UAE team defeat Brazil to triumph at Jiu-Jitsu Championship

UAE team defeat Brazil to triumph at Jiu-Jitsu Championship
The UAE team have topped the Jiu-Jitsu Championship of the 10th Nad Al Sheba (NAS) Sports Tournament 2023. (WAM)
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Updated 25 March 2023

UAE team defeat Brazil to triumph at Jiu-Jitsu Championship

UAE team defeat Brazil to triumph at Jiu-Jitsu Championship
  • Winners bag 12 gold, 11 silver, 11 bronze medals at tournament
  • Dubai Sports Council, Jiu-Jitsu Federation co-organized the NAS Sports Tournament under the theme ‘Limitless Abilities’

DUBAI: The UAE team emerged as winners at the Jiu-Jitsu Championship at the 10th Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament 2023, the Emirates News Agency reported on Saturday.
The Emirati team amassed 827 points to give them top spot in the countries’ rankings, ahead of Brazil, and Kazakhstan.
The UAE athletes clinched 12 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze medals.
The Dubai Sports Council and the UAE’s Jiu-Jitsu Federation co-organized the NAS Sports Tournament under the theme “Limitless Abilities.”
The Emirati team showed exceptional skill, technique, and physical prowess throughout the tournament, showcasing their ability in every fight.
The event drew athletes from various clubs and academies, who competed in juvenile, adult, and masters’ divisions in both men’s and women’s sections.
Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club emerged as winners in the club category. The Emirati outfit dominated the competition, winning 17 medals including six golds across several categories.
Baniyas finished second after clinching 16 medals, with Sharjah Self-Defense Club finishing third after collecting 12 medals in different categories.
Alongside the UAE, Brazil and Kazakhstan, other participating countries included the Philippines, Tajikistan, Iran, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Russia, Uzbekistan, Syria, Jordan, the US, Peru, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, and others.


NBA Finals: Miami Heat ready for another shot at Denver Nuggets

NBA Finals: Miami Heat ready for another shot at Denver Nuggets
Updated 13 sec ago

NBA Finals: Miami Heat ready for another shot at Denver Nuggets

NBA Finals: Miami Heat ready for another shot at Denver Nuggets
  • Heat talisman Jimmy Butler to teammates: Stay aggressive, because you’ve been the reason that we have won so many games before
  • Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said it wouldn’t take much to open the floodgates

DENVER: Miami are confident they can turn up the Heat against the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

The Nuggets dominated in a 104-93 Game 1 triumph in the best-of-seven series on Thursday, when Miami’s chances were doomed by their inability to connect on shots — including a 33.3 percent success rate from three-point range.

Max Strus was 0-for-10 from the field, Caleb Martin 1-of-7 and Duncan Robinson 1-of-6.

But Heat talisman Jimmy Butler — himself held to 13 points — said he has a simple message for those teammates, who have played a key role in making Miami the second eighth-seeded team ever to reach an NBA Finals.

“Stay aggressive, because you’ve been the reason that we have won so many games before,” Butler said Saturday as the team practiced in Denver in preparation for Sunday’s game.

“You are going to be the reason that we win games now. and that’s never going to change.”

The Heat collectively agreed — in the immediate aftermath of Thursday’s defeat and after studying game video — that they had plenty of good opportunities in Game 1.

“We did see some things that we liked and we got some great looks, myself included,” Strus said. “We’ve got to knock those down, and we’ve got great shooters on our team, and we will knock those down.”

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said it wouldn’t take much to open the floodgates.

“In terms of the shooters, that’s pretty simple,” Spoelstra said. “Let it fly. Ignite.

“Once they see two go down, it could be three, it could turn into six just like that,” he added with a snap of his fingers. “As long as we are getting those clean looks, that’s what matters.”

Butler said there are other adjustments to be made after a game in which the Heat got to the free-throw line just twice — a record low for an NBA playoff game.

“I think I’ve got to be more aggressive putting pressure on the rim,” he said. “I think that makes everybody’s job a lot easier.”

And Butler said there was no sense of panic in a Heat team that saw a 3-0 lead against Boston evaporate before Miami finished off the Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.

“We’re OK, we really are,” he said. “We are very calm. We are very collected. We have so much confidence, still.

“It’s not going anywhere. We’re going to believe in one another, always, no matter what, home or away — And we’re still going to get four (wins).”


