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‘I’ve been slagged my whole life’ – James Lowe gets own back with response to ‘Kiwi, now Irish’ stadium announcer dig

JAMES LOWE spoke out after the stadium announcer referred to him as “the Kiwi, now Irishman” before the Lions’ win over Western Force.

Andy Farrell‘s men kicked off their tour of Australia with a 54-7 rout in Perth on Saturday.

The New Zealand-born winger was one of eight Ireland internationals that started on the day.

He was one of a number of players who were singled out by the cheeky stadium announcer during the game.

Reading out the teams, the PA said: “The Western Force announcer here, going through the Lions 23.

“Our former Aussie, Mack Hansen! Another former Aussie, Sione Tuipulotu! It’s the Kiwi, now Irishman, James Lowe! The former SA schoolboy, now Scotsman, Pierre Schoeman!'”

The 32-year-old was asked about the description during a post-match interview with the BBC.

Taking it in his stride, Lowe said: “I get used to it, man. I’ve been getting slagged my whole life, my whole career.

“It doesn’t matter where I go, I seem to get slagged.

“They can say what they want. We are here now, feet in the ground in Australia.

“We have put in a performance that we want and are happy with and will hopefully carry it on.

“Hopefully a few more Kiwis or Saffas [New Zealanders and South Africans] play next week and we can keep the same gag going if we keep on getting the same result.”

Lowe and his Ireland compatriots acquainted themselves well in Perth, with Joe McCarthy, Dan Sheehan, and Garry Ringrose all getting tries.

It was a landmark day for Sheehan, in particular, with the Leinster hooker captaining the Lions just four months after skippering the national team in the Six Nations.

Meanwhile, Mack Hansen was singled out by Andy Farrell for contributing the “play of the day” in the second-half.

Thirteen Ireland players are in the squad overall, all of whom will be pushing for a spot when they face the Wallabies on July 19.

And Lowe was proud to be able to get the chance to put himself into Farrell’s thoughts against the Force.

He added: “I knew I’d get a chance to put in a performance and personally I was very happy with how I went.

“I still remember sitting at home with my wife when your name comes up on the TV.

“To actually be here, feet on the ground in Australia and given the opportunity is a massive privilege.

“The amazing thing about this tour is these games make you hungrier for a Test spot.

“I’m competing with some world-class wingers in their own right so you’ve got to put your best forward.

“Obviously we can get better and we will get better over time but it’s already something I’ll be very proud of for the rest of my days.”

28 June 2025; James Lowe of British & Irish Lions in action against Ollie Hoskins of Western Force during the tour match between Western Force and the British & Irish Lions at Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia. Photo by Steve Christo/Sportsfile
James Lowe in action for the Lions against the Western Force
Steve Christo/Sportsfile

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Max Verstappen OUT of Austrian Grand Prix following pile-up on first lap and Sainz’s car catching fire

MAX VERSTAPPEN was wiped out the Austrian Grand Prix on the first lap.

Mercedes star Kimi Antonelli’s brakes locked up as went round a turn and he drove straight into the Dutchman.

Max Verstappen's Red Bull Racing car during a Formula 1 race.

The back of Verstappen’s car was hit and it sent him spinning off the track.

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My entire family was stalked for 6 YEARS after I accidentally sent a one-letter text to a stranger on Plenty of Fish

 A WOMAN says her entire family was stalked for six years after she accidentally accidentally sent a one-letter text to a stranger on a dating app.

None of the Sims family, from Wales, ever met Neal Hancock in person, but they have received continual messages, threats and abuse from him.

Mugshot of Neal Hancock.
South Wales Police
Neal Hancock, 39, pleaded guilty to charges of stalking in November, 2023[/caption]
Portrait of a mother and daughter.
Media Wales
Kathryn Sims, and daughter Bethan, have both received disturbing messages[/caption]

The terrifying campaign began when Bethan Sims fell asleep whilst leaning on her phone in 2019, and accidentally sent a one letter response to a man on the dating app Plenty of Fish.

Thinking Bethan was interested in him, the 39-year-old man then bombarded her with messages, which eventually turned abusive when she did not reply.

Bethan then blocked him, but Hancock soon made another account and found her again.

