Zheng advances to semis of WTA Finals in Riyadh with victory over Paolini

Special Zheng advances to semis of WTA Finals in Riyadh with victory over Paolini
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after defeating Jasmine Paolini at the WTA Finals, King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 6, 2024. (Reuters)
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Updated 06 November 2024
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Zheng advances to semis of WTA Finals in Riyadh with victory over Paolini

Zheng advances to semis of WTA Finals in Riyadh with victory over Paolini
  • The Olympic gold medalist, seeded 7th, sweeps aside 4th seed Paolini 6-1, 6-1 in just 67 minutes, her 30th win in 35 matches
  • Already eliminated Rybakina claims consolation 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over world No. 1 Sabalenka, who secured semi-final spot on Monday

RIYADH: Zheng Qinwen continues to deliver in her breakthrough season, as she advanced to last four of the WTA Finals in Riyadh on Wednesday with a victory over Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini.

The Chinese Olympic gold medalist swept past fourth seed Paolini 6-1, 6-1 in a mere 67 minutes. It was her 30th victory in 35 matches.

Meanwhile, Elena Rybakina claimed a consolation 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who had already secured her semi-final spot as group winner on Monday.

Rybakina, who was already out of the competition after losing her first two matches, finally found form against Sabalenka. It was a much-needed confidence boost for the world No. 5, who missed most of the second half of the season with allergies, insomnia and a back injury.

“It was a tough match and I’m really happy that I managed to win,” said Rybakina, who shared a warm embrace with Sabalenka at the net. “I think it’s nice to finish the year at least with one win against the world No. 1.”

The loss was only Sabalenka’s second in 24 matches. She was yet to learn who she will face in Friday’s semi-final but whatever happens, she has reason to celebrate as she clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking when Iga Swiatek was defeated by Coco Gauff on Tuesday.

However, the Belarusian does not intend to let that achievement distract her from the task at hand, which is to lift the WTA Finals trophy for the first time in her career.

“It’s a really great feeling but I figured that last night and it didn’t work really well tonight for me, so I just want to focus on the current tournament, to stay hungry and stay motivated, because it’s a big tournament and it’s also one of my goals, so I’ll focus on this goal,” Sabalenka said on Wednesday.

In the last day of round-robin action in the Purple Group, Zheng and Paolini were fighting it out for the second qualification spot behind Sabalenka.

Zheng, seeded seventh, locked down her place in the last four with a dominating performance as she became the first Chinese player to make it out of the group stage at the event since Li Na in 2013.

“That was 11 years ago; I’m really proud I could make it,” said the 22-year-old. “I didn’t know what to expect coming to these WTA Finals for the first time. I was in a very difficult group.

“It’s one of the best performances I’ve had during this year. Really good percentage of first serves. I felt really good on my groundstrokes and I made a couple of good volleys. I really enjoyed it.”

An aggressive return earned Zheng her first break of the match in game three and then she broke again and held her serves to go 5-1 up. Paolini, a two-time Grand Slam finalist this season, saved one set point on her own serve in game seven but Zheng kept her foot on the gas to close out the 32-minute set on the second opportunity.

Zheng was just as impressive in the second set, and after saving a break point while serving for the match at 5-1 she closed out the win with her 12th ace of the match.

“I finally feel that my serve has started to be a bit more consistent,” said Zheng, who leads the tour in aces and first-serve