Category: 6. Sports

Peter Uihlein was one to watch all week at The International Series Morocco, and Sunday was no different. But in the end, the RangeGoats GC star came up just short, finishing tied for third and five shots behind winner Scott Vincent.

Uihlein, who won twice on The International Series last season, shot a 2-under 71 in the final round on the par-73 Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat. He entered Sunday four shots off the lead and tied for eighth.

Stinger GC’s Charl Schwartzel made a nice run during the weekend and finished T10. Schwartzel shot a combined 5-under in Rounds 3 and 4 to help make up for a 2-over 75 on Thursday. LIV Golf reserve player John Catlin, who has seen plenty of succuss in recent years on The International Series, finished T14.

RangeGoats GC’s Ben Campbell, the defending champion in Morocco, closed at T22 while HyFlyers GC’s Andy Ogletree finished the week at T33. Torque GC’s Mito Pereira experienced some bumps on the weekend and ended with a T56.

The International Series Morocco is the fourth of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar, which form a pathway to the LIV Golf League.

Click here for final scores from Morocco

PUIG HAS SOLID SHOWING ON DP WORLD TOUR

Fireballs GC’s David Puig had a successful week at the BMW International Open in Munich, Germany, finishing T11 and 14-under for the week.

Puig had rounds of 69-67-70-68 to close his week eight shots back of winner Daniel Brown. Cleeks Golf Club Captain Martin Kaymer, playing in his home country, finished T19, helped by a stellar 5-under 67 in the final round.

Click here for final scores from Munich

(Uihlein photo courtesy of Steve Bardens/Asian Tour)

(The International Series staff contributed to this story)

With a very good start, Thomas Preining improved from sixth to third place by the first corner on Sunday – before the race was red-flagged shortly afterwards. After the restart, the driver of the number 91 Porsche, together with the Ferrari duo in front of him, increasingly pulled away from the rest of the field. Another perfectly executed tyre change moved him up to second place after the first round of pit stops. From there, Preining was able to put increasing pressure on the leading Jack Aitken, but was initially unable to find a way past. The Manthey EMA driver completed the second mandatory pit stop one lap ahead of his rival. When the Brit returned to the track just ahead of him, Preining overtook him a short time later in the Schöller-S section.

“Great performance here at the Norisring by Thomas Preining – after second place yesterday and today’s victory, we can speak of a very successful DTM weekend,” said Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “I would like to congratulate Team Manthey and thank everyone involved for their great work – including those who are supporting us from Weissach. With Manthey leading the team standings and second place among the drivers and the manufacturers, we can look ahead with excitement. I think we’re in for a great second half of the season. We are involved in the title fights, so I’m really looking forward to it. Now we’ll see if we can achieve this year.”

“We experienced a very special kind of motorsport today, a thrilling duel between modern gladiators,” said Sebastian Golz, Project Manager 911 GT3 R, summarising the action on Sunday. “It remained absolutely thrilling until shortly before the end to see who would take victory. Huge praise and thanks to Thomas Preining and the Manthey crew, who got the maximum out of the race both on and off the track. Morris Schuring, who drove from last place at the restart into the points, also deserves a round of applause. He didn’t give up and rewarded himself with this comeback as best rookie.”

Schuring was an innocent victim of the collision that led to the race being interrupted. He tackled the restart from last position and improved to 13th place at the finish in the Manthey Junior Team’s 911 GT3 R with up to 416 kW (565 hp). Ayhancan Güven from Turkey lost what he thought was a top ten place due to an unfortunate second pit stop and finished Sunday’s race in eleventh place in the second Manthey EMA Porsche.

Thomas Preining already in impressive form on Saturday

His third Norisring victory was already within reach for Preining on Saturday. From fourth on the grid, the former Porsche Junior moved up to second place. The fact that the 911 GT3 R works very well at the Norisring was also underlined by the other two Porsche drivers, who both finished in the points. From grid positions 18 (Güven) and 19 (Schuring), the duo moved up to eleventh and 14th respectively.

