Williams

The 23-time Grand Slam champion will not be playing singles, but could team up with her older sister Venus for doubles.

Serena Williams will team up with Carlos Alcaraz to create a powerhouse mixed doubles pair on her return to the US Open.

The US Tennis Association announced on Saturday that Williams and Alcaraz had been given a wild card into the tournament. The mixed doubles main draw begins on Tuesday, with the winning team sharing $1 million.

It will be Williams’s first time playing at the US Open since 2022. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion returned to tennis this summer.

“Let’s gooooo!” Alcaraz posted on X, with a fire emoji and tagging Williams.

Williams is not planning to play singles in New York. The USTA had been holding one women’s wild card, presumably in case Williams wanted it. However, the tournament announced on Saturday that it had been given to American Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion.

Williams played singles at Wimbledon but sustained a knee injury in her first-round loss. She played doubles with older sister Venus at the Cincinnati Open, and they could still opt to play together at the US Open.

Alcaraz announced this week he would return to defend his US Open singles title after being sidelined since April with a right wrist injury.

Serena Williams won a mixed doubles title at the US Open even before winning any of her six singles titles there. She teamed for the 1998 championship with Max Mirnyi, who now works with top-ranked woman Aryna Sabalenka.

The mixed doubles tournament is far different now, as the USTA revamped it last year to make it a two-day, 16-team event it hoped would draw top singles players.

Few are bigger than Williams and Alcaraz, the two-time US Open men’s champion who is ranked number two.

The USTA also announced a number of updates to the field after some players withdrew from the competition.

Americans Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz will team up, after their previous partners, Jack Draper and Elena Rybakina, pulled out with injuries. The teams of Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul, along with Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik, were given the remaining two wild cards into the main draw.

Diana Shnaider remains in the field and will be given a chance to find a new partner after Daniil Medvedev withdrew.

US Open mixed doubles teams: Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic, Pegula and Fritz, Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien, two-time defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime, Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev, Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, Williams and Alcaraz, Muchova and Mensik, and Navarro and Paul.

The remaining two spots will be determined through an eight-team qualifying tournament on Monday.

The USTA gave wild cards to the teams of Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, and Peyton Stearns and Christian Harrison, to be part of that field.

It is otherwise largely made up of the traditional doubles specialists who lost out on the chance to play in the US Open last year, with direct entry based on the players’ combined singles ranking.

VOGUE Williams has joked that husband Spencer Matthews is no longer interested in sex as she enters the final weeks of her pregnancy.

Speaking to Joanne McNally on their My Therapist Ghosted Me podcast, the 40-year-old admitted she had not taken kindly to the apparent turn of events.

“I’m trying to look good today because I don’t think Spenny fancies me anymore,” Vogue confessed.

Her podcast co-host Joanne McNally jokingly replied: “Of course he doesn’t! You’ve been married for ages now, come on!”

Laughing off the comment, Vogue continued: “No, because I think our fun times are over, if you get me. I’m too pregnant now.

“I don’t want to. I was just being a nice wife and a good participant.

letting slip

Vogue Williams reveals gender of hers and Spencer Matthew’s fourth baby

OH BABY

Pregnant Vogue Williams reveals two unusual names for fourth baby ahead of birth

“But then when he was like, ‘Yeah, well, you’re really pregnant,’ I was like, ‘Excuse me? Sorry, are you not into it anymore?’

“And he’s like, ‘Vogue, you’re giving birth any minute now.’”

Later in the podcast, Vogue described having to get up for yet another trip to the loo during the night.

“What part of me do you not find attractive?” she joked.

Pregnancy can cause women to need the toilet more frequently as the growing baby puts pressure on the bladder.

Their producer Joe then offered his take, saying: “I can’t speak for the whole male population, but I suspect on his part there comes a point where you’re sort of thinking more about the presence of a baby than the woman herself.”

Vogue hit back: “Well, do you know what, Joe? People are mad for pregnancy porn. Loads of people fancy pregnant people.”

Spencer and Vogue are expecting their fourth child, a baby boy, this autumn.

They are already parents to sons Theodore, seven, and Otto, three, as well as daughter Gigi, five.

Venus has fared better in doubles in recent years, reaching the quarter-finals in New York last year alongside Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.

She has not won a singles match at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2021, where she reached the second round.

However, the Williams sisters still draw huge crowds together or separately, with stands packed out in Cincinnati for their recent return.

Serena, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, played what was expected to be the last tournament of her career in New York in 2022.

However, she made her return first in doubles at Queen’s in June before being given the final Wimbledon women’s singles wildcard.

Venus won her first US Open singles title in 2000, two months after earning her maiden major at Wimbledon.

She beat Serena in the final a year later to defend her title – the first of nine major showpieces the sister would contest.

Venus became the oldest US Open singles player in 44 years when she played at the tournament last year.

She lost in three sets to ninth seed Karolina Muchova and gave an emotional news conference afterwards, saying it was “nice to be free”.

In 2011, Williams was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, an incurable autoimmune disease with symptoms including pain, numbness and fatigue.

She spoke in 2025 about the impact of painful fibroids – abnormal growths that develop in the uterus – on her daily life.

In the men’s draw, France’s Gael Monfils has been awarded a wildcard in the final Grand Slam of his career.

The 39-year-old, who reached the New York semi-finals in 2016, will retire at the end of the season.

There is also one remaining wildcard for the men’s singles, which could go to 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka.

The Swiss is also calling time on his career at the end of the year.

Seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Emiliana Arango in the first round of Cincinnati Open.

Venus Williams’s losing streak in singles play has reached 13 matches.

The seven-time major champion was defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Emiliana Arango late on Friday in the first round of the Cincinnati Open.

The 46-year-old Williams received a wild-card entry to the WTA 1000 event. She has not won a singles match since July 2025.

Arango, a 25-year-old qualifier from Colombia ranked 95th, needed 1 hour, 5 minutes to defeat Williams on the grandstand court at Lindner Tennis Center.

Williams had her serve broken in the first game of the match and faced an uphill battle the rest of the way. Arango was 4 of 5 on converting break points and won 71 percent of her first-serve points.

Williams was unable to convert on her lone break opportunity and was only 41 percent on first-serve points.

“That kind of eased my nerves a little bit of having maybe a little bit of breathing room. And then I think I just did a good job of staying on it, trying to make her play as much as possible,” Arango said about getting ahead early.

Arango will face No 7 seed and defending Cincinnati champion Iga Swiatek in the second round.

Williams’s last singles victory came last year in Washington, when she defeated Peyton Stearns.

“I think that at all times I was really controlling the point, but unfortunately didn’t finish it the way I wanted to,” said Williams, who is making her 11th appearance in the tournament. “The encouraging part is that I’m controlling the shots, but I have to just get a little more consistent on that last part.”

Williams will remain in Cincinnati to play doubles with her sister, Serena, after they received a wild-card entry. They last played doubles together at the 2022 US Open.

