Copa America 2016: Chile Retain title in Final

Chile upset favorites Argentina with a penalty shootout victory in the Copa America Final at MetLife stadium to retain title in the world’s oldest continental soccer competition. Chile earned themselves bragging rights as South America’s dominant team as they beat heavyweights Argentina 4-2 on penalties for a second straight year.

Lionel Messi missed from the spot in the shootout, cutting a dejected figure after the result was sealed and Argentina trophy drought had been extended to 23 years. The two sides were deadlocked 0-0 after 90 minutes and also after another half an hour of extra time in a match where both teams were reduced to 10 men in the first half.

Chilean substitute Francisco Silva placed his penalty low and to the right of Sergio Ramos to score the decider after Messi and Lucas Biglia missed for Argentina and Artura Vidal missed for Chile. The win was the second Copa America in a row for Chile, who won their first Copa title at home last year in exactly the same fashion, beating Argentina on penalties after the team had drawn 0-0 after extra time.

The Centenary Copa America was played in the United States for the first time this year to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the inaugural Copa America in 1916. The tournament was expanded to 16 teams, 10 from South America and six from the CONCACAF region of North and central America and the Caribbean.

MotoGP 2016: Grand Prix of Netherlands

Australian Jack Miller became the first satellite rider to win a MotoGP race in 10 years as the Aussie sealed a sensational victory in the rain affected Dutch TT at Assen. The race was restarted over 12 laps after being stopped initially on lap 15 due to adverse weather conditions, with heavy rain lashing the circuit.

Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez sealed second place to extend his lead at the top of the championship after title rival Valentino Rossi slid out of the lead, while Jorge Lorenzo struggled to the 10^th place. Marc VDS Honda rider Miller becomes the first satellite winner of a MotoGP since Toni Elias clinched victory in Portugal in 2006.

Britain Scott Redding reeled in and passed Pol Espargaro on the penultimate lap to snatch a brilliant third place on the Pramac Ducati, putting two satellite machines onto the podium. A host of riders were caught out by the conditions, including Dani Pedrosa, Cal Crutchlow, Andrea Dovizioso, Bradley Smith, Aleix Espargaro and Alvaro Bautista. Marquez now leads the championship by 24 points from Lorenzo after eight rounds, with Rossi 42 points behind the Honda Rider in third.

Dovizioso, who had been in contention for victory in the original race, saw his hopes ended by a crash on lap two at turn 12, with Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider Smith Sliding out at turn 15. Smith re-joined the race and eventually finished 13^th and last. There were only 13 finishers in a dramatic 250^th MotoGP race at Assen, where the race was held for the first time.

Nico Rosberg wins Europe Grand Prix

Mercedes Nico Rosberg dominated 2016 Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe, beating Ferrari Sebastian Vettel and Force India Sergio Perez to victory at the new Baku City Circuit. With Lewis Hamilton finishing fifth, Rosberg extended his championship lead over his team mate to 24 points.

Starting 10^th on the grid, Hamilton rose as high as fourth before his charge was halted by ERS problem on his F1 W07. After several laps down on power, the world champion eventually found the right settings on his steering wheel to resolve the issue, but by then it was too late to improve his position.

Ferrari Kimi Raikkonen took fourth, while Valtteri Bottas was the lead Williams in sixth, ahead of the two stopping Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen. Force India Nico Hulkenberg and Williams Felipe Massa completed the top ten. Rosberg was a superb redemptive victory, his fifth of the season, and the German never put a wheel wrong on a day when Mercedes crushed Ferrari.

Rosberg lead in the world championship jumps up from nine points after Canada to 24, with 141 Hamilton 117, and Vettel is closing on the reigning champion with 96. Raikkonen reclaims fourth from Ricciardo, with 81 to 78, as Verstappen overtakes Bottas, 54 to 52 and Perez passes Massa 39 to 38. In the constructor stakes, Mercedes have 258 to Ferrari 177, Red Bulls 140, Williams 90 and Force India 59.

Lewis Hamilton wins Canada Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton dedicating his win to Muhammad Ali was certainly a heartfelt tribute after he took his fifth victory at the Canadian Grand Prix. But there was greater resonance for the season as a whole as his performance here has brought to the Formula One World Championship all the hallmarks of the Champ climbing into the ring and positively his opponent step up to the fight.