Quotes after the race

Thomas Preining (Manthey EMA, Porsche 911 GT3 R #91): “Both races were physically and mentally very demanding, with the outside temperatures causing the interior of the car to heat up considerably. On Sunday, I could barely keep up with the two Ferrari in front of me during the first stint. But our pit stop strategy paid off. After the first tyre change, I was able to put more and more pressure on Jack Aitken from second place. Shortly after the second stop, I made the decisive manoeuvre. My three pit stops this weekend all came at exactly the right time and the crew executed them perfectly. A big thank you to the whole team.”

Ayhancan Güven (Manthey EMA, Porsche 911 GT3 R #90): “Two eleventh places that feel different. On Saturday, I was able to work my way forward from a poor grid position and achieve the maximum possible for us on the day with eleventh place. On Sunday, on the other hand, we left a lot to be desired. I was in fifth position and had fourth place in my sights. Unfortunately, I got stuck in traffic at the second pit stop and lost valuable time. This eleventh place is therefore a disappointment.”

Morris Schuring (Manthey Junior Team, Porsche 911 GT3 R #92): “After the red flag, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to finish the race. With this in mind, to end it in 13th position as the best rookie makes me very happy. I have now extended my points-scoring streak to five races. I want to work on my qualifying performance next. For now, though, I’m looking forward to the short DTM break before continuing at the Nürburgring in five weeks’ time.”

Race 7 result:

1. Jordan Pepper (ZAF), TGI Team by GRT, Lamborghini #63, 65 laps

2. Thomas Preining (AUT), Manthey EMA, Porsche 911 GT3 R #91, +3.055 seconds

3. Maro Engel (DEU), Team Winward Racing, Mercedes-AMG #24, +4.132 seconds

11. Ayhancan Güven (TUR), Manthey EMA, Porsche 911 GT3 R #90, +30.026 seconds

14. Morris Schuring (NLD), Manthey Junior Team, Porsche 911 GT3 R #92, +35.822 seconds

Race 8 result:

1. Thomas Preining (AUT), Manthey EMA, Porsche 911 GT3 R #91, +64 laps

2. Jack Aitken (GBR), Emil Frey Racing, Ferrari #14, +1.592 seconds

3. Thierry Vermeulen (NLD), Emil Frey Racing, Ferrari #69,+ 5.209 seconds

11. Ayhancan Güven (TUR), Manthey EMA, Porsche 911 GT3 R #90, +24.590 seconds

13. Morris Schuring (NLD), Manthey Junior Team, Porsche 911 GT3 R #92, +26.102 seconds

Drivers’ standings after eight of 16 races:

1. Lucas Auer (AUT, Team Landgraf, Mercedes-AMG), 109 points

2. Thomas Preining (AUT, Manthey EMA, Porsche), 102 points

3. Jordan Pepper (ZAF, TGI Team by GRT, Lamborghini), 102 points

8. Ayhancan Güven (TUR, Manthey EMA, Porsche), 83 points

15. Morris Schuring (TUR, Manthey Junior Team, Porsche), 26 points

Team classification after eight of 16 races:

1. Manthey (Porsche), 201 points

2. Winward Racing (Mercedes-AMG), 184 points

3. Schubert Motorsport (BMW), 155 points

Manufacturers’ standings after eight of 16 races:

1. Mercedes-AMG, 230 points

2. Porsche, 210 points

3. Lamborghini, 174 points

All results at: www.dtm.com

Further information, film and photo material in the Porsche Newsroom: newsroom.porsche.com

The „X‟ channel @PorscheRaces and Instagram @porsche.motorsport provide live updates from Porsche Motorsport with the latest information from racetracks around the world. And now new: the Porsche Motorsport Channel on WhatsApp!

