Sports roundup
■ Motor Racing: Last weekend, Italy’s Emilia Romangne F1 Grand Prix in Imola was won by Lewis Hamilton – his 93rd race victory of his career as he moved to within ‘ driving’ distance of claiming his seventh world title. The Mercedes superman, who finished ahead of teammate Valttieri Bottas with third Daniel Ricciardo third, is now 85 points clear of Bottas in the driver’s championship with races fast running out. Mercedes have already taken this year’s Constructor’s award and the next GP takes place in Turkey in nine days time which could see Hamilton crowned world champion once again.
■ Rugby Union: In the final three Six Nations matches of 2020 were played last Saturday, and it turned out great for England who won the title following a comprehensive 34 points to five victory over Italy in Rome.
They finished ahead of France on points difference after lreland went down 3527 in Paris. In Cardiff, Welsh star Alun Wyn Jones played in his 149th Rugby Union international match in a 1410 defeat to Scotland who won in the Principality for the first time since 2002. Jones has now taken over from New Zealander Richie McCaw as the mostcapped player in world rugby. Elsewhere, in a championship international down under, the New Zealand
All Blacks beat Australia 435, having led 26nil at halftime.
■ Tennis: In the recent Erste Bank Open championship in Vienna, Lorenzo Sonego beat Andrey Rublev in the men’s singles final, while the British duo of Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski lost to Lalasz Kubet and Marcelo Melo in the men’s doubles final. Earlier in the tournament Sonego had knocked out both world number one Novak Djokovic and GB’s Dan Evans.
■ Scottish football: This season’s north of the border League Cup final will feature Hearts against Celtic. Last weekend Hearts defeated Hibs 31 in the Edinburgh derby, while the Bhoys beat Aberdeen 20. in the S. P. L., and after winning 10 against
Kilmarnock, courtesy of James Tavernier’s penalty, Rangers lead the Division by nine points.
■ Female football: In the women’s FA Cup final at Wembley last Sunday afternoon, Manchester City Ladies beat Everton Ladies 21 after extratime.
■ English League football: There were Premiership wins for reigning champions Liverpool ( 21 v. West Ham United), for Manchester City ( 10 against Sheffield United), for Chelsea ( 30 away at Burnley), for Tottenham Hotspur ( 21 v. Brighton, thanks to substitute Gareth Bale’s late headed goal), for Arsenal ( 10 at Old Trafford against lacklustre Manchester United) for impressive Southampton ( 43) at
Aston Villa – Saints were actually 40 up in this game); for Newcastle United ( 21 v. Everton), for secondplaced Leicester City ( 41 at Leeds), for Fulham ( 20 against struggling WBA) and for Wolves ( 20 v. Crystal Palace). This Sunday Manchester City play Liverpool.
■ Championship leaders Reading lost their latest game but still remain top, ahead of Swansea City; Peterborough United now lead League One, while Newport County are the inform tabletoppers of League Two.
■ Here in Spain, outofsorts Barcelona are now languishing down in 12th position in La Liga after a 11 draw with Alaves. Arch rivals Real Madrid beat Huesca 41 and are now two points clear of Real Sociedad at the top of the table.
■ Former German striker Gerd Muller, now aged 74, has been diagnosed with dementia.
■ In their WBO heavyweight fight at Wembley Arena last Saturday night, Ukranian boxer Oleksandr Usyk was supreme in beating Britain’s Derek Chisora on points.
■ Ireland golfer Darren Clarke won the recent Timber Tech Championship in Florida – his first PGA tour victory since his Open triumph at Royal St George’s back in 2011.
■ And finally going into the last week, the Slovenian cyclist Primov Roglic was favourite to win the Vuelta n Espana which ends on Sunday. Spain’s Marc Soler was lying in second place with the Australian Michael Stover and Felix Grosschartner of Austria not too far behind.