Ten things to know from last week. May 31-June 6, 2022 included: Roland Garros, US Women's Golf Open, Boxing...
| Five things to know from last week |
- Nadal’s Open. Injured and at 36, Rafael Nadal (ESP) won his record-extending 14th Roland Garros, beating Casper Ruud (NOR) with a seemingly easy 6–3, 6–3, 6–0. With the win, Nadal now moves two Grand Slam wins ahead of Novak Djokovic (SRB) -who he beat in the quarterfinals- and Roger Federer (CHE) on the all-time Men’s singles wins list. Iga Świątek (POL) extended her winning streak to 25 matches, by being above everyone else in women’s singles. She cruised over Coco Gauff (USA) with 6–1, 6–3. Gauff had lost the Women’s doubles the previous day, against locals Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic (FRA). The Men’s Doubles was historic for two countries, as Marcelo Arévalo (ESA) and Jean-Julien Rojer (CUW) won the tournament. Ena Shibahara (JPN) and Wesley Koolhof (NED) won Mixed Doubles.
- Wheelchair divisions. Shingo Kunieda (JPN) won a record-extending 27th Grand Slam in Men’s Singles, at Roland Garros. He now extended his record in wheelchair tennis to 48 Grand Slams won. A record in tennis. Diede de Groot (NED) won a tenth-consecutive Grand Slam title in Women’s Singles, and with Aniek van Koot (NED) a fourth in a row in Women’s Doubles. In Quads, Niels Vink (NED) did the double, taking the Singles and Doubles, with Sam Schröder (NED) as a foe and partner.
- Cruising. Minjee Lee (AUS) seemingly cruised to win Golf’s US Women’s Open, taking a lead of five strokes with a few holes to go. She dominated from day 1, and her par on the last day was her worst score, for a total of -14. This is her second Major Championship, having won the 2021 Evian Championship.
- “Unified”. Devin Haney (USA) unified the WBA Super, WBO, IBF, WBC, and The Ring world titles in Lightweight, as he completely dominated George Kambosos Jr. (AUS/GRC) in the biggest fight ever held in Australia. There is, however, one more belt, as Gervonta Davis (USA) holds the WBA “Regular” World Title and is perhaps the best rated. A unification should clarify but there is a rematch clause with Kambosos Jr. In Cardiff, Joe Cordina (WAL) dethroned Kenichi Ogawa (JPN) from the IBF super-featherweight title with an astounding 2nd-round KO. Stephen Fulton (USA) clearly dominated Daniel Roman (USA) to retain his WBC and WBO World Super Bantam Title.
- Pushed too far? In his first race after winning the Tokyo 2020 400m Hurdles Men’s Olympic Final -perhaps the greatest athletic race of all time, Karstern Warholm (NOR) pulled out after the first jump of the Wanda Diamond League race in Rabat (MAR), clutching his hamstring Khallifah Rosser (USA) won. The local crowd was pleased with their Olympuc Champion, Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR), as he won the 3,000 meters Steeplechase with a World-Leading time. Elaine Thompson-Herah (JAM) won the women’s 100 meters. 17-year-old Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) had a breakthrough week, winning the men’s 800 meters on the same week he won the 61st Golden Spike Continental Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava (CZE).
- Derby’s Crown. The 243rd Epsom Derby was won by pre-race favorite Desert Crown who, ridden by Richard Kingscote (ENG), sprinted to win by six lengths. The trainer is five-time Derby winner, Sir Michael Stoute (BRB).
- Don’t celebrate before the end! Fabio Quartararo (FRA) dominated the Catalan Grand Prix and extended his Championship lead over Aleix Espargaró (ESP), who was second during the last lap and slowed down to wave to the fans, thinking the race has ended. He ended fifth. In the FIM World Endurance Championship, the 24 Hours of Liège saw the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team win, with Markus Reiterberger (DEU), Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR) and Jérémy Guarnoni (FRA). Lukas Trautmann (AUT), Johan Nigon (FRA), and Enzo de la Vega (FRA) won a Superstock Class that saw two leading motorcycles crash out at different points.
- Deadly Isle of Man. Before the first race had even concluded, there had already been two fatalities at the Isle of Man TT. Mark Purslow (WAL) lost his life during a qualifying session. Sidecar co-driver Olivier Lavorel (FRA) lost his life on the opening lap of the first Sidecar race. Teammate César Chanel (FRA) was airlifted in critical condition. On June 6, veteran Davy Morgan (NIR) also died following an accident. Since 1937, 1982 has been the only year without a fatal accident. Peter Hickman (ENG) won the first race.
- NBA Finals start. The NBA Finals have already started, with the Boston Celtics taking the first win over the Golden State Warriors but the Californian team equalling the series 1-1. The Finals are guaranteed to continue until next week.
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship took place over the weekend. Brazilians won in 17 out of 19 divisions. Isaac Doederlein (USA) won the Men’s 70 kg. Ffion Davies (WAL) the women’s 64 kg, after 10-times World Champion Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) has decided to focus on No-Gi and Mixed Martial Arts.
