Kuldeep Yadav (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
As India get ready for the second Test against England at Edgbaston, the focus has shifted sharply to team selection — particularly the exclusion of Kuldeep Yadav. Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif has stirred the debate by calling out what he believes is an ongoing oversight of the wrist-spinner.
Team India All Smiles at Edgbaston Nets | Gill, Pant, Kuldeep Lead the Vibes
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“It will be unfair if Kuldeep Yadav doesn’t get into the playing XI for the second Test. He has just played 13 Tests in 8 years. Earlier he was kept out because of Ashwin — now how do you justify his exclusion?” Kaif posted on X. Kaif’s remarks have added weight to an already tough decision for the team management. After a disappointing loss in Leeds, India’s strategy of prioritising batting depth over attacking bowling options is under scrutiny. With Jasprit Bumrah potentially sitting out due to workload management, India will be under pressure to find bowlers who can take 20 wickets, a challenge that proved too great in the series opener. The pitch at Edgbaston promises to offer help to spinners later in the match. While Ravindra Jadeja is a certainty, India must now decide whether to go with more batting-friendly option in Washington Sundar or finally unleash Kuldeep, whose variations could trouble England’s aggressive lineup. Meanwhile, the team is also looking to tweak its all-rounder and pace combinations. Shardul Thakur might make way for Nitish Reddy, and Akash Deep could partner Mohammed Siraj in Bumrah’s absence. With England sharpening their “Bazball” approach, India must respond with courage — and picking Kuldeep Yadav could be that bold, match-turning move.
Chicago Stars FC today announced that interim head coach, Masaki Hemmi, will be departing the club to pursue other opportunities, effective July 3. Assistant coach, Ella Masar, will serve as interim head coach while the Chicago Stars secure a new head coach.
“I’m incredibly grateful for my time with the Chicago Stars and the opportunity to work alongside such talented players and staff,” said Masaki Hemmi. “While it’s bittersweet to be leaving, the club has a bright future ahead. I’ll forever be thankful for the time I had with Chicago Stars FC.”
“We thank Masaki Hemmi for stepping up as interim head coach and working tirelessly to bring out the best in our players,” said Chicago Stars general manager, Richard Feuz. “While we are grateful for his time and dedication to the club, we fully support him taking the next step in his coaching career. We wish him much success as he pursues this exciting opportunity.”
Chicago Stars FC has been carrying out an extensive head coach search since parting ways with Lorne Donaldson in May.
“We are well underway in our thorough head coaching search,” said Chicago Stars FC president, Karen Leetzow. “We have narrowed down the candidate pool and expect to appoint a new head coach soon. While we have a lot of building ahead, we look forward to turning the page to the second half of our season and starting a new chapter for the team.”
Hemmi joined the club in 2024 as first assistant coach, helping lead the Chicago Stars’ return to the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) playoffs after the club finished at the bottom of the NWSL table in 2023. After a 1-5-0 start to the 2025 NWSL regular season landing the Chicago Stars back at the bottom of the table, Hemmi stepped in as interim head coach April 30. Under Hemmi, the Stars maintained a 0-4-3 record, improving to 13th place in the table with a 1-9-3 overall record heading into the NWSL midseason break. Prior to becoming the first Japanese head coach in the NWSL, acting or otherwise, Hemmi served as director of player personnel and first assistant coach at United Soccer League club, New Mexico United, from 2022-2023. Hemmi also spent time as an associate head coach preparing players for the Tokyo Olympics at Japanese side, INAC Kobe of the WE League, in 2021.
A former Chicago Star herself, Ella Masar begins her second stint as interim head coach for the club, previously serving as acting head coach at the end of the 2023 season. Masar will continue working closely with assistant coaches, Karina Báez and Brenton Saylor, as the trio remains focused on leadership and stability prior to a permanent head coach being named. Masar has spent more than two decades in professional soccer as a player and coach, joining the Chicago Stars as an assistant coach in January 2023. Most recently, Masar was selected to join the United States Women’s National Team coaching staff for the April international window.
