Raducanu, Ronaldo, Verstappen and Hamilton: 25 of the best sports images of the week

We pick out some memorable pictures from the last seven days

Belarus' Iryna Zhuk in action during the women's pole vault at the Diamond League meeting in Zurich on Thursday, September 9. Reuters

Britain's Emma Raducanu serves during her US Open quarter-final win over Belinda Bencic of Switzerland at Flushing Meadows in New York on Wednesday, September 8. EPA

Athletes compete during the bike section of Ironman Switzerland Thun on Sunday, September 5. Getty

Azerbaijani supporters invade the pitch to take selfies with Portugal's Bruno Fernandes during the World Cup qualifier in Baku Olimpic Stadium on Tuesday, September 7. EPA

Steven LoBue of the USA during the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series at Downpatrick Head, Ireland, on Saturday, September 11. Getty

Former MMA star Vitor Belfort looks on after knocking down former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield during their boxing bout at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Florida, on Saturday, September 11. EPA

Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring Chelsea's opening goal in their 3-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, September 12. Reuters

Milwaukee Brewers' Freddy Peralta slides safely past Philadelphia Phillies catcher JT Realmuto during the MLB game on Wednesday, September 8. AP

British athlete Jessica Learmonth at the end of the swimming leg during the Super League Triathlon Championship 2021 in Canary Wharf, London, on Sunday September 5. PA

Frustrated England player Declan Rice after Poland scored a late equaliser in their World Cup qualifer at Stadion Narodowy in Warsaw on Wednesday, September 8. Getty

The race gets underway in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup at Autodromo di Monza in Italy on Sunday, September 12. Getty

India captain Virat Kohli celebrates the run out of England batsman Dawid Malan on Day 5 of the fourth Test at The Oval on Monday, September 6. Getty

An athlete competes during the bike section of Ironman Switzerland Thun on Sunday, September 5. Getty

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring his, and Manchester United's, second goal in their win over Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Saturday, September 11. PA

Britain's Emma Raducanu after defeating Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, in the final of the US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York, on Saturday, September 11. AP

England's Sam Eggington, left, lands a punch on Bilel Jkitou of France in their WBC Silver middleweight title fight at Skydome Arena in Coventry, on Friday, September 10. Eggington won the fight via split decision. Getty

Catalin Preda of Romania during the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series at Downpatrick Head, Ireland, on Saturday, September 11. Getty

Myles Straw, of the Cleveland Indians, catches a fly ball hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Pablo Reyes in the MLB game at Progressive Field, Ohio, on Saturday, September 11. AFP

Newcastle Knights' Enari Tuala scores a try during the NRL Elimination Final match between against Parramatta Eels at Browne Park in Rockhampton, Australia, on Sunday, September 12. Getty

The peloton climb a hill at Stow in Scotland during Stage 7 of the Tour of Britain on Saturday September 11. PA

Red Bull driver driver Max Verstappen collides with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton during the Formula One Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday, September 12. EPA

The Red Bull of Max Verstappen is wedged on top of Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes during the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, September 12. EPA

Serbia's Novak Djokovic during his US Open quarter-final win over Matteo Berrettini, of Italy, at Flushing Meadows in New York on Wednesday, September 8. AP

Erling Braut Haaland scores for Borussia Dortmund from the penalty spot to earn his team a 4-3 Bundesliga win over Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena on Saturday, September 11. AP

The peloton passes through Barmouth in Wales during Stage 4 of the Tour of Britain on Wednesday September 8, 2021. PA

What a sensational sporting week we have just enjoyed, full of spectacular crashes, superstar returns and fairy-tale storylines.

On the racetrack, the Formula One title battle took a scary twist when Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were involved in a dangerous crash during the Italian Grand Prix.

The pair, who were involved in a controversial collision at the British GP in July, came together again as they battled for position at Monza with Verstappen's car landing on Hamilton's Mercedes, the halo head protection probably saving the British driver from serious injury.

Both drivers were unhurt but out of the race that was eventually won by Daniel Ricciardo, who claimed McLaren's first victory since Brazil in 2012.

In football, Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United has dominated the news for the last couple of weeks and his first game back did not disappoint.

The Portuguese started the match against Newccastle United and inevitably found the net not once, but twice in a 4-1 victory over the Magpies in front of a rocking Old Trafford crowd.

Meanwhile, a new star has been born in the tennis world. British Emma Raducanu became the first qualifier in the Open era to win a Grand Slam title when she defeated fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 to win the US Open in New York.

Raducanu did not drop a set during her incredible run to the final and became the first British woman in 44 years to win a major singles title.

She was also the youngest women's Slam champion since Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2004. “It's an absolute dream,” admitted the 18-year-old afterwards.

We pick out 25 of the most spectacular images from the past seven days in the gallery above.