what games people want to play," Leanne Loombe, Netflix's head of external games, said during a panel at the Tribeca Film Festival in June.Netflix hinted earlier this year that it will license popular intellectual property for its new gaming additions."We're open to licensing, accessing large game IP that people will recognize," Peters said in January. "And I think you will see some of that happen over the year to come."Netflix tapped outside developers for its current catalog, but has acquired three video game developers in the past year.All of that adds up to growing investment. Netflix hasn't disclosed how much it's spending to develop its video game segment, but the efforts are capital-intensive. Netflix's acquisition of Finnish developer Next Games cost the streamer about $72 million.Forrester analyst Mike Proulx noted that Netflix has been investing in gaming slowly, and that it still appears to be what he would consider "more of a test and experiment at this stage." He noted that most people don't associate Netflix with games.So far, download figures for Netflix games fall far short of the leading mobile games — Subway Surfers, Roblox and Among Us, for a few — which each have more than 100 million downloads, according to Apptopia. Still, downloads have slowly climbed since May, after a downward trend that started in December."We've got to please our members by having the absolute best in the category," Netflix co-CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings said in January. "We have to be differentially great at it. There's no point of just being in it." | Video Games |
If you're a member of a gaming clan online, a new study suggests you're more prone to socially harmful behaviour – especially if you play Call of Duty.Researchers surveyed more than 1,000 US gamers on their beliefs and personality traits, as well as their level of 'identity fusion' with other gamers. Identity fusion is a psychological phenomenon that causes a deep sense of alignment with a group or cause, and is particularly prevalent among gamers. The researchers found links between identity fusion and multiple undesirable traits, including sexism, racism and recent aggressive behaviour. The research also found that specific gaming communities – namely, Call of Duty players – can encourage 'strongly fused' gamers to embrace anti-social tendencies more than others. Fusion with gaming culture is linked with of a host of socially harmful outcomes, including racism, sexism, and endorsement of extreme behaviour (file photo) Researchers found that fusion with gamer culture was linked to several extremist traits, including the willingness to fight or die for gaming culture, Dark Triad personality traits, sexism, racism and recent aggressive behaviour (pictured) WHAT IS IDENTITY FUSION? Identity fusion is described as a deep sense of alignment with a group or cause, or other people. Identity fusion is so powerful that it compels people to enact pro-group behaviors even when it is personally costly to do so (such as sacrificing one's life for the group).Gaming spaces, whether in-person or online, may be particularly conducive to identity fusion. Source: Kowert et al (2022) The new research was led by Dr Rachel Kowert, a psychologist and research director at Take This, a non-profit based in Seattle, Washington.'There are growing concerns that online platforms have become breeding grounds for extremist ideologies,' Dr Kowert and colleagues say in their paper. 'Here we focus on the potential role of identity fusion in the radicalisation of video gamers.'We suggest that examining the impact of games through the lens of identity fusion provides insight into the role of identity in the propagation of extremist ideologies, radicalization, recruitment, and mobilization.' Previous research has already suggested that gamer cultures are a hotbed of hateful, harassing, and 'toxic' behaviour, such as chronic racism and misogyny. Over the course of three experiments, the team examined the links between identity fusion and extremism among gamers. For the first two, they surveyed 598 participants, all from the US aged between 19 and 77 and describing themselves as gamers. To determine levels of identity fusion, they asked participants whether they agreed with statements such as 'I make gaming culture strong' and 'I would fight someone insulting or making fun of gaming culture'. The research also found that specific gaming communities (namely, players of shooter game Call of Duty, pictured) can encourage 'strongly fused' gamers to embrace antisocial tendencies OVER HALF OF REGULAR GAMERS GET 'GAMER RAGE' Over half of regular gamers experience weekly bouts of rage, a recent study found. 56.3 per cent of regular gamers experience bouts of extreme, uncontrollable anger at least once a week, according to the research. Data collected by online gambling site Time2Play indicates that the most angry are those who play on an Xbox.Read more They also measured levels of social dominance, right-wing identity, white nationalist identity, sexism, racism and recent aggressive behaviour, as well as levels of the so-called 'dark triad'.The dark triad, well-known in the field of psychology, consists of three dubious personality traits – narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism. Machiavellianism is characterised by manipulation and exploitation of others, a cynical disregard for morality and a focus on self-interest and deception. Some of the participants were also surveyed on levels of loneliness, whether they had gaming companions, and levels of positive and negative emotions. Researchers found that fusion with gamer culture was linked to several extremist traits, including the willingness to fight or die for gaming culture, dark triad personality traits, sexism, racism and recent aggressive behaviour. Interestingly, loneliness was linked with a greater willingness to fight or die for one's gaming culture.For the third part of the study, the team investigated whether two popular games – Minecraft and Call of Duty – were 'especially conducive' to links between fusion and extreme behaviour. They surveyed more than 600 gamers who played either Minecraft or Call of Duty for at least a few hours per week. Minecraft (pictured) is an game where players are given blocks and tools to build towns and cities Narcissism is one of the 'Dark Triad' of undesirable personality traits, along with Machiavellianism and psychopathyThey found that fusion with gaming culture was linked with more antisocial and extreme outcomes among Call of Duty than Minecraft players.However, there were some positive social traits as well; for example, fusion among Minecraft players was linked with online bonding and 'relatedness'. Gamer communities represent a 'double-edged sword', the researchers say in their paper, which has been published in the journal Frontiers in Communication.In one way, they may provide a sense of connection and purpose for individuals who suffer from loneliness and insecurity.But they may also expose gamers to hateful speech and social toxicity that can increase their 'susceptibility to extremist propaganda', the team warn. 'In the worst-case scenario, gamers may be lured into embracing extremist beliefs that lead them down the path to radicalization,' they say.The experts admit they only surveyed US gamers, so future research should look at differences between US players and the rest of the global gaming population. Playing violent video games as a child does NOT lead to more aggressive behaviour in real-life Playing violent video games such as Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty won't make children more aggressive, a 2020 study found. Researchers from Massey University, the University of Tasmania and Stetson University reviewed multiple long-term studies into video games and aggression. They found no evidence of a substantial link between 'aggressive game content' and signs of anger or rage later on in childhood. 'Poor quality studies' in the past likely exaggerated the impact of games on aggression, while better quality studies show the effects of gaming are 'negligible'. Regulation of violent games also did not appear likely to reduce aggression in real life, suggesting parents shouldn't worry about their kids shooting up virtual enemies. Real-life displays of violence, such as mass shootings in the US, have famously been blamed on video games by some politicians, rather than lax gun regulation and easy access to firearms. Following a shooting in the US in 2019, US President Donald Trump said America needs to 'stop the glorification of violence' by 'gruesome and grisly video games'. | Video Games |
After half an hour of fighting with a vacuum cleaner, my girlfriend and I had to take a break. The vacuum had caused a lot of stress on a Sunday morning because it simply refused to do what it was supposed to. We weren’t arguing over cleaning duties: The vacuum — gigantic, anthropomorphic, and very angry — was an enemy to overcome. We were trying to win the first boss fight of It Takes Two.It Takes Two is a video game about marriage, created by Swedish developer Hazelight Studios, published by gaming giant Electronic Arts, written by Josef Fares and Soni Jorgensen, and directed by Fares. Released in March 2021, the game is available to play on Xbox, Playstation 4 and 5, and PC.There are a lot of easy jokes that could come out of “a video game about marriage.” (“Who’s the big, bad boss of this game? My freakin’ WIFE?!”) To its credit, It Takes Two mostly avoids this particular set of clichés. Instead, the game is cooperative, requiring two players to work together to overcome both fantastical obstacles and emotional distance. The players take on the roles of May and Cody, a tenuously married couple on the verge of getting a divorce. After telling their daughter, Rose, about their impending separation, May and Cody are put under some kind of spell and transformed into two of Rose’s dolls. Trapped in an alternately whimsical and horrifying Toy Story–ified version of their house, May and Cody must work together to return to their original bodies and, in the process, repair their marriage. You can probably guess the general arc here: Fares describes the game as a romantic comedy.It Takes Two’s cooperative gameplay is uncommon in mainstream video games, where co-op modes tend to have the second player operate either as a duplicate version of the main character or in a token supporting role. And though romance is a frequent subject for visual novels and dating simulators (a genre of game designed to give you the experience of wooing an assortment of characters), as well as board games like the popular Fog of Love, big-budget action games — the ones that tend to come to mind when you think of “video games” — rarely make romance the central focus. Importantly, you must play It Takes Two with a second person, whether it’s someone who’s in the room with you or a friend playing online. So I was extremely appreciative when my partner, a person with a healthy relationship to entertainment media who generally avoids video games (with the notable exception of Untitled Goose Game), agreed to play with me. After borrowing a friend’s PlayStation 5, we set out to investigate whether it was, in fact, possible to make an engaging game about relationships.After finishing It Takes Two, the answer is definitively “yes”…but maybe not this one.On one hand, It Takes Two is effective in depicting and encouraging cooperation. In each level, May and Cody have distinct tools that need to be used in concert to achieve objectives. For example: In the first level, May has a hammer and Cody has a set of nails, while in the second level, Cody has a gun that shoots out sap, and