Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 4 July 12:30 pm

Good day, let’s look at the latest sports news and scores:

# We start with rugby: Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard says it will take a full team effort to beat Ireland at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday. Ireland won their last three matches against South Africa. Pollard, who needs two points to pass the 700-point mark in Test rugby, says the confidence in the group is good and they have prepared well for the tough encounter:

# Tennis: World number one Jannik Sinner of Italy and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain are through to Wimbledon’s third round. Sinner defeated his compatriot and former finalist Matteo Berrettini, while Alcaraz eased passed Australian Aleksandar Vukic in straight sets. Norway’s Casper Ruud suffered a defeat to Italy’s Fabio Fognini. In the women’s draw, American Emma Navarro knocked out Japan’s Naomi Osaka, while Britian’s Emma Raducanu has set up a third-round clash with Maria Sakkari of Greece.

Meanwhile, Raducanu and compatriot Andy Murray will play in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon after being awarded a wild card. Thirty-seven-year-old Murray, a former world number one, earlier withdrew from the singles. He and his older brother, Jamie, will play in the men’s doubles, starting their campaign against Australians Rinky Hijikata and John Peers today. Murray won the singles title in 2013 and 2016, as well as the US Open in 2012. Twenty-one-year-old Raducanu won the US Open in 2021.

# Cycling: Britian’s Mark Cavendish claimed a record-breaking 35th stage victory on the Tour de France when he prevailed in the fifth stage in Saint-Vulbas. The 39-year-old, who delayed his retirement to pursue the outright record for stage wins, had jointly held the record with Belgian Eddy Merckx since winning his 34th stage in 2021. Belgian Jasper Philipsen finished second and Norway’s Alexander Kristoff third. Cavendish says he is in disbelief:

# And finally, chess: A nine-year-old British girl is set to make history later this year as the youngest person ever to represent the country in a senior international event. Bodhana Sivanandan from London was included in the national team that will participate in the chess Olympiad in the Hungarian capital of Budapest in September. Her next youngest teammate is 23-year-old Lan Yao. Bodhana started playing chess during the Covid-19 lockdown and became England’s first world youth champion in 25 years in 2022.

Stay tuned for more news………….