Alcaraz will face ‘difficult’ clash with ‘idol’ Nadal
Alcaraz will face ‘difficult’ clash with ‘idol’ Nadal/node/2575589/sport
Alcaraz will face ‘difficult’ clash with ‘idol’ Nadal
On Thursday, Nadal will take on Alcaraz for a place in the final of the “6 Kings Slam” exhibition event in Riyadh. (AN Photo/Abdulrahman Fahad Bin Shulhub)
Alcaraz will face ‘difficult’ clash with ‘idol’ Nadal
Updated 17 October 2024
AFP
RIYADH: Carlos Alcaraz admitted Wednesday it will be a “difficult moment” facing “idol” Rafael Nadal on Thursday as the Spanish superstars clash for the final time.
Nadal, the winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, announced last week that he will retire from tennis after the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga next month.
On Thursday, however, the 38-year-old will take on Alcaraz for a place in the final of the “6 Kings Slam” exhibition event in Riyadh.
“Since I started to play tennis, I’m watching his matches. I look up to him and I grew up watching him. He was my idol, he is still my idol,” Alcaraz said on court after defeating Holger Rune 6-4, 6-2 to set-up an emotional meeting with Nadal.
“A really important person for my life, for my career and he was one of the reasons that I wanted to become a professional tennis player. Knowing he is going to retire is pretty tough for everyone, for me.”
Alcaraz, the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion, added: “I will try to enjoy sharing the court with him once again, but I think it is really difficult for everyone.”
Nadal and Alcaraz have met three times on the main ATP Tour with the soon-to-be retired veteran holding a 2-1 advantage.
The Spanish pair played doubles together at the Paris Olympics this year and they are expected to team-up again at the Davis Cup Finals.
Nadal also made his last singles appearance at the Games on the same Roland Garros courts where he won 14 French Open titles.
His Olympic singles campaign was ended by old rival Novak Djokovic in the second round.
Thursday’s other semifinal in Riyadh sees Djokovic tackle Australian Open and US Open champion Jannik Sinner.
World number one Sinner eased past Daniil Medvedev 6-0, 6-3 on Wednesday.
Twisted Minds take crown in first ESL Saudi Challenge
Group wins grand prize from a $20,000 prize pool
Updated 7 sec ago
Arab News
Riyadh: Twisted Minds beat Dragons in the final of the first Electronic Sports League Saudi Challenge, earning them the lion’s share of the $20,000 prize pool for the e-sports tournament.
The groundbreaking tournament provided a platform for local talent to shine and qualify for international competitions, as Saudi Arabia aims to become a key player in the global e-sports scene, according to a statement from the organizers.
The ESL Saudi Challenge provided intense competition and unforgettable moments in Overwatch 2, highlighting the region’s e-sports talent.
In the semifinals, Dragons showed tenacity to win 3-2 in a hard-fought best-of-five series. The grand finals, however, belonged to Twisted Minds, who delivered a commanding performance with an unbeaten 4-0 sweep in the best-of-seven match.
“The ESL Saudi Challenge tournament has been a phenomenal success, showcasing the incredible talent and passion of players from across the region and beyond. This event is a testament to Saudi Arabia’s commitment to fostering a vibrant e-sports ecosystem,” said Franck Guignery, senior vice president at ESL FACEIT Group.
Twis Quartz, a player for Twisted Minds, shared his excitement after his team’s victory: “Winning the first-ever ESL Saudi Challenge is an amazing feeling.”
He encouraged Overwatch 2 players in the local community to keep working hard, saying: “The future is bright for all of us.”
Title bouts announced as One Championship returns Qatar next year
One 171 will take place at Lusail Sports Arena on Feb. 20
Updated 11 min 56 sec ago
Arab News
DOHA: One Championship has announced that the organization will return to Lusail Sports Arena with One 171: Qatar, the country’s second blockbuster event, on Feb. 20, 2025.
The event is a collaboration between One, the world’s largest martial arts organization; official presenting partner Visit Qatar; and official media partner Media City Qatar.
The main event will see Jonathan Haggerty take on Wei Rui for the One Bantamweight Kickboxing world title. Haggerty has a 22-5 overall record, while Wei, who beat Hiroki Akimoto, is the former K-1 champ and has a 70-3 overall record.
