Back to the day job: Tom Daley puts on a Shanghai spectacular in breathtaking display with diving partner

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Bombs away! Pete Waterfield and Tom Daley are competing in Shanghai

These spectacular pictures of diving ace Tom Daley come from the world championships in Shanghai, where Tom and his partner have just qualified for the synchronised diving final.

They were taken against the backdrop of the city's harbours, and show the skills and fitness needed for Tom and Pete Waterfield to progress past the first round of the FINA World Championships.

But it nearly didn't happen, after 30-year-old Waterfield fell ill with flu-like symptoms on arriving in Shanghai.



Tense: Waterfield and Daley prepare to dive in the first round of the World Championships



Launching: The pair made it into the final of the 10m synchronised diving


However, at the last minute he was passed fit and was able to join Tom, 17, who was the individual winner at the last world championships in 2009.

The pair have been diving together since the beginning of the year, in an attempt by diving bosses to find the best pairing for the synchronised dives in time for the London Olympics.


The pair have been put together in preparation for the London Olympics



Tumbling: Tom will be hoping to replicate his success at the last World Championships



Competition: This is Tom's first contest since his father died


The current competition is Tom's first major event since the loss of his father, Rob, who died of cancer in May, aged 40.

Last week Tom paid tribute to his father's influence, saying: 'Without my dad I wouldn't have come as far as I have.



Teamwork: But the pair were nearly broken up when Waterfield fell ill



Splash! The divers were watched by a largely hostile Chinese crowd


'It's not been easy, but I'm just trying to focus all my attention on the upcoming world championships as this is what dad would have wanted.'

He is expected to be one of the major faces of next year's Olympics, and has recently signed up to front an ad campaign from Nestle.



Training: Tom is expected to be one of the stars of the 2012 Games

source: dailymail

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Roger Federer crashes out of Wimbledon in the quarter finals as tournament of upsets continues

By DEBORAH ARTHURS

Out and down: Roger Federer slumps in his chair after his surprise exit at the hands of Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga


There was shock for a second day running at Wimbledon as Switzerland's Roger Federer crashed out of the tournament in the quarter finals.

The world number three was beaten in an unexpected defeat by French hope Jo-Wilifried Tsonga, who battled the six-times Wimbledon champion in a five set marathon.

It means Andy Murray now has one less challenge to overcome as he aims to win his first Wimbledon title, having breezed past Feliciano Lopez in straight sets in imperious form.

Tsonga's reward for beating Federer is a semi against Novak Djokovic. Murray's victory means he will now face another Spaniard, Rafael Nadal, who made it through to the semi-final by seeing off the challenge of Mardy Fish.


Win: Left, Tsonga celebrates his unexpected victory over six times Wimbledon champion Federer while, right, the Swiss maestro's wife Mirka can't quite believe her eyes


Federer's defeat came after the Swiss had established a strong two-set lead where it seemed he had the game in his stylish white bag.

But in an amazing comeback that stunned the crowd, Tsonga snatched victory from the jaws of defeat by beating Federer three sets to two, winning six games to four in the final set.

A delighted Tsonga performed a victory dance as Roger quietly walked from the court he has come to call his own over the past eight years.

After his match Murray said he was surprised at Federer's exit but that Tsonga had simply played too well for even the Swiss legend to cope.


In reverse: Perennial underachiever Tsonga, left, consoles one of the greatest players in history after his shock victory over Federer


A pat on the back: Federer has the class to acknowledge Tsonga on a job well done


'I don't think Roger played a bad match,' said Murray.

Sometimes other guys just play too good.'

Confident Federer fans looked jubilant as Federer easily took the first two sets.

But their smiles faded as he lost the third set and it became clear he could not push back against Tsonga's unwavering energy.