May has…a rocket launcher. May can use her hammer to swing across Cody’s nails, while the rocket launcher can be used to ignite the sap in creative ways. Most of the game presents you with a series of puzzles in which the players need to use both of their abilities in concert, along with some well-timed jumping, in order to proceed. In doing so, It Takes Two gives a sort of quick survey of some of the most famous types of game: some levels resemble shooting games, others roleplaying games, and so on.Since my girlfriend had no prior experience with this kind of game, I had to explain some of the basic grammar of video games: double jumps, dashing, and so on. After a bit of trial and error, she (and we) developed a taste for the problem-solving components of the game. Being presented with these challenges really does succeed at engendering the kind of communication the game is interested in. For most of the summer, my girlfriend and I have been pitted against the overwhelming power of a cruel, unforgiving enemy: the New York City apartment rental market. After months of looking for a decent apartment in a historically bad moment for it, there’s something nice and uncomplicated about having a shared goal that requires collaboration and has no real-world stakes.On the other hand, It Takes Two has plenty of its own opportunities for frustration. Even though I’ve been playing video games for most of my life, I had never stopped to consider that the classic video game boss fight is an experience that is designed to be stressful and agitating, something that came as a surprise to my girlfriend, who understandably believed that video games were supposed to be “fun.” Enter the vacuum cleaner, a big, scary monster that yells a lot and shoots bombs at you. After several attempts at defeating it, our collective anxiety levels went through the roof as my girlfriend grew frustrated with my halting attempts to explain what we were supposed to do. We had to take a break, mute the TV, and deliberately walk through each step of the fight before continuing.But there was a bigger conflict to come.I love cooperative games, but I also love winning. So when I play a game with someone who has less fluency than me, I tend to engage in “quarterbacking,” meaning that I tell other players what to do in the interest of winning as quickly as possible. In between my slow, deliberate sessions of It Takes Two with my girlfriend, I breezed through a bunch of ITT with my roommate, who literally has to play video games for her job.My extracurricular gameplay was partly an altruistic decision — the game lets you easily swap between completed chapters, and I was hoping that my girlfriend and I would be able to skip the boss fights. But I have to admit, it was fun to move through the game quickly, and to take on some of the goofier and more elaborate boss fights with a bit more freedom.When my girlfriend and I started playing again, I knew the solutions to most of the puzzles, and was therefore much less fun as a partner. For a while, I would feign ignorance, “guessing” at strategies that I already knew would work. But instead of successfully streamlining the game experience, my selfish quarterbacking made everything both take longer and feel far less fun. Where It Takes Two thinks that the solution to relationship troubles is to pantomime talking about your feelings, I found that the best gameplay experience came from knowing the best time to communicate and the best time to shut up.Knowing when to be quiet is an incredibly valuable skill, and it’s one I wish It Takes Two possessed. Because while the gameplay is often quite fun, the story can charitably be described as “wack,” “corny,” or “genuinely kind of bonkers.” In theory, you’re supposed to be following May and Cody on a sweet, endearing journey as they relearn working together as a team and (spoiler) eventually reconcile. In practice, the game presents the couple as incredibly selfish people who absolutely should get a divorce, and who should, at the very least, seriously rethink their approach to parenting. Here’s a spoiler warning, in case you want to play through the game for yourself. Early in the game, May and Cody decide that they need to make their daughter cry to become human again. They decide that the way to do that is to “destroy something she loves.” In a particularly infamous scene, they “murder” Rose’s favorite toy, an adorable elephant named Cutie, by literally tearing it apart and dragging it, kicking and screaming, to throw from a high ledge. (This is not an exaggeration — the game forces you to actively participate in the killing. You can watch it here.)Look, I get it. It Takes Two is supposed to be a rom-com about two people who have become difficult and petty rediscovering the power of love. This is an interesting premise for a game, especially one that is so obviously drawing on the tropes of other games. Plenty of video games have been influenced by movies — for instance, Saving Private Ryan has been a major inspiration for the past 20 years of gaming. It Takes Two had the opportunity to draw on the familiar subgenre of rom-com about couples with rocky marriages rediscovering their love for each other like His Girl Friday, The Philadelphia Story, and even The Parent Trap.But these films suggest that the viewer has to actually like the people involved, or at least be interested in them, and understand on some level what they got out of the relationship — topics that It Takes Two seems to either take as a given or simply ignore. Weak protagonists are not uncommon in video games, where the investment typically comes from the fact that you are the one playing and therefore identify with the character by default. But the interesting thematic goals of It Takes Two have the side effect of spotlighting just how little the game tries with its characters. It doesn’t help that the game's third-most-important character is an anthropomorphic relationship advice book with a vaguely racist accent, who proved to be so annoying that I audibly groaned every time he appeared onscreen.Fares, the director and cowriter of It Takes Two, defends the Cutie scene as an example of “dark humor,” and the game has successfully provoked a reaction from players. In order to pull off the kind of dark humor the elephant scene is going for, you’d have to really nail it, and while It Takes Two has fun with a hammer, it does not nail this. To enjoy it, you’d need to either be 1) invested in May and Cody as characters, or 2) inclined to find the elephant murder really funny. I was neither. While the gameplay in It Takes Two is often tricky and entertaining, there’s a deep lack of complexity in the storytelling: A friend described the game’s understanding of divorce as “something that happens when you can’t figure out whose turn it is to get groceries.” Ultimately, It Takes Two suggests that what Cody and May “really” need to do to reclaim their relationship is to get back in touch with their hobbies from before they had their pesky, annoying daughter — and while the game tries to tell a pretty stock story about a child mistakenly blaming themselves for their parents’ divorce, it also does imply that yes, in fact, May and Cody’s relationship problems are Rose’s fault for being born.So it is perhaps unsurprising that, while my girlfriend enjoyed the time we actually spent playing the game, her eventual verdict was that It Takes Two should just be about some guys trapped in a weird castle or forced to do an elaborate escape room or something. The act of cooperation is, thankfully, not the proprietary domain of heterosexual marriage and romance. It Takes Two is well-designed as a way of getting you to communicate with your gameplay partner, but that communication doesn’t feel specific to dating, marriage, or (even neglectful) parenting.While It Takes Two doesn’t have a ton to say about marriage and relationships, that doesn’t mean that the subject matter can’t effectively be communicated in game form. Notably, the popular 2017 board game Fog of Love takes a similar rom-comedy–inspired approach. Fog of Love is fun largely because it moves away from simply trying to model cooperation. Unlike the marriage in It Takes Two, Fog of Love doesn’t have an “ideal” relationship dynamic in mind. Players create their characters and are given individual personality traits they need to pursue in order to be “true” to the character that will occasionally be at odds with a healthy relationship — maybe they work too much, maybe they’re carefree to the point of recklessness. During a round, players receive cards representing scenarios (a fun date, a stressful trip, a dark secret) and then respond in character to accumulate points in relationship satisfaction or personal characteristics. Sometimes, players won’t be able to make the relationship work, and their characters will break up at the end of a game. That’s OK, too. (Someone should tell May and Cody.)It feels a bit unfair to compare the straightforward, linear story in It Takes Two to the complexity of Fog of Love. But the latter shows that you can use game rules and mechanics to capture some of the nuances of being in a relationship, and even create room for some bleak comedy without engaging in elephant murder. Fog of Love frequently demands the players guess what their partner will do in a given situation — where to go for breakfast, whether to take an impromptu trip, how to navigate a tricky family dynamic — and asks you to navigate compromise, shared ideals, and sticking to your individual goals. It’s surprisingly realistic in modeling actual conflicts, while leaving room for the players to make everything as silly as they want.It helps that Fog of Love designer Jacob Jaskov actually created the game as a relationship exercise: In an interview, Jaskov said he wanted to make a game his wife would enjoy. Like a real relationship, Fog of Love is kind of complicated and maybe has some more pieces than you were expecting. That can make things a bit unwieldy: When my partner and I sat down to play, I accidentally moved a bunch of cards around and fully messed up the narrative of the tutorial game. (I suspect we were not supposed to take a collective trip to Ikea in a scenario that was supposed to mirror a casual first date.)Unlike the vacuum cleaner, this error was an entirely self-made obstacle. But the solution here was similar: We took a beat to talk through the game and decide how we wanted to proceed. A potentially stressful situation threatened to cause additional conflict and forced us to jump through even more hoops. This time, we discussed what we both wanted, what we were “supposed” to be doing in the game, and what would be the best use of our time. And surprisingly, the fix didn’t change: We decided to just keep playing. ❤ | Video Games |
Sony Group Corp's new line of headphones and monitors targeting the growing PC market for video games, the Inzone line, is displayed during its unveiling in Tokyo, Japan, June 29, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comTOKYO, June 29 (Reuters) - Sony Group Corp (6758.T) said on Wednesday it's launching a new line of headphones and monitors targeting the growing PC market for videogames as the Japanese conglomerate looks beyond its core PlayStation console gaming audience.Sony, whose PlayStation 5 console has been affected by supply chain snarls, last month announced a pivot towards releasing more titles on PC and mobile devices as subscription services and tech advances open up gaming to a wider audience.The Inzone line, developed by a unit outside Sony's main gaming business, aims to leverage Sony's audio and display technology, areas where Sony is seen as retaining an edge even as the company has transformed itself into an entertainment behemoth spanning movies, music and games.Its headphones offer sound that helps players locate enemies in-game, with a wired model retailing for $99.99 in the United States and a wireless, noise-cancelling model priced at $299.99. Inzone monitors, which promise crisp visuals and a high refresh rate, cost $529.99 and $899.99 for a 4K version.The gear echoes the design of the PlayStation 5 range and is interoperable with the console.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Sam Nussey; Editing by Kenneth MaxwellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Video Games |
Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)In new research this week, scientists say they’ve been able to teach mice and human brain cells how to play one of the most enduring video games in history: Pong. The novel feat suggests that even neurons on an individual level can learn and exhibit a form of rudimentary sentience, the authors say. And the research may one day pave the way toward creating computers that use brain cells to perform certain tasks at a level that today’s computers couldn’t hope to accomplish.OffEnglishThe research is primarily the work of scientists from Cortical Labs, a new biotech startup in Melbourne, Australia. It’s intended to be the proof of concept for a technology that the group is calling biological computing—one that relies on the distinct capabilities of the brain.“There is considerable research looking at building better information processes, from machine learning, to neuromorphic, to quantum computing,” lead study author Brett Kagan, chief scientific officer at Cortical Labs, told Gizmodo in an email. “However, biological brains display unique traits we are not yet able to recreate with hardware alone. Brains can process large amounts of information very quickly with minimal power requirements and adapt to changing environments. We were interested in how brain cells display this intelligence so we asked the question: why try to mimic what you can harness?”OffEnglishThe DishBrain system in action, playing Pong. Credit: Kagan, et al/NeuronTo create the Pong-playing set-up, the team integrated brain stem cells cultured in the lab from either mice or humans into a silicon chip. The chip was designed to read and write information via electronic signals. This “DishBrain” system was then dropped into a simulated environment—Pong. The team developed software that could read the electrical signals from the cells as they fired and apply it to the game, namely the paddle that keeps the ball aloft; this software could also provide feedback and send information to the cells on how their signals changed the game world, meaning if the paddle actually hit the ball. With this feedback, the cells were seemingly able to reorganize how they fired and essentially “learned” how to better play Pong in as little as five minutes of real-time gaming. This goal-directed change in behavior over time, the authors argue, shows that even cells in a petri dish can manifest a sort of inherent intelligence under the right conditions.The findings were published Wednesday in the journal Neuron.Kagan and the team believe that biological computing can eventually provide a wide array of benefits, such as improving how we find new potential drugs and model diseases among other things. But for now, this research is only the first step in getting there.“We needed to have a system that could test how we can interact with neurons to showcase intelligence and goal-directed activity,” Kagan said. “We can now apply the system in new ways to start to investigate [these advances] while continuing to develop the base technology to enable new applications.”The team has already begun to test out the system in other game environments. And they’re next hoping to make the technology more accessible and reliable.“Extending on this, we are going to explore how certain drugs affect learning or diseases that impair cognition, along with improving the hardware, software, and wetware behind these systems,” Kagan said. “Ultimately, by being able to use these systems to better understand, and eventually harness, how neurons display intelligence, it will open up a plethora of applications.” | Video Games |
Published September 12, 2022 1:52PM The Tex Factor: Andretti Karting The Tex Factor tours Andretti Indoor Karting and Games, and talks with the legendary Mario Andretti about the message he’s driving home after losing his nephew to colon cancer. THE COLONY, Texas - The name "Andretti" is synonymous with championship racing, so it makes sense that "Andretti Indoor Karting and Games" located at Grandscape in The Colony is becoming equally as successful. It’s a huge family entertainment venue that features video games, VR attractions, lazer tag, fine food, two full bars and two separate multi-level racetracks for electric race cars that can go 35 mph. The Tex Factor tours this amazing facility, and talks with the legendary Mario Andretti (in an exclusive interview) about the message he’s driving home after losing his nephew to colon cancer. LINK: andrettikarting.com | Video Games |
Revenue for China's e-sports market grew 14% year-on-year in 2021 despite a tough regulatory environment for gaming in the world's second-largest economy, according to a new report from intelligence firm Niko Partners.E-sports refers to professional gaming where gamers often play each other in big tournaments and fans watch via live streams.China remains the largest single-country market in the world with $403.1 million in e-sports revenue in 2021, Niko Partners said in a report published Thursday."What China has is [a] sort of advantage in the e-sports space, is a really phenomenally large market with a really huge population of gamers that are interested in e-sports content … in becoming e-sports professionals themselves," Alexander Champlin, head e-sports at Niko Partners, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Thursday.China continues to grow despite a tougher line on gaming from the regulators. Last year, Beijing introduced rules that limits the amount of time under 18s can play online video games — to up to three hours per week.Chinese regulators also froze the approvals of new games for distribution and monetization between July 2021 and April this year.The impact has been felt by China's biggest gaming companies NetEase and Tencent.While the e-sports market has held up well, Champlin cautioned there could be some impact on the future of professional gaming in China."What these regulations do particularly around youth gaming is really kind of clamp down on e-sports player pipelines. So while there is still a lot of excitement around e-sports titles, e-sports celebrities, we're a little concerned about what this will do for future generations of e-sports fans and e-sports professionals … and what this might do for China's historical dominance in the space," Champlin told CNBC.Read more about tech and crypto from CNBC ProDespite the broader crackdown on young people playing games, there appears to be government support for e-sports. Last year, the major city of Shanghai broke ground on a 500,000 square meters e-sports arena.Japan and South Korea are the two other large markets in Asia for e-sports revenue.While China continues to dominate, there are other regions and countries that are growing faster.E-sports revenue in greater southeast Asia totaled $80.1 million in 2021, up 27.3% year-on-year. India saw e-sports revenue grow $20.3 million last year, a 26% rise over 2020."It's [India] a huge market and it's historically been undervalued as a sort of dollar-to-participant ratio," Champlin said."What that means is as the purchasing power of Indians goes up, as the market is more heavily saturated by smartphones, the potential player base and audience base expands dramatically. What we are also seeing is a lot of investment from the key players in the Indian games market," he added. | Video Games |
Every now and then you play a video game that you just cannot stop thinking about. Candy Crush might leave colourful imprints on the back of your eyelids. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild may creep into your dreams. And then, very occasionally, a game comes along that is so entirely unlike anything you’ve ever played that it becomes an obsession. Immortality, the latest from lauded game-maker Sam Barlow and his studio Half Mermaid, is one of those. It is something that has never existed before: a video game that is also three feature-length films, wrapped around a mystery so compelling that I couldn’t concentrate on anything else for days. It is so delicate and complex that it’s difficult to figure out how it even works.The first thing you see when you load up Immortality is a talkshow clip from the late 1960s, in which a bright-eyed, red-haired young actor is being interviewed about her recent starring role in a film called Ambrosio, an adaptation of a 1796 novel about a devil temptress who draws a monk down the path of sin. This is Marissa Marcel, who was at this point on the brink of stardom – but this film she appears in, with an eminent but slimy director, is never released. Her next picture, an erotic thriller about art and murder, also never makes it into theatres. She retreats into obscurity for a long time, before emerging for a comeback in the 1990s in a Lynchian thriller about artifice and celebrity – but that film, too, is lost, and after that she disappears entirely.Freeze frame… players use a grid to organise their search. Photograph: Half Mermaid ProductionsThe question of what happened to Marissa is an irresistible mystery – and you, the player, now have access to a full archive of clips, rushes and behind-the-scenes footage from her career. Somewhere within these segments, you can find the answer. Freezing the footage and zooming in on any detail – a plant, a mug, a director’s slate – will transport you to another clip in which that same thing appears. You time-travel through the decades, jumping between all three films, following motifs or particular actors, slowly piecing together not just what happens in the movies, but what happens to the people who are making them.Put together, these three films tell a story about film-making, about the price of art, and about Hollywood’s exploitation of women. But it is in the way that you experience them – recreating them piecemeal by following your intuition, noticing something in an actor’s face or an off-camera comment, diving down rabbit holes and discovering that they are deep and branching – that the true story of Immortality is told. It is a delicate and multilayered mystery that you unravel yourself, scrubbing through these scenes and searching for clues. As a player, you reach a turning point after maybe an hour, maybe two, when you’ll be watching a scene and think, wait – did I just see what I thought I saw? You’ll wind it back. Watch again. Follow the thread. And an extraordinary mystery starts to reveal itself at the centre.Barlow is the director of Immortality – a role that is uncommon in video games, because they are typically such huge-scale, collaborative creative efforts. But this is not a normal video game, and neither are Barlow’s previous projects Her Story and Telling Lies, both smaller-scale mysteries that use live footage of human actors rather than motion capture and computer graphics. “I thought, if people keep calling my games interactive movies, why don’t I actually make an interactive movie?” says Barlow. “Why don’t I express what I think about cinema, and why films are so interesting and special to me? If we deconstruct movies and their creative process, it really always comes back to the actors … and in the history of cinema, the more extreme compromises and indeed restraints would be landed on the women.”This is a game that reveres and criticises Hollywood and film-making. It is not a discomfiting, upsetting story about an exploited actor, even if it looks like it might be at first. There is empowerment in here; Immortality is thankfully confident and complex enough to hold both these themes (and many more) at once. Early in development, Barlow zoned in on the golden-age cinema of the 1970s, the death of the studio system and the rise of the auteur director and the European New Wave – along with the explosion of sex and sexuality depicted on screen.