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Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz no longer fight for your admiration but for the…
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz no longer fight for your admiration but for the…
There was a time when the Rafael Nadal-Carlos Alcaraz rivalry had something artificial or, if you will, something of a local competition, a struggle of affections between the little Spaniards who idolized one and those who began to idolize the other . A generational duel, if you will, but circumscribed to our country and our sport. The idea that, after twenty years of Nadalismo, something else was coming to the cover of Marca o el Ace. The new boy who presented himself as the relay of affection and admiration.
That moment was short lived. How long it takes to see an entire tournament of Carlos Alcaraz, wow. At first, we were told about him, but we didn’t really know what the boy was about. There was talk of his work ethic, of his precocity… and the “new Nadal” thing was repeated so much that we imagined him dominating the clay court, topspinning balls like crazy, refusing to lose a point and much less a game. So, I insist, until we saw him play. And no, it wasn’t that: a furious competitor, Alcaraz shortened plays, had a prodigious right hand and played with his rival, letting go and letting him come .
He wasn’t as serious as Rafa, rather the opposite. He liked to like, which is something very normal at that age. And no, he was not a press artifice or a patch on our patriotism. He was a player of a colossal level. A quarterfinalist in the US Open, a winner in Miami, in Madrid, in the Godó… what began almost like a game, a healthy fight between two compatriots, is leading to an unexpected fight for the top of the ranking world.
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz no longer fight for your admiration but for the…
In a strange year like few others – if Wimbledon had distributed points, Djokovic would still be number one in the world despite not playing in Australia or setting foot in North America -, both have arrived in mid-August as the first two of the ATP Race, it is In other words, they are the two players who have accumulated the most points so far this year, since January 1. To the point that, right now, at the time of writing this article, before the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati tournament, they are the only two who only depend on themselves to reach number one in the ranking: if one or another won the US Open, they would occupy that position.
We must insist that it has been a difficult year to evaluate due to everything that has happened to Djokovic and even to Medvedev since the sanctions on Russian players in certain tournaments were implemented. Proof of this is that Daniil is the number one with the fewest accumulated points since the changes in the 2009 ranking. Such a low score (6885 and may be less if he loses his next match in Cincinnati) makes the number of candidates for the ATP throne it multiplies. Whether that is good or bad will have to be decided by each one; now, a number one is a number one, it is not worth making objections or placing asterisks.
Since Nadal does not defend another point between now and the end of the season, it is normal that he is considered the favorite to succeed the Russian player. In the short term, we know that if he wins the US Open he will be number one because no one would get to 7630 points from him. He has the advantage of being the only one who doesn’t depend on what the others do in the final rounds of Cincinnati, something that Alcaraz does not. Before, we used to say that he was the other tennis player who depended on himself, but now we have to admit that this statement is somewhat tricky … and that is that the tournament he is playing is not over yet.
READ MORE: Novak Djokovic has received some good news as his chances of playing the next two Grand Slam tournaments remain up in the air.
Right now, that’s true, before the quarterfinals, no one would reach the 6830 points with which he would finish the US Open if he won it (Nadal, at most, would be a finalist and would keep the same 6830 points). Now, things can happen in between. He could lose tonight against Norrie and Medvedev could win his match and that calculation would not count. Apart from the two Spaniards, as I said before, there are many candidates to be number one in the world : first of all, Medvedev himself. Something more difficult, but not impossible, is Tsitsipas, Ruud or even Auger Aliassime if he gets the Cincinnati-New York double.
Even Alexander Zverev is also in the mix, despite the fact that it is not at all clear that he can play the last grand slam of the season. If he doesn’t, in fact, he can drop down to number five or six in the world. In any case, these are almost anecdotes. On Monday we will have a better idea of what awaits us in this fight, but the really important thing is that the two Spaniards, against all odds, are involved. One, when his time seemed past. The other, when he was yet to arrive. What was going to be a quiet succession has become a rivalry in the present tense. Welcome be.