In the co-main event, Joshua Pacio faces Jarred Brooks for the One Strawweight MMA world title in what will be their third bout. The two are tied at 1-1. Brooks won in August 2022, while Pacio won when Brooks got disqualified in One 166: Qatar in March 2023.
ONE 171: Qatar will also feature other world title matches, with additional event details and headline bouts to be announced in the coming weeks as tickets go on sale.
Chatri Sityodtong, chairman and CEO of One Championship, stated: “After a successful event in Qatar last March, One Championship will return to Lusail Sports Arena in early 2025 for another showcase of the world’s best martial arts talent. We’re putting together another explosive card that fans will not want to miss, featuring our elite World Champion athletes across all of our martial arts disciplines. We can’t wait to ignite Qatar with hope, strength, dreams, and inspiration once again. I would like to personally thank Visit Qatar and Media City Qatar for giving us another opportunity to make history.”
One 166: Qatar, One Championship’s first-ever live event in Qatar on March 1, 2024, featured three World Championship bouts, drew a capacity crowd at Lusail Sports Arena and was watched by nearly 20 million fans across online and television broadcasts.
Kevin Paul’s ‘ripple-effect’ mission to help transform Saudi Arabia’s sports culture
Paralympic swimming legend explains how making sports accessible will benefit future generations in the Kingdom
Updated 24 min 53 sec ago
Aisha Fareed
RIYADH: Kevin Paul, a decorated Paralympic swimmer from South Africa, is not only passionate about his athletic achievements but also deeply committed to shaping the future of youth sports in Saudi Arabia.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Paul shared his vision for sports education in the Kingdom, the role of his organization Nujoom, and how the growing scene in Saudi Arabia is creating opportunities for the next generation.
Born and raised in South Africa, where sport is a significant part of life, Paul has always viewed athletics as a powerful tool for personal growth. “Sport has always been an outlet for me,” he said.
“It’s always been an opportunity, and it’s always given me so much to be able to fall back on — whether it’s in business, relationships, or friendships. Every major milestone in my life has been linked to sport.”
As a Paralympic athlete, Paul understands the resilience and determination needed to overcome challenges.
Kevin Paul has won a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. supplied
After winning a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and then retiring from competitive swimming, Paul found himself at a crossroads — to either embark on a legal career he had studied for or pursue his passion for sport.
He chose the latter, moving to Dubai and eventually seeing the potential for sports education in Saudi Arabia, especially with the launch of Vision 2030.
“I feel that when the opportunity came for me to be able to do that in Saudi, I wanted to grab it as soon as possible,” Paul said, adding that the Kingdom has so much potential, and he wants to be a part of the future here.
One of the main vehicles for Paul’s mission in Saudi Arabia is Nujoom, a sports education organization he co-founded with Abdullah Alireza, a top Saudi professional triathlete.
They aim to bring high-quality, accessible opportunities to the Kingdom, aligning their efforts with Vision 2030’s focus on sports development.
“If you look at it from the Nujoom side of things, we want to be able to provide accessibility and provide our opportunity for sport to all,” Paul said. “It’s that little ripple effect, if you make that one change now, it’s just going to have an impact for generations to come.”
With Saudi Arabia investing heavily in high-end sports events and infrastructure, Paul highlights the critical importance of grassroots initiatives.
Grassroots sports are just as crucial as the big events in football and boxing, he explained. “If we can inspire parents to fall in love with sports, their kids will naturally benefit from that.”
For Paul, the most exciting aspect of Saudi Arabia’s sports transformation is the drive and determination he sees in the people, which he likens to his home country of South Africa.
“People here are very determined and resilient. They go after what they want,” he said. “If you’re looking back five or 10 years ago, maybe these goals didn’t exist because the opportunities weren’t there.
“But now the kid playing football in the park behind the house, he believes he can be the next (Cristiano) Ronaldo,” he added.
Paul also celebrates the transformation in Saudi Arabia for women and girls, emphasizing that inclusivity is key to the country’s growing sports landscape.
“That’s just going to pave the pathway for whatever kids want to do moving forward,” he said. Participation in physical activities help teach children life lessons such as resilience, goal-setting and teamwork that they can apply to every aspect of their lives, he added.
The paralympic athlete’s love for swimming led him to create one of the Kingdom’s most exciting sports initiatives, a mixed open-water swim group.
When he moved to Jeddah, he thought “there must be other people who have that same love for swimming as I do. Let’s start an open-water swim club like you have run clubs and cycle clubs.”
