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Liberty Media Corporation Completes Acquisition of MotoGP™

Liberty Media Corporation (“Liberty Media”) (Nasdaq: FWONA, FWONK, LLYVA, LLYVK) and Dorna Sports, S.L. (“Dorna”), the exclusive commercial rights holder of the MotoGP™ World Championship (“MotoGP”), announced today that Liberty Media has completed its acquisition of Dorna.

Following transaction close, Liberty Media’s Formula One Group is composed of its subsidiaries Formula 1, MotoGP and Quint, and other minority investments.

A presentation containing additional information on the MotoGP business has been posted to the Liberty Media website at https://www.libertymedia.com/investors/news-events/presentations.

About Liberty Media Corporation
Liberty Media Corporation operates and owns interests in media, sports and entertainment businesses. Those businesses are attributed to two tracking stock groups: the Formula One Group and the Liberty Live Group. The businesses and assets attributed to the Formula One Group (NASDAQ: FWONA, FWONK) include Liberty Media’s subsidiaries Formula 1, MotoGP and Quint, and other minority investments. The businesses and assets attributed to the Liberty Live Group (NASDAQ: LLYVA, LLYVK) include Liberty Media’s interest in Live Nation and other minority investments.

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July 3, 2025
Cambodia confirms 12th H5N1 avian flu infection of the year

Governor Tom Wolf / Flickr cc

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) yesterday released its 2024 Forces of Change Survey report that found that more and more local health departments are losing staff through layoffs or attrition, raising concerns about a shrinking public health safety net.

The study spotlights experiences of health departments at the county, city, and district level, including staffing and budget changes, health department governance, use of public health fellowship and training programs, the roles of public health nurses, program evaluation capacity, and activities that address the infectious disease consequences of substance use. Of 1,200 local health departments invited to complete the survey from March to June 2024, a total of 667 (56%) responded.

“The latest findings highlight critical trends and challenges faced by local health departments during a time of uncertainty in the local public health landscape,” NACCHO said in a news release.

1 in 5 local health departments note job losses

The survey found that, in 2023, 19% of local health departments reported job losses—an increase from 14% in 2021 and 17% in 2022. The rate rose to nearly 40% among large local health departments. Also, 17% of local health departments reported budget cuts during fiscal year (FY) 2024, with 23% anticipating cuts in FY2025.

The latest findings highlight critical trends and challenges faced by local health departments during a time of uncertainty in the local public health landscape.

In addition, 90% of local health departments reported that nurses are involved in health promotion and protection; 72% said they are involved in emergency preparedness, disaster recovery, and cross-sector collaboration; and 41% reported that nurses contribute to policy and advocacy work.

NACCHO also reported, “In 2024, 84% of local health departments reported having programs with an evaluation component. While most incorporated evaluation into their work, nearly 60% reported challenges due to insufficient staff time or capacity.”

NACCHO added, “Overall, few local health departments had individuals from training and fellowship programs assigned to their agency, which puts future workforce development at risk.” NACCHO represents more than 3,300 local health departments.

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July 3, 2025
RFK’s proposal to let bird flu spread through poultry could set us up for a pandemic, experts warn

High-ranking federal officials have suggested that bird flu virus should be left to “rip” through poultry farms across the U.S. — but experts warn that this hands-off approach could hasten the beginning of a new pandemic

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services, and Brooke Rollins, secretary of Agriculture, have floated the notion that instead of culling birds infected with the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus, farmers should let it spread through flocks. The idea is that by doing this, farmers can “identify the birds, and preserve the birds, that are immune to it,” Kennedy told Fox News on March 11.

Now, a perspective piece authored by a group of virologists, veterinarians and health security experts argues that the plan would not only be ineffective, but could also increase the risk of the virus spilling over into humans and sparking a new pandemic. The researchers published their arguments July 3 in the journal Science.

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“Essentially, the longer you allow a virus that has shown to be effective in infecting multiple hosts survive in an environment, the greater the chance you give it to spread, to mutate, and to try its luck at adaptation,” perspective first-author Erin Sorrell, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Live Science. “Worse case scenario, the virus adapts and expands its host range to become transmissible in humans … Now we have a pandemic.”

Bird flu in the U.S.

H5N1 is a subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), a type of bird flu that can cause severe disease and death in poultry and other birds. Since the virus began spreading widely among U.S. birds in January 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that more than 174 million birds across all 50 states have been infected with the disease. The virus’s transmission among wild aquatic birds, commercial poultry and backyard, hobbyist flocks, has led to massive culls in farms and sent egg prices skyrocketing.

