‘OK, Lewis that’s P10,’ said Mercedes engineer Pete Bonnington. Bale started 17 games when Real Madrid won LaLiga in 2016-17 and 12 when they won the title in 2019-20. In both seasons there were 12 players or more who started more games for Madrid. Madrid have not seen a performance like that from Bale for close on four years. When Raducanu plays her next clay-court game as a professional, it will also be her first. Since lifting the trophy in 2006, Italy have qualified for a single World Cup – in 2014 – and won a single game in a World Cup finals, against England in Manaus that year.

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