Aryna Sabalenka relishes ‘much-needed’ tennis rivalry with Iga Swiatek

Aryna Sabalenka relishes ‘much-needed’ tennis rivalry with Iga Swiatek
Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka spent eight weeks at the summit of the rankings last season and says reclaiming the world number one spot is one of her biggest goals. (AFP)
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Updated 09 October 2024
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Aryna Sabalenka relishes ‘much-needed’ tennis rivalry with Iga Swiatek

Aryna Sabalenka relishes ‘much-needed’ tennis rivalry with Iga Swiatek
  • Top-ranked Iga Swiatek is absent from the field in Wuhan and withdrew from the China swing after splitting with her coach
  • Sabalenka has a chance to close the gap on the Polish world number one with a strong run in Wuhan

WUHA, China: World number two Aryna Sabalenka said Wednesday that she believes her rivalry with top-ranked Iga Swiatek is “much-needed” in women’s tennis.
The Belarusian advanced to the Wuhan Open third round with her 50th victory of the season, 6-4, 6-4 against Katerina Siniakova.
Swiatek is absent from the field in Wuhan and withdrew from the China swing after splitting with her coach of three years Tomasz Wiktorowski.
Sabalenka has a chance to close the gap on the Polish world number one with a strong run in Wuhan, with the battle for the top spot likely to come down to the wire at the season-ending championships in Riyadh next month.
“Having this rivalry with Iga is something big for tennis and something much-needed, I would say, in women’s tennis.
“To keep this competition going would be really good for tennis,” said Sabalenka, who will next face Yulia Putintseva in the last 16.
Sabalenka, 26, spent eight weeks at the summit of the rankings last season and says reclaiming the world number one spot is one of her biggest goals.
“I hope she’ll figure out the coach situation and she’ll be back in the finals in her best shape.
“Hopefully we can play against each other there in... a fight for world number one.”
Coco Gauff followed up her China Open title in Beijing on Sunday with a smooth 6-1, 6-2 win over Viktoriya Tomova.
Gauff has a seven-match win streak and faces 13th seed Marta Kostyuk in the last 16.
Kostyuk received a walkover after her opponent Amanda Anisimova withdrew with a left hip injury.
“Both mentally and physically I’m a little tired, if I’m being honest,” said Gauff. “But when I got on the court, I felt fine.
“How I approached Beijing, I was like, I want to approach this how I would play tennis as a kid.
“Sometimes I try to go back into that mindset and realize at the end of the day this is my dream now, and it was my dream as a kid.
“If I don’t want to do it for myself now, I can definitely do it for myself then.”
Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova crashed out to American qualifier and world number 102 Hailey Baptiste 6-3, 7-5 in just 94 minutes.
Seventh seed Krejcikova let a 3-1 lead slip in the opening set, as well as a 5-3 advantage in the second.
The 22-year-old Baptiste will next take on Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova for a place in the quarter-finals.


Mbappé speaks to French TV station for first time about reports of a rape investigation in Sweden

Mbappé speaks to French TV station for first time about reports of a rape investigation in Sweden
Updated 09 December 2024
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Mbappé speaks to French TV station for first time about reports of a rape investigation in Sweden

Mbappé speaks to French TV station for first time about reports of a rape investigation in Sweden
  • The Real Madrid star spoke about the case publicly for the first time in an interview that aired Sunday on French TV station Canal Plus

PARIS: Kylian Mbappé says he reacted with disbelief when he saw media reports from Sweden two months ago that he was the subject of a rape investigation.
The Real Madrid star spoke about the case publicly for the first time in an interview that aired Sunday on French TV station Canal Plus.
Several Swedish media reported in October that Mbappé was the subject of a rape investigation following a visit to Stockholm during time off from playing for Madrid and France. At the time Mbappé’s legal team dismissed those reports as false.
“I was surprised and I still am surprised, by the way. These are things that come into your life like that, you can’t see them coming,” Mbappé told Canal Plus. “It’s just incomprehension. I don’t think it weighed on me in the sense that I have never considered myself involved.”
Mbappé added that he “would go” to Sweden if ever he were summoned but that he has not been contacted by authorities.
“Listen, I haven’t received anything, no summons, nothing,” he told Canal Plus. “The Swedish government has not said anything, so I’m not concerned (involved).”
When the reports emerged in October, Swedish authorities confirmed that they were investigating a suspected rape at a Stockholm hotel but didn’t name any suspect.
A prosecutor told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet late last month that the investigation was still ongoing but didn’t give other details.


