Mercedes feared Russell would not finish
No place for Ofori
ACCRA – Kamal Sowah’s form for Club Brugge in the Champions League has won him a World Cup call-up for Ghana after the uncapped striker was yesterday included in the country’s squad for Qatar.
Ghana have been forced to name three inexperienced goalkeepers after their first two choices – Jojo Wollacott from Charlton Athletic and South Africa-based Richard Ofori – were both injured in club action.
Thuram, Disasi added
PARIS – Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram and Monaco defender Axel Disasi have been called up to play the World Cup with France, the French federation (FFF) said yesterday. The 25-year-old Thuram is the 26th player who will make the trip to Qatar, where France will be looking to retain their title. Disasi made the squad after Paris Saint-Germain centre back Presnel Kimpembe ruled himself out because of a hamstring injury, the FFF said.
Fritz stuns Nadal
TURIN – Taylor Fritz stunned Rafa Nadal 7-6(3) 6-1 to make a winning debut at the ATP Finals in Turin while Norway’s Casper Ruud kick-started the round-robin stage earlier on Sunday with a win over Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. Spanish top seed Nadal arrived in Italy having only competed in one singles match since his fourth-round US Open loss two months ago and his lack of recent competition showed as he was unable to keep pace with Fritz as the match wore on. “I need more matches to play at this kind of level, even if I am practising well, much better than how I am competing, without a doubt. That’s normal,” Nadal told reporters.
Finau cruises to victory
HOUSTON – Tony Finau shot a final-round, 1-under 69 to coast to a four-stroke victory at the Cadence Bank Houston Open on Sunday.
Finau held a share of the lead through one round at Memorial Park Golf Course, then separated himself from the pack Friday with an 8-under 62. He had a four-shot lead entering Sunday en route to his 16-under 264 and his third victory of the calendar year.
MOTOR RACING
SAO PAULO – Mercedes feared George Russell would not finish Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix due to a water leak, team boss Toto Wolff revealed after the British driver celebrated his first Formula One victory.
Russell had led a seemingly trouble-free race from the start at Interlagos but Wolff, who did not travel to Brazil, told reporters on a video call that it had been a different story behind the scenes.
“We had a water leak on the car throughout the race and it wasn’t clear whether we could actually make it to the end,” said the Austrian.
“We all agreed we’re going to let him drive to the end even without water, on whatever was there to cool it and just try to finish the race.”
A team spokesman said Russell, whose one-two win with seven-time
world champion team mate Lewis Hamilton was the first of a difficult season for once-dominant Mercedes, had not been informed.
“We were concerned at one point that we would be four or five laps from the finish and not making it but then it did by the skin of its teeth,” he said.
Finish
A failure to finish would have been a massive blow for the 24-year-old racer, who has suffered such agonies before with Mercedes.
In 2020 the then-Williams driver could have won when he stood in for Hamilton in Bahrain after the champion was sidelined by COVID-19.
Russell qualified on the front row then and led until the team bungled a pitstop and sent him out on the wrong tyres, forcing him to pit again. He fought back to second when a puncture dropped him back and he ended up ninth.