Aryna Sabalenka wins first title since Australian Open, beating Jessica Pegula at Cincinnati

Aryna Sabalenka wins first title since Australian Open, beating Jessica Pegula at Cincinnati
Aryna Sabalenka raises the Rookwood Cup after the women’s championship match of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. (USA TODAY Sports)
Short Url
Updated 20 August 2024
Follow

Aryna Sabalenka wins first title since Australian Open, beating Jessica Pegula at Cincinnati

Aryna Sabalenka wins first title since Australian Open, beating Jessica Pegula at Cincinnati

MASON, Ohio: Aryna Sabalenka won her first title since the Australian Open in January, beating Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-5 in the Cincinnati Open on Monday.
Sabalenka, who moved up a spot to No. 2 in the rankings before the match, didn’t lose a set en route to her 15th WTA title. She had never gotten past the semifinals at Cincinnati, losing three times in that round.
The 26-year-old Sabalenka can now be considered a favorite at the US Open, which begins on Aug. 26 in New York. The Belarusian missed Wimbledon with a shoulder injury, then returned to the tour at Washington two weeks ago.
In the men’s final, top-ranked Jannik Sinner was set to face Frances Tiafoe on Monday night.
Against Pegula, Sabalenka took 17 minutes to build a 4-1 lead in the first set.
Pegula, who double-faulted five times, broke serve for the first time to tie the second set at 5-all, but Sabalenka won the next two games to finish off the 1-hour, 14-minute match.
The sixth-ranked Pegula had a challenging road to the final. After defending her title at Toronto, the American played two matches on Friday because of weather-related postponements and had three matches go three sets. Her time on the court exceeded Sabalenka’s by more than two hours entering the final.
Sabalenka joined top-ranked Iga Swiatek as the only players with 10 or more WTA titles since 2020. She beat Swiatek in the Cincinnati semis.


Hall of fame manager Eddie Diaz selected to lead UAE’s national baseball team

Hall of fame manager Eddie Diaz selected to lead UAE’s national baseball team
Updated 08 October 2024
Follow

Hall of fame manager Eddie Diaz selected to lead UAE’s national baseball team

Hall of fame manager Eddie Diaz selected to lead UAE’s national baseball team
  • Hall of famer in both Mexico and the Dominican Republic, Diaz will lead the newly announced team at Baseball United’s Arab Classic next month

DUBAI: Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and South Asia, has announced that Eddie Diaz, the former Mexican League hall of fame manager and current vice president of baseball operations at Baseball United, has been named as manager of the UAE’s national baseball team.

The new team will compete for the first time at Baseball United’s Arab Classic tournament next month in Dubai.

Diaz’s career has covered more than four decades in professional baseball, with experience as a player, scout, manager, and executive. He played Minor League Baseball with the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians, and was also a Major League Baseball scout for more than a decade.

Diaz later managed in Mexico’s top summer baseball league, the LMB, for 12 years and its top winter league, the Mexican Pacific League, for 11.

Diaz won three successive championships as the manager of Yaquis de Obregon in the Mexican Pacific League. He was inducted into their hall of fame in 2022.

Diaz also won two Caribbean Series championships — a top professional tournament that brings together the champions of the best Latin American professional baseball leagues.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Diaz was inducted into its Northern Region Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.

Kash Shaikh, the chairman, CEO and co-founder of Baseball United, said: “We are honored and excited to appoint a leader with Eddie’s character and pedigree as the first-ever manager of the UAE’s national baseball team.

“Eddie has a track record of success across the highest levels of professional and international baseball. And, even more importantly, he’s a great person and a strong motivator who cares about people. He will help this team develop quickly. We expect the UAE to make a strong showing at the Arab Classic.”

The UAE team will compete as one of nine nations at Baseball United’s Arab Classic from Nov. 7-10 at the league’s new ballpark at The Sevens sports and entertainment complex in Dubai.

The inaugural tournament is the largest national baseball team event to take place in the Middle East and South Asia. Others competing include India, Pakistan, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia, and the complete schedule will be announced shortly.

Diaz said: “I’m very thankful to Kash and (co-owner) John (Miedreich) for giving me this historic opportunity.

“I take the challenge with honor, gratitude, and responsibility. And, most importantly, I take it with a deep passion to continue Baseball United’s mission as we work to grow our sport on the other side of the world. I am so proud to be a part of this team.”


Six things we learned as Saudi Pro League pauses for international break

Six things we learned as Saudi Pro League pauses for international break
Updated 08 October 2024
Follow

Six things we learned as Saudi Pro League pauses for international break

Six things we learned as Saudi Pro League pauses for international break
  • Al-Hilal and Mitrovic dominant; Ronaldo and Mane in rich goalscoring form and Al-Ittihad are back

RIYADH: While this may be the second FIFA international break of the 2024-25 Roshn Saudi League season, the first happened so soon into the new campaign that this feels like the first true pause for reflection on the opening action.