'I could get used to this': Tsonga is mobbed by fans clamouring for an autograph as he leaves the court after his shock victory


It's all a bit of a blur: Federer can't find an answer to Tsonga's onslaught as he prowls the baseline


Court appearance: Anna Wintour is jubilant early on in Federer's match, while right, Chelsy Davy looks tense in the face of reports today that on-off boyfriend Prince Harry has a new girlfriend, Florence Brudenell-Bruce


Fans: Pippa Middleton is flanked by mother Carole and boyfriend Alex Loudon as they watch Federer play

source: dailymail

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Andy takes a bow just for Kate, the new queen of SW19... and she even gets Wills to join in Mexican wave

By LAUREN PAXMAN and PAUL HARRIS

Never mind the Royal Wave... Kate, Duchess of Cambridge looks expectantly over at her husband as she raises her arms for the Mexican Wave on Centre Court


Royal couple were there to watch Andy Murray beat Richard Gasquet

The Duchess was wearing Temperley's £395 Moriah dress which is on sale

Both Williams sisters in shock fourth round exit from tournament

Crowds surge as temperatures soar to 33 degrees


You couldn't really blame him for taking a curtain call.

The Duchess of Cambridge might have been queen of Centre Court but yesterday – for the moment at least – Andy Murray was king.

Having roared to victory in straight sets against Frenchman Richard Gasquet, he performed an extravagant bow towards Kate and William in the Royal Box.


Here's the Mexican One: The second in line to the throne gets in to the spirit of the occasion


Your Majesty: British number one Andy Murray bows to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge following his victory over Richard Gasquet in their fourth round match at Wimbledon


In turn, they gave him their seal of approval with a pat on the back after the match, won in 100f heat on court, and told him: 'Well done.'

Murray said: 'If I'd known they were coming, I would have shaved. I was thinking to myself as I came off I was sweaty and very hairy. I said to them, "I'm sorry, I'm a bit sweaty". But it was very nice to get to meet them.'


Happy couple: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sat in the Royal Box on Centre Court at Wimbledon


The bow, he said, was 'just, yeah, sort of off the cuff. Didn't think too much about it'. He added: 'I was obviously very happy after the match. I think it was the right thing to do.'

The win earns Murray a quarter-final clash tomorrow with the Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.


Pretty layering: Kate followed Wimbledon's specification that players must wear white


William and Kate became the surprise stars of the Royal Box after weeks of speculation that they might attend before embarking on their tour of Canada tomorrow.

Centre Court was crammed to capacity, which equates to 15,000 bums on seats. But to widespread disappointment, none, alas, was Pippa Middleton's.

For although there were frantic rumours during the morning that Kate's little sister and former maid of honour would arrive with the royal party, Pippa-watch was stood down at 12.31pm when the celebrated rear failed to emerge from the police-escorted cavalcade.

Kate, a huge fan of the game, wore what looked to be a triple-decker tennis skirt – in fact a £795 Alice Temperley dress – teamed with LK Bennett nude court shoes.
Within half an hour of her appearance, the frock, reduced to £395 in the summer sale, had sold out on the designer's website.



Unusual detailing: The white disks on Kate's shoulders will remind Wimbledon fans of a less successful recent fashion statement... Bethanie Mattek-Sands' Lady Gaga-esque jacket which was covered in white tennis balls


The royal spectators clapped and cheered as Murray got to grips with the heat.
Later, during Rafael Nadal's match, they would even join in a Mexican wave.

Murray's triumph was followed by despair from the Williams sisters who made a shock exit from the tournament in the fourth round.

Venus Williams' attempt to win a sixth Wimbledon title ended in the fourth round with a 6-2, 6-3 loss to Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria.

The 23-year-old Pironkova beat Williams at Wimbledon last year by the same score to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal. She also won their first-round match at the Australian Open in 2006.

Williams' defeat came shortly after younger sister Serena also went out in the fourth round, losing to Marion Bartoli.

It is the first time since 2006 that neither sister has reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals.


