Category: 6. Sports

British number one Jack Draper says he was not “good enough” in a shock Wimbledon second-round exit, insisting a below-par performance was not because he felt increased pressure at this year’s tournament.

Draper was seeded fourth at the All England Club, but lost 6-4 6-3 1-6 6-4 to 36-year-old Marin Cilic.

The 23-year-old was the highest seeded home player since Andy Murray defended the men’s title in 2017.

In 2013, Murray, who retired last year, was the first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years and added his second title three years later.

“It makes me think that Andy’s achievement of what he did – winning here twice – [was] just unbelievable,” Draper said.

“It’s not the pressure. I wasn’t going out there thinking I was under so much pressure. You [journalists] mention it all the time.

“I just didn’t play good enough. I lost to a better player. That’s the main reason. I just was not able to find the level I wanted. I came up short.”

Spain’s Blanca Fernandez and Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini carded opening 67s to share the Women’s Irish Open lead after the first round at Carton House.

English trio Lottie Woad, Mimi Rhodes and Hannah Screen are among a group one shot back, but home favourite Leona Maguire is five off the lead.

In tricky conditions that fluctuated between showers and sunshine, with a swirling wind added to the mix, it was Fernandez and Tamburlini who made the best of it to lead the way.

Both had seven birdies and a single bogey in their round, with Tamburlini picking up a shot on three of the last four holes.

Joining Order of Merit leader Rhodes, world number one amateur Woad and Screen on five under were Swedish pair Lisa Patterson and Madelene Sagstroem, plus Alexandra Swayne, who is representing the Unites States Virgin Islands, with the sextet just one shot off the pace in a packed leaderboard.

Indeed, just two strokes separate the top 19 players with another 11 just a further shot back, including the best of the home challengers Emma Fleming, who claimed the Victorian Amateur Championship in Australia last month.

Maguire endured a frustrating day on the greens, but the Cavan woman remains in contention having ended day one with a 72, tied with three other Irish players on one-under-par.

A number of Maguire’s Solheim Cup team-mates started strongly with Sagstrom posting the best round of the five, while England’s Charley Hull (-3) and Georgia Hall (-2) are well in contention heading into day two.

Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, though, has work to do having finished the day on two over.

Vicky López shines for Spain

Vicky López’s professional career is one brought on by pure chance, sparked by a conversation with two girls at the beach.

The encounter would lead her to the youth team of Madrid CFF, despite initial reservations over difficulties getting to and from training.

Both the club and Vicky’s parents worked together to make it happen. Things became difficult in 2018 with the passing of her mother following a four-year long battle with a brain tumour.

“My mother has always been my reference,” the 18-year-old said.

“She has been the strongest person in the world – from her, I have inherited her courage, strength, and being a great person.”

That courage has seen her through a transformational move to FC Barcelona and being called up to the senior national team.

On Thursday evening, all of those years of hard work and sacrifices paid off as the teenage sensation slotted home in her first major tournament for Spain.

Wheeling away in celebration, the talented midfielder pointed to the sky – an homage to her late mother.

What is perhaps most impressive about López’s display is that she did it while filling in for the benched Aitana Bonmati, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, which is no easy feat.

Yet she made it look effortless – a skilful dribbler, a slick passer of the ball, and a refined player for her age.

With her first-half strike, she became the youngest player to appear and score at a European Championships.

Bonmati replaced the youngster with 10 to go and will no doubt feature heavily as the competition goes on, but López has given Montserrat Tomé plenty to think about with this performance.

WIMBLEDON — Zeynep Sonmez has made history at Wimbledon by defeating Wang Xinyu 7-5, 7-5 to become the first Turkish player — either woman or man — to reach the third round of a major in the Open Era.

Wimbledon: Scores | Order of play | Draws

Only two players from Türkiye had previously won Grand Slam main-draw matches in the Open Era. Former No. 60 Cagla Buyukakcay, the highest-ever WTA-ranked player from her nation, made three Grand Slam second rounds in 2016-17, though none at Wimbledon. Sonmez’s 7-6(3), 6-3 first-round defeat of Jaqueline Cristian had already made her the first Turkish woman to notch a victory at SW19. On the ATP side, former No. 77 Marsel Ilhan made seven Grand Slam second rounds between 2009 and 2015, including twice at Wimbledon, but never went further.

Prior to the Open Era, the last Turkish woman to reach the third round of a major was Bahtiye Musluoglu, who reached that stage of Roland Garros 1950.

Sonmez had been unaware ahead of her match that history was at stake.

“I didn’t even know,” she said. Indeed, while the third round of a major is a milestone for her country, it’s not one that Sonmez specifically set her sights on while growing up.

“I never dreamed of reaching the third round of Wimbledon,” she continued. “I dreamed of winning it.”

No. 88-ranked Sonmez came from 4-1 down in the first set and sealed victory with a brave hold from 0-40 down on Court 17, packed with passionate and vocal fans of both players. After match point, the 23-year-old spent several minutes taking selfies with as many of those who had cheered her on as possible.

Some had travelled all the way from Istanbul to support their countrywoman. One of those was Hudai, who led a group of supporters in rousing chants of “Sonuna kadar destekleyeceğiz seni, Zeynep” (“We will support you to the end, Zeynep”).

Afterwards, Hudai told wtatennis.com that this was his first Wimbledon. He and his friends had run to the tiny Court 17 in order to ensure seats for Sonmez’s match — a decision that had paid off.

“We were really excited to see her — it’s like our second round,” he said. “It was a hard match, there were ups and downs but we tried to make her really feel all the support.”

Tugba, who had waved a small Turkish flag throughout, agreed.

“I am honored to support Zeynep,” she said. “She’s a very exciting woman for us. I’ve been watching Wimbledon since my 20s, but this is the first year for me here.”

Afterwards, Sonmez had a message for the fans in turn.

“I want to say thank you so much for all the support, in both my first and second rounds,” she said. “I feel there are a lot of Turkish people, and it makes me very happy.”

Turkish journalist Alpasen Duven said that Sonmez’s star is rising back at home. Her maiden WTA title in Merida last November rocketed her into the Top 100, making her the second Turkish woman to achieve either of those accomplishments (following Buyukakcay, the 2016 Istanbul champion).

“She’s not yet a mainstream celebrity like top footballers or Olympic medalists in Türkiye,” he wrote via email. “But her profile is rising fast after Wimbledon. The general public sees her as a breath of fresh air for Turkish sports — someone achieving at the global level without controversy. The media and public frame her as hard-working, focused, and determined — someone who has succeeded despite the odds in a sport where Türkiye has little tradition of global success.”

Sonmez’s fans may have brought Türkiye to a small corner of Wimbledon this week, but there’s one aspect of her home country that she’s still missing. Last year, she was able to check out several of London’s many excellent Turkish restaurants — but she’s been too busy on court to do so again this year.

“I really want to go, because I really miss Turkish food,” Sonmez said. What would her order be? A classic kebab, of course. “Çöp şiş — but not lamb!”