Rutherford ton steers West Indies to victory over Bangladesh

Rutherford ton steers West Indies to victory over Bangladesh
Updated 09 December 2024
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Rutherford ton steers West Indies to victory over Bangladesh

Rutherford ton steers West Indies to victory over Bangladesh

BASSETERRE, Saint Kitts and Nevis: A superb maiden hundred from Sherfane Rutherford led the West Indies to a five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first one-day international at Warner Park on Sunday.
Rutherford, playing in his 10th ODI, slammed seven fours and eight sixes in his 80-ball innings of 113 which ended with West Indies just seven runs short of completing the highest ever run chase on the ground.
The 26-year-old, who was named player of the match, came to the crease with West Indies 94-3 chasing the 294-6 that Bangladesh posted in their 50 overs.
He added 99 for the fourth wicket with captain Shai Hope who made 86 from 88 balls, before drilling off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz down the throat of Jaker Ali at midwicket.
Rutherford then partnered up with Justin Greaves (41 not out) to add 95 for the sixth wicket, taking West Indies to the brink of victory.
“I think he’s really improved his batting,” said Hope of his match-winner.
“We ask for consistency, we always speak about it, and he’s showing that. He strikes the ball really well and the hard work is paying off in the middle. He was disappointed not to finish the game.”
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Bangladesh made a solid start through opener Tanzid Hasan (60) and skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz (74).
Mahmudullah, with 50 not out, and Jaker Ali (48) added 96 for the sixth wicket but it was not enough to see off Rutherford.

Brief scores
Bangladesh 294-6 in 50 overs (Mehidy Hasan Miraz 74, Tanzid Hasan 60, Mahmudullah 50 not out, Jaker Ali 48; Romario Shepherd 3-51) West Indies 295-5 in 47.4 overs (S.Rutherford 113, S.Hope 86, J.Greaves 41 not out)

Result: West Indies won by 5 wickets
Series: West Indies lead the three-match series 1-0
Toss: Bangladesh


Griezmann seals superb Atletico comeback in Sevilla thriller

Griezmann seals superb Atletico comeback in Sevilla thriller
Updated 09 December 2024
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Griezmann seals superb Atletico comeback in Sevilla thriller

Griezmann seals superb Atletico comeback in Sevilla thriller
  • Sevilla played with huge intensity, pressing Atletico and throwing themselves into tackles, up for the fight at the Metropolitano stadium in front of over 60,000 fans

MADRID: Antoine Griezmann struck a 94th-minute winner to snatch Atletico Madrid a thrilling 4-3 victory over Sevilla on Sunday in La Liga.
Diego Simeone’s side, third, have won nine matches straight across all competitions and the win pulled them a point behind second-placed title holders Real Madrid and three behind leaders Barcelona.
Atletico showed character and quality as they fought back from two goals down in the second half to triumph.
Rodrigo De Paul powered Atletico ahead but Dodi Lukebakio equalized for 13th-placed Sevilla.
Isaac Romero sent the visitors ahead after half-an-hour and Juanlu Sanchez gave them a 3-1 lead before the hour mark.
However, Griezmann pegged one back before substitute Samuel Lino scored a stunning effort from the edge of the box and the Frenchman then blasted home in stoppage time to continue Atletico’s superb run of form.
Lukebakio gave the ball away for De Paul’s opener as he tried to dribble out of a dangerous area.
The Argentine midfielder lashed the ball beyond the reach of Sevilla goalkeeper Alvaro Fernandez from the edge of the box in the 10th minute.
However the Andalusians were quickly on level terms, with Lukebakio making amends two minutes later.
The Belgian forward, on the left of Atletico’s area, took one step to beat his marker and smashed home at the near post, catching out Jan Oblak with his powerful strike.
Sevilla played with huge intensity, pressing Atletico and throwing themselves into tackles, up for the fight at the Metropolitano stadium in front of over 60,000 fans.
They took the lead in the 32nd minute when Romero broke in behind to reach Kike Salas’ pass to net his first goal of the season.
The striker fired past Oblak, who got a hand to his effort but could not keep the ball out.
The hosts battled hard to find a way back in but Francisco Garcia Pimienta’s Sevilla soaked up the pressure and netted their third early in the second half.
They put together an excellent team move, involving Lukebakio, Djibril Sow and Salas, the latter of whom crossed for Sanchez to slam home at the far post.
Atletico were unperturbed and swiftly pulled one back through Griezmann, after an excellent through-ball from Spanish midfielder Pablo Barrios.
Sevilla goalkeeper Fernandez made several good saves as the Rojiblancos pushed for an equalizer, denying substitute Alexander Sorloth twice, and the Norwegian striker narrowly missed a tempting cross with a diving header.
Atletico pulled level thanks to Lino’s spectacular strike from distance, which was reward for their heavy pressure in the second half.
Sevilla were under the cosh in the final stages and eventually caved when Griezmann swivelled and smashed the winner past the helpless Fernandez.
Earlier, Athletic Bilbao tightened their hold on fourth place with a 2-0 victory over Villarreal, fifth.
Aitor Paredes and Inaki Williams struck to help the Basques move six points clear of their opponents, who have played two fewer games.
Bilbao have won four consecutive games in the top flight, including beating champions Real Madrid on Wednesday, and are aiming for Champions League qualification next season.
“We’re establishing ourselves in fourth, which is what we wanted,” said Williams.
“I think we competed really well, when you’re in form, you have to surf the wave.”
Villarreal have now gone four matches without victory in all competitions, including a shock Copa del Rey defeat by fourth-tier Pontevedra in midweek.
“This defeat hurts a lot, we knew we were facing a direct rival (for the top four),” said Villarreal defender Kiko Femenia.
“We know it’s very tricky to come here and beat them, and the chances they have, they put away.”


