Sports events hitting your screen this summer

Though the sporting world was put on pause for a few months, it’s time to press play. Football has already kicked off, with Liverpool taking the Premier League title, but it’s only just getting started. Get ready for a summer of televised sport, as drivers take to tracks, athletes take to the grass, commentators take to the box and spectators take to the sofa. Though the schedules are not completely set in stone, here are four events to watch out for. 

Champions League

Despite already crowning Liverpool at the top of the table, the Premier League is set to continue until 26^th July, playing out the remaining fixtures between Britain’s best teams. After a short window, it will be replaced by another beloved contest, with the table this time extending its reach across Europe as the UEFA Champions League resumes in Lisbon. Here, the quarter-finals, semi-finals and grand final will be played out, concluding a season that has been on hold since the 11^th March.

US Open 

Tennis fans can finally get excited again after their huge disappointment following the announcement that Wimbledon would be cancelled back in April. Though there won’t be any sitting on Henman Hill or screaming “Come on Andy!” from the stalls of the All England Club courts, we will still be able to shout our support from afar. After his hip trouble, Murray is fighting fit and “really keen to play” at the US Open on 30^th August, where he will attempt to take the title from reigning champion Rafael Nadal – though the likelihood of that happening is very low. The real challenge is coming from world number one Novak Djokovic. Those who can’t wait this long can also check out the Cincinnati Western & Southern Open, with the first ball served up mid-August. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the event will be played at Flushing Meadows too.

Formula One

Formula One has announced that the 2020 season is set to begin next month, starting with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring on 5^th July. Eight races have been revealed in total, including the Hungarian Grand Prix, two races on home turf at Silverstone and the Spanish, Belgian and Italian Grand Prix. Petrolheads can rest assured that there are likely to be many more events, between 15-18 in total, before the close of the season in December. When British driver Lewis Hamilton addressed his fans recently, he called his preparation for the coming season his “most difficult” so far.

Moto GP

Motorcyclists also have a reason to rejoice as the return of Moto GP has been confirmed, with 17 races on the calendar between July and December. The first race will take place at the Circuito de Jerez in Spain on 19^th July, and the events will span across the globe, ranging from the Czech Republic and the iconic Le Mans track in France all the way to Argentina, Thailand and Malaysia. Some have questioned why Silverstone can’t host any MotoGP but can host two rounds of F1; the answer is likely a matter of both economics and logistics, but as we can’t yet stand track-side, it won’t make too much difference to viewers.

The editorial unit