Lessons in humility were handed out at will in the sporting world this week. From Bloemfontein to Paris, and Berne to Montreal, top notch stars were brought down to earth.

Let us start up north in Montreal with Formula One star Lewis Hamilton. Four days before Sunday's Grand Prix, his dad Anthony had stuck a borrowed Porshe into a hedge and the McLaren driver jovially told reporters: "I've been laughing – I said, 'Dad, how do you crash a car at 50kph'?"

Then at the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton, driving in the pitlane where the speed limit is 60kph allegedly did not see a red light and smashed his car into the back of Ferrari rival Kimi Raikonnen, eliminating both of them. He was not laughing at the post-race press conference when he grimly said: "It was unfortunate."

With the two top drivers out, BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica claimed the first Grand Prix victory of his 29-race career and shot to the top of the F1 driver's championship standings.

Next, to the French Open, where Rafael Nadal made World No1 Roger Federer look like a bumbling amateur with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 thrashing.

This is the same Federer who has honed his elegant technique to such a level that each shot seems like a work of art. This is the same Swiss maestro who was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for four consecutive years. This is the same 12-time Grand Slam winner who is widely regarded as the greatest tennis player the world has ever seen.

However, this is also the same Federer who has never won the French Open and after Nadal's victory over the top seed sealed the shortest final in 27 years, and the most comprehensive since Guillermo Vilas gave up just three games in 1977 against Brian Gottfried, it appears Federer will never win at Roland Garros.

Down to South Africa where a Wales team riding on the wave of Grand Slam and Six Nations glory crashed into the brick wall of rugby's World Champions and were splashed all over Bloemfontein.

It was not a pretty scene as Wales coach Warren Gatland stood ashen-faced at his side, who came in to the match billed as the best side in the northern hemisphere, were thrashed 42-17 by a South African team fielding just five players from last year's World Cup final.

"Quite frankly we're pretty embarrassed by that performance," said Gatland.

"I don't think we earned any respect."

But more importantly a lesson in humility was given to those who doubted new South Africa coach Peter de Villiers – the first non-white in the Springbok hotseat – as he began his era in style unleashing an attacking brand of rugby.

From rugby's world champions to football's – Italy though were not so lucky. The European Championships started this week and while the first few matches went more-or-less to form, it was the crunch affair between Holland and Italy that had spectators gasping as the Azzurri were comprehensively hammered.

The Dutch mercilessly toyed with their opponents – dominating them with their attacking and creative style, eventually winning

3-0. It made a mockery of a team who are so well known as the creators of the iron-clad defence.

The Italians hadn't been beaten this badly since falling 3-0 to Sweden in Naples 25 years ago in European Championship qualifying. In the tournament proper, it was Italy's worst result ever, surpassing a 2-0 defeat to the Soviet Union in the 1988 semi-finals.

While the Italians might feel hard done by that the only referee in the world who knew about Fifa's Rule 11 was chosen to adjudicate in the match, which in turn led to Ruud van Nistelrooy not being ruled offside for the first goal – the Dutch were still far superior and thoroughly deserved victory.