We’re halfway through July, which means a good chunk of summer has been and gone. Huge events, such as the French Open and Wimbledon in the tennis world, the Women’s FIFA World Cup, the NBA Final, and the European Games in Azerbaijan, have enthralled viewers across the globe already, but there’s a whole swathe of sporting action still to come. After all, what could be better than relaxing in the summer heat by watching the world’s premier athletes strut their stuff on the biggest stages of all?
Pop Culture Beast takes a look at the best of the summer action that’s still to come. Carry on reading to see our pick of the bunch.
Cycling
The Tour de France is underway right now. Cycling’s premier competitive event draws in a huge viewership, in person and on TV. Currently, Team Sky’s Chris Froome has the yellow jersey, and has been impressing with his performance.
Froome was one of the main crop of riders tipped for success on this year’s tour, and he looks set to deliver the goods.
He will no doubt be spurred on by his shock mishap in last year’s race, as well as by the prospect of becoming the first Brit to win the Tour twice.
The pressure is definitely on Froome, but if anyone can handle it, he can.
All in all, the Tour de France makes for excellent viewing, even for those not interested in the sport, thanks to its high stakes and prestige. The race wraps up very soon, so you’ve not got long catch a glimpse of the action – make the most of it while you can.
Golf
The British Open is wrapping up as this article is being written. The leaderboard is tight – chopping and changing all the time. In fact, Betfair has Johnson, Leishman and Spieth on short odds to win the tournament. With one shot separating the top five, it’s looking like it could go right down to the wire.
If you’ve missed the open, there’s still a good amount of golf action coming up this summer.
There is, of course, the Women’s British Open at the end of August, as well as the next round of the PGA tour in Wisconsin, which you can see 13th-16th August.
Formula 1
Formula 1 is going through a tough time right now, following on from the tragic death of Jules Bianchi, which has raised questions about the sport’s safety.
The Hungarian Grand Prix on 26th July is set to be very emotionally charged, with a minute’s silence set to take place before the race.
Tributes have been pouring in for Bianchi across social media, from fellow F1 drivers, sports personalities, as well as the general public.
Goodbye friend. #JB17 pic.twitter.com/mi4E8D2z6N
— Lotus F1 Team (@Lotus_F1Team) July 18, 2015
All my thoughts with #Jules family ???????? i will miss you brother ! RIP Jules . #JB17 @Jules_Bianchi pic.twitter.com/TX3TW6dMn0
— Felipe Massa (@MassaFelipe19) July 18, 2015
No words can describe what his family & the sport have lost. All I can say it was a pleasure knowing & racing you. x pic.twitter.com/NVcfbV9qdR
— M A X Chilton (@maxchilton) July 18, 2015
The F1 community is resilient in sad times – expect tears and hard racing in Hungary.
The race is a spectacle in its own right, without the highly charged emotional backdrop. Rosberg needs to pull in some more wins to try and control Hamilton’s lead. Elsewhere in the driver’s standings, the battle between 4th and 6th place is probably the most interesting, with just 3 points separating Bottas, Raikonnen and Massa.
Following the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Belgian Grand Prix on 23rd August is another race to watch out for. Held on the infamous Spa course, the Belgian Grand Prix produces shock results time after time. Definitely one to keep free and put in your diaries.
These two races are crucial for the title hopes of Rosberg and Hamilton and could result in a shuffling of the order of drivers ranking below them.
Cricket
Another sporting spectacle that’s well underway: The Ashes.
The series kicked off on 8th July, with England taking the first test. However, Australia’s response was emphatic, as they hammered England at Lord’s on 16th July, winning by a staggering 405 runs.
This ties the series at 1-1. The remaining tests are due to be played on 29th July, 6th and 20th August. The Ashes is essential viewing for any cricket fan and is one of the most heated rivalries in professional sports.
It will take a lot from England, both physically and mentally, to bounce back from the drubbing they received at the hands of the in form Aussies – but the series is still very much wide open.
It promises to be a fantastic month of cricket, especially if the series goes down to the wire. With all said and done, in terms of momentum, the third game of the series could prove to be the most important.
Athletics
The Athletic World Championships take place in Beijing on 22-30 August, and is just about as big as it gets in Athletics, despite the Olympics.
Expect the cream of the crop to compete, including the household names of Usain Bolt and Mo Farrah.
Competition will be tight at this year’s games. Usain Bolt has been off the pace, whilst Justin Gatlin, if he continues to perform as he has in recent times, could break Bolt’s world record.
This will bring massive amounts of drama to the sport, as drugs cheat Gatlin isn’t a very popular figure within sprinting, so he could prove to be an extremely unpopular champion, unlike the much adored Bolt.
There will be a feast of competitive athletics on display in Beijing. TV coverage will be comprehensive, meaning we will be able to enjoy every second of the action.
Tennis
The tennis season is now shifting to hard courts, with the king of all hard court tournaments, the US Open, kicking off at the end of August.
Novak Djokovic looks unstoppable following his dismantling of Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final and will definitely be looking to add to his collection of grand slams.
Andy Murray will also be entering the tournament with all guns blazing. He recently pulled out a herculean performance in the Davis Cup, and the US Open will be of particular significance to the Scott – it was the first grand slam that he managed to capture.
However, with Nadal crashing out of Wimbledon early on and Federer still hurting from the Wimbledon final, in addition to the crop of outsiders that impressed on the grass courts, it really is anyone’s for the taking.
So there we have it, our roundup of this summer’s best sporting action. So tune in and let us know if we’ve missed any events that will have you on the edge of your seat. There are tonnes of sports on show this summer and there’s sure to be something to be engrossed in.