Chelsea beat Spurs in seven-goal thriller to go second

Chelsea beat Spurs in seven-goal thriller to go second
Updated 08 December 2024
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Chelsea beat Spurs in seven-goal thriller to go second

Chelsea beat Spurs in seven-goal thriller to go second
  • Led by Palmer, Chelsea took control after the break to rub more salt in Spurs wounds and leave Postecoglou’s future up for debate

LONDON: Chelsea came from 2-0 down to beat Tottenham 4-3 on Sunday and go second in the Premier League thanks to two Cole Palmer penalties.
Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski gave under-fire Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou a dream start.
But his cavalier attacking approach will come under more scrutiny as Chelsea roared back to extend their unbeaten Premier League run to seven games.
Jadon Sancho gave the visitors a foothold before they dominated the second half with Palmer twice cool from the spot, either side of Enzo Fernandez’s strike.
Chelsea close to within four points of leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand after their visit to Everton on Saturday was postponed due to high winds.
Son Heung-min’s 96th-minute goal was little consolation for Spurs who have won just once in seven games and remain 11th in the table.
Postecoglou was involved in an angry confrontation with his own supporters after a dismal display in a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Thursday.
Spurs have often saved their best for the biggest games this season, beating Manchester City twice and cruising to a 3-0 win at Manchester United early in the campaign.
Postecoglou’s men flew out of the traps to leave an in-form Chelsea chasing shadows in the early stages.
Solanke stole in at the near post to turn in Brennan Johnson’s cross to open the scoring.
Kulusevski then meandered along the edge of the Blues’ box before firing low past Robert Sanchez to make it 2-0 inside 11 minutes.
Sancho scored his first Chelsea goal in a 5-1 romp at bottom-of-the-table Southampton in midweek to earn himself a start.
The Manchester United loanee quickly got the visitors back in the game with a brilliant long-range strike past Fraser Forster.
Somehow that was the end of the scoring in a frantic, fast-paced first 45 minutes that had chances aplenty at both ends.
Pape Sarr headed off the crossbar and Solanke should have converted Son’s cross to extend Tottenham’s lead.
At the other end, Forster stretched his long limbs to deny Palmer and Pedro Neto an equalizer.
Both sides were also fortunate to get to the break with 11 men still on the field.
Moises Caicedo’s studs-up challenge on Sarr was deemed not to have excessive force by the VAR official.
Likewise, Kulusevski escaped further punishment for a stray elbow on Romeo Lavia.
Led by Palmer, Chelsea took control after the break to rub more salt in Spurs wounds and leave Postecoglou’s future up for debate.
The former Australia boss bemoaned this week how his side often “shoot themselves in the foot” and so it proved for the vital fourth goal.
Yves Bissouma unnecessarily dived in on Caicedo to concede a penalty, which Palmer coolly dispatched to level.
Palmer had a major role in Chelsea’s third as well as his shot was blocked after a weaving run into the Spurs box, but the ball fell for Fernandez to blast home from the edge of the area.
To compound Tottenham’s woes, both their preferred center-back pairing of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven both had to be replaced after being rushed back from injury to start.
Another moment of madness secured the points when Sarr barged Palmer over inside the area.
The England international this time impudently dinked the spot-kick Panenka-style down the middle of Forster’s goal.
Son turned in James Maddison’s cross to set up a nervy finale.
But Enzo Maresca’s men held on to close in on Liverpool and further their case as unexpected contenders for the title.


