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Decathlon CMA CGM Team's Dutch rider Olav Kooij cycles to the finish line to win the 5th stage of the Tour de France ahead of XDS Astana Team’s German rider Max Kanter (right) in Pau,
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Arthur Fery became the first man to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals as a wildcard in 25 years after the Briton extended his fairytale run with a stunning victory against Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday.Fery swatted aside French Open finalist Cobolli 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-0 in a quarter-final rout that delighted the partisan crowd on Centre Court.The 23-year-old is the first British wildcard to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam in the Open era.Fery faces French Open champion Alexander Zverev on Friday for a place in Sunday's final.'It gets better and better every match. It's incredible. I just can't believe it,' Fery said.'I was very nervous beforehand but I just kept going until the finish line. In that last game I felt emotions I have never felt in my life.'The world number 114's astonishing run has him positioned to follow in the footsteps of flamboyant Croatian Goran Ivanisevic, who beat Pat Rafter to win Wimbledon as a wildcard in 2001.Incredibly, Fery is just two victories away from emulating Ivanisevic and becoming the first British man to win Wimbledon since Andy Murray in 2016.He is the third-lowest ranked man since 1985 to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals, after world number 237 Vladimir Voltchkov in 2000 and world number 125 Ivanisevic in 2001.He is also the first British man to make the last four at Wimbledon since Cameron Norrie in 2022 and only the fifth in the Open era.'I beat Flavio earlier this year. It was a boost of confidence, even though this was my first time in the quarter-finals,' he said.'I'm so happy. I'm just going to keep going and see where that takes me.'Fery's jaw-dropping rise comes after he had won just two matches at Grand Slams in his career prior to this year's Wimbledon. He had never been past the second round of a Grand Slam in his four other appearances at the majors.Fery's run is all the more remarkable as he was unable to play singles for part of 2025 because of a bone stress injury in his arm that hindered him for 18 months. A blur of energyInjury issues aside, Fery has been to the manor born in the plush surroundings of Wimbledon. Fery's wealthy father Loic is the president of French football club Lorient, while his mother Olivia enjoyed a distinguished tennis career, winning two singles titles and playing at the French Open.Fery moved from France to London as a young child and went to school in the Wimbledon area. He needed a wild card to enter Wimbledon this year after losing in French Open qualifying and the second round at the Australian Open.Fery announced himself as an All England Club cult hero with a brilliant five-set victory over former world number three Grigor Dimitrov in the last 16. No wonder the famous grass verge where fans gather to watch matches on a big screen at the All England Club has already been dubbed 'Arthur's Seat' after previously being known as Henman Hill and Murray Mount.Cobolli, who made it to the Roland Garros final in June, seemed uncomfortable from the start against Fery.Complaining about the raucous pro-Fery crowd and grumbling about a champagne cork popping as he was about to serve, the Italian world number 10 was no match for the effervescent underdog.Fery has been riding a wave of emotion since fighting back to beat Zizou Bergs in five sets in the third round and once again he was a blur of energy on the baseline, taking the first set on his first break point.Showing no sign of nerves, Fery kept the pressure on Cobolli and took the second set in a tie-break. With the temperature approaching a blistering 34C, Fery was the coolest man on Centre Court.He raced through the third set and collapsed to the turf in disbelief after clinching the biggest win of his life with an ace.
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Major League Baseball said on Wednesday it has joined forces with cricket's Suryakumar Yadav as part of an effort to bring America's favourite pastime closer to Indian sports fans.In his role as an MLB Ambassador, the captain of the 2026 Twenty20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team will participate in a series of events and initiatives in both India and the U.S. highlighting the similarities between baseball and cricket beyond the bat and ball.Suryakumar will be on hand during MLB All-Star week in Philadelphia from July 10-14.'I'm excited to partner with Major League Baseball and be part of its journey in India,' Suryakumar said.'I look forward to learning more about the game myself and helping more fans discover the energy, excitement and culture that make baseball something else.'MLB also said Suryakumar would curate a wide range of content designed to connect with sports fans in India.The India team led by Suryakumar etched their name deeper into cricketing history in March when they became the first side to lift the men's T20 World Cup for a third time with a ruthless demolition of New Zealand.MLB also announced a renewal of its broadcast agreement with JioStar to bring live games and content to fans across the country.'India is home to one of the most vibrant sports cultures in the world, and these partnerships allow us to connect with fans in a meaningful way,' said Jeremiah Yolkut, MLB's senior vice president of global operations.
