MELBOURNE: The first instalment of what Formula 1 fans hope will be a genuine season-long tussle kicks off on Sunday as four-time champions Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel lock horns at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
This year marks the first that two quadruple champions are competing in the same season and their battle to see who joins Argentine legend Juan Manuel Fangio in second place on the all-time list with five titles promises to light up the series. Michael Schumacher leads the way on seven world titles.
Hamilton emerged well on top for Mercedes at the end of 2017 after Ferrari’s Vettel made the early running, but their rivalry added plenty of spice, the pair banging wheels on the track in Azerbaijan and exchanging threats off it.
Hopes are high for more tense duelling to spark interest in a championship that has generally proved a procession for the Silver Arrows, who have swept the drivers’ and constructors championships in each of the past four years.
This year marks the first that two quadruple champions are competing in the same season and their battle to see who joins Argentine legend Juan Manuel Fangio in second place on the all-time list with five titles promises to light up the series.
Michael Schumacher leads the way on seven world titles.
Hamilton emerged well on top for Mercedes at the end of 2017 after Ferrari’s Vettel made the early running, but their rivalry added plenty of spice, the pair banging wheels on the track in Azerbaijan and exchanging threats off it.
Hopes are high for more tense duelling to spark interest in a championship that has generally proved a procession for the Silver Arrows, who have swept the drivers’ and constructors championships in each of the past four years.
Lap times at testing can be misleading but there remains a conviction that Mercedes will head into Sunday’s race at Albert Park, as always, the team to beat.
“We know that Mercedes is a little bit ahead of everyone and is dominating the sport for the last four years,” McLaren’s two-time world champion Fernando Alonso told Reuters on Wednesday.
“And they are the big favorites again to start the new season.”
Mercedes are eager to see what the W09 can do at the lakeside circuit in Melbourne, with technical director James Allison saying it would “blow away” the W08 which sped away to 12 race wins in 2017 and a fourth consecutive constructors’ title.
Hamilton, however, was guarded about their opening weekend prospects, believing Red Bull could be as much a threat to the Silver Arrows as Ferrari.
“I think at this time of the year everyone is trying to hype someone else up and we are the perfect target because we are the world champions,” the Briton said at a Melbourne event with sponsor Petronas on Wednesday.
“From what I understand, I think Red Bull and Ferrari are very close. Potentially we are either level, just behind or maybe just ahead of the Red Bulls as far as I’m aware.”
Ferrari have kept a low profile in the lead-up to the race but home hope and Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo emerged on Wednesday to express hope for a “statement” performance.
“Every year, the team works hard to build a fast car but, come testing, we’ve never really had much to show for it,” the Australian told reporters.
“This year, we obviously had a bit more so, from a team perspective, we’re feeling much more prepared.”
There will be fingers crossed in the McLaren garage as Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne put the new Renault-powered car through its paces, the once formidable outfit having split with Honda after three miserable years.
Albert Park will see a number of debuts, with Formula 2’s Monegasque champion Charles Leclerc and Russian Sergey Sirotkin having their first races for Sauber and Williams respectively.
The much-maligned halo, a cockpit head protection system, will also make its race debut along with ‘Grid Kids’, aspiring young drivers who have replaced the female models who paraded on track in seasons past.
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel battle could spell end of Mercedes’ F1 procession
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel battle could spell end of Mercedes’ F1 procession
Man Utd draw in Spain in Europa League last 16 as Spurs beaten
- “I felt until the penalty we had control of the game and then I think the penalty changed a little bit the momentum,” Amorim told TNT Sports
- Rangers recorded an impressive 3-1 win away to a Fenerbahce team coached by Jose Mourinho
PARIS: Manchester United drew 1-1 away to Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday, while Tottenham suffered a 1-0 loss away to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.
Joshua Zirkzee drilled in from just outside the area to give United the lead on 57 minutes in San Sebastian but Mikel Oyarzabal levelled from the spot after Bruno Fernandes was punished for a handball.
