FORMULA ONE
Hamilton blasts Ecclestone
World champion Lewis Hamilton on Friday labeled Bernie Ecclestone as “ignorant and uneducated” after the former Formula One supremo said that “black people are [sometimes] more racist than white.” Ecclestone had been asked to comment on Hamilton’s recent anti-racism initiatives. While praising the six-time world champion for his campaigning, 89-year-old Ecclestone said that he doubted that the creation of the driver’s Hamilton Commission, which hopes to steer more black youngsters into motor racing, would have any great effect. “I don’t think it’s going to do anything bad or good for Formula One,” he told CNN. “It’ll just make people think which is more important. I think that’s the same for everybody... In lots of cases, black people are more racist than what white people are,” he said. Hamilton hit back at Ecclestone. “Bernie is out of the sport and of a different generation, but this is exactly what is wrong — ignorant and uneducated comments which show how far we as a society need to go before real equality can happen,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram. “If someone who has run the sport for decades has such a lack of understanding of the deep-rooted issues we as black people deal with every day, how can we expect all the people who work under him to understand?” he wrote.
GOLF
Mickelson leads by one shot
Phil Mickelson on Friday used a solid finish to seize a one-shot lead following the second round of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut. Mickelson closed with a birdie at the last hole of the TPC River Highlands course for a seven-under-par 63 that brought him to 13 under on the week and one shot clear of first-round leader Mackenzie Hughes (68) and sponsor invite Will Gordon (62). Meanwhile, Denny McCarthy withdrew ahead of his second round after he became the third PGA Tour player to test positive for COVID-19. Bud Cauley, who played the first round with McCarthy, tested negative twice, but withdrew as a precautionary measure, bringing the number of coronavirus-related withdrawals this week to seven.
TENNIS
Anisimova turns tide
Amanda Anisimova saved a match point en route to a 5-7, 7-5, 10-2 victory over fellow American Caroline Dolehide at the invitational women’s tennis tournament in Charleston, South Carolina. Anisimova, 18, was staring at defeat when she trailed 5-7, 3-5 against her hard-hitting opponent, but the 2019 French Open semi-finalist blasted a forehand down the line to save match point and turned the tide, eventually triumphing in a 10-point tiebreaker. “That’s why I miss being out here, just trying to face challenges and get yourself back together mentally as quick as possible,” said Anisimova, who won 25 of the match’s final 28 points.
SOCCER
Fans ordered to go home
Police issued a dispersal order on Friday after crowds gathered for a second consecutive night at Liverpool’s center near the Mersey Ferry terminal to celebrate their team’s Premier League title win. “I am really concerned about scenes at Pier Head tonight. I appreciate LFC fans want to celebrate but please, for your own safety, and that of others, go home and celebrate at home,” Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson wrote on Twitter.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
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