A superb run to a win at Montreal in tense but ultimately perfectly judged race by both the driver and his team, makes it two victories on the bounce and having been 43 points in arrears two races ago, Hamilton now trails his team-mate Rosberg by only nine, a 34 point swing. It has almost reduced the opening races to mere sparring and now as the pair touch gloves almost at parity, their clash at a highly contested first corner in Canada is only likely to increase the needle.

Vettel early lead was ultimately not enough to secure the win when his team opted for a two stop strategy, gambling that Hamilton one stop would leave him vulnerable at the end. It was not to be the case, the circuit had rubbered in over the weekend and the world champion kept just enough between himself and Vettel, while maintaining his grip, an example of the race craft for which he deserves greater recognition.

Williams’s commitment to a design philosophy of maximizing their car for high speed circuits paid off with their first podium place this season as Valtteri Bottas took third but it remains Mercedes who have the complete package. Ferrari step forward will be welcomed by all who want a proper battle at the front but while their strategy precluded a climatic finish, Hamilton found the perfect impetus to focus everyone attention on the fight for the title.

MotoGP 2016: Grand Prix of Catalunya

The Doctor added a 114^th victory to his career win tally with an emphatic triumph in the Grand Prix of Catalunya, despite falling as low as ninth on the opening lap. Rossi fought off Marc Marquez in their first proper bar to bar tussle since Sepang last year, this time, not only did they make it to the chequered flag unscathed, but the fierce rivals even shook hands afterwards sharing genuine smiles.

Dani Pedrosa finished just a few seconds in arrears to round out the podium, all donning matching black shirts carrying a tribute to fallen Moto2 rider Luis Salom, whose death in a practice crash on Friday cast a pall over the meeting. Jack Miller claimed the best finish of his MotoGP career so far with a smart and speedy ride from the back row of the grid, fighting his way into 10^th on the last lap.

But for reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo, the day was a disaster. Lorenzo rocketed into the lead from the start and looked pissed to turn in another of his trademark lights to flag demonstrations. But the No. 99 Yamaha failed to creep more than a few bike lengths ahead of the pack, a charging Rossi dispensing with his teammate before the end of the seventh lap. From there Lorenzo sank like a stone, appearing to be struggling for grip from his Michelin front tyre.

Andrea Lannone added to his misery by crashing them both out of the race on the Lap 17. Marquez kept within a second of Rossi once they hit the lead and began to close in as the halfway point neared. Marquez now leads the standings once again, 10 Markers ahead of Lorenzo while Rossi sits a further 12 adrift in third.

French Open 2016

Serbia Novak Djokovic defeated Britain’s Andy Murray in the final of the French Open at Roland Garros to win his 13^th Grand Slam. With this victory, Djokovic won his maiden Roland Garros crown and also completed his career Grand Slam dream.

Coming from a set down, the Serb won back to back three sets to oust Murray from the title hunt. He won 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, and 6-4. The world number one etched his name in the history books by becoming the first man since 1969 to hold all four grand slams concurrently. After a rather sluggish start, Djokovic came back with all guns blazing, only to destroy Murray hopes of becoming the first player from Britain to win the French Open since 1935.

A lot was stake at Murray, who has not only gunning for glory but also looking to shut down his critics. On the contrary, for Djokovic, the French Open was the only silverware missing from his trophy cabinet and the weather gods made it even more difficult for him to his hands on it. Djokovic battled the weather and an adamant opponent, to make his way to the summit. Earlier, 22 year old sensation Garbine Muguruza had stunned Serena Williams to win the crown in straight sets 7-5, 6-4 in women’s singles.

Men’s doubles title is won by F. Lopez and M. Lopez, who stunned Bryan brothers in finals by 4-6, 7-6, and 3-6. Women doubles title is won by C. Garcia and K. Mladenovic by 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Mixed double is won by M. Hingis and L. Paes who beat S. Mirza and I. Dodig in finals by 4-6, 6-4, and 10-8. Next Grand Slam event will be Wimbledon which will start from 27 June 2016 in Wimbledon.