hello this is bbc news. the headlines: the two men battling to win the tory leadership contest face questioning — borisjohnson admits his comments could have played a part in the uk ambassador‘s resignation did it play a factor in his resignation? he said that what somebody had relayed to him had certainly would have been a factor.

jeremy hunt has again been questioned about the october 31st deadline for britain leave the eu. is there any chance we can still go into 2020 and still be a member of the eu? i don't believe so, no. but you don't rule it out? i don't believe that would be the case... this is why people don't really trust you on this. a second royal navy warship is to be sent to the gulf — this is the moment darren pencille was arrested. a second royal navy warship is to be sent to the gulf — as tensions with iran escalate over the free movement of shipping. a gem agemi a gem i took what a lake in new 0 rlea ns a gem i took what a lake in new

orleans as a hurricane. novak djokovic reaches her sixth wimbledon men's singles final after a faucet when on centre court. in a moment, it will be time for sportsday but first a look at what else is coming up this evening on bbc news. following on from the conservative leadership interviews, we speak to david cameron's former political adviser to get her fight on leadership candidates. an interview in downing street, to his mate reflects on her time as prime minister. joining me at 1040 1130 on the papers are broadcasterjohn sta pleton. the papers are broadcasterjohn stapleton. that is all ahead on bbc news, now it is time for sports day.

good evening, in a very warm welcome to wimbledon on men's semifinals. these are our headlines tonight. roger federer and rafael nadal are battling it out on centre court. you will reach sunday's final? novak djokovic as waiting on there, reaching his 21st grand slam final. i'm in at liverpool on at the opening day of the table will cop away at northern ireland have already suffered a first defeat against australia. also coming up in the programme, one of england's old cricketing foes, steve waugh agrees the hose have set the benchmark in on the spot as they prepare for

sunday's final. we will have the latest from silverstone as multi—byte as an lewis hamilton lea ked multi—byte as an lewis hamilton leaked a mercedes 12 —— and a second practice for the british grand prix. hello, and welcome to sportsday. look at the packed henman hill as they watch on, as the two great in they watch on, as the two great in the men's game, roger federer and rafael nadal battle it out 11 years oni rafael nadal battle it out 11 years on i thought that epic final here in 2008. rafa no doubt get out on top of that day, it went to a five set thriller, and i wonder if we will see that again. it has all the hallmarks of being one. let's go straight to centre court where roger

federer is currently on top against rafael nadal. he leads in that third set. it was roger federer who took the first 7—6, it went to a tie—break, that children going to tattoo on centre court once again but how very different it was in at the second as rafael nadal came back to digging a 6—1. as we can see, it is roger federer who has that crucial break in at the third leading 4—1 at one set all. mark is with me on the roof this evening. as we know, after too little to split your two but a huge amount of support for roger federer on henman hilland a support for roger federer on henman hill and a centre court. there is absolutely no ones based on henman hill. very much a pro for a duck out out there. seesawing back and forth. they cannot create enough space between each other, so closely

contested. roger federer is now a month short of a 38th birthday, rafael nadal is 33, still these to dominate the game. it is such a contrast of styles again, both absolute gentleman, great sportsmen on the court. 0ne absolute gentleman, great sportsmen on the court. one is playing just beautiful tennis, hartley sweats. then you have rafa on the baseline, scurrying about, trying to hammer royjohn on the head with magnificent defects. that is why we love watching me to just go at it. let's have a look at these two set points. the roger federer took the first set in that tie—break. but rafael nadal dominated the second set as he took 86—1. you just wonder what we are in line for now. it is novak djokovic who awaits in sundays

final, he came against roberto bautista agut in for sets. djokovic a drop injust his second set bautista agut in for sets. djokovic a drop in just his second set of the tournament so far. it was interesting because novak djokovic actually had a bit of a wobble in that match. the third set looked like it could go either way. yes, they have had some incredible matches this year. roberto bautista agut had won the two cheese earlier in the season. but they were on hard courts. novak djokovic had plenty in the tank today, i think he was emotionally ready, he had not been caught up into many lengthy photos. i think that really helped him. roberto bautista agut threw everything at him, they had some incredibly long rallies there. djokovic was not going to give them any leeway at all. no, he wasn't, the defending champion looking to win back—to—back titles. mark, thank