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (AP) — Wiaan Mulder hit 264 not out as South Africa dominated the opening day of the second test against Zimbabwe, reaching 465-4 at stumps on Sunday.

Mulder scored at run-a-ball pace with three sixes and 34 boundaries in 259 deliveries at Queens Sports Club in the two-test series.

The visitors lost the toss and were struggling at 24-2. Mulder helped to turn the innings around with two major partnerships — 184 for the third wicket with David Bedingham (82) followed by a stand of 217 with Lhuan-dre Pretorius for the fourth wicket.

The 19-year-old Pretorius — who was man of the match in the first test for his 153 on debut — hit 78.

Zimbabwe pacer Tanaka Chivanga took 2-85 in 18 overs.

Zimbabwe was hoping to rebound from its heaviest test defeat on runs in the series opener, which it lost by 328 runs. A ninth straight win equaled South Africa’s longest winning streak in men’s test cricket, with the 2002-03 Proteas.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

WIMBLEDON —  Aryna Sabalenka won her first Grand Slam title nearly six years ago at the US Open. She had a partner in crime, Elise Mertens, and they would repeat that doubles triumph two years later at the Australian Open.

This was before Sabalenka became an irresistible force in singles, a three-time major champion and found herself closing in on a one-year reign as No. 1 in the PIF WTA Rankings.

It’s probably not a coincidence that Sabalenka has now beaten Mertens in 11 of their 13 singles meetings, most recently on Sunday, 6-4, 7-6 (4), in the fourth round at the All England Club. For in those years of their partnership, Sabalenka came to know the intricacies of Mertens’ game, her strengths and, more importantly, her weaknesses.

Sabalenka, who has more wins against the No. 24-seeded Mertens than any other player on the Hologic WTA Tour, advances to Tuesday’s quarterfinals. She’ll face 37-year-old Laura Siegemund, who ended the unlikely run of lucky loser Solana Sierra with a 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Sabalenka finished with six aces and won 32 of 38 first-serve points. And while both players had 18 unforced errors, Sabalenka had 36 winners, nine more than Mertens. 

Sabalenka is:

• The first woman to reach the quarterfinals in all of their first three Grand Slam appearances as World No. 1 since Lindsay Davenport (Australian Open 1999 and 2005, and Roland Garros 2005).
• Improved her tiebreak record to 16-1 (including 14 straight) this season. 
• The first woman to reach the quarterfinals at all three Grand Slam played in 2025 — Iga Swiatek can equal this record on Monday.
• The fourth woman in the last 30 years to reach the quarterfinals at each of the first three Majors of the season without dropping a set in the first four Rounds after Venus Williams (1998), Kim Clijsters (2006) and Justine Henin (2006).

Sabalenka, sporting fingernails painted a becoming shade of Wimbledon green, is on a terrific tear at the Grand Slams. She’s reached the quarterfinals (at least) in the past 10 majors in which she’s appeared. Her 16 Grand Slam match-wins are more than any other woman this year, as are her 46 overall wins. 

Mertens, currently ranked No. 19, remains a formidable player at the age of 29. The Belgian won the title at the Libema Open last month and came into this match with a career record of 15-7 at Wimbledon. She’s got some pop in her shots, anticipates well and is quite handy at net. This was her third appearance in the fourth round.

The players traded breaks in the opening set — Sabalenka scored in the fourth game and Mertens countered in the seventh. But with Mertens serving at 4-5, Sabalenka cranked up the decibels and the pace. A terrific return forced a Mertens netter forehand for set point. Sabalenka followed up by blasting a backhand winner — and a scream that matched it in intensity.

Mertens, however, was undeterred. She broke Sabalenka in the third game of the second set. But serving at 3-2, Sabalenka broke back. 

This is the essence of the three-time Grand Slam champion’s game: At deuce, Sabalenka took a second serve and smoked a cross-court backhand that hit the line, sending up a small cloud of chalk. Then raised her level on the next point and Merten couldn’t land her forehand.