“We spoke to a lot of people who were involved in making movies back then,” says Barlow. “The women playing the femmes fatales are playing a character that has more agency, that is driving the plot, has a level of sexual expression that is denied to most female characters – but, at the same time, the femme fatale was a character trope that was created to titillate men. We followed that thread throughout the 80s and 90s, through the erotic thriller, a lens through which men could deal with their growing panic at what a world in which people were equal looked like.”Looking for clues … behind-the-scenes footage for players to piece together. Photograph: Half Mermaid ProductionsImmortality was shot over three months in LA during the summer of 2021 (and was almost scuppered several times by Covid). Manon Gage, the actor who plays Marissa in the game, was instantly drawn to the character – even if it was difficult to envision what Immortality was actually going to be. “When I got the first audition it was just a few scenes,” she says. “Marissa in each of the three movies, and I thought, this scope is incredible – what are we doing here? How is this a video game? The script was 400 pages long, and some of the best writing I’d read in years. You don’t read writing that’s this good, honestly, especially as a relative newcomer … I was enamoured from the start.”The cast tell me that Barlow sat down with each of them and talked for hours, explaining how the game was going to work. “I bought into what he was saying, but I was still struggling to wrap my head around what was going on,” says Hans Christopher, who plays John Durick, the director of photography who is one of the few constants in Marissa’s career. “But I had this sense that he understood it, and that’s all we needed to worry about.”Because this is a story with many layers, in which each performer is an actor playing an actor playing a role, the performances are crucial: if the player doesn’t believe they’re watching real people, getting a glimpse behind the scenes of real film projects, then the whole conceit at the heart of the game begins to fall apart. “We were always thinking about our relationship to the audience in an interesting way,” says Gage. “If there’s an off-camera glance, you know that the person playing is going to catch that and think, what was that, and follow that lead. That was fun to play with. You’re breaking the fourth wall, but you’re also inviting people in.”It was nonetheless difficult to visualise how people would experience their work, says Charlotta Mohlin, whose character in Immortality is nameless but vital. “At one point I was wondering, is anyone going to find me in the game? Will players actually see me?” she laughs. “We all understood it as a story, but understanding it as a concept – how people would find things in scenes, and move between them – was something I couldn’t wrap my head around until I played it.”Immortality is not just a feat of film-making, encompassing 10 hours of footage and three different films – it’s also a feat of coding. After they’d shot it Barlow and Half Mermaid had to go through frame by frame, picking out doorknobs and plants and different actors and adding them to the game’s database so that the player would be able to click on them and piece the footage together. The disjointed way in which you experience these films is jarring at first, but it’s what makes Immortality special: no two players (or viewers) will take the same route through it. How do you design a story that makes sense no matter what order you see it in?Barlow’s answer is surprising: you don’t really need to design it that way. “The modern audience member is so much more intelligent when it comes to story than someone from 50 years ago,” he says. “We are so saturated with storytelling that we’ve internalised all the tropes and the structures. So in giving people pieces of story, it is quite easy for them to put those pieces together. But even if we see the same pieces, involving the player’s brain and imagination more is a win-win. It’s inherently more involving.”You will, eventually, reach an ending after somewhere north of five hours with Immortality. You will find some kind of answer, no matter which footage you’ve found and which remains hidden within the archive. But what it all actually means is open to interpretation: what you bring to the game, and your path through it, will leave you with a different set of answers. Even the actors who star in the game don’t share a fixed interpretation of its themes. “The concept of film capturing a moment of truth – in a way that is immortal,” says Christopher. “That is something that will live on for ever. The game wants to capture that, bring you in and feel like you are now part of this grand, living moment – that you, too, are immortalised.” | Video Games |
By Liv McMahonTechnology teamImage source, Insomniac GamesA modification to the new PC version of the Spider-Man Remastered video game removing its LGBTQ+ Pride flags has been banned by two gaming sites.Players are able to modify some video games by adding new features such as weapons and locations.The person who replaced Pride flags with the USA flag in Spider-Man was banned on Nexus Mods and ModDB.Nexus Mods director Robin Scott told users who disagreed with this decision to "delete your account".The presence of LGBTQ+ Pride flags in Spider-Man Remastered was supported by fans who were in favour of more in-game LGBTQ+ representation when it was first released in 2018. The game was released for PC last week.Nexus Mods said the modification was "very clearly done deliberately to be a troll mod".What are "mods"?Game modification sites like Nexus and Mod DB allow users to upload their own tweaks or edits to a game which can be downloaded and implemented for other users, to enhance their playing experience.Modifications, or mods, can range from changing colours and surroundings in games to adding new characters and storylines within existing worlds.The modifications can even result in the creation of entirely new games. The first game in the popular Counter-Strike franchise was initially developed as a mod for the 1998 first-person shooter blockbuster Half-Life.'Silly drama'Mr Scott said in a blog post on Wednesday that the upload of the Spider-Man Remastered mod had sparked "some silly drama" on Nexus's site."The mod replaced the very few Pride flags the game actually has, with the already prevalent USA flag texture from the game," he added.He said the upload was removed and its creator was banned from Nexus Mods for violating the company's policies. These say content which could be considered provocative, discriminatory or abusive towards "any real-world individual or group" may be moderated. "In regards to the replacement of Pride flags in this game, or any game, our policy is thus: we are for inclusivity, we are for diversity," Mr Scott added.ModDB, another popular modding site, also deleted similar uploads to its site this week.These included an "Anti-Gay Mod" replacing LGBTQ+ flags in the Spider-Man game with a flag promoting former US president Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.After a Twitter user flagged a mod on the website which, according to its description, "changes the stupid Pride flags to American flags", ModDB said it removed the content and banned users."ModDB is an inclusive environment for all and we do not permit targeting marginalised groups," it wrote, adding the site had a "zero tolerance policy" for such content. | Video Games |
A study of gamer behavior finds they shy away from gay characters, regardless of their strengthsA person dressed as the character Genji from the video game Overwatch during a recent tournament. Researchers have studied how players behaved when the company announced that some characters in the game were LGBTQ. Credit: Sergio Flores/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesI like video games because they give me choices that I don’t have in real life. When I want to feel like a princess, I choose Peach in Mario Kart. If I want to fight like Bruce Lee, I can choose Marshall Law in Tekken. When picking out which character to play in a game, players factor in an avatar’s strengths and weaknesses, and even their appearance. But players also make their choices based on attributes that aren’t apparent during gameplay and have no influence on the game, such as a character’s sexuality. And my research has found that other players in turn might treat those characters differently within the game. This is important for the gaming industry. Some companies actively support social movements through publicity and marketing campaigns and product labeling. However, backlash could deter these companies from supporting marginalized groups and discourage gay players from participating. How do players factor in these kind of character traits, and what are the implications for online harassment and discrimination? The first-person shooter game Overwatch, which is widely popular and has generated more than $1 billion in revenue so far for its owner, Blizzard, has turned out to be an ideal laboratory for me and my colleagues to investigate these questions. In that sense, what happens within Overwatch has economic and societal implications. In Overwatch, players can choose between 32 avatars that have different appearances and skill sets. As an additional marketing highlight, Blizzard regularly updates the background stories of these characters. Their stories have no effect whatsoever on the game; they don’t change the characters’ skills or appearance. Still, these stories are so important for the fan base that they influence Overwatch in another way. In May 2019, an Overwatch writer updated the background story for one male character, Soldier: 76. He wrote that Soldier: 76 had been in a romantic relationship with another man and identified as gay. It was a bit of information that is far from unusual in the real world, but in online gaming, it was somewhat revolutionary. The announcement resulted in hundreds of responses on Twitter and other social media channels. Many players supported the announcement and liked the tweet. But some players were uncomfortable with the decision, accusing Blizzard of making money through political correctness, complaining that the announcement was unnecessary, and even threatening to stop playing Overwatch. Our research team wanted to know if this announcement influenced the game itself. Would players change their attitude toward Soldier: 76? We examined the pick rate—the frequency with which players choose a specific character—before, during and after the announcement. Surprisingly, we found an extreme drop in the pick rate for Soldier: 76 after the news. Players shied away from playing with the newly outed character. Interestingly, instead of choosing Soldier: 76, several players chose the only other LGBTQ character in the game: a lesbian called Tracer. Though Soldier: 76 had previously been assumed by most to be straight, Tracer had been openly gay since the game was published. To understand what was going on, we