The Chicago Stars would like to thank Masaki Hemmi for devotion to the club and the players throughout his time as both assistant and interim head coach, and wish him all best in his future endeavors.
14th over: England 109-4 (Jones 32, Capsey 5) Jones is moving through the gears. She punishes two low full tosses from Deepti, carting both between deep square and deep midwicket for four.
Thirteen runs from the over, which is pretty much what Ehgland need from hereon in.
13th over: England 96-4 (Jones 21, Capsey 4) Jones turns a poor over for England into an okay one, swiping Reedy’s final ball over wide mid-on for four. That’s a really classy shot. But England still need 86 from 42 balls to win.
12th over: England 89-4 (Jones 16, Capsey 1) It was an outstanding piece of fielding from Sneh Rana to get rid of Beaumont. First she made an excellent sprawling stop at backward point; then she had the awareness and strength to fire the throw into Yadav despite being off balance. Great frielding.
WICKET! England 87-4 (Beaumont run out 54)
Gone! Beaumont hesitates for a split-second over a single to point, and that proves fatal when Rana’s throw is well taken on the bounce by the bowler Yadav. She breaks the stumps with Beaumont short of her ground despite a desperate dive.
Fifty from Tammy Beaumont
11th over: England 82-3 (Beaumont 50, Jones 14) Urgh, apologies, we are having more technical problems. Beaumont has just worked Charani for a single to bring up a highly skilful half-century, her first in a T2o international for four years, from 33 balls.
Drinks: England need 106 from 60 balls
10th over: England 76-3 (Beaumont 45, Jones 13) Tammy Beaumont is dragging England back into this game. She lashes three successive boundaries off Rana, the best a beautiful ping over cover point. Rana’s first over cost 1; the second has gone for 16. Time for drinks.
9th over: England 60-3 (Beaumont 30, Jones 13) Beaumont is dropped, a very tough return chance to the bowler Amanjot. That looked extremely painful, and Amanjot needs to take a moment before finishing her over.
Beaumont skips down to chip stylishly down the ground for four. She looks in excellent touch. Jones, who has taken a bit longer to get going, pulls firmly for her first boundary with the aid of a misfield on the boundary sponge.
8th over: England 48-3 (Beaumont 24, Jones 8) The offspinner Sneh Rana becomes the sixth bowler of the innings in just the eighth over. We’re having a few technical problems but the bald numbers suggest a superb start – only one run from the over. England need 134 from 72 balls.
7th over: England 47-3 (Beaumont 23, Jones 8) On comes Radha Yadav, another left-arm spinner, and Beaumont drags a sweep round the corner for four. It’s a no-ball, too, which means a free hit. Beaumont takes advantage, wiping the first six of the innings into the crowd at long-on.
It’s rare for a bowler to end an over strongly and concede 15, but that’s what happens here: 12 from the first two (legal) deliveries, three from the last four.
6th over: England 32-3 (Beaumont 11, Jones 6) Deepti Sharma completes a triumphant Powerplay – for her and India – with an over that yields six singles.
At the same stage India were 35 for 3 so it’s pretty much neck and neck. Right?
5th over: England 26-3 (Beaumont 8, Jones 3) Heather Knight, who has been as good as you’d expect in the Sky commentary box, says England will be encouraged by the pattern of India’s innings and that a required rate of 10 per over won’t concern them, even with so many overs left.
Tammy Beaumont wipes four off the requirement with her first boundary, panned through the covers off the new bowler Arundhati Reddy.
4th over: England 19-3 (Beaumont 2, Jones 2) England need – gulp – 163 from 16 overs.
WICKET! England 17-3 (Sciver-Brunt c Harmanpreet b Amanjot 13)
And it’s goodnight from England. Amanjot Kaur, who is having a wonderful night, gets some extra bounce to Sciver-Brunt, who flat-bats the ball to Harmanpreet at mid-on. That feels like the killer blow, even with more than 16 overs remaining.
