NAIL-BITING 18TH HOLE PLAYOFF SHOOTER FOR AUS OPEN TITLE | ROUND 4 | AUSTRALIAN OPEN

 

'DISGUSTING: OSCAR PIASTRI'S AUSSIE INTERVIEW BAN AHEAD OF ABU DHABI GP

Explosive new claims of bias towards Oscar Piastri’s McLaren teammate have rocked F1 ahead of this weekend’s season-ending Grand Prix.

Just days out from its shot at a drought-breaking F1 drivers’ title, McLaren is in disarray amid revelations Oscar Piastri has been banned from speaking to Australian media.

The season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix gets underway this weekend, with championship leader Lando Norris in the box seat on 408 points and his McLaren teammate Piastri in the mix on 392.

They are separated by Max Verstappen (396 points), with all three in mathematical contention to claim this year’s title.

Yet instead of a buzz around the F1 world over a thrilling end to this year’s championship, McLaren is in damage control following a damning report from CODE Sports.

An article from the masthead that landed on Thursday afternoon (AEDT) addressed the year-long speculation the British outfit would prefer Englishman Norris take out this season’s crown.

Oscar Piastri reacts after finishing second at the Qatar GP. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

 

Talk McLaren has favoured Lando Norris (right) has bubbled along for months. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
 

McLaren is well placed to win a first drivers’ world title since Lewis Hamilton’s salute back in 2008, but that is barely rating a mention outside of its Woking base.

The team’s much maligned ‘papaya rules’, which insist the two drivers are on a level playing field, have been all but debunked by this stage as Aussie Piastri has repeatedly had odds stacked against him by his own team.

The latest was their mea culpa after McLaren was the only team not to pit after an early yellow flag in last week’s Qatar GP, blowing a dominant Piastri’s hopes of victory and handing the win to Verstappen.

Smiling team boss Zak Brown has said ad nauseam all is well among the team, but CODE stated it’s well known that is no longer the case, calling the situation “bordering on toxic”.

A pitiful team representation when Piastri celebrated his second place in Qatar only added fuel to the fire and the Victorian admitted he was “speechless” over team radio after they blew his shot at a victory that would have drawn him much closer in the title fight.

Piastri has now been banned from holding individual interviews with Australian media, with CODE stating the team feels he is too busy, although that sounds flimsy at best and downright laughable in reality.

A number of journalists and McLaren team insiders spoke to CODE about the situation and all were united in condemning the treatment of the 24-year-old Aussie.

One was quoted as saying: “It’s disgusting to see what’s happening. It’s like he’s fighting with one arm tied behind his back.”

“He’s constantly being undermined by the team. The bias against Piastri is unquestionable.”

Fans are also well and truly fed up with the perceived treatment of the young Aussie star.

McLaren’s official X account posted a tweet on Thursday morning with the caption: “23 races, 20 countries visited. Country 21, round 24, Abu Dhabi, let’s do this.”

A number of fans used that opportunity to vent their feelings.

One wrote: “From now on, I’ll remember 2025 F1 season, not for McLaren winning the constructors championship, but for the sneaky ways they found to prevent Oscar Piastri from becoming World Champion.”

 Another replied: “23 races, 20 countries visited, 90% support for Norris, 10% support for Oscar. 100% loser team.”

Many F1 fans have tired of the message coming from Zak Brown (right) and McLaren. (Photo by Bryn Lennon – Formula 1 via Getty Images)
 

A third offered: “And you destroyed a young man’s spirit – poor Oscar.”

Whatever its approach to this point, McLaren will be unable to gag Piastri in the lead-up to and after this weekend’s race.

He has mostly kept his cool and maintained his dignity to this point, when many others in such a competitive arena would have blown their stack."

Unless he finds a way to win this year’s title – needing to win the race in Abu Dhabi and have Norris finish sixth or lower – Piastri’s ultimate reaction to a season of missed opportunities could prove as fascinating as the race itself.

- James Dampney

 

AUSTRALIAN FORMULA 1 DRIVERS

 

🇦🇺 Jack Doohan will become the 19th Aussie to race in Formula 1 when he makes his debut at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the opening round of the 2025 season 😎

Read here 🗞️  https://7sport.link/3T37IuG

AUSTRALIA'S BEST OLYMPIC GAMES MEDAL HAULS

 

AUSTRALIA VS. FRANCE | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NOVAK DJOKOVIC ON HIS DEFEAT TO SINNER IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN SEMI-FINAL

 

COCO GAUFF ON ROD LAVER COURT IN FONT OF ROD LAVER

 

DE MINAUR LEFT DEVASTATED AFTER BELIEVING HE COULD PROGRESS IN OPEN

Reuters 

 Alex de Minaur's belief that he could beat Andrey Rublev and finally reach the Australian Open quarter-finals made Sunday's defeat all the more devastating for the local favourite.

On a day when Australia Open defending champions Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka were both in action, all eyes in Melbourne were on 10th seed Alex de Minaur as he aimed to keep home interest in the competition alive.

De Minaur was the last Australian left in the singles, but his 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(4) 6-3 6-0 loss to the fifth seed was certainly a world away from last year's exit at the same stage, when he was demolished in straight sets by Djokovic.

