THE CHAMPION. Rafael Nadal, the most successful Grand Slam player in history
Il became the biggest. Winner of Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final, Rafael Nadal (35) won a historic 21 on Sundayand Grand Slam title. The Spaniard came from afar to clinch the 90and career trophy. Led two sets to zero, “Rafa” overthrew the Russian Daniil Medvedev in five sets (2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5) and 5 hours 24 minutes. The Majorcan thus set a new record by becoming the most successful tennis player in Grand Slam history ahead of Novak Djokovic (20) and Roger Federer (20). Only three women have done better in tennis history: Margaret Court (24), Serena Williams (23) and Steffi Graf (22).
CAN 2022. Direction the last four!
The quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations gave their verdict this weekend. On Saturday, the Cameroonian host country was the first selection to score its ticket for the semi-finals. The Indomitable Lions logically got the better of Gambia (0-2), who were playing their first CAN. A few hours later, it was the turn of Burkina Faso to validate their qualification by beating Tunisia (1-0), while on Sunday Egypt won their place in the last four by overthrowing (2-1) Morocco in overtime. The Pharaohs will face Cameroon, while Senegal, executioner (3-1) of Equatorial Guinea in the final quarter-final, will challenge the Burkinabe Stallions.
FRENCH CUP. OM narrowly, Monaco qualified and fans in force
The “Old Lady” was back this weekend on the grounds of France. And as often the surprises are there. First, FC Versailles 78 (N2) caused a sensation by winning (0-1) on the lawn of Toulouse (L2). Then, it was Bergerac (N2) who created the feat of eliminating (1-0) AS Saint-Étienne. In the other meetings, Nantes dominated (2-0) Brest thanks to a double from Ludovic Blas, just like Amiens on Saturday on the lawn of Nancy (0-2). Olympique de Marseille overcame Montpellier on penalties (1-1, 5-4 pens), as did Bastia (L2) on the lawn of the Stade de Reims (1-1, 3-5 pens) and Monaco won (2-4) on the lawn of RC Lens. Finally on Monday evening, Paris Saint-Germain – defending champion – will face OGC Nice at the Parc des Princes.
THE TOUR OF EUROPE. Major championships on hold
No “Big-5” championship this weekend on the Old Continent. Due to an unusual international truce decided by Fifa from 2020, no Premier League, La Liga, Serie A or Bundesliga matches were scheduled for this weekend. Usually, this is to make room for national cups. This time, only the Coupe de France was able to take advantage of it.
READ ALSOWhy sport and physical activity should not be confused
THE OTHER SOAP. The UBB continues, Toulouse falls, Montpellier and the LOU on the podium
The reigning French champion tumbles. Beaten (15-20) for the first time this season at home by Racing 92 (8and), Stade Toulouse (4and) fell at the foot of the podium. Conversely, Bordeaux-Bègles (1er) chained a fifth consecutive victory by winning (23-10) against Castres (5and) and consolidates its place at the top of the top 14. The Girondins are now ten points ahead of Montpellier (2and), winner (23-29) at La Rochelle (6and), and the LOU (3and), victorious (23-28) in Perpignan (12and). In other matches, Brive (11and) outclassed (33-10) Biarritz (14and), Paul (9and) overthrew (28-20) Clermont (7and) and Stade Français (10and) won with forceps (26-24) against Toulon (13and).
#TOP14 – The image of the J16: The lesson of Aprasidze
How do you say “elusive” in Georgian? The scrum-half of the @MHR_official Gela Aprasidze provided the translation during the victory of his team at Marcel-Deflandre! pic.twitter.com/juhMVJklnr
— TOP 14 Rugby (@top14rugby) January 30, 2022
BEHIND THE HANDLEBAR. Belgian Amaury Capiot wins La Marseillaise
For the first race of the year in France, the Belgian Amaury Capiot (Arkéa-Samsic) won in the sprint after a straight line of 2 kilometers, the 44and edition of the La Marseillaise Cycling Grand Prix (Marseille). Capiot beat Danish 2019 world champion Mads Pedersen (2and, Trek-Segafredo), Spaniard Francisco Galvan (3and, Kern Pharma) and Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen (4and, TotalEnergies), while Frenchman Benoît Cosnefroy (5and, AG2R-Citroën) and Bryan Coquard (6and, Cofidis) finished behind.
THE RACE. Jean-Baptiste Dubourg retains his e-Trophée Andros title
Jean-Baptiste Dubourg (Renault Zoé – DA Racing) takes a sixth crown at the Andros e-Trophée. Despite the success of Yann Ehrlacher (AS 01 Dupessey – M racing) in the last race of the season on Saturday at Super Besse (Puy-de-Dôme), the Renault Zoe driver was crowned champion thanks to the number of victories obtained this season (4 against 3) – the two men with the same number of points in the standings (537). Lined up for this last event, Sébastien Loeb took a fine fifth place, six days after becoming the oldest winner of a World Championship rally in Monte-Carlo.
