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Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was dumped out of the Queen’s Club Championships on Friday by qualifier Tatjana Maria, who set up a semi-final against Australian Open champion Madison Keys. German mother of two Maria regrouped after failing to serve for the match to complete a 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) win. A single break in the first set put the 37-year-old Maria in charge and she maintained her grip, breaking twice to lead 5-3 in the second. But Kazakh fourth seed Rybakina, Wimbledon champion in 2022, upped her game to level at 5-5 and the set went to a tie-break.

Maria, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2022, was forced to qualify for the grasscourt tournament in London.

“It means so much to me,” she said. “It’s like a perfect example to never give up and to always keep going, doesn’t matter what. 

“I’m still here and living this dream. I have my family with me and amazing team.”

She added: “I’m super, super proud to be here in the semi-final and I hope in a few years you will see my daughter (aged 11) at the same stage here.”

Earlier, US second seed Keys came from a set down to beat Russian fifth seed Diana Shnaider 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Britain’s Emma Raducanu takes on China’s Zheng Qinwen later on Friday, with Emma Navarro in action against Amanda Anisimova.

Two-time reigning champions Dempo Goa Challengers notched their first win of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6 with a gritty team effort, headlined by Harmeet Desai’s 2-1 triumph over World No. 34 Ricardo Walther in the men’s singles. With the season now underway, all ties will be broadcast on Star Sports Khel and Star Sports Tamil, and streamed live on JioHotstar for fans across the country. Harmeet shook off a slow start to edge a tense second game of Match 4, winning 11-10; he then stormed through the decider 11-3 to nudge the defending champions on their way to an opening day victory. 

Earlier, Dabang Delhi TTC racked up a dominant 11-4 win over Jaipur Patriots, thanks to Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Diya Chitale’s efforts.

Staged under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, UTT continues to grow as a premier professional league. All 23 ties, over 16 action-packed days, will take place at Ahmedabad’s EKA Arena, with tickets available only on BookMyShow.

Five-time Olympian Tiago Apolonia, the league’s oldest player, set the tone for Dempo Goa Challengers with back-to-back 11-6 wins over Snehit Suravajjula, breaking away from 5-5 deadlocks in both games. Snehit clawed one back for the home side with a Golden Point win in the third. Krittwika Sinha Roy then added another 2-1 win for the defending champions, bouncing back from a first-game loss to Ayhika Mukherjee with strong 11-8, 11-9 finishes.

The scratch combination of Ayhika and debutant Ricardo Walther dragged Ahmedabad SG Pipers back into the tie, courtesy of their 2-1 mixed doubles win over Harmeet and Zeng Jian. Harmeet’s sensational win over Walther, however, ensured the reigning champions headed into the final match with their noses in front. 

In a battle of the debutants, Singapore’s Zeng ensured an opening day victory for Dempo Goa Challengers, after she swept away Italy’s Giorgia Piccolin 3-0, winning 11-7, 11-7, 11-5. 

In the day’s first clash, Dabang Delhi TTC opened their account with a commanding 11-4 win over Jaipur Patriots. Sathiyan, returning for his sixth straight season with Delhi, swept Jeet Chandra 3-0 to seal the tie early, while Diya Chitale – UTT auction’s highest-valued Indian player-clinched a sharp 2-1 win over World No. 43 Britt Eerland.

Earlier in the tie, 19-year-old Izaac Quek gave Dabang Delhi an early boost by stunning three-time Olympian Kanak Jha 2-1. Jaipur Patriots hit back through Sreeja Akula, who edged past Maria Xiao in a tense battle, sealing her 2-1 win with the season’s first Golden Point. But in the mixed doubles, Delhi’s Sathiyan and Maria clicked instantly, dominating the set and setting the stage for a clean finish as Delhi swept the final two matches.

