Generally, the summer is a pretty slow sports season to watch, as baseball is the only sport of the big four to play through July and August (tennis fans know that some prominent tournaments take place; however, generally, “America’s pastime” stays at the top). This year has been very different, as the NHL is still playing through the Stanley Cup Final, the 2020 European Championships (soccer) are currently going on, and Wimbledon has just begun for tennis! That’s not to mention that this year, the Tokyo Olympics will be taking place. I know, that’s a lot, but hopefully this guide helps you narrow your search while you sweat your summer away.
If you like soccer, you are probably very happy that after the 2020 cancellation of the tournament, the European Championships are going forward as planned. What is sometimes regarded as the second biggest tournament the sport has (of course next to the FIFA World Cup), the famed “Euros” draws ridiculous crowds and reactions from all over. Portugal lost to Belgium, so I am sad, but don’t let my misery stop you! Check out high profile teams battle for the prestigious UEFA trophy.
This year’s Wimbledon is special, as many high-profile contenders are not playing and Novak Djokovic continues his road to the potential and very prestigious “golden slam.” However, that’s not all, as this year’s tournament has just as many big storylines outside of the men’s tournament. With her nemesis, Naomi Osaka, out of the tournament, could this be the year that Serena Williams comes back from her slump to win another Wimbledon? Or will a new player shock the world and win what some consider to be the most significant grand slam?
Boxing, MMA, and other combat sports don’t generally have traditional seasons, but this summer should have many high profile fights to watch. Boxing will feature the trilogy fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, and should Fury defeat Wilder for the second consecutive time via KO or TKO, it’s all but guaranteed that his next opponent contractually will be his fellow countryman Anthony Joshua.
Funnily enough, if you want to know a big Olympic storyline for this year’s games, I’d go back to tennis. The past two Olympic gold medals for men’s tennis have been won by Andy Murray; however, the three time grand slam champion has not performed nearly as well during the past three to four years. Presumably, should they play, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will be favoured; however, other global phenoms like Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev could threaten the famed pair of legends. With Nadal out of the race due to rest and recovery, this year’s Olympic tennis tournament could be big for the sport, as Nadal won his singles gold medal in 2008 and is the only member of the “big three” to do so.
Stay safe from the heat, enjoy your summer, and be sure to check these contests out as you hopefully get a much needed break after the winter and summer semester!
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