Trying to keep up with each sport you enjoy can be time-consuming. But The Istanbul Chronicle is here to present to you, the latest updates from the sports world, all in one place!
Formula 1
Daniel Ricciardo, a Red Bull reserve driver, is going to make a mid-season comeback to the Formula One grid, joining AlphaTauri, and is going to take over for Nyck de Vries, FE and F2 winner, who had a difficult first season in Formula 1. Ricciardo's strong result in a recent Pirelli tire test shows that he has kept up his form despite not competing. Christian Horner, the head of the Red Bull team, praised his competitive lap times throughout the test. Before switching to Red Bull and winning seven grand prix, Ricciardo had previously competed with AlphaTauri (later Toro Rosso). He returned to Red Bull as a third driver for the 2023 season after stints with Renault and McLaren. The window of opportunity for Ricciardo to rejoin the grid has opened up as a result of de Vries' struggles.
In the Hungarian Daniel Ricciardo successfully lived up to expectations. He finished 13th, and ahead of his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. However, this was not the case in the latest Belgium Grand Prix. Fan favorite Ricciardo finished 16th and fell out of points while Tsunoda was 10th, and got 1 point for the team.
As the F1 is in the summer break, we will see how the second half of the season will go for Daniel Ricciardo. Summer break will officially end with Dutch Grand Prix and Zandvoort on the 25-27 August.
Volleyball
In the 2023 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), Türkiye Women's National Volleyball Team won their first-ever VNL gold medal, beating Asian powerhouse China with a 3-1 score. It can be seen that the team has been trying to develop new playing strategies with the arrival of Danielle Santarelli, the head coach of the Imoco Volley team and the former head coach of the Serbian Women's National Volleyball Team. Yet, the success cannot only be attributed to Santarelli, as most of the players, such as Gizem Örge and Melissa Vargas, who were both selected for the Dream Team of 2023, put on an amazing performance.
The country’s success, however, does not end there since the Turkey Men's National Volleyball Team became the champion of the CEV European Gold League. The team’s next stop was the FIVB Challenger Cup, which is to be held in Qatar. They have just become eligible to compete in the 2024 Volleyball Nations League with a 3-2 victory against Qatar Men’s National Volleyball team.
As the transfer window continues for the next season, the team that stood out the most was Turkish Airlines. The team, which included Brazilian coach Ze Roberto, the owner of three Olympic medals, is taking unexpected steps by transferring many experienced players.
The FIVB announced that the World Championship, which used to be held every four years, will be held every two years starting in 2025. Volleyball fans accuse the federation of not considering the health of the players due to the frequency of tournaments. In addition, the green card system was introduced to the league, in which, during the finals, players who admit their mistakes, such as net touch, will be given a green card. The team with the most green cards will receive $30,000 as a fair play prize. For this year’s VNL, the USA National Women’s Volleyball Team was rewarded with the Fair Play Award.
Tennis
The most exciting news in tennis this month was the Wimbledon finales. For the Wimbledon Women, Marketa Vondrousova defeated Ons Jabeur for the first Slam title. The Czech left-hander dominated her opponent’s errors and moves and became the Wimbledon Women’s Singles champion. For the Men’s Final, it was Carlos Alcaraz against the seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz beat Djokovic in a five-set thriller, becoming the Wimbledon champion for Men’s Singles. For Men’s Doubles, Koolhof, and Skupski duo became the champions by beating Zeballos and Granollers. For Women’s Doubles, Mertens and Sanders were defeated by Strycova and Hsieh, who claimed the trophy. The highlight of the final was definitely Carlos Alcaraz ending Djokovic’s 34-match winning streak at Wimbledon by beating him at the end. The tennis world is tempted to see what Carlos, a 20-year-old rising star, has to say from this championship to forward.
Chess
On July 16, the largest chess event in the UK was held in Trafalgar Square in London. Over 15,000 people attended the annual open-air chess festival, which celebrates its third birthday this year. The festival includes human-sized pieces brought to life by actors. The event is sponsored by the nonprofit organization Chess in Schools and Communities to promote and create awareness for chess. The event was meticulously planned months before, hence why it took place in July. London’s challenging weather conditions allowed only a few sunny days for the event. Alongside many distinguished players joining the event, the huge interest of the spectators was also noteworthy.
Written by:
Chess - Elif Kılıç
Tennis - Deren Bulut
Voleyball - Nehir Türkmen
Formula 1 - Eylül Karabulak
Edited by:
Melisa Altıntaş & Yağmur Ece Nisanoğlu