Williams awaits Wimbledon fate

TENNIS

WIMBLEDON chiefs are seeking clarification over whether seventime champion Serena Williams can be seeded at this year’s championships.

Williams, the winner in 2015 and 2016, did not defend her title last year as she was pregnant and is now ranked a lowly 449th in the world.

Many inside women’s tennis feel players are being penalised for dropping down the rankings, in the same way as injured players, when they take time off to give birth.

In the men’s draw nobody outside the top 32 is eligible for a grasscourt seeding, but the rules are less clear on the women’s side.

All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club chairman Philip Brook said: “It is totally different to an injury and we have empathy and sympathy for the point being made. It is a question that we will certainly address.”

Meanwhile, Wimbledon also announced yesterday it was hiking its total prize pot for this year’s championships to £34 million, up 7.6pc on last year’s competition.

CRICKET

NIALL O’BRIEN warmed up for next week’s Test match against Pakistan by scoring his first inter-provincial century for the North-West Warriors, against Leinster Lightning on the first day of a Hanley Energy Championship clash at Sydney Parade.

Ireland wicketkeeper O’Brien stroked 129 not out and shared an unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership of 265 with Stuart Thompson which is an inter-pro record for any wicket, smashing Bill Coghlan and Fintan McAllister’s previous best of 196 for Lightning.

All-rounder Thompson more than matched his international colleague, making 136 not out as the visitors reached stumps on 358-3 from 104 overs.

BOXING

ANTHONY JOSHUA will decide who his next opponent is “in the next seven to 10 days”, according to the father of his promoter, as he weighs up facing his mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin or chase a heavyweight title unification showdown with Deontay Wilder.

WBO, IBF and WBA heavyweight champion Joshua faces a dilemma over his next opponent, having beaten New Zealander Joseph Parker in his last outing to claim the WBO strap and continue on his desired path towards unifying the division.

That would of course involve fighting Wilder, the current WBC champion, but talks with the American’s camp have proven, at best, frustrating.

“Anthony Joshua calls the shots,” said Hearn’s father Barry. “He has a choice. I think his preference is Alexander Povetkin for his mandatory, Jarrell Miller is in the top five, and Deontay Wilder.

“They’re his three main choices and I expect him to make his mind up in the next seven to 10 days.”