SILVERSTONE, England: Carlos Sainz was fastest in the rain in Saturday qualifying for the British Grand Prix to earn his first career pole position in his 150th start.
He edged reigning Formula One champion Max Verstappen, who was booed by some in the crowd at the end of the session.
“Maybe some of them don’t like me, but that’s fine,” Verstappen said. “I don’t care.”
Sainz set the fastest time late in the third qualifying session to edge Verstappen by just .072 seconds. It was the seventh pole in 10 races for Ferrari this season, though Sainz teammate Charles Leclerc had earned the first six poles prior to Sainz’s surprise run.
“First pole position, it’s always special, and especially to do it in Silverstone in the wet,” Sainz said. “Kept it cool through the session and toward the end I decided to push.”
Sainz narrowly missed out on what would have been his first career win at the last race in Canada, when he finished just behind Verstappen.
Leclerc will start third, ahead of Sergio Pérez in the second Red Bull.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth for his home race as Mercedes seemed to have made progress with its problems of bouncing at high speed. His teammate George Russell was eighth.
As Verstappen spoke trackside following qualifying the boos were audible for the Dutchman. Verstappen and Hamilton collided in last year’s race, with Verstappen hitting the wall while Hamilton overcame a penalty to win.
The incident further heightened their often-bitter rivalry in a title race ultimately won by Verstappen, and turned some British fans against Verstappen. He was taken to a hospital for observation following the crash and complained that Hamilton showed poor sportsmanship by celebrating the victory as Verstappen was being medically evaluated.
The build-up to this year’s race has been dominated by former champion Nelson Piquet’s use of a racial slur and homophobic language to describe Hamilton in an interview which was filmed last year after the crash at Silverstone. The interview did not receive wide attention until this week, ahead of the return to the track.
Hamilton and other drivers condemned Piquet. Verstappen, who is dating Piquet’s daughter, Kelly, said Piquet had used “very offensive” language but added that the Brazilian was also “a really nice and relaxed guy” who was not a racist.
Leclerc said he felt his Ferrari was “competitive” but a mistake prevented him for challenging for pole position.
“I knew it was the lap where I had to put everything together and I didn’t as a driver, so I didn’t deserve to be on pole,” he said.
Sainz takes 1st career pole position for British Grand Prix
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Sainz takes 1st career pole position for British Grand Prix
- Sainz set the fastest time late in the third qualifying session to edge Verstappen by just .072 seconds
- First pole position, it's always special, and especially to do it in Silverstone in the wet,” Sainz said
Haliburton hits winner as Pacers hold off Bucks, Timberwolves push Suns to brink
- Tyrese Haliburton delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists
LOS ANGELES: Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning basket lifted the Indiana Pacers to a 121-118 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday as Minnesota put Phoenix on the verge of elimination in the NBA playoffs.
The Pacers let a 19-point lead get away, but finally thwarted the short-handed Bucks’ rally to gain a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference first round series.
The Dallas Mavericks also won at home, cruising to a 101-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers for a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference set.
But a return to Phoenix provided no respite for Kevin Durant and the Suns, who were one defeat away from elimination after falling 126-109 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In Indianapolis, Haliburton delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists to help the Pacers withstand a 42-point performance from Milwaukee forward Khris Middleton, who drilled a three-pointer to tie it with 2.3 seconds left in regulation and made another trey to knot it at 118-118 with eight seconds left in overtime.
With 1.6 seconds remaining in overtime, Haliburton took an inbound pass and split the Bucks’ defense as he drove for a one-handed floater.
Fouled on the play, he made the free throw to cap the scoring. Middleton, playing through a sprained right ankle, was unable to work another three-point miracle as time expired.
“I just knew I was shooting it no matter what,” Haliburton said.
The Pacers escaped with the win in a game they led by 19 points in the first quarter and by 17 in the third.
With two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo still sidelined by a calf injury, the Bucks couldn’t match Indiana’s early pace.
An early injury scare saw Damian Lillard limp off with a sore knee briefly in the first quarter. He returned to score 19 of his 28 points in the second half before aggravating an Achilles tendon injury in late in regulation.
The Bucks took the lead for the first time on Lillard’s three-pointer early in the fourth quarter, the lead changing hands six times in the fourth as they battled to overtime.
“Every possession is so valuable,” Haliburton said. “You’ve got to dig in. The game’s never over.”
Myles Turner scored 29 points for the Pacers, who will try to stretch their lead when they host game four on Sunday.
In Phoenix, Anthony Edwards scored 36 points to lead a comprehensive Timberwolves team effort that included 19 points and 14 rebounds from Rudy Gobert and 18 points and 13 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Six players scored in double figures for the Timberwolves, who led by as many as early in the fourth quarter.