This happened a few times, to the point he would even create profiles on other social media channels.

And he has continued, even reaching out to Bethan’s mother Kathryn, despite Hancock having been convicted for his crimes and put in prison for continually stalking the family.

She told WalesOnline: “It’s been six years – six years of this nightmare”.

This is also despite Hancock having been banned from the Sims’ family home in Port Talbot, which involves a restraining order he has continued to breach the terms of.

Kathryn continued:  “We are genuinely fearful for our lives.

“That’s what this has come to.

“And honestly we don’t believe it is being taken anywhere near seriously enough.”

She added: “It never leaves you when you have a stalker.”

Hancock, who lives close the Bethan and Kathryn, is expected to be released from prison next month.

He has still never spoken to either of them in person, but has sent messages on social media letting them know he is watching them, with proof of where they have been during the day.

He even posted their address online.

The stalking got so bad that Bethan was too concerned to leave her home, and made an alert to her children’s school after she realised he knew about them.

The Sims family are not the only people Hancock is recorded to have stalked.

A mutual friend let Bethan and Kathryn know about Carl Mallon, who was also stalked for so long by Hancock that he had to leave his job and move house.

Speaking about his experience with Hancock, Carl said: “When I’m out my eyes are everywhere.

“It can wreck your life.”

Hancock now lives in Neath, and has been sentenced to 48 weeks custody suspended for two years, after he pleaded guilty to stalking charges involving fear of violence in November 2023.

He has been tagged and received a five-year restraining order that means he is no allowed to contact or approach any of his victims in anyway.

But Kathryn and Bethan want to stricter order for Hancock, who has still contacted them.

Bethan explained: “What he did when he got out of jail was break the exclusion zone around us, getting himself recalled back to prison.

“Then he came out for a second time and broke the restraining order again.

“He is now back in prison for a third time.

“I think he’s proven he isn’t going to listen and that we are in danger.”

Hancock breached his current restraining order last year, which ended him up in prison for around 11 months, then breached it again six months after being released when he contacted Bethan on social media.

Kathryn does not believe enough is being done in response to this man’s behaviour:  “He’s considered such a risk he was under robust MAPPA (multi-agency public protection arrangements) guidelines, essentially meaning everyone working together to keep us safe.

“But that isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.”

A freedom of information request submitted by the BBC earlier this year revealed despite the UK having had nearly 440,000 cases of stalking between 2020 and 2023, only 1,439 stalking prevention orders were issued by 40 forces.

These are part of the Stalking Protection Bill from 2020, which can prohibit activities like entering locations or making contact with victims involved in the early stages of an investigation into alleged stalking.

Hancock is reported to have entered one of the exclusion zones, and managed to get “very close” to Kathryn and Bethan before they were alerted.

They are worried about how “obsessed” and “fixated” he is.

Kathryn sad: “We could have been killed by the time we knew.”

“We are so fed up. It’s affected everything,” she added.

“It makes you so unwell. I’ve been hospitalised with the stress of it because we’re in such danger from this man.”

The two are due back in Swansea Magistrates Court on July 7 to request a more robust restraining order.

South Wales Police Inspector, Jared Easton, who is in charge of the case said:  “Neal Hancock is clearly a dangerous individual who refuses to learn his lesson and has caused all manner of trauma for his poor victim.

“His behaviour towards this victim has been ongoing for several years now.

“It is completely unacceptable, and nobody should have to put up with a prolonged campaign like this.

“A further application is being made to the court to extend the conditions of the restraining order and should he fail to abide by these conditions, then he will be arrested and taken back to court.”

A Welsh mother and daughter stand outside their home.
Media Wales
Hancock even found Bethan and her son at a restaurant, and followed them through the supermarket[/caption]
A mother and daughter stand behind a low stone wall.
Media Wales
The mother and daughter, from Port Talbort, want to raise awareness about issues of stalking[/caption]

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Carlos Sainz’s car catches fire as Austrian Grand Prix descends into chaos on formation lap

CARLOS SAINZ was forced to retire from the Austrian Grand Prix before it even began after his car caught fire.

The start of the race was delayed following the incident during the formation lap.