used an online survey to ask players what they thought about the announcement and how it influenced their gaming experience. Hundreds of players responded. Most respondents were men (83.77 percent) and from North America (49.4 percent) and Europe (39.5 percent). The majority had heard about Soldier: 76 being gay but didn’t care. They reported that changing a character’s sexuality had no influence on the game. A large minority, however, felt uncomfortable and that other players discriminated against them when they played as Soldier: 76 after the announcement. They got tired of homophobic slurs and constant harassment and temporarily switched to other characters to avoid it. Additionally, many players mentioned that the gaming community makes an important distinction between the only two LGBTQ characters in the game. Whereas Soldier: 76 is a man, Tracer is a woman. Some players reported in the survey that they felt other players see lesbians as appealing and interesting, but that the same players voice disgust toward gay men. Detecting discrimination is important and sheds light on a problem. The next step, however, is to find a way to decrease discrimination. In another research project, my team worked with a soccer federation trying to decrease discrimination. In a randomized trial, we found that an e-mail to coaches about how the sport can promote inclusivity and reduce racism helped raise awareness. We hope to do the same in e-sports by working together with people from within the industry who want to improve the equity and inclusivity of the community. Some people like to imagine that video games offer idealized versions of reality and teach values that seem to be lacking in the real world, such as fighting for a common cause or working together as a team. But our findings show that the world of video games has the same biases and discrimination we find in our everyday lives, and that games can be much more welcoming for some than others. Video games are always innovating, pushing art and technology forward to create new experiences for players. In the past, players and fans have adapted to this fast-changing environment. The online gaming community needs to embrace its diverse players and reckon with its biases. Players should get over themselves and accept all characters and the players who pick them. This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)Cornel Nesseler is an associate professor at the University of Stavanger, Norway. His focus is especially on sports economics and field experiments. | Video Games |
Looking for growth — Streaming giant will launch three new mobile games next year based on Ubisoft hits. Enlarge / Ubisoft’s Valiant Hearts game. The deal with Netflix will allow the French video game maker to tap into new audiences and experiment with fresh formats for existing titles.Ubisoft Netflix has teamed up with Ubisoft, one of Europe’s biggest video game companies, as the streaming giant seeks to bolster its fledgling gaming business.
The California-based streaming service will launch three new mobile games next year based on Ubisoft’s games, including its most successful title, Assassin’s Creed.
The move comes as Netflix attempts to accelerate growth of its new gaming arm amid a slowdown in the company’s streaming business. The streaming group has lost more than half of its market value since April when it revealed its decade-long subscriber growth had ended.
The partnership will entail the French gaming group developing the mobile games for Netflix. This will also include a game based on Ubisoft’s Mighty Quest, a castle-building and monster-looting game, and the historical puzzle adventure game called Valiant Hearts.
The games will be made available exclusively to Netflix subscribers, with no ads or in-app purchases, allowing Ubisoft to tap into new audiences and experiment with fresh formats for existing titles. No details of the deal value have been announced.
Netflix entered the gaming sector last year, hiring a number of high-profile executives, as it joined the world’s largest technology companies in trying to grab a slice of the most valuable portion of the entertainment industry.
Big Tech groups including Amazon, Facebook-owner Meta, Google, and Apple have all stepped up their investments in video games in recent years, vying to become the “Netflix of gaming.” Netflix has launched 28 games and acquired three gaming studios, including Night School Studio, which makes the supernatural adventure game Oxenfree, and Texas-based Boss Fight Entertainment. In March, it bought Next Games, the Finnish developer behind mobile games based on its hit show Stranger Things.
However, the company has struggled to quickly convert a big chunk of its roughly 220 million subscribers into regular gamers. There are about 1.9 million daily active users of Netflix’s mobile games, according to market intelligence firm Apptopia, and they have been installed 28 million times. By contrast, King, a popular games publisher that makes Candy Crush, has roughly 30 million daily active users.
Leanne Loombe, head of external games at Netflix, said the streaming company was still “very committed to games” but was at an experimentation stage, working out which styles and genres resonated most with its subscribers.
“Whoever our members are we want to make sure there’s a game on there for them,” she said, adding that in the future “we are going to start to focus more on Netflix IP” as “that’s what we have a superpower in.”
The streaming giant plans to have a total of 50 games on its roster by the end of the year.
But its push comes during a wider slowdown in the gaming sector, with console producers, video game publishers, and gaming chipmakers reporting weakening sales and engagement in recent months. Last week, US tech group Snap, which owns social media group Snapchat, said it was putting its gaming plans on hold.
Loombe said the company was not perturbed by a recent slide in gaming engagement, particularly in mobile, noting that “people are still playing games... so there’s still a huge opportunity for us.”
“You need a few hours to watch a TV series or films, but you only need five minutes to play a game on your commute,” she added.
© 2022 The Financial Times Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be redistributed, copied, or modified in any way. | Video Games |
A man rides an electric bike past the Tencent headquarters in Nanshan district of Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China September 2, 2022. REUTERS/David KirtonRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comPARIS, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Chinese tech giant Tencent (0700.HK) is tightening its grip on Ubisoft (UBIP.PA) in a deal valuing France's biggest video game maker more than 10 billion euros amid a wave of buyouts in the industry.Ubisoft (UBIP.PA)said in a statement that Tencent will buy a 49.9% stake with 5% voting rights in Guillemot Brothers Limited, the holding company of the Guillemot family who founded Ubisoft in 1986. As part of the deal, the Chinese company has the right to raise its direct stake in Ubisoft to 9.99% from 4.5% currently.Tencent's investment in Guillemot Brothers Limited, which owns the bulk of the 15% stake the family holds in Ubisoft, amounts to 300 million euros ($297.3 million), at an implied valuation of 80 euros per Ubisoft share.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThe deal thus values the whole of Ubisoft at more than 10 billion euros ($9.91 billion), as the group's shares closed at less than 44 euros each on Tuesday."Tencent is a key shareholder partner for many of the industry’s leaders, who have created some of the most outstanding video games," Chief Executive Officer Yves Guillemot said."This transaction reinforces our ability to create strong value over the coming years," he added.($1 = 1.0091 euros)($1 = 1.0093 euros)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Tassilo Hummel and Mathieu Rosemain, editing by Silvia AloisiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Video Games |
(Image credit: Microsoft) What you need to knowMicrosoft creates a dedicated webpage for its ongoing Activision Blizzard acquisition for $68.7 billion.The website provides updates, quotes, and charts related to the deal.The European Commission has a deadline to approve the acquisition or launch a further investigation into the deal by Nov. 8.Microsoft has dedicated a section of the company's website solely on information about its upcoming Activision Blizzard acquisition and explains why the deal would be beneficial to everyone.The website (opens in new tab) contains a collection of updates from the company regarding the acquisition, quotes from Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and Vice Chair and President Brad Smith, charts detailing the history gaming revenue and the market, and a table listing the benefits of the acquisition. Microsoft says the deal would benefit players through "more games on more devices including Xbox, PlayStation, phones, and online," and more alternatives on how games are purchased and accessed. The company also argues it would benefit game creators with "better revenue and fair marketplace rules" and "greater flexibility in payment systems," while the game industry would benefit from more competition with Sony, Nintendo, and mobile.(Image credit: Microsoft)The push for Microsoft to publicly inform the Activision Blizzard acquisition in a more positive light comes as the deal is currently under examination by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that the deal would reduce competition, while the European Commission has until Nov. 8 to approve the deal or investigate further.Microsoft had announced it would acquire Activision Blizzard earlier this year for $68.7 billion, and faces regulatory reviews in several counties. If the deal goes through, Microsoft would gain developers and games under Activision, Blizzard, and King. That includes major franchises such as World of Warcraft, Candy Crush, and Call of Duty. The acquisition of the latter series has been disputed by Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan, who called Microsoft's agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation platforms "inadequate." Thomas Meyer fell in love with video games starting in the mid '90s with a NES, Super Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, and Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf. He hasn't stopped and is not planning to anytime soon. Freelance for Android Central and Windows Central. | Video Games |
Nathan Copeland considers himself a cyborg. The 36-year-old has lived with a brain-computer interface for more than seven years and three months. As of today—August 17—that’s the longest anyone has had an implant like this. An electrode array the size of a pencil eraser, surgically installed in his motor cortex, translates his neural impulses into commands that allow him to control external devices: a computer, video games, and a robotic arm he can move with just his thoughts.A car accident in 2004 left Copeland paralyzed from the chest down, unable to move or feel his limbs. In 2014, he joined a study at the University of Pittsburgh for people with major spinal cord injuries to see whether a brain-computer interface, or BCI, could restore some of the functionality he’d lost. He didn’t hesitate to sign up, even though it would require brain surgery—and nobody knew how long the device would keep working. “When I started, they said, ‘Oh, it’ll probably last five years.’ And that five years was based on monkey data, because no human had ever done it,” he says.Nathan Copeland has been using a brain-computer interface continuously since 2015.