Here is what we have learned from the opening six matches.

Al-Hilal machine rolls on

It is often said the more things change the more they stay the same.

After a remarkable undefeated season in 2023-24 in which they swept all before them, champions Al-Hilal came into this campaign with a massive target on their back; the hope being that somehow this merciless machine would have slowed down after last season’s exertions.

Any notion of that, though, has been comprehensively dismissed after only six matches, with Jorge Jesus’ men the only club with a perfect 100 percent record through to this point. Quite conceivably, there is an incredible resilience and belief in Al-Hilal that the RSL has arguably never seen before.

It is not that they are completely impenetrable: the Riyadh side have conceded six goals thus far — more than Al-Nassr, Al-Shabab, Al-Qadsiah and Al-Taawoun — and kept only two clean sheets. But whether they score first, or fall behind, patently they have an unshakable trust in that they will always come back — see the 3-2, come-from-behind win against Damac in Matchweek 2.

While there is still so long to go this season, minds are already turning to whether Al-Hilal, unbeaten in an extraordinary 42 RSL matches, could do the seemingly impossible of going undefeated in back-to-back campaigns.

Former champions return to form

One of the biggest stories of the opening six matches has been the renaissance at 2022-23 RSL champions Al-Ittihad.

It was a title defence to forget for the Jeddah giants last time out, who finished fifth and well out of contention in the race for the league crown. After an off-season of soul searching and significant investment, World Cup winner Laurent Blanc was brought in as manager to replace Marcelo Gallardo.

To mark the new era, Al-Ittihad turned over the squad — heavily. The club introduced younger, more dynamic signings in the form of Moussa Diaby, Houssem Aouar, Steven Bergwijn and Mario Mitaj.

Most important, though, has been the return to form of captain and talisman Karim Benzema. After a mixed debut season in the RSL — nine goals in 21 appearances — the enduring Frenchman has found the net seven times in six top-flight matches this campaign. It means Benzema sits behind only Aleksandar Mitrovic (nine goals) in the scoring charts and has almost equalled his 2023-24 haul already.

Elsewhere, Al-Ittihad’s reemergence is also true for Al-Shabab as well, after they had a season to forget last time, at one point mired in the relegation battle before finishing strongly to come home eighth. That resurgence came after the arrival in February of Vitor Pereira; clearly, retaining the Portuguese manager is looking a hugely important piece of business.

With a sizeable turnover from last season, the new arrivals — among others, RSL legend Abderrazak Hamdallah, Serie A stalwart Giacomo Bonaventura, Dutch defender Wesley Hoedt and enterprising Portuguese winger Daniel Podence — are playing their part, too.

Heading into the two-week hiatus, Al-Shabab have four wins from six league outings, which sees the 2011-12 RSL champions occupy fourth. As such, they are only three points off second place.

Mixed bag for league new boys

Much was made in pre-season — and rightly so — of this being Al-Kholood’s first campaign in the RSL, but it has been a hardy welcome to the big time so far for the side from Ar Rass.

Despite a strong recruitment drive to prepare them for the challenge, Paulo Duarte’s team have struggled to make a mark, with a solitary win and four points to show from their opening six matches – even despite that gutsy, opening-round defeat to Al-Ittihad, a match in which they were desperately unlucky to lose.

However, back-to-back reverses in the past two matchweeks, to Al-Hilal and Al-Khaleej respectively, has caused Al-Kholood to drop into the relegation zone. Of course, they will hope to break free of the bottom three spots upon the league’s return.

In contrast, fellow new boys Al-Qadsiah and Al-Orobah have fared better, with the former perhaps always expected to given their considerable investment in the summer transfer window. In came the likes of recent Real Madrid captain Nacho; former Arsenal, Barcelona and Marseille striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; Belgium international goalkeeper Koen Casteels; highly sought-after Uruguayan midfielder Nahitan Nandez, and Mexican international forward champion Julian Quinones.

There was, also, much-coveted Argentine midfielder Ezequiel Fernandez and versatile Uruguayan defender Gaston Alvarez, alongside a host of talented Saudi Arabians, led by national-team defender Qassem Lajami.

That ambition propelled Al-Qadsiah to successive wins in the opening two matchweeks and, although they have been a little inconsistent since, they still sit sixth, with three victories, two defeats and a draw. Importantly, Aubameyang is off the mark in the RSL with the promise of more to come from the decorated striker.

For newly promoted Al-Orobah, meanwhile, they have seven points from six matches to lie mid-table — a decent return for Alvaro Pacheco’s side.

Mighty Mitrovic eyes Ronaldo’s record

When Cristiano Ronaldo broke the all-time, single-season goalscoring record last term (35 goals), few would have thought the tally would be under any threat anytime soon.