Pascal Wehrlein returns to winning ways at Jakarta E-Prix

Pascal Wehrlein returns to winning ways at Jakarta E-Prix
Updated 04 June 2023

Pascal Wehrlein returns to winning ways at Jakarta E-Prix

Pascal Wehrlein returns to winning ways at Jakarta E-Prix
  • Wehrlein, who triumphed at both Diriyah races in January, wins in Jakarta as ABB FIA Formula E World Championship returns to Indonesia
  • Jake Dennis finishes second and Maximilian Gunther third in searing heat with second race of the double-header set for Sunday

JAKARTA: A cool and collected drive by Pascal Wehrlein delivered a win in the soaring heat of race one in the Gulavit Jakarta E-Prix double-header, propelling his TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team back to the top of the Teams’ championship.

Wehrlein led home Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti Formula E Team), who reacted strongly after the race, claiming the Porsche driver made a “ridiculous” maneuver forcing Dennis to take evasive action. 

Maserati MSG Racing driver Maximilian Gunther stayed in the leading pack throughout the race, finishing third. He started in Julius Bar Pole Position, the first Maserati pole in single-seater motorsport since 1958.

In the first race of the double-header in Jakarta, Wehrlein started third and traded places for the lead with pole-sitter Gunther over the opening third of the E-Prix, having first made his way by his compatriot on Lap 4.

From Lap 12 and the second ATTACK MODE activation, Wehrlein was able to manage things comfortably in the most trying conditions on a hot and humid afternoon where temperatures reached the mid-30s Celsius.

Dennis started second and finished second, with not quite enough in his Avalanche Andretti to overpower Wehrlein’s factory Porsche 99X Electric. His push for the front was compromised by a late-race push from Gunther, who pressured the Brit for second, allowing Wehrlein some breathing room.

Ultimately, Gunther could not find a way through. The DS PENSKE teammates Stoffel Vandoorne and Jean-Eric Vergne came home fourth and fifth respectively, with Gunther’s Maserati MSG Racing teammate Edoardo Mortara sixth.

Standings leader Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing) tried his best to outdo defensive maestro Vergne mid-way through the race. He had a lucky escape as he made a move from a long way back on an unsighted Vergne on Lap 20, narrowly avoiding damage to both front corners of his car, finishing seventh.

Two victories and a second place on the first three races of Season 9 put Wehrlein to the top of the Drivers’ championship. However, since his last win in Round 3, Wehrlein failed to make the podium until today while Cassidy hit form and took the lead in the standings with his win in Monaco, the race before Jakarta.

Saturday’s win means Wehrlein is just two points behind Cassidy, who is on 128pts in the standings, while TAG Heuer Porsche leapfrogged Envision Racing at the top of the Teams’ running with a nine point advantage on 198pts.

Wehrlein said: “It feels awesome obviously. A very good race, qualifying was much better than in previous races. Thanks a lot to the team, the car was awesome today, I was leading almost the whole race. It was not so easy on energy for me, I knew that the guys behind had a little bit more, and also driving in the slipstream helps. But I think we defended well and happy to be back on top. The team definitely deserves it and now we are looking forward to tomorrow.

“The last couple of races we were not where we wanted to be, hadn’t scored the points we wanted and qualifying was an issue for us. Today with P3 we qualified in the best position so far this season. A big turnaround for us in the last couple of weeks, and like I said, thanks a lot to the team for all their hard work. Still a long way to go.”


Oleksandr Usyk joins Prince Khalid’s SCEE, sparks undisputed heavyweight title hopes

Oleksandr Usyk joins Prince Khalid’s SCEE, sparks undisputed heavyweight title hopes
Updated 04 June 2023

Oleksandr Usyk joins Prince Khalid’s SCEE, sparks undisputed heavyweight title hopes

Oleksandr Usyk joins Prince Khalid’s SCEE, sparks undisputed heavyweight title hopes
  • The Ukrainian could be set to take on Britain’s Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia this December

Skill Challenge Entertainment Promotions, the boxing management company owned by Prince Khalid bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, has signed Oleksandr Usyk, bringing the prospect of an undisputed heavyweight championship fight between the Ukrainian and Tyson Fury ever closer.

Usyk holds the WBA (Super), WBO, IBF and IBO titles — while Tyson Fury has the WBC and The Ring Lineal Champion status.

Rumors suggest that Saudi Arabia, known for its high-profile hosting capabilities with events such as “The Truth” and “Rage on The Red Sea,” has emerged as the leading contender to stage the showdown. The signing of Usyk to Skill Challenge Entertainment Promotions further increases the possibility of an undisputed clash for all the belts in The Kingdom.

As negotiations progress, the likelihood of witnessing a clash between Usyk and Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship in Saudi Arabia this December has significantly increased.

This would make for a historic moment in boxing as the victor would be the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennon Lewis held the status in 2003.