Burning Formula 1 race car.
Carlos Sainz was forced out of the race after his car caught fire

The issue arose on the grid with the Williams failing to start as the other 19 cars got underway.

Sainz was able to start but could not complete the formation lap as it went into the pits.

Fire marshalls then rushed to the vehicle to put out a small fire in the rear of the car.

Sainz was then forced out of the race, with the start delayed by 18 minutes.

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Bloodied clothes, sex attack claims and unanswered riddles of Benidorm 5 – what DID happen to Kirsty Maxwell?

SITTING on the plane, Kirsty Maxwell was in high spirits. Surrounded by friends, the 27-year-old bank worker was on her way to Benidorm for a hen weekend.

Laughing and joking as they looked forward to spending time together in the Spanish party resort, the women were unaware that within hours, an unimaginable tragedy would strike.

Photo of Kirsty Maxwell.
Solarpix
Kirsty Maxwell plummeted from the balcony of a room on the 10th floor[/caption]
Posters at the Apartmentos Payma hotel in Benidorm, Spain, regarding the death of Kirsty Maxwell.
Apartamentos Payma, where Kirsty was staying
CCTV footage of three women walking down a hallway.
CCTV footage shows Kirsty was clearly in control of her faculties on the night she died

Kirsty, herself a newlywed, would be found dead, her body lying by the pool of the Apartamentos Payma, where she was staying, after she plummeted from the balcony of a room on the 10th floor occupied by five British men.

At first, it was suspected Kirsty had been murdered, but following a Spanish police investigation, the case was shelved and her death was recorded as an accident.

Her grieving family, however, refuse to accept this.

“I know she didn’t jump,” says Kirsty’s aunt Angela Lees, 64. “She wouldn’t take her own life.

“There’s no way. That girl had everything to live for. She didn’t sleepwalk. She had a drink in her, but she wasn’t falling-about drunk.”

Now, the family’s eight-year fight to discover the truth is being told by a new podcast.

What Happened To Kirsty Maxwell? is written, narrated and produced by true crime podcaster Naomi Channell, who decided to make the series after meeting Kirsty’s family at a CrimeCon event in 2023, which they were attending to raise awareness of their campaign.

“They looked like they were broken,” Naomi remembers. “What struck me first about the case was how nothing made sense.

“I read through it all and thought, ‘How has this been allowed to fall through the cracks?’”

Kirsty, who was from Livingston, Scotland, was in the prime of her life when she boarded her flight to Benidorm. The previous September, she had married her long-term boyfriend Adam Maxwell.

Wedding photo of Kirsty Maxwell and her husband.
Solarpix
Kirsty and long-term boyfriend Adam had recently got married[/caption]

Blissfully happy, they were in the process of buying a new home, as well as planning to start a family.

After touching down in Benidorm on April 28, 2017, Kirsty and the rest of the hen party checked into their apartment building just after 9pm, then headed out for the night.

She returned, along with two friends, at 5.35am the next morning. Although she’d been drinking, CCTV footage shows she was clearly in control.

She went to bed and at 6.50am, a friend who was sharing a room with her on the ninth floor took a video of her snoring.

What happened next, however, remains shrouded in confusion.

Having been asleep in bed, Kirsty left her room and went up to the 10th floor, where some of the hens were staying.

Her family believes she went looking for their apartment, possibly in search of painkillers or contact lens solution, which she had forgotten.

For whatever reason, she ended up in room 10E, barefoot and without her phone – where there were five bodybuilders from Nottingham, part of a group of more than 50 people in Spain celebrating a birthday.

Apartment interior with balcony overlooking Benidorm.
The apartment in Benidorm where Kirsty plunged to her death
Overhead view of an apartment balcony overlooking a swimming pool and surrounding buildings.
Kirsty was found dead by the pool of the Apartamentos Payma
Four men leaving a courthouse, covering their faces.
In police interviews, the men said Kirsty walked into their apartment without speaking

The men in the flat were Joseph Graham, then 32, a logistics manager with Amazon, who opened the door to Kirsty, Ricky Gammon, a 31-year-old cage fighter, Anthony Holehouse, 34, Callum Northridge, 29, and Daniel Bailey, 32.