Sathiyan and Harmeet picked up the Indian Player of the Tie for their respective ties, while Maria Xiao and Zeng Jian were awarded the Foreign Player of the Tie honour. Maria and Ayhika Mukherjee picked up the Shot of the Tie gongs for their efforts

The sixth edition of the Ultimate Table Tennis concluded on June 15 with U Mumba defeating Jaipur Patriots in the summit clash and clinching the title. After putting a dointing show, U Mumba etched their name in the history books and lifted their maiden UTT title. Wins for Lilian Bardet and Bernadette Szocs gave U Mumba an early lead, before Szocs and Akash Pal swept the mixed doubles 3-0 to take them to the brink. Teenager Abhinandh PB sealed the title with a clutch game win in the fourth match.

Despiite being on the losing side, the 2025 of UTT was a memorable one for young sensation Sreeja Akula. The 26-year-old star played for the Jaipur Patriots and played an important role in their journey to the grand finale. 

On the eve of the finale, Sreeja spoke to NDTV and expressed her gratitude of being a part of UTT 6 and how the tournament helped her with her game. 

“This journey was amazing. The team is very supportive. All the players stood like a single unit and performed in every game. The success of Jaipur Patriots is entirely because of the team effort and not because of any single person. My aim was just to give my best and implement what I have learnt so far,” Sreeja told NDTV. 

Jaipur Patriots defeated Dabang Delhi in the semi-final match 8-7, where Sreeja was the standout performer for her side. Talking about her biggest motivation in life, the paddler stated that the urge of winning a medal for the country always keeps her going. 

Sreeja further revealed that she has been playing table tennis since the age of eight and she always motivated by seeing the hardwork of the Indian army. 

“I started playing table tennis at the age of eight. My father used to play it, not professionally but as a hobby. He joined my sister initially and seeing my sister, I also started playing. I won my first international medal when I was 11. So, there was confusion as I was also good in studies and scored 96% in class 12. My parents and I were confused whether to pursue the sport or do something academically,” said Sreeja. 

“Later, my sister and my coach motivated my that I should focus on table tennis and that’s how I got into the game. Moreover, I am also motivated by the Indian army and want to do something for my country. I always hear the stories of the sacrifices they are making so that motivates me to do something,” she added.

After years of hardwork, success came in the form of the prestigious Arjuna Award for Sreeja in 2022.

The Ultimate Table Tennis wrote a new chapter on the conclusion of its sixth edition as the tournament found a new winner. U Mumba gave a dominating performance and defeated Jaipur Patriots in the grand finale on June 15 in Ahmedabad and clinched their maiden UTT title. The entire Mumbai team performed like a single unit and did not even let Jaipur take a sigh of relief even for once during the match. With this performance, U Mumba etched their name in the history books of UTT.

Although Yashaswini Ghorpade didn’t feature in the final, her standout semi-final display epitomised U Mumba’s collective strength this season. In the semis against Dempo Goa Challengers, U Mumba needed three victories in all the remaining three matches, in order to reach the final. However, Yashaswini held her nerves and defeated Krittwika Sinha Roy in the women’s singles clash and took her side into the final.

The 20-year-old played her first UTT season in 2024 with the Goa Challengers and went on to lift the title with them. In 2025, she was roped in by the U Mumba and surprisingly, she clinched the title again. 

Speaking to the media before the final, Yashaswini revealed that before the season, she was going through some tough time but she gathered herself back and gave an exemplary performance. 

“Last two-three months were quite difficult for me. Before this season, I was a bit down but things changed when I came here. It is amazing to be around many champion players and the team environment always lifts me up,” said Yashaswini. 

While replying to a query from NDTV, Yashaswini also stated that tennis legend Roger Federer is her biggest motivation. 

“Roger Federer is my biggest motivation. I always sees his matches and even his workout and fitness routines to keep myself going. He is the biggest inspiration and I also want to achieve something like that,” she said. 

Talking about the grand finale, wins for Lilian Bardet and Bernadette Szocs gave U Mumba an early lead, before Szocs and Akash Pal swept the mixed doubles 3-0 to take them to the brink. Teenager Abhinandh PB sealed the title with a clutch game win in the fourth match.