The virus typically transmits among wild birds and poultry, but it’s known to have also infected more than 48 mammal species, including foxes, skunks, raccoons, seals and polar bears. It has also spread to dairy cattle, causing outbreaks in more than 1,000 herds across 17 U.S. states, according to current estimates.

Related: How to avoid bird flu

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Isolated human cases have been reported amid the ongoing outbreak in animals, primarily among farm workers, according to the CDC, although the agency states that the current health risk to the general public remains low. This is because, while the disease can spread among different animals, it currently can’t be passed from human to human.

Federal plans

Rollins recently issued updates about the U.S. government’s plan to combat the infection’s spread and lower egg prices. The five-pronged strategy denotes $500 million to improve farm biosecurity, $400 million in financial aid to farmers and $100 million for vaccine research. The government is also exploring ways to slash regulations and increase temporary import options for eggs.

Current regulations state that when infections are detected among commercial poultry, farmers must cull the affected flocks to contain the disease’s spread, for which they are financially compensated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Yet suggestions made by officials for more radical ways to manage bird flu have left experts concerned. In May, Kennedy and Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, voiced their support for the owners of a Canadian ostrich farm whose 398 birds faced a cull following confirmed cases of H5N1 bird flu in December 2024 and January this year.

“We believe significant scientific knowledge may be garnered from following the ostriches in a controlled environment,” Kennedy wrote in a letter posted to the social platform X and addressed to the head of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which had ordered the cull. Kennedy suggested that the ostriches may have already acquired some “downstream immunity” to the virus, and Oz offered to relocate the birds to his Florida ranch for further study.

A close-up of chickens in an industrial farm. (Image credit: KARRASTOCK via Getty Images)

Sorrel told Live Science that these statements imply “there is still an expectation that those in the Trump administration, at least on the human health side, believe this approach has merit.”

But Sorrel and her report collaborators disagree.

Allowing widespread infection of commercial flocks would kill billions of birds, drive poultry and egg prices up, as well as destabilize local economies and global trade through import restrictions imposed on U.S. products, the authors wrote. Simultaneously, it could also foster reservoirs of H5N1, increasing the virus’ odds of making the leap to humans — and gaining the ability for human-to-human infection.

“Rapid culling of [H5N1] positive flocks is central to containment of the virus on a farm,” Sorrel said. “Poultry infected with H5 shed a tremendous amount of virus. If effective controls designed to mitigate the quantity of viral shedding and known transmission pathways are removed, the exposure risk for other animals and humans on site and on neighboring farms will increase, and the opportunity for H5 to evolve to be a more effective poultry pathogen increases.”

Kennedy’s proposal is also very unlikely to work the way he’s claimed it would — the birds that provide eggs and meat on farms are descendants of separate breeding populations and do not breed themselves. So even if there were a population of resilient birds that survived H5N1 infection, that doesn’t mean they’re passing on their genetic traits to a subsequent generation.

What’s more, the mortality rate of H5N1 is extremely high among common poultry, reaching 100% in domestic chickens.

What experts propose

Instead of letting bird flu tear through farms, the scientists propose that government agencies should enhance surveillance of the virus’ spread, along with improving data sharing and outbreak response measures shared between poultry producers, industry members and veterinarians. The USDA should not work alone on these measures, Sorrel said, as “interdisciplinary teams need to have the authority and means by which to activate at the state and federal levels.”

Other experts agree with the team’s suggestions, although they highlighted areas that need further discussion. Dr. Rocio Crespo, a poultry veterinarian at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, told Live Science that further details on potential vaccine strategies and biosecurity at farms should be explored.

But the USDA is now facing billions of dollars in federal funding cuts, and Crespo says that providing economic support to farmers facing outbreaks — alongside making investments to understand bird flu evolution, preventive measures and control methods — could become increasingly difficult.

“The current policies on poultry farms are effective at preventing spread to other farms,” Crespo told Live Science. “However, the USDA’s approach does not consider spill over and influences from other crop or animal agricultural activities.”

“It appears we are continuing with the same strategies without sufficient improvement,” she added. “Greater transparency and collaboration is crucial.”

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.