Minutes after entering, Kirsty was dead, her body splayed on the concrete by the pool.

Soon after, the police phoned her husband Adam. Unable to understand what they were saying, he rang one of the hens, who told him the tragic news.

“It was devastating. It doesn’t sink in. She adored Adam, they had their future mapped out,” says Kirsty’s mum Denise Curry, 61.

As the family reeled in shock, in Spain the police suspected foul play, and the five men from Room 10E were questioned. One of them, Joseph Graham, was arrested.

In police interviews, the men said Kirsty walked into their apartment without speaking. She then apparently rushed into the bathroom and was “acting mad, drunk or both”.

Ricky Gammon - linked with death of Kirsty Maxwell in Benidorm - picture taken from internet
Ricky Gammon, a 31-year-old cage fighter, was one of the five men in the flat
INTERNET
Enterprise News Pictures 4/5/17 Pic shows: Joseph Graham, 32, an account manager from Nottingham, who was arrested on suspicion of killing Kirsty Maxwell, 27, from Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland, who died early on Saturday morning on a hen-do after falling from a tenth-floor Benidorm apartment on the Costa Blanca in Spain. Reports suggest she entered the wrong room by mistake and in trying to escape may have jumped from the balcony to try to land in a swimming pool below. Joseph Graham, who according to his linkedin profile, works for Transline Group recruitment firm, was arrested over her death but was freed and allowed to return to the UK despite suspicions his actions were responsible for her death. Reports in Spain suggested the man had been arrested in the past in the UK for sexual assault. Mr Graham has made a statement protesting his innocence since returning to the UK. It has since emerged police are also investigating whether Mrs Maxwell may have been sleepwalking when she plunged to her death. She is believed to have been let in by an occupant of the flat directly above the one she was staying in with her hen-do friends. Five men inside the apartment are said to have admitted taking drugs - snorting lines of cocaine - as well as drinking heavily when Mrs Maxwell turned up unexpectedly at the door. Local reports said the investigating judge was looking at whether the suspect had thrown Mrs Maxwell to her death or intimidated her into jumping to her death out of fright to escape. Joseph Graham is pictured here in a photo on his Linkedin profile page. See story...
Joseph Graham, pictured, said Kirsty tried to climb through the bathroom window
LINKEDIN

Joseph told police that she attempted to climb through a small bathroom window, which led to another area of the flat, before giving up and jumping over the Juliet balcony, plunging to her death below.

He allegedly screamed: “She’s jumped!” after she disappeared, and told police that he only spoke to her to ask her to leave.

Meanwhile, Kirsty’s mum, dad Brian, aunt Angela, Adam and his parents all booked flights to Spain. At that point they still had no idea what had happened, only that Kirsty was dead.

“Our priority was to get to Benidorm,” recalls Angela. “We got on the plane, and we were just numb. Nobody could speak.

We were left to become our own detectives

Kirsty's dad Brian

“It was a bank holiday weekend, and the plane was full of holiday-makers. When we arrived in Benidorm, people were singing and dancing, but we were in shock.

“Then we were told what had happened. We just couldn’t believe it. We were immediately suspicious that something untoward had gone on in that room.”

It was reported at the time by the family’s lawyer, Luis Miguel Zumaquero, that police had said Kirsty fell to her death in a “state of terror” and that she was allegedly fleeing a ”sexual attack that had begun to materialise”.

It was Judge Ana Isabel Garcia-Galbis’ job to decide if charges should be bought.

Joseph Graham was arrested at the time and taken to court before being released without charge. Within 48 hours, the other four men were also probed over her death before being allowed to return to the UK pending further investigations.

The men’s lawyer, Roberto Sanchez, said: “My clients have nothing to hide”, and Joseph released a statement saying: “I have been advised by my Spanish lawyer that, despite me not being charged with any wrongdoing, the investigation into this tragic accident is still ongoing.

“I am unable to say anything at this time, other than I am innocent of any wrongdoing.”

On May 1, Kirsty’s family travelled to a morgue in Spain to view her body. “Words can’t describe the pain,” says Angela.

