SPORTSSwiatek earns A+ verdict from Navratilova
Iga Swiatek is only the third woman in the Open era to reach the third round at 26 consecutive Grand Slam events, after Martina Navratilova (35) and Conchita Martinez (30).
Iga Swiatek continued her Wimbledon title defence by overpowering former finalist Karolina Pliskova in a commanding straight-set victory to reach the third round.
The Polish world number three cried on court after battling to a three-set win over Taylor Townsend in her opening match on Tuesday, having found opening play on Centre Court as the reigning champion "really emotional".
Far more relaxed on her return to action two days later, there was an entirely different feel to this performance as the 25-year-old made a blistering start against 2021 runner-up Pliskova.
"I'm feeling more stable today - and that's good," Swiatek told the crowd after her 6-1 6-3 victory.
"The first round was really emotional for sure, but today I felt like it was another day in the office and I needed to be ready, be in charge and make good decisions.
"It is always better when you're able to think like that and it was a good day for me. I was consistent and I had a good level of focus, so I'm really happy with my performance."
Swiatek, a six-time major winner, lost just one of the first 17 points in the match as she proceeded to dismantle the Czech, racing into a four-game lead.
She struggled on serve in the fifth game, recording two double faults to allow Pliskova to retrieve one break back, but immediately reset to capture the first set in just 25 minutes after winning 26 of the 35 points played.
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Fery reaches third round to keep British hopes alive
Swiatek would continue to dominate what had appeared a potentially tricky second-round match-up against a former world number one, although the 34-year-old Pliskova remains on the comeback trail after missing most of the 2025 season recovering from ankle surgery.
Pliskova managed a response in set two, breaking for a 2-0 lead as Swiatek's level once again dropped on serve - but the Czech was unable to consolidate, double-faulting on break point in the following game.
Another costly double fault two games later gifted another break to Swiatek, who by that point had rediscovered her first-set level and completed victory in just 69 minutes by winning six of the final seven games.
After 18-time major winner Martina Navratilova graded her performance an A+, Swiatek responded: "When legends like that say nice things about you, it means a lot. It is basically why you try to be the best tennis player possible, so that people appreciate it.
"I don't know if it was an A+ because at times it was a tricky game. I felt like I played so many dirty shots in that final game especially, I wasn't able to control them that much. So maybe not A+, more like B, I would say."
Victory extended Swiatek's record of not losing before the third round at a Grand Slam since the 2019 US Open, and she remains the only woman to have reached the third round at all 26 Grand Slam events held this decade.
However, she lost at that stage of this year's French Open - the tournament where she had won four titles in the previous six years - and will now seek to avoid the same fate against Alexandra Eala, of the Philippines.
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SPORTS'How good is that?' - the best shots from Fery's fightback to reach last 32
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British wildcard Arthur Fery reaches the third round of Wimbledon for the first time in his career, by defeating Otto Virtanen 5-7, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 6-3 on day four at Wimbledon.
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POLITICSHome Secretary admits failures led to Southport attack
Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar were killed in the 29 July 2024 attack
The Home Secretary has vowed to "right the wrongs" identified by an inquiry into the "senseless killing" of three young girls and violent attacks on others in Southport.
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were killed by 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in June 2024.
Inquiry chairman Sir Adrian Fulford said there had been a "fundamental failure" by any organisation to take ownership of the risk Rudakubana posed in the years leading up to his attack.
Shabana Mahmood said the government accepted these findings, adding: "We will do whatever is needed to protect the public."
"The Southport Inquiry identified fundamental failings, across many of our public services in the years leading up to July 2024," she said.
"These devastating failures led to the senseless killing of three young girls and violent attacks on others.
"My thoughts today are first and foremost with the families and friends of Bebe, Elsie and Alice and all the victims of that awful day.
"We owe it to them to right these wrongs."
She added that her department would now carry out the necessary work "with the urgency it deserves".
The attack happened at the Hart Space studio in Southport
Nicola Brook, who represents the three adult survivors, said: "The government states they are now, and always, thinking of victims of this heinous crime, yet our clients were first told of this government response by the media.
"This is not the approach of a government committed to putting the victims first and centring their lived experience in any future policy change.
"There is a black hole in mental health funding, and unless that issue is addressed as a matter of urgency, all the other restrictions aimed at preventing similar heinous attacks will only go so far."
Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, who represents the families of 22 child survivors of the attack, said they were pleased that the government had accepted the findings but there were yet to see evidence of "real change".