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July 3, 2025
Mpox cases decline in Sierra Leone as Africa faces shortage in vaccine funding – CIDRAP
1. Mpox cases decline in Sierra Leone as Africa faces shortage in vaccine funding CIDRAP
2. World Health Organization (WHO) donates medical supplies and equipment to boost mpox response ZAWYA
3. Sierra Leone bolters mpox response: WHO leads groundbreaking genomic surveillance and bioinformatics training WHO | Regional Office for Africa
4. Mpox epidemic strains African health systems after US aid cuts Financial Times
5. Mpox Surge in Sierra Leone: A Stress Test for National Readiness Think Global Health
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July 3, 2025
Diogo Jota: Liverpool forward’s death leaves football world in shock and grief

Liverpool led the tributes to Jota, saying the club was “devastated” by such an “unimaginable loss”.

He scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool, helping them win the FA Cup and League Cup in 2022 and the Premier League title last season.

The club put out further statements later on Thursday, with boss Slot paying tribute to a player who had become “a loved one to all” at the club.

The Dutchman added: “Someone who made others feel good about themselves just by being with them. A person who cared deeply for his family.”

Slot said he last spoke to Jota to congratulate him on Portugal winning the Nations League and wish him luck for his wedding.

“In many ways, it was a dream summer for Diogo and his family, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that it should end like this,” he added.

Slot said Liverpool and their supporters are “all with” Jota’s family and the “the same can be said of the wider family of football”.

A statement from the the club’s owners and leadership group, Billy Hogan, John Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon, said they have been left “numb with grief” as they offered condolences to Jota’s family.

They added: “Beyond the player that we all knew was a wonderfully humble human being, he was sincere, intelligent, funny, tough and created connections with people everywhere he went. He had a zest for life that was utterly contagious.”

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and Fenway Sports Group chief executive of football Michael Edwards said in statement: “This is a tragedy that transcends Liverpool football club.”

They added the club will look to honour Jota with the “respect and affection” he deserves in the coming days, but for now “express a love that is filled with deep sorrow and pain” after losing someone “truly irreplaceable”.

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July 3, 2025
UN chief ‘appalled’ by worsening Gaza crisis as civilians face displacement, aid blockades

Multiple attacks in recent days have killed and injured scores of Palestinians at sites hosting displaced people and others attempting to access essential supplies, according to a statement from UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric on Thursday.

“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the loss of civilian life,” Mr. Dujarric said.

On just one day this week, nearly 30,000 people were forced to flee under new Israeli relocation orders, with no safe place to go and clearly inadequate supplies of shelter, food, medicine or water, he added.

Critical systems shutting down

With no fuel having entered Gaza in over 17 weeks, the UN chief is also “gravely concerned that the last lifelines for survival are being cut off.”

“Without an urgent influx of fuel, incubators will shut down, ambulances will be unable to reach the injured and sick, and water cannot be purified,” Mr. Dujarric said.

“The delivery by the United Nations and partners of what little of our lifesaving humanitarian aid is left in Gaza will also grind to a halt.”

The Secretary-General reiterated his call for safe and sustained humanitarian access so aid can reach people in desperate need.

“The UN has a clear and proven plan, rooted in the humanitarian principles, to get vital assistance to civilians – safely and at scale, wherever they are,” Mr. Dujarric said.

The Secretary-General reiterated his call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups. He reminded all parties that international humanitarian law must be upheld.

Displacement continues

Displacement remains relentless. On Wednesday, Israeli authorities issued a new evacuation order in parts of Gaza City, affecting some 40,000 people and including a displacement site, a medical point and one of the few neighbourhoods that had remained untouched by such orders since before the March ceasefire.

Since that ceasefire collapsed, over 50 such orders have been issued, now covering 78 per cent of Gaza’s territory.

“Add the Israeli-militarized zones and that percentage jumps to 85 – leaving just 15 per cent where civilians can actually stay,” Mr. Dujarric said, briefing reporters at the UN Headquarters, in New York.

Those areas are overcrowded and severely lacking in services or proper infrastructure.

“Imagine having just over two million people in Manhattan – which is actually slightly bigger – but instead of buildings, the area is strewn with the rubble of demolished and bombed-out structures, without infrastructure or basic support,” the UN Spokesperson said.

“And in Gaza, these remaining areas are also fragmented and unsafe.”

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July 3, 2025
Measles cases rise in the Americas in 2025 – PAHO/WHO

Washington, D.C., 3 July 2025 (PAHO) – A total of 7,132 confirmed cases of measles and 13 deaths have been reported in the Region of the Americas as of mid-June 2025, according to the latest epidemiological update from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). This represents a 29-fold increase compared to the 244 cases reported during the same period in 2024.

