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The defeat of the favorites in Montreal allows Nadal to aim for number one in…
The defeat of the favorites in Montreal allows Nadal to aim for number one in…
Whatever happens, whoever lifts the trophy next Sunday to the Canadian sky, this edition of the Masters 1,000 in Montreal is already historic. Daniil Medvedev, Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas were, from the outset, the three favorites and the top seeds, in that order.
However, the first round (for their rivals it was the second) became a kind of black hole that sucked them in. The defeat of Medvedev and Alcaraz benefits Rafa Nadal, who has already confirmed his presence next week in Cincinnati . If he wins the tournament and the current number one does not advance to the quarterfinals, the player from Manacor will replace him at the top of the table.
In Montreal, the first to fall was Alcaraz against Tommy Paul, number 34 in the ATP ranking. The next victim was the Russian, who was left out after losing to Nick Kyrgios in three sets. Finally, the Greek, surprised by Jack Draper, a 20-year-old who ranks 82nd in the world. Since 2001, the two top seeds have not been left out of a Masters 1,000 in the first round.
The defeat of the favorites in Montreal allows Nadal to aim for number one in…
In that year, Gustavo Kuerten and Andre Agassi lost in their debut in Stuttgart against two much inferior rivals. The subsequent fall of Tsitsipas makes this Montreal edition even more extraordinary. After the elimination of the top three candidates for the title, and the also surprising defeats of Andrey Rublev or Diego Schwartzman, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud, Jannik Sinner and the enraged Nick Kyrgios remain as rivals to beat.
The Australian, with his victory over Medvedev (6-7, 6-4, 6-2), did a huge favor to his antagonist in the sport, Rafa Nadal. The Russian had just won in Los Cabos without major shocks, but this disappointment (if it can be considered that way taking into account the moment that Kyrgios is going through) brings the tennis player from Manacor closer to the possibility of accessing the top of the individual classification the week that comes in Cincinnati. For that, he would need to win the tournament and Medvedev not to reach the quarterfinals. If it doesn’t happen, he could still end the year on the throne if he puts in a strong performance at the US Open.
The clash between Kyrgios and the world number one showed the Australian’s change of heart. After seeing how his rival saved a critical situation and prevailed in the tie break of the first round, he did not lower his head and went up several revolutions. Intractable as always in the service and aggressive to the return, he did an exercise of resistance and constant wear and tear that ended up knocking down the sober Medvedev. “Kyrgios played unbelievable, he will soon be top 10,” acknowledged the Russian at the end of the match, surrendering to the level of a tennis player who has won 14 of his last 15 singles matches.
READ MORE: Daniil Medvedev makes Novak Djokovic US Open ban feelings clear with comments on rivals
Alcaraz’s loss was even more surprising, because it came against Tommy Paul, who despite being above Kyrgios in the ATP rankings cannot currently be compared to him. “Right now I’m angry. I made bad decisions. That has frustrated me,” the Murcian confessed at the press conference after the match. “It was the first time that I couldn’t withstand the pressure and I couldn’t control it. I felt the pressure of being the number two seed, the number four in the world,” he admitted, in some surprising statements for a player of his determination. , but understandable given his age and his lightning rise to the top.
The last to be eliminated in Montreal was Tsitsipas, number five in the world and third seeded in the Canadian tournament. His executioner was Jack Draper, a daring young man who, with his powerful left foot, dropped the Greek in two even sets (7-5, 7-6). Among so many disappointments, it should be noted that, despite the elimination of Alcaraz, it is still a positive championship for Spanish tennis.
In the round of 16 will be Albert Ramos, who surprised the Argentine Schwartzman; Roberto Bautista, who will fight against Casper Ruud; and Pablo Carreño, who will face another hard bone like the Italian Sinner, but who has crushed Holger Rune (6-0, 6-3).
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A former Ferrari engineer has criticised the decision to bring in Lewis Hamilton and thinks the Brit’s presence will mean “a lot of potential for drama”.
At the age of 40, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton will form a formidable driver partnership with Charles Leclerc. His big switch comes at the expense of Carlos Sainz, who has performed well for the Italian squad but who was axed so they had room for their blockbuster new signing.
But not everyone of a Ferrari persuasion is convinced that it will go well. Ernest Knoors, who spent many years as an engineer at Maranello, specialising in power units, worries that Hamilton’s presence could do more harm than good for a team that is finding its groove under Frederic Vasseur.