UAE driver Hamda Al-Qubaisi ready for next step after two-year F1 Academy stint

UAE driver Hamda Al-Qubaisi ready for next step after two-year F1 Academy stint
Updated 08 December 2024
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UAE driver Hamda Al-Qubaisi ready for next step after two-year F1 Academy stint

UAE driver Hamda Al-Qubaisi ready for next step after two-year F1 Academy stint
  • Emirati 22-year-old says she ‘will never let go of racing’

ABU DHABI: Hamda Al-Qubaisi saved her best for last, achieving two podium places in the final three races of the season at her home track in Abu Dhabi to finish her F1 Academy career on a high note.

The Emirati Red Bull driver has fulfilled the two-season limit in the female-only racing series and has yet to reveal her plans for 2025.

Asked if she had any idea of where she might be racing next year, Al-Qubaisi told Arab News: “Not at all, but I’m never going to let go of racing, let’s say. So I’m going to do something.”

In her first year at F1 Academy, Al-Qubaisi finished third in the championship, thanks to four race wins and seven podium finishes.

Her 2024 campaign was not as successful and she arrived at the final stop of the season in Abu Dhabi with just one podium under her belt, achieved in Barcelona earlier in the year.  

But Al-Qubaisi rallied on home soil at Yas Marina Circuit, getting her best result of the season, finishing second in Race 1, and followed that up with a third in Race 2. In Race 3 she collided with Lia Block on lap 12p and eventually finished 11th.

She ultimately secured fifth place in the drivers’ championship.

“Honestly, it’s a little bit sad. The season went by really quickly,” Al-Qubaisi told Arab News on Saturday, on the eve of her final outing in an F1 Academy car.

“So I feel like I wanted to make the most out of it, especially here on my home track and home country.”

It was mission accomplished for Al-Qubaisi, who got to celebrate her podium finishes with her nearest and dearest in the UAE capital.

“It’s an amazing feeling for me. I feel happy to do it here in front of my home crowd. The support I had all weekend was amazing,” Al-Qubaisi said.

“I have my family here with me, my fiance as well, and just all that support that I have means a lot to me. And to see them after I finished on the podium, to see them all happy is a really good feeling.”

Hamda and her older sister Amna flew the flag for the UAE in the F1 Academy these past two seasons, and are pioneers for Arab women in the world of motorsport.

Amna finished the championship in 15th place, scoring points just four times this campaign.

“I feel like we’ve made a good impact and I’m proud to say that we made that impact,” Hamda Al-Qubaisi said.

“We broke a boundary that was a bit taboo, let’s say. And now we’ve created a pathway and opportunities for many girls behind us.

“I go back to my karting track that I grew up in and I see a lot more Arab girls there and it makes me so proud and happy. I feel like we’ve done the first step and now there are many coming behind us and we’re happy also to be that representative.”

Hamda gives great credit to Amna, who is two years her senior, for paving the way for her and easing her entry into the sport.

Both Al-Qubaisis were part of the Red Bull family this year, with Hamda racing in F1 Academy in Red Bull Racing colors, and Amna representing the sister team of Visa Cash App RB.

“I feel like just being part of their programme and being able to use their facilities has been something amazing for me,” said Hamda of the Red Bull Academy programme tie-up.

“Being there at Milton Keynes, able to use their sim as well as their physical training facilities has been amazing. Just overall to see everything there, I was in awe the first time I went there, just to see all the F1 cars. It’s crazy how many people are working as well, all together to get this amazing team.

“So just being part of it all has been an honor and I'm very grateful for the opportunity.”

She described 2024 as a “big learning curve” for her and admitted her struggles with the car from the end of 2023 carried over into the start of this season.

She is happy, though, that they got things right at the end.

“We worked hard to make sure the car was good and we were able to get there at some point and we’re there now. It’s OK, it’s never too late,” she said.