Nine countries have reported cases in 2025, with Canada (3,170 cases, 1 death), Mexico (2,597 cases, 9 deaths) and the United States (1,227 cases, 3 deaths), accounting for the majority. Other countries reporting cases include Bolivia (60), Argentina (34), Belize (34), Brazil (5), Peru (4) and Costa Rica (1). The outbreaks originated from importations from countries both within and outside the Region. The most affected age groups are children under 5 and adolescents aged 10 to 19 years.

The rise in cases underscores the urgent need to address gaps in routine immunization. PAHO is calling on countries to reach and sustain 95% coverage with two doses of measles-containing vaccine, especially in communities with low coverage or active outbreaks.

PAHO is providing technical cooperation to most countries to strengthen epidemiological surveillance, train healthcare workers, and engage with communities to ensure timely detection and an effective response. To contain the outbreaks and prevent the spread of this vaccine-preventable disease, the Organization recommends the urgent implementation of intensified vaccination campaigns in affected areas and in those areas at risk of spread. PAHO does not recommend implementing restrictions on international travel.

The upward trend mirrors the global situation, where surveillance data from the World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 188,355 suspected cases and 88,853 confirmed in 168 countries as of 6 June 2025. The Eastern Mediterranean Region accounts for the highest share (35%), followed by the African Region (21%) and the European Region (16%).

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July 3, 2025
O’Melveny Advises Broadcom on Sale of VeloCloud® SD-WAN Portfolio to Arista Networks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAN FRANCISCO—July 3, 2025—O’Melveny advised Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO), a global technology leader that designs, develops, and supplies a broad range of semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions, on the sale of its VeloCloud® SD-WAN business to Arista Networks (NYSE: ANET), a leading provider of cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) networking solutions.

The transaction was announced on July 1.

Broadcom Inc., a Delaware corporation headquartered in San Jose, CA, is a global technology leader that designs, develops and supplies a broad range of semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions. Broadcom’s category-leading product portfolio serves critical markets including data center, networking, enterprise software, broadband, wireless, storage and industrial.

The O’Melveny team advising Broadcom was led by San Francisco M&A partner Adit Khorana, chair of the firm’s Technology Transactions Group, along with partner Ashwin Gokhale, counsel Sean Kwak, and associates Emily Losi and Tara McMillen.

About O’Melveny

It’s more than what you do: it’s how you do it. Across sectors and borders, in board rooms and courtrooms, we measure our success by yours. And in our interactions, we commit to making your O’Melveny experience as satisfying as the outcomes we help you achieve. Our greatest accomplishment is ensuring that you never have to choose between premier lawyering and exceptional service. So, tell us. What do you want to achieve? Visit us at www.omm.com; learn more in our firm at-a-glance; and find us on LinkedIn,Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Contact:

Brandon Jacobsen
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
+1 213 430 8024
bjacobsen@omm.com

# # #

Arista Networks issued the following announcement:

Arista Networks Expands AI-Driven Campus and Branch Networking Offerings

Arista acquires VeloCloud SD-WAN for cognitive branch edge

Jul 1, 2025 9:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Arista Networks (NYSE: ANET), a leading provider of cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) networking solutions, today announced several AI-driven enterprise products that deliver an expanded set of switching, Wi-Fi 7 access point, and WAN capabilities. In conjunction, Arista acquired the VeloCloud® SD-WAN portfolio from Broadcom. This combination of innovations will bring operational ease through zero touch operations, proactive monitoring, and automated troubleshooting across the broad set of client-to-cloud networking domains.

As organizations seek real-world business value from generative and agentic AI, they are adopting centers of data strategy that connect the algorithms/models to key, distributed data stores across the enterprise–from the data centers to the campus, and to the branches and remote offices. Reliable networks that are always on, easy to operate, and with built-in security are, therefore, more important than ever. Arista continues to embrace this challenge with an expanding set of hardware and software solutions optimized for various customer needs. This, among other reasons, is why we believe Arista Networks has been recognized in the Visionaries Quadrant of the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Enterprise Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure published on 26 June 2025—Gartner positioned Arista Networks as the vendor with the highest Ability to Execute in the Visionaries Quadrant in the report.