The club has now grown to 75 members, coming from diverse backgrounds and sharing a love for the water. “It’s a lot more than just swimming in the ocean,” Paul said.
“We’re breaking boundaries, making friends, and creating a healthy, active community. It’s the ripple effect — start with one change, and it grows into something much bigger."
The group meets every Saturday for open-water swims followed by coffee, fostering a sense of community. People will meet others from different walks of life, and it is not just about fitness, but also connecting with others who share a passion.
Kevin Paul has always viewed athletics as a powerful tool for personal growth. supplied
As a Paralympic athlete, Paul is particularly sensitive to the challenges faced by youth with disabilities in pursuing sports. He believes that education and structured programs are essential to ensuring these athletes receive the support they need to succeed.
He said one of the biggest challenges for youth with disabilities in Saudi Arabia when it comes to pursuing sports is ensuring that both youth and coaches understand what it takes to become the best.
Paul stresses the importance of making sure coaches have the necessary qualifications and experience to guide young athletes effectively. Private sector organizations like Nujoom can play a significant role in providing top-tier coaching, but high-level programs are needed.
He said Nujoom focuses on four key pillars: fun, learning, structured curriculum, and qualified coaches.
Paul said children need to have a clear learning pathway, and to progress at their own pace, whether they are doing so for recreation or preparing for the Paralympics.
He shared a powerful lesson from his experience at the 2012 London Paralympic Games, where he played a game of Jenga with a teammate Hendri Herbst, who is visually impaired.
“Hendri taught me that he didn’t want sympathy; he just wanted equal respect and opportunity,” Paul recalled. The biggest lesson he took away from that was to make the most of a situation, work toward goals, and ask people for help.
Paul and the team at Nujoom want to ensure that in 10 to 15 years the top athletes will be homegrown. “All the posters on the walls of kids’ rooms should be of Saudi born-and-bred athletes moving forward.”
Maharaj bowls South Africa to 109-run win, sweep of Sri Lanka
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj picked up 5-76 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 238
South Africa have two remaining Tests against Pakistan for the world championship final
Updated 09 December 2024
Gqeberha: Keshav Maharaj took five wickets as South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 109 runs on the fifth day of the second Test at St. George’s Park on Monday.
Left-arm spinner Maharaj picked up 5-76 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 238. They lost their remaining five wickets for 33 runs on Monday.
The win gave South Africa a 2-0 series win and took them to the top of the World Test championship table.
Sri Lanka’s hopes of an upset win were extinguished when overnight batsmen Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis were dismissed inside the first 10 overs of the day.
De Silva and Mendis, the team’s last recognized batsmen, resumed on 205 for five, still needing 143 runs to win.
Maharaj made the first breakthrough when Mendis edged a low catch to Aiden Markram at slip. He made 46 in a 97-run sixth wicket partnership with De Silva.
Kagiso Rabada then had Sri Lankan captain De Silva caught behind for 50, exposing the Sri Lankan tail.
The last three wickets fell quickly with Maharaj claiming two more scalps and Marco Jansen finishing the match with his first ball of the day when Lahiru Kumara was caught off a wild slog.
South Africa’s chances of playing in the Test championship final at Lord’s in June next year now lie in their own hands, with their two remaining fixtures being at home against Pakistan.
Gabriel Bortoleto clinches 2024 Formula 2 crown in Abu Dhabi
Joshua Durksen triumphs in feature race as title challenger Isack Hadjar struggles
Updated 09 December 2024
Arab News
ABU DHABI: Just over 12 months after his impressive rookie title win in Formula 3, Gabriel Bortoleto signed off his maiden Formula 2 season by being crowned the world champion.
Bortoleto’s victory came after a pulsating charge through the pack to finish second behind Joshua Durksen in the feature race at the Yas Marina Circuit.
The Brazilian Invicta Racing driver went into the title-deciding race with a 4.5-point advantage. His victory hopes were boosted within a few seconds of the lights going out when his nearest title challenger, Isack Hadjar, had a frustrating stall on the starting grid.
While the Campos Racing driver continued the race from the pit lane and finished 19th, Bortoleto, who will race in Formula 1 for Sauber in 2025, delivered an impressive performance to finish 1.791 seconds behind AIX Racing’s Durksen.
Richard Verschoor of MP Motorsport took the third podium place.
