Carlos Alcaraz was again made to sweat on Centre Court before booking a quarter-final spot with a 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-5 win over stubborn 16th seed Ugo Humbert.
Having fought back from two sets to one down to defeat Frances Tiafoe in the previous round, Alcaraz seemed to be enjoying a much easier time of it as he stormed the opening two sets, only for Humbert to produce some sublime tennis thereafter.
The Frenchman too would have felt aggrieved to lose the second set, in fact, as he squandered four break points on Alcaraz’s serve in the fifth game. And then, having only coughed up four points all set on his own serve, Humbert was suddenly broken out of nowhere to lose the set 6-4.
Alcaraz vs Humbert: Tale of the Tape
Alcaraz
Match Stats
Humbert
14
Aces
10
6
Double Faults
1
66%
1st serve win percentage
67%
43%
2nd serve win percentage
47%
24/34
Net points won
26/41
6/8
Break points won
5/13
45
Total winners
47
33
Unforced errors
35
121
Total points won
117
He was not to be deterred, though, as he proceeded to break the Alcaraz serve on four straight occasions over the course of a dominant third set and early into the fourth.
The defending champion appeared to have no answer for Humbert’s immaculate return game, the 16th seed hitting thumping winners with regularity and mixing in the odd heavy ball to the back of the baseline to do for the flat-footed Spaniard.
That said, Alcaraz himself twice broke Humbert to start the fourth set, but things were back on serve by the end of the sixth game as the determined Humbert continued to dig his heels into the Centre Court grass.
More thunderous groundstrokes off the left-hander’s racket helped set up three break points in the eighth game of the fourth set but, as in the second, a wasteful Humbert would ultimately rue spurning every single one of them as three games later it would be Alcaraz who’d earn the crucial break before serving things out.
Paul wins to set up Alcaraz quarter-final showdown
American 12th seed Tommy Paul raced against the fading light on Court Two to dispatch of Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 and set up a quarter-final clash with Alcaraz.
Image: Tommy Paul is in good form, having triumphed at Queen’s in the lead up to Wimbledon
The 27-year-old took just over two hours to beat Bautista Agut who was bidding to reach his second Wimbledon quarter-final in his 10th appearance here.
Paul, whose grass game is finely tuned after he won the Queen’s Club warm-up event last month, had just too much power and variety for the 36-year-old, now ranked 112.
Bautista Agut made the American work in the second set but a couple of unforced errors lost him the chance to draw level and Paul raced through the final set, clinching the match with an ace.
The players had arrived on court late because of rain showers and the shadows were long across the court when they finished.
“He (Alcaraz) plays amazing tennis on grass but I’m playing pretty good too,” said Paul, who is on a nine-match winning streak. They have split their four previous career meetings, winning two each.
Elsewhere in the men’s singles, world No 5 Daniil Medvedev advanced through to the last eight after 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov was forced to retire with a leg injury while trailing 5-3 in the first set.
He will face world No 1 Jannik Sinner next after the Italian made light work of promising American youngster Ben Shelton, beating the 14th seed in straight sets 6-2 6-4 7-6 (11-9).
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Davis Thompson put in record-setting performance as he wrapped up victory at the John Deere Classic and secured a spot in the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Thompson’s final total of 28 under par in Illinois eclipsed the previous tournament record of 27 under set by Michael Kim in 2017 and earned him a first PGA Tour title as well as a debut appearance in the British major from July 18-21.
The 25-year-old carded a seven-under 64 on Sunday to finish four strokes clear of CT Pan, Michael Thorbjornsen and amateur Luke Clanton, with Pan securing the second Open qualification spot by virtue of having the higher world ranking.
Image: CT Pan will tee it up at the Open Championship for the first time since 2021
Thompson led fellow American Eric Cole and England’s Aaron Rai by two strokes heading into the final round and never looked in danger of being caught as he birdied five of his first six holes at TPC Deere Run and reached the turn in 29.
The Georgian – who came joint-second at last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic after a ninth-placed finish at the US Open in June – saw his lead trimmed to three shots after he bogeyed 12 with Thorbjornsen making six birdies on the trot between eight and 13.
However, Thompson birdied 14 to effectively clinch victory with Thorbjornsen bogeying the same hole before picking up a birdie at 18 to end up alongside Pan and Clanton at 24 under.
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Thompson told CBS: “Qualifying for the Open was just an added incentive into this. The goal was to win the golf tournament after getting off to a great start and I was able to finish it off.”
Bizarrely, the winner of this tournament has stayed in the same rental house for three years running, with Thompson following in the footsteps of JT Poston in 2022 and last year’s winner Sepp Straka.
Clanton – who played the back nine in six under – became the first amateur to finish in the top 10 in back-to-back starts on the PGA Tour since 1958 having come 10th at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
England’s Rai ended up tied for seventh at the John Deere Classic after a two-under 69, with compatriot Harry Hall a further stroke back in a tie for 12th after closing with a six-under 65 that featured eight birdies and a double bogey.