Arista’s Acquisition of VeloCloud Enhances Branch Centers

VeloCloud offers leading cloud-delivered SD-WAN solutions with integrated security, complementing Arista’s wired and wireless switching portfolio. VeloCloud solutions comprise a range of edge hardware platforms featuring integrated secure firewalling and application-optimized SD-WAN, available with a choice of integrated Wi-Fi and/or 5G mobile connectivity. This portfolio of solutions provides expanded choice and performance for Arista customers, enabling global WAN services to interconnect data centers and distributed campus offices, while complementing Arista’s existing CloudEOS® routing stack and high-end 7000-series WAN routers.

“We have been using Arista and VeloCloud in production environments,” stated Alan Davidson, CIO of Broadcom Inc. “The addition of the VeloCloud edge strengthens and scales the enterprise WAN network.”

Arista is also introducing the AWE-7220R WAN router with regional connectivity. Together with the previously announced AWE-7230R and AWE-7250R systems, customers can build a hub-spine and VeloCloud micro-edge WAN topology.

AI-Driven Campus and Branch Centers

Arista’s new campus portfolio features advanced PoE capabilities in a compact form factor switch, along with a wider range of cost-effective Wi-Fi 7 indoor and outdoor access points for branch deployments, enabling newer IoT applications, such as ESL (Electronic Shelf Label).

“We’re thrilled with Arista’s access point integration with VusionGroup’s Electronic Shelf Labels,” said Dean Penebacker, IT Director, Pan Pacific Retail Management (PPRM) Hawaii. “This seamless integration with our existing systems means we can manage pricing dynamically and reduce labor costs, all while ensuring accuracy at the shelf edge. It’s the innovative technology we need to stay competitive in today’s retail landscape.”

Key additions to the switching and wireless portfolio include:
- A new compact, fanless 12-port PoE switch that is also 60W capable in the 710 family of access switches, designed for remote office and branch deployments.
- A new ruggedized outdoor Wi-Fi 7 access point, the O-435, designed for harsh industrial and outdoor environments, features a 2×2 tri-radio and a fourth dedicated tri-band multi-function radio.
- A new entry-level 2×2 tri-radio Wi-Fi 7 indoor access point, the C-400, targeted for cost-effective, high-volume service provider-managed (MSP) branch environments, including SMBs, multi-dwelling units, and small remote offices.
“Arista Networks’ new low-cost, compact, fanless switch platform and entry-level Wi-Fi 7 access point are a perfect fit for our clients with small distributed offices and branches,” said Neil Dearman, CTO EMEA, High Point Solutions, Inc. “As a channel partner, we can address the unique needs of our clients with enterprise-grade technology that’s easy to deploy and manage, all while keeping costs in check. It’s a win-win for us and our customers.”

Zero Trust Networking for the Branch

Arista CloudVision® AGNI (CV AGNI™) now supports a fully on-premises deployment model, enabling customers with strict regulatory and data compliance requirements to benefit from simple, scalable, and secure AI-driven network access control from large campuses to distributed locations, while the new 1G and 10G virtual ZTX platforms extend Arista MSS identity-based microsegmentation to remote branches and small campuses.

“For years, we searched for a solution to secure our network and district resources without adding complexity, financial strain, or management challenges,” said Najeeb Qasimi, Director of IT, Oak Grove School District. “Arista CV AGNI allows us to effortlessly implement and maintain policies, while its secure client connectivity ensures every student, teacher, and device—whether on district-provided or personal equipment—remains protected. This powerful, hassle-free tool has revolutionized how we safeguard and operate our network.”

Availability
- O-435 and C-400 will ship in Q2 2025
- 710XP will ship early Q3 2025
- AWE-7220R WAN router is shipping now
- On-premises CloudVision AGNI is shipping now
- Arista MSS virtual ZTX appliances are shipping now
Read more about today’s VeloCloud announcement in Jayshree Ullal, Arista’s CEO and Chairperson’s blog and a webinar on July 10.

For a detailed look at Arista’s campus and new branch solutions, register here for one of our upcoming Campus Networking Days at a location near you.
Source : Gartner®, Magic Quadrant™ for Enterprise Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure, Mike Leibovitz et al., 25 June 2025

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, and MAGIC QUADRANT is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Arista

Arista Networks is an industry leader in data-driven, client-to-cloud networking for large AI, data center, campus, and routing environments. Its award-winning platforms deliver availability, agility, automation, analytics, and security through an advanced network operating stack. For more information, visit www.arista.com.

