Messi, Ronaldo, Serena, Novak: What sport stars dodging retirement tells us June 25, 2026 Sport heroes used to retire at the top but now the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Serena and Djokovic have other ideas, writes Matt Readman. Sport is nothing if not storytelling. And every athlete wants the perfect ending to their own story. The crowning moment. The final wave to the crowd. Departing with dignity on your [...]
Wimbledon to stay on BBC as grand slam bucks paywall trend June 25, 2026 Wimbledon will remain on the BBC until 2033 after the public service broadcaster announced a deal extension with the All England Club. The Wimbledon Championships fortnight, which this year begins next Monday, is, in part, in cahoots with the government’s so-called Crown Jewels list – officially called the Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed [...]
F*** f*** f***: Tennis star Moutet fined £4k per F-bomb for Queen’s Club outburst on BBC June 19, 2026 French tennis player Corentin Moutet has been fined 90 per cent of his prize money – or £4,322 per swear word – for saying “f***” seven times in a post-match interview at Queen’s Club. Moutet turned the air blue during the BBC’s live coverage of the HSBC Championships when interviewed on court by Jenny Drummond [...]
TfL dispel concerns over Queen’s tennis final tube havoc June 18, 2026 Piccadilly Line closures that fans fear could cause chaos at the HSBC Championships finals at Queen’s Club this weekend have been dispelled by Transport for London. TfL has decided to close one of the capital’s main underground arteries as part of a series of weekend closures across west London that, at times, have seen no [...]
Why Williams sisters return to SW19 is a win for Wimbledon brand June 18, 2026 Sarah Hartwell explains why the return of the Williams Sisters to Wimbledon is already a win Competition for the sport headlines is fierce in a World Cup summer, but the news that the Williams sisters will be returning to play in the doubles this year at Wimbledon temporarily took eyes off the football. But why? [...]
Yas Queen’s: Why HSBC Championships expansion has been a smash for business June 18, 2026 When Queen’s Club welcomed back a women’s tournament after a half-century hiatus last year, turning the HSBC Championships into a two-week festival of men’s and women’s tennis, it looked to be a no-brainer. The men’s event at the exclusive west London members’ establishment had long been Wimbledon’s little brother, beloved of fans, players and brands [...]
England’s secret weapon against World Cup heat? British company’s £26 product June 17, 2026 England have turned to a British hot water bottle maker for help coping with the extreme World Cup heat ahead of their tournament opener against Croatia in Dallas tonight. High temperatures are expected to be a defining feature of this tournament – with dangerous conditions possible in 14 of the 16 host cities – and, [...]
Banks woo the wealthy to ace stable income streams June 17, 2026 As the great and the good prepare to gather at Wimbledon, banks are serving up glamorous treatment to woo the wealthy. In this week’s column Samuel Norman looks at the players looking to call game, set, match. If you want the Centre Court treatment from your bank, you’re going to need to arrive with a [...]
Wimbledon hikes prize money but refuses to bow to tennis stars’ demands June 11, 2026 Wimbledon chiefs have announced a bumper increase in prize money for this year’s championships – but rejected calls from top tennis players for a percentage of revenue. The prize total pot for Wimbledon, which starts later this month, has been boosted by 20 per cent year-on-year to a record £64.2m. It follows pressure from the [...]
Game, Set, Match: How brands can serve up lasting value at Queen’s June 10, 2026 Queen’s is here and the tennis is back. Thom Newton looks at how brands get value out of the grass tennis tournament. Sports fans are relishing a summer that includes a World Cup, alongside the major fixtures of tennis, cricket and athletics. With sport comes the inevitable opportunities for brand sponsorships. However, visibility at events [...]