Sports
The power struggle over Christian Horner has claimed its first victim: Red Bull Key Player Leave to Make Dream team with Hamilton at Ferrari
The power struggle over Christian Horner has claimed its first victim: Red Bull Key Player Leave to Make Dream team with Hamilton at Ferrari
According to information from Motorsport-Total.com , the Brit has already submitted his resignation to the current world champion team! Auto Motor und Sport first reported on Newey’s impending departure.
The reason for Newey’s throwing down is the power struggle at Red Bull that has been raging for weeks in the wake of the affair surrounding team boss Christian Horner.
Although the 65-year-old only signed a new contract last year, the team boss’s recent behavior is said to have finally caused the design guru to say goodbye – also to himself, as Newey apparently increasingly misses the appreciation for his work and the climate between the two Brits have cooled down significantly.
There has been speculation in the Formula 1 paddock for a long time about Newey’s move to Ferrari, where the Briton could form the new dream team for Maranello together with compatriot Lewis Hamilton in the future – and should help the Scuderia to new glory with the rule changes for 2026.
But Aston Martin also believes that with owner Lawrence Stroll’s thick checkbook there is a chance of signing Newey, especially since the designer could then remain resident in Great Britain with his family. Rumor has it that Canadian billionaire Newey is offering $100 million over four years for his services at the new Aston Martin factory.
The Brit’s current Red Bull salary is estimated at around ten million per year. How quickly Newey can actually get out of his Red Bull contract and how long he will then be banned from working for the competition is currently still the subject of negotiations surrounding the termination of the sought-after design guru, who now has to decide: Big dollars in Silverstone or dolce vita in Italy?
Domino effect: beginning of the end for Red Bull?
But one thing is certain: after almost two decades, seven driver’s and six constructor’s titles, Newey’s stint in Milton Keynes is coming to an end, with the once again dominant RB20 likely to add two more World Cup trophies to his illustrious collection of titles by the end of the season: the Brit had previously also built world champion cars for Williams and McLaren.
However, Newey never made a secret of his admiration for Lewis Hamilton and the attraction of one day working with the record world champion. At Ferrari this dream could now come true.
Spicy: Not only did Newey’s wife Amanda recently like a post on Maranello is located.
Meanwhile, with the departure of the star designer, there are increasing question marks behind the future of world champion Max Verstappen: The Dutchman is increasingly being linked with a move to Mercedes , and his stay at Red Bull is said to be based primarily on the personal details of motorsport consultant Helmut Marko and mastermind Newey.
The Brit’s decision could therefore trigger a domino effect – in the worst case, the current successful team could even face disintegration due to the departure of its most important employees.
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“That’s wrong for you to ask me that.” Denny Hamlin Shocked Kevin Harvick On His Request Over Chase Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“That’s wrong for you to ask me that.” Denny Hamlin Shocked Kevin Harvick On His Request Over Chase Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was left in a dilemma after Kevin Harvick asked him to select his preferred driver from Chase Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr. when he sat down during the Harvick Happy Hour podcast.
The eleventh Cup Series race on the calendar is due to flag off tomorrow, at 2.00 PM ET, and will be held by the Dover Motor Speedway. The Würth 400 will mark the 106th dash hosted by the 1.03-mile track
and spells of mayhem at the Monster Mile will be witnessed. Ahead of the 400-lap dash, all JGR drivers sat down with retired NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick and opined on their favorite pick.
Denny Hamlin, Ty Gibbs, Martin Truex Jr., and Christopher Bell were asked to select between the 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott and the two-time Xfinity Series champion Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Hearing Harvick’s “hardest question” and the hilarious expressions he threw, Hamlin was sent into a dilemma and replied (via HarvickHappyHour on X):
“That’s wrong for you to ask me that.”
He then opted for the HMS driver and the team followed in the same footsteps, taking Elliott’s name, courtesy of his 2020 Cup Series championship. However, Hamlin gave a hysterical reason behind opting for the Georgia native, adding:
“We have to answer Chase on the racetrack, we don’t have to answer Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the track.”
