Diriyah Tennis Cup returns with world class lineup

Diriyah Tennis Cup returns with world class lineup
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Alexander Zverev (GER) during his quarter final round match at the Mutua Madrid Open in Madrid, Spain, May 6, 2022. (supplied)
Diriyah Tennis Arena in 2019. (supplied)
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World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev, who won the inaugural event in 2019, with Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal. (supplied)
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Updated 09 November 2022
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Diriyah Tennis Cup returns with world class lineup

Diriyah Tennis Cup returns with world class lineup
  • Medvedev, Zverev, Rublev, Norrie all confirmed for Saudi Arabia
  • Second tournament takes place next month

RIYADH: The Diriyah Tennis Cup makes a return to Saudi Arabia next month with some of the world’s leading players set to take part.

The second tournament, which takes place from Dec. 8 to 10, will once again be hosted in Diriyah, the UNESCO World Heritage Site on the outskirts of Riyadh. 

The $3 million invitational event, which is played outdoors in a purpose-built arena, will host a field of 12 players in both singles and doubles across the three days.

It will be the first time the Kingdom has hosted a professional doubles event. Its unique format will see losers from the opening day’s singles start their own doubles tournament on day two.

World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev, who won the inaugural event in 2019, returns to defend his title to complete a year which saw the 2021 US Open champion become world No. 1 for the first time.

Olympic champion Alexander Zverev makes his comeback from injury at Diriyah after being sidelined following this year’s French Open at Roland-Garros.

“I’m happy that I’ll finally be back on court after my injury,” said Zeverev.

“It’s even nicer that I can make my comeback before the official start of the 2023 season. I think the Diriyah Tennis Cup offers a very good opportunity for it and I’m looking forward to being in Saudi Arabia for the first time.”

World No. 7 Andrey Rublev is another top addition, alongside British No. 1 Cameron Norrie.

Rublev is a three-time ATP winner this year, while world No. 14 Norrie has followed up a breakthrough 2021 season with two ATP titles in 2022, and a run to the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Former world No. 3 Dominic Thiem is also taking part in the event, along with firm fan favorite from 2019, Stan Wawrinka.

“It was a fantastic atmosphere at the first edition of the Diriyah Tennis Cup in 2019,” said Wawrinka.

“That’s why I’m excited to be playing in front of the Saudi fans again this December. I’m sure they will enjoy world-class tennis and an inspiring event.”

The Diriyah Tennis Cup forms part of the Diriyah Season, a four-month celebration of sporting, entertainment and cultural events.

Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome world-class tennis back to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“The 2019 edition was a massive success and welcomed thousands of passionate fans from across the country and region.

“The great sport of tennis boasts a strong fan base and participation numbers amongst our men, women, boys and girls in all corners of the Kingdom.

“As a global home for world sports, it brings us great pride to add an event featuring some of the world’s biggest stars to our existing roster of year-round events.

“We welcome the world to Saudi Arabia and look forward to witnessing a high level of competitive action.”


Saudi U-23 football team defeats Mongolia to top group at 2023 Asian Games

Saudi U-23 football team defeats Mongolia to top group at 2023 Asian Games
Updated 21 September 2023
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Saudi U-23 football team defeats Mongolia to top group at 2023 Asian Games

Saudi U-23 football team defeats Mongolia to top group at 2023 Asian Games
  • Saudi female rower Haya Al-Mami qualifies for the semifinals of the women’s single sculls competition
  • Over 6,000 journalists and 1,500 photographers have applied to cover the 19th Asian Games

HANGZHOU, China: The Saudi U-23 football team took the lead in the second group on Thursday after winning their second match against Mongolia at the 2023 Asian Games.
The Green Falcons thrashed Mongolia 3-0 with Haitham Asiri, Mohamed Marran and Naif Masoud scoring on the 18th, 49th and 74th minutes, respectively.
The Saudis now lead the group with three points following a goalless draw with Iran in their opening game.
Saudi female rower Haya Al-Mami has qualified for the semifinals of the women’s single sculls competition (W1x) after finishing third in the second round.
The semifinal will take place at 3 p.m. on Friday at the Fuyang Lake Water Sports Center, and will include competitors from South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan and China.
In the men’s lightweight double sculls (LM2x) competition, Saudi duo Turki Al-Aarf and Sultan Al-Shali advanced to group B after finishing fifth in the second round.
Their teammate Rakan Ali Reda advanced to group C in the men’s single sculls (M1x) competition after finishing sixth in the second round.
On Friday, the Saudi table tennis team start their participation when they face the host country China at 6 pm.
The draw for the table tennis competition on Thursday placed the Saudi team in the group with China and Vietnam.
The competitions involve 20 teams in the men’s category and 18 in the women’s category.
The Saudi e-sports team held its first training session at the e-sports hall in the Jiang Hotel in Hangzhou, with 22 players taking part.
Over 6,000 journalists and 1,500 photographers have applied to cover the Asian Games. The organizing committee has set up a comprehensive media center in the Expo Ground area in downtown Hangzhou.
The center features nine large screens for broadcasting live games and can accommodate over 500 media representatives at one time. It functions for 16 hours daily, and provides news, photos, and videos in languages including Arabic, English, Korean, Japanese, Russian and Chinese.
Organizers have dedicated an area for conducting live interviews with guests.