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An emotional and reflective Lewis Hamilton opened up on what it meant to finally win again in Formula 1 at the British Grand Prix – admitting there had been times since the controversial conclusion to the 2021 season when he had “wanted not to continue” in the sport.
Hamilton was brought to tears at the end of Sunday’s enthralling wet-dry Silverstone race after a stirring and historic drive brought up a record ninth victory at a single Grand Prix.
Although it also represented Hamilton’s record-extending 104th win in F1, it was the 39-year-old’s first for 57 races in a drought that stretched back to the Saudi Arabian GP of December 2021, the race before that season’s infamous finale in Abu Dhabi when he missed out on a unique eighth world title and Max Verstappen won his first.
Hamilton has rarely even been in contention for victories since then with Mercedes falling from the sport’s summit in the wake of new regulations introduced from 2022. The two races that the team had won in that time were claimed by George Russell, most recently last week in Austria.
Having cried on team radio after taking the chequered flag, Hamilton told SkySports F1: “It’s surreal. My heart is racing.
“I had so many amazing times here in the past but when I came across the line, something released in me that I have been holding onto for a long time.
Hamilton says his incredible ninth British GP victory is the ‘most emotional’ he has had
“It was the most emotional end to a win I have ever experienced. I always wondered why I never cried! You see Rubens Barrichello crying and I was like ‘that doesn’t happen to me’ but it hit me hard.
“After such a difficult 2021, just trying to continue to come back but we as a team had a difficult time.
“There were so many thoughts and doubts in my mind along the way to the point, at times, I wanted to not continue.
“To arrive and continue to get up and continue to try and finally succeed is the greatest feeling I can remember having.”
Hamilton celebrates his ninth victory at Silverstone with his Mercedes team and the crowd!
Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the race as he took the acclaim of the 164,000-strong race-day crowd, Hamilton said there had been periods during his time away from the podium’s top step when he questioned whether he was both still “good enough” and if he would ever get back to winning ways.
“It’s so tough, I think for anyone, but the important thing is just how you continue to get up and you’ve got to continue to dig deep even when you feel like you’re at the bottom of the barrel,” he said.
Hamilton and his engineer Peter Bonnington celebrate on the podium together following his emotional British GP victory!
“There have definitely been days between 2021 and here where I didn’t feel like I was good enough or I was going to get back to where I am today. But the important thing is I had great people around me, continuing to support me. My team, every tine I turned up and saw them putting in the effort, that really encouraged me to do the same thing.
“Otherwise, my fans, when I see them around the world, they have been so supportive. So a big, big thank you to everybody.”
Hamilton on the ‘glimpse of hope’ that keeps fire burning
Hamilton, who decided at the start of the year he will continue in F1 until at least the end of 2026 by signing an unexpected and blockbuster deal with Ferrari, was given a Union Jack flag from a marshal on his slow-down lap at the end of the race and celebrated with it in front of the Silverstone crowd when he got out of his Mercedes at the end of the race.
He also shared embraces in parc ferme with his mother, Carmen, and his father, Anthony who were both at Silverstone to see their son’s return to success.
On the huge support he receives from fans, Hamilton said: “I definitely know for sure that I couldn’t do what I do without the fans I have. The people I interact with and meet around the world, particularly here in the UK.
“I grew up in Stevenage. My dad came around the corner to give me my first helmet.
“I always thought my parents would be my only followers. It’s very incredible to have that support because that really does lift you up when you see people.
“They are so generous with gifting you something or just pumping out positive energy.
Race highlights from Silverstone for the British Grand Prix.
“That’s one thing that keeps me going. And the other is just that glimpse of hope.
“Even if it’s the tiniest spec, I just try to not ignore that and continue to focus on my inner peace day by day.”
Hamilton, who has the motto ‘still I rise’ tattooed on his back, added: “Never give up. It’s so important. It’s the easiest thing to do but you should never do it.”
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An emotional Ewen Ferguson clinched a spot at the Open Championship after winning the DP World Tour’s BMW International Open in Germany.
Scottish player Ferguson’s two-stroke stroke victory in Munich left him as one of the highest five players in the top 20 on the Race to Dubai – alongside Jesper Svensson, Laurie Canter, Nacho Elvira and Matteo Manassero – who were not otherwise exempt for the 152nd Open at Troon between July 18-21.
The 28-year-old finished on 18 under par after a four-under 68 on Sunday, with England’s Jordan Smith – who shared the lead with Ferguson after three rounds – and Australia’s David Micheluzzi tied for second on 16 under.
Highlights from the final day of the BMW International Open as Ferguson, who has recently battled bouts of vertigo, triumphed in Munich
Ferguson, who revealed after his second round that he was glad simply to be playing again following recent bouts of vertigo, told Sky Sports in a teary interview: “I honestly can’t believe it.
“The last four holes I felt like I was in a dream, I just didn’t think this was actually happening. It was crazy. I was hitting it so well, hitting it so much further than usual.
“I wanted to do it for my dad, my mum, my sister, my brother at home. I love them so much and every shot I hit was with them in mind.
Image: Ferguson now has three wins on the DP World Tour
“It’s such a hard game. I’ve been moaning like mad the last two months with also being sick. [This win] is so much weight off my shoulders. I’m so happy.