The decisive blow in the second-set tiebreak was a backhand laser return from Sabalenka with Mertens serving a 3-all. She closed it out with a wonderful forehand volley that Mertens could barely get a frame on.

Mertens is now 0-6 against No. 1 players for her career, half of those losses coming to Sabalenka.

Pakistan’s Under-18 men’s hockey team continued their dominant run at the Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025, crushing Sri Lanka 9-0 in their second group-stage match in Dazhou, China, on Sunday.

The Green Shirts were in complete control from the outset, with Assam Haider netting a first-half hat-trick to lead the charge. Abdullah Awan, Zubair Latif, and Atif Ali also added to the tally before the break, giving Pakistan a commanding 6-0 lead.

After the restart, Adeel struck twice in quick succession, while Atif Ali scored his second goal of the match to complete the rout. Sri Lanka remained scoreless, unable to penetrate Pakistan’s rock-solid defence.

The emphatic victory follows Pakistan’s 8-0 demolition of Hong Kong in their tournament opener, underlining the team’s strong form and title ambitions.

Pakistan will next face Bangladesh on July 8, followed by their final pool match against hosts China on July 9.

The 11-nation tournament is being held in Dazhou from July 3 to 13 — the first time the Chinese city is hosting an event of this magnitude. The competition features emerging talent from across Asia, with national sides vying for regional supremacy.

For some reason Dame Edna Everage sprang to mind in the wake of the British & Irish Lions’ less-than-marvellous display against the NSW Waratahs on Saturday. As Edna once waspishly told a fellow grand dame: “I’m trying to find a word to describe your outfit … affordable.” It was not dissimilar to the lacklustre Lions in Sydney: all dressed up and nowhere to hide.

It has been an awkward few days all round, with increasing amounts of potential comedic ammunition available to Aussie hecklers. “Mr Farrell, welcome to our hotel, we’ve held the family suite for you.” “Mate, was the pitch really damp on Saturday or were you blokes just wallowing in your own mediocrity?” It is reaching the point where the Lions need to start delivering a few short sharp punchlines of their own.

“Maybe we should play Fiji instead?” was briefly a possibility as the Wallabies hovered on the brink of losing their warm-up Test in Newcastle. But it is a dangerous game to play when, self-evidently, there continues to be a risk of the Lions rocking up underdone to Brisbane for the first Test on Saturday week. Australia may not be the best team in the world – they went into the weekend ranked eighth – but where does that leave the Lions if the series heads south?

Among other things, it makes the first Test absolutely pivotal. This is not a hard and fast law – as recently as their last tour in 2021 the Lions won the opening Test in South Africa only to go on and lose the series – but we should expect Joe Schmidt’s Australia to grow stronger over the course of the three Tests.

Hence the importance of picking the smartest-possible starting XV – and a complementary bench – for that challenge. In some ways Saturday’s scratchy 21-10 win over the Waratahs has simplified the equation. Let’s just say it was not the worst game to miss. There are occasions when players’ reputations are enhanced simply by sitting in the stands and the Waratahs game was one of them.

So the moment has come for Andy Farrell to cease his ruminative beard-stroking, replace the light pencil with proper ink and get down to it, dah-ling. There is still the Brumbies game this Wednesday to assist deliberations further but the time for experimentation has all but expired.

The front row, in theory, should be straightforward. The Lions may have waxed and waned to date but their scrums have gone pretty well. Dan Sheehan is first among equals at hooker and Ellis Genge and Andrew Porter, probably in that order, are both tough hombres at loosehead. But the picture at tighthead is murkier: do the Lions go with the proven farmer strength of Tadhg Furlong, the maturing Will Stuart or the previously little considered Finlay Bealham?

