عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Bagnaia Wins Japanese Grand Prix Sprint after Leader Acosta Crashes

Ducati Lenovo Team rider Francesco Bagnaia of Italy (R) leads his teammate Enea Bastianini of Italy (L) during Tissot Sprint of the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at the Mobility Resort Motegi in Motegi, Tochigi prefecture on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
Ducati Lenovo Team rider Francesco Bagnaia of Italy (R) leads his teammate Enea Bastianini of Italy (L) during Tissot Sprint of the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at the Mobility Resort Motegi in Motegi, Tochigi prefecture on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
TT
20
TT

Bagnaia Wins Japanese Grand Prix Sprint after Leader Acosta Crashes

Ducati Lenovo Team rider Francesco Bagnaia of Italy (R) leads his teammate Enea Bastianini of Italy (L) during Tissot Sprint of the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at the Mobility Resort Motegi in Motegi, Tochigi prefecture on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
Ducati Lenovo Team rider Francesco Bagnaia of Italy (R) leads his teammate Enea Bastianini of Italy (L) during Tissot Sprint of the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at the Mobility Resort Motegi in Motegi, Tochigi prefecture on October 5, 2024. (AFP)

Reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia won MotoGP's Japanese Grand Prix sprint on Saturday after leader Pedro Acosta crashed out with four laps to go, reducing his gap with championship leader Jorge Martin, who finished fourth, to 15 points.

Rookie Acosta, who took pole earlier in the day, had overtaken Bagnaia on the third lap to take the lead, but lost control near turn seven, losing the opportunity to win his first MotoGP sprint.

Ducati's Bagnaia, who moved to 357 points ahead of Sunday's race, fought off second-placed Enea Bastianini by 0.181 seconds amid occasional rains in Motegi to win his 16th sprint of the season.

"We had to sacrifice a bit of performance during the race to understand the conditions better... I'm very happy because with this condition it's not very easy to win," Bagnaia said in his post-sprint interview.

Pramac Racing's Martin, who started from the 11th position on the grid after crashing during the qualifying session, started well to take the fifth position in the first lap, facing pressure from Marc Marquez, who eventually overtook him.

Marquez momentarily took second place from Bastianini but the Ducati rider recovered to leave him third.

LCR Honda's Takaaki Nakagami crashed out of his home grand prix sprint after a collision with teammate Johann Zarco, while Red Bull KTM's Brad Binder, sixth in the championship, quit due to an issue with his bike.

"We´re investigating what happened to cause Brad Binder's sprint to come to a premature end," the team wrote on X. "For now, all we can do is apologize to Brad."

Most Viewed

 
Sports

Sabalenka Beats Pegula in Miami Open Final for 19th Tour Title

Aryna Sabalenka (C) holds the trophy, surrounded by the ball persons, after winning the women's final match of the 2024 Miami Open tennis tournament, in Miami, Florida, USA, 29 March 2025. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH
Aryna Sabalenka (C) holds the trophy, surrounded by the ball persons, after winning the women's final match of the 2024 Miami Open tennis tournament, in Miami, Florida, USA, 29 March 2025. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH
TT
20
TT

Sabalenka Beats Pegula in Miami Open Final for 19th Tour Title

Aryna Sabalenka (C) holds the trophy, surrounded by the ball persons, after winning the women's final match of the 2024 Miami Open tennis tournament, in Miami, Florida, USA, 29 March 2025. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH
Aryna Sabalenka (C) holds the trophy, surrounded by the ball persons, after winning the women's final match of the 2024 Miami Open tennis tournament, in Miami, Florida, USA, 29 March 2025. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH

Aryna Sabalenka entered the Miami Open final against Jessica Pegula with 18 career titles on her elite resume.
The Miami Open crown had proved elusive until Saturday.
The No. 1 seed from Belarus knocked off fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 for her first Miami Open title in a rematch of the 2024 US Open final, The Associated Press reported.
Sabalenka fired up her lethal forehand in posting 24 winners on that wing to win the $1.1 million first prize. Sabalenka hit a backhand passing shot on match point after which she raised both hands to the air, looked up to the sky and blew a kiss.
“Thank God the rain stopped,” Sabalenka said during the trophy ceremony. “It was like Miami was crying that I won this tournament.’’
Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, had won the US Open over Pegula, also in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5, but in 2025, Sabalenka’s finals luck had run out.
The 26-year-old power player has reached the finals of four of six events this year, though only copped one title, in Brisbane, before adding Miami. Sabalenka lost in the finals of the Australian Open and at Indian Wells — the event that preceded Miami.
Sabalenka, who now lives in Miami, brought the hand-blown crystal trophy to the interview room. “Finally I was able to play my best tennis in the finals,’’ Sabalenka said. “I’m super happy to hold this beautiful trophy. I feel like home here, even though I’m traveling every week, it still feels like home.’’
Sabalenka said she will spend the next two weeks in Miami, relaxing before the clay season.
“My team is so exhausted so today we will chill, but tomorrow I’m going to force them to have drinks drinks, burgers, pizza (and) have fun," Sabalenka said. "I think we should celebrate because we struggled after those tough finals, all kind of depressed. After this final, we have to celebrate to remember the moment.’’
During the trophy ceremony, Pegula said to Sabalenka: “You’re the best player in the world for a reason. You keep challenging everyone to get better. The level of tennis you’ve been able to play is amazing.’’
While Sabalenka is a recent South Florida resident, Pegula, a 31-year-old Buffalo native, had the crowd support. Pegula has lived in Boca Raton since she was 13 and is daughter of Terry Pegula, owner of the Buffalo Bills and Sabres.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance as the league owners meetings takes place Monday in nearby Palm Beach. Her father was also on hand.
“It’s still cool to see this transform from a Dolphins-Bills game to a tennis stadium,’’ Pegula said.
Pegula said she saw Goodell, whom she had met before, before the match.
“He was with his daughter and family an hour before the match,’’ Pegula said. “I didn’t know he was coming. I saw him in the cafeteria. It was kind of funny.’’
Neither player could hold serve well in the first set. Sabalenka broke Pegula’s serve four times and won it 7-5, winning the last eight points of the set.
At 5-5, Sabalenka held serve at love for a 6-5 lead, then broke Pegula at love after hitting three straight winners — two at the net.
“She was able to hit the lines when she needed to, hit the big serve with the 1-2 punch when she needed to,’’ Pegula said.
Sabalenka leads the series vs. Pegula 7-2 and has won the last three meetings – all finals. Pegula sounded tired of losing to her.
“Now it feels like the last year Aryna has, especially on the hard courts, been kind of unstoppable virtually,’’ Pegula said. “I definitely like embracing that challenge, although I am getting a little annoyed with playing her.’’
Pegula smiled, adding “I don’t know if I would have won if I played someone else. But, man, I mean, it’s three titles.’’
The men’s doubles final, first on the card, was stopped by rain in the second set with No. 1 seed Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic leading No. 6 Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool 7-6, 3-2. 30-30.
Arevalo and Pavic closed out the championship quickly 7-6, 6-3, but the rain delay caused the 3 p.m. women’s final to begin more than one hour tardy.