Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Soccer-Barcelona humiliate Real Madrid with 4-0 rout at the Bernabeu
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice as a rejuvenated Barcelona gave a football masterclass to inflict a humiliating 4-0 defeat on rivals Real Madrid on Sunday, thrashing Carlo Ancelotti’s LaLiga leaders on their own ground. A sold-out Santiago Bernabeu stadium watched silently as a much-improved Barca under the command of new coach Xavi Hernandez dominated ‘El Clasico’ from the start.
Soccer-Jota fires late winner as fortunate Liverpool down Forest in FA Cup
Diogo Jota’s late winner earned Liverpool a 1-0 victory at a spirited Nottingham Forest on Sunday to book an FA Cup semi-final clash with Premier League title rivals Manchester City. Second-tier Forest, who had already knocked out Premier League Arsenal and Leicester City en route to the quarter-finals, held their own in the first half, with Joe Lolley wasting a glorious chance to break the deadlock.
Motor racing-Hamilton delighted with unexpected third place
Lewis Hamilton has won a record 103 Formula One Grand Prix but Mercedes’s seven-time world champion was all smiled in Bahrain on Sunday after third-place exceeded his expectations. “This is really the best result we could have got,” said the Briton after a season-opening race that looked sure to be a struggle after he started fifth behind the Ferraris and Red Bulls.
Motor racing-Ferrari are properly back at the top of F1
Ferrari ended a 45-race winless streak on Sunday to start Formula One’s new era with a flourish and a one-two finish in Bahrain that sent the sport’s oldest and most glamorous team back to the top. Charles Leclerc’s pole to flag victory, with the fastest lap, was a first for the Maranello team since Singapore 2019 when four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel led Leclerc in a one-two.
Tennis-Injured Fritz ends Nadal win streak to lift Indian Wells title
Taylor Fritz battled through excruciating pain to bring Rafa Nadal’s 20-match winning run to an end with a 6-3 7-6(5) victory in the Indian Wells final on Sunday, becoming the first American to lift the title since Andre Agassi over two decades ago. Home favorite Fritz gave fans what they came to see – a heroic effort and an American winner, denying Nadal what would have been his fourth title of the season and a record-equalling 37 ATP Masters 1000 championships.
Figure skating-Absences loom large with Russians out of world championships
The absence of most of the Olympic medallists, amid sanctions against Russia, will make this week’s figure skating world championships in Montpellier an unusual affair. The Russian teenagers who have been stunning fans with their quadruple jumps will be among the absentees. Beijing Olympic champion Anna Shcherbakova, silver medallist Alexandra Trusova, and Kamila Valieva — the 15-year-old at the center of a doping controversy at last month’s Winter Games — will all stay away.
Motor racing-Comeback kings Haas return to form in Bahrain
Haas boss Guenther Steiner said the U.S.-owned Formula One team’s return to form in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix could not have been scripted any better. Kevin Magnussen finished fifth for the team at the Sakhir desert track on Sunday.
Tennis-Swiatek blows away Sakkari to win windswept Indian Wells
Poland’s Iga Swiatek blew away Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-4 6-1 to win a windswept Indian Wells final on Sunday and move up to number two in the world rankings. Another windy day in the California desert made life miserable for both players, the gusts contributing to an uneven contest littered with nine breaks of serve.
NFL-Browns acquire quarterback Watson from Texans
The Cleveland Browns have acquired quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans, saying on Sunday they had done their due diligence in signing the 26-year-old who has been accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct. More than 20 women had come forward last year and filed lawsuits against Watson, who was also investigated by the NFL for allegations they described as “deeply disturbing”.
Soccer-Manchester City outclass Southampton to reach FA Cup semi-finals
Manchester City produced a decisive late surge to crush Southampton 4-1 in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday and stay in the hunt for three major trophies. After going in level at the break, City scored three times in the second half at St Mary’s to book a semi-final against the winner of Sunday’s late game between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
(With inputs from agencies.)