Davis Cup: US, Spain, Italy and Britain win their opening group matches

Davis Cup: US, Spain, Italy and Britain win their opening group matches
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in action during his singles match against Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac at the Davis Cup Group B match between Spain and Czech Republic on Sept. 11, 2024. (Reuters)
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Updated 12 September 2024
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Davis Cup: US, Spain, Italy and Britain win their opening group matches

Davis Cup: US, Spain, Italy and Britain win their opening group matches
  • The No. 3-ranked Alcaraz clinched victory for Spain against the Czech Republic in Group B when Tomas Machac retired injured with the score at 6-7 (3), 6-1
  • Brandon Nakashima beat Alejandro Tabilo 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (3) after Reilly Opelka defeated Cristian Garin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) to give the Americans a winning 2-0 lead over Chile in Group C

VALENCIA, Spain: Less than two weeks after his shocking second-round exit at the US Open, Carlos Alcaraz was staring at another upset when a set down in his opening group-stage match for Spain in the Davis Cup Finals on Wednesday.

This time, Alcaraz turned things around — though he needed some help from his opponent.

The No. 3-ranked Alcaraz clinched victory for Spain against the Czech Republic in Group B on Wednesday when Tomas Machac retired injured with the score at 6-7 (3), 6-1 in Valencia. It gave Spain an unassailable 2-0 lead, with Roberto Bautista Agut having already defeated Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (1), 6-4, and Alcaraz then partnered with Marcel Granollers-Pujol to win the doubles in three sets and wrap up a 3-0 victory.

They were Alcaraz’s first matches since losing in straight sets to Botic van de Zandschulp — who was ranked 74th — at Flushing Meadows.

Spain joined the US, defending champion Italy and Britain in gaining victories on Wednesday.

Brandon Nakashima beat Alejandro Tabilo 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (3) after Reilly Opelka defeated Cristian Garin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) to give the Americans a winning 2-0 lead over Chile in Group C in Zhuhai, China.

Those two singles matches lasted in excess of five hours and the US brought in Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram for the doubles, which they won 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) against Tomas Barrios Vera and Matias Soto to seal a 3-0 sweep.

“It was truly an epic day of tennis for both teams, everyone showed a lot of heart, a lot of guts,” US captain and retired doubles great Bob Bryan said. “I don’t think it’s ever happened in Davis Cup that all matches went to the third-set breaker . . . historic day. Just feeling very, very proud of the players.”

The US, which has a leading 32 Davis Cup titles but none since 2007, is bidding to reach the quarterfinals for the second time since the Davis Cup Finals were introduced in 2019. In the qualifiers this year, the Americans defeated Ukraine 4-0 on neutral ground in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Italy didn’t need top-ranked Jannik Sinner, the newly crowned US Open champion, to begin its title defense with a 2-1 win over Brazil in Group A in Bologna.

Matteo Berrettini beat Joao Fonseca 6-1, 7-6 (5) before Matteo Arnaldi gave Italy an unassailable 2-0 lead by beating Thiago Monteiro 7-5, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5). Rafael Matos and Marcelo Melo won the doubles for Brazil, beating Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in three sets.

“It was a great, great feeling. I’ve been missing this kind of feeling for so long for so many reasons,” Berrettini said. “The Davis Cup, the tournament in Rome, it felt like almost a first time.”

Britain also established a 2-0 advantage over Finland in Manchester, England, in Group D thanks to wins by Dan Evans and Billy Harris.

Evans beat Eero Vasa 7-6 (3), 6-2 and Harris, the guy who once lived out of a van while playing tennis tournaments around Europe, defeated Otto Virtanen 6-4, 7-6 (4).

“He (Vasa) was playing so freely in the first set and I did well to weather the storm and find a way to win,” Evans said. “That’s what you have to do in the Davis Cup.”

It finished 2-1 for Britain after Virtanen teamed with Harri Heliovaara to beat Evans and Neal Skupski 7-6 (4), 7-5 in doubles.

The four groups are playing in four cities this week to qualify for the Final 8 knockout stage to be held in Malaga, Spain, in November. The top two countries in each four-team group will advance.

In opening play on Tuesday, Belgium beat the Netherlands 2-1, Australia defeated France 2-1, Germany — playing without No. 2-ranked Alexander Zverev — beat Slovakia 3-0 and Canada defeated Argentina 2-1.


Sabalenka wins 15th match in a row to reach Beijing quarters

Sabalenka wins 15th match in a row to reach Beijing quarters
Updated 1 min 46 sec ago
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Sabalenka wins 15th match in a row to reach Beijing quarters

Sabalenka wins 15th match in a row to reach Beijing quarters
  • The US Open champion will face Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic or Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the last eight in Beijing
BEIJING: Top seed Aryna Sabalenka won her 15th match in a row to power into the China Open quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Madison Keys on Wednesday.
The US Open champion will face Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic or Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the last eight in Beijing.
World number two Sabalenka has won more matches on tour this season than anyone else and extended her red-hot streak with a fairly routine victory over the 24th-ranked American.
On a sunny Beijing day, Sabalenka and Keys exchanged breaks in the first set for 3-3 before the hard-hitting Belarusian pulled away go a set up.
The second took a similar course and Keys double-faulted on the first match point to gift Sabalenka victory in 65 minutes.
Sabalenka is on a collision course in the semifinals with China’s Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who faces 43rd-ranked Amanda Anisimova in the last 16 later Wednesday.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka can take a major step toward overhauling Iga Swiatek at the top of the rankings by lifting the title in Beijing.
Swiatek is not playing in the Chinese capital because of “personal matters.”