Courtesy of University of PittsburghThat Copeland’s implant is still working—and hasn’t caused any major side effects or complications—is promising for the field. It’s a sign that the devices, which have been in development since the 1960s but are still experimental, are moving closer to commercial reality for patients with severe disabilities. “It feels like it’s on the borderline of being practical,” says Jane Huggins, director of the University of Michigan Direct Brain Interface Laboratory, who’s not affiliated with the Pittsburgh study.But questions still remain about the long-term durability of the implanted arrays—how much their performance will erode over time, and whether they could be upgraded. “It would be utterly maddening to have function restored for years, then lose it again. And that is always a concern with implanted devices that may require service,” Huggins says.Copeland received his first array in 2015 and later gained three more as part of the study, giving him a total of four active implants. Called Utah arrays, they are made of hard silicon and look a bit like the bristly part of a hairbrush. A standard array is a square grid with 100 tiny needles, each about a millimeter long and coated with conductive metal. Because neurons produce electrical fields when they communicate with one another, scientists are able to use these arrays to capture and record activity from hundreds of nearby neurons.To build a brain-computer interface, researchers have to translate those neural signals into digital commands that let the wearer drive a prosthetic limb or a computer. The system Copeland uses, called BrainGate, involves an implanted array, a cable that runs from a nickel-sized pedestal on his head to an external device that amplifies his neural signals, and a computer that runs software to decode those signals.Richard Normann first conceived of the Utah array in the 1980s as a professor of bioengineering at the University of Utah, where he was interested in finding a way to restore vision. It’s since become the gold standard for brain-computer interface studies. “The whole field is built on the Utah array,” says Matt Angle, CEO of Paradromics, a Texas-based BCI company. “The fact that we’ve gone so long on a device that was designed in the ’80s and ’90s speaks to how much ahead of its time it was.”A close-up of the Utah array.
Courtesy of Blackrock NeurotechA close-up of the Utah array.
Courtesy of Blackrock NeurotechIn 2004, Matt Nagle became the first paralyzed person to be implanted with a Utah array; it allowed him to move a computer cursor, operate a TV, check email, and make a prosthetic hand open and close. Nagle’s implant was removed after a year, following the protocol of the study he was participating in. Now there are more than 30 study participants around the world wearing implanted BCIs.With so few people outfitted with these devices, their longevity is still unknown. So far, the Utah array has lasted up to 10 years in monkeys. In Copeland’s case, his implants are still working, but not as well as in the first year or so after being implanted, says Robert Gaunt, a biomedical engineer at the University of Pittsburgh and a member of Copeland’s research team. “The body is a very difficult place to put electronics and engineered systems into,” Gaunt says. “It’s an aggressive environment, and the body is always trying to get rid of these things.”Implanted arrays can provoke an immune response in the neural tissue that surrounds the electrodes—the spiky probes that stick into the brain. Studies have shown that this inflammation can lead to decreased signal quality. And scar tissue can form around brain implants, which also affects their ability to pick up signals from nearby neurons. The less information that a BCI can interpret from neurons, the less effective it is at carrying out its intended functions.One way scientists are trying to make implants last longer is by experimenting with different kinds of materials. The Utah array is insulated with parylene, a protective polymer coating used in the medical device industry for its stability and low permeability to moisture. But it can corrode and crack over time, and other materials may prove to be more durable.Florian Solzbacher, CEO of Blackrock Neurotech, which manufactures the Utah arrays, says the company is testing one that’s coated with a combination of parylene and silicon carbide, which has been around for more than 100 years as an industrial material. “We’ve seen lifetimes on the benchtop that can reach up to 30 years, and we’ve got some preliminary data in animals right now,” he says. But the company has yet to implant it in people, so the real test will be how human tissue reacts to the new formulation.Making electrodes more flexible could also help reduce scarring. Angle’s company Paradromics is developing an implant similar to the Utah array, but with thinner electrodes intended to be less disruptive to tissue.Some researchers are trying out softer materials that may be able to better integrate into the brain than the rigid Utah array. One group, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is experimenting with hydrogel coatings designed to have an elasticity very similar to that of the brain. Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania are also growing “living” electrodes, hairlike microtissues made of neurons and nerve fibers grown from stem cells.But these approaches have downsides, too. “You can get a rigid thing into a soft thing. But if you’re trying to put a very soft thing into another soft thing, that’s very hard,” Gaunt says.Another approach is to make the implants smaller, and therefore less invasive. For instance, researchers are testing neurograins, tiny chips the size of a grain of sand that could hypothetically be sprinkled across the cortical surface. But no one has tried dispersing them on a human brain; the system has only been tested in rodents that had their skulls removed.Some research participants have had their Utah arrays taken out and replaced, but multiple surgeries aren’t ideal, because each one carries a risk of infection or bleeding at the implant site. Gaunt says surgeons probably wouldn’t place a new implant in the exact same place as an old one, especially if there’s scarring in that area. But making sure that a replacement is put in the right spot is another risk: Implants in the wrong place could cause cognitive and communication impairments.Gaunt says it would be better for the external BCI components—the processors or software, for instance—to be upgradable, so that patients wouldn’t have to undergo multiple surgeries.Nathan Copeland plays solitaire using his brain-computer interface.
Courtesy of University of PittsburghBut in fact, an external part of most BCI systems is actually one of the biggest risks for brain implants. The pedestal that sits atop the skull is prone to infection, but its presence is necessary because the BrainGate system that most research participants use isn’t wireless. For now, Copeland and other research participants have to get plugged into the system via a cable every time they use their BCIs. (Researchers are working on getting rid of those cables.) For Copeland, it’s a mild annoyance in exchange for getting to do the things he can do with his BCI—although he hopes future systems will be wireless and give paralyzed people an even broader range of abilities.Given the unknowns of BCI longevity, Copeland knows his implant could stop working some day. But he tries not to worry about it. “I’m super chill about most things. I just go with the flow,” he says. That said, he wouldn’t turn down an upgrade: “In five or 10 years, if there is something that would have significant improvements, I would do the surgery again and just go for it.” | Video Games |
Trombone Champ is the newest video game players can't put down — even if those around them wished they would.Developed by Holy Wow Studios, the rhythm-based video game is similar to Guitar Hero — but swaps the guitar for trombone. An avatar plays the trombone while the player moves their mouse up and down to sync with pitches on the screen. The mouse movements are inverted, adding another level of difficulty.The game, which was released Sept. 15, went viral this week after people online — ranging from video game reviewers to actual trombone players — began posting recordings of themselves playing it.The result? A lot of tooting, to songs like the national anthem and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, and subsequent laughs from people on the internet.Dan Vecchitto, the game's developer, said he never expected it would turn into the internet’s newfound source of laughter. In fact, Vecchitto, whose full-time job is in web design, expected a much smaller group of enthusiasts."I'm obviously super happy about it and a little relieved," Vecchitto said with a laugh. "I wasn't quite sure what the response was going to be because ... it almost always sounds bad."Vecchitto, who said he develops video games as a hobby, doesn't even play the trombone.He came up with the idea for Trombone Champ four years ago, inspired by traditional arcade cabinets. Vecchitto said he imagined a cabinet that, rather than a plastic light gun, had a rubber trombone with a moving slider attached to it."I thought it would be funny to imagine someone attempting to move the slide on a giant rubber trombone in and out so it kind of matched these giant squiggly lines flying on the screen," he said.I wasn’t quite sure what the response was going to be because ... it almost always sounds bad.