“The Open Championship is a tournament that everyone wants to play in and I feel like I could do well there and the Scottish Open next week too. It’s such an exciting time for me.”
Ferguson hopes to practice with Fleetwood ahead of Open
Ferguson later revealed that he had been planning to contest final qualifying for the Open Championship on Tuesday, but felt he was playing well enough to secure a place either in Munich or via the Genesis Scottish Open.
He added: “I didn’t want to tire myself out. I felt like I could maybe win this week or maybe finish in the top 10 in Scotland and get my own spot that way, so we decided to pull out of Open qualifying.
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“It’s obviously a really good decision. It kept me fresh and I’m here with the trophy. I actually got a text from Tommy Fleetwood saying well done so I said to him, let’s get a practice round in [at the Open] so I’m looking forward to that.”
Ferguson’s victory was his third on the DP World Tour and first since the ISPS Handa World Invitational in August 2022, which came five months after his maiden triumph at that year’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Micheluzzi finished birdie, birdie, eagle to earn his share of second spot alongside Smith, whose title hopes were effectively ended when he found the water off the 16th tee as he tried to drive the green.
Matthew Southgate made a superb eagle during the BMW International Open, following his namesake Gareth Southgate’s success in leading England to the Euro 2024 semi-finals in Germany
Scotland’s Connor Syme and England’s Matthew Southgate finished in joint fourth on 14 under with Southgate making an eagle at the sixth hole.
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It is a joy that has permeated the majority of Gareth Southgate’s century of matches. A joyousness that the England manager has strived so hard to nurture. The joy which was disintegrating towards the end of a turgid last-16 game against Slovakia. It’s back. The joy is back.
The players have talked a good game throughout: “special bunch of lads”, “love spending time together”, “oblivious to the negativity outside”, “belief has never been stronger”. There’s been a consistent, almost monotonous message of positivity and unity exuding from the England squad ever since they first joined up at St George’s Park on May 28, well-nigh six weeks ago.
But until now, you didn’t quite believe it.
On the pitch, there has been obvious malcontent. Spats between John Stones and Kyle Walker. Jordan Pickford ranting regularly at his full-backs. Declan Rice frantically gesticulating towards team-mates. Jude Bellingham throwing his arms up in despair.
But finally, inside the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf, the unbridled joy and unity was there for all to see. The players embraced and danced and sang along with the tens of thousands of England supporters who spilled in a frothing mass of exultation in front of them. They were joined by the manager, 100 games in and still going. Strong-ish.
Penalty decision-making, tactical plans and England’s streetwise nature were on the agenda during Gareth Southgate’s press conference following the Switzerland win
Southgate had been forced to cower under a shower of plastic cups and abuse that rained down on him from some fans as he left the pitch in Cologne after the dismal 0-0 draw with Slovenia. That was just two weeks ago. Now here he was, orchestrating the crowd, roaring back at them, applauding their loyalty. Boy, how the mood has changed.
Let’s have it right – there are still a host of problems within this England team and the way they are playing. Problems which could be horribly exposed against a strong Netherlands team on Wednesday in Dortmund. But you cannot help feeling that this team now has a special momentum, having reached just about as close to rock bottom as you can get, and escaping. Twice.
Perfect penalties
Image: England players celebrate after defeating Switzerland on penalties to advance to the semi-finals of Euro 2024
Penalties do not hold the same fear for this current generation of England players. That is some statement in its own right. England’s horrible history with spot-kicks is written large into the fabric of our national sport. But what we saw in Dusseldorf was very different. In so many ways it was restorative, and it was special.
The captain, Harry Kane, admitted as much when I spoke to him post-match – and he, England’s best penalty taker, was forced to watch along with the rest of us tortured souls from the pitch side.
Cole Palmer – yet to start a game in this or any major tournament – stepped up first. Ice-cold Cole.
Jordan Pickford displayed all the antics he has learned from so many spot-kicks of the past. He told me post-match that the referee had threatened to book him if he didn’t get back on his line quicker. Treading that fine line. His famous water bottle – a miniaturised encyclopaedia of which Swiss players would shoot where – was bang on. It said Manuel Akanji would go to his left. Pickford dived left. England were ahead.
Jude Bellingham did as was expected. Class personified. No drama or surprise there.
And then there was Bukayo Saka. A man who has become the figurehead of resilience and positivity in this England squad. A shining light for our society, in so many ways. He was the best player on the pitch in the quarter-final. He scored the equaliser with a brilliantly cultured curler. And he stood up to be counted – again – on the biggest stage, when his last Euros shoot-out had ended in devastation, and a horrific raft of criminal, racist abuse.
Captain Harry Kane praised Bukayo Saka’s mentality after stepping up to take a penalty in England’s win over Switzerland
When he scored, with such defiant aplomb, the entire English media pack around me rose as one to herald him. That is not something you see often. It is frowned upon by UEFA. Journalists are supposed to be neutral, professional, reserved. So to see each man and woman in the media tribune roaring their unanimous approval and affection for Saka – it felt like redemption. It felt special.