Amanjot Kaur celebrates after taking the wicket of Nat Sciver-Brunt. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters
3rd over: England 16-2 (Sciver-Brunt 13, Beaumont 1) Shree Charani, the left-arm spinner who took four for 12 on debut at Trent Bridge, comes into the attack. Sciver-Brunt, who is so good at staying in her bubble regardless of the match situation, gets England up and running with three boundaries in the over: a lofted drive, a flick-pull and a dragged sweep through mid-on. She’s a genius, the end.
2nd over: England 4-2 (Sciver-Brunt 1, Beaumont 1) A very full ball from Deepti leads to an LBW appeal against Sciver-Brunt, but it was going down and Deepti was signalling as much almost before the umpire said not out.
WICKET! England 2-2 (Wyatt-Hodge c Harmanpreet b Deepti 1)
It is happening again. Wyatt-Hodge whirls Deepti Sharma’s first ball straight to mid-off, and England are two for two after losing two wickets in two balls. I doubt even Richie Benaud could make a virtue of that position.
What a start from India! Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters
1st over: England 2-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 1, Sciver-Brunt 0) That was the last ball of the over.
WICKET! England 2-1 (Dunkley run out 1)
A nightmare start for England. Dunkley sets off for a tight single to mid-off and is rightly sent back. But by then it’s already too late: Ghosh collects Deepti’s fast throw and breaks the stumps to give India a perfect start.
Sophia Dunkley is run out! Photograph: Nigel French/PA
It’s a very short turnaround between innings, so short that England’s runchase is about to begin.
England need 182 to win
20th over: India 181-4 (Amanjot 63, Ghosh 32) Amanjot and Ghosh completes a stunning fightback with three boundaries between them in Em Arlott’s final over of the innings. My word, that was devastating stuff: India scored 117 from the last 10 overs and 143 from the last 13.
19th over: India 168-4 (Amanjot 58, Ghosh 24) Despite another boundary from Amanjot, Bell’s penultimate over is a good one for England – eight from it, and she finishes with outstanding figures of 4-0-17-2.
18th over: India 160-4 (Amanjot 52, Ghosh 22) Ghosh thrases successive boundaries off Ecclestone, the second a savage blow through backward point. Nine from the over, which isn’t too bad in the circumstances, and Ecclestone finishes with 4-0-30-0.
Fifty for Amanjot Kaur
17th over: India 151-4 (Amanjot 52, Ghosh 13) This is starting to get very messy for England. Ghosh reverse sweeps for four, then top-edges a sweep straight to Beaumont… who drops a pretty simple catch.
A gorgeous drive through extra cover brings up Amanjot’s fifty, a high-class, perfectly paced innings: 35 balls, seven fours.
Linsey Smith is having another tough day: her figures are 3-0-37-0 in this game and 6-0-78-0 in the series.
Amanjot Kaur brings up her fifty. Photograph: Nigel French/PA
16th over: India 138-4 (Amanjot 45, Ghosh 7) Ghosh tries to pull Filer, is beaten for pace and top-edges a boundary over the head of Beaumont at short third. That could be a big moment because Ghosh can be devastating at the death.
Amanjot struck a more deliberate boundary earlier in the over, pulling meatily through backward square. She’s played beautifully.
15th over: India 126-4 (Amanjot 39, Ghosh 1) The new batter is the very dangerous Richa Ghosh. Nat Sciver-Brunt has just returned to the field; I must confess, amid the carnage I didn’t realise she’d gone off. No word yet as to why she did so.
WICKET! India 124-4 (Rodrigues c Dunkley b Bell 63)
Girl did England need that. Rodrigues cuffs a very wide slower ball into the covers, where Dunkley makes ground and swoops to her left to take an excellent two-handed catch.
Rodrigues gets a fine hand after a blistering knock: 63 from 41 balls, including 33 from the last 14. It was an excellent piece of bowling from Bell, who saw her Rodrigues moving across her stumps and changed her line accordingly.
Lauren Bell celebrates the wicket of Jemimah Rodrigues. Photograph: Harry Trump/Getty Images
14th over: India 123-3 (Rodrigues 63, Amanjot 38) Amanjot guides Linsey Smith’s first ball carefully past backward point for four. Smith does well to make that the only boundary of the over – yet it still costs 10 in total. India, who were 38 for 3 after seven overs, have hit 85 for 0 in the last seven.