Kirsty Maxwell and her husband at their wedding.
Kirsty and Adam were in the process of buying a new home, as well as planning to start a family
Photo of a bride and her mother wearing sashes that say "Mother of the Bride" and "Bride."
Kirsty with her aunt Angela Lees

To add to their heartache, Spanish newspapers published a photo of Kirsty’s body where she had fallen, which a bystander had taken. Angela says they were on autopilot, hardly sleeping or eating.

The family stayed in the town and used social media to try to find new witnesses, especially people who were staying in a holiday complex opposite the apartments and might have seen something.

On May 5, they brought Kirsty’s body home. Frustrated by the apparent lack of action, the family engaged another lawyer, Lorena Soler Bernabeu, who arranged for further forensic analysis and later attempted to recall the five men for questioning.

It was reported that a judge knocked back four separate requests from the family as they tried to seek answers.

Then, on July 28, four of the men broke their silence to deny any involvement in her death.

The four men who attended the hearing said: “This was a tragic accident and we categorically deny any involvement in this unfortunate incident,” The Nottingham Post reported.

“The opinion of the judge is that this was an accident.

“It goes without saying that our deepest sympathy goes out to Kirsty’s family and our thoughts are with them all at this terrible time.”

Deepened suspicions

The Spanish court declared the investigation complete and refused.

Naomi says: “The confusion and the men’s subsequent silence has only deepened suspicions.

“The men’s clothing was not collected and Spanish police later confirmed that Kirsty’s clothes had been destroyed, saying they had been ‘inspected visually’ and then incinerated because they were bloodstained.”

She adds: “The family even contacted the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, asking that any biological samples or forensic evidence be preserved.

“The Scottish First Minister backed the request. Sánchez never replied.”

Back in the UK, the family explored every legal avenue and set up online information appeals.

“We were left to become our own detectives,” says Brian, 66. “We spent months going through emails, pushing for meetings, hiring our own forensic experts. We had no choice.”

Portrait of a blonde woman in a dark v-neck top.
What Happened To Kirsty Maxwell? is written, narrated and produced by true crime podcaster Naomi Channell
Adam Maxwell with his parents meeting with a Spanish lawyer.
Kirsty’s husband Adam with Kirsty’s mum and dad, Brian and Denise Curry
Andy Barr

Spanish police maintained the death was accidental. The lead investigator, César García, later stated that “no sufficient evidence” pointed to criminal involvement.

In 2018, a biomechanics expert reviewed the case on behalf of the family, and stated that the way Kirsty’s garments were positioned was inconsistent with a fall.

Her tight denim skirt and top had ridden up.

The following year, after repeated requests, Kirsty’s family was told some potential witnesses could be questioned via video link at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court.

But when the day arrived, technical problems meant a link could not be established and instead a court official took statements from the witnesses using a list of questions.

“It was a total farce,” says Brian.

In September 2019, the Spanish courts decided to shelve a criminal probe.

The family appealed, and in July 2020, three Spanish judges in Alicante ruled that there was no “strong evidence” of criminality surrounding the death.

In a statement, they said: “Kirsty, affected by alcohol and after consuming the equivalent of 10 spirits the night before, appears to have left her apartment 9A and voluntarily entered 10E where the five men were.

“Nothing points to the contrary.

There’s been such a limited amount of detail that’s come from those five men

Naomi

“Although it is true cocaine was found in the bathroom of apartment 10E and the dead woman’s fingerprints were discovered on an interior bathroom window, it has not been possible to obtain strong evidence of specific and individualised criminality in terms of the victim’s death in any of the five men investigated.”

However, the What Happened To Kirsty Maxwell? podcast questions some discrepancies in the statements the men gave at the time.

A man leaves a court building, covering his face.
Solarpix
No toxicology reports for the men exist[/caption]
Man leaving a court, covering his face.
Solarpix
The podcast reveals some discrepancies in the statements the men gave at the time[/caption]

Naomi explains: “One said he was asleep. Another said he didn’t notice Kirsty entering. There was confusion over whether she walked in uninvited or whether she was brought in by one of the men.”

There is also a suggestion that there may have been another woman with one of the men at some point during the evening. Police also found erection-enhancing pills.

Furthermore, police statements seen by The Sun state that Joseph’s nose was bleeding and that he admitted he had been snorting narcotics.