Vinesh Phogat took aim at social media trolls who accused her of asking for a cash reward of Rs 4 crore from the Haryana government for her achievements at the Paris Olympics 2024. Phogat qualified for the gold medal match but was disqualified for being 100 grams overweight ahead of the bout. However, the Haryana government assured Phogat of benefits equivalent to a Olympics silver medalist. Phogat has now criticised people for accusing her of asking for the rewards and even asked them to ‘zip it’.

But I never compromised on my principles. Whatever I have achieved, I have done it with honest hard work and the blessings of my loved ones – and I am proud of that.”

“And as far as ‘asking’ goes…I am the daughter of that land where self-respect is dissolved in mother’s milk. I have learnt from my ancestors that rights are not snatched, they are won. When there is a need, one also knows how to call loved ones, And when someone close to us is in trouble, we also know how to stand like a wall with them.”

“So, zip it. Sit in the corner and do what you’re best at — cry, cry, cry… and just cry! Because we are not going anywhere. We’re here to stay, grounded, unshaken, and standing tall with our own spine and self-respect!” added the wrestler.

Vinesh Phogat has announced that she would build a world-class sports academy for young athletes with the Rs 4 crore prize money that she received from the Haryana government.

In the latest episode of the House of Glory podcast, an initiative by the Gagan Narang Sports Foundation, Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya opened up about his sporting journey and future plans in wrestling. One of the key tak`eaways from the conversation was his decision to move up to a higher weight category and the reasons behind it. “I won’t be continuing in the 57kg weight category as, with age, it becomes a very troublesome weight, and I thus have decided to go higher up in my weight,” Ravi said in the latest episode of the House of Glory podcast.

While the next Olympic weight category for the LA Olympics 2028 is 65kg, 28-year-old Ravi has been in and out of competitions in the past few years due to injuries and has been competing in the non-Olympic 61kg weight category.

In the podcast, Ravi also spoke about his early days of wrestling, his father’s sacrifices, and his admiration for Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi.

Crediting his father for introducing him to wrestling, Ravi recounted his journey from a small mud akhara to becoming an Olympic medallist.

“It was my father who was very fond of wrestling in my family. There used to be a small mud akhara near the fields where he used to do farming, and I used to go and play there when I was really young. It was there that I started wrestling, and initially, it was just for fun, without any intention of taking it up as a profession. My father was really fond of it, and it was only because of him that I got into this game today,” Ravi said.

Former wrestler Babita Phogat participated in the ‘Fit India Sundays on Cycle’ initiative in New Delhi. She expressed her disappointment over the absence of wrestling in the Commonwealth Games 2026. She highlighted the challenges faced, particularly for women wrestlers, and emphasised the potential for India to win more medals if wrestling were included. While speaking to ANI, Babita Phogat said, “I have been a three-time Commonwealth medalist, and I feel very sad because it was very difficult for us, especially for women’s wrestling. We had a chance in 2010, and we have played continuously since then, up until 2018-2022. It is a sad thing that there is no wrestling in the Commonwealth. If there was wrestling, our country would have won more medals.”

In a massive blow to India’s medal chances, cricket, field hockey, badminton, wrestling, among others, have been dropped from the programme for the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, which will be held from July 23 to August 2, 2026.

The sporting event’s return to the Scottish city after a 12-year absence would not be as bright for the Indians, as some of their best medal-scoring sports have been removed from the schedule. The CWG 2026 will feature only 10 sports across four venues placed within an eight-mile corridor.

The 10-sport itinerary for Glasgow 2026 includes athletics (track and field), swimming, 3×3 basketball, track cycling, weightlifting, lawn bowls, artistic gymnastics, netball, boxing and judo. The para variants of the first five will be part of the integrated para programme at the 2026 CWG.

Four venues will host the game, including Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena (which features the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome), and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC).