ARISTA, AGNI, and CloudVision are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of Arista Networks in jurisdictions worldwide. Other company names or product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Additional information and resources can be found at www.arista.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements regarding the performance and capabilities of Arista’s products and services. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, including rapid technological and market change, customer requirements, and industry standards, as well as other risks stated in our filings with the SEC available on Arista’s website at www.arista.com and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Arista disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Contacts

Media Contact:
Amanda Jaramillo
Corporate Communications
Tel: (408) 547-5798
amanda@arista.com

Investor Contact:
Investor Advocacy
Rudolph Araujo
Rod Hall
Tel: (408) 547-8080
ir@arista.com
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July 3, 2025
Tennis NZ » Venus, Mektic edge British wildcards in first round at Wimbledon

Michael Venus and Nikola Mektic came through a tense opening match in the men’s doubles at Wimbledon, despite a large crowd cheering against them.

They have defeated the British wildcard recipients Lui Maxted and Connor Thompson 6-4 7-6(4) on Court 8 to advance to the second round.

Although on paper this looked like a good match-up for the tournament’s No 8 seeds, they were pushed hard by the young Brits, with just one break of serve in the opening set.

When Mektic was serving at 4-5 in the second set, he came under pressure and needed to save a set-point, which he successfully did.

Maxted had a break point to defend in the following game and the set ended up going into a tiebreak.

Venus double faulted at 2-3, to give the British team a good lead at the change of ends.

But Venus and Mektic won the next four points, to edge close to the victory and on match point the Croatian hit an unreturnable serve.

Despite playing against two opponents who aren’t yet playing on the Tour, Venus said he and Mektic expected this to be a tough match.

“They both played college in the States and you can see the calibre of the guys coming out of college these days, with Cam (Norrie) and Jacob Fearnley,” Venus said.

“So their level is good and we thought it would be a tough match.

“We didn’t know too much about them, so we were trying to feel things out and figure things out during the match.

“I thought we took care of our service games really well,” he added.

“Obviously, got a break in the first set, and we had a couple kind of half chances in the second set.

“Then fought off a set point at 5-4 and had a couple break points in at 5-5 and didn’t get that and got down in the breaker. It was a terrible double fault! Then managed to right the ship and get through.”

Something both teams needed to deal with was the earlier than expected time for the match.

It was scheduled to be the fourth match on Court 8, so it could have been early evening that the players went on. However the three prior matches were all over quickly and Venus said they had to rush their preparations.

“I think it was 2.55pm they called us,” Venus said.

“We finished warming up at 2pm. We saw what the scores were and everything was going fast, so quickly had some food, then showered, got changed and got everything ready, and then was straight on.

“So it was all quite rushed. I thought the very earliest we would have gone on looking at the schedule would have been 3.30pm if the matches went super fast. But I was anticipating it would be more like 4.30-5pm.

Although Venus said it was a rush for himself and Mektic, he felt it would have been the same for Maxted and Thompson.

“It’s a fine line, especially when you’re playing fourth on,” he said.

“You don’t want to be here sitting around all day and then matches go long. At the same time, you don’t want to be rushing. So it’s always a tricky decision.”

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July 3, 2025
Helldivers 2 is coming to Xbox on August 26

Helldivers 2, the third-person co-op shooter developed by Arrowhead Game Studios, is finally coming to Xbox on August 26. The sequel to the 2015 top-down shooter was released for PlayStation 5 and Windows in early 2024 and supports cross-platform play.

After launch, Helldivers 2 was a huge success, selling over 15 million copies and reaching 450,000 concurrent players on Steam, the highest number ever among PlayStation games released for the PC. In fact, there were so many players online that Sony briefly attempted to mandate PlayStation Network account linking, which set off a wave of negative reviews from frustrated gamers. The policy was eventually reversed.

In the announcement of the game’s Xbox launch, Game Director Mikael Eriksson said, “we know gamers have been asking for this for some time and we are so excited to bring more Helldivers into our game. We have so much more in store for the future months and years – and the more players we have the more stories we can tell! The fight for Super Earth has only just begun.”

This is a rare instance of a Sony-published game coming to Xbox systems, following the MLB: The Show series. Time will tell if this is just another rare exception, or the start of a new trend by Sony allowing their games to reach more players. Players can pre-order digital copies of both the standard edition and the Super Citizen Edition for Helldivers 2 now. It’s unclear if a physical copy of the game will be released.

Correction, July 3, 2025, 2:02PM ET: This story originally stated that Helldivers 2 was a first-party PlayStation game. While it was published by Sony Interactive, the company doesn’t own Arrowhead.

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July 3, 2025