you forjoining us tonight. as we know, british interest rested on andy lapthorne's shoulders today, he was only quad wheelchair doubles. it was only quad wheelchair doubles. it was su ccess was only quad wheelchair doubles. it was success for him alongside his partner, dylan alcock, as they beat koji sugeno and david wagner. interestingly, he'll meet his doubles partner, delyn alcott, in tomorrow singles final. but, as we know, british hopes ending in the and doubles, due to see andy lapthorne getting and doubles, due to see andy la pthorne getting his and doubles, due to see andy lapthorne getting his hands on some silverware in the front of those british supporters watching on. —— good to see. now, as hewett and gordon reid are threw in the men's wheelchair doubles, this is a big win for the wheelchair doubles, this is a big winforthe pair wheelchair doubles, this is a big win for the pair who have real pedigree here at wimbledon. they

have won the last three doubles titles might they meet tough opponents in tomorrow's final, the number two seeds. of course, all eyes will be on a tomorrow's final of the singles, serena williams up against simona halep. we know how much serena has benefited on in that extra court time, playing alongside andy murray, she feels it could serve her well tomorrow. interestingly, she says there still to come. i have done this on million times, i know how to play tennis. the crazy thing is, i think i can play even better. i came into this tournament training for ten days because i was so injured that she had but i finally got healthy and i finally found a solution and i got better. and it's. .. finally found a solution and i got better. and it's... is interesting because i am now paying three and i can do it. i feel great on court, i

feel the game, i feel the court. finally, i am starting to feel the grass which is never easy. now i know the feeling of winning a grand slam andl know the feeling of winning a grand slam and i am more relaxed stop at the same time, i am very focused and motivated to win every match i play. lam motivated to win every match i play. iamjust motivated to win every match i play. i am just enjoying, happy on court, finally in the finals of wimbledon makes it an amazing feeling. what if iwe makes it an amazing feeling. what if i we have in store, they number seven seed against number 11 seed. it all starts on centre court, two o'clock tomorrow. lets her to kate gray who is in liverpool with the women's netball world cup under way. it isa it is a jam—packed day, all 16 teams in action over the course of the day. we have just in action over the course of the day. we havejust seen in went in action over the course of the day. we have just seen in went out on court, will come to that much later on. let's talk about this morning is a result. we saw northern ireland up against the defending

champions australia. it was always going to be a tough first game and australia certainly looks likely top seeds out there, very comfortable. they didn't put out a very strong team, they obviously wanted to wipe away those cobwebs just was a really u nfortu nate away those cobwebs just was a really unfortunate moment for the northern ireland captain, she took a nasty fall which meant she could not continue for the rest of the game. we did see her later on the opening ceremony carrying the northern ireland flag for the team so she will be back in action later in the week. a brute result for the of julius, 88 goals they scored compared to northern ireland is 24. another team to look out for is jamaica. they could be the team to beat here in liverpool. 0nce jamaica. they could be the team to beat here in liverpool. once again, they look brilliant out on court up against fiji, looking a little bit untidy at times but they are a very fla m boya nt untidy at times but they are a very flamboyant and fast team, they certainly look like the meant business out on court, beating fiji by 85 goals to 29. two very strong

performances from two of the top teams. this evening will be group d tea m teams. this evening will be group d team is going on court, england and scotla nd team is going on court, england and scotland are out there on the courts later this evening. england got up against uganda, an exciting up and coming african team who will not make it easy for england. it is a bill importing england without a strong performance in these early stages because they are in a tough side of the draw, they will face the likes of south africa and jamaica at later in the week so every results cou nts later in the week so every results counts at this point. they will also be scotland in action against samoa, a slightly easier match, properly one of the easier it went in their group. scotland are currently seventh in the world and hope to start a seventh in the world and hope to starta campaign seventh in the world and hope to start a campaign off with a winning result. let's hear from the start a campaign off with a winning result. let's hearfrom the home nations camp ahead of their opening matches. we have a very tough group, jamaica and south africa in these preliminary games. we had a tough