The list of sports for the 2026 CWG is way thinner than the 2022 edition in Birmingham, which had 20 sports.

President Donald Trump has said the strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program, but US officials acknowledge it will take time to form a complete assessment of the damage caused by the US military strikes last weekend.

Intercepted Iranian communications downplayed the extent of damage caused by U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear program, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing four people familiar with classified intelligence circulating within the US government.

A source, who declined to be named, confirmed that account to Reuters but said there were serious questions about whether the Iranian officials were being truthful, and described the intercepts as unreliable indicators.

The report by the Post is the latest, however, to raise questions about the extent of the damage to Iran’s nuclear program. A leaked preliminary assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency cautioned the strikes may have only set back Iran by months.

President Donald Trump has said the strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program, but US officials acknowledge it will take time to form a complete assessment of the damage caused by the US military strikes last weekend.

A heartbreaking video has surfaced on social media where a batter died on the pitch due to heart attack right after hitting a six. During a cricket match in Firozpur, Punjab, the batter suddenly collapsed on the field and died. The video showed the batter hitting the ball for a six but as he walked to the middle of the pitch, he went down on his knees and looked in serious discomfort. As soon as he lost consciousness, the other players tried to attempt CPR but he did not recover and it was discovered that he had died instantly off heart attack. The batter was identified as Harjeet Singh from Firozpur.In a similar incident back in 2024, a 35-year-old cricketer died of cardiac arrest while playing a cricket match at the Garware Stadium in Pune.

The player, by the name of Imran Patel, came out to bat as an opener and started to complain of chest and arm pain after spending some time on the pitch.

He informed the on-field umpires of the issue and was given the permission to leave the field. However, while heading back to the pavilion, Imran collapsed.

The entire incident was caught on camera as the match was being live-streamed. As Imran collapsed, other players on the field rushed towards him. He was immediately taken to the hospital. But, upon assessment by the doctors, Imran was pronounced dead.In a similar incident back in 2024, a 35-year-old cricketer died of cardiac arrest while playing a cricket match at the Garware Stadium in Pune.

The player, by the name of Imran Patel, came out to bat as an opener and started to complain of chest and arm pain after spending some time on the pitch.

Bombs dropped by American B-2 Stealth Fighter aircraft went through Iran’s heavily-guarded Fordow nuclear facility “like butter”, US President Donald Trump said.Bombs dropped by American B-2 Stealth Fighter aircraft went through Iran’s heavily-guarded Fordow nuclear facility “like butter”, US President Donald Trump said.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said, “They were trying to seal up the entrance to where the bomb would most likely go in and they did that. They were working on that and the bomb went through it like it was butter, like it was absolute butter.”

He added that the June 22 strikes, called Operation Midnight Hammer, on Iran’s three nuclear facilities – Fordow, Natanz and Ifsahan – “obliterated” the country’s nuclear program. Fordow was known as the country’s most secretive and heavily protected site, hidden beneath a mountain and designed to resist airstrikes and foreign interference.

Trump said that the bunker-buster bomb strikes reduced Fordow to “just thousands of tons of rock”. He went on to insist that highly-enriched uranium was not moved from the site before the attack, a claim made by Israeli officials to The New York Times.I think first it was very hard to do. It’s very dangerous to do. It’s very heavy, very, very heavy. It’s a very hard thing to do. Plus, we didn’t give much notice because they didn’t know we were coming until just then,” he said.

Operation Midnight Hammer came as the Iran-Israel conflict continued to escalate, with the two countries continuing strikes against each other since June 13. The US claimed it had given Tehran an ultimatum to stop enriching uranium, the failure of which led to the strikes, that used high-end weaponry, including the dreaded GBU-57 bunker busters and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

While Trump said a day after that Tehran’s nuclear program has been set back by decades, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi says Iran likely will be able to begin to produce enriched uranium “in a matter of months”.

In Fox News‘ “Sunday Morning Futures” program.