Hi folks, and welcome to the first edition of The Monday Sports Report, where i'll be recapping some of the sporting news to have happened recently that caught my eye.
We'll start with
Drama at the British Grand Prix on Sunday at the famous Silverstone circuit, as two major crashes occurred. Firstly, in the supporting F2 race, Prema Racing's Dennis Hauger found himself being launched into the air, landing on top of DAMS Roy Nissany's vehicle on the opening lap. Fortunately neither driver was seriously hurt. Nissany, was subsequently found to be at fault for the accident and handed a 5 place grid penalty in his next race.
Then, in the main event, also on the first lap, a domino effect of contacts ended with Zhou Guanyu, driving for the Alfa Romeo team, flipping over and skidding across the gravel trap, spreading sparks everywhere, into the tyre wall and finishing up in the the fencing behind. After being extracted from the wreck and taken to the medical centre, it was soon confirmed that Zhou was ok.
The reason touted for the lack of serious injury in both cases was the HALO device, which sits above the drivers head and helps in avoiding direct contact with the drivers head in crashes such as those at Silverstone.
The race itself, when restarted, saw Carlos Sainz take his Ferrari to a thrilling first victory after an 150 race wait, ahead of Sergio Perez in the Red Bull, and Mercedes Lewis Hamilton in third. Max Verstappen, the current drivers championship leader, was frustrated by a puncture on lap 12, and ultimately finished 7th.
The Quarter Final match-ups are taking shape at Wimbledon. In the top half of the men's draw, top seed Serbian, Novak Djokovic is through to face 10th seed Jannik Sinner, representing Italy. Also though is Britain's very own Cameron Norrie, the No. 9 seed, who faces off against the unseeded David Goffin from Belgium. Norrie is the last of seventeen Brits (men and women) to still be in the hunt for the title, and the first male player to get this far since the great Andy Murray, some five years ago. I for one expect him to dominate his match with Goffin and then give Djokovic a spanking in the Semi-final too...(ok that second bit might not happen, but I'm a Brit and I can dream can't I?)
In the bottom half of the draw, progress for second seed Rafa Nadal doesnt seem particularly onerous against Botic van de Zandschulp, seeded at 21, but in only his second appearance at these championships. Indeed, there doesn't seem much impediment to Nadal making it all the way to the final, a feat he has achieved five times, winning twice.
Prediction : Norrie to win the Final in 5 Sets against Nadal Djokovic v Nadal in the final, Djokovic to win 3-1
The women's draw is at the same stage as the men, with two Q/f's complete, and four 4th round matches still to play to finalise the remaining two quarter finals. In the bottom half of the draw only Ons Jabeur, from Tunisia, remains as a seeded player. In the top half, 4 seeds are left to battle for honours, with the highest ranked of those being Paula Badosa at No. 4. The only familiar name in the whole of round four, at least to this writer, was again a Brit, Heather Watson, who has exceeded her previous best in the tournament reaching the fourth round, but bowing out in straight sets to Germany's Jule Niemeier, appearing here for the first time. She will now face compatriot Tatjana Maria for a Semi-Final place.
Prediction Total stab in the dark with this one, but Paula Badosa v Tatjana Maria, in the final and Maria to win 2-1.
Well that about wraps it up for this edition. More to come next week.
Thanks for reading, and enjoy your sports this coming week.