road in the coming of games and it actually sorted out so the fact we are going to to find some form early isn't a bad thing. we are really pleased, we have hit seventh, our highest ever rank. we are improving all the time and we have a very tough draw. certainly scotland are looking for a top eight finish. there is will start at seven o'clock tonight, they are warming up at the moment. that is all from liverpool, will keep you updated. the chief executive of the england and wales cricket board, tom harrison, has rejected claims that the men's world cup has lacked visibility, despite england reaching the final. live games have only been available on subscription tv, this with highlights on terrestrial television late at night. however, england's decider with new zealand on sunday will be shown on free to air tv. the engagement of this tournament, both in the uk and around the world, has been phenomenal. by way of

example, the bbc website, the most visited page that you have had all yeari visited page that you have had all year i think is following leasing on final yesterday. you think that in terms of the way that people consume sports these days, the digital clicks, the tns coverage, the coverage on sky, the enormous engagement we have had in this cricket world cup has been unbelievable. i think the internet nearly broke in india during their game against brazil. the reality is, it has been a fantastic event for us to put cricket into a different context to put cricket into a different co ntext a nd to put cricket into a different context and enables us to grow the game over the next five years, using the cricket world cup and everything that has happened as part of it as the best example of what we want to do going forward. meanwhile, steve waugh has agreed with the aussie skipper that it would morgan's side have sent the benchmark after the demolition of

the old rivals. england are too good, australia probably didn't bring their best game but england we re bring their best game but england were outstanding. from the first ball, two of their catchers, they completed 50 overs, the field was excellent. the batting of roy and burstow was excellent, particularly roy, he has taken his game to the next level. you just have to say, sometimes the opposition were just too good on the day. interesting to see are in french advisement comment on the defeat yesterday saying that england prove what they are the benchmark in one—day cricket, do you agree with that? yes, i would agree with that. they are nice comments from an opposing captain. england have been dubbed in the last few years. they have been other flat out this tournament, but they have played two to form in the recent

games. what happens for australia? they don't have long until they're up they don't have long until they're up against england again in the ashes? i am an editor for the ashes squad, looking forward to it, to very evenly matched sides. you want an ashes series like that, i think there would be five great test. surely 013— two but it will be worth watching. as someone who has won the world cup, who is your money on in the final? new zealand will be very happy going in as underdogs, they wa nt happy going in as underdogs, they want you to underestimate them and undervalue them. they are more than capable of winning this world cup in england do not bring the best game. i think new zealand are more than enough to win it. it was a frustrating day for the

defending champion. the sun is shining here at silverstone, it has been the first great day of practice. the fans are forked and once again today, who can blame them, what a fantastic day. yes, it has been a busy day of track action. the grandstands were pretty much packed from 10am, fairly uneventful the friday of a race weekend. good to see silverstone being so packed. 0n track, a lot of dramas, nothing huge, no one hit the barriers. but a lot of spins, off—track excursions, difficult to get a proper read from it. bottas ended fasted for mercedes. crashes in the pit lane, such a strange incident. yes, that was the one that started the day. he simply took of these pit lane with too much throttle, turned right to go up the

hill, slightly difficult pit lane exit but nothing this guy shouldn't be able to handle. but he just looked it straightaway, spun off the rear tyre, shocking start from him, not a mistake i have seen very often. hamilton was in the war is a little bit, he struggled to get a clea n la p little bit, he struggled to get a clean lap in. ferrari look like they we re clean lap in. ferrari look like they were nowhere but then suddenly became close in at the end. and all of it, it is difficult to say he will be the favourite but mercedes just edged it today and i think this home is for hamilton is so strong. he isa home is for hamilton is so strong. he is a big threat for paul and the wind. let's bring you up to date with some of the other stories around today: it's the end of an era for peter crouch. the former england striker has announced his retirement from football at the age of 38. crouch earned 42 caps for his country. he won the fa cup at liverpool and also played in the premier league for the likes of tottenham, aston villa and stoke. could this be one of the biggest football transfers of the summer? barcelona have agreed to pay

