The Scotsman Bulletin Monday June 30 2025 #WimbledonTennis

The Scotsman

Get ready for Wimbledon! Dale and sports editor Mark Atkinson preview the upcoming tennis fortnight, highlighting key players to watch and offering their expert predictions for the tournament.  They discuss potential upsets, analyze player form, and explore the strategies that could lead to victory on the hallowed grass courts. This in-depth preview is a must-watch for any tennis enthusiast eager to stay informed throughout the Wimbledon Championships.  #Wimbledon #Tennis #SportsPreview #TennisTournament

Transcript

00:00Hello and welcome to the Scotsman's Daily Video Bulletin for this Monday.

00:05It's a balmy summer's day and we're here to talk all things sport,

00:09but firstly the front page of today's Scotsman.

00:12And we led on police close to breaking points as absence figures saw,

00:17a report by our Deputy Political Editor, David Boll,

00:21and he was talking through the rise of mental health absences for Police Scotland.

00:26It's gone up over 50% over the past three years

00:31and has become a real concern amidst ongoing pressure around the force

00:37in terms of its resources as well.

00:39You'll see Rod Stewart there on the front,

00:42clearly a big show in the Legends slot at Glastonbury yesterday.

00:47Just some news out on the music front this morning,

00:49which is Lewis Capaldi announcing two new shows,

00:53one in Aberdeen and one in Glasgow for later this year in September.

00:57That'll be of interest to a lot of our readers,

00:59so you can read the latest on that at scotsman.com.

01:02There's also a pullout there on Wimbledon.

01:06Mark Atkinson joins us, Sports Editor for the Scotsman.

01:09We'll get to Wimbledon in a minute,

01:11but there's some breaking news out this morning

01:13and a long-standing Harts figure.

01:16Mark, standing down, talk us through it.

01:18Yeah, Anne Budge, the Harts chairwoman,

01:22has decided to stand down after 12 years at the club in that role.

01:28She leaves quite a legacy.

01:30She's been dubbed the Queen of Harts

01:31for the way she saved the club from administration

01:34and liquidation, I should say, back in 2013,

01:38which seems like a long time ago.

01:40So much has changed at Harts.

01:41Under her watch, there's a new main stand.

01:45The club's finished third on numerous occasions

01:47in the Premiership, making Scottish Cup finals as well.

01:50Also some relegations along the way,

01:52and her tenure didn't come without criticism

01:54from the fan base at times.

01:56I think a lot of people will feel

01:57it's the right time for her to go.

01:59Potentially, even some would have said

02:00that she should have gone before now,

02:03but regardless of where you stand on that,

02:05she's been an incredible figure for the club

02:08and actually in Scottish football as a whole.

02:10And I think what it does is further emphasise

02:14the change that's coming at Harts.

02:16Toni Bloom took investment last week,

02:1829% shareholding of the club.

02:21There's obviously a wind of change

02:23sweeping through Tynecastle,

02:25and Budge herself has said

02:26that it feels like the right time for her to go.

02:29So another major development at Harts,

02:32a club that's been really moved-worthy

02:34over the past month or so,

02:36and I think it will nearly strengthen

02:39the excitement of many Harts fans

02:41who feel under manager Derek McInnes

02:43and the Tony Blue Mirror

02:44that good times are not far away.

02:48Yeah, definitely a new chapter

02:49taking place there, Mark.

02:51You can read the early report

02:53from Mark Atkinson on the site as we speak.

02:56Just go to the Sports tab in the navigation bar

02:58if you can't find any of our latest football coverage.

03:01Mark, I know you're passionate about tennis.

03:04It's the first day of Wimbledon.

03:05It's one of the big fortnights

03:06of the British sporting calendar every year.

03:10I just want to get your thoughts on

03:11who you're excited to see,

03:13any matches that you're looking out for

03:15that we know may line up at this stage.

03:19Yeah, it's an exciting period.

03:21What are you expecting?

03:22It is.

03:23I think we've got my tennis whites on today

03:24for this video.

03:26Yeah, really excited about Wimbledon.

03:28It doesn't quite feel the same for me

03:30when Andy Murray's not there.

03:31And, of course, even last year,

03:33we thought we might see him play in some capacity.