Expert in action: Andy Murray drew in a very A-list crowd for his match on Centre Court today


Fan club: Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears and his mum, Judy, were watching his progress


Support from afar: Andy Murray's tennis racket bag is covered with tweets from his fans


Kate and William appeared happy and relaxed as they watched the day's tennis. The Duchess has been a Wimbledon fan for years - as have all the Middletons.

Pippa has attended the French Open and the Aegon Championships since her big sister's wedding earlier this year and Kate has visited the championships twice before.

In 2007 she attended with a friend to watch Rafael Nadal play Swede Robin Soderling on Court one and in 2008 she visited again.

A polite thank you letter Kate wrote to Wimbledon bosses after her most recent visit is currently on display at the All England Club.


Keen spectator: This is Kate's third time at Wimbledon and her passion for tennis was clear to see from her facial expressions



Fun day out:William and Kate's visit to SW19 is a private affair and the newlyweds will not fulfil any royal duties


More than 2,000 people queued along the grassy banks outside the club in a bid to secure places for Murray's match.

As the fans waited outside, though, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took up their prime positions on Centre Court.

There they watched a very convincing display by Britain's number one who won the first set in a tie-break, soon claimed the second too and broke early in the third set.

As well as the young royals, Murray had his slightly more personal fan club in attendance.

His pretty girlfriend Kim Sears, and his mother, Judy Murray were sitting side-by-side at his fourth round match.

Murray's support also came from further afar, his tennis racket bag was covered with tweets from his legion of fans including 'stay positive we are all behind you' and 'believe in yourself and never give up.'


The perfect guest: Kate chatted and joked with Gill Brooke, the wife of the Chairman of the All England Tennis Club who was sitting by her side


Top tips: Kate leant back to give Jane Henman, Tim's mum, who was sitting behind her, a kiss on the cheek before exchanging a few words with her too


Kate and William's visit to SW19 is a private affair and the newlyweds will not fulfill any royal duties. But they both appeared very contented to chat to the others sitting around them.

Kate looked as composed as we have come to expect from the unflappable Duchess. She chatted and joked with Gill Brooke, the wife of the Chairman of the All England Tennis Club who was sitting by her side.

The relaxed tennis fan also leant back to give Jane Henman, the mother of our last big British hopeful, Tim Henman, who was sitting behind her, a kiss on the cheek before exchanging a few words with her too.

As the Royal Box guests arrived today, thousands of sun drenched fans applauded. But the heartiest welcome was reserved for the young couple who were given a standing ovation.

The retractable roof was also partially covered to shade the royals' end of the arena.

Other Wimbledon-goers were not quite as lucky, they used umbrellas to shade themselves from the sweltering sun as they sat on other courts or watched the action on Murray Mount.


Sizzling: Fans queueing to enter the grounds at Wimbledon struggle with the heat, with one man needing to lie down and another woman using an umbrella to shelter from the sun


Soaking up the rays: With a large bottle of water by her side, this woman lies on the tarmac and covers her forehead outside Wimbledon



Defeat: Serena Williams survived three match points. But ultimately crashed out against Bartoli in the tournament's first big upset


source: dailymail

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What the deuce is she wearing? Bethanie Mattek-Sands plays at Wimbledon in another Lady Gaga-inspired outfit

By EMILY ANDREWS and GABBY MORGAN

Ball girl: Bethanie Mattek-Sands wears an unusual bespoke outfit for her first match at Wimbledon today


A quick glance and you might have mistaken her for some sort of quirky pop star.

Not for nothing is Bethanie Mattek-Sands known as the Lady Gaga of tennis.

The American baffled fans as she stepped out on court yesterday in war paint and a white bomber jacket decorated with spray-painted white tennis balls chopped in half.

And when she removed her coat, the white dress she had on underneath appeared to have lost a sleeve.


All white? The white fringed jacket was created by Lady Gaga's own fashion designers


The outfit complemented an armful of colourful tattoos, socks pulled up to the knees and the face paint. The 26-year-old claimed that was actually a couple of anti-glare patches.