Bridgestone latest Japan firm to end Olympics sponsorship

Bridgestone latest Japan firm to end Olympics sponsorship
Updated 42 min 25 sec ago
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Bridgestone latest Japan firm to end Olympics sponsorship

Bridgestone latest Japan firm to end Olympics sponsorship
  • The decision comes after Japanese electronics giant Panasonic and auto titan Toyota said last month they had decided to end their top-tier Olympic sponsorship
  • Bridgestone struck sponsorship deals with the Olympics for 10 years in 2014 and the Paralympics for six years in 2018
  • The contract will not be renewed when it expires at the end of 2024, the firm said

TOKYO: Tire giant Bridgestone has become the latest Japanese firm to end its Olympics sponsorship, following pullouts by Toyota and Panasonic, saying it wants to focus on motorsport.

Bridgestone said on Tuesday that it “still strongly believes in the IOC’s vision of ‘building a better world through sport’,” referring to the International Olympic Committee.

“Still believing in the power of sports, the company will carry that momentum forward” by using tire products to “drive innovation,” a statement said.

The decision comes after Japanese electronics giant Panasonic and auto titan Toyota said last month they had decided to end their top-tier Olympic sponsorship.

Toyota’s chairman Akio Toyoda has said the Olympic Games were “becoming increasingly political,” while Panasonic announced their withdrawal citing “management considerations.”

Bridgestone struck sponsorship deals with the Olympics for 10 years in 2014 and the Paralympics for six years in 2018, a company spokesman told AFP on Wednesday.

The contract will not be renewed when it expires at the end of 2024, the firm said.

In December, Bridgestone said it had been named as the tire supplier for the Formula E World Championship from 2026.

It described its role in the championship for electric cars as “a cornerstone of the company’s sustainable global motorsports strategy.”


PGA Tour commissioner and Saudi fund governor paired at pro-am event in Scotland

PGA Tour commissioner and Saudi fund governor paired at pro-am event in Scotland
Updated 02 October 2024
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PGA Tour commissioner and Saudi fund governor paired at pro-am event in Scotland

PGA Tour commissioner and Saudi fund governor paired at pro-am event in Scotland
  • Monahan is paired with Billy Horschel, while Al-Rumayyan is playing with Dean Burmester of South Africa, one of 14 players from LIV Golf in the field
  • Monahan and Al-Rumayyan were involved in meetings in New York on Sept. 11 and 12 as the two sides try to work out a deal

Three weeks after PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan met with Saudi Arabia’s financial backer of LIV Golf, they will be together again this week in Scotland, this time inside the ropes.

Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Public Investment Fund that supports the LIV Golf League, are playing together in the Dunhill Links Championship on the European tour. The tournament starts Thursday.

Monahan is paired with Billy Horschel, while Al-Rumayyan is playing with Dean Burmester of South Africa, one of 14 players from LIV Golf in the field.

In the group directly behind them Thursday at Carnoustie will be Rory McIlroy, who will be playing with his father.

Monahan and Al-Rumayyan were involved in meetings in New York on Sept. 11 and 12 as the two sides try to work out a deal in which PIF would become a minority investor in PGA Tour Enterprises and they try to figure out a team concept and bring the sides together.

The PGA Tour has banned players who moved to LIV Golf, which launched in June 2022. The European tour has allowed players to return to certain events provided they take care of sanctions, a combination of suspensions and fines.

Jon Rahm is playing the Dunhill while he appeals his fines. A ruling on that — an independent panel previously ruled in favor of the European tour — is not expected until next year.

Guy Kinnings, the CEO of the European tour, also was part of the New York meetings and will be at the Dunhill Links. Kinnings expressed optimism that discussions were headed in the right direction although he said, “Long way to go. A lot of detail, complicated stuff to be done.”

There had been concern negotiations had stalled with little movement since June. The LIV Golf League ended on Sept. 22, and the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs ended at the end of August.

The tournament pairs a professional with an amateur for three rounds at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. Al-Rumayyan also played in the Dunhill a year ago. Monahan has occasionally played in the AT&T Pebble Beach under a similar format.


Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan T20 and one-day captain

Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan T20 and one-day captain
Updated 02 October 2024
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Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan T20 and one-day captain

Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan T20 and one-day captain
  • Babar’s announcement came a week before Pakistan’s three-Test series against England, starting from October 7
  • He was removed as Pakistan captain in all formats after Pakistan’s humiliating exit from last year’s World Cup

ISLAMABAD: Babar Azam said on Tuesday he had stepped down as the captain of Pakistan’s Twenty20 and one-day teams, saying he wanted to focus more on his role as a batsman.

