Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Wimbledon men's singles: Three main talking points

This could be the first Wimbledon men’s final in 22 years not to feature one of the ‘Big Four’.

Wimbledon men's singles: Three main talking points

Carlos Alcaraz will defend his Wimbledon men's title starting Monday. His main rival is expected to be world number one Jannik Sinner rather than Novak Djokovic.

A win for the 21-year-old Spaniard will give him back-to-back Grand Slam titles after his French Open victory and his fourth major title overall.


Djokovic, a seven-time champion, is doubtful due to injury, as is Andy Murray, the winner in 2013 and 2016.

Here are three key points ahead of the tournament at the All England Club:

Sun setting on golden generation?

Roger Federer, an eight-time champion, has retired. Rafael Nadal, a two-time winner, is skipping the tournament to focus on the Olympics. Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic recently underwent knee surgery, and Andy Murray, who won in 2013 and 2016, has had a back operation.

This could be the first Wimbledon men's final in 22 years not to feature one of the 'Big Four'.

Djokovic, 37, lost a thrilling five-set final to Alcaraz last year. This year, Sinner took his Australian Open title, and a knee injury forced Djokovic to withdraw before his Roland Garros quarter-final. Alcaraz then won the French Open.

"I really will only play (at Wimbledon) if I know I am in a state which is good enough to go far in the tournament and fight for the title, so that's the condition," Djokovic told reporters after a training session in London, his right knee still heavily strapped.

Murray, also 37, famously defeated Djokovic in the 2013 final, ending a 77-year wait for a British men's champion at Wimbledon. Now ranked 115, Murray had a cyst removed from his back last weekend. Like Djokovic, he is not certain to play, with a decision expected by Friday when the draw takes place.

Alcaraz, Sinner open new era

It has been 21 years since the first two Grand Slam titles of the year were not claimed by Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic.

For Andre Agassi and Juan Carlos Ferrero at the 2003 Australian Open and Roland Garros, read Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in 2024.

Sinner, 22, is the first Italian to be world number one and showed confidence by winning his first grass-court title in Halle last weekend.

"I'm looking forward to Wimbledon," said Sinner, who was a semi-finalist in 2023, losing to Djokovic in straight sets. "I played some good tennis last year. I'm more confident for sure."

American dreamers

In the Open era, American men have won the Wimbledon title 15 times. However, the last US winner was Pete Sampras in 2000.

Andy Roddick lost three finals, all to Federer in 2004, 2005, and 2009. "I threw the kitchen sink at him but he went to the bathroom and got his tub," said Roddick after losing the 2004 final.

This year, the United States has four men in the top 20, with Tommy Paul winning his first grass-court title at Queen's. Paul, now ranked 12, made the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2022, while Taylor Fritz reached the quarter-finals that year, losing to Nadal in five sets.

Sebastian Korda, ranked 20, was runner-up on grass at 's-Hertogenbosch and made the semi-finals at Queen's. Korda reached the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2021. His father Petr reached the quarter-finals in 1998, the same year he won the Australian Open.

(AFP)

More For You

Pakistan seeks £3.4bn bank loan to tackle mounting energy sector debt

Pakistan’s government is the largest shareholder or owner of most power companies

Pakistan seeks £3.4bn bank loan to tackle mounting energy sector debt

Eastern Eye

PAKISTAN government is negotiating a 1.25 trillion Pakistani rupee (£3.4 billion) loan with commercial banks to reduce its bulging energy sector debt, the power minister and banking association said.

Plugging unresolved debt across the sector is a top priority under an ongoing $7bn (£5.4bn) International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout, which has helped Pakistan dig its way out of an economic crisis.

Keep ReadingShow less
LEAD Amit 1 INSET Rishi Sunak GettyImages 1258681655
Rishi Sunak
Getty Images

'I am English': Sunak asserts as ethnic minorities debate identity politics in Britain

FORMER prime minister Rishi Sunak has made cultural and sociological history by becoming the first prominent personality to say a brown person can be not only British, but also English.

He dismissed as “ridiculous” the suggestion from his former home secretary, Suella Braverman, that Englishness “must be rooted in ancestry, heritage, and, yes, ethnicity” – in other words, the person has to be white.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tesco plans to give away expiring food in waste reduction trial

Tesco’s latest move comes as part of a broader effort by supermarkets to address this issue

Getty images.

Tesco plans to give away expiring food in waste reduction trial

In a groundbreaking move to reduce food waste, Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket chain, is set to trial a new initiative where expiring food will be given away to customers for free at the end of each day. This trial is part of Tesco’s wider strategy to cut food waste in half by the end of 2025 and contribute to the global push for sustainability. The initiative will involve offering already discounted "yellow sticker" items foods nearing their expiration date at no cost to customers after 21:30 in selected Tesco Express stores.

This plan has the potential to make a significant impact on food waste reduction, especially in the context of rising food insecurity and growing environmental concerns. The trial will be rolled out in a small number of Tesco Express stores across the UK, although the specific locations and start dates have not yet been disclosed. Tesco’s decision follows an ongoing commitment to sustainability and aims to address the dual challenges of food waste and food insecurity in the UK.

Keep ReadingShow less
Aamir Khan at 60: A to Z of Bollywood’s Mr Perfectionist

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan attends the launch ceremony of a film festival showing his movies ahead of his 60th birth anniversary in Mumbai on March 9, 2025.

Getty Images

Aamir Khan at 60: A to Z of Bollywood’s Mr Perfectionist

THE remarkable career of Aamir Khan has included record-breaking movies, an Oscar nomination, and memorable roles across a wide array of genres.

Known affectionately as Mr Perfectionist, he has firmly established himself as one of the finest stars in Bollywood history, alongside being a successful producer and a powerful role model. The actor will celebrate his 60th birthday on Friday (14), receiving well-wishes from around the world.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sara Sharif: Court upholds jail terms for relatives

Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool and Faisal Malik. (Image credit: Surrey Police)

Sara Sharif: Court upholds jail terms for relatives

https://www.easterneye.biz/sara-sharif-s-parents-appeal-life-sentences/A COURT on Thursday (13) upheld lengthy prison terms handed to the father and stepmother of a 10-year-old British-Pakistani girl who was killed after suffering years of torture and abuse.

The trial of Urfan Sharif and his wife Beinash Batool caused waves of revulsion in the country at the horrific way they had treated Sara Sharif.

Keep ReadingShow less