
Alex Marquez beats brother Marc in British MotoGP sprint
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Duvati-VR46) took third at the seventh race weekend of the 2025 season with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) in fourth.
Alex Marquez, on a Ducati satellite Gresini bike, finally topped the podium after finishing second in all six previous Saturday sprints.
It moved the Spaniard to within 19 points of Marc Marquez ahead of Sunday's main event.
"We did everything in the best possible way, even if the start wasn't the best," said the winner of the 10-lap dash who set off from second on the grid.
Marquez senior, who qualified in fourth and led the sprint early on, said: "I took risks on the first lap because from the second row on the grid, it was the right thing to do".
"Then I made a mistake (on the second lap) which played into the hands of Alex," added the six-time elite class champion.
Former two-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia (sixth on Saturday), the Ducati factory teammate of Marc Marquez, is placed third in the standings, 56 points off the lead.
France's Fabio Quartararo, who had earlier taken his third successive pole with a new Silverstone lap record, had to settle for seventh on his Yamaha.
His compatriot, Johann Zarco, came in fifth after his Le Mans heroics when he became the first home rider to win the French MotoGP since 1954 a fortnight ago.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
French Open: Sabalenka, Swiatek to battle in semi-final as Alcaraz dominates Paul
Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek set up a blockbuster French Open semi-final clash with world number one Aryna Sabalenka on Tuesday, as reigning men's holder Carlos Alcaraz powered his way into the last four. Alcaraz blew away American 12th seed Tommy Paul for the loss of just five games in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier. The Spaniard needed just one hour 34 minutes to dismantle Paul 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 and set up a last-four meeting with Italy's Lorenzo Musetti. "I'm sorry you wanted to watch more tennis, I had to do my work," Alcaraz told the crowd. "It was one of those matches where I could close my eyes and everything went in. It was like my feeling today was unbelievable." Earlier, Swiatek, the fifth seed, got past Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5, after top women's seed Sabalenka won a tense quarter-final against Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. World number five Swiatek has been struggling for her best form and has not reached a final since winning the French Open title last year. But she gave 13th seed Svitolina little opportunity on her favoured clay surface, breaking in the fourth game to ease through the first set, in windy conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier. The pair exchanged consecutive breaks of serve early in the second set, before Swiatek forced the breakthrough at 5-5 with a powerful forehand down the line. She then sealed the win with back-to-back aces. "Even though the first set, the score looks pretty straightforward, it wasn't," said Swiatek. "I had to fight for every point." Alcaraz-Musetti rematch Swiatek is aiming to become the first woman to win four straight Roland Garros crowns since Suzanne Lenglen 102 years ago. "(Aryna) has been having a great season so I'm not going to lie, it is going to be a tough match. But I'm happy for the challenge," said Swiatek, after reeling off her 26th win in a row at the French Open. Both players have shared the number one ranking between them since April 2022. Sabalenka ended Swiatek's 11-month reign as world number one last October but the Pole leads 8-4 in their previous meetings. 07:22 Earlier, reigning US Open champion Sabalenka avenged her recent loss to Zheng in Rome. "The last tournament I was pretty exhausted," said Sabalenka. "Today I was more fresh, I was ready to battle." Sabalenka once again got the upper hand over Zheng, who had been on a winning streak of 10 matches on the Paris clay after her run to Olympic gold last year. Zheng broke and led 4-2 in the first set. But numerous unforced errors -- 31 in total -- allowed the Belarusian to come back. "I gave her the chance, so easy," said Zheng, who has lost seven times in eight meetings with Sabalenka, including in last year's Australian Open final. Madrid Open champion Sabalenka feels she is ready to go all the way in Paris, where her previous best was the semi-finals two years ago. "It's high-level matches. I'm super excited to go out there and to fight and to do everything I need to get the win," said Sabalenka. Alcaraz, 22, dispatched former world number nine Paul after Musetti had earlier seen off Paul's 15th seeded compatriot Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. The second seed hit 40 winners and made just 22 unforced errors against Paul, who he also beat on his way to silver at the Paris Olympics last year. Eighth seed Musetti, 23, took over two hours 45 minutes to get past Tiafoe and qualify for his second Grand Slam semi-final, after Wimbledon last year. Musetti's serve proved to be a major weapon on the day as he fired down eight aces with an 81 percent success rate on his first serve. He also saved two of the three break points engineered by Tiafoe, who had 51 unforced errors to the Italian's 32. It will be the third time Alcaraz and Musetti meet this clay-court season. Alcaraz has dominated that series -- beating the Italian in the final in Monte Carlo before also stopping him in the last four on his way to the Rome title.


