Monday, December 23, 2024

Sports fans rejoice: Wimbledon, Euro 2024 and Copa America finals make for a Super Sunday

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Sports fans: How about this for a Super Sunday?

Start with the men’s singles final at Wimbledon, then take in the soccer European Championship title match between Spain and England, before finishing the day with the Copa America soccer showpiece: Argentina against Colombia.

From London to Berlin and all the way to Miami over the course of 13 hours, it’s quite the day of top-class sports to enjoy.

Quite the cast, too.

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will have another showdown at the All England Club, a rematch of the 2023 final.

Spain’s Lamine Yamal, soccer’s newest superstar who will have just turned 17, against Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden at the Olympiastadion.

Then, the great Lionel Messi — back in another major final for Argentina, 19 months after leading the team to the World Cup title — in what could yet be his swansong at an international tournament at Hard Rock Stadium.

Wimbledon

The men’s singles final will take place at 2 p.m. local time (9 a.m. EDT). In Friday’s semifinals, Alcaraz beat Daniil Medvedev in four sets and Djokovic took out Lorenzo Musetti in three. Alcaraz beat Djokovic in five sets in last year’s final to capture his first title at Wimbledon and second Grand Slam trophy overall. If it goes that long again, armchair fans won’t have too much of a wait until the soccer doubleheader begins. The women’s singles final takes place on Saturday and will be between Jasmine Paolini and Barbora Krejcikova.

Euro 2024

Spain vs. England will kick off at 9 p.m. local time (3 p.m. EDT) and could be the crowning moment for Yamal in his breakthrough tournament, which the Barcelona winger has played while aged 16 for the most part. He turns 17 on Saturday. Spain starts as the favorite after winning all six of its games at Euro 2024 and is looking to capture the title for a record fourth time. England, the birthplace of soccer, is in a second straight European Championship final and is bidding for a first major title since its only one so far — the 1966 World Cup.

Copa America

The title match between Argentina and Colombia will begin at 8 p.m. local time (0000 GMT on Monday). It should still be hot and humid for the 37-year-old Messi and Argentina, which is bidding to clinch a record 16th Copa America title — breaking a tie for 15 with Uruguay. Argentina is the defending champion after winning it in 2021, so is going for a third straight major-tournament title. Colombia’s only Copa America title came in 2001 — and that was the last time the team was in the final.

Other sports

If all that still isn’t enough for you, there’s a bit more sport going on to fill the time. There’s golf throughout the day at the Evian Championship, the fourth women’s major of the year, and the Scottish Open, where Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Ludvig Aberg are among the stars getting some links prep in ahead of the British Open. Also, there’s the 15th stage of the Tour de France if you fancy a bit of cycling.

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