“A big name like Hamilton also brings a lot of politics and if politics within Ferrari are not managed well, then there is a lot of potential for drama,” he told Formule1.nl. “Hamilton has the tendency that if things do not work out, he turns his whole car upside down and starts experimenting.
“Ferrari believes very much in the big personalities and will follow him. But Hamilton is just someone you have to guide a little bit and not give the freedom to rebuild the whole car, because then it will go completely wrong. So I do not know if it is such a smart move, but of course it is nice for the sport.”
News of Hamilton’s planned move broke on February 1, coinciding with football’s Transfer Deadline Day. That the back pages of many newspapers were dominated by the decision of Hamilton to swap Mercedes for Ferrari was testament to the magnitude of the announcement.
Sainz was not surprised as he had been informed by his team of the plan ahead of it being made public. But the Spaniard responded well with two victories to date this season and five further appearances on the podium, on the way to what looks likely to be a fifth-placed finish in the championship – two spots and 54 points ahead of Hamilton.
Sainz has signed for Williams next year and, after several years of running at the front of the grid, will focus on his new challenge of helping restore one of the grid’s most historic teams to its former glory. But Knoors believes he should have been kept on by Ferrari instead.
The Dutchman added: “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a PR move. With all due respect, Hamilton is not going to take that Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will get the most out of it, but what Ferrari has to do is make that car faster. And if you make that car faster, you can easily drive at the front with the current line-up.
“Besides, as a team you have to look further on the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a team with talent for the next five years, are you going to build on Hamilton? No, because he will really be finished after two or three years. That is why I would have kept the very strong line-up that Ferrari has now.”
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Chase Elliott had a front-row seat for one of NASCAR’s most bizarre moments of the 2024 Cup Series season. At the start of Stage 2, the pace car dove onto pit road in front of Elliott; however, it was a tad too late. The pace car made contact with the sand barrels at the entry of pit road and caused a red flag for cleanup.
Initially, there was some speculation on the NBC Sports broadcast, even from the No. 9 team, that Elliott made contact with the pace car. Fortunately, the pace car didn’t slide across the No. 9 car’s nose, but it undoubtedly provided one of NASCAR’s craziest red flag moments in recent memory.
Below, you can listen to Elliott and the No. 9 team react to the pace car crashing into the sand barrels on pit road at Phoenix during Championship Weekend!
Reflecting on the recent retirement of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt didn’t mince words about the toll NASCAR takes on its drivers. Speaking candidly, the two-time Daytona 500 winner admitted that the pressure to perform every week left him feeling miserable for most of his racing career—a sentiment he believes is shared by many of his peers.
“Right or wrong, racing made me a miserable person 90% of the time,” Earnhardt confessed. “And him too. I mean, ask Kyle Busch, ask anybody—unless you’re winning, you’re not happy.”
For these elite drivers, the sport is a relentless grind. A podium finish might bring temporary relief, but anything short of victory is often a source of frustration. The immense effort poured into preparation and execution rarely feels like it pays off unless the checkered flag is theirs.
Earnhardt highlighted the mental toll of falling short, explaining how the relentless focus on winning can overshadow the joy of simply competing. Even a solid performance feels hollow compared to the euphoria of a win.
“Unless you’re winning, you’re not happy at all,” he said. “You’re okay with a good run, but for the most part, all the effort it takes just to run good—it doesn’t weigh out.”
For drivers, the stakes are sky-high every week. Sponsors, fans, and teams demand nothing less than excellence, leaving little room for error or personal satisfaction in anything less than a dominant performance.
Earnhardt also shared insights into his friendship with Martin Truex Jr., who recently announced his retirement. While the two often spend time hunting together during NASCAR’s off-season, Earnhardt noted that the stress of racing even creeps into their leisure activities.
“When I’m with him during hunting season, it’s always in the back of his mind,” Earnhardt said. “It’s that stressful part of the year when he’s as miserable as he’s going to be.”
Now, with Truex stepping away from the track, Earnhardt looks forward to seeing a lighter, happier version of his long-time friend. Without the weight of weekly competition hanging over him, Truex might finally be able to relax and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he cherishes.
“It’ll be fun to see him loosen up,” Earnhardt added.
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