HANDBALL. Sweden on the roof of Europe, the Blues at the foot of the podium
Led by its new golden generation, Sweden was crowned European champion. France’s fallers in the semi-finals, the Scandinavians won the Euro 2022 final against Spain (27-26) thanks to a penalty converted by Niclas Ekberg at the last second. This is the fifth continental title for the Swedes, the first since the treble achieved by the national team twenty years ago (1998, 2000, 2002).
Earlier in the small final, the France team lost (35-32) against Denmark. The Blues had however managed to compete well with the Scandinavians, even snatching the extension (29-29). But Guillaume Gille’s men finally gave in and finished the competition at the foot of the podium.
[��️RESUME] ♂️ Handball Euro
Denmark beats the Blues in overtime and wins the bronze medal!
France ends the competition at the foot of the podium…#FRADAN #HandAction https://t.co/vsqSk969eN
— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) January 30, 2022
ON THE RING. Junior Makabu retains WBC title
Second successful title defense. King of the WBC cruisers, Junior Makabu (34, 29-2) retained his light-heavyweight belt by beating South African Thabiso Mchunu (33, 23-6) by split decision (115-6). 113, 116-112, 113-115) in Warren, Ohio. The Congolese champion put his title on the line for the second time, could now face the superstar of the noble art Saul Alvarez, during a next fight that all amateurs dream of, next May.
ON TRACKS. Simon Billy world champion, tricolor biathletes in silver
In his garden in Vars, local Simon Billy was crowned world champion in speed skiing on Sunday. The Haut-Alpin was flashed at 208.32 km / h and is ahead of Manuel Kramer (206.90) and the Italian veteran Simone Origone, six-time world champion (206.36 km / h), while Bastien Montes, second Frenchman in the ranking, finished at the foot of the podium (202.52).
Sunday on the tracks of the European Championship of Arber (Germany), the French biathlon team won the silver medal in the single mixed relay. Émilien Claude and Lou Jeanmonnot, the blue duo, achieved an excellent performance which allowed them to win their first distinction. The Russians Anton Babikov and Evgeniia Burtasova won the title of European champions, while the German team completed the podium.
#OECH22, Arber
The top three teams of the single mixed relay
—
Evgeniia Burtasova & Anton Babikov
Lou Jeanmonnot & Emilien Claude
Franziska Hildebrand & Justus Strelow
—
Deubert/IBU pic.twitter.com/lowYPQnziV
— IBU Cup Biathlon (@IBU_CUP) January 30, 2022
Unprecedented situation on Sunday during the Super-G of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany). Credited with the same time, the Italian Federica Brignone and the Austrian Cornelia Hütter shared the victory of the event disputed in the German station. It is the nineteenth success in total and the sixth in super-G for the Italian, the third on the circuit and the second in the discipline for the Austrian.
UNDER THE BASKETS. The Suns leaders, the Heat regain the reins
In the NBA, the Suns (1ers) continue their race at the top of the Western Conference, after having chained an eighth and ninth consecutive success on the floor of the Jazz (97-105) then against the Timberwolves (134-124). The Phoenix franchise is still ahead of the Warriors (2are), and the Grizzlies (3are).
Finally, to the east, the Heat (1er) took over the reins of the Conference thanks to a successful success against the Clippers (121-114) and despite a defeat against the Raptors (120-124). Behind, the Bulls (2are) and the 76ers (3are) complete the podium.
IN SHORT. Fencing, hockey, golf
In fencing, swordsman Yannick Borel (33) won the World Cup victory over Aymerick Gally (24) in Doha (Qatar) in a Franco-French final. Among the women, Marie-Florence Candassamy (30) won the bronze medal and signed her second international podium of the season.
On the ice, Angers won the final of the French Hockey Cup against Gap, after a hotly contested match (5-4 after extra time), Sunday in Cergy-Pontoise (Val d’Oise). This is the Dukes’ third title in this event after 2007 and 2014.
Finally on the Dubai green, Norwegian Viktor Hovland (24) won the Dubai Desert Classic (United Arab Emirates) on Sunday. A third victory in three months which allows him to seize, with this first success in the Rolex Series, the orders of the DP World Tour Ranking. The best Frenchman Romain Langasque, meanwhile, finished in the 18and square.
We wish to thank the author of this article for this outstanding material
Australian Open, CAN, top 14: what to remember from the sports weekend