No toxicology reports for the men exist. It isn’t disputed that the men had been drinking, and this could explain some of the discrepancies in their stories.

Naomi says: “They always exercised their right to say ‘no comment’ outside of pre-agreed questions from their lawyer.

“It’s frustrating, because they have the right to say no comment, but for Kirsty’s family, there’s so little information.

“There’s been such a limited amount of detail that’s come from those five men.

“It’s almost like Kirsty drifts into a room, nobody says anything to her, approaches her or does anything. . . and then she jumps off the balcony.”

The podcast host adds: “Denise and Brian have been so dignified. They have always gone through official channels.

“They have never messaged the men on social media, they just want answers.”

Meanwhile, the family remains in legal limbo. “It’s frustrating,” says Brian. “The authorities have ended their investigation.

“They’ve asked us to present more evidence before they’ll look at it again, but every time we suggest something, they don’t agree.”

Selfie of two women.
Will Kirsty’s cause of death ever be revealed?

The family hopes raising awareness might encourage new witnesses to come forward and help others in similar situations.

“The campaign for answers has consumed our life,” says Brian. “In the process, a lot of people have approached us with similar stories and we’ve been able to give them help and advice.”

On each anniversary of their daughter’s death, Brian says he and his wife “quietly do our own thing”, visiting their daughter’s favourite places, like the riverbank where she walked her dog, and remembering the happy, vibrant woman she was.

“Kirsty would light up a room with her smile and her laugh,” says Angela. “She was such a loving, caring person.

“We just want someone to tell the truth. Kirsty walked into that room by mistake, but she didn’t walk out. We owe it to her. We won’t stop. Kirsty is not here, so we must be here for her.”

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Wimbledon star who idolises Luka Modric broke down in tears and nearly quit tennis after cruellest defeat of her career

DONNA VEKIC walks alongside Croatian greats Luka Modric and Josko Gvardiol in her homeland.

Having reached the Wimbledon semi-finals and earned an Olympic silver medal last summer, the 29-year-old achieved hero status in the Balkan country.

Couple in formal wear posing for a photo.
Instagram / @donnavekic
Donna Vekic posed for a picture with Croatian legend Luka Modric in April[/caption]
Woman in green tennis outfit on court with racket and tennis balls.
Mackage
Vekic, 29, followed Josko Gvardiol in working with Mackage[/caption]
Donna Vekic of Croatia playing tennis.
Getty
Vekic is hoping to go even further at Wimbledon this year[/caption]

Vekic rubbed shoulders with Modric at the Laureus Awards back in April, while she has since joined Gvardiol in becoming an ambassador for luxurious fashion brand Mackage.

Hot on the heels of becoming the latest of her country’s sporting icons, the 5ft 10in star enthusiastically told SunSport of Modric: “He’s the biggest hero in Croatia.

“Everywhere around the world when they ask me where I’m from, I say ‘Croatia’ and they say ‘ah, Modric’. Luka Modric is a great guy, Gvardiol is also amazing, playing for Man City

“He was the one before me, now it’s me and it’s great company to be in.”

On the court, last summer was bittersweet for Vekic, having suffered the most heartbreaking defeat of her career following a blistering run to the Wimbledon semis.

In arguably the most memorable match of last year’s tournament, the likeable star broke down in tears during the closing stages of her 2-6 6-4 7-6 defeat to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.

The loss made Vekic want to quit tennis for a while… but just weeks later she had brushed it off to win Olympic silver.

On the quick turnaround, Vekic said: “I was lucky that the Olympics was so close to Wimbledon because if they weren’t then I think I would have been done for a while. It was really heartbreaking.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK

BBC's Wimbledon line-up in full

Presenters:

Clare Balding, Isa Guha, Qasa Alom, Gigi Salmon, Clare McDonnell, Steve Crossman

Commentators: Andrew Castle, Chris Bradnam, James Burridge, Naomi Cavaday, Matt Chilton, Andrew Cotter, Katharine Downes, Paul Hand, Abigail Johnson, Robbie Koenig, David Law, Nick Lester, Ronald Mcintosh, Alison Mitchell, Nick Mullins, Pete Odgers, Simon Reed, Candy Reid, Andy Stevenson, Russell Fuller, Jonathan Overend, Iain Carter, Sara Orchard, Maz Farookhi, Claire Thomas, James Gregg, Delyth Lloyd, Chris Dennis, Shourjo Sarkar, Shabnam Younus-Jewell