Ticket offer to fans wishing to watch Riyadh 2023 World Combat Games

Ticket offer to fans wishing to watch Riyadh 2023 World Combat Games
Updated 20 September 2023
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Ticket offer to fans wishing to watch Riyadh 2023 World Combat Games

Ticket offer to fans wishing to watch Riyadh 2023 World Combat Games
  • Organizing committee unveils special gesture to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s National Day for fans who purchase tickets between today and Sept. 25 for SR93
  • Single day tickets will also be available at just SR15

RIYADH: The Riyadh 2023 World Combat Games’ organizing committee has revealed a luring offer to fans wishing to watch the competitions at reduced prices, in a special gesture to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s National Day.
With 30 days remaining before the WCG kicks off on Oct. 20, the organizing committee unveiled the limited offer, according to which fans who purchase tickets between today and Sept. 25 will be able to attend the event with unlimited access to daily competitions for just SR93 ($24.79).
Single day tickets will also be available at just SR15, said a media statement.
The single-day tickets will feature a host of benefits, including complimentary parking and unrestricted access to all five sports venues and accompanying fan zone entertainment.
Riyadh hosts the 2023 WCG between Oct. 20 and 30 at King Saud University.
Moreover, free admission will be provided to children under 12, seniors over 65, disabled people and those accompanying them. Those attending the final day’s contests will also be granted entry to the closing ceremony celebrations.
Tickets can be purchased through the official Riyadh 2023 WCG ticketing website https://tickets.riyadh2023.com/ as well as onsite during the competition from designated kiosks at King Saud University.
WCG’s third edition has entered its final phase of preparations. The organizing committee is dedicated to deliver an exceptional experience for all attendees, ensuring that this global celebration of combat sports is accessible and entertaining for everyone.
Combat sports extravaganza is set to take place during 11 thrilling days with over 2,800 athletes and officials attending from over 80 countries.
Each athletic disciplines includes the following: Aikido, Arm-wrestling, Boxing, Fencing, Judo, Ju-jitsu, Karate, Kendo, Kickboxing, Muay-Thai, Sambo, Savate, Sumo, Taekwondo, Wrestling and Wushu.
This year will mark the WCG’s inaugural appearance in the Middle East, with Riyadh proudly serving as the host city.


Saudi national dodgeball team arrive in South Africa for training camp

Saudi national dodgeball team arrive in South Africa for training camp
Updated 20 September 2023
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Saudi national dodgeball team arrive in South Africa for training camp

Saudi national dodgeball team arrive in South Africa for training camp
  • The five-day training trip, during which the players will take part in 18 friendly matches, is part of their preparations for the Asian Dodgeball Championship 2024
  • Coach Hani Nabil will work with the main men’s team and the U-21 squad to assess and develop skills before choosing his team for the tournament next year

SOUTH AFRICA: The Saudi national dodgeball team has arrived in South Africa for a five-day training camp as part of their preparations for the Asian Dodgeball Championship 2024.
Coach Hani Nabil will work with the main men’s national team and the U-21 squad to assess and develop young players’ skill levels, before choosing the final team who will represent the Kingdom at the tournament next year
During their visit, the Saudi players will take part in the South African Friendly Championship and play 18 matches.
The national team squad includes 22 players: Hassan Aman, Ahmed Al-Muhar, Hadi Alawi, Ahmed Al-Quwaii, Mohamed Al-Fardan, Ali Al-Zayer, Hani Al-Abd Rabb Al-Nabi, Mustafa Al-Muhaishi, Ahmed Al-Muhaishi, Hussein Al-Basha, Ahmed Al-Kayyal, Abdul-Rahman Zidane, Salah Kassim, Firas Al-Dalaan, Abdullah Baatab, Sultan Fakhoury, Mohamed Al-Ghannam, Raed Salman, Khaled Al-Shaeri, Maitham Al-Hajji, Moaz Al-Maliki and Saleh Al-Saeed.
The training camp, which will conclude on Sept. 25, was organized by the Saudi Dodgeball Federation. The officials accompanying the team include Abdulaziz Al-Hazani, the federation’s executive director, administrative staff Laila Al-Hamidi, Mustafa Al-Fahd and Fatun Al-Jaber, and technical staff Hani Abdel Malek, Gumulur Issa and Ibrahim Mahdi.