Babar’s announcement came a week before Pakistan’s three-Test series against England, starting from Oct. 7. Babar was named in the 15-member squad.

Pakistan are also scheduled to have a white-ball tour of Australia in Nov., but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will have to name a new captain following Baber’s resignation.

“I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team,” Babar said on X late Tuesday.

“Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it’s added a significant workload. I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy.”

Babar said he was stepping down as Pakistan’s captain in all three formats in November last year after Pakistan's humiliating exit from the One-Day World Cup in India.

He was re-appointed in May this year and took over from Shaheen Shah Afridi after a change in the PCB chairmanship.

Babar led Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign in June, in which the Green Shirts suffered a humiliating loss to the United States and lost to arch-rivals India. The Pakistan side crashed out of the tournament in the first round.

“By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth,” he said.

“I’m grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me.”


Sinner to play Alcaraz in China Open final; Osaka out with back injury

Sinner to play Alcaraz in China Open final; Osaka out with back injury
Updated 02 October 2024
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Sinner to play Alcaraz in China Open final; Osaka out with back injury

Sinner to play Alcaraz in China Open final; Osaka out with back injury
  • Sinner and Alcaraz accounted for all four Grand Slam titles this year between them
  • Arthur Fils saved a championship point and rallied to beat Ugo Humbert 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 in the final of the Japan Open

BEIJING: Top-ranked Jannik Sinner will play rival Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the China Open after recording a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory over home favorite Bu Yunchaokete on Tuesday.

Sinner and Alcaraz accounted for all four Grand Slam titles this year between them. Alcaraz leads the head-to-head series 5-4 — including wins at both their meetings this year — but Sinner doesn’t believe that recent history will have a bearing on Wednesday’s final.

“We know each other very well now, but every match is different, so the situation on the court is also a bit different than it was the last two matches,” Sinner said.

The 23-year-old Italian is the defending champion and hasn’t appeared distracted by the World Anti-Doping Agency announcing Saturday it was seeking a ban of one to two years for the US Open champion, who tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March.

Chinese wild card Yunchaokete, ranked 96th, couldn’t take any of his three break-point chances in the first set.

Sinner’s experience proved crucial during the pivotal moments, especially in the second-set tiebreaker, where he surged to a 6-1 lead.

Earlier, third-ranked Alcaraz’s athleticism was again on show as he advanced to the final with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Daniil Medvedev.

“I felt great on the court once again, so I’m really happy about it,” Alcaraz said. “I couldn’t ask for a better semifinal.”

The four-time Grand Slam champion — including this year’s French Open and Wimbledon — extended his head-to-head record against the Russian to 6-2.

The 21-year-old Spaniard found his way through a testing first set that had five breaks of serve, but crucially it was Alcaraz’s third service break in the 12th game that secured the set.

Alcaraz has now won eight straight matches — across the Davis Cup, Laver Cup and in Beijing — since his loss to Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round at the US Open.

Osaka out with back injury

Coco Gauff advanced to the quarterfinals when Naomi Osaka retired at 3-6, 6-4 because of a lower back injury.

Osaka, a four-time major champion, was leading 4-3 in the second set before Gauff won three straight games.

The sixth-ranked Gauff then helped carry Osaka’s bags off the court.

Gauff hit six aces compared to Osaka’s one and improved to 3-2 over her opponent at WTA tournaments.

She will next meet No. 115-ranked Yuliia Starodubtseva, who earlier upset No. 14 Anna Kalinskaya 7-5, 6-0.

Paula Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula to reach her eighth career quarterfinal at a WTA 1000-level event.

“She’s one the of the players I never want to face — she’s very solid, hits very flat, changes very well direction,” said Badosa, who was 0-3 previously against Pegula. “I prepared myself for a battle, but I think today everything worked pretty well.”

Badosa next faces 35-year-old Chinese player Zhang Shuai, who continued her resurgence with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Magdalena Frech of Poland.

Zhang entered the China Open on a 24-match losing streak and ranked No. 595, but she’s yet to drop a set in four matches this week.

Zhang is now into her first women’s tour quarterfinal since Tokyo in 2022, and her first at a WTA 1000 tournament since Cincinnati in the same year.

“In this draw, everyone has a higher ranking than me,” Zhang said. “Just step on court, just play. So I do not have much to think about, to prepare. I will just focus on myself.”

Japan Open

Arthur Fils saved a championship point and rallied to beat Ugo Humbert 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 in the final of the Japan Open to earn his third tour-level title.

The championship point was in the second-set tiebreaker against his French compatriot.

The 20-year-old Fils struggled with an injury to his left leg for much of the second set and when trailing 4-3 in the second set — with three break points for his opponent — it looked almost certain that Humbert would go on to win his seventh final in seven appearances.

Fils defeated four top-20 opponents — US Open finalist Taylor Fritz, defending champion Ben Shelton, Holger Rune and Humbert — on his way to the title.