PARIS (AP) — Paris police authorities requested Friday the cancelation of this weekend's Diamond League track and field meeting in the French capital because of the historic heat wave gripping the country and stretching emergency services.
Citing the exceptional heat that has affected Paris since June 21, the police prefecture said it had asked organizers of Sunday’s meet, and other events scheduled this weekend including a music festival and a Pride march, to cancel.
The prefecture said it would be forced to comply with the order if they don't agree voluntarily as emergency services need to concentrate their efforts on protecting the most vulnerable people.
Noah Lyle, Femke Bol and Mondo Duplantis were among the athletes expected to compete in Paris.
The French track and field federation, which organizes the meet, told The Associated Press it had not yet received the order.
Organizers said in a previous statement on Thursday that they still planned to stage the meet in an adapted format.
“The safety of athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and spectators remains our absolute priority,” they said. “As a result, only elite athletes will be permitted to compete at the Paris Meeting, in accordance with this exemption. This adaptation ensures that the event can proceed while maintaining the highest possible standards of safety.”
The average temperature recorded at 30 weather stations by the Meteo France weather agency on Thursday reached 30 degrees C (86F) again, matching the record for the hottest day nationwide set the previous day.
More than three-quarters of France has been placed under a red weather alert for the first time.
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Femke Broeders-Bol of Netherlands concentrates prior the start of he women's 800 meters event at the Golden Spike athletics meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lukas Kabon)
Noah Lyles of United States celebrates after winning the men's 150 meters event at the Golden Spike athletics meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lukas Kabon)
LONDON (AP) — Serena Williams will face an opponent less than half her age when she plays 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia in the first round at Wimbledon for her first singles match in nearly four years.
The seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, who is 44, accepted a wild-card entry to the grass-court Grand Slam, where she’ll also compete in doubles with her older sister Venus, who turned 46 last week.
It's all part of a tennis comeback that started with two doubles warmup matches but kicked into high gear Sunday when the All England Club announced Serena would play singles.
Joint is ranked No. 53 and made her Wimbledon debut last year, losing in the first round to Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 6-2.
Williams hasn't played a singles match since a third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2022 U.S. Open. At the time, she said she didn’t want to use the word “retiring” and instead declared she was “evolving” away from tennis. Her second daughter was born in 2023.
Williams' most-recent appearance at Wimbledon was in 2022 when she lost in the opening round to then-115th-ranked Harmony Tan.
If Williams beats Joint on Tuesday, she may face rising Filipino star Alexandra Eala, who is seeded 29th, in the second round. She could meet defending champion Iga Swiatek in the third round.
Swiatek opens against Taylor Townsend of the U.S. on Centre Court on Tuesday.
In a projected quarterfinals by seedings, No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka would meet French Open champion Mirra Andreeva; No. 2 Elena Rybakina, the 2022 champion, would face 2025 runner-up Amanda Anisimova; Swiatek, the No. 3 seed, would play Elina Svitolina; and No. 4 Jessica Pegula would meet Coco Gauff.
On the men's side, No. 1 Jannik Sinner will begin his Wimbledon title defense against Miomir Kecmanovic on Centre Court on Monday.
Novak Djokovic, a seven-time champion at the All England Club, is the No. 7 seed and will play Wu Yibing of China. Djokovic could meet third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals.
Two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz, who lost to Sinner in the 2025 final, will miss this year’s tournament because of a wrist injury.
Wimbledon starts on Monday.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Novak Djokovic or Serbia attends a practice session ahead of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in London, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Jannik Sinner of Italy smiles during a training session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, ahead of the Wimbledon Championships in London, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Serena Williams of the United States holds a ball during a practice session ahead of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in London, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives at a training session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, ahead of the Wimbledon Championships in London, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Serena Williams of the United States smiles after a training session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, ahead of the Wimbledon Championships in London, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