Bradley Beal led the Suns with 28 points. Durant scored 25 and Devin Booker added 23, but had no answer when the Timberwolves broke open a six-point game with a third-quarter scoring surge.
The Timberwolves have a 3-0 series lead for the first time in franchise history.
They’ll try on Sunday to close out the Suns, and even though both teams are well-aware that no NBA team has rallied from 0-3 down to win a series Edwards said the Timberwolves would take nothing for granted.
“We can’t look past the next game,” he said.
In Dallas, NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic limped out early but returned to sink 22 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Mavericks in a testy clash with the Clippers.
Los Angeles’ Russell Westbrook and P.J. Washington of Dallas were both ejected after a shoving match that started with Westbrook’s hard foul on Doncic midway through the fourth quarter — when the Mavs were up by 16 points.
The Clippers had sliced an 18-point deficit to six late in the third quarter, but Kyrie Irving, who had just two points until the final two minutes of the third period, scored 19 the rest of the way to help Dallas rebuild their lead.
James Harden and Norman Powell both scored 21 for the Clippers, but Harden had just seven points in the second half and the Mavs held Clippers star Paul George to seven points and Kawhi Leonard, who was clearly hindered by his continuing knee inflammation, to nine.
Defending champs Alcaraz and Sabalenka win opening matches at Madrid Open
- The two-time defending champion was playing for the first time in nearly a month after his injured arm ruled him out of Monte Carlo and Barcelona
- Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev, another two-time Madrid champion, saw off Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2 and will face Denis Shapovalov next
MADRID: Carlos Alcaraz didn’t need to put his tender right arm to the test while easing to victory in his opening match at the Madrid Open on Friday.
The two-time defending champion was playing for the first time in nearly a month after his injured arm ruled him out of Monte Carlo and Barcelona. And after doubting this week he would be good to go in Spain’s capital, Alcaraz admitted he could afford to hold back a little in a 6-2, 6-1 win over Alexander Shevchenko.
“I didn’t hit my forehand 100 percent. I hit it softer than I used to hit it, but I think it helped me, you know, to, let’s say, stay relaxed,” Alcaraz said. “But the first thing that I was thinking about when I was stepping on the court is to stay healthy.
“I was really happy to not feel anything in the forearm, and after that I could increase my intensity a bit. It was great for me this match.”
Defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka faced tougher resistance in her opening match while beating Magda Linette 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on the Caja Magica clay.
This was Alcaraz’s first match since the Miami Open quarterfinals nearly one month ago. Madrid is the Spaniard’s first appearance on the European clay court swing — he struggled in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro in February — as he aims to win his first French Open title next month.
“Right now I’m thinking to be better or get better every day, and I’m thinking to be closer to my 100 percent here in Madrid.” the two-time major champion said. “Let’s see how it’s going to be the next few weeks. But the main thing is to be ready for next tournament and obviously to Roland Garros.”
In Madrid, the third-ranked Alcaraz is seeded second behind Jannik Sinner and both enjoyed first-round byes.
Alcaraz played with a compression sleeve on his right arm from his wrist up past his elbow. But he looked pretty much like the same aggressive player who has dominated here for the past two years and given Spanish tennis fans hope there is life after Rafael Nadal.
Alcaraz broke Shevchenko’s serve four times and will next face Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil.
Seyboth Wild upset Daniil Medvedev at last year’s French Open and should offer a stiffer challenge to Alcaraz in the round of 32.
Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev, another two-time Madrid champion, saw off Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2 and will face Denis Shapovalov next.
Seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev snapped a four-game losing streak by defeating Facundo Bagnis 6-1, 6-4. Rublev’s last win came at Indian Wells in March.
Holger Rune was just two points from defeat against Mariano Navone before he rallied to force a second-set tiebreaker and finally prevailed 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4.
Eighth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz beat Jack Draper 6-1, 7-5. Last year’s finalist Jan Lennard Struff, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Alejandro Davidovich, and Sebastian Baez also moved on.
SABALENKA’S SLOW START
The second-ranked Sabalenka struggled with her serve at times against Linette, but the two-time Australian Open winner struck her 10th ace on match point.
Sabalenka got some help from the net to get a key break and go up 5-3 in the third set when Linette was unable to reach a shot by the Belarusian that clipped the top of the tape.
Sabalenka has either won it all in Madrid as she did in 2021 and last year, or gone out in the first round as she did in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
“Hopefully it’s going to be a good sign and I will keep it like that,” she said. “I either lose in the first or I win (the title).”
Fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-3 to take her season-leading win haul to 27 as she seeks her fourth title of 2024.
Rybakina will next face Egypt’s Mayar Sherif after she upset Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 7-5 to reach the third round.
Danielle Collins extended her career-best win streak to 14 matches after beating Serb qualifier Olga Danilovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8) from 6-4, 3-1 down.
