Stade Toulouse in the final, Swiatek and Rublev crowned in Madrid, Norris opens his counter… The sports recap of the weekend

2024-05-06 06:16:36

After failing in the last two seasons in the semi-finals, Stade Toulouse took this step to meet Leinster in the final of the Champions Cup.

France Télévisions – Sports Editorial

Published on 06/05/2024 06:00

Update on 06/05/2024 08:16

Reading time: 5 min

Anthony Dupont, Andrew Rublev, Lando Norris and Iga Swiatek. (AFP)

Due to a duty of remembrance to honor the victims of the Furiani disaster, the Ligue 1 program was less important this weekend. This did not, however, prevent still dense sports news. Didn’t follow the results? Franceinfo: sport summarizes the sports news of recent days.

Champions Cup: Toulouse back in the final

Stade Toulouse can believe in its sixth star. At the end of another offensive festival at home, Ugo Mola’s men defeated Harlequins in the Champions Cup semi-finals (38-26). In the lead thanks to an excellent first period during which they found the goal five times, the Rouge et Noir held their advantage despite the comeback of the English, coming back to five points with a quarter of an hour to go.

1/2 final: the summary of Stade Toulousain vs Harlequins
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It must be said that they were greatly helped by the yellow card addressed to Jack Walker for a dangerous gesture on Antoine Dupont, previously author of a double. They will meet the Irish from Leinster in the final – defeaters of Northampton on Saturday (20-17) – in London, on May 25 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Iga Swiatek and Andrey Rublev: new bosses in Madrid

For their first duel of the season, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka graced the Madrid public with a true masterpiece on Saturday evening (7-5, 4-6, 7-6 [9-7]). Won by the Pole, this final was the scene of a bitter duel, three weeks before Roland-Garros. In 3h11 of play, the two best players in the world delivered a thrilling finale. A set everywhere in particular, when the latter further raised their level of play, refusing defeat at all costs, like Iga Swiatek, who erased four match points before collapsing to the ground, moved by his success, the first in Madrid.

Among their male counterparts, it was Andrey Rublev who won the trophy once morest Félix Auger-Aliassime, following an unequal final (4-6, 7-5, 7-5). Initially at a fairly poor level, the match gradually increased in intensity following the Canadian won the first set. Andrey Rublev then woke up, to raise his level of play and finally win in 2h49. Long saved by his excellent service, “FAA” was finally betrayed by the latter, by committing a double fault on the decisive match point. This is the Russian’s second Master 1000, following his victory in Monte-Carlo last year.

F1: winner in Miami, Lando Norris takes his first victory

Formula 1 found a place in the Florida sun for a weekend, and Lando Norris shone brightly. Only beaten by an engine problem this season, Max Verstappen this time had to lose to the Briton. At 24, the latter achieved his first success in the premier category and offered his team its first victory since Monza 2021. In his company, he will have benefited from a helping hand from the race management and the safety car, placed by mistake in front of the Dutchman instead of the McLaren driver.

Behind him, the world champion places his Red Bull on the second step of the podium, without having been able to compete with him, ahead of Charles Leclerc (Ferrari). After failing to score points during the sprint race, the Alpine have finally opened their account. Esteban Ocon, finishing 10th, won the team’s first point this season. A small victory for a team in distress since the start of the year.

PSG crowned in pain in the Coupe de France

In France, another women’s title was at stake: the Coupe de France. The hotly contested final between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Fleury 91 on Saturday finally offered a title to the Parisiennes, who won 1-0 and thus won their fourth national trophy. Faced with Floriacumoises tightly grouped together, Jocelyn Prêcheur’s players waited until the 74th minute and a lucky cross-shot from Lieke Martens to finally realize their sterile domination.

In the meantime, PSG had been reduced to ten men in the 66th minute following the expulsion of young Thiniba Samoura. Fleury, who was playing the first final in its history, was up to the occasion as he had been in the semi-finals once morest the Lyon ogre (0-0, 5 tab to 4), but without thwarting the predictions. The two teams might face each other once more in the D1 Arkema playoff final since PSG will face Paris FC in a first semi-final, when Fleury, well on his way to securing his fourth qualifying place for the tournament, might find Lyon once more.

Final: the summary of PSG – FC Fleury 91
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A good weekend for the French women’s gymnastics team

Very positive weekend for the French women’s gymnastics team. During the European Championships in Rimini, Italy, the French collective pocketed a whopping four medals, including one gold. An encouraging result, two and a half months before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. On vault, Caroline Devillard retained her title, to win her third title in the discipline following that obtained in 2017 and 2023. Still on vault , Ming Gherardi van Eijken, 16, won a nice bronze medal.

Same metal for Marine Boyer. At 24, the woman who will be competing in her third Games has reassured herself with a view to the Olympic deadline, where she is aiming for a medal. Finally, the Blues concluded the weekend in style, by winning the bronze medal in the team all-around competition. The collective made up of Coline Devillard, Marine Boyer, Lorette Charpy, Morgane Osyssek and Ming Gherardi van Eijken was beaten by Italy and Great Britain. “Considering the preparation, I am very happy with what we didtestified the captain, Marine Boyer. At the collective level, it will help us move forward.“

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