Pundits:

John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Pat Cash, Tracy Austin, Tim Henman, Annabel Croft, Joe Durie, Colin Fleming, Daniela Hantuchova, Dom Inglot, Anne Keothavong, Alicia Molik, Ryan Harrison, John Lloyd, Nick Monroe, Arvind Parmar, Louise Pleming, Sam Smith, Liz Smylie, Mel South, Todd Woodbridge, Jayant Mistry, Louise Hunt, Katie O’Brien, Kim Clijsters, Laura Robson, Naomi Broady, Mark Woodforde, Jeff Tarango, Leon Smith, Coco Vandeweghe, Greg Rusedski, Daniele Hantuchova, Cara Black, Marion Bartoli

“I went back to Croatia and tried to forget about it but everywhere I went people had been watching and would be like ‘bad luck, bad luck’ – but then the next question was ‘how you doing for the Olympics?’ and I was like ‘Oh my God, really?’

“I didn’t want to go – I was ill, I was injured, it was tough. But then when I got to Paris, the energy of the village, of other athletes from other sports really brought me up.”

Now back in SW19 – 12 months on from her heartache – Vekic now believes that she can walk with the swagger of a tournament favourite.

“Coming on grass, no one will like to see me in the draw,” Vekic confidently told SunSport.

“Women’s tennis is at such a high level now, everyone is playing such good tennis so really everyone has a chance to beat everyone and you have to be 100 per cent every match.”

Vekic opens her Wimbledon campaign against Australia’s Kimberly Birrell, and is a potential third round opponent for British No2 Katie Boulter.

Following her run in 2024, however, Vekic has her eyes on a far greater prize.

“Things came together last year, hopefully they will again this year and maybe I can go a little bit further,” she confidently claimed.

When SunSport pointed out that any further would mean reaching the final, Vekic didn’t shy away from her ambition, adding: “There’s not much further, once you get so close to it you feel, you see that you are there, and that you can go for the title.

“I don’t see why not.”

Two tennis players embracing at the net after a match.
Sunday Times
The 29-year-old lost a heartbreaker to Jasmine Paolini in last year’s semi-finals[/caption]
Donna Vekic signing autographs for fans.
Getty
Vekic remains a fan favourite wherever she goes[/caption]
Donna Vekic of Croatia kicks a tennis ball during a practice session.
Getty
The Croatian has been practising on the lawns on SW19[/caption]

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82 more Mercury Drug branches to accept GLs under DSWD programs

MANILA, Philippines — Additional 82 branches of Mercury Drug stores nationwide will accept guarantee letters (GL) for medical assistance issued by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations and Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita program starting June 30, 2025. In an advisory on Sunday, the DSWD

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Moment mum riding bike with kids on back pulls out of busy junction into oncoming traffic – but who’s REALLY in wrong?

A DRIVER is calling on cyclists to exercise more caution when riding with their children.

The anonymous man shared footage of a near-miss he had while out on the roads in Brighton on the morning of June 20, The Argus reported.

Dashcam footage of a near-miss between a car and a cyclist with two children.
Argus/Sussex News and Pictures
The driver spots the cycling with her two children approach the junction[/caption]
Dashcam footage of a near-miss between a car and a cyclist with two children.
Argus/Sussex News and Pictures
The mother then pulls out in front of the car[/caption]

The anonymous man was driving his son to school along Davigdor Road near Seven Dials.

As the driver approached the junction, he spotted a mother on her bike with her two children in tow.

But rather than wait for the car to pass, she instead pulls out in front of the car, narrowly avoiding a collision.

The man was forced to slam on his breaks to avoiding causing serious injury.

He told The Argus: “It was incredibly dangerous.

“If you’re going to take your own life into your hands, don’t include your children in that.”

The 52-year-old company director posted video of the incident online in a bid to raise awareness about the dangers of cycling with children.

He claims the woman did not look left at all when reaching the junction.

