From tennis to basketball, via cycling and Formula 1, sports news was very rich this weekend of September 10 and 11. The Blues of the French basketball team snatched their qualification in the quarter-finals of the Eurobasket after a tense extension against Turkey, while Remco Evenepoel became the first Belgian to win on a grand tour for forty -four years. In New York, the US Open crowned Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz, new world number 1. Franceinfo: sport takes stock of what should not be missed this weekend.
The Miracle Blues at Eurobasket
The France team has come a long way. Jostled by Turkey throughout their round of 16, Saturday noon, the Blues managed to snatch the extension and then reverse the meeting (86-87). Carried by an omnipresent Rudy Gobert at the end of the match and a decisive Terry Tarpey, they managed to win their ticket for the quarter-finals, five years after the frustrating elimination against Germany in the eighth at the last European tournament.
Memories of a memorable evening #TeamFranceBasket | #PassionatelyBlue | #EuroBasket pic.twitter.com/wcWPy6fYTa
– French basketball teams (@FRABasketball) September 11, 2022
“It’s probably the craziest scenario I’ve ever known”, confessed Vincent Collet after the meeting. In the heart and in the mind, his men continue their way in the competition. They will challenge Italy on Wednesday night for a place in the last four.
Remco Evenepoel wins the Vuelta
It is a success that Belgium has been waiting for forty-four years in the Grand Tour. Three weeks after leaving the Netherlands, Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) brought the red jersey back to Madrid to win the 77th edition of the Vuelta. Having become leader of the general classification at the end of the 6th stage at the top of Pico Jano, the 22-year-old Belgian has not let go of the precious tunic.
Put under pressure by Primoz Roglic at the dawn of the third week, before the fall and the abandonment of the Slovenian rider, Evenepoel did not crack and offered himself the biggest victory of his career. He becomes the first Belgian to win a grand tour since Johan De Muynck, on the roads of the Giro, in 1978.
US Open: the crazy year of Swiatek, the coronation of Alcaraz
A victory for history. Sacred in the final of the US Open after a fight of four sets against Casper Ruud (6-4, 2-6, 7-6 [1]6-3), Carlos Alcaraz won his first Grand Slam title in New York. A success which propels him Monday morning to the place of world number 1 for the first time in his career. At 19 years, 4 months and 8 days, he dethroned Lleyton Hewitt and became the youngest player to take the lead in the ATP rankings.
I’m lost for words at right now! I just want to keep dreaming!
Getty Images pic.twitter.com/IyQXjvgamY
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) September 12, 2022
In the women’s draw, Iga Swiatek proved irresistible to dominate Ons Jabeur, on the night of Saturday to Sunday (6-2, 7-6[5]). First of all in power, then in the mind to contain the assaults of the Tunisian, Swiatek pocketed her first US Open, her third Grand Slam title. The Pole takes care of her impressive statistics: ten victories in ten finals played since Roland-Garros in 2020, seven titles this year and a series of 37 straight victories in the spring.
La Rochelle continues, the last finalists revolt in the Top 14
The second day of Top 14 smiled on the big teams. The Rochelais confirmed their good start to the season by picking up their first away victory, on the lawn of LOU (23-21). With two successes and eight points on the clock, they take the lead in the championship.
Beaten on the opening day, defending champion Montpellier and runner-up Castres opened their home counter. Carried by the game at the foot of Louis Carbonel, the MHR dominated with feverish Bordeaux (29-19), while Castres did not tremble against Stade Français (30-20).
In the other matches of the day, Aviron Bayonnais won a prestigious victory against Racing 92 (31-25) for its first match at Jean-Dauger. Clermont took the best of the Pau Section (33-24), Brive won in Perpignan (17-6) and Toulouse, a solid leader, walked against Toulon (28-8).
Formula 1: Verstappen wins at Monza on Ferrari land
In pole position, Charles Leclerc hoped to be able to ward off the Indian sign and put an end to the hegemony of Max Verstappen since the return from the summer break. Failed again. Verstappen won for the fifth race in a row, the first time in Italy, on Ferrari land, when he started in seventh position. The Red Bull driver was ahead of his rival Leclerc, very annoyed to see the race end behind the safety car when he hoped to have the last laps to chase his vis-à-vis. George Russell (Mercedes) completes the podium.
Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri) grabbed eighth place, just ahead of rookie Nyck de Vries, called up at the last minute at the wheel of his modest Williams and 9th for his first Grand Prix.
It should also be noted that the Monza track crowned the young French driver Victor Martins, crowned F3 world champion.
Ligue 1: PSG and OM take off
Are we heading for a PSG-OM duel for the title? After seven days of the championship, this scenario is taking shape. On Saturday, PSG first tamed Brest without shining at the Parc des Princes (1-0). In the evening, OM responded by overthrowing Lille at the Vélodrome (2-1). With nineteen points on the clock (best start to the season in the history of Marseille), the two rivals are neck and neck at the top of the L1.
In their rear-view mirror, however, they see a Racing Club de Lens which continues to progress. Winners Friday of the Trojans (1-0), the Artésiens take their ease on the podium, just in front of the surprising Lorient, who fell from Nantes (3-2). Les Merlus thus distance OL, beaten in Monaco at the end of this 7th day (2-1). Also note the Rennes festival against Auxerre (5-0), and the umpteenth defeat of Ajaccio against Nice (0-1).