Zirkzee cut a distraught figure after missing the decisive penalty in last week’s FA Cup shootout loss to Fulham and has endured a testing first season at United, whose only remaining hope of silverware is in the Europa League.
He scored for the first time in Europe this term, unleashing a sharp low drive from 20 yards after being teed up by Alejandro Garnacho’s inviting pass.
But Ruben Amorim’s side could not hold on to their advantage as Fernandes handled at a corner, with Oyarzabal confidently converting his spot-kick.
Andre Onana made two excellent saves to keep United level as Real Sociedad pressed for a winner, leaving the tie evenly poised ahead of next week’s second leg.
“I felt until the penalty we had control of the game and then I think the penalty changed a little bit the momentum,” Amorim told TNT Sports.
“I felt our team in the last 30 minutes were really, really tired,” he added.
“We take this stage to Old Trafford... it’s going to be a different game, the pressure is going to be on us in that stadium and we have to be ready.”
Lucas Bergvall’s first-half own goal condemned Spurs to defeat in the Netherlands, and it could have been worse for Ange Postecoglou’s side were it not for two fine saves from Guglielmo Vicario.
Rangers recorded an impressive 3-1 win away to a Fenerbahce team coached by Jose Mourinho.
Cyriel Dessers put Rangers ahead early on in Istanbul before Alexander Djiku hauled Fenerbahce level.
Vaclav Cerny restored the lead for the Scots before striking again nine minutes from time to place Rangers in firm control under interim boss Barry Ferguson.
Lyon also took a big stride toward the quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory at Romanians FCSB.
Paulo Fonseca fought back tears as his players celebrated Nicolas Tagliafico’s opener with him, a day after the Portuguese coach was banned from the dugout until November by French football officials after an angry altercation with a referee.
Malick Fofana won the game for Lyon with two late goals after Alexandru Baluta had equalized for FCSB.
Roma host Athletic Bilbao later on Thursday, while Ajax are at home to Eintracht Frankfurt. Lazio travel to Viktoria Plzen for the first leg of their tie.
Women’s tennis players now are eligible for paid maternity leave funded by Saudi Arabia’s PIF
- More than 300 players are eligible for the fund, which is retroactive to Jan. 1. The WTA would not disclose how much money is involved
- The WTA says 25 moms are active on tour; one, Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Belinda Bencic, won a title last month after returning from maternity leave in October
DUBAI: Pregnant players on the women’s tennis tour now can receive 12 months of paid maternity leave, and those who become parents via partner pregnancy, surrogacy or adoption can get two months off with pay, under a program sponsored by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and announced Thursday by the WTA.
“Independent contractors and self-employed individuals don’t typically have these kinds of maternity benefits provided and available to them. They have to go out and sort of figure out those benefits for themselves,” WTA CEO Portia Archer said. “This is really sort of novel and groundbreaking.”
More than 300 players are eligible for the fund, which is retroactive to Jan. 1. The WTA would not disclose how much money is involved.
The program — which the WTA touted as “the first time in women’s sports history that comprehensive maternity benefits are available to independent, self-employed athletes” — also provides grants for fertility treatments, including egg freezing and IVF.
It’s part of a wider trend: As women’s sports rise, there is an emphasis on meeting maternity and parental needs.
How many mothers are on the women’s tennis tour now?
The WTA says 25 moms are active on tour; one, Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Belinda Bencic, won a title last month after returning from maternity leave in October.
More and more pros in tennis have returned to action after having children, including past No. 1-ranked players and Grand Slam title winners such as Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka.
Azarenka — a member of the WTA Players’ Council, which Archer acknowledged played a key role in pushing for this fund — thinks these benefits will encourage lower-ranked or lower-earning athletes to take as much time off as they feel they need after becoming a parent, rather than worrying about losing out on income while not entering tournaments.
“That’s certainly one of the aims of the program: to provide the financial resources, the flexibility, the support, so that these athletes, regardless of where they’re ranked, but particularly those who earn less, will have that agency ... to decide when and how they want to start their families,” Archer said.