The Williams sisters were slated to play doubles at Wimbledon before an injury to Serena. They will play Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in the first round.

The doubles portion of the tournament starts on Sunday.

“I’m excited and hope that we can both go into it fresh, on our toes and ready. I’ll be preparing for that,” Venus Williams said.

Venus is also slated to play mixed doubles at the US Open later this month with Alexander Bublik.

ROBBIE Williams has revealed he has been diagnosed with autism at the age of 52 — and pals say he is taking it in his trademark stride.

The music legend recently sought a professional assessment after “feeling like there was something he was missing” about himself.

Robbie, who was also previously diagnosed with ADHD, casually revealed the news during a launch for the autumn/winter collection of his Hopeium clothing brand.

He said: “I’ve got ADHD. I’ve just found out I’ve got a bit of autism as well, which I f**ing love, because it explains so much, and it’s like a get-out-of-jail card now.

“If I do all the weird s*** that I do, I go, ‘Sorry, I’m autistic.’”

The married father of four went on: “With ADHD, you can completely and utterly concentrate on something 100 per cent.

READ MORE ROBBIE WILLIAMS

ROB’S NEW ERA

Robbie Williams splits from manager after 14yrs as he launches fresh new era

A BRIT CLOSE

Brit Awards chaos as Robbie Williams rehearsals sees VIP guests turfed out

“But absolutely everything else, you just cannot do it. Ask my kids.”

The former Take That star, who also suffers from clinical depression, opened up about his creativity.

He said: “I’m completely and utterly obsessed with creating images and funny things, and if I’m creating images and making what I think are funny things, I’m not thinking about ‘me’.

“My brain is incredibly creative, and it can be creative about everything in the world, including things that can cause you to panic or be scared.”

He also revealed that he struggles to concentrate with background noise or distractions as he becomes overstimulated, saying: “It really throws me off.”

Since being diagnosed just a few weeks ago, The Sun can reveal the singer has met with an AuDHD expert — someone who specialises in both autism and ADHD.

Robbie hopes the meetings will give him a greater understanding of his behaviour.

A source told The Sun: “Robbie has known for some time about his ADHD, but he always felt there was something he was missing.

“Someone suggested he could be autistic, and so within the past few weeks, he sought private medical advice and underwent an assessment.

It’s still early days, but Robbie has spoken with an AuDHD expert to get a greater understanding of what the diagnosis means for him and what options can be put in place to make life easier.

“Like with everything life throws at him, Robbie is taking the diagnosis in his stride.

“It’s business as usual. The diagnosis just gives a greater understanding of what makes Robbie Robbie.”

The Sun was the only newspaper Robbie met during the intimate launch in front of fashion bigwigs at Flannels on London’s Oxford Street.

He told us he hopes his Hopeium brand will bring some fun into the notoriously uptight and judgemental fashion industry.

His new tongue-in-cheek range includes “Gandhi” football tops and shirts adorned with images of a hand flipping the middle finger. Chuckling, he said he is already planning to bring out a Dalai Lama version.

Robbie had a well-documented battle with alcohol and substance abuse in the nineties and early noughties.

But he claimed he is now addicted to creating art and clothes after being clean and sober for over two decades.

Robbie said: “I really got into drawing and creating. I think it’s my addict’s gene. Look, I can no longer do cocaine. No longer do MDMA, no longer drink, so, you know, where does the addiction go to?

“Well, it goes to several places, and one of them is clothes.”

Robbie went on: “It’s a bit of silliness because I love silliness, and there doesn’t seem to be any silliness in fashion.

“It seems to be outlawed because, you know, as much as I love fashion, it’s properly pretentious and very, very serious, isn’t it?”

Robbie plans to draft in his wife Ayda Field, 47, to model the collection in a bid to boost sales.

Robbie, who has recently dramatically trimmed down after turning to weight-loss jabs, also hopes to make his catwalk debut at London Fashion Week.

He said: “Hopefully we will see me modelling it on the runway.

“I mean, I’m in decent nick now, so yeah. I’ve been looking after myself. I’d be happy if any artist started wearing the brand, and Ayda will wear it too.”

He added of his new clobber: “I should be wearing it on my tour – it would make marketing sense.”

The singer is set to play shows across Europe and South America this autumn.

He is also hotly tipped to play Glastonbury next June for the first time since 1998, with sources saying he could follow in Sir Rod Stewart’s footsteps and play the Sunday Legends slot.

Last month, a clip of Robbie went viral after something appeared to fall out of his nose during an unplanned live appearance on German TV at the World Cup in New York.

Some viewers thought Robbie was back taking cocaine.

Rather than fearing for his career, Robbie laughed off the suggestion he had relapsed, and believes no one cares anyway.

He said: “Can I clear something up, please, as well? I didn’t relapse on cocaine at the World Cup, but now forever and ever and ever the internet will be assured of itself that coke fell out of my nose.

“No, it was Nicorette. The thing is, I thought about it the next day — I was lying in bed, and 50 million people had seen me supposedly relapse on coke at the World Cup, and I was like, ‘If I was on coke, it wouldn’t be a f***ing problem anyway, would it? Who f***ing cares?’”

And he said some people seemed to be pleased at the prospect of him doing class A drugs again.

He went on: “So many comments online were like, ‘Good for you, Robbie. Everyone loves the f***ing packet.’ So I made some new fans due to what they thought I was doing.”

Before Spain took on Argentina in the World Cup final last month, Robbie was front and centre in the closing ceremony, taking to the pitch to sing the official Fifa anthem Desire alongside Nicole Scherzinger and Italian singer Laura Pausini.

In keeping with still feeling like he’s just Rob from Stoke rather than one of the biggest-selling British singers of all-time, he swaggered towards the halfway line in a blue Adidas tracksuit – adorned with diamantes for the momentous occasion.

Robbie said: “The sparkles were added at the artist’s request, and it felt so comfy.

“It’s best to be comfy, so when they said, ‘What do you want to wear?’ I just said, ‘I want to wear a tracksuit. Can you put some jewels on it so it’s a bit showbizzy?’”

Insisting he is still just as ambitious as he was three decades ago, Robbie said of his future plans: “Lots of records. I’m 52, still ambitious, still have this gaping chasm that is unfillable.

“Still want, still need, still want to have purpose, I want to be out there doing things. I am still as ambitious as I was when I was 22 and it’s served me well. I have new music, new tours too.”

Robbie, who has been in the public eye since 1992, also said he would be ignoring snobbish critics, saying: “I don’t need validation from the po-faced fashion industry. I never got that from the po-faced music industry.

“I would like validation from the general clothing-buying public.”

Jessica Williams always goes to bed laughing.

“Everything’s so sad,” the actor explains. “Not taking yourself seriously is the only way, because otherwise I would just be upset, especially as a Black woman in the year 2026. I hate when people are on ‘The Bachelor’ and they’re like, ‘I love laughing,’ but it’s true. I really love it.”