"The families affected by this tragedy need to see firm timelines and detailed plans around how changes will be implemented, and how their impact will be measured," she said.
"They want to be involved in conversations with these agencies to inform changes."
Sir Adrian Fulford chaired the Southport inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall
The Southport Inquiry, commissioned by then Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, was set up to examine the overall timeline of the killer's history and interactions with various public bodies.
The first phase of that inquiry finished in November following nine weeks of evidence.
Sir Adrian found that "catastrophic" failures by the parents of the killer and various agencies meant clear chances to prevent the attack were missed.
In a 760-page report published in April, he called for the end of what he described as a "culture" of agencies passing responsibility between each other or downgrading their own involvement in cases like this.
He described it as the "single most important conclusion" of his report, adding: "This failure lies at the heart of why [Rudakubana] was able to mount the attack, despite so many warning signs of his capacity for fatal violence."
Sir Adrian said the attack "could and should have been prevented", if public bodies had taken steps to stop the killer, who was 17 when he launched the attack.
The attack in the summer of 2024 sent shockwaves across the world
The report also focused on a serious incident in March 2022, when the teenager was reported missing and found by Lancashire Police officers on a bus with a knife.
Sir Adrian described that incident as the "most marked example of the consequences of poor information sharing".
He said an arrest would likely have led to his home being searched and "critical information" found about the ricin seeds he had bought and the terrorist manuals he had downloaded.
Instead, he was simply taken back to his family home in Banks, West Lancashire, and no criminal action was taken.
Sir Adrian also said if the killer's parents had done "what they morally ought to have" and reported his suspicious behaviour, he would not have been free on the day of the attack.
But a "merry-go-round" of referrals, assessments and "hand-offs" - and his autism being used as an "excuse" for past conduct - meant no agency understood the danger he posed.
The second phase of the inquiry is expected to consider the adequacy of multi-agency systems to address the risk posed by young people whose desire to commit acts of extreme violence presents a significant risk to public safety.
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POLITICSBurnham meets trade union leaders ahead of expected premiership
Andy Burnham is meeting the leaders of the trade unions which help fund the Labour Party, as he looks for support ahead of his expected premiership.
The meeting is being held at the headquarters of Unison, one of the 11 unions affiliated with the party, Unison sources have told the BBC.
In a speech on Monday , his first since launching his bid to replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, Burnham suggested he wanted local communities to be given "greater public control of essential services".
The GMB union is expected to raise this issue with Burnham, specifically on the ownership of water, as well as buying British, school support staff and equal pay, sources say.
Trade union support is an important step on the way to becoming a candidate for the Labour leadership.
As well as securing the support of 20% of Labour MPs, candidates must also achieve the support of 5% of constituency Labour Parties (CLPs), or at least three affiliates of the party - at least two being trade unions - in order to progress.
Burnham announced his intention to stand shortly after being elected as the MP for Makerfield. He is so far the sole candidate, and if that remains the case he could become the next prime minister as early as 20 July.
A central point of contention between some of the unions and Burnham is the possible appointment of Ed Miliband as his chancellor.
The general secretaries of Unite and the GMB union - which both represent workers in the fossil fuel industry - have heavily lobbied against Miliband due to his policies on North Sea oil drilling as the energy secretary.
Miliband has repeatedly dismissed calls to approve new oil and gas licences in the North Sea.
Gary Smith, the general secretary of the GMB, has described the government's net zero policies on the North Sea oil and gas industries as "shameful" and "economic madness", and reportedly raised the prospect of a Miliband chancellorship with Burnham when they met last week, according to the Financial Times.
But Andrea Egan, the general secretary of Unison, has backed Miliband for chancellor, the Guardian reports.
The other candidate reportedly being mooted as chancellor in a Burnham government is Wes Streeting, Sir Keir's former health secretary whose resignation contributed to his downfall.
Also among the topics which could be discussed between Burnham and the unions on Thursday is electoral reform.
Critics have long said the first-past-the-post system means candidates can be elected on a relatively low share of the vote, undermining democracy; but defenders say it means decisive results and, in theory, more stable government.
Burnham has long called for reform, telling BBC Radio Manchester during the Makerfield by-election campaign: "I do think there needs to be reform to the electoral system to enable less point-scoring, more problem-solving."
Eight out of Labour's 11 affiliated trade unions also have formal policy in favour of electoral reform.
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