If Furlong is back anywhere close to his best, Farrell will be tempted. But at this point a wider Irish question presents itself. The Lions could possibly select as many as 10 or even 11 players from the Ireland side who finished the Six Nations with a laboured 22-17 win over Italy. No disrespect to the Azzurri but there is rather less snap and crackle about some of Ireland’s leading lights than a year ago.

That could mean the usual assumptions about the benefits of cohesion do not hold as much water. And if Maro Itoje and Joe McCarthy are bolted on to start in the second row it also raises other related back-row questions. On tour form alone Ollie Chessum might just be edging in front of Tadhg Beirne, and Jac Morgan a gnat’s nostril ahead of Josh van der Flier.

Of course it matters not, in theory, where a qualified Lion hails from. But assuming Jack Conan starts at No 8, is there realistically enough time left to develop the kind of ingrained understanding the all-Irish trio possess? Possibly not, a scenario that will be niggling away in the back of Farrell’s mind.

At least nobody disputes Jamison Gibson-Park will start at 9 and Finn Russell at 10; all things being equal, the back three should comprise James Lowe, Blair Kinghorn and Tommy Freeman. Which leaves the midfield and the bench. Do the Lions go for a they‑shall-not‑pass central defensive brick wall of Bundee Aki and Gary Ringrose or reunite Russell with Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones?

It would seem even Farrell remains undecided. At the weekend he acknowledged that Test matches tend to be tighter tactical affairs than the lead-up games. “We are good when we are direct,” he murmured. But the Lions could do with some extra pace – hence the likelihood of Henry Pollock being among the replacements – and Jones offers that. Farrell will further have noted the way in which Fiji ran at the Wallabies and kept their potentially influential centres quiet as a result.

The Lions should also keep in mind their captain’s pledge at the squad announcement back in May. “I want us to play with passion and energy and the zeal you would expect of a Lions squad,” said Itoje back then. The cameras in the visiting dressing room at the weekend did not catch a tremendous amount of that and one or two individuals look to have plenty on their youthful minds.

So stick or twist? Strip back the gameplan or keep the faith? Put Farrell Jr on the Test bench ahead of Fin Smith for pure psychological effect? It says everything about the concertina-ed nature of this Lions trip that such debates remain live at this late stage. But ultimately the answer is simple: go all out or go home. As the great Dame Edna might have put it: “Don’t chicken out now, possums!”

Lando Norris becomes 13th British driver to win home Grand Prix while Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg makes his first podium after a record 239 races.

Lando Norris won his home British Grand Prix for the first time in a McLaren one-two with Formula One leader Oscar Piastri on a wet and chaotic race day littered with safety cars, crashes and incident.

“This is a dream, winning at home. It’s beautiful,” Norris told the team over the radio. “Thanks for the memory. I’ll remember this more than anything.”

Nico Hulkenberg took an astonishing third place for Sauber, the German veteran making up 16 places to shed his unwanted record of the most starts without a podium in Formula One history – Sunday being his first in 239 starts in an F1 career that began in 2010.

“I don’t think I can comprehend what we’ve just done,” said the stunned German before wild pitlane celebrations with his teammates.

“It feels good. It’s been a long time coming, hasn’t it? But I always knew we had it in us, I have it in me, somewhere.”

Piastri was handed a 10-second penalty for a safety car infringement that ultimately cost him the win and allowed Norris to slash the Australian’s advantage to eight points at the midpoint of the season.

Piastri was unhappy with his penalty, signalling he believed it was a legal move.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished fourth with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen fifth after starting on pole position.

Pierre Gasly was sixth for Alpine, Lance Stroll seventh for Aston Martin and Alex Albon eighth for Williams.

Fernando Alonso gave Aston Martin a double points finish in ninth at their home race and George Russell bagged the final point for Mercedes.

Hulkenberg’s podium for Sauber was the first for the Swiss-based team since 2012.

Norris’s victory at Silverstone was his eighth career GP win.

The Belgian Grand Prix is the next race on the F1 calendar on July 27.