Saudi U-23 football team tie with Iran in opening match at 19th Asian Games

Saudi U-23 football team tie with Iran in opening match at 19th Asian Games
Updated 19 September 2023
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Saudi U-23 football team tie with Iran in opening match at 19th Asian Games

Saudi U-23 football team tie with Iran in opening match at 19th Asian Games
  • The Kingdom is one of 45 countries competing at the Games, which are being hosted by Hangzhou in China and will continue until Oct. 8
  • Members of the Kingdom’s rowing team launch their medal bids on Wednesday, when Sultan Al-Shali and Turki Al-Aarif compete in the lightweight men’s double sculls

HANGZHOU: Saudi Arabia’s U-23 footballers played out a goalless draw with Iran on Tuesday, in their opening match at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Prince Abdullah bin Fahd bin Abdullah, the head of the Saudi delegation at the Games, watched the match, which took place at the Lining Sports Center. The Green Falcons’ next game is on Thursday morning when they will face Mongolia, who were defeated 4-2 by Vietnam on Tuesday.
The Kingdom is one of 45 countries competing in the Games in Hangzhou, which continue until Oct. 8. Members of the Saudi rowing team will launch their medal bids on Wednesday, when Sultan Al-Shali and Turki Al-Aarif compete in the lightweight men’s double sculls, starting at 9:20 a.m. at the main lake in the Fuyang Water Sports Center.
Haya Al-Mami, will race in the women’s single sculls individual event at 3:30 p.m., and Rakan Ali Reda in the men’s single sculls at 4 p.m. The Saudi rowers completed their final training session on Tuesday at the lake.
Meanwhile, the Saudi weightlifting and shooting teams arrived in Hangzhou on Tuesday. The weightlifting team, which includes Seraj Al-Salem, Ali Al-Khazal, Mahmoud Al-Hamid, and Nujood Kharumi, will take part in a 10-day training camp before their competitions begin. The shooting team includes 12 men and women.
The Saudi basketball team’s preparations for the Games continued on Tuesday with a victory in a friendly match against a Chinese team at Shuo Zhang University gym.
The Kingdom’s fencing team took part in morning and evening training sessions that included warm-ups, physical fitness work, and footwork and other individual exercises.
Saudi Arabia’s tennis hopefuls have been taking part in an intense training regime over the past few days, and on Tuesday coach Jean Marie gave brother-and-sister players Ammar and Yara Alhogbani a rest day, during which they visited the physiotherapy center for muscle treatments.
The Kingdom’s table tennis team began training on Tuesday, and took part in a technical meeting with their head coach that focused on tactical training for players Ali Alkhadrawi, Azam Alem, Turki Al-Mutairi and Khaled Al-Sharif.


Riyadh set to host 10th World Championship Festival of Arabian Horses

Riyadh set to host 10th World Championship Festival of Arabian Horses
Updated 19 September 2023
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Riyadh set to host 10th World Championship Festival of Arabian Horses

Riyadh set to host 10th World Championship Festival of Arabian Horses
  • Since establishment of festival, Italy has organized previous 9 events
  • Saudi organizing committee chairman looking forward to welcoming participants

RIYADH: Twenty countries are set to participate in the 10th World Championship Festival of Arabian Horses being hosted by Saudi Arabia next month.
Being staged in Riyadh between Oct. 11 and 14, all nine previous festivals have been organized by Italy.
The event, supervised by the King Abdulaziz Arabian Horse Center, will include the Manefah championship for Saudi Arabian horses of origin, as well as the World Championship for Arabian Horse Beauty in its seventh edition for the Egyptian origin.
Other festival attractions are expected to include a special horse expo, an exhibition of the Arabian Horse identity, an auction for purebred Arabian horses, and an opera bringing together artists from around the world.
Emad Al-Rashid, chairman of the festival’s organizing committee, said he was looking forward to welcoming visitors and participants from major international and local stables interested in purebred Arabian horses.
“We target all segments of society to spread the culture of equestrianism, which is an extension of the authentic Arab heritage and the history of our ancestors,” he added.