more than £100 million for antoine griezmann. that's the french striker‘s release fee at atletico madrid. the bbc has secured exclusive rights to the 2021 women's european championship in england. there'll be extensive coverage of every game of the tournament across tv, radio and online. the bbc showed this summer's women's world cup, with a record—breaking 28.1 million people watching the tournament on television. geraint thomas remains in fifth place overall. grain thomas finished 49 seconds off the pace. and, there's a three—way tie for the lead after the second round of the scottish open golf. bernd wiesberger broke the course record with a round of 61, he's on 14 under par, as are lee slattery and eric ran alloying.

the great britain women's basketball team recently claimed a best—ever placing of fourth at the european championships. earlier today, i spoke to three members of the team about that achievement and their constant, ongoing struggle for funding as they try to secure their place at tokyo 2020. no other gb teams have got as high as us, it really is incredible. and we got what we wanted which was the pre—0lympic qualifying tournament show we are really happy. and that is massive, to now have a tournament where the top three will qualify for the olympics is everything you have dreamt of since london 2012, isn't it? yes, you got through olympic qualifiers, the top teams in the world, 12 go to tokyo. we put ourselves in a very good position to qualify for the olympics. ourselves in a very good position to qualify for the olympicslj ourselves in a very good position to qualify for the olympics. i know people watching will remember all the hot aid and funding stories, you we re the hot aid and funding stories, you were on the brink of extinction only

four years ago, how have you kept going? we are still on the brink of extinction! we have had very little funding, we have not been funded from uk sport since 2013. as a spot, we fight every day, but we came into camp for the tournament, focused on what we need to do and the players had been amazing. obviously, we have that spot so we are hoping that we are opening some eyes and we will get some funding for our pre—olympic tournament. going back to london 2012, do you think a lot of this comes from france a defeat which was absolutely heartbreaking. there were absolutely heartbreaking. there were a couple of seconds to go on the clock. had that result gone differently, we might have been looking at a different situation. that's right, it can be as simple as that. we weren't successful in many ways at the olympics. everything is based on results at this level but

now we have show that we can compete and win on the world stage. when you look at other sports and the impact that the women's football team has had, is gb hockey, netball work about to start, also what happened with the commonwealth games with them. do you think you will get your moment like that? why do you think that hasn't happened yet? as we are playing these big competitions, we we nt playing these big competitions, we went to the commonwealth last year and one silver medal. but it is a bit overshadowed because there is so much positivity going on in women spot at the moment. we have been getting the results, european basketball isjust so getting the results, european basketball is just so tough. to come forth out of the whole of europe is ha rd forth out of the whole of europe is hard because we feel that we are producing the results that should get that exposure. like i say, as players, all you can focus on is keep getting those results.

hopefully, that exposure will come and we will have our shining moment without distractions, i guess. basketball is a huge game in the world, the second biggest in the world, the second biggest in the world, but not in britain. participation numbers are which is frustrating. it is about generating that interest in our own country, getting girls on board. these players who are great role models. it isa players who are great role models. it is a great game, it would be the second most popular in the world if it wasn't. we just people need to recognise the achievement we did at the euro basket. hopefully, moving forward we can qualify for the muppets. that's all from me, let's take you back to wimbledon and rejoin john watson. the last two years have raised by. such an intriguing contest between roger federer and rafael nadal. 11

use on and since that epic final backin use on and since that epic final back in 2008. one of them will go through to play novak djokovic a sunday's final at that he beat roberto bautista agut. let's take your life to centre court canal, and it has been a top seed turvey match so it has been a top seed turvey match so far. roger federer took the first set 7—6 on a tie—break. hit back to ta ke set 7—6 on a tie—break. hit back to take the sick and comfortable a6—1. further it took the third to 6—3 and now dahl has just held his first service game in that fourth set, is set he must win if he is to progress to the final this year. roger federer now just to the final this year. roger federer nowjust getting ready to serve in front of a huge crowd on centre court, as there is on henman hill behind me. once again, a huge amount of support for roger federer. no surprise in light of his success at lee's mum put it in championships. eight titles to his