France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
'Amazing' Alcaraz cruises into French Open last four
The Spaniard needed just one hour 34 minutes to dismantle former world number nine Paul 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 and set up a last-four meeting with Italy's Lorenzo Musetti. Musetti, seeded eighth, earlier beat Paul's compatriot and 15th seed Frances Tiafoe in four sets. It will be the third time Alcaraz and Musetti meet this clay-court season. Alcaraz has dominated that series, beating the Italian in the final in Monte Carlo before also stopping him in the last four on his way to the Rome title. And the 22-year-old's blistering performance under the lights on centre court in Paris will have many backing him to make it three from three against Musetti as he seeks to defend his title. "It was, I could close my eyes and everything went in, my feeling today was amazing. Today was one of those matches where everything went in, I'm just pleased with everything," said Alcaraz. Alcaraz fired 40 winners on his way to victory over Paul for just 22 unforced errors as he emphatically put inconsistent displays in the previous rounds behind him. "This kind of match is never easy," he said. "I've played Tommy many times and he's beat me twice." Despite previous success against Alcaraz, it took the 28-year-old American eight games to get on the scoreboard as his opponent raced out of the blocks, mixing powerful groundstrokes with perfectly-weighted drop-shots and lobs. Paul put up determined resistance in the third set but couldn't deny Alcaraz, who broke in the ninth game before holding to love for victory. "I know you wanted to watch more tennis," an apologetic Alcaraz told the crowd on centre court. "I have to say sorry for that. But I had to do my work." Paul has now lost his last four meetings with Alcaraz, including at the same venue last year in the last eight of the Olympic Games.


France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
Alcaraz, Swiatek and Sabalenka in French Open semi-final hunt
Reigning men's champion Alcaraz is through to the last eight at Roland Garros for the fourth year running and aims to become the third man this century to defend his title, after Gustavo Kuerten and Rafael Nadal. Alcaraz has dropped a set in each of the past three rounds and said "I fought against myself in the mind" after a tough four-set victory over Ben Shelton in the last 16. The 22-year-old Spaniard holds a 4-2 career record against Paul, the US 12th seed whom Alcaraz beat in the quarter-finals of the Paris Olympics on the way to a silver medal last August. "I remember that every match that I've played against him he was really tough," said Alcaraz. "His level is really high right now. He has a lot of confidence. "It's going to be a really interesting match to watch, because every time we play against each other, we rise our level to the top as well." If Alcaraz gets past Paul he will meet the winner of Tuesday's other men's quarter-final between in-form Italian Lorenzo Musetti and Frances Tiafoe. Musetti has been one of the form players on clay this season, reaching at least the last four in all three of the principal warm-up events ahead of the French Open. Both Musetti and US 15th seed Tiafoe are appearing at this stage of Roland Garros for the first time. Tiafoe, twice a US Open semi-finalist, has yet to drop a set in Paris and is confident he can go even further. "When I'm playing well, I'm there and present and having fun, I think the sky's the limit for me." Swiatek, Sabalenka on collision course Swiatek arrived at her favourite tournament with serious doubts over her ability to win a fifth French Open in six years after a lengthy trophy drought. The 24-year-old Pole has not won a title since lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen for a third successive edition 12 months ago. She was put to the test by Elena Rybakina, who led by a set and a break before Swiatek escaped trouble to book a quarter-final with Elina Svitolina. "It means a lot. I think I needed that kind of win to like feel these feelings that I'm able to win under pressure," Swiatek said after reeling off her 25th win in a row at the French Open. "It's a great confirmation for me. Yeah, I for sure wanted to have a match like that." Ukrainian 13th seed Svitolina pulled off an even more remarkable comeback against 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini, saving three match points to reach her fifth Roland Garros quarter-final. The 30-year-old has never advanced to the last four but will hope to finally match husband Gael Monfils' run to the semi-finals in 2008. That French connection also guarantees Svitolina has her fair share of supporters in Paris. "For so many years I loved and still loving to play here in France," she said. "The support is amazing. They push me to play better... this is a great feeling to have when the crowd is giving you this extra energy." World number one Aryna Sabalenka is on a revenge mission against Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen after losing to the Chinese star in Rome recently. Zheng beat Sabalenka for the first time in seven attempts and will try to repeat the trick against the player she lost to in the 2024 Australian Open final. "I expect a great battle, and I'm super excited to face her in the quarter-finals, and I want to get my revenge. Yeah, I want to get this win after Rome," said Sabalenka. Madrid champion Sabalenka feels she is ready to go all the way in Paris, where her best performance was reaching the semi-finals two years ago. "I think in the last year I improved a lot in my game, and I think now going to the French Open, I don't have those doubts that I cannot play on clay, so maybe I'm more confident this year." A win over Zheng could line up an eagerly anticipated last-four showdown with Swiatek.