Coco Gauff comes back to beat Mirra Andreeva in all-teen clash at French Open

Coco Gauff comes back to beat Mirra Andreeva in all-teen clash at French Open
Updated 04 June 2023

Coco Gauff comes back to beat Mirra Andreeva in all-teen clash at French Open

Coco Gauff comes back to beat Mirra Andreeva in all-teen clash at French Open
  • After a tight first set, Gauff pulled away to reach the fourth round in Paris with a 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-1 victory over Andreeva
  • In men’s action, No. 22 Alexander Zverev eliminated No. 12 Frances Tiafoe 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, 7-6 (5)

PARIS: Not all that long ago, Coco Gauff was always the kid on the court, the unknown underdog, younger and less experienced than every opponent she faced on a big stage.

Now, still just 19, Gauff is well-versed in the professional tennis tour, already a Grand Slam runner-up in singles and doubles, and seeded No. 6 at this French Open. On Saturday at Roland Garros, the American was the veteran in Court Suzanne Lenglen under the cloudless sky, the one with the steady hand and steady head, in an all-teen showdown against Mirra Andreeva, a 16-year-old qualifier from Russia who is ranked 143rd and was making her debut appearance at a major tournament.

After a tight-as-can-be first set, one Gauff was two points from winning but eventually ceded, she grew her game and proved to be the better player. She pulled away to reach the fourth round in Paris with a 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-1 victory over Andreeva, who was warned by the chair umpire for unsportsmanlike conduct after smacking a ball into the stands.

Gauff, who lost to Iga Swiatek in last year’s French Open final, might see a bit of herself in Andreeva. Knows what it’s like to be the newcomer no one has scouting reports on. What it’s like to hear plenty of discussion about her youth. To feel the freedom of performing without the burden of expectations. Gauff was just 14, after all, when she became the youngest qualifier in Wimbledon history, then beat Venus Williams along the way to the fourth round there in 2019.

So by now, Gauff is a bit tired of that whole subject — which she explained in a good-natured manner Saturday.

“People love to say, ‘You’re only this, you’re only that.’ When I’m on the court, we’re not thinking about our age. I don’t think she was thinking, ‘Oh, I’m only 16 and she’s 19, she’s older.’ If she was thinking that, she wouldn’t win a match, because she beat people older than me. And at my age, I wasn’t thinking about that,” Gauff said. “I was just thinking about playing the ball. Age is important to mention, sometimes, but as a player, and going through it, yes, it gets a little bit annoying. ... I don’t need to be praised because of my age or anything. I prefer just to be praised because of my game.”

Her talent is undeniable, especially when it comes to her serve and backhand, as is her maturity. Against Andreeva, she never let the rough way the first set ended carry over. Indeed, it was Andreeva who sent a ball into the crowd late in the tiebreaker — she was contrite afterward, acknowledging it was a “stupid move” and “really bad” — then bounced her racket off the court early in the second set.

Most of all, Gauff remained patient. After 19 unforced errors in the first set, she made just seven the rest of the way.

“I didn’t feel like she was lacking experience,” Gauff said about Andreeva. “She plays beyond her years.”

They practiced together in Paris and could have many more encounters that count down the road.

Some day, perhaps soon, Andreeva will earn kudos because of her game, not just her age, but forgive us for mentioning this: She is the youngest player since 2005 to win a match in the women’s main draw at the French Open.

Asked what might be to come, Andreeva replied: “I’m just Mirra, who loves to play. ... I hope I will stay the same person in the future. But the future is the future, so I cannot know what will happen.”

For Gauff, a possible quarterfinal looms next week against No. 1 Swiatek, who beat Wang Xinyu 6-0, 6-0 in 51 minutes on Saturday. Swiatek has won all six sets she’s played so far, four via 6-0.

“I always try to kind of be careful, because you don’t want to get lazy after winning these matches,” said Swiatek, bidding for a third French Open title and fourth major overall. “But on the other hand, sometimes all your head can remember is the score, and I always want to kind of be ready for every situation.”

She now faces Lesia Tsurenko, who overwhelmed 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu 6-1, 6-1. Gauff gets Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, a 6-1, 6-3 winner against American qualifier Kayla Day. Other fourth-rounders: No. 14 Beatriz Haddad Maria against Sara Sorribes Tormo, who moved on when Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina withdrew because of an illness; and Bernarda Pera against No. 7 Ons Jabeur.

In men’s action, No. 22 Alexander Zverev eliminated No. 12 Frances Tiafoe 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, 7-6 (5) at night and next meets No. 28 Grigor Dimitrov. Tiafoe was the last American man remaining in the bracket after losses earlier Saturday by No. 9 Taylor Fritz and Marcos Giron.