Williams, 37, knows a thing or two about making others laugh. A three-time Emmy nominee for supporting actress in a comedy series for her work on “Shrinking,” she’s made an art of it. On a show about grief and mental health, Williams is often on hand to bring the funny.

Curled up in a chair on the top floor of The Times’ offices in El Segundo, looking down on the runways of LAX boiling in the late July sun, Williams gives runway fierceness against the beige office walls. She is just like the pop of bubblegum pink polish on her toenails as she strikes a pose in a chic all-black linen ensemble — a delightful burst of cheer in a subdued environment, something effervescent amid so much inoffensive sameness. She’s always been that way.

I would know; I’ve known her since we were 12 years old, awkward adolescents in Marcia Barryte’s Dodson Middle School drama class. As we catch up, I remind her of a PG-13 scene she caused in eighth grade science class during an earthquake drill. (To be fair, the drama students were asked to play standardized patients, and she was assigned “hysteria.”) While the class collected our backpacks, she broke into an award-worthy performance, wailing about not wanting to die a virgin.

“No!” she gasps, covering her mouth but unable to hide the mischievous grin that’s broken across her face at the memory. “That’s very inappropriate. I love that.”

Under slightly different circumstances, it’s a storyline that could belong to her “Shrinking” character, Gaby Evans, a therapist who brings her sunny demeanor, audacious sense of humor and enviable stores of energy into every room. That’s partly because so much of who Gaby is has been carefully honed by the writers and Williams to align with the actor’s voice.

“We can write almost anything and Jessica can make it sound like it has stemmed from Gaby,” says series co-creator Bill Lawrence. “She’s in charge of Gaby’s voice — and it’s a tremendous safety net for us as a writing staff.”

Jessica Williams in “Shrinking.”

(Apple TV)

Williams agrees this has been her experience, one she’s grateful for in an industry often dead set on ignoring perspectives like hers. “At the end of the day, white guys are in charge of this business,” she says. “Progress in film and TV requires them to go to bat for us. I feel really lucky to be on a show where Bill pulled me aside and was like, ‘If I’m doing my job right, the first couple episodes, we write these stories, and then, there’s a moment where it switches to being your character and you are the shepherd of her.’ It made it really collaborative and a safe space for me to play.”

Three seasons in, the set has become the world’s best playground. For instance, the writers gave Williams ample runway in a scene where Gaby turns the tables and proposes to her boyfriend, Derek (Damon Wayans Jr.), after discovering an engagement ring in a desk drawer (and getting it stuck on her finger). “Look, if you’re a television writer and you have a proposal scene and you don’t let Jessica Williams run with it, you’re cheating yourself,” quips Lawrence.

That mutual trust doesn’t mean that Gaby and Williams are the same person — just that Williams’ lived experience has shaped who Gaby is. “The point of a scene is we don’t know what it’s going to be,” she says. “We learned our lines. We’re going to show up. The director’s here. They have an idea. We’re going to make this thing together. We’re going to ‘Yes, and?’ until we get the scene up.”

Her ability to take the ball and run with it is what caught Lawrence’s eye in the first place, discovering Williams as a correspondent on “The Daily Show.” “She works very hard at making it seem like it’s off the cuff,” he emphasizes. “She is quick to call the writing staff with questions and is always looking to improve things. That’s not always the truth with everybody. She works her ass off.”

Jessica Williams. (Ryan Pfluger / For The Times)

That work ethic was essential for her Season 3 arc, which found Williams facing some of the toughest acting challenges of her career. Gaby bonds with a new, albeit reluctant, patient, Maya (Sherry Cola), only to be devastated when Maya takes her own life. It’s the heaviest storyline of the season — and a heartbreaking look at the realities of suicide, loss and trauma in the lives of mental health professionals.

One of the show’s consultants had experienced a similar loss, and their insights helped the writing staff find dramatic resonance. For Williams, it was a chance to showcase what she always believed she was capable of. “For women, people of color, queer people, any minorities, we just want the opportunity to show what we can do,” Williams says. “I was rubbing my hands together. Like, ‘F— yeah. Let’s go.’ But I was also really nervous. Sometimes when I get scenes that are a bit more difficult, I wake up and I wonder if I can do it. Every single time it’s proving to myself that I can. It felt like I didn’t get to rest last season in a way that was really nice. Most times I feel like I’m just goofing, but that felt like, ‘Oh, I’m an actor.’”

That’s an inevitable side effect of appearing on a Bill Lawrence show. His blend of humor and pathos demands a high-wire act from his ensembles. “With Bill, you have to have the acting chops to be able to do the drama, but then be able to turn a joke very quickly,” says Christa Miller, who’s been married to Lawrence since 1999 and played major roles on “Scrubs” and “Cougar Town” before “Shrinking,” in which she stars as Liz. “You really have to be able to do it on a dime.”

Lawrence clocked early on that Williams had the chops to hold her own against heavyweights like Harrison Ford. “We knew comedically she would crush it. The only question mark was about who she was as an actress,” says Lawrence. “But she was great from the second she set foot onstage. It would’ve been a massive mistake not to let her showcase that stuff.”

The storyline also pushed Williams to reopen an old wound. In 2019, she lost her longtime boyfriend to a heroin overdose. “He had a therapist who had come recommended from my therapist,” she says. “I don’t remember that time that much because it was so intense and traumatic. I do remember my therapist was helping me work through it, but she was also like, ‘I’d like to check in with his therapist and see how he’s doing.’ That was the first place I went when they told me about that storyline. It was a good opportunity to work through that a little bit.”

Even though her grief was readily accessible, it also churned up emotions that Williams often tries to quiet. “There’s always something when someone dies, whether it’s suicide or an accident, where you feel guilt,” she reflects. “‘What could I have done?’ It was something that I’ve processed and am still processing, and it was easy to transfer that into Season 3. Grief is so ongoing. It’s a wound that I have forever, and I would give anything to not have it. But now I have it, and I live with it. It’s like an old friend.”

Williams describes the days filming those scenes as different for her, harder to shake. Driving home from the set in Burbank, she’d often take side streets back to her house in Eagle Rock, getting lost in music and her environment. “It felt like trying to shed it,” she explains. “I really felt it. But so many people responded to it in a way that was what I wanted. It’s such an intimate thing, this job, and to be able to portray something [that resonates], that’s the whole point.”

One emotion the work generated that she wasn’t expecting? Embarrassment. “I’m usually not embarrassed doing comedy,” she says. “I’m like, ‘There’s no rules. We can try anything.’ It doesn’t feel as vulnerable, whereas acting, there’s something fundamentally so indulgent about it.”