DJOKOVIC INTO AUSTRALIAN OPEN QUARTER-FINALS AS BIG NAMES WIN EASY

 

Reuters 

Novak Djokovic flirted with a rare "triple bagel" and Aryna Sabalenka produced yet another powerful performance as the defending champions swept into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Sunday.

American fourth seed Coco Gauff also rattled through her match in double quick time and while she was only on court for an hour, the U.S. Open champion showed she has all the weapons to win a second Grand Slam title.

Djokovic, playing in an unfamiliar rare daytime match, blanked Adrian Mannarino in the opening two sets and threatened to become only the sixth player to win 6-0 6-0 6-0 in the main draw of a Grand Slam.

However, the Frenchman salvaged some pride in the third set, leaving Djokovic with a 6-0 6-0 6-3 victory, the Serb's 32nd straight match win at his favourite stomping ground.

It also earned the world number one a 58th Grand Slam quarter-final berth, equalling the all-time record of Swiss maestro Roger Federer.

Djokovic said he was almost glad when Mannarino got on the board in the third set.

"I almost felt like it's good to give away the game, just to be able to reset and refocus, because the tension was growing as the match progressed without him winning a game," he told reporters.

"Of course, it's tough for him, but also for me to be able to not think about that ... I was happy that got that out of the way, 1-1 third set, then focused on what I need to do to close out the match."

The Serb next meets Taylor Fritz after the American beat last year's runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(3) 5-7 6-3 6-3 to reach the last eight for the first time.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2024 | THIRD ROUND | GAUFF VS. PARKS

ALEXANDER ZVEREV VS.DOMINIK KOEPFER

 

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI VS.MARIA TIMOFEEVA | SECOND ROUND HIGHLIGHTS | AO 2024

SINNER A SUNDAY WINNER, RUBLEV GETS A SCARE AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Reuters 

Jannik Sinner picked up where he left off in 2023 by easing past Botic van de Zandschulp into the second round of the Australian Open as the year's first Grand Slam got underway a day earlier than usual on Sunday.

The Italian fourth seed, the hottest player on the men's tour at the back end of last season with victories over Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, was quickly back in his groove on Rod Laver Arena.

Although far from perfect, he broke his Dutch opponent to open the contest and grabbed another break to serve for the second set before securing his place in the second round 6-4 7-5 6-3.

"It's my first match of the season and it means a lot to get a win," said Sinner, who was cheered on by the "Carota Boys", a band of fans dressed as carrots.

"It's a tournament where I would like to play as good as possible ... hopefully I can show more as I go along. The first match is never easy, I think I can be happy."

Sinner is one of a band of young guns looking to dethrone 24-times Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who gets his bid for an 11th title underway against Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic in the evening session on Rod Laver Arena.

Reuters 

At 26, Andrey Rublev is probably a bit old to be considered a young gun and the redheaded Russian had a much tougher time getting into round two, pushed all the way by debutant Thiago Seyboth Wild in his 7-5 6-4 3-6 4-6 7-6(6) win.

The often emotional Rublev was clearly furious at his inability to see off the Brazilian world number 78, who produced some sensational shots to frustrate the fifth seed and earn the support of the Margaret Court Arena crowd.

Seyboth Wild, who stunned Medvedev in the first round of last year's French Open, saved three match points at 6-5 down in the decider and raced to a 3-0 lead in the tiebreak before Rublev rallied for the victory.

"I'm not going to forget this match," said the relieved Russian.

"I was thinking about Daniil's match at Roland Garros when I had my chances and couldn't take them. Thiago is a super dangerous player, he was serving really hard, first and second serves, and hitting the ball really clean."

JENELA OSTAPENKO VS. CAMILA GIOGI | BRISBANE | ROUND 2 HIGHLIGHTS

 

IGA SWIATEK VS. QINWEN ZHENG | UNITED CUP QF HIGHLIGHTS | PERTH

NOVAK DJOKOVIC LEADS SERBIA INTO UNITED CUP QUARTERFINALS

Reuters 

Novak Djokovic helped Serbia advance to the United Cup quarterfinals and a date with host Australia.

Serbia beat the Czech Republic 2-1 on Tuesday in Perth to win Group E. Djokovic held off Jiri Lehecka 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-1 but the Czechs leveled with Marketa Vondrousova's 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 defeat of Olga Danilovic. Danilovic paired with Hamad Medjedovic for the decisive 4-6, 7-5, 10-8 win in mixed doubles over Petr Nouza and Miriam Kolodziejova.

'MUST BE HARD TO LOSE BELT': STAR'S 'EASY' OPETAIA ADVICE AFTER 'BULLS**T' CALL ROBS WORLD TITLE

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - DECEMBER 18: Jai Opetaia with his Ring Magazine Cruiserweight Title belt which defends on Saturday night on December 18, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing via Getty Images)

 

Australia’s Jai Opetaia is being backed to regain his IBF cruiserweight title while also earning an estimated $2 million in Saudi Arabian purses, thanks to a new attitude accompanying his rise to world champion.

On the eve of his own appearance on Sunday’s blockbuster Day of Reckoning card, New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker is tipping Opetaia to regain cruiserweight gold “easily” in 2024.

Better, Parker insists it will come while the 28-year-old also grabs some $2 million now available to him in projected fight purses.

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