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Formula One: Max Verstappen cruises to victory in season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates after he won the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir circuit, Sunday, March 5, 2023.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates after he won the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir circuit, Sunday, March 5, 2023. Copyright (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

By Euronews with AP

New season, another victory. Max Verstappen won the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday, leading almost the entire race as he began the defence of his back-to-back Formula One titles.

Red Bull also clinched a dominant 1-2 with Sergio Perez finishing 12 seconds behind him in the second spot while 41-year-old Fernando Alonso took a brilliant third place – and claimed a 99th career podium – on a stunning race debut for Aston Martin.

Alonso’s fans are already labelling this season as “Mission 33”; hopeful the Spanish driver can win a 33rd career race. His last win was 10 years ago with Ferrari.

It was the Dutchman’s first at the flood-lit Sakhir circuit, where he retired just laps from the end in last year’s opening race.

Both Red Bulls failed to finish here in 2022.

This time it was Charles Leclerc, after winning last year, who retired on Lap 41 of 57 when his Ferrari lost power.

Leclerc’s retirement caused panic at Ferrari, and Carlos Sainz Jr didn’t even bother trying to defend from Alonso who overtook him with 11 laps left.

Sainz finished fourth ahead of seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton in fifth place ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll in sixth.

Stroll’s performance was impressive considering he missed preseason testing because of an injury picked up in a bicycle accident that required minor surgery on his right wrist.

Red Bull’s 1-2 sees them lead the constructors’ rankings.

Aston Martin and Mercedes are currently sitting second and third respectively ahead of the next race in Saudi Arabia on March 19.

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Roland Garros qualifiers: Napolitano and Giant ok, Fognini out

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Positive results for the Blue tennis on the first day of qualifying at Roland Garros. Stefano Napolitano and Matteo Gigante, in fact, qualified for the second round of the qualifying draw, while Fabio Fognini was eliminated.

Napolitano, who dropped in the ATP rankings to position number 603, surprisingly overcame the U.S. Colton Smith, world number 162, in three sets with a final score of 6-4 4-6 6-2 after two hours and twenty minutes of play.

A three-set victory also for Gigante, ATP ranking number 167, who beat Swiss Jerome Kym, world number 123, with a final score of 6-3 3-6 6-3 after two hours of play.

Nothing to do, however, for Fognini. The Ligurian tennis player, seventh seed in the seeding, lost decisively to American Nicolas Moreno De Alboran, who prevailed in two sets with a final score of 6-3 6-2 after an hour and 23 minutes of play.

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A fairytale Monday for Lorenzo Musetti

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It is a fairytale Monday for Lorenzo Musetti. After celebrating his personal best ranking in the morning, hoisting himself to number eight in the world rankings, the Carrara-based tennis player announced the’arrival of his second child.

Through a post shared on Instagram with partner Veronica Confalonieri, the azure revealed that he will become a father again. “The family expands” wrote the couple under a photo showing little Ludovico, their firstborn, and Musetti touching his mother’s belly.

There was no shortage of reactions from her colleagues and former ones: from the hearts of Flavio Cobolli, Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani to the good wishes of Flavia Pennetta and Tathiana Garbin.

After his excellent results in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome, the new world number eight has decided to withdraw from the Hamburg tournament in order to better prepare for Roland Garros, which kicks off on Sunday, May 25, on the red clay of Paris.

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Matteo Arnaldi recovers Gaston and hits the round of 16 in Geneva

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Matteo Arnaldi is off to a good start at the Geneva ATP 250. After a surprising elimination in the first round at the Internazionali d’Italia, the tennist from Liguria redeemed himself in his debut at the ‘Gonet Geneva Open’, defeating Hugo Gaston, world number 74, in a comeback.

The Blue won with a final score of 6-7 6-4 6-4 after nearly two and a half hours of struggle. In the first set it was the serve that dominated. The’only one to concede break points – two – was Gaston but the Frenchman saved himself and made the tie-break his own (8-6).

With the momentum in his favor, Gaston pulled ahead by a break in the second set, taking the serve away from Arnaldi in the sixth game (2-4). Here, however, came the Sanremese’s angry reaction, stringing together a run of four consecutive games (6-4), putting everything back on an even keel.

In the third and decisive set Arnaldi immediately escaped to 2-0 but was taken back by the transalpine (2-2). After another exchange of breaks, the’decisive stretch was signed by the Azure at 4-4, winning the last two games (6-4) and thus reaching the round of 16.

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