It’s a surprising admission; though I haven’t spent substantial time with Williams in years, she always seemed fearless to me. Willing to do whatever it took to get a laugh. It’s why our drama teacher invented an entirely new role for her in our spring musical, to showcase her generational comedic talent.

Williams agrees she was a cutup in class, but she never got the chance to do any capital-A acting in middle school. “I would get a part, and then I wouldn’t be able to do it,” she recounts. “Mrs. Barryte would have to call my parents and be like, ‘She did not do her homework. She has bad grades. She can’t do the play.’ I let people down. I remember feeling really sad about it.

“That taught me I’m a part of a team,” she reflects. “I have to be professional. I have to be ready. But I’m glad I don’t have to do my math homework to be able to perform. Public school’s tough — you had to be an awkward Black girl and get good grades to do the musical.”

That all changed when Williams found improv, joining the ComedySportz team at Harbor City’s Narbonne High (she continued on the college team while she was a student at Cal State Long Beach). “I cared about improv so much that I wasn’t not going to do my homework,” she says. “It just affected my life profoundly. I’m getting misty thinking about these programs that are underfunded, that s— really matters.”

Williams has also found reassurance in the response to her character. “She makes me more confident,” she admits. “Just seeing the response to Gaby. A lot of that is amazing writing, directing and an amazing crew, but it’s also my instincts.”

“The first time I was like, ‘Whoa, what the f—?’” she says of her three Emmy nominations for the role. “Second time, it was like, ‘OK, it wasn’t a fluke.’ And then the third time you’re like, ‘Oh s—!’ All the actresses that I admire are in this category, so I’m honored. But these are my peers too. So it’s like, ‘Oh, they see me.’ Gaby means something to people, it feels like — and that’s really nice. It encourages me to keep going.”

As for what that future will hold, besides at least one more season of “Shrinking,” Williams is hungry to do a play on Broadway, having not done theater since high school. Somewhere in there she’d like to capitalize on her tendency to play erudite characters and embody a detective in a thriller (preferably a paranormal one like her childhood faves “So Weird” and “The X-Files”).

Mostly, though, she just wants to keep doing what she’s been striving for since we were kids — “I want, when you watch me, for you to feel like you’ve seen something magic happen.”

Well, abracadabra.

Vogue Williams and Luke Mabbott are helping homeowners with their difficult renovations

A heartwarming tribute was aired after a special renovation.

After launching in 2024 as one of Channel 4′s biggest new lifestyle titles, Renovation Rescue has returned for a second series with two brand new hosts.

Armed with a degree in Construction Design and Management and another in Quantity Surveying, presenter Vogue Williams has taken charge of proceedings alongside trained heating and plumbing engineer and former Love Island star Luke Mabbott.

The series follows ambitious renovations as Vogue and Luke share money-saving skills, offer design inspiration, and demonstrate simple DIY techniques that anyone can try.

During the latest episode on Thursday (August 6), Vogue and Luke helped retired artist Penny in Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex.

After losing her partner of 20 years, Penny planned to make a fresh start near her daughter and grandchildren by the seaside.

“He died very suddenly of septicaemia, virtually overnight. He was climbing trees one minute and the next minute he was gone. I woke up one day and said, ‘Look, Penny, he’s dead. You’re alive, so get on with it and make the best of the time you have here,'” she said.

But after Penny fell for a house that needed a total overhaul, the plans were put on hold as the renovation went badly over budget and behind schedule.

“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced this level of anxiety and stress,” Penny revealed.

To make Penny’s remaining budget go further, Vogue showed her clever ways to achieve the artistic aesthetic she loves without spending a fortune, including helping to create some beautiful cupboard doors with a lozenge-shaped detail.

Meanwhile, Luke showed Penny how to tackle DIY tasks including blockwork in the courtyard and creating a garden gate.

Later in the episode, Penny showed Vogue a picture that her late partner, Martin, had drawn years before – which has become one of her most treasured possessions.

“To me it’s quite important because I haven’t been able to show any of his work. He was very proud of this piece of work, actually,” she said, before Vogue added: “I think this should be the last thing that you put on the wall.”

Penny agreed: “Yeah and I will feel that Martin’s finally found a place,” leading Vogue to share how pleased she was that Penny could start looking to the future.

After all the work had been done on the property, Vogue and Luke paid Penny a visit and were stunned by the transformation.

Penny had even put Martin’s “beautiful” framed picture in the centre of her living room, flanked by a pair of floor-to-ceiling alcove cupboards that the hosts had made.

“It looks amazing,” said Vogue, with Penny concluding: “I feel as if I’ve got past the grieving stage where I’m not crying at the drop of a hat. Now, I can look at it and feel pleased that it’s there. He was very pleased with that piece of work.”

Renovation Rescue is available to stream on Channel 4

The Williams sisters are back on track for their doubles reunion.

Serena and Venus Williams were awarded a wild-card entry for the doubles tournament at the Cincinnati Open, organizers announced Monday. Venus was also awarded a wild-card entry for the women’s singles competition. The event will take place Aug. 8-23, with matches kicking off on Aug. 11.

This will mark the first time the iconic duo will be on the court together since the 2022 U.S. Open. The Williams sisters were previously set to play doubles together at Wimbledon last month, but had to withdraw after Serena injured her knee during the singles competition. The loss to Maya Joint marked the younger Williams’ first singles match in almost four years.

The Williams sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals together. Fans have been anticipating their doubles reunion since Serena announced her return to competitive tennis in June.

The 44-year-old’s first event back was the doubles tournament at the HSBC Queen’s Club Championships in London earlier this summer, where she teamed up with Canadian Victoria Mboko. They won their first match, but had to exit after Mboko suffered a knee injury. Williams then partnered with Czech star Karolína Muchová for the WTA 500 Berlin Open. They were eliminated in the first round.

Venus, meanwhile, is competing in her record 33rd consecutive WTA season at age 46. She has previously reached the semifinals and quarterfinals at the Cincinnati Open in 2012 and 2019, respectively, and she holds a 12-10 overall record at the event.

This is the first time the Williams sisters will compete at the Cincinnati Open together as a team. The event is considered a premier warm-up tournament ahead of the U.S. Open, where Venus is set to play mixed doubles with Alexander Bublik. Serena has not yet said whether she plans to play the final Grand Slam of the year, which she has won six times in her singles career. The U.S. Open will be held from Aug. 23 to Sept. 13 in New York.

Manchester United and Arsenal fight over France’s Manu Kone, Nico Williams could be heading to the Premier League champions, and West Ham reject latest Crysencio Summerville offer.