Yet Al-Hilal’s Serbian superstar, Aleksandar Mitrovic, has other ideas. The frontman, who finished second to Ronaldo in the race for the 2023-24 golden boot (28 goals), has begun the current campaign on fire, with nine goals from six matches. It could have even been 10, only for one of his goals against Al-Riyadh to be officially awarded by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s Referees Department as an own goal.

Still, you would imagine running at 1.5 goals per game is almost impossible to sustain across an entire season. However, with Al-Hilal showing no signs of slowing and scoring at a clip of three goals a match, Mitrovic will get more than his fair share of chances to chase down Ronaldo’s record.

Remember, his overall RSL haul stands at a mighty 37 goals in 34 appearances. Phenomenal.

Title-chasing Al-Ahli have work to do

The three-time Saudi champions were quiet achievers last season, largely out of the title race that unspooled between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, but far enough ahead of the rest of the pack that their third place was never under serious threat.

Now boasting England international Ivan Toney, Matthias Jaissle’s side would have had ambitions of at least matching their 2023-24 flourish, achieved upon their first season back in the top flight, if not going better and joining in the title fight. But after the opening six rounds, the Jeddah club look some way off the side that performed so well last season. With three defeats thus far, they are already 11 points off the pace.

A home win against Al-Hilal would have been just the tonic before the international break, but despite taking the lead against the defending champions through Spanish talent Gabri Veiga, another second-half double from Mitrovic saw the away side depart with all three points.

It leaves Jaissle with plenty of questions to ponder over the international break, especially with Al-Ahli 10th in the standings. Although, with the likes of Veiga, Franck Kessie, Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Feras Al Buraikan and Toney in the team, there is no shortage of star power to get the club back up and running.

Ronaldo, Mane and Pioli lead Al-Nassr resurgence

By their own, incredibly lofty, standards, Al-Nassr deemed their start to the season — one win and three draws from four matches across all competitions — as insufficient and, thus, that a change of manager was required. So, with three RSL matchweeks in the books, Luis Castro was out, and Stefano Pioli was in.

The Italian, who guided AC Milan in 2021-22 to a first Serie A title in more than a decade, has proved an inspired appointment, with Al-Nassr reeling off five wins on the bounce. Three of those have come in the Saudi top flight, to the tune of eight goals scored and none conceded.

As usual, Ronaldo has been key, the Portuguese superstar taking his season’s tally to five goals in six RSL appearances. The club captain has been ably supported by Sadio Mane who, after a modest debut campaign in the Kingdom, has been a player reborn this term. Although the Senegal international opened his goal account only in Matchweek 6 with a brace against Al-Orobah, he has contributed five assists — second only to Al-Ittihad’s Diaby.

With Pioli in place, and Ronaldo and Mane firing, Al-Nassr have moved up to third in the table. It bodes well for when the RSL returns on Oct. 18. Could this finally be the capital club’s year?


Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah announces T20 retirement

Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah announces T20 retirement
Updated 08 October 2024
Follow

Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah announces T20 retirement

Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah announces T20 retirement
  • The 38-year-old Mahmudullah, who quit Tests in 2021, is set to play his 140th T20 match for Bangladesh in the second game in New Delhi on Wednesday
  • “I am retiring from T20 cricket after the last game of this series,” Mahmudullah told reporters

NEW DELHI: Former Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad said Tuesday his remaining two T20 matches in India will be his last international appearance in the format, vowing to play out with a “good show.”
The 38-year-old Mahmudullah, who quit Tests in 2021, is set to play his 140th T20 match for Bangladesh in the second game in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The tourists need to win in the Indian capital to keep the three-match series alive, after they lost the opener by seven wickets in Gwalior.
“I am retiring from T20 cricket after the last game of this series,” Mahmudullah told reporters.
The final match of the series will be in Hyderabad on Saturday.
“I was pre-decided before coming here. I had a chat with my family and with my coach and captain,” Mahmudullah added.
“It is the right time to move on from this format for me and the team as well and concentrate on the one-day game.”
Mahmudullah has been Bangladesh’s warhorse after he made his international debut in 2007 in a one-day international against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
He has played 50 Tests, 232 ODIs and 139 T20 matches for his country with over 10,500 runs across formats as a dependable middle-order batsman and 165 wickets with his off-spin.
“If we can play to our ability (in Delhi), then we could put up a good show,” he said.
Mahmudullah said he had “no regrets” in his 17-year career.
“I have never ever regretted, at any stage at any point of my life, playing for Bangladesh,” he said. “I have always been a team man.”
The veteran said the T20 team remains in good hands under skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto.
Mahmudullah’s T20 exit comes soon after star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan announced his decision to quit the format last month during the Test series, which the tourists lost 2-0.
India’s left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh meanwhile said he was making the most of his opportunities in the national team without thinking much about the future.
“My life mantra is to enjoy the present,” Arshdeep, who made his India debut in 2022, told reporters.
“I want to do my best in all the formats wherever I get the opportunity.”
Arshdeep, who has claimed 86 wickets in 55 T20 internationals, played in India’s T20 World Cup triumph in June.