And, Azarenka said, this could lead some players to decide to become parents before retiring from the sport for good.
“Every feedback we’ve heard from players who are mothers — or who are not mothers — is like, ‘Wow, this is an incredible opportunity for us,’” said 2012-13 Australian Open champion Azarenka, whose son, Leo, is 8. “I believe it’s really going to change the conversation in sports. But going beyond sports, it’s a global conversation, and I’m happy that we’re (part of it).”
Other steps the WTA has taken in recent years to benefit players include steering more women into coaching, implementing safeguarding, attempting to stem cyberbullying, and increasing prize money with an eye to pay that equals what men receive in the sport.
What role does Saudi Arabia have in tennis?
The Public Investment Fund, or PIF, became the WTA’s global partner last year.
The kingdom now hosts the season-ending WTA Finals and an ATP event for rising stars of men’s tennis. The PIF sponsors the WTA and ATP rankings.
“We wouldn’t have been able to provide the benefits were it not for this relationship and the funding that PIF provides,” Archer said.
What are maternity leave policies in golf, soccer and basketball?
In golf, which like tennis is an individual sport without guaranteed salaries, the LPGA introduced an updated maternity leave policy in 2019 that lets athletes have the same playing status when they return.
In soccer, both the NWSL and the US women’s national team have collective bargaining agreements that allow for pregnancy leave and parental leave; the NWSL pays the full base salary while an athlete is pregnant.
In basketball, the WNBA’s CBA guarantees full pay during maternity leave.
For tennis, Azarenka said, the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program is “just the beginning.”
“It’s an incredible beginning. Monumental change,” she said. “But I think we can look into how we can expand this fund for bigger, better things.”
Prosecutors demand Rubiales forced kiss trial be re-run
- They said judge Jose Manuel Fernandez-Prieto "unduly" prevented the prosecutor in the trial, Marta Durantez, from posing certain questions
- The judge "made no mention in the sentence" of key evidence brought up during the trial
MADRID: Prosecutors on Thursday requested that the trial of Spain's ex-football federation chief Luis Rubiales for his forced kiss on Jenni Hermoso be annulled and re-run, notably questioning the judge's impartiality.
Spain's top criminal court last month found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for the kiss and fined him 10,800 euros ($11,670), sparing him jail in a sentence considered lenient by feminist groups.
The sentence fell well short of the demands of prosecutors, who had sought a total of two and a half years in prison for Rubiales, one year for sexual assault and 18 months for allegedly coercing Hermoso to downplay the kiss.
Hermoso is appealing the sentence, which also cleared Rubiales and three other defendants of coercion, including former women's team coach Jorge Vilda and two senior ex-federation officials.
The prosecutors said in a statement that they were appealing the sentence and requested the trial be declared null and void and "held again by another judge not tainted, to say the least, by an appearance of bias".
They said judge Jose Manuel Fernandez-Prieto "unduly" prevented the prosecutor in the trial, Marta Durantez, from posing certain questions and cited the "arbitrariness" of his sentence.
The statement added that the judge "made no mention in the sentence" of key evidence brought up during the trial, "as if such evidence had not existed".
Fernandez-Prieto attracted attention during the trial for his brusque attitude, frequently interrupting and scolding participants.
Rubiales was also banned from going within a 200-metre radius of Hermoso and from communicating with her for a period of one year. He denied the charges and is also appealing the ruling.
It was not immediately clear when the courts would decide on the various appeals.
The former federation chief sparked worldwide uproar when he kissed Hermoso on the lips as she went up to receive her winner's medal after Spain beat England in the 2023 Women's World Cup final in Sydney.
The backlash unleashed by the kiss forced Rubiales to relinquish his post in disgrace that year, saw him banned from all football-related activity for three years and plunged the federation into a prolonged period of turmoil.
The trial captivated Spain and made Hermoso, the all-time top scorer of the national women's team, an icon of the fight against sexism and macho culture in sport.