13th over: India 113-3 (Rodrigues 59, Amanjot 32) Amanjot continues a dramatic assault from India by hitting Ecclestone’s first two deliveries for four. The first was sliced uppishly and just cleared the diving backward point; the second was a firm sweep past short fine leg.
Amanjot and Rodrigues exchange singles before Amanjot slams a cut stroke for yet another boundary. This is remarkable stuff: India, who were behind the game at drinks, have hit 49 in three overs.
Jemimah Rodrigues strums a brilliant fifty
12th over: India 98-3 (Rodrigues 58, Amanjot 18) Rodrigues ramps Filer to move to 49, then takes two to reach a superb half-century from 33 balls. Never mind ramps, Rodrigues is rampant. She lofts four more over the solitary slip, then slashes the third boundary of the over.
Rodrigues has hit 28 off her last seven deliveries.
Jemimah Rodrigues reaches a phenomenal fifty runs. Photograph: Nigel French/PA
11th over: India 80-3 (Rodrigues 45, Amanjot 15) Rodrigues is hit on the helmet by Arlott, which leads to a break in play while she undergoes a concussion check. Rodrigues passes that, and proves she’s absolutely fine by smashing 14 off the last three balls of the over. What glorious batting: a drive over long-on for six, another over mid-off for four and then a sweep over backward square.
10th over: India 64-3 (Rodrigues 30, Amanjot 14) Another good, thrifty over from Ecclestone ends with a big-spinning delivery that beats Amanjot’s attempted sweep.
Time for drinks. England are on top at the quarter-way mark of the game, though not by that much.
9th over: India 61-3 (Rodrigues 28, Amanjot 13) Rodrigues had a bit of difficult against Filer’s short stuff, but that aside she has played beautifully. She hits her fourth four, making room to clobber Em Arlott back over her head.
The counter-attack has started; India have scored 23 from the last two overs.
8th over: India 52-3 (Rodrigues 21, Amanjot 11) Not such a good start for Linsey Smith, who is targeted from ball one. Rodrigues drives her classily over extra cover for four; Amanjot lofts an even better boundary over mid-off. Three singles and a three make it 14 from the over.
7th over: India 38-3 (Rodrigues 15, Amanjot 3) Sophie Ecclestone comes into the attack. Plenty of focus on here given recent events, and a difficult afternoon at Trent Bridge. She starts nicely, conceding three and having an appeal for LBW turned down against Rodrigues. Bat and pad were fairly close together but replays showed it came straight off the bat.
6th over: India 35-3 (Rodrigues 14, Amanjot 1) The new batter Amanjot Kaur tries to pull a short ball from Bell that zips past the top edge. England’s intensity in the field has been impressive, especially after such a flat performance on Saturday.
WICKET! India 31-3 (Harmanpreet c Filer b Bell 1)
The captain Harmanpreet is now the old batter. She has gone second ball, caught at short fine leg by Lauren Filer. It wasn’t the greatest piece of cricket: a poor ball from Lauren Bell, who celebrated sheepishly, a pull round the corner from Harmanpreet and an untidy catch from Filer. Untidy but clean: Harmanpreet has gone and England have taken three big wickets in the Powerplay.
Lauren Filer catches out Harmanpreet Kaur. Photograph: Nigel French/PA
5th over: India 31-2 (Rodrigues 12, Harmanpreet 1) The captain Harmanpreet is the new batter.
WICKET! India 30-2 (Mandhana c Bell b Arlott 13)
Never mind the ground fielding, England’s catching is much sharper as well! Mandhana clothed the new bowler Arlott towards mid-on, where Bell leapt backwards to take a brilliant two-handed catch.
Lauren Bell takes the catch to dismiss Smriti Mandhana. Photograph: Nigel French/PA
4th over: India 24-1 (Mandhana 13, Rodrigues 7) Rodrigues square-drives Filer with a flourish to score her first boundary. That was a rare full delivery in another aggressive over from Filer, who twice beat Rodrigues with short balls outside off stump.