France start post-Griezmann era amid Mbappé controversy

France start post-Griezmann era amid Mbappé controversy
Updated 08 October 2024
Follow

France start post-Griezmann era amid Mbappé controversy

France start post-Griezmann era amid Mbappé controversy
  • Deschamps insisted that Real Madrid are Mbappé’s employer, not the French Football Federation, and he took the best option to avoid putting the striker in a delicate position
  • “I know very well that he’s not going to go against his club,” Deschamps said

PARIS: Antoine Griezmann has retired from France duty. Kylian Mbappé is absent, nursing a minor thigh injury in Madrid.
Ahead of Nations League matches against Israel and Belgium, France’s leadership is scarce.
“The lack of experience doesn’t help,” France coach Didier Deschamps admitted this week.
Mbappé is France’s usual captain while Griezmann, who surprisingly announced the end of his international career last month, was the vice-captain. Together, they led France to the 2018 World Cup title and were Deschamps’ most influential players in recent years.
Deschamps has yet to announce who will wear the captain’s armband for the upcoming matches.
“The end of Antoine’s international career and Kylian’s absence, that leaves room,” Deschamps said. “The group is obviously younger, with less experience.”
For sure, the armband won’t be going to veteran midfielder N’Golo Kanté. He was left out of the squad because of an adductor injury. Neither will experienced defender Dayot Upamecano, who has 27 caps for France but had to withdraw from the squad with a right thigh injury.
Deschamps said he will choose among players who are capable of taking on the responsibility of captaincy, without it altering their behavior, or diminishing their level of performance.
Following a mediocre European Championship where they reached the semifinals without playing well, France are in need of good and convincing results. Their previous Nations League matches were not entirely reassuring — defeat to Italy followed by a win against Belgium.
Italy have a three-point lead over France and Belgium in their group after two rounds. France play Israel on Thursday and travel to Belgium four days later.
Mbappé, who has 48 goals for France, failed to score against Italy and Belgium and Deschamps later said he had not been his usual self during the international break.
After the Real Madrid forward went on as a substitute in Real Madrid’s 1-0 loss at Lille last week, his omission from Deschamp’s squad came as a surprise. And that surprise turned into controversy when the Tricolors captain started a Spanish league game for Madrid following his omission from the France squad, amid sharp criticism from fans.
Deschamps insisted that Real Madrid are Mbappé’s employer, not the French Football Federation, and he took the best option to avoid putting the striker in a delicate position.
“I know very well that he’s not going to go against his club,” Deschamps said. “You have to do what’s in the player’s best interests without putting him in difficulty.”
Deschamps is hoping his rejuvenated squad will bring an extra dose of enthusiasm that has been lacking in France’s previous outings.
“You have to channel everything,” he said. “There is an emotional aspect, managing the emotions will be important.”
Asked for his views on what makes a good leader, Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté said, “It’s something you are born with.”
Konaté added he was “saddened” by Griezmann’s decision to retire. “He was a typical example of a leader.”
Now that the way is clear for someone to take his place, Konaté said he could see himself taking over and mentioned the names of goalkeeper Mike Maignan, defender Jules Koundé and Aurélien Tchouaméni as possible new leaders.
“A leader,” Konaté said, “has to be there when things go wrong.”


Ex-Barcelona and Spain star Iniesta retires aged 40

Ex-Barcelona and Spain star Iniesta retires aged 40
Updated 08 October 2024
Follow

Ex-Barcelona and Spain star Iniesta retires aged 40

Ex-Barcelona and Spain star Iniesta retires aged 40
  • Andres Iniesta came up through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy and made his first-team debut in 2002 aged just 18

BARCELONA: Former Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta, who won two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup with an all-conquering Spain team, announced his retirement from football on Tuesday at the age of 40.
“Being on the pitch is over,” a visibly emotional Iniesta told reporters at a news conference in Barcelona.
“I can’t stay away from football, it’s my life and will continue to be my life. Now I need to continue educating myself, I’m in the process of doing my coaching diploma and that’s the next step.”
“I will try to come back and do a great job, but it won’t be running after the ball, but from another place,” he added.
Iniesta came up through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy and made his first-team debut in 2002 aged just 18, becoming a mainstay in the midfield before his departure 16 years later.
He won nine La Liga titles and the Champions League four times with Barcelona, but his greatest moment came in the 2010 World Cup final when he scored the winning goal against the Netherlands in extra time.
After leaving Barcelona in 2018, Iniesta spent five years with Japanese club Vissel Kobe before playing one final season with Emirates of the UAE.