name, 20 grand slams, whata championships. eight titles to his name, 20 grand slams, what a great story it would be if he can go on to an 89. —— a knife. which way this match is going to go is anybody‘s guess when it comes to these two. when it comes to the dominance of the big three, astonishing to think that 55 of the last 57 grand slam finals have been contested by one of the big three. between them, they have won the last ten grand slam titles. you have to say, once again this year it will be one of them winning another grand slam and another wimbledon title this year. you can watch it all i via the bbc sport app and on the bbc tonight. we'll be back tomorrow with the women's final as well, serena williams hoping to make her own piece of history. can she finally get that elusive 24th grand slam

title? we will bring it all tomorrow. thanks are watching, bye— bye. our political correspondent, nick ea rdley our political correspondent, nick eardley is in westminster, we can't join him now. in it, what can we expect from andrew neil's programme? i think there are still huge question for both candidates to answer. the beggars has been brexit, it has dominated politics out of this campaign for months now. the big question is how they would get his act of the eu by the end of october. both have said they want to do it, boris johnson

october. both have said they want to do it, borisjohnson saying it will definitely happen, jeremy hunt a bit more equivocal about it. the big questions about how they will do it. the question . boris johnson questions about how they will do it. the question . borisjohnson on his the question to borisjohnson on his approach to the us ambassador, has been that huge row over the last few days after borisjohnson refused to give his public backing to sir kim darroch, who stood down in the following day. aside from that, although brexit has been dominating everything, i think both have big questions to answer to about their spending plans, programmes for government, and how they would deliver some of the pretty lavish promises we have seen at some point on things like tax cuts for people earning... jeremy hunt saying he will cut business rates and corporation tax as well. they questions about how do you do it, it is good to promise stuff, but how do you make it happen. they think we do

know is that they won't have an easy time with it with andrew neil. they have done all these hustings, he will have quite a lot to deal into, won't he? when you watch those hunts things, they are quite repetitive. they give the same speeches. there isa they give the same speeches. there is a bit ofa they give the same speeches. there is a bit of a friendly atmosphere, i think tonight will be less so. nick, thank you. nick eardley with some of his thoughts on what we can expect from these two interviews, both interviewed separately. stay with us on bbc news channel. at eight o'clock, we will have all the reactions to andrew neil's interview, which isjust coming up ina interview, which isjust coming up in a second. at 9:30pm, britain's outgoing prime minister, theresa may, will be speaking to our political editor about her pride and

disappointment regarding her time inside number ten ahead of her hand over to the next prime minister. now let's see what the top contenders for the topjob have let's see what the top contenders for the top job have to say for themselves in the andrew neil interviews. injust 11 days' time, the conservative leadership contest will have finished. the party will have a new leader, the country will have a new leader, the country will have a new prime minister. it will be one of two men— jeremy hunt or borisjohnson. be one of two men— jeremy hunt or boris johnson. tonight, be one of two men— jeremy hunt or borisjohnson. tonight, i'm joined by both. both boris johnson and jeremy both borisjohnson and jeremy hunt think they should enter downing street on the 24th ofjuly. whoever does when will replace theresa may ata does when will replace theresa may at a crucial moment, and with a big job to do, to try to resolve brexit and unite the country. for tonight, i'm going to speak to the foreign

secretary, jeremy hunt. let's have a look at his campaign so far. i'm the underdog in this race. i've been the underdog right from the start, and i like to prove people wrong. i'll be the first prime minister who has a background as an entrepreneur. the best way to get a deal is to leave no deal on the table. this is not a photo opportunity. i'll be the first prime minister we've ever had with a background as an entrepreneur. i'm not sure there's a huge difference between me and boris except that i think i'm more likely to be able to negotiate a deal. no prime minister is going to last any time at all if they don't deliver brexit and deliver it very quickly. i'll be the first prime minister to have been an entrepreneur. we have started by saying that we're going to turn a coronation into a contest. now we're going to turn a contest into an upset. jeremy hunt, like theresa may, you voted to remain. like theresa may, you are a tory technocrat. voted