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The Qatar Padel Federation (QPF) has announced that the International Padel Federation (FIP) has awarded Doha the hosting rights for the 2026 and 2028 editions of the FIP Padel World Cup, further strengthening Qatar's reputation as a leading destination for major international sporting events.Both tournaments will be staged at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex, a venue that has become synonymous with world-class padel competitions. The complex has previously hosted the Qatar Major Premier Padel tournament on four occasions, as well as the most recent FIP World Team Championships, cementing its status as one of the sport's premier venues.The successful bid reflects Qatar's growing prominence in international padel and its continued commitment to hosting top-tier global sporting events.The decision to award Doha the hosting rights for the 2026 and 2028 FIP World Cups was based on key criteria including its world-class sporting infrastructure, athlete and delegation services, proven track record in staging major international events, high safety standards, financial guarantees, and Qatar's strong sporting legacy.The tournaments will also feature record prize money, with a total purse of €1.2mn for the 2026 edition, increasing to €1.35mn in 2028. The prize money, to be shared equally between the men's and women's competitions, will be the highest ever offered at an official padel event, underscoring the commitment of the FIP and the Qatar Padel Federation to elevate the sport's premier team competition.Tareq Zainal, Secretary General of the Qatar Padel Federation, said: “We are honoured by the International Padel Federation's decision to award Doha the hosting rights for both the 2026 and 2028 FIP World Cup. Having previously hosted the championship on two occasions, we are proud that Qatar continues to be entrusted with one of the sport's most watched events.”“This confidence reflects the dedication of the Qatar Padel Federation and all our partners to delivering world-class tournaments that meet the highest international standards. Hosting two consecutive editions presents a unique opportunity to build on our experience, further enhance the event, and create an exceptional experience for players, teams and fans from around the world. We look forward to welcoming the global Padel community back to Doha and contributing to the continued growth and success of our sport."“The awarding of the 2026 and 2028 editions of the FIP World Cup to Doha is a decision that looks to the future of our sport,” said FIP President Luigi Carraro. He continued: “Qatar has consistently demonstrated that it possesses all the necessary qualities to host world-class events, and awarding two consecutive editions of the World Cup to the country will provide continuity for the tournament's growth, ensuring an outstanding experience for players, federations and fans."Doha is one of the global homes of Padel. On more than one occasion it has demonstrated its ability to deliver exceptional standards of organisation and hospitality, and it holds a special place in the history of international Padel. We are confident it will once again help write new and historic chapters in the story of our sport, with the invaluable contribution of the Qatar Padel Federation, whom I thank for its commitment and passion in supporting the growth of Padel worldwide,” he said. Related Story
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West Indies completed their first home Test series triumph for two years when the second and final match against Sri Lanka petered out into a tame, rain-affected draw on the last day at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Tuesday.Needing victory to square the series after a crushing innings loss in the first Test a week earlier at the same venue, the tourists declared their second innings at 251 for nine just after lunch, setting their hosts the daunting target of 302 in less than two sessions for a sweep of the two-match duel. However, the West Indies' opening pair of John Campbell and Brandon King put together an unbroken opening stand of 89, interrupted first by a brief shower and by longer, sustained precipitation which extinguished any prospect of an outright result either way.Fulfilling the often bewildering and tedious formalities of the traditional game in situations like this, play resumed in late afternoon for 40 minutes of aimless cricket when the match was called off as a draw with the West Indies at 109 with loss. Both Campbell and King were unbeaten on 51 apiece.West Indies' last Test series win on home soil was a 2-0 hammering of Bangladesh in 2024 when comfortable victories were achieved at this venue and then at the Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia.Their last series victory over Sri Lanka was in 2003 at home when they prevailed 1-0 in a similar two-match contest.Starting the final morning at 92 for two in their second innings, an overall lead of 142, the Sri Lankan overnight pair of Dinesh Chandimal and Kamindu Mendis made intentions clear from the outset.They looked for every opportunity to score to give captain Dhananjaya de Silva a realistic option of at least trying to declare to force a series-saving victory.Mendis fell to Jayden Seales for 44 while Chandimal continued to play his shots, the former captain getting to 71 off 107 balls with two sixes and four fours before he was next out,Kavem Hodge coming up with an excellent diving catch at backward-point off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph.Wickets fell at regular intervals thereafter with the Sri Lankans continuing to take chances in seeking to accelerate the scoring.As a result, all six bowlers used by West Indies captain Roston Chase, including himself and part-time spinner Hodge, were able to benefit from the risk-taking. Joseph had the best figures of two for 44. Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 549 for 9 dec (Udara 188, Dinusha 92, Seales 2-98, Shamar 2-98) and 251 for 9 dec (Chandimal 71, Alzarri 2-44) drew with West Indies 499 (Greaves 180, Hope 112, Asitha 5-130) and 109 for 0 (Campbell 51*, King 51*) Related Story
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Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk celebrates winning against Italy's Jasmine Paolini in their quarter-final on the tenth day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on
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In a match with few fireworks, the Swiss were patient against the Colombians and their enthusiastic fans.After a scoreless draw, Ruben Vargas converted the decisive penalty and Switzerland advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals, beating
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West Indies drew the second cricket Test with Sri Lanka on Tuesday to claim its first series victory in three years in the red ball format, showing encouraging fortitude with the bat only 12 months
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Former Australia Test cricketer Stuart MacGill lost an appeal Wednesday against his conviction and sentence over a cocaine deal.The 55-year-old retired leg-spinner was found guilty in 2025 of taking part in the supply of the
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The first Rolling Stones album was released in 1964. NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch was born in 2006.Of course, when it comes to Mick Jagger and company, time seems almost irrelevant."No matter who you are or