Denny Hamlin takes a bold stance with “we’re going to win Dover” claim He then opted for the HMS driver and the team followed in the same footsteps, taking Elliott’s name, courtesy of his 2020 Cup Series championship. However, Hamlin gave a hysterical reason behind opting for the Georgia native, adding:
The current season has witnessed Hamlin rake in two wins, two top-5s, and three top-10s, placing him sixth in the rankings. His last win came at the Richmond Raceway after a controversial overtime move initiated by his #11 Toyota Camry dethroned his teammate Martin Truex Jr. from his potential maiden win this season.
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“You’re Pissing Me Off” – Dale Earnhardt Jr Instantly Shuts Down Denny Hamlin Over What He Said
“You’re Pissing Me Off” – Dale Earnhardt Jr Instantly Shuts Down Denny Hamlin Over What He Said
Saving fuel on superspeedways and the lack of enough horsepower on short tracks have turned into big headaches for NASCAR lately. On one side while Goodyear is busy experimenting with different tire types to improve short-track racing, on the other, many NASCAR insiders, including the DBC crew, reckon that’s just the way superspeedway racing is going to roll for now, at least until some big changes kick in. However, Denny Hamlin recently floated the idea of shorter races on drafting tracks during his podcast, a suggestion that didn’t exactly thrill Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr was none too pleased when the topic of shortening races popped up on his podcast
On a recent episode, Dale Jr’s co-hosts brought up how to spice up superspeedway races, mentioning Denny Hamlin’s idea of trimming the races to 400 miles to better align the stages with fuel runs. Basically, Hamlin had argued, “What NASCAR could do is just take this take the superspeedway races down to 400 miles, and then the stages would probably line up quite a bit better. If a stage was a fuel run, we would never save because we’re always going to fight for stage points.“ But Dale Jr wasn’t buying it. He compared the idea to getting less of what you love, saying, “That’s like giving me less candy bar. That’s like giving me less Tater chips in the bag. You’re pissing me off. Stop it! You know what I’m saying? […] Don’t give me less race. ‘Oh! We don’t like our race, so let’s just do less of it’.”
Dale Jr firmly rejected the suggestion to cut down race length, proposing a different fix instead: “That’s a way to get that but I don’t think I want to have a shorten the race? Why don’t you just put enough stages in there to get that solution that you want to. […] so just add another stage don’t take away racing don’t take don’t you just said you don’t want to add another stage well don’t if you’re giving me the choice between taking away candy bar shortening up my candy bar right or taking chips out of the bag versus adding another stage, I’m gonna say just add the f*cking stage man. I don’t want less racing okay I don’t want less racing.”
Stewart-Haas Racing’s crew chief Rodney Childers also echoed similar thoughts on the matter. Childers pointed out, “If the stages were 40 laps instead of 60 laps, there wouldn’t be any fuel saving. So, if you had two 40s and whatever else or however you want to split it up“
Right now, fuel runs at superspeedways like Daytona and Talladega last about 40-45 laps, meaning stages should be around 40 laps or shorter to allow drivers to complete them on a single tank. However, things seem to be taking a turn (in Denny Hamlin’s favor) as the Coke Zero 400 will see a 35-lap first stage and a 60-lap second stage, followed by a final 65-lap dash. The first stage is under the fuel run limit, so there’s no need to save fuel early on, but the next two stages will need at least one pit stop.
However, shortening races, as Hamlin suggested, doesn’t quite solve the issue, as it’s tricky to divide a race into three parts where each is short enough to avoid refueling. As long as there’s a pit stop before a stage ends or the race concludes, drivers will have a reason to save fuel. Even eliminating stage breaks wouldn’t stop this—drivers would just aim to minimize their final stop or try to finish w,ith fewer pit stops overall.
So, what other strategies could be employed to jazz up the superspeedway races?
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The power struggle over Christian Horner has claimed its first victim: Red Bull Key Player Leave to Make Dream team with Hamilton at Ferrari
“That’s wrong for you to ask me that.” Denny Hamlin Shocked Kevin Harvick On His Request Over Chase Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