Hermoso said after the verdict that the trial would "create an important precedent in a social environment where there is still much to be done".
New Zealand vow to ‘find little ways’ to beat India in final
- New Zealand posted Champions Trophy record 362-6 to beat South Africa to qualify for final
- India beat New Zealand by 44 runs in the group stage of the tournament earlier this month
LAHORE: New Zealand have vowed to “find little ways to win moments” against India after making Champions Trophy history to power into Sunday’s final.
The Black Caps posted a Champions Trophy record 362-6 before restricting South Africa to 312-9 in Wednesday’s semifinal in Lahore.
They now face India in Dubai to decide the winners of the eight-nation 50-over tournament.
Rohit Sharma’s India are playing all their games in Dubai after they refused to tour hosts Pakistan because of political tensions.
India beat New Zealand by 44 runs in the group stage but batting all-rounder Daryl Mitchell said that would have no bearing on Sunday’s result.
“Final is a new day,” Mitchell said after scoring 49 against South Africa.
“Really excited to be stuck into that challenge and will adapt to whatever surface and conditions we get on the day, and will find little ways to win moments throughout that game.”
The tournament’s tangled schedule, with teams flying in and out of the United Arab Emirates from Pakistan while India have stayed put, has been hugely controversial.
The pitches have been vastly different in the two countries.
Pakistan tracks produced big totals, in contrast to the slow and turning decks of Dubai’s international cricket stadium.
“We don’t quite know how the Dubai pitch is like,” said Rachin Ravindra, one of the heroes of New Zealand’s semifinal win with a 101-ball 108.
“We know our game against India it did turn and Aussie v India (semifinal) didn’t turn so much, so I think we pride ourselves in adapting and playing the situation in front of us.”
India unleashed four spinners against New Zealand in the group phase and Varun Chakravarthy returned figures of 5-42 to bowl the Black Caps out for 205 in their chase of 250.
Rohit’s side were unchanged in their four-wicket win over Australia as the spin-heavy selection came up trumps again, albeit on a pitch that turned a little less this time around.
“They are all pretty good,” Mitchell said of India’s slow bowlers.
“But we have got some pretty good spinners ourselves.”
International hockey returns to Pakistan as German junior team arrives in Islamabad
- Pakistan marked first international hockey match played in the country for 7 years when it played series against China in 2011
- Before that, Pakistan had last staged an international match in 2004 when it hosted the Champions Trophy in Lahore
ISLAMABAD: The German Junior Hockey Team, world champions, arrived in Pakistan on Thursday for a four-match series, marking the return of international hockey to Pakistan after nearly a decade and a half, the government’s press department said in a statement.
Pakistan marked the first international hockey match played in the country for seven years when Chinese played four matches here in what was dubbed as the ‘Friendship Series’.
Before that, Pakistan had last staged an international match in 2004 when it hosted the Champions Trophy in Lahore but after that foreign teams refused to play in the country due to security concerns.
Since the September 11 attacks in the United States, foreign teams have been reluctant to travel to Pakistan in many sports and the South Asian country was left completely isolated as a sporting venue after militants attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March 2009.
“Under the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, this initiative aims to provide Pakistani junior players with international exposure and reestablish Pakistan as a hub for global hockey,” PID said about the four-math series between Pakistan and Germany.
“The series will feature one match in Islamabad and three in Lahore, promising a thrilling competition for fans.”
The two teams will face each other in Lahore on Mar. 6, 8 and 11 while one match will be played in Islamabad on Mar. 13.
“The series holds great significance for both teams as they prepare for the Hockey Junior World Cup being played 2025 in India,” state media reported.
Field hockey, Pakistan’s national sport, once propelled the country to Olympic gold and global glory, but the game has waned in popularity and participation over the past two decades. Poor management, lack of infrastructure and the rise of cricket has contributed to the decline. The failure to adapt to modern demands, including fitness and artificial turfs, has further deepened the crisis.
According to the latest rankings released by the International Hockey Federation, Pakistan is ranked number 15 in the world in field hockey.