This has been a good start from England, whose ground fielding has also looked much sharper than it did on Saturday.
3rd over: India 19-1 (Mandhana 13, Rodrigues 2) Lauren Bell, England’s best bowler by a distance at Trent Bridge, replaces Capsey. There’s some gentle inswing to the left-handed Mandhana, who punches a couple of drives without beating the infield. A good start from Bell, just two from the over.
2nd over: India 17-1 (Mandhana 12, Rodrigues 1) Jemima Rodridgues gets off the mark with a mistimed shot that lands safely on the leg side. Terrific start from Filer, who gave both Verma and Rodrigues the hurry-up.
WICKET! India 14-1 (Verma c Jones b Filer 3)
This is seriously good fast bowling from Lauren Filer. She beat the edge with a beauty, then rammed in a superb short ball that followed Verma, took the glove and was comfortably caught by Amy Jones.
Verma was on the walk, which only made life difficult as the ball roared towards her, but it would have been very tough to deal even if she’d stayed in her crease.
Lauren Filer celebrates taking the wicket of Shafali Verma. Photograph: Alex Davidson/ECB/Getty Images
1st over: India 11-0 (Mandhana 10, Verma 1) Smriti Mandhana picks up where she left off at Trent Bridge, hitting two elegant boundaries – one through the covers, one through point – in Alice Capsey’s first over. Eleven from the over, which makes Mandhana and Shafali Verma the most productive opening partnership in Women’s T20I history.
Time for the action. It’s a gorgeous evening in Bristol, warm without being oppressive. The TV commentators are discussing their surprise at England’s decision to bowl first.
Team news: England unchanged
England are unchanged, which gives their XI the chance to right Saturday’s wrongs.
India do change a winning side, but only to bring back their captain Harmanpreet Kaur in place of Harleen Deol.
England Dunkley, Wyatt-Hodge, Sciver-Brunt (c), Beaumont, Jones (wk), Capsey, Arlott, Ecclestone, Filer, Smith, Bell.
Bristol is cooler than much of the country, around 25 degrees, so England are happy to field first. The pitch looks very dry so there was a decent case for batting first, but most teams prefer to chase these days.
Harmanpreet back for India
The word is that Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who missed Saturday’s game because of a head injury, has been passed fit to return tonight.
Preamble
The road to success is never a straight line, but nobody expected England to veer so dramatically off course at the start of their T20 series against India. Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side were pulverised by 97 runs at Trent Bridge on Saturday, their heaviest T20 defeat, with the peerless Smriti Mandhana striking a glorious 112.
Adversity is usually a window into the soul of a person or a team. How England respond tonight, and for the rest of this five-match series, will increase our understanding of the journey that faces them: how far they have to travel, and how long it might take them.
Pakistan’s Anas Ali Shah (right) in action during his 32nd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships match against Indonesia’s Muhammad Razka Idhmi Sulaeman in Gimcheon, South Korea on July 1, 2025. — Reporter
KARACHI: Pakistan’s junior squash contingent kicked off their campaign at the 32nd Asian Junior Individual Championships on a high note Tuesday, clinching wins in nine out of 11 matches across multiple age divisions.
In the Boys Under-19 category, Abdullah Nawaz cruised past Sri Lanka’s Tharul Pinwatta 11-5, 11-4, 11-7, while Anas Ali Shah dispatched Indonesia’s Muhammad Razka Idhmi Sulaeman 11-3, 11-5, 11-6 to advance to the pre-quarterfinals.
Top-seeded Nauman Khan delivered a dominant performance in the Boys Under-15 event, outclassing Thailand’s Aisoon Jadkham 11-0, 11-0, 11-3. His compatriot Ahmad Rayyan Khalil also impressed with an 11-4, 11-0, 11-0 win over Sri Lanka’s Lonitha Bimsandu.
In the Boys Under-17 category, Muhammad Umair Arif overcame Hong Kong’s Lau Pak To 11-3, 11-8, 11-9. However, Yahya Khan squandered a two-game lead to fall 8-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-1, 11-6 against Malaysia’s Ivan Chang Jia Yu.