Ivan Toney told me after the game that he didn’t feel any more nerves than he did when taking a penalty for Brentford. He looked in the goalkeeper’s eyes, waited for Yann Sommer to move, and stroked the ball without even looking at it. Extraordinary.
Then came Trent Alexander-Arnold – the man who had looked broken when I saw him walk towards the England bus after he’d been unceremoniously substituted shortly after half-time against Denmark in Game Two. England’s best ball-striker couldn’t miss, could he? Nope. Game over.
Five perfect penalties. One superb save. England were through.
Tired bodies – but 3-2-4-1 must stay
So what comes next? Well, the toughest thing for England now is recovery. Two successive games of 120 minutes. Two games which have been incredibly draining both physically and emotionally. Pickford told me England had been through the trenches. They need time to rejuvenate. But they don’t have time.
Whereas there was a six-day gap building up to the quarter-final against Switzerland, there is just a three-day gap before Netherlands in the semi-final. Half as much time to recover and prepare.
The good news is, Southgate seems to have struck a new system that allowed his players to perform at a much higher standard. The manager and his assistant Steve Holland deserve huge credit for that. In the space of three days, they ripped up the plan that had personified England’s tactics for the best part of three years, and they started again with a new formation, a new way of playing. Their performance against Switzerland for much of the 90 minutes was their best of the tournament. 3-2-4-1 must stay.
Image: Southgate attempts to prevent Harry Kane falling into the England dugout
For the first time, England had width. Kieran Trippier and Saka hugged the touchline. England found it much easier to get out of defence, and the interminable backwards and sideways passing that had punctuated their first four games was much more rarely seen. I still have concerns about the big gaps that the formation creates in the middle of midfield. But Kobbie Mainoo was hugely impressive alongside Declan Rice in plugging those gaps and getting England ticking.
The fact that England were so dominant for three-quarters of the quarter-final, and yet still had no shot on target before Saka’s equaliser, is a major worry. It is inexplicable. On several occasions, Saka got goal-side of Michel Aebischer, only for his cut-back to find no England foot.
Kane still isn’t right, physically, I am sure of it. He would have gobbled up one or two of those crosses if he was. Bellingham and Phil Foden must do much more with their runs into the box. Foden in particular must recapture his goalscoring genius for Manchester City, if he is to help England to a Euros crown.
Nevertheless, he impressed me with his link-up play. I don’t think he has had a bad game for England in the last few matches, and his influence is growing. The understanding and communication between the two ‘number 10s’ worked.
Southgate’s Shaw dilemma
Image: Luke Shaw returned to action against Switzerland as a sub
Southgate has a huge call to make about Luke Shaw. The plan was to give him 15 minutes of action as he recovers from a hamstring injury that has starved him of any football since mid-February. He played 45 minutes against Switzerland. How has that affected him physically? Is he stronger or weaker for the experience? Only Southgate and his medics will know. The manager will then have to decide if Shaw can start a high-intensity semi-final, four days after his first game in almost five months. That would be a huge, huge ask.
His left foot on the left flank would be a big plus. Trippier has been hugely impressive in his reliability and his versatility. He has been a stalwart of the Southgate era. But he is a right-back, playing on the left flank. I suspect he might keep his place for the semi-final.
Image: Kieran Trippier may retain his spot on the left side
Monday and Tuesday will be big days for England. They are the only training days they have to perfect their tactics for Netherlands. And, knowing Southgate’s schedules, Monday will be an introduction to his and assistant Steve Holland’s thinking, before plans are finalised on Tuesday.
Even for England’s harshest critics – of whom there were many in white shirts that I spoke to in the bars of Dusseldorf leading up to the quarter-final – they surely must be full of admiration for the sheer guts and character that this team has shown. A 96th-minute overhead kick to keep them in the tournament, then a spotless set of spot-kicks in the quarter-final to help them progress.
Out of almost sheer willpower, England have dragged themselves to a major semi-final, having won just one of their five matches in 90 minutes.
That character and never-say-die determination should not be underestimated. It won’t be enough, on its own, to nobble Netherlands. But it’s got them this far, and they are now just one match away from a Euros final in Berlin.
City Of Troy produced a hard-fought victory in the Coral-Eclipse, which didn’t replicate the impressive nature in which he won the Derby as he lugged across the course.
The Derby winner City Of Troy, who bounced back at Epsom having failed to land a blow in the 2000 Guineas, was the 1-4 favourite under Ryan Moore.
For trainer Aidan O’Brien he stalked along in the slipstream of stablemate Hans Andersen, but when asked to quicken he did not produce the turn of foot perhaps expected.
He still took up the lead, however, and was able to hold off a late challenge from 11-1 shot Al Riffa to triumph by a length.
It proved a nervy watch for the master of Ballydoyle, who revealed after the race that the testing ground in Esher gave connections plenty of anxiety.
“We were very worried about the ground, we walked it before and it was very soft and tough deep ground, softer than it was in the Dewhurst,” he said.
“He was pitched into unknown territory today and I remember before the Dewhurst we were very worried and took the chance but to walk it today, it was deeper, way deeper.
