Sports News Roundup: Golf-After maiden win on 50th PGA start, Im bags second on 100th; Verstappen is back on top but Hamilton picking up speed and more

Didier Deschamps side had struggled to get a foothold in the game during a first half dominated by Spain but after going a goal down, following Mikel Oyarzabal's strike, they came alive. Motor racing-Verstappen is back on top but Hamilton picking up speed Max Verstappen took back the Formula One world championship lead from Lewis Hamilton at Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix but champions Mercedes have got faster and alarm bells are ringing at Red Bull.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Tennis-Svitolina survives Cirstea onslaught, Swiatek reaches Indian Wells fourth round

Fourth seed Elina Svitolina survived a third-round onslaught from Romanian Sorana Cirstea to win 4-6 6-4 7-6(3) at Indian Wells on Sunday, while Polish second seed Iga Swiatek eased past Veronika Kudermetova 6-1 6-0. Ukraine's Svitolina, who won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, saved 12 of the 16 break point opportunities Cirstea set up in the two-hour-and-32-minute contest, and had to fight back from 4-2 down in the third set to survive.

Soccer-'When will we get a rest? Never' - Courtois lashes out over number of games

Belgium and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has launched a scathing criticism of UEFA and FIFA for scheduling more and more matches at the expense of player welfare. Courtois hit out at the growing football calendar after his side's 2-1 defeat by Italy in the UEFA Nations' League third-place playoff, labelling the match, in which both teams rotated their squads, a "money game".

Motor racing-Don't expect me to be polite and calm on radio, says Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton said he was not furious with his team after their pit strategy cost him a podium finish at Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix, saying his anger over the radio came from the heat of the moment while jostling for position. The seven-times world champion, who started 11th on the grid due to engine penalties, was running in third place when he was told to pit for a tyre change, against his wishes of staying out in a bid to catch up with Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Golf-After maiden win on 50th PGA start, Im bags second on 100th

South Korea's Im Sung-jae said winning the Shriners Children's Open in Las Vegas on Sunday was a "gift from above" as he marked his 100th start in the PGA Tour with his second title, after claiming his maiden crown on his 50th start last year. The 23-year-old, nicknamed "Ironman Im", carded a final round of nine-under 62 to seal a four-shot win over American Matthew Wolff as he went 24-under for the tournament at TPC Summerlin.

Soccer-Mbappe winner as France beat Spain in Nations League final

World champions France won the Nations League final with goals from Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe earning them a 2-1 win over Spain at the San Siro stadium on Sunday. Didier Deschamps side had struggled to get a foothold in the game during a first half dominated by Spain but after going a goal down, following Mikel Oyarzabal's strike, they came alive.

Motor racing-Verstappen is back on top but Hamilton picking up speed

Max Verstappen took back the Formula One world championship lead from Lewis Hamilton at Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix but champions Mercedes have got faster and alarm bells are ringing at Red Bull. The 24-year-old Dutch driver finished second to Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas at the Istanbul Park circuit to move six points clear of seven-times world champion Hamilton, who ended up fifth.

NHL-Lightning eye rare Stanley Cup three-peat, Kraken set to launch

The 2021-22 NHL season begins this week with most arenas back at full capacity, the Tampa Bay Lightning launching their quest to become the first team since 1983 to win three straight Stanley Cup championships and the debut of the Seattle Kraken. The season will feel closer to normal for the NHL after COVID-19 forced the previous campaign to be shortened, played with realigned divisions in a bid to limit travel and most games taking place without fans.

Athletics-Kenya dominates Boston Marathon as Kipruto, Kipyogei win

Kenya's Benson Kipruto won the men's race and Diana Kipyogei led a Kenyan sweep of the women's podium at the Boston Marathon on Monday, each picking up their first-ever major title. American CJ Albertson set an aggressive early pace to lead the men's field by two minutes and 13 seconds through the first half but saw his headstart disintegrate over hilly terrain after the 20-mile mark, as a tight pack overtook him.

Cycling-UCI helps evacuate 165 refugees from Afghanistan

Cycling's world governing body UCI said it helped in the evacuation of 165 refugees from Afghanistan which included female cyclists, journalists and human rights campaigners whose lives were under threat if they stayed in the country. UCI said they were a part of an operation that also included cycling team Israel Start-Up Nation's owner Sylvan Adams, an NGO named IsraAID, various governments, the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) and world soccer governing body FIFA.

Motor racing-COVID-19 stance could rule F1 medical car driver out of races

Formula One medical car driver Alan van der Merwe risks missing more races, after his absence from Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix, due to his decision not to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Van der Merwe, 41, and F1 doctor Ian Roberts tested positive independently for the coronavirus ahead of the race and did not travel to Istanbul, with the FIA's Formula E crew standing in.

(With inputs from agencies.)