Dan Vecchitto, trombone Champ developerDeveloping the game was a relatively smooth process, according to Vecchitto, who worked on it on nights and weekends. But the tricky part for Vecchitto was that he wanted to find songs that would be enjoyable to the player without having to pay any royalties. Almost all of the music is classical and in the public domain.The game does feature one original piece by London-based artist Max Tundra, called "Long-Tail Limbo." Initially, Vecchitto said he was afraid that actual trombone players might be insulted by the game. However, he said most trombone players he’s heard from have enjoyed it.“A GAME WHERE YOU PLAY TROMBONE?!?!? It feels like Trombone Champ was literally made for me,” G4 host and trombonist Austin Creed tweeted.YouTuber Trombone Timo, a professional trombonist with a large social media following, also enjoyed playing.“Overall this game is complete trash — just kidding,” he said in his video review. “It’s wonderful.”His only gripes? A trombonist doesn’t move their entire body to reach certain notes the way the game’s avatar does, he said. "Also, 'tromboner?'" he added, referring to what a player is called in the game. "C’mon ... [it's] trombonist!"Many said the game had them laughing out loud. “Trombone Champ is so funny because the sound of an off-key trombone and a fart is almost exactly the same and therefore almost exactly as funny, especially with repetition,” one person tweeted. "Trombone Champ is unbelievable," games writer Joseph Yaden tweeted. "Funniest game I’ve ever played.""saw the video from pc gamer..hurt my tummy from laughing so hard..bought the game in a toot..played it myself..now my index finger is hurting and my tummy hurts even more," one reviewer wrote on Steam, the video game distribution service platform.Many tweeted song requests they hoped to one day see on "Trombone Champ." Some suggested the game is an “instant” Game of the Year contender.Vecchitto said because of the overwhelming response, he'll continue to update and tweak what he believes is the first-ever trombone-centric game.The game, which costs $14.99, is available on PC via Steam. Vecchitto said he’s planning to release a Mac version and, eventually, a version for consoles. The game is also currently only available in English, but Vecchitto has plans to add other languages. "I always knew that the concept was funny," Vecchitto said. "But I’m still really surprised with how viral it's gone."Kalhan Rosenblatt is a reporter covering youth and internet culture for NBC News, based in New York. | Video Games |
After conquering the X Games and video games, Tony Hawk has set his sights on his next frontier: the metaverse.The legendary skateboarder this week announced plans to partner up with The Sandbox — an online game built on the ethereum blockchain where players can spend cryptocurrency to buy virtual land — to build the "largest virtual skatepark ever made," the company said in a Wednesday press release.The partnership, which is also a collaboration with NFL star Tom Brady's sports-focused NFT platform Autograph, will include a collection of digital avatars that players will be able to buy on the platform, as well as access to a the virtual skatepark where they will be able to skate with other players."I have been a fan of new technology all of my life – from the first video games and home computers with CGI capabilities – so I am fascinated by the metaverse, and excited to bring our culture into the virtual landscape of The Sandbox," Hawk said in the press release.It's not the first time that the now 54-year-old skater has embarked on a business venture in a relatively nascent industry. In 1999 he released the first installment in the popular "Tony Hawk Pro Skater" video game series, which spawned a slew of sequels, the most recent of which sold 1 million copies in just its first 10 days.Among the NFTs that will be available for purchase in the game is a digital replica of the skateboard that Hawk used when he became the first person to land a 900 — a difficult skateboarding trick — at the X Games in 1999.Hawk's announcement comes as the world of crypto and NFTs has come under increasing scrutiny as cryptocurrency values have plummeted from all-time highs and found themselves in a so-called crypto winter.Just last month billionaire Bill Gates said that crypto and NFTs were something that's "100% based on greater fool theory," the idea that the worth of overvalued assets is based solely off of a person's ability to get someone else to pay more for it.Sign up now: Get smarter about your money and career with our weekly newsletterDon't miss: Crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried says some crypto exchanges are 'already secretly insolvent' | Video Games |
Sept 29 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google said on Thursday it would wind down its consumer gaming service, Stadia, as it failed to attract enough interest from gamers after nearly three years of being launched.Gaming companies are facing a slowdown in demand for video games from pandemic highs. The near-term prospects for Stadia also looked dim as high inflation has caused some consumers to reduce their spending on entertainment."While Stadia's approach to streaming games for consumers was built on a strong technology foundation, it hasn't gained the traction with users that we expected," Phil Harrison, vice president and general manager of Stadia, said in a blog post.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThe company said it would be refunding all Stadia hardware purchases made through the Google Store, and all game and add-on content purchases made through the Stadia store.However, players will continue to have access to their games library and play through Jan. 18.Last year, Google said it would stop internal development of games for Stadia, making it entirely dependent on titles from other game developers and publishers. (https://reut.rs/3dQtXCO)Stadia was launched in 2019 along with an internal game development unit that was expected to make titles for the platform.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Tiyashi Datta and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju SamuelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Video Games |
Published November 3, 2022 11:08AM Updated 12:55PM article Kids play the video game 'Mario Strikers: Battle League Football' at gaming event. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images) Children playing video games is an ongoing issue many parents grapple with when trying to decide how to manage their kids' screen time. Studies conducted through the years have examined the pros and cons of gaming for children from a behavioral, mental, and social perspective. But a new study explains that children playing video games could lead to better cognitive performance. Lead author Bader Chaarani, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont, and researchers took an in-depth look at the connection between video game play and brain activity in kids using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD). The data from the ABCD was evaluated by researchers between October 2020 and October 2021. RELATED: Video game players show increased brain activity, decision-making skills, study says In a study published by the Jama Network Open, 2217 children between the ages of 9 and 10 participated in the report. Kids consisted of non-video game players (gamers with no hours of video game play per week) and video game players (gamers who play at least 21 hours each week). These criteria for gaming hours were used for this study because it exceeds the American Academy of Pediatrics screen time guidelines, which recommends that video game play be limited to 1 to 2 hours per day for older children, the study explains. Kids in the study completed a self-reported screen time survey with the consent of their parents. One question in the survey asked kids how many hours per week they play video games on a computer, console, smartphone, or other devices. Compared to kids who had never played video games, children who reported playing video games for three or more hours a day or routinely performed better on tests of their cognitive abilities, including impulse control and working memory, the study revealed. RELATED: Video games could trigger deadly heart problems in children, study finds Researchers concluded that future data from the ABCD will allow them to look at the long-term effects children playing video games can have on improving their brain activity, inhibition, and working memory. This story was reported from Washington, D.C. | Video Games |
From Caper in the Castro to Raptor Boyfriend, these fabulous games let you express yourself and remember LGBTQ+ history.Happy pride month to all the gaymers! During pride this year, as a celebration, I’m replaying a few of my favorite video games with LGBTQ+ representation. Even though many modern video game companies are committed to diverse representation, the execution still misses the mark at times. As a queer person, I value gaming experiences that leave me feeling included and understood.After hours of dutifully playing through a variety of titles, I rounded up eight quality games where the LGBTQ+ characters feel natural, with a strong preference given to independent studios. This isn't a complete list, by any means, so use them as a starting point to explore even more great queer games from queer creators.If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIREDTrailblazing ClicksCaper in the CastroPossibly the first LGBTQ+ video game released, Caper in the Castro was created by a member of San Francisco’s queer community in the late ’80s to raise money for those impacted by the AIDS crisis. Originally shared on bulletin board systems among the community, the game let’s you play as a lesbian investigating the disappearance of a trans woman. The title card for Caper in the Castro reads, “It’s not just a game … it's a gayme!” A fascinating piece of history, this point-and-click adventure was considered lost for years until floppy disk copies were uncovered and made available to the public through emulation.Courtesy of Young HorsesTempting TreatsBugsnaxA PlayStation exclusive at launch, Bugsnax is now available on PC as well as Switch and Xbox consoles. It’s a casual game that a wide variety of people may enjoy. You play as a journalist attempting to investigate odd occurrences on Snacktooth Island. The game’s opening minutes incorporate a nonchalant moment of queer affection, and Bugsnax has a nonbinary character. “In short, asking queer creators to be part of the process is a great way to arrive at inclusive practices,” said creative director Kevin Zuhn in an interview with with Rock Paper Shotgun.Courtesy of Humble GamesMagic PixelsIkenfellEngage in magical encounters at school as you weave your way around campus in Ikenfell. The game’s pixel art is nostalgic, and its wholehearted acceptance of queer characters is enlivening. Composers from Steven Universe worked on the soundtrack for this indie. Fantastic on the Nintendo Switch, Ikenfell is a turn-based role-playing game.Courtesy of Rocket AdriftCharming CryptidsRaptor BoyfriendFeeling experimental? Get flirty with male and female cryptids in Raptor Boyfriend, a dating sim from indie studio Rocket Adrift. The game’s tongue-in-cheek concept contrasts with a heartfelt narrative that tackles the complexities of growing up. When I interviewed Rocket Adrift in 2021, lead programmer and UI/UX designer Titus McNally said, “There’s a lot of visual novels that kind of have a gimmick or a joke, and they don’t go deep enough, but we really tried with this project to make a memorable story.” When purchasing games like Raptor Boyfriend from indie developers, the money can support tiny teams with queer creators who have the creative freedom to take chances on outlandish ideas.Courtesy of Pillow FightShip SelfHeaven Will Be MineHeaven Will Be Mine is a queer exploration of transhumanism. You play as one of three mecha pilots who have a complicated, interwoven history, and their allegiances lie with competing factions. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but the sci-fi visual novel from Worst Girl Games revolves around messy romances and mighty machines.Photograph: Xbox Game StudiosProcessing TraumaTell Me WhyFrom French developer Dontnod, Tell Me Why features the story of a trans man reconnecting with his twin sister in rural Alaska. While the two share certain childhood memories, exact interpretations of the events differ between Tyler and Alyson. The development team collaborated with GLAAD, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, while working on the game and proactively released answers to many potential questions, like whether Tyler is misgendered or the victim of violence. While some critics found Tell Me Why to be overly sanitized, the imperfect game is satisfying to play and feels like watching an interactive movie.Courtesy of Toge ProductionsSpilt TeaCoffee TalkAccording to video game publisher Toge Productions, Coffee Talk is brewing up a few more signature drinks. Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly is expected for release in 2023, so now is the perfect time for any curious newcomers who wandered in off the street to test out the original, laid-back experience. Queer themes are not as explicit in this choice, but it does stand out for having a butch woman, Myrtle, as a main character. Ready for a few more sips? Check out WIRED’s interview with some of the people behind Coffee Talk.Courtesy of Robert YangHistorical UrinalsThe TearoomA NSFW video game created by Robert Yang, The Tearoom pushes boundaries and satirically reimagines a pertinent moment in queer American history. The game’s name references a controversial book by sociologist Laud Humphreys titled Tearoom Trade: Impersonal Sex in Public Places. Gameplay is loosely based on actual footage of men having sex with other men recorded inside a public bathroom by Ohio police officers in 1962. As an effort to sidestep censorship, all genitalia in the game is replaced with a specific gun. In his artist statement, Yang explained the decision to incorporate phallic weapons instead of the real deal as part of his “resistance against Twitch's draconian game-banning policies.” The Tearoom is one of many recent queer games that embrace erotic themes.Reece Rogers is WIRED's service writer, focused on explaining crucial topics and helping readers get the most out of their technology. Prior to WIRED, he covered streaming at Insider. | Video Games |
Step Into the Golden Age of Video Games and Explore Atari Sunnyvale, Which Celebrates the Birthplace of Atari, and Experience Your Favorite Games in the Metaverse
Atari — one of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and interactive entertainment producers — announced the launch of Atari Sunnyvale, a massive social and gaming experience in The Sandbox, a leading decentralized gaming virtual world and a subsidiary of Animoca Brands. Atari Sunnyvale includes a dozen environments based on classic Atari games and a full game based on Crystal Castles. In all, 17 original Atari games are represented.
Within Atari Sunnyvale players will be able to explore and interact with each other, and with NPCs based on Atari characters. Players can also participate in a number of quests and games, like hide and seek, with winners receiving rewards. The Crystal Castles experience is a game in which players race through a maze-like castle, collecting gems and fighting off enemies. Crystal CastlesTM is just the first of many games to come.
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The Sandbox is an immersive virtual world where players can create virtual worlds and games, and take part in experiences created by others. The voxel gaming platform enables creators to craft, play, share, collect, and trade, all in a decentralized environment. Creators have secure ownership and copyright of their creations because all in-game items have a unique and immutable blockchain identifier. Atari Sunnyvale is launching as part of The Sandbox Alpha Season 3.
“We are incredibly excited to share Atari Sunnyvale with The Sandbox community, and we know it will draw more Atari fans to the growing platform,” said Tyler Drewitz, Director of Atari X. “I am particularly eager for people to experience the elaborate and wondrous environments based on our games that have been created by Sandbox partner studio, Metaworld Entertainments.”
Atari remains one of the largest landholders in The Sandbox, and will continue to work with partners to develop more experiences to engage the player community over the coming years.
“The vision that the team at The Sandbox has, and the creativity and energy they bring to the project, makes them an ideal partner for Atari,” said Wade Rosen, Atari CEO. “We will continue to experiment and find new ways to bring programming to the open world, and look forward to bringing more experiences to players.”
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Gamescom Opening Night Live has come and gone, bringing with it a host of new trailers. Some good, some bad, but man... there are a lot of video games coming.We got to see some of the big ones: Hogwarts Legacy, Gotham Knights and Sonic Frontiers. But I'm also fairly keen on a few others, like The Expanse game, Atlas Fallen and Callisto Protocol.Here, in alphabetical order, are all the trailers from Gamescom so far...Atlas Fallen
Blacktail
Callisto Protocol
CrossfireX Babylon
Dead Island 2
Dorfromantik
Dying Light 2: Bloody Ties
Dune Awakening
Everywhere
Friends vs Friends
Genshin Impact 3.0
Goat Simulator 3
Gotham Knights
High on Life
Hogwarts Legacy
Homeworld 3
Honkai Star Rail
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Lies of P
Marauders
Moonbreaker
Moving Out 2
New Tales From the Borderlands
Park Beyond
Phantom Hellcat
Return to Monkey Island
Scars Above
Sonic Frontiers
Stranded: Alien Dawn
The Expanse
The Lords of the Fallen
The Outlast Trials
Under The Waves
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
Where Winds Meet
Wyrdsong | Video Games |
Published July 7, 2022 9:12PM article Visitors play Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links video game in the Konami Holdings Corp. booth at Tokyo Game Show on September 17, 2016 in Chiba, Japan. TOKYO (AP) - Kazuki Takahashi, the creator of the "Yu-Gi-Oh!" manga comic and trading card game, has died, apparently while snorkeling in southwestern Japan, the coast guard said Friday. The body of Takahashi, 60, was found Wednesday floating about 300 meters (330 yards) off the coast of Okinawa, by a person running a marine leisure business, according to an official at the Naha Coast Guard Nago station. The coast guard and the fire department went by boat and watercraft and found the body, face down and wearing a snorkeling mask. He may have been dead for a day or two, according to the coast guard official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because their job did not allow them to be quoted by name. The body showed signs of being attacked by a marine creature, possibly sharks, but the cause of death was still under investigation, the official said. Takahashi was identified after police in another part of Okinawa contacted the coast guard Thursday, saying a rented car had been found abandoned on a beach. The car had a driver’s license, confirming the identity. Takahashi’s real first name was Kazuo. His family was contacted and identified him, the coast guard official said. "Yu-Gi-Oh!" debuting in Shonen Jump magazine in 1996, became a hit, selling more than 40 million copies as manga, although the number of cards out in the world is far greater, in the billions. The official card game went on sale in 1999. A TV show and video games, as well as figures and toys, were also part of the franchise. There was an outpouring of mourning on social media. Eric Stuart, the American actor who did the animation voiceover, said he was saddened by the news. "An amazingly talented man. Sensei created a role that would help define my voice acting career," Stuart said on Twitter, using the Japanese word for "teacher." Fans around the world posted their cards and manga images online. Some noted that was how they had become interested in Japan. People recalled how the cards had helped them make their first friends. "We are deeply grateful for the wonderful ‘Yu-Gi-Oh!’ universe that he has created, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time," the London-based YuGiOhNews account said on Twitter and on its official site. The ambassador to Japan from Georgia, Teimuraz Lezhava, said "Yu-Gi-Oh!" evoked a distinct world. "I will never forget the excitement of playing the game," he said on his official Japanese Twitter. Takahashi’s work had children, and the young at heart, collecting the cards, decorated with mechanical monsters and wizard-like creatures, with a frenzy. The prices of some shot up during the height of the fad. When a "Yu-Gi-Oh!" event was held at a Tokyo baseball stadium in 1999, so many children and parents came to buy the cards, game-maker Konami, the organizer, had to call in riot police. "Yu-Gi-Oh!" is played by having two people facing off and placing cards from their deck with different powers to try defeat the other. Each player starts out with 8,000 "life points," which get chiseled away as your cards lose. The main character is a doe-eyed boy with spiky blond hair called Yugi Muto, an expert at card games. "Yu-Gi-Oh" means "king of games." The more expensive cards, the ones literally with glitter, are powerful in the game, called "super rare" and "secret rare." But they weren’t that easily found, so people bought more packs, or cartons, of the cards. The success of "Yu-Gi-Oh!" in the West was similar to that of other Japanese animation and game works like Pokemon. | Video Games |
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