“It is always tough to watch because the difference between winning and not winning can be massive and I’m delighted for everyone.
“In all fairness to the lads, 15 years ago they would have taken him out, they wouldn’t have run him, but we’re so lucky they enjoy their racing so much now that they wanted to be here and they wanted to run him.
“To walk it I was very afraid, but the lads made the right decision – it was a long discussion.”
O’Brien felt the victory came in spite of the going, which would not be the obvious surface for a horse with an American dirt champion for a sire.
Image: Ryan Moore partners the Derby and Eclipse winner
The trainer said: “He’s a beautiful good ground horse, a real fast ground mover and he has won despite the ground. It would have been easy to take him out but the lads all came and they wanted to run him. It was tough because that is specialist ground and it didn’t go to plan because of the whole thing.
“He won quite well in the end. Dylan (Browne McMonagle, on Al Riffa) said coming in that he had him and then he went again. He said he thought he had him, but he was always maintaining.”
City Of Troy was unchanged in the market for the Juddmonte International and the Breeders’ Cup Classic with bookmakers Paddy Power and Betfair, whereas William Hill eased him from 6-4 to 2-1 for the former race and from 6-1 to 8-1 for the latter.
On future plans, O’Brien said: “I don’t know what the lads will do but I would imagine they will have a look at either the Juddmonte International Stakes (at York) or the Irish Champion Stakes.
“After that we will maybe look at America. Everything about him is good ground or better. I would imagine he could finish off in America in the Classic. That is what he is bred to be, his dad was a dirt horse.”
Moore admitted he had expected the win to be more convincing and pointed to the going to echo O’Brien’s assessment of the race.
He said: “I suppose in reality everyone was expecting him to win and probably be more impressive, and so was I. But the ground was an inconvenience for him.
“I was happy enough with where I was but halfway round the bend the ground was a little bit loose and he just lost his action for a stride.
“Ghostwriter took a length out of me and I wasn’t going as comfortably as I should have been, it just took me a while to organise him.
“I got to the two furlong marker and I had to go and I thought he did well because I wasn’t really happy up until then. He found plenty and it never really felt like he was going to get beat.
“I still think we are learning about him and I thought the ground was an inconvenience so I’m happy he has won but I do think there is more there. I thought he would probably beat them by 10 lengths today and I wouldn’t be surprised if he does it next time.
“These conditions are not what he wants, he has an extravagant action and slow ground into a headwind is not easy. I think he will be better in a higher-tempo race.”
On the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Moore added: “I’ve never ridden a Breeders’ Cup Classic horse so I don’t know what that takes. I think this horse has the engine and the ability but we have to work out if he has the right action for it.”
Image: Makorova went one better than last year
Makarova serves up Coral Charge success
Makarova pounced late to go one better than 12 months ago and land a deserved victory in the Coral Charge at Sandown.
Ed Walker’s five-year-old has been a consistent performer in all of the major sprinting events but was registering her first success at Group level in the hands of Hector Crouch.
It looked destined to be the progressive Desperate Hero who would land the spoils when he went for home with just over a furlong to run, but he was reeled in by both Makarova and Andrew Balding’s Purosangue late in the day, with the former keeping on best to register a three-quarter length success at 9-2.
Makarova was cut to 10-1 from 16s by Paddy Power for the King George Stakes after the race and Walker confirmed that the Goodwood sprint assignment would be on the radar.
He said: “This year she has been super consistent and she started off rated 67 or something. She was so laid back and never looked like a sprinter in the early days. She just kind of woke up and learned to sprint. She’s a legend.
“I wasn’t confident at all she would get there today and not once did I get excited watching it. But you knew she would come good and the only time she hasn’t come good is at Ascot with the blinkers on.
“In the blinkers she sat right on the tail of Big Evs at Ascot and paid the price at the end, it is the first time she has failed to finish off her race over five furlongs.
“I think they had the desired effect of sharpening her up a bit and today back in the cheekpieces she was back to her old self, just racing behind the bridle a bit and finishing strong.
“We’ve chanced our arm a lot and unfortunately she is only a Listed winner, so it is important we have now made her a Group Three winner and we will try and make her a Group Two winner if we can.
“She will probably go to the King George and maybe then another crack at the Nunthorpe or the race at the Curragh (Flying Five Stakes). After that there is the Prix de l’Abbaye and races like that.
“This will be her last season racing, especially now she is a Group Three winner. We’ll try pick up some more black type this season and then she will go home.”
Image: Cicero’s Gift landed more Saturday success for Billy Loughnane
Cicero’s Gift completes Coral Challenge comeback
Cicero’s Gift provided a reminder of his quality when making a winning return in the Coral Challenge at Sandown.
Charlie Hills’ four-year-old was last seen suffering plenty of interference when finishing down the field in the 2023 St James’s Palace Stakes and was sent off 11-2 back down in handicap company after 382 days off the track.
Nursed into the race by young weighing room star Billy Loughnane, the class of the colt came to the fore in the closing stages as he secured a half-length verdict over Karl Burke’s Holloway Boy.