Other men’s fourth-rounders: No. 4 Casper Ruud, last year’s runner-up to Rafael Nadal, against Nicolas Jarry, No. 6 Holger Rune against No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo, and No. 27 Yoshihito Nishioka against Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

“Last year, I could sort of just do my work in the shadow,” said Ruud, who had never made it to a Slam quarterfinal until his run at the 2022 French Open, which was followed by a run to the US Open final, too. “This year, it’s a little more eyes on me. ... I feel the pressure a bit different.”


McIlroy tied for lead at Memorial by making fewest mistakes

McIlroy tied for lead at Memorial by making fewest mistakes
Updated 04 June 2023

McIlroy tied for lead at Memorial by making fewest mistakes

McIlroy tied for lead at Memorial by making fewest mistakes
  • Thirteen players were separated by two shots, nine more were only three shots out of the lead
  • The big move came from Keegan Bradley, who made the cut on the number

DUBLIN, Ohio: Rory McIlroy realized Muirfield Village was playing so tough that he set a goal of just trying to break 70. He didn’t quite get there, and his 2-under 70 still was enough for him to share the lead Saturday in the Memorial.

It helped that Hideki Matsuyama went from leading to dropping off the leaderboard in a span of six holes. And that Patrick Cantlay went into the water and over the green on his way to a triple bogey. David Lipsky bogeyed his last two holes.

What remained amid a few rumbles of thunder — but no weather delays — was an opportunity for just about everyone who had a tee time Sunday.

Thirteen players were separated by two shots. Nine more were only three shots out of the lead.

Lipsky’s two closing bogeys gave him a 72, while Si Woo Kim overcome two double bogeys for a 71. They joined McIlroy at 6-under 210.

It’s the highest 54-hole lead since 1990, when the weather was so atrocious that the final round was canceled and Greg Norman won at even-par 216.

McIlroy ran into trouble in the right rough on the 10th and had to scramble for a bogey. He pulled his tee shot on the par-5 11th and caught a break when it stopped short of going into the creek. That’s when he set his goal for the day to break 70 by avoiding mistakes and picking up some birdies on a few of the more scorable holes.

It didn’t quite work out that way. He chipped in for birdie on the dangerous par-3 12th. He also hit an approach to a back pin on the 17th that rolled past the cup to 7 feet and set up one of only eight birdies on that hole all round.

Just as sweet was the 18th, where his putt from the back of the green to a front pin ran nearly 10 feet by the cup and he holed that for par. McIlroy had several par putts from between 5 and 8 feet, all of them important on a day like this.

“I was really happy with how I scored out there, and how I just sort of hung in there for most of the day,” McIlroy said.

He will be in the final group with Kim, who one-putted his last seven holes, saving par from a front bunker on the 18th.

All this was made possible largely by Matsuyama, a former Memorial winner, who birdied his first two holes and looked to be on his way. And then it quickly fell apart — a bad chip on the par-3 eighth, a three-putt on the ninth and his big blunder on the par-3 12th — tee shot into the water, then over the green from the drop area and a triple bogey.

Cantlay, a two-time Memorial winner, had only one big mistake. He went for the green from the rough on the par-4 sixth and came up short and into the water, then went long into the rough and didn’t get up-and-down, making a triple bogey.

Otherwise, Cantlay made 14 pars, a pair of birdies and a bogey. He and Matsuyama, despite a big number on each of their cards, were two shots behind going into Sunday.

The big move came from Keegan Bradley, who made the cut on the number. He teed off at 8:15 a.m. and finished as the leaders were just starting to warm up. Bradley made nine birdies in his round of 65, and now he’s only two shots behind.

Viktor Hovland (69) and Mark Hubbard (72) were in the large group one shot behind at 5-under 211. Hubbard bogeyed his last three holes for the second time this week. He didn’t let it bother him on Thursday, and he felt the same way Saturday.

“I’m not happy with my finish again, but at the same time, I made three pretty good bogey putts,” Hubbard said.

His strategy on a day like this: “Just try and make a lot of birdies on the par 5s and not make doubles on the hard holes.”

Justin Suh, the 36-hole leader, didn’t stay there for long. He started bogey-bogey, then found the water on No. 3 for a double bogey. He didn’t make his first birdie — his only one — until the 14th hole. Suh had a 77.

He was still only three shots behind, along with Jordan Spieth (72).

Of the 22 players separated by three shots, nine have never won on the PGA Tour. One of those was Lipsky, who doubts he’ll get too wrapped up in looking at the leaderboard.

“It’s too hard to focus on anything else but your game,” he said.