Miss Mattek-Sands had already turned heads with an equally bizarre tennis ball outfit at a pre-Wimbledon party last week, which was designed by one of Lady Gaga's own dressers.


Ball-girl: Mattek-Sands arrives for her match against Japan's Misaki Doi


British designer Alex Noble had again been commissioned for yesterday's outfit.

Unfortunately for Miss Mattek-Sands, it failed to inspire her to victory.

Despite going into the match as the firm favourite and 30th seed, she lost in three sets to Japan's Misaki Doi. And her decorum appeared to desert her as she refused to shake the umpire's hand at the end.

The tongue-in-cheek number is just another example of how players are working around the rules to make fashion more prominent on court.


Skin art: The tennis player shows off her tattoos in a one-shouldered top


On Monday, Venus Williams wore a Greek-inspired romper suit by her own brand Eleven. And high-end label Ralph Lauren have designed new uniforms for the ball-boys.

Mattek-Sands said last month: 'I don't think I can really challenge the colour rule right now. You know, I got to figure something out. Obviously the white, you got to work with a lot of the cuts.

'Obviously I'll be wearing my high socks. But yeah, it's always challenging to think of new things for Wimbledon.


When fashion meets function: Serena, left, and Venus Williams are trendy sisters at the tournament

source: dailymail

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Tears of 'back from the dead, Serena': Williams breaks down after opening victory at Wimbledon

By EMILY ANDREWS and PAUL HARRIS

Overcome: Serena Williams showed her emotions today after he first round victory by burying her head in a towel before openly crying as she left Centre Court


It's not the image that most people would associate with the so-called Queen of Mean.

Serena Williams – one of the toughest players on the tennis circuit – won her first-round match, sat on her chair … and then dissolved into tears.

Such a display might have been expected from a novice winning her first match at Wimbledon – rather than the defending champion who has won the title four times.



All too much: Miss Williams was upset because she has been out of the game for year following a severe foot injury and suffering from blood clots on her lungs


But as the 29-year-old explained later, emotion overwhelmed her because yesterday was a day she feared she would never see after a year in which her life – let alone her sporting career – almost came to an end.

The American has been absent from tennis for 49 weeks after suffering serious foot injuries in an accident, then life-threatening blood clots on her lungs. ‘It definitely hit me at the end of the match,’ she said. ‘I’m not a crier, so I don’t know.

‘It definitely was so emotional for me because throughout the last 12 months, I’ve been through a lot of things that’s not normal. So it’s just been a long, arduous road. To stand up still is pretty awesome.


Watching on: The large crowd sees Serena rifle down another serve during the match


‘So this was probably the most emotional I’ve gotten after a match, after a win.’ By the standards of some of her previous outfits, Miss Williams was dressed relatively soberly in a white tennis dress with navy piping, matched by a classic cable-knit cardigan – although her hot pants were black.

She added: ‘It wasn’t about winning the match. It was about being out there. Everyone that has had some troubles, whether it be health, whether it be something else, to realise that you can do it. But it just really goes to show if you don’t give up, you still have a chance.’


Hand raised in victory: Serena forces a smile seconds after confirming her win and before the emotion got too much


Within days of claiming her 13th Grand Slam title at the All England Club last summer, Miss Williams’s feet were cut by glass as she left a restaurant in Munich, wearing sandals.

Then in March she had trouble breathing and was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism.


She revealed: ‘I was on my death bed at one point – quite literally. It got to the stage where it felt like I could hardly breathe. Some days I didn’t get out of bed at all. I just laid on a couch thinking, why has this happened to me?

‘At first people said it would be fine, it would be all right but it turned out to be a lot more serious. If it had been left two days later it could have been career-ending – or even worse. They told me I had several blood clots in both lungs. A lot of people die from that.’