Cicero’s Gift’s trainer was eyeing taking his charge to a conditions race at Goodwood next but now sights may have to be raised, with an ambitious tilt at the Sussex Stakes a possibility.
“He’s a very special horse and on his second start he beat Docklands giving him 9lbs, he has tremendous ability,” said Hills.
“It wasn’t really my plan to come here and there was a perfect race for him at Glorious Goodwood over one-mile-one, a conditions race for horses who have never won a Group or Listed race. My dad (former trainer Barry) rang me up and said it might be very hard to win that race first time, so why not give him a spin at Sandown?
“The fact he has gone and won is full testament to this horse. He’s not fully wound up and to win a race like this off top-weight is a tremendous achievement.”
He went on: “We’ve some money in the pot now so we might have to supplement him for something. The main thing is to keep him on something with a bit of cut in the ground. If the ground came up soft we could supplement him in the Sussex.
“I just can’t believe he has been able to win today with the work he has done, it astonishes me really.”
England’s prospects looked bleak when Breel Embolo poked in Switzerland’s 75th-minute opening goal in Dusseldorf. Gareth Southgate, overseeing his 100th game in charge of the national side, was staring at the very real possibility of it being his last.
Later, in the warm glow of victory, he would talk up the performance as England’s best of the tournament so far. But at that point, a goal down with 15 minutes to go, his side were yet to even muster a shot on target. Improved, maybe, but with little to show for it.
As in the last-16 against Slovakia, though, when Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick forced extra-time, England only needed one to make the breakthrough, Bukayo Saka the scorer this time as his stunning strike, having cut inside from the right, crashed in off the post.
It felt like he had got Southgate out of jail. This, even more than Bellingham’s goal against Slovakia, came out of nothing; a flash of individual brilliance in another blunt collective display.
Penalty decision-making, tactical plans and England’s streetwise nature were on the agenda during Gareth Southgate’s press conference after the game
But it should be noted, too, that it would not have occurred at all had his manager heeded widespread calls to move Saka to the left rather than persist with him on his preferred side.
So, did Southgate get lucky or does he deserve credit?
Maybe both things are true. Maybe it doesn’t matter anyway. The key point, after all, is that, following a penalty shootout in which the coolness of England’s takers bore stark contrast to the nerves of those watching, they are in the last four, the dream still alive.
Fans are entitled to wonder, though, why, as Switzerland boss Murat Yakin made early changes, Embolo’s opener arriving roughly 10 minutes after the introductions of Steven Zuber and Silvan Widmer, Southgate again delayed, not making his first substitutions until England had fallen behind.
This apparent inertia has become a feature not just of this tournament but Southgate’s tenure as a whole. And yet, as against Slovakia, when he himself admitted Ivan Toney’s displeasure at only being sent on in stoppage time, it all worked out in the end.
Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett delivers his verdict on England’s win over Switzerland
Southgate could point to Toney’s role in Harry Kane’s extra-time winner in that game. Against Switzerland, he can point to the fact that, in Cole Palmer, Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold, three of his substitutes, once they finally made it on, scored in the shootout.
Should it be this difficult? Southgate has been at pains to point out that performances and playing style only count for so much at major tournaments. But England, while successful to this point, have made the supposedly easy side of the draw look anything but.
For all their attacking talent, they remain oddly listless in front of goal. England are semi-finalists and yet they rank 12th among the 26 teams at the tournament for shots on target, below four sides who played fewer games. They rank in the same place for expected goals.
The numbers look even less inspiring when taking the two knockout ties in isolation. England have generated chances worth a meagre combined total of 2.18 xG despite twice going to extra-time. Their three goals have come from only five shots on target in 240 minutes of action plus stoppage time.
England have only won one of their five games in 90 minutes and even that, the 1-0 victory over Serbia in their opening group fixture, felt like a struggle after a promising start. Most fans would agree it has felt like a struggle watching the subsequent games too.
At times, Southgate has seemingly floundered.
Captain Harry Kane praised Bukayo Saka’s mentality after he converted his penalty
His Alexander-Arnold midfield experiment was abandoned after two games. The chosen replacement, Conor Gallagher, only lasted 45 minutes of the goalless draw against Slovenia.
Some of his consistent calls, such as his continued use of Kieran Trippier on the left and his persistence with an out-of-sorts Kane up front, have invited even more scrutiny.
Ultimately, though, for Southgate, and regardless of what happens next, England’s presence in the last four represents a continuation of a fine record at World Cups and European Championships.
England have never previously reached the quarter-finals of four consecutive major tournaments, as they have under Southgate. This is the third time he has led them to a semi-final. There is frustration that silverware is yet to arrive but his achievements already outstrip those of his more illustrious predecessors.
Image: England players celebrate their penalty shootout victory
His in-game decision-making remains an area of concern and it will be more sternly tested by a stronger opponent in the Netherlands. But England’s coolly-dispatched penalties underlined the quality of their preparation and the manner in which their mentality has been overhauled. Another late comeback showed their spirit.
Southgate has issues to address and questions to answer but he is responsible for that preparation. He has fostered that spirit.