Manchester United lead the chase for Roma and France midfielder Manu Kone, 25, but face competition for his signature from Arsenal. (L’Equipe – in French), external

The Gunners have also revived their interest in Athletic Club winger Nico Williams, who was part of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad, with the 23-year-old believed to have a £77m release clause. (Teamtalk), external

West Ham have rejected a second offer from Roma for Dutch forward Crysencio Summerville and the Italian club, whose first bid was 46m euros (£39m), are working on a final proposal for the 24-year-old. (Sky Sports Italia – in Italian) , external

Aston Villa are weighing up a move for Summerville as they look to replace 23-year-old England attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers, who is set to join Chelsea. (Talksport), external

Barcelona have set up a meeting with 26-year-old forward Ferran Torres, who scored Spain’s winner in the World Cup final against Argentina, to find out what his plans are with one year left on his contract and interest from Paris St-Germain. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish), external

Ipswich Town have agreed a deal to sign 29-year-old Morocco centre-back Issa Diop from Fulham for about 10m euros (£8.5m). (Foot Mercato – in French), external

Newcastle and Leeds are among the Premier League clubs weighing up a move for FC Midtjylland striker Franculino Dju, 22, with the Danish club seeking in excess of £21m for the Guinea-Bissau international. (Teamtalk), external

AC Milan have identified young Genk winger Konstantinos Karetsas, 18, as their next summer transfer target but may have to sell Portugal forward Rafael Leao, 27, to fund the move. (Gazzetta – in Italian), external

Robbie Williams headlined the World Cup 2026 closing ceremony alongside Nicole Scherzinger and Laura Pausini

The World Cup 2026 closing ceremony dazzled audiences around the globe ahead of one of the most anticipated finals in recent memory, as Spain prepared to face Argentina for football’s greatest prize.

Robbie Williams headlined the spectacular pre-match entertainment, taking to the stage alongside Nicole Scherzinger and Italian superstar Laura Pausini to set the scene for a historic occasion.

The star-studded ceremony served as the perfect curtain-raiser before Spain and Argentina kicked off in the World Cup Final, with millions of fans tuning in from across the world to watch the spectacle unfold.

Yet while the occasion was steeped in sporting drama, many viewers found their attention drawn elsewhere — specifically to Robbie Williams and the bedazzled blue tracksuit the Angels hitmaker chose for his moment in the global spotlight.

Within minutes of his set getting underway, social media was awash with reactions, with some fans struggling to even recognise the pop icon.

“I didn’t recognize Robbie Williams,” one viewer admitted, while another marvelled, “love seeing Robbie Williams.”

Others were simply fixated on his bold fashion choice. “I’m feeling the @robbiewilliams bedazzled track suit…,” one admirer wrote.

Some fans were also struck by a rather unexpected resemblance. “Robbie looks a bit like Paulie from The Sopranos,” with another joking, “Why has Robbie Williams come dressed as Donald Trump reports the Daily Star.

Someone else added, “Robbie Williams is absolutely brilliant before the start of the World Cup.”

Elsewhere, for the first time in World Cup history, there was a half-time show featuring performances by Madonna and Justin Bieber.

While some viewers were loving the performances, especially from Madonna, other fans, including pundit Wayne Rooney, were not as keen.

When asked what he thought about the star-studded performances, Wayne replied with such honesty.

“I’ll be honest, mine (highlight) was when it finished. I like a lot of those artists, but I thought it was c**p,” he said.

“I did, honestly. It just didn’t get me going. I want the football to come back on.”

Italian singer Pausini told the BBC’s Carl Nasman that she’s “very excited” and “proud” to be performing alongside Williams and Scherzinger at the closing ceremony.

“When Robbie [Williams] invited me to sing with him, I felt goosebumps everywhere because Robbie’s one of my favorite singer, songwriter, and performer,” Pausini told the BBC.

The celebrity line-up will continue at half-time with performances by Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and BTS.

Madonna, the best-selling female music artist of all time, is set to perform after the launch of her new album, Confessions II, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in July.

Bieber also returned to the spotlight earlier this year, with his biggest live performance in four years at the Coachella music festival after cancelling his Justice world tour because of health issues.

Hal Williams, a veteran actor known for his roles as a friendly neighborhood police officer on “Sanford and Son” and a hard-working patriarch on “227,” has died. He was 91.

Williams died Wednesday morning at his home in Rancho Mirage, his representative Zna Portlock Houston told The Times in an email on Thursday.

“Hal Williams is legendary for his acting skills, his compassion and his community engagement,” Houston wrote, describing the actor as “an icon and a true professional.” “He never turned away a fan. He was always embraced so warmly, like he was truly their own family, because he was a cultural touchstone who represented an image of Black fatherhood that was loving and steadfast. Offscreen he was a sound advisor, lively debater and devoted friend.”

His death follows a recent trip to Ohio celebrating his work on the NBC sitcom “Sanford and Son,” on which he portrayed Officer “Smitty” Smith from 1972 to 1977.

In one of his final television interviews just days prior to his death, Williams spoke about one of the show’s recurring bits, which saw his character translate his partner Officer “Hoppy” Hopkins’ (Howard Platt) police talk into a vernacular that Fred (Redd Foxx) and Lamont Sanford (Demond Wilson) could understand.

“A lot of the stuff we created ourselves off camera and put it in the script,” Williams said when he appeared with Platt on a morning news show on Cleveland’s Fox 8. “A lot of the times, they didn’t have jokes in the script … because they didn’t know the jargon from the Black community.”

Born Halroy Candis Williams on Dec. 14, 1938, in Columbus, Ohio, Williams was working as a juvenile corrections officer when he decided to pursue his dreams of becoming an actor. He took the plunge and headed to Hollywood in 1968.

“I gave myself three years in California to see what I could do,” Williams told Fox 8. “And at the end of the three years I was on ‘Sanford and Son,’ ‘The Waltons’ and ‘Harry O.’ ”

Williams became a regular television presence, appearing on shows such as “Kung Fu,” “Good Times,” “Roots: The Next Generation,” “The Jeffersons,” “Magnum P.I.” and “The Sinbad Show” over the years.

Besides his breakout role of Officer Smitty in “Sanford and Son,” which he reprised in its follow-up, “Sanford,” Williams is perhaps best known for starring as Lester Jenkins, the husband of Marla Gibbs’ Mary Jenkins, in the NBC sitcom “227.” The show, which aired from 1985 to 1990, was notable for the portrayal of its middle-class Black family.

“ ‘227’ kind of set the bar a little higher because it was a totally intact family,” Williams told the “Today” show in 2020. “It was a mother, father, daughter and they were very positive. There were very few negatives. It addressed all kinds of social issues and it gave oncoming shows the opportunity to explore new avenues and new issues comfortably because the networks and production companies were open to that kind of a pitch idea.”

Gibbs took to social media Thursday to share a tribute to her “TV husband,” who she described as “a generous man who freely gave his time, his talent and his heart to the community.”

“Our journey together began long before 227 came to television,” Gibbs wrote on Instagram. “Hal was part of the original stage production at our Crossroads Theater. … Hal was always there to help. He even secured donated theater seats and helped organize the seating chart because he believed in supporting young artists.”