03:37But this time around, no Murray,

03:39but the quality of tennis across both the men's

03:43and the women's game, really exciting.

03:45I'll start on the men's side.

03:47You've always got Carlos Alcaraz and Yannick Sinner

03:50who are expected to develop their incredible rivalry

03:54after the French Open.

03:56Carlos Alcaraz, for me, is the favourite

03:57after winning Queens.

03:59But there's so many other good men's players.

04:01Jack Draper, British number one.

04:03He's seeded fourth, although he's got a very tough draw.

04:06I'm looking forward to watching him play.

04:08I'm also looking forward to watching Jacob Fearnley,

04:10our own Scottish player.

04:12Edinburgh, he cracked the top 50 not that long ago

04:14and is a good prospect.

04:17There'll be lots of really, really fascinating games.

04:19The women's side, somebody asked me a couple days ago,

04:21who do you think will win the women's Wimbledon?

04:23And I honestly thought of about 30 players

04:25that could win it.

04:26It's such a strong and deep field.

04:30There'll be a lot of focus on Arina Sadbilenka,

04:33Coco Goff.

04:34But this tournament has been won by some dangerous players,

04:37not least the defending champion Barbara Krajcikova,

04:39who came out of nowhere to win it before.

04:41So, yeah, if you're a fan of tennis right now

04:44and just enjoy drama,

04:46I think this Wimbledon could really throw up.

04:47But it would be very difficult for people to nail down a winner

04:51on both sides.

04:52And that's what makes it so exciting.

04:54Mark, I think there'd been, well, in some quarters,

04:57some criticism around the women's game

04:58with the dominance of the Williams sisters ending

05:02and Sharapova going out of the game.

05:04You know, who was going to be there to sustain it?

05:07Who were going to be the contenders?

05:09Actually, it's a pretty exciting mix, isn't it?

05:12There's, as you say, a sort of a blanket

05:13could be thrown across a dozen that could win.

05:16Oh, definitely, definitely.

05:18And there's also so many good characters

05:20in the women's game as well now.

05:21We've got so many rising stars.

05:23And then you've got the kind of British angle to it as well

05:25for this tournament.

05:26Emma Raducanu, a lot of focus on her.

05:28I don't think she expects herself to do that well this year,

05:31but there's always a frenzy around her.

05:34Katie Bolter, who was dethroned by Raducanu

05:36as British number one.

05:38She's had a really good year.

05:39I wouldn't expect her to win it,

05:41but she could certainly go deeper in there.

05:44I think you could look at this, honestly,

05:4630, 40 players in the women's draw

05:48who could conceivably go on one of those runs

05:50and win it.

05:51And that's great for the sport.

05:53Yes, you love having glamorous players

05:55like the Williams sisters,

05:56but I think if you love your sport,

05:59you're going to get a really, really exciting

06:00fortnight at women's tennis and men's tennis.

06:03It's a great time,

06:04and I'm sure the viewing figures will relate to that

06:08when we get deeper into it.

06:11And just quickly, not to put you on the spot,

06:13but where does that French Open men's final rate

06:15in terms of some of the best games you've watched?

06:18Oh, it's up there.

06:20I find it hard sometimes to rate these matches.

06:22As you get older, you've watched so many

06:23and they blur, but it was just a joy.

06:27It was just such an amazing game of tennis.

06:29And I think what it did,

06:30what was so important about that match, Dale,

06:32is that it showed there's life after Roger Federer,

06:35Rafael Nadal, Novak Joplin, Andy Murray.

06:37People always worry that when those types of players disappear,

06:41you're not going to have the same level.

06:44But what those guys produced was right up there

06:47with the very best of the big four.

06:50Reminded me a bit of that classic

06:51between Nadal and Federer at Wimbledon

06:53a number of years ago now, a terrific match.

06:57You can get all the latest around Wimbledon

07:00and everything else on sport at scotsman.com.

07:04If you are watching matches throughout this week,

07:07either heading down to London

07:09or just enjoying it up here in Scotland,

07:12remember, it's going to be hot.

07:13It's due to be 34, 35 down in London today.

07:17And it should be as high as 24 in Scotland.

07:21So if you've got some time off, enjoy the weather,

07:24but enjoy it responsibly as well.

07:27Mark, thank you for joining us.

07:28And thanks to everyone else for tuning in.

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