This England side are far from perfect. The truth is they have progressed to the last four in spite of their performances rather than because of them. But they are there, with a chance of going further. Southgate will make it to 101 games as a minimum.
Scotland’s Nico Carrillo reaffirmed his place at the top of the bantamweight Muay Thai rankings with an emphatic TKO win over former world title challenger Saemapetch Fairtex in the co-main event at ONE Fight Night 23 in Bangkok.
The ‘King of the North’ hunted Saemapetch from the opening bell and although the Thai star was a willing dance partner in the punching exchanges, he found himself in trouble late in the first round after a flurry of knees from Carrillo.
Things went from bad to worse in the second round, as Carrillo sent his foe crashing to the canvas after just 45 seconds.
The Scot then went straight on the attack and put Saemapetch back down with a thunderous left hook. The same punch did the damage once again shortly after, as Carrillo scored the third and decisive knockdown with another volley of heavy shots.
Image: Carillo dropped Saemapetch three times in the second round
Carrillo’s win not only cemented his No 1 spot in the divisional rankings, but it also bagged him a US $50,000 (£39,035) performance bonus, courtesy of ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
Even more importantly, the victory could lead him to the winner of the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title fight between defending champion Jonathan Haggerty and long-time rival Superlek Kiatmuu9 at ONE 168: Denver in September.
“I’m next, I’m undeniable. Mr Chatri, give me the title shot next,” Carrillo told ONE commentator Mitch Chilson during his post-fight interview. “Whoever wins that title in Denver, don’t get too attached to the gold because it’s coming right off you.”
Bampara Kouyate produced a stunning uppercut finish to beat Muay Thai contender Luke Lessei late in their three-round battle
Black Panther produced a stunning head kick KO to hand Ali Saldoev the first loss of his professional career
Rasulov overcomes Ok as British star Barboza wins
In the night’s headline attraction, Alibeg Rasulov upset former ONE lightweight MMA world champion Ok Rae Yoon in a grueling five-round battle.
The unbeaten 31-year-old pushed a relentless pace throughout the 25-minute contest. Ultimately, his clinch game proved too much for Ok, who never stopped trying to create space and get his trademark punches off.
It was a resounding statement made by Rasulov in his promotional debut.
Although he was ineligible to take home the title due to only making the weight after the official weigh-in window closed, he has surely caught the attention of two-division ONE world champion Christian Lee.
Image: British Muay Thai standout Ellis Badr Barboza triumphed in Bangkok
Also, British Muay Thai standout Ellis Badr Barboza captured a dramatic victory in a seesawing contest against Thai-Malaysian striker Aliff Sor Dechapan with a second-round knockdown enough to sway the judges’ scorecards.
Aliff started the catchweight contest brightly, largely controlling the opening round. Barboza, however, turned the tide in the second when he dropped his rival with a booming left hook.
In the final round, Aliff recognised he needed a knockdown of his own to wrest back the momentum, but Barboza hung tough in a back-and-forth finish to the match-up.
The knockdown proved decisive as the Birmingham native took the split-decision victory.
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Emma Raducanu is looking at the top of her game and the 21-year-old has realistic hopes of winning Wimbledon following the withdrawal of some big names in her half of the draw.
Raducanu powered her way into the third round of the women’s singles on Wednesday with a comfortable 6-1 6-2 victory against Belgian Elise Mertens.
The British No 3 has struggled for fitness since her stunning US Open triumph in 2021 but looked in fine fettle as she pummelled Mertens into submission from the baseline, shouting and fist-pumping at almost every point won.
The British wild card is now through to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time since her title win at Flushing Meadows, raising tentative hopes of a first British women’s singles triumph at Wimbledon since Virginia Wade in 1977.
If she can maintain the form she showed against Mertens, ranked one place outside the seedings at 33, she could yet do some serious damage in this tournament.
Who’s next for Raducanu?
Take a look back at Raducanu’s incredible win at the 2021 US Open
She will play ninth seed Maria Sakkari on Friday in the third round. Raducanu beat the Greek in the semi-finals en route to her US Open win, when she became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam in the Open era.
“[The] circumstances are different. Like, in a third round compared to a semi-final,” Raducanu said. “At the time the dynamics were also different. I was an unknown player pretty much.
“I’m expecting a really tough match. She’s top 10. It’s going to be a really difficult one.
“Again, it’s going to be one where I’m the complete underdog and I can just enjoy playing in [front of] my home crowd, home Slam, just keep having fun and trying to stay an extra day.”
Sakkari ‘pumped’ for Raducanu challenge
Image: Maria Sakkari has never played on Centre Court before
Sakkari defeated Netherlands’ Arantxa Rus 7-5 6-3 to set up the clash with Raducanu, which she feels is an “opportunity” for both of them.
“She’s also playing a top-10 player. Let’s not forget that. She’s an unbelievable player. She’s very talented. She’s very promising. Even after winning a Grand Slam, she’s still very young. Obviously, she’s going to be the favourite because she’ll be playing home. If anything, that’s normal,” said the Greek.
“But I’m excited. It’s another challenge. That’s why we play tennis. That’s what we play for. It’s going to be pretty exciting. I’m pumped.”