Fifth-seeded Zheng Qinwen, who lost the Australian Open final to Sabalenka, withdrew with a right thigh injury while trailing Yulia Putintseva 7-5, 2-0.
Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who made her breakout at Madrid last year, bettered 19-year-old Linda Noskova 4-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Carolina Garcia, and Jasmine Paolini also advanced.
Ahly, Esperance book CAF Champions League final places
- Ahly are seeking a record-extending 12th victory in the premier African club competition
- Both clubs have booked final places after 11 clean sheets in 12 qualifying, group and knockout matches
JOHANNESBURG: Title-holders Al Ahly of Egypt and long-time rivals Esperance of Tunisia will meet in the two-leg CAF Champions League final during May.
Ahly overpowered TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-0 in Cairo to win a semifinal by the same score on aggregate after a goalless first leg last Saturday.
Esperance soaked up constant pressure from Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in Pretoria before snatching a 1-0 win to advance 2-0 overall after also winning 1-0 at home.
Mohamed Abdelmonem, Wessam Abou Ali and Akram Tawfik scored in the second half for Ahly, who are seeking a record-extending 12th victory in the premier African club competition.
Raed Bouchniba came off the bench to score 12 minutes into the second half against Sundowns in a match that lasted 190 minutes after a storm halted play midway through the opening half.
It will be the third time Ahly and Esperance face each other in the final of the Champions League with the Egyptians winning in 2012 and the Tunisians succeeding in 2018.
They also clashed in the semifinals last season with Ahly winning home and away for a 4-0 aggregate triumph.
Both clubs have booked final places after 11 clean sheets in 12 qualifying, group and knockout matches.
Esperance, seeking a fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on the outskirts of Tunis on May 18 with the return match in Cairo seven days later.
Sundowns had their chances against Esperance with Peter Shalulile and Aubrey Modiba hitting the woodwork and Namibia captain Shalulile coming close several times.
But the first time Esperance threatened to score they did so as a counterattack ended with Bouchniba racing into the area and firing across goalkeeper Ronwen Williams into the far corner.
Since their lone Champions League title in 2016, Sundowns have reached the semifinals three times and lost on each occasion to north African opponents.
In Cairo, Joel Beya had a goal for Mazembe early in the second half disallowed before a powerful header from Abdelmonem off a corner broke the deadlock on 68 minutes.
A superb cross from veteran Tunisia defender Ali Maaloul was fired into the net by Abou Ali on 83 minutes for his first goal of the African campaign.
Tawfik struck 12 minutes into added time by racing through and slamming the ball across Senegalese goalkeeper Alioune Faty into the far corner.
Arda Guler stretches Real Madrid’s vast Liga lead at Real Sociedad
- The playmaker, 19, has endured an injury-hit season but on his first league start snatched a heavily rotated Madrid side a tight victory at the Reale Arena
- The match was brought forward to Friday from Saturday at little more than a week’s notice, to help Madrid prepare for their Champions League match at Bayern
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain: Turkish teenager Arda Guler’s strike helped Real Madrid close in on the Spanish title with a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Friday, moving 14 points clear at the top of La Liga.
After last weekend’s Clasico win over second place Barcelona it appears a formality for Madrid to take the title back from their arch-rivals, and Guler helped them move one step closer.
The playmaker, 19, has endured an injury-hit season but on his first league start snatched a heavily rotated Madrid side a tight victory at the Reale Arena.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti rested virtually his entire first choice team with Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal visit to face Bayern Munich in mind.
Top scorer Jude Bellingham was on the bench after recovering from a stomach problem to earn a late addition to the squad list, alongside Vinicius Junior, Toni Kroos and various other stars.
As a result Madrid conjured little in attack beyond Guler’s goal, with the hosts, sixth, on top in driving San Sebastian rain.
“Arda scored a goal, Arda will be an important player for us in the future, there’s no doubt he’ll be here next year,” Ancelotti told reporters, also praising his team’s commitment despite the rotations.
“It was quite clear that everyone thought we were coming here for a stroll, the only ones who didn’t think so were the players,” he continued.
“I am proud of the players because they had the desire and will to keep winning... I have to thank them because from that point of view, they were spectacular.”
Madrid goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, on loan from Chelsea, pushed away a Takefusa Kubo effort as La Real continued to probe.
Ancelotti also gave defender Eder Militao his first start after his long-term knee injury.
The Brazilian looked uncertain but Real Sociedad could not capitalize, with Benat Turrientes firing narrowly over.
Despite previously failing to generate openings of their own, Madrid took the lead in the 29th minute.
Aurelien Tchouameni swept the ball out to Dani Carvajal on the right, who stroked a low ball across the area.
It was a perfectly placed pass by the Spain international — playing seemingly only as he is suspended for the visit to Munich — and Guler arrived in the right place at the right time to finish.