“When 227 became a television series, I fought to make sure my character had a husband. I’m so glad I did,” she added. “Hal, Regina King and I became a television family that showed the love, strength and stability of a Black family for five wonderful seasons. … Even after the show ended, Hal never stopped checking on me.”

Actor Jackée Harry, who portrayed the Jenkins’ young neighbor Sandra Clark in “227,” was also among those who shared tributes to Williams on social media.

“What a gentleman. Hal always carried himself with grace, and he always had me laughing,” Harry wrote Wednesday on Instagram. “He was also a stand-up guy who believed Black fathers on TV should be loving, present and compassionate. He helped show America what that looked like.”

“For as long as I can remember, Hal has been a steady, comforting presence on our television screens,” Holly Robinson Peete wrote in her Instagram tribute Thursday. “His warm smile, sharp comedic timing, kind spirit and gentle energy made him feel like family to so many of us. … Rest in peace, Hal. … You were one of the greats … a true television legend, but an even greater human being.”

Williams most recently appeared as Autry in a couple episodes of CBS’ “Matlock” reboot.

His survivors include his two children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Williams was predeceased by one son.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Halftime Show is expected to have one more surprise performer not yet formally announced

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Halftime Show will feature some of the biggest performers in the world – but there’s one more surprise on the way for fans.

Some huge names will take part in a special show curated by Chris Martin from Coldplay including Madonna and Justin Bieber as well as Shakira and Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and BTS.

The famous faces will all co-headline a special show, which similar to the Superbowl Halftime show, will take place on Sunday, 19 July 2026, at New York New Jersey Stadium when the final two teams take on one another.

Currently, it is between the four semi finalists, with either France or Spain taking on either England or Argentina in the competition. By Wednesday night, following the second semi-final, we will know who will play against one another in the final.

The show will last 11 minutes, and will support the Fifa Global Citizen Education Fund. Shakira and Burna Boy are likely to perform their song Dai Dai, which is the official anthem for the 2026 World Cup.

However, there is one performer yet to formally be announced. It has been reported that Italian popstar Laura Pausini will be joined by none other than Robbie Williams for a performance of their official FIFA anthem, Desire.

“Robbie loves football and is excited to play at this momentous gig. Of course, he hopes England will be one of the teams in the final,” a source told The Sun of the Angels singer’s inclusion in the festivities.

Robbie and Laura were also on hand to perform during the the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 final match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain in July last year, where they wowed with their song.

Oasis star Noel Gallagher is less than impressed by the changes to have a half-time show.

“I’m doing the half-time raffle for a leg of lamb,” he quipped to TalkSport, before adding: “I don’t like changes in football. I’m looking forward to these new rules about corners and time-wasting, that might be a good thing for the game, but I don’t like the razzmatazz of football; it’s been functioning perfectly for hundreds of years.” Noel also questioned whether any of the performers had any links to football and why they had been chosen specifically.

During the big announcement, Chris Martin appeared with Sesame Street characters including Elmo. He said: “Well, this year for the first time, there’s a halftime show at the World Cup Final! It’s where people get together and there’s singing, and there’s dancing, and there’s music. It’s a chance to show how amazing all different kinds of humans are. And monsters, aliens – it’s one big family, really.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

LAS VEGAS — The Lakers signed free-agent forward Ziaire Williams to a one-year, $3-million deal on Monday, people not authorized to speak on the matter publicly confirmed to The Times.

Williams, 24, was available after the Brooklyn Nets declined his team option of $6.25 million, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The 6-foot-9 Williams gives the Lakers an athletic wing player. He averaged a career-high 10.2 points last season in 56 games, 13 as a starter.

He shot 42.5% from the field and 34.3% from three-point range.

NBA scouts who requested anonymity to speak candidly on the matter said Williams is athletic but hasn’t figure out his game yet. He’s seen as an inconsistent three-point shooter.

Williams, who attended Sierra Canyon High with Bronny James and Stanford, gives the Lakers a maximum 15 roster players.

VOGUE Williams has shared a private ‘threatening’ message that Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews sent to her.

The My Therapist Ghosted Me star, 40, chatted with co-host Joanne McNally about Lee’s whirlwind marriage in a podcast entitled ‘we’re at war’.

After hearing the criticism about his relationship, Lee took to his social media and said he would be sharing a video of his own to expose “fake boxers, sneaky DJs, famous-for-nothing presenters, desperate exes, and desperate reality-relevant goons making money on my name and slandering my relationship with lies and gossip” at 10pm.

Vogue joked that 10pm was too late for her to stay up now she’s pregnant with her fourth child.

The star then messaged Lee about it privately, asking if the release could be brought forward to 8pm, and she surprisingly ended up receiving a response from him.

Reading out Lee’s message, she joked that the pair are now “friends” after he seemed to ease his defensive stance.

CLOUT CLAIMS

Vogue Williams & Joanne McNally SLAM Lee Andrews as they warn Katie Price

TELL-ALL TELLY

Katie Price plans new doc with Lee set to speak out on farcical marriage

Lee said: “Oh, he said, ‘haha, I didn’t schedule it, but I’ll see what I can do. Congrats on the baby to both of you.

“There are a few other things coming your way, but nothing detrimental.

“More on the gist of the recent events. Take good care.”

Co-host Joanne laughed at Lee’s response, then said to Vogue: “Did he just congratulate you on your baby and then threaten you in the same message? This is a wild morning.”

But Vogue didn’t appear too fazed by it, replying: “It’s nothing detrimental. More in the gist of recent events. I’ll be like, ‘It’s all in the name of fun, Lee, isn’t it?’.”

The remark comes after Vogue and Joanna slammed Lee for being a “clout chaser”.

Lee then hit back, branding Vogue a “clout chaser”, which led to him and the two ladies getting embroiled in an online spat.

Speaking in the episode that was released today, Joanne said that Lee “lives to chase clout”, before detailing the ways in which he has done this.

“He literally he set up a Cameo two weeks after marrying Katie Price. I’ve never seen clout chasing like it,” she said.

“It’s podium level clout chasing.”

Meanwhile, Vogue said that she feels “icky” and “dirty” about Lee.

She noted: “For me, it’s more like I just don’t want to get involved because it feels so icky.

“And I feel like I’m dirty when I talk about… I don’t want to be sullened by this by this.”

It came after Lee made another bold claim and this time he said he was joining the BBC One soap EastEnders.

Vogue Williams appeared as a guest panellist on Loose Women on Monday, where she made a candid admission

Vogue Williams made a candid confession during the latest instalment of Loose Women.

The 40-year-old Irish TV personality appeared as a guest panellist on the ITV daytime show on Monday (July 6), joining Charlene White, Coleen Nolan, and Jane Moore.

The panel swiftly turned their focus to England’s FIFA World Cup victory over Mexico in the early hours of the morning. Jude Bellingham scored twice in 98 seconds to put England ahead, before Julian Quinones pulled one back for Mexico just three minutes before the break.