Pakistan’s girls also made their mark, with Mahnoor Ali (Girls Under-13) dropping just two points in her 11-0, 11-1, 11-1 demolition of Thailand’s Prinprapha Palapipat.
Her elder sister Sehrish Ali (Girls Under-15) edged Macau’s Cao Chi Ian 13-11, 11-5, 11-7, while the eldest of “Ali Sisters” Mehwish Ali (Girls Under-17) routed South Korea’s Yeona Kang 11-0, 11-2, 11-1.
A setback for Pakistan came in the Boys Under-13 category, where Muhammad Mustafa Khan lost 13-11, 11-8, 11-9 to Malaysia’s Muhammad Sharhan bin Mohd Saiful. Top-seeded Sohail Adnan received a first-round bye and will kick off his campaign on Wednesday.
This file photo shows Pakistan’s under-16 volleyball players in action during a match. — Reporter
KARACHI: Pakistan’s under-16 volleyball team is set to participate in the Asian Men’s U16 Volleyball Championship, scheduled to take place in Thailand from July 12 to 19, with hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIVB U17 World Championship.
The tournament, organised by the Asian Volleyball Confederation, will be held in Nakhon Pathom and Ratchaburi, featuring 16 teams divided into four pools. The top four teams will secure direct qualification for the 2026 FIVB U17 World Championship, which will expand to include 24 teams, up from 16 in its inaugural edition last year.
Pakistan has been placed in Pool D alongside Chinese Taipei (2023 bronze medalists), South Korea, and Saudi Arabia.
The team will open its campaign against South Korea on July 12, followed by a match against Saudi Arabia on July 13, and will conclude the group stage against Chinese Taipei on July 14.
The Pakistan Volleyball Federation has also finalized 19-member provisional squad for the tournament.
The probables include Abid Mehmood, Asad Ullah, Azhar Mehmood, Faizan Khalid, Faizan Ullah, Faraz Ahmad, Hayat Sher Khan, Muhammad Abbas Mastaan, Muhammad Faizan, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan, Muhammad Junaid, Muhammad Naseem Haider, Muhammad Talha Mehar, Muhammad Umar, Muhammad Waleed Khan, Saran Baig, Usman Ali, and Wahab Abdullah.
The final squad will be selected from these probables ahead of the tournament.
In the previous edition of the championship held in Uzbekistan in 2023, Pakistan finished fourth after a hard-fought 3-2 loss to Chinese Taipei in the bronze-medal match.
Despite the defeat, Pakistan earned a spot in the 2024 U17 World Championship in Bulgaria, where Chinese Taipei secured third place.
The tournament will follow a round-robin group stage, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the classification rounds. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for July 19, where the continental champions will be crowned.
Racing Bulls and their partner HUGO have unveiled a special livery for the British Grand Prix in collaboration with Nigerian artist Slawn.
Revealed by Slawn along with Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar at the Flannels X store in London this evening, the link-up sees the VCARB 02 adorned with Slawn’s caricature style street art.
The artwork will also feature on the drivers’ race suits and the team’s kit across the weekend, while Slawn will also be in the paddock on Thursday alongside Lawson and Hadjar where the squad say he will be “designing the garage IRL”.
Slawn’s famed graffiti aesthetic – rooted in his Yoruba heritage and London’s urban culture – has seen him make his name in the city’s art landscape. He has also previously made a foray into the world of sports, having designed the Emirates FA Cup Trophy in May this year.
Racing Bulls say of the collaboration: “His work challenges traditional art norms and thrives on hype and disruption, making it a perfect synergy between VCARB and HUGO.”
Peter Bayer, the team’s CEO, said: “Slawn’s work is unlike anything we’ve seen in Formula 1, and that’s exactly why this collaboration felt right. Partnering with HUGO and Slawn has allowed us to push creative boundaries in a way that reflects the bold identity of our team.
“Silverstone is a massive moment in the season, and we’re proud to bring something completely original to our fans.”
Slawn commented: “Art meets speed, and I brought the madness. Big love to HUGO and VCARB for trusting the vision.”