In action: Serena Williams plays a forehand during her two sets to one victory over French player Aravane Rezai



Knocked out: Aravane Rezai reaches for a shot during the defeat to Williams on Wimbledon's Centre Court


Floored Serena Williams makes winning lob



source: dailymail

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Elf 'n' safety shuts Murray Mount: Fans might slip on the grass, warn officials

By PAUL HARRIS and EMILY ANDREWS

The covers are pulled off Centre Court so that play can resume despite torrential rain outside - the first time it has ever happened


Thousands of Andy Murray fans had sat patiently under their brollies, sipped hot tea from flasks, and unfurled their Union Flags in anticipation.

But on a rain-hit Day One at Wimbledon, they were robbed of the chance to see him on the big screen – for ‘health and safety’ reasons.

The grassy slopes of Henman Hill - now renamed Murray Mount - were empty after the screen was blanked out and the area was closed in case anyone slipped and hurt their ankles.

After losing a set to little-known Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver, to the consternation of his mother Judy and girlfriend Kim, the Scot recovered to win by three sets to one beneath the Centre Court roof, in use for the first time.



Sign of the times: Hardy fans on Murray Mount sit around a bench in the dying hope that there might be some more tennis for them to enjoy


Rain stops play? Not for these boy who slide down Murray Mount enjoying the slippery surface


Spectators cover up to try and keep dry on one of the courts in the vain hope that play will eventually be resumed


Sitting it out: A couple shelter from the rain in Centre Court before the retractable roof kicks into action while others huddle under an umbrella and waterproof


Andy Murray's girlfriend, Kim Sears reacts as she sits alongside his mother Judy while he takes Centre Court against Spain's Gimeno-Traver



Ball boys tied and swept water from the covers last night to stop the grass from getting wet in the hope that play can resume today


Making a dash: These spectators cover up as they leave the stadiums after heavy rain stopped play


Furious tennis lovers deprived of the chance to cheer him on from Murray Mount said they would have been happy to take their chances with the slippery conditions and accused tournament organisers of bowing to the modern culture of inflating potential risks beyond likely reality. Others showed how it was possible to slide down the hill, even head-first, without injury.

This is the first time in the tournament history the screen has been deliberately blanked out since it was installed. Countless throngs have enjoyed second-best views from this spot, which can accommodate up to 4,000. When the roof is open, you can easily hear the roar of the Centre Court crowd while watching the action on screen.


I've got it covered: Andy Murray returns a shot in his match against Spain's Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain on Centre Court


Among the disappointed fans was Katie O’Brien, the British hopeful who was knocked out yesterday after losing her first-round match and took her family to the hill to ‘drown my sorrows with a Pimm’s’, as she phrased it on Twitter. Shortly afterwards, the screen went blank.

Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins said: ‘This is the first time we have had to shut off the big screen as this is the first time the roof has been used in these conditions. Previous to the roof, of course there would have been no play to watch on Centre anyway if it was rained off.

‘The hill has been closed because of the slippery nature of the grass while it is so wet. It is a health and safety issue. We just can’t have people slipping and sliding and falling off the thing and breaking their ankles.

‘It’s different on the courts if there is a drizzle as they can sit on seats. We could have large numbers of people slipping and sliding all over the place.’

'Even if the rain stops we won't turn the big screen back on - that's it I'm afraid. It's regrettable but wise in view of the circumstances. We always anticipated that we would have to turn off the match for those on the hill if it rained.'

Those who were lucky enough to get onto the show courts were treated to a mesmerising display from Venus Williams - in the form of a strange white playsuit.

It was so wet on Murray Mount that fans took the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere and slide their way to the bottom of the hill, but it has now been shut over health and safety fears.


Lovely weather for ducks... and flowers: This young spectator was totally absorbed by the tennis action - while it lasted


Full of anticipation: Crowds begin to assemble on 'Murray Mound' ahead of the British number one's first round match against Daniel Gimeno-Traver yesterday afternoon



Star turn: Dakota Fanning, left, was among the visitors to SW19 on the opening day of Wimbledon, while Kirsten Dunst was enjoying the day with fashion editor Leith Clark (in the black boots)

source :dailymail

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