The drama continued, as Jarell Quansah was shown a red card after 54 minutes for a high challenge on Jesus Gallardo, with both sides subsequently converting a penalty each.

While chatting about the match, Vogue confessed that she and her husband, Spencer Matthews, had made “one of the worst” parenting decisions that morning, reports the Irish Mirror.

She said: “I did not stay up but my husband decided to watch it with the kids this morning and it was not as harmonious as your house [talking to Charlene].

“One of the worst decisions we’ve ever made, because we have such small ones and they all get a turn. So, my son was throwing a wobbly that he hadn’t had his turn on the TV while they’re trying to watch it. So, it wasn’t great this morning actually.”

While Vogue found watching the match with her young children, Theodore, Gigi and Otto, rather testing, Charlene had quite a contrasting experience with her eight-year-old son, Alfie.

“We were all very excited about it so Alfie wanted to stay up and [I was like], ‘Absolutely not, you’re eight years old,'” she explained.

“But what we did is he woke up at six so he could watch the whole thing, [and] if there was loads of extra time and penalties, he would have time to watch that before going to school. So, all phones were off. The TV was definitely on iPlayer to make sure they definitely didn’t suddenly see the result, and he was really excited on the sofa at 6am.”

Meanwhile, Coleen revealed that she had attempted to stay up until 1am, but drifted back off to sleep upon discovering the match had been pushed back by an hour.

“I thought, ‘I can’t do it,’ so I kind of fell back to sleep,” she said, before disclosing that she had watched the entire second half.

“They were just unbelievable… It was so exciting, what a match,” she added.

Elsewhere in the episode, the stars opened up about the difficulties they’ve encountered after their children flew the nest for the first time, with Vogue expressing her anxiety about the prospect of her own kids eventually being old enough to move out.

“Even the thought of them going is just heartbreaking to me. I want to be the mum with the house that everyone wants to come to and they all want to spend time with us,” she said.

Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 12.30pm

Experience took on youth Tuesday morning at Wimbledon’s Centre Court as 44-year-old tennis legend Serena Williams played her first singles match in nearly four years, against 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint.

Advantage: youth, as Joint pulled out a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 win over the 23-time Grand Slam champion, and advances to play 29-seed Alexandra Eala of the Philippines — a 6-1, 6-2 winner over Renata Zarazúa of Mexico — on Thursday.

“She has such an aura. She’s such a legend,” Joint said of Williams during an on-court interview after her first-ever Wimbledon win. “And this court has so many huge names that have played on it. I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy.”

As she and Joint entered the court, Williams received a standing ovation from a crowd that included her husband, Alexis Ohanian, their daughters, Olympia, 8, and Adira, 2, and her sister/doubles partner, Venus Williams.

Williams hit a 121-mph ace to hold 3-3 in the first set but later had a double fault that led to the only break of the set. She also notched a 122-mph serve in the second set, during which she also saved four break points to hold for a 6-5 advantage.

Another boisterous ovation came after Williams clinched a tiebreaker to win the second set. She remained focused, celebrating with only a fist pump, before the crowd launched into a “Let’s go, Serena, let’s go!” chant.

After taking a 2-1 lead in the deciding set, however, Williams was unable to keep up the momentum and dropped three straight games and four of the next five. She did not speak to reporters after the match but released a statement through Wimbledon organizers.

“It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here,” Williams said. “The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything.”

Williams has won seven Wimbledon titles (two shy of Martina Navratilova’s record) and entered Tuesday’s match with a 98-14 overall record at the tournament. She retired in September 2022 following a loss to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the U.S. Open.

Williams returned to professional tennis in doubles earlier this month. She and Canadian Victoria Mboko won their opening match at the HSBC Queen’s Club Championships in London before having to drop out because of an injury to Mboko. Williams and Czech star Karolína Muchová lost their opening match at the WTA 500 Berlin Open.

Williams and Venus were given a wild card to play Wimbledon doubles, with their opening match scheduled for later this week. The duo has won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, including six at Wimbledon.

Although unranked in singles following her lengthy hiatus, Williams spent 319 weeks at No. 1 on the WTA’s rankings, including 186 straight weeks from February 2013 to September 2016.

Joint entered Tuesday’s match with a slightly more modest resume. She has won her opening matches at each of the last U.S. Opens, which accounted for all of her singles wins in Grand Slam tournaments until Tuesday.

In February, Joint ranked a career-high No. 28 in the world but has dropped to No. 87 after going 3-15 in singles matches so far in 2026. She is 131-83 overall with two WTA tournament singles wins, both in 2025.

Serena Williams walked out onto Wimbledon’s Centre Court, closed her eyes, took a deep breath and smiled at the ovation that greeted her.

Williams has consistently said she has nothing left to prove as she resumes the tennis career from which she evolved away in 2022.

But no-one was sure what to expect on Tuesday evening when she faced Australia’s Maya Joint in what was the 44-year-old’s first singles match in four years.

There would have been a moment of relief for Williams when she won her first point at SW19 for 1,462 days – a forced error from Joint in response to a huge return of serve from the American.

The match ended in a 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 win for Joint, who started strongly, weathered a second-set dip, and regrouped impressively from a break down in the third.

The competitive nature that propelled Williams to 23 Grand Slam titles means she will not be satisfied with the outcome. She has often said she hates losing more than she loves winning.

And this was not vintage Williams. She played better as the match went on before fading in the third set. There were, however, glimpses of the player that dominated the WTA Tour for over two decades.

“I was a bit cynical and very curious about what was going to happen in this match,” former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“What we saw is two people playing very good tennis and Maya being able to handle the pace of Serena.

“Serena played an incredible level. If she wants to play this way and play some more tennis, she is going to be a real handful.

“Serena played better now than she did at the end [of her career] four years ago.”

Mercedes’ George Russell took his second win of the season with victory from pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen recovered from a crash in the final part of qualifying to finish second at Red Bull’s home race, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli in third.

Russell’s win moves him back up to second in the drivers’ standings, 40 points behind team-mate Antonelli.

BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions before this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

I think a pole position under a yellow flag sets a dangerous precedent, because it’s clear that from now on, everyone will continue to push hard after a small slow down, or else their lap will be cancelled. I’d be curious to hear your opinion – Lorenzo

George Russell’s pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix, the foundation for his victory on Sunday, came about in controversial circumstances.

According to the rules, Russell did nothing wrong.

Marshals trackside initially waved a single yellow flag when Max Verstappen crashed at Turn Nine.

Kimi Antonelli mis-read the light board as a double yellow, and backed out of his lap – the correct response for what he thought to be the case. Under a double yellow, drivers have to “slow down and be prepared to stop”.

But under a single yellow, a driver does not have to abandon their lap. They only have to not set a fastest time in the relevant section of the track.