James Foster, SVP of Global Marketing at HUGO BOSS, added: “Witnessing the big reveal of Slawn’s fresh, energetic art on the VCARB Team’s new livery and his exciting takeover will consolidate HUGO’s ambition to take F1 further off-track and into culture.
“This collaboration is a brilliant demonstration of the power of going your own way, which is at the core of HUGO and VCARB’s DNA. All eyes will be on VCARB during the action at Silverstone.”
Check out Racing Bulls’ special Silverstone livery in the gallery above.
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Two-time champion Petra Kvitova played the final Wimbledon match of her career on Tuesday at the All England Club, falling 6-3, 6-1 to No. 10 seed Emma Navarro.
Wimbledon: Scores | Order of play | Draws
The former World No. 2 announced earlier this month that she’ll retire from tennis after the US Open, following a brief return to the Hologic WTA Tour this year after the 2024 birth of her son Petr. A wild card for her 16th Wimbledon appearance this year, the 35-year-old left-hander led Navarro — who reached the quarterfinals in 2024 — by a break in the first set at 3-1, but lost 11 of the last 12 games to drop the curtain on her career at the tournament she won in 2011 and 2014.
After the defeat, which lasted exactly 1 hour, Kvitova spoke from the heart to the fans. She said that while she “wish[ed] they could’ve played a little bit longer,” she enjoyed a “beautiful atmosphere” on No. 1 Court.
“To have another chance to player here one more time, it means a lot to me,” Kvitova said. “This place holds the best memories I could wish for. I never dreamed of winning a Wimbledon, and I won it twice, so this is something very, very special.
“I will miss Wimbledon for sure. I will miss tennis, I will miss the fans, but I’m ready for the next chapter in life as well.”
Kvitova ends her Wimbledon career with a 38-14 record in main-draw matches at the tournament. Her victories, and total matches, at the event leads active players.
Navarro, who beat Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff on her way to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon last year — which she then bettered with a run to the semifinals of the US Open — will face either Veronika Kudermetova or Zhu Lin in the second round. A potential third-round match with No. 17 seed and defending champion Barbora Krejcikova could await the American in the third round, with No. 7 seed Mirra Andreeva also still alive in a third quarter of the draw that lost No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula earlier on Tuesday.
Formula 1 and Motorsport Network – the world’s largest motorsport media company – have released the 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey, a study conducted every four years to track how fan engagement is evolving across the sport globally.
The survey was launched earlier this year and, based on more than 100,000 responses from self-identified, highly engaged fans in 186 countries, the findings offer a detailed snapshot of the modern fan mindset and show that Formula 1 is increasingly attracting a new, younger and more female audience, with growth in markets such as the United States.
The research shows that fans are increasingly drawn to Formula 1 by the breadth of stories and the variety of ways to engage with the sport – and they’re staying for the speed, strategy, and spectacle. Digital highlights and the full white paper are available to download and view.
“This study shows that fans are increasingly following Formula 1 for the stories and the many opportunities to engage with the sport, and then they’re becoming hooked on the fantastic racing,” said Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1.
“The sport is embedded in culture now, via streaming, storytelling, and social media, and that’s helping more people connect. With Motorsport Network, we’ve been able to take a deeper look at what modern fandom really looks like in 2025 and ensure our strategy to bring in new fans remains on track.”
Werner Brell, CEO of Motorsport Network, added: “This survey isn’t just a snapshot – it’s a signal to the marketplace. Gen Z, women, and US fans are driving an always-on, connected, and culturally powerful era for F1. It points to how we can better serve fans, connect them with partners, and seize the biggest commercial opportunities for the sport’s future.”
Emerging demographics
The full study spans eight chapters, covering emotional motivators and content engagement to live experiences, lifestyle signals, and sponsorship impact. It offers insights to help better understand and serve F1’s most engaged fans – and a view into the future of sports fandom more broadly.
Gen Z is helping shape the rhythm of modern fandom, engaging with the sport more frequently and on a deeper emotional level. Two-thirds of survey respondents say they feel personally inspired by F1 drivers or teams, and in the US 70% of the study’s Gen Z respondents engage with F1 content daily – especially through streaming video and social media.
