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Sonny Liston, in black trunks, just as he is felled by Muhammad Ali’s ‘phantom punch’ in May 1965.
Sonny Liston, in black trunks, just as he is felled by Muhammad Ali’s ‘phantom punch’ in May 1965. Photograph: AP
Sonny Liston, in black trunks, just as he is felled by Muhammad Ali’s ‘phantom punch’ in May 1965. Photograph: AP

Berlin derby passions, the phantom punch and classified results

This article is more than 3 years old

This week’s roundup also features Robin Smith, Martina Hingis and great golfing escapes of 2020 so far

1) We’re all Bundesliga hipsters now – and this weekend’s most appetising fixture (albeit shorn of the atmosphere that would have made it special) is the Berlin derby between Hertha and Union, a fixture the latter won in the first Bundesliga meeting of the sides earlier in the season. Here’s a reminder of that one and some background on Union matchwinner Sebastian Polter. Savour that atmosphere here.

2) F1 is ready to unveil an eight-race European start to season, as we reported on Wednesday. So here’s some classic action from the British Grand Prix: Nigel Mansell’s memorable win in 1987, Kimi Raikkonen wrapping up victory for Ferrari in 2007, and another British favourite, Lewis Hamilton, claiming glory in the 2017 edition.

3) Today marks the nine-year anniversary of Leinster’s stirring comeback win in the Heineken Cup final against Northampton at the Millennium Stadium, when they somehow dug out a 33-22 victory having trailed 22-6. Leinster and Michael Cheika had registered their first Heineken Cup win two years before, having already beaten Munster in a classic semi-final on the way.

4) The Judge rules: on this day 27 years ago, Robin Smith set a new individual record England one-day international score with 167 against Australia at Edgbaston, a huge amount in old-cricket money. Enjoy his hard-hitting swagger here. And here’s a little profile of an England legend in a difficult era.

5) Staying on an anniversary tip, it’s 55 years since Muhammad Ali’s famous “phantom punch” felled Sonny Liston. Here’s some analysis.

6) It’s 14 years to the day since Martina Hingis rubber-stamped her tennis comeback after a three-year hiatus from the professional tour. The Swiss defeated Dinara Safina in the final of the Italian Open for her 41st singles title – and her first in more than four years.

7) Belgian schemer Dries Mertens had been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, before announcing earlier this week that he’s staying put in Serie A with Napoli. Here’s some of his finest work while he’s been in sunny Naples, from a whipped lob and the subtlest of touches in separate matches against Lazio, to a compilation of every goal he’s scored for the club.

8) Have you ever seen Risteárd Cooper’s Après Match spoof on the classified Northern Irish results? If not, why not? And while we’re on the subject of result announcement-related entertainment, another dose of Mark E Smith reading out the classified scores never goes amiss.

Our favourites from below the line last week

1) Greatest golfing escapes of 2020 so far: Lowry, Mickelson and more.

2) When referee Hue Hollins denied the Bulls against the Knicks.

3) When old rally cars go wrong.

Spotters’ badges: whobroughtoranges, evilaundria

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