Russell complied with this, but the rest of his lap was fast enough to put him on pole anyway.

The concern here is less the specifics of these rules, but whether the correct flag was shown in the circumstances.

The answer to that has to be no.

Verstappen crashed at the fastest corner on the track, which is taken at close to 140mph.

Turn Nine is notoriously challenging, with its downhill entry, and an exit kerb that’s easy to over-run.

Both Verstappen and Antonelli questioned the decision to show only a single yellow at the time, when Verstappen’s car was in the barrier at this corner as other drivers were seeking to set what would be their fastest laps of the weekend.

Verstappen described it as “quite crazy”.

Antonelli said: “There was a car in the wall in a fast corner. I don’t know why it didn’t go double-yellow straight away, because it’s a super-quick corner, and if you go off at the same time, it can end up very badly. That was a bit confusing.

“For sure it’s something that needs to be reviewed, especially when it happens in a high-speed corner.

“If it’s a slow-speed [corner], single yellow can be OK but fast corners should be double yellow straight away.”

To underline the point, within 20 seconds, race control upgraded the flag to a double yellow, but everyone had completed their laps by then.

The Williams sisters, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are back at Wimbledon. What year is it again?

The mention of those names may make it feel like we’re stuck in a timewarp – but, no, it is 2026 and some of the sport’s greatest are returning to SW19, in one way or another.

American icon Serena Williams, 44, is making a blockbuster singles comeback after four years away from the sport and also resumes her iconic doubles pairing with sister Venus, 46.

British legend Murray is back at the scene of his greatest triumphs as part of Jack Draper’s coaching team.

Djokovic, meanwhile, is only a week younger than 39-year-old Murray yet is still chasing that elusive record 25th Grand Slam title.

“It’s very special to be here – we have quite a history here. It’s nice to be back in 2026,” said Venus Williams, who has won five singles and six doubles titles at the All England Club.

As one of the highlights of the British sporting summer, Wimbledon never goes under the radar, but the presence of the old guard will help elevate the grass-court Grand Slam in a summer stacked with sporting events.

Eyeballs are inevitably trained on the men’s football World Cup, particularly with England still in the competition, while the women’s T20 cricket World Cup and British Grand Prix are also jostling for the limelight.

The appearance of the legends – along with younger superstars like Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, plus the high-profile return of Briton Jack Draper – will ensure Wimbledon will remain at the centre of attention.

“We’re always unbelievably excited to be part of an exciting summer of sport,” Wimbledon tournament director Jamie Baker told BBC World Service.

“Every summer there are always other big events on and I think that does add to the buzz around sport in general. We do love being part of that.”

Serena Williams’ evolution back toward tennis continued Sunday with the announcement that the sport has been eagerly anticipating.

“Just finished a mean game of duck duck goose,” the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion and mother of two wrote on X hours after Wimbledon announced that Williams will be playing as a wild card entry in women’s singles at this year’s event, which begins June 29 at The All England Club in London.

An eighth Wimbledon singles victory for the 44-year-old tennis legend would seem unlikely. Williams’ lengthy hiatus has left her unranked in singles, which could mean early matches against such players as defending champion Iga Swiatek or world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Still, Williams has the opportunity to tie Margaret Court for the most women’s singles Grand Slam titles. Court won 13 of her 24 Grand Slams before the Open Era began in 1968; before that, only amateurs were allowed to compete in Grand Slam tournaments. Williams is already considered the record-holder for the Open Era.

Also, Williams could move into a tie with Helen Wills Moody for second-most titles at the tournament. Martina Navratilova holds the record with nine Wimbledon championships.

Williams famously avoided the word “retirement” when she announced she was “evolving away from tennis” in August 2022. The following month, after losing to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the U.S. Open, Williams registered as retired with the International Tennis Integrity Agency.

After nearly four years away from competitive tennis, Williams’ comeback is now in full swing. First came a doubles pairing with Canadian Victoria Mboko at the HSBC Queen’s Club Championships in London earlier this month.

The pair won their opening match against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand 7-6 (2), 6-2 on June 9 but had to forfeit the next round after Mboko injured her left knee in a fall during a singles match.

Last week, Williams partnered with Czech tennis star Karolína Muchová at the WTA 500 Berlin Open, where they lost their opening match to Giuliana Olmos of Austria and Routliffe 6-4, 6-4.

On Tuesday, The All England Club announced that Williams and sister Venus had accepted a doubles wild card invitation for Wimbledon. The Williams sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, including six at Wimbledon.

At that point, one wild card entry remained open for women’s singles — a fact that a reporter mentioned to Williams last week during a news conference in Berlin and asked if she might take it. Williams played coy in her response.

“Oh my gosh, there’s some left?” Williams said. “We better get to practice.”

The reporter pressed with his question.

“That’s the question of the hour, right?” Williams said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I wonder why there’s — I don’t know.”

Williams remained low-key about her singles return on Sunday, with her only acknowledgment being a repost of Wimbledon’s announcement on her Instagram Story.

A duo for the ages is convening once again.

The Williams sisters — Venus, 45, and Serena, 44 — will bring back their doubles partnership at Wimbledon in under two weeks. The All England Club announced the doubles wild card invitation on Tuesday.

Should they win for a record seventh time, the Williams sisters would make history as the oldest Grand Slam-winning doubles combo by nearly 16 years.

The record of 74 years and 303 days is held by Hsieh Su-wei and Barbora Strýcová, who won at Wimbledon in 2023. Venus will turn 46 on Wednesday and Serena will be 45 on Sept. 26, putting their combined age by the tournament’s end at 90 years and roughly 290 days.

The Williams sisters have won six doubles titles together at Wimbledon, most recently in 2016 with the first coming in 2000. They have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, the second most by any women’s team in the Open Era behind the 20 won by Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver.

Serena recently returned to competition after almost four years away from professional tennis. She will compete in the Berlin Open doubles alongside world No. 10 singles player Karolína Muchová on Tuesday against Erin Routliffe and Giuliana Olmos.

The initial tournament in Serena’s comeback was abbreviated. Her playing partner, Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, suffered a knee injury that ended their effort at the Queen’s Club Championship after one match, a 7-6(2), 6-2 victory over No. 3 seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez.

Venus, who will turn 46 on Wednesday, is in the midst of her record 33rd consecutive WTA season. She has been eliminated in the first round of singles at several tournaments while faring better in doubles.

The pairing at Wimbledon will be the first since 2022 for the Williams sisters. Serena took a long hiatus beginning that year and gave birth in 2023 to her second child, Adira River Ohanian.

Many of the sisters’ career highlights have come at Wimbledon. Serena has 14 titles on the hallowed grass court — six in doubles, one mixed doubles and seven in singles. Venus Williams has won 11 Wimbledon titles — five in singles and six in doubles.

Neither Williams sister is slated to play singles in this year’s tournament, although one women’s singles wild card has not been allocated.