Kubo thought he had pulled Real Sociedad level against his former side before the break when he beat Militao and slotted home, but Ander Barrenetxea was penalized for a foul on Tchouameni in the buildup.
“Barrene went to steal the ball and the only thing I can say is that the player who loses it was sleeping,” Kubo told Movistar.
Arrizabalaga pushed a Turrientes effort wide in the second half and Ancelotti called on the cavalry for the final 25 minutes, sending Vinicius Junior and Fede Valverde into the fray.
Another substitute, Antonio Rudiger, made a vital block on an attempted Oyarzabal dink to deflect the forward’s effort behind for a corner.
Alex Remiro made a fine save to deny Eduardo Camavinga late on as the reinforced visitors took control in five minutes of added time to see out the win.
The match was brought forward to Friday from Saturday at little more than a week’s notice, to help Madrid prepare for their Champions League match at Bayern.
“It’s a pity, whoever watched the game knew that we deserved to win,” added Kubo.
“It’s a pity for the fans, because of the rain, the change of schedule... all that rubbish.”
Barcelona face Valencia on Monday in La Liga but the Catalans have all but thrown in the towel in the title race.
Madrid’s performance was decidedly forgettable but they are eyeing a league and Champions League double for the fifth time in their history — and that would be something to remember.
‘Ballistic’ Bairstow stars as Punjab pull off record T20 chase in IPL win over Kolkata Knight Riders
‘Ballistic’ Bairstow stars as Punjab pull off record T20 chase in IPL win over Kolkata Knight Riders
- Previous highest run chase in T20 history was scripted by South Africa who overhauled 258-5 made by the West Indies in 2023
- Shashank Singh also impressed with the bat, making 68 not out off 28 balls with eight sixes and two fours
KOLKATA: Jonny Bairstow smashed a “ballistic” unbeaten century as Punjab Kings recorded the highest successful run chase in Twenty20 cricket with an eight-wicket thrashing of Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
The England star clobbered nine sixes and eight fours in his 48-ball 108 to help Punjab overhaul Kolkata’s 261-6 with eight balls to spare in hot and humid conditions at the Eden Gardens.
“We got off to a good start and that was key. They got off to a flier themselves so we knew we had to go ballistic in the powerplay,” said Bairstow, named player of the match.
“When you’ve to chase 200-plus you’ve to take risks in the powerplay. Try and whack it as hard as possible.”
Shashank Singh also impressed with the bat, making 68 not out off 28 balls with eight sixes and two fours.
The previous highest run chase in T20 history was scripted by South Africa who overhauled 258-5 made by the West Indies in 2023.
“Shashank has done it all season, a lovely guy and special player. To have someone like him coming in and do that is unbelievable,” added Bairstow.
The match also saw the batsmen club 42 sixes — the most ever hit in a T20 game.
“Cricket has turned to baseball hasn’t it?” said Punjab captain Sam Curran.
“Guys can hit balls for long periods of time, the coaches, training, the dew, dot balls become wide after reviews and you get the extra ball. Stats are going out of the window.”
He added: “Really pleased for Jonny, he’s been on tour for a long time and was eager to score. Shashank, he was promoted to number four, he’s been our find of the season.”
Kolkata skipper Shreyas Iyer said his team will learn from the defeat.
“Both teams played tremendously. You have to go back to the drawing board and see where you went wrong,” said Iyer.
“Not defending hurts but it’s a great lesson for the players.”
Punjab registered only their third win from nine games and moved to eighth spot in the 10-team competition.
Kolkata, with five wins from eight games, remain in second place.
“From the dugout, I was watching the wicket. I felt the ball was coming on with good bounce,’ said Shashank.
“This match, the way Jonny batted was a huge positive. It was a great learning for me, we still have five more matches to go.”
Opening the Punjab innings, Bairstow put on 93 runs with impact sub Prabhsimran Singh (54) and another 85 runs with South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw (26).
Prabhsimran was run out by a direct throw from Sunil Narine who also chipped in with the wicket of Rossouw in the 13th over.
Despite the two dismissals, Shashank continued to unleash big shots, making sure Punjab did not lose their nerve while chasing the big total.
Earlier, Kolkata got off to a blistering start with Phil Salt and Narine sharing 138 runs off just 69 balls for the first wicket after being put in to bat.
Narine, dropped on 16, hammered four sixes and nine fours in his 32-ball 71 before holing out to Bairstow off leg spinner Rahul Chahar.
England’s Curran dismissed Salt who hit a 37-ball 75 studded with six sixes and six fours after being dropped twice by sloppy Punjab fielders.
Venkatesh Iyer chipped in with a cameo 39-run knock as Kolkata posted the highest IPL total ever at the Eden Gardens.