The man estimated that he was doing around 25-30mph – easily enough to kill should a collision occur.

According to road safety charity Brake, a pedestrian hit at 30mph has a one in five chance of being killed – although that figure is likely to be much higher if they are a child.

Even a child hit at 18mph experiences the same level as impact as a child falling from an upstairs window.

The driver said he was accustomed to slow down at that junction but was forced to brake hard to avoid a collision.

He said: “Whoever this lady is, she needs to have a think about what’s happening there, I think she should understand the road.”

He did, however, commend the mum for having helmets for her children.

But viewers of the video blamed the driver for not being more aware – with some saying he should have been driving even slower.

One wrote: “You could argue that there should have been even more time to react to the hazard developing ahead.

“Perhaps the mother had judged it was safe to do what she did, on the assumption the car wasn’t speeding?”

Another wrote: “Both are not very wise. The driver should have gone slower – but the woman had two kids on the back and cycling straight into the busy road.”

And far from being a cycle-hater, the driver has been a cyclist himself for the last 20 years.

He says parents should follow ‘basic road safety’ when out with their children – and shouldn’t cycle if they don’t know the rules.

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‘It’s a joke’ – Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca slams Club World Cup delays and fumes US shouldn’t host tournament

ENZO MARESCA slammed the decision to suspend Chelsea’s clash with Benfica for TWO HOURS as “a joke”.

Chelsea ran out 4-1 winners in the last 16 tie but Maresca was far from happy with the US being the hosts of the Club World Cup.

Enzo Maresca, Chelsea FC Head Coach, at a press conference.
Getty
Enzo Maresca was less than impressed with Chelsea’s delay against Benfica[/caption]
Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca celebrates a victory with his players.
Getty
The Blues beat Benfica but only after the game needed five hours to finish[/caption]

The match took almost five hours to complete after the teams were forced inside, with the Blues 1-0 up with four minutes remaining thanks to Reece James‘ free-kick, due to “the risk of lightning in the vicinity of Bank of America Stadium”.

On the resumption, Angel Di Maria equalised with a controversial stoppage-time penalty to take the game to extra time, only for Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to seal Chelsea’s win.

Maresca, in his press conference, said of the long delay: “I think it’s a joke, to be honest.

“It’s not football, it’s completely something new, I struggle to understand.

WATCH EVERY MATCH OF THE CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 LIVE ON DAZN

“I can understand if it’s security reasons but if you suspend seven or eight games then it’s probably not the right place to do the competition.

“It’s not normal to suspend the game. In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Zero probably. In Europe how many games get suspended? Zero.

“We’ve been here two weeks and they’ve already suspended six or seven games, there is some problems for me personally.

“I’m talking as a manager because when you’re two hours inside and you have to try to keep them (the players) in the game, they’re speaking to their families outside for safety reasons, they’re eating, they’re playing, they’re laughing, how can you keep them inside focused for two hours? It’s a joke.”

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One of Maresca’s players at least was able to make light of the delay, which saw the game finish at 1.40am UK time, with defender Trevoh Chalobah posting on social media: “Game started Saturday and ended Sunday”.

Players were pictured riding exercise bikes and kicking balls in the dressing room during the enforced break.

Trevoh Chalobah of Chelsea FC controls the ball during a soccer match.
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Trevoh Chalobah saw thr funny side of the lenghty delay[/caption]

Maresca told DAZN: “Especially when it’s 85 minutes, five minutes to go, it’s very difficult.

“But we tried to keep them in the best way we could in that moment and, at the end, we are in the last eight teams here in this competition and we are very happy.”

Gianluca Prestianni saw red for Bruno Lage’s men in extra time for a second yellow card as Chelsea booked their place against Palmeiras in the quarter-finals.

The Blues could now come up against Palmeiras’ Stamford Bridge-bound Estevao Willian, whose side defeated fellow Brazilian club Botafogo on Saturday.

Club World Cup 2025 Guide

SOME of the world’s biggest clubs are in action at this summer’s Club World Cup in the United States!

Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Man City, and Inter Miami are among the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 13.

The likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane are showcasing their skills to packed crowds across the US.

Watch EVERY match of the Club World Cup 2025 on DAZN

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