Sakkari has never played on Centre Court before, but she said: “I don’t feel like it’s something new for me. I’ve been a top-10 player for the last three years or even more, so I’ve played in big courts. It’s not like I’m just coming into this and it’s my first time.”
Raducanu’s projected path to the final
Image: A red-hot Daria Kasatkina could be in line to face Raducanu for a blockbuster meeting
Raducanu could face a very winnable fourth-round date with either New Zealand-Swiss player Lulu Sun or world No 61 Zhu Lin from China.
After that the Brit could take on Daria Kasatkina with the former Wimbledon quarter-finalist underlining her grass-court credentials with a title success at the Rothesay International at Devonshire Park.
She has already demolished fellow Brit Lily Miyazaki 6-0 6-0 and would be a tough opponent.
Image: US Open champion Coco Gauff could be a potential semi-final opponent for Raducanu
Other potential quarter-final opponents are Dayana Yastremska, Donna Vekic and former world No 2 Paolo Badosa.
There are two players who stand out as clear possible semi-final opponents for Raducanu with US Open champion Coco Gauff and French Open finalist Jasmine Paolini in the kind of form to reach the last four.
Who could Raducanu face in the final?
Image: Iga Swiatek is favourite to win her maiden Wimbledon title
There are a number of big names Raducanu could face in the final, scheduled for 2pm on Saturday July 23, including world No 1 Iga Swiatek who will be aiming to win her maiden Wimbledon title.
Former champion Elena Rybakina and two-time finalist Ons Jabeur are also in the frame.
Dan Khan and Raz Mirza give their thoughts on Andy Murray’s chances, as he pairs up with his brother Jamie in the men’s doubles and Raducanu in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon
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Sir Mark Cavendish has won a record-breaking 35th career Tour de France stage win with victory on stage five in Saint-Vulbas.
Three years after matching Eddy Merckx on 34 during the 2021 Tour, Cavendish moved clear of the Belgian to stand alone in Tour history.
The 39-year-old came off the wheel of Fabio Jakobsen in the finale and had the power to hold off Jasper Philipsen.
Cavendish’s Astana-Qazaqstan bossed the front of the peloton for much of the final 30km of the 177km stage from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne but in the finale the Manxman used his years of experience to surf the wheels before powering clear of his rivals.
He left behind his lead-out man Michael Morkov and moved behind Philipsen and then Jakobsen, before spying space on the left-hand side of the road and bursting clear.
“I’m in a little bit of disbelief,” Cavendish said. “I put a big gamble on this year to make sure we were here, at the Tour de France. It’s a big gamble for my boss [Astana Qazaqstan team manager Alexander Vinokourov] and the team to do. You have to go all-in. And we’ve done it.
Image: Cavendish breaks the record previously held jointly with Belgian legend Eddy Merckx
“How we built the team, what we’ve done with equipment, every little detail has been put towards specifically today. We didn’t nail it as a team as we wanted to do. But the boys improvised and got me in the best position and I was able to win.”
How Cavendish bounced back to make history
Cavendish postponed his planned retirement after crashing out of last year’s Tour, with his Astana-Qazaqstan team going all-in on ‘Project 35’ ahead of this year’s race.
His victory comes just four days after Cavendish struggled mightily in the heat of a punishing opening stage out of Florence, vomiting on the bike in concerning scenes, and two days after he missed the opportunity to contest stage three after being caught behind a late crash in Turin.
Cavendish’s four stage wins in 2021 counted as one of sport’s great comeback stories, his first victories at the Tour in five years after a period of time marked by illness and injury which contributed to a diagnosis of depression.
Even since those wins three years ago, Cavendish has endured more difficulty, only signing a last-minute deal with Astana-Qazaqstan ahead of the 2023 season after the collapse of another move, then seeing last year’s Tour end abruptly on stage eight.
Cavendish’s wife Peta and their children were waiting at the team bus and joined in exuberant celebrations.
Image: Cavendish celebrated with his family immediately after his victory
His first Tour stage win came in 2008 on stage five, Cholet to Châteauroux and was quickly followed by three more wins in that year’s edition. Since then, Cavendish has continued to rack up wins over a total of 10 Tour de Frances.
Cavendish ‘one of our greatest sportsmen’
Great Britain Cycling Team Performance Director, Stephen Park CBE, said: “On behalf of British Cycling I would like to congratulate Sir Mark on a truly outstanding achievement.
“It goes without saying that Mark is one of the greatest British riders of all time, and to cap off his final season of racing with another victory at the sport’s biggest race is a fitting final chapter in a glittering career.
“We have been proud to support Mark from his early days on the Great Britain Cycling Team academy to his final Tour de France, and this is an incredibly special day for the coaches, support staff, fellow riders and fans who have all played a role in his journey.
“Mark’s long and storied career, his passion for the sport and his tenacious pursuit for excellence make him a real inspiration for the next generation of bike riders looking to follow in his footsteps.
“He is one of our country’s truly great sportsmen and sporting personalities, and it has been a privilege to have watched him reign supreme for all these years.”
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