Female fans now account for three in four new fans. Most are newer to the sport and skew younger, with nearly half of all Gen Z respondents being women.
With the largest country share of survey respondents, fans in the US continue to stand out for their growth, youth, and digital fluency. They over-index on content engagement, sponsor responsiveness, and daily touchpoints, signalling a market where fandom is evolving rapidly and is commercially primed.
Among respondents:
94% plan to follow F1 in five years
73% of US fans plan to attend a race in the future
61% engage with F1 content daily
42% of female fans already follow F1 ACADEMY
76% say sponsors enhance the sport
Key findings
Modern F1 fandom is emotional, participatory, and always-on
Formula 1 fans aren’t just watching, they’re investing, interacting, and engaging with the sport frequently. Among surveyed fans, 90% say they’re emotionally invested in race outcomes and 61% engage with F1 content daily. Across platforms and time zones, surveyed fans are shaping a continuous connection to the sport – one that reflects a more dynamic, always-on relationship with Formula 1.
The thrill unites
Across all audience segments, speed and performance remain the most powerful motivators, with 90% of respondents saying they’re emotionally invested in race outcomes.
Fans are committed and intend to stay
Among surveyed fans, commitment runs deep. 94% say they intend to follow Formula 1 five years from now, and 86% watch 16 or more races per season.
Content is the new entry point and emotional driver for engagement
Many newer and younger fans are discovering Formula 1 through social media, streaming series, and shared content – entry points that now shape how they connect with the sport. They are more likely to form identity-based connections with Formula 1, citing driver personalities and narrative drama as key drivers of engagement. 70% of Gen Z respondents feel that Formula 1 represents a status or image that appeals to them.
Sponsorship drives consideration
76% of respondents believe sponsors enhance the F1 experience. One in three are more likely to purchase from F1 partners, with favourability rising to 40% among Gen Z respondents.
Live experiences deepen connection
Intent to attend Formula 1 events is rising. 41% of surveyed fans who haven’t attended an F1 fan experience plan to do so in the future. From Grands Prix to pop-ups, brand activations, exhibitions, and arcade-style venues, fans are increasingly seeking immersive ways to engage with the sport live and in-person.
F1 ACADEMY signals a new kind of growth
23% of surveyed fans say they follow F1 ACADEMY, and among women that rises to 42%, making it the second-most-followed series after Formula 1 itself. The all-female racing platform is gaining momentum among newer audiences too, with 37% of Gen Z and 36% of newer respondents engaging – underscoring the demand for inclusive storytelling and representation on the grid.
United States: a growth market to watch
The United States accounted for the largest country share of survey respondents, offering a lens into one of Formula 1’s most dynamic national markets. While Europe remains the largest region overall, the US stands out for accelerating fan growth, especially among younger, digital-first audiences.
Among US-based participants:
73% plan to attend a US race in the future
70% of Gen Z respondents engage with F1 content daily
40% follow a driver first (vs. team or sport)
37% have purchased F1 merchandise
39% of Gen Z respondents and 41% of surveyed women say they’re more likely to consider an F1 sponsor product
Manish Rathore, however, exited the competition after a closely-contested loss against Rui Yamaguchi of Japan in the men’s 55kg category.
Sakshi, Lakshya and Jaismine will join fellow Indian boxers Sachin Siwach, Hitesh Gulia, Muskan, Minakshi and Sanju in the next round.
Back in April, India had won six medals at the previous World Boxing Cup leg in Brazil. The Indian women, however, did not compete in Brazil on account of the national championships.
The tournament in Astana is the second and last of two scheduled World Boxing Cup meets for the year.
Boxers accumulate ranking points through their performances at these two meets with the top pugilists qualifying for the World Boxing Cup Finals scheduled in India in November.
The Kazakhstan leg will run until July 7, with over 400 boxers from 31 countries, including Olympians, competing across 10 weight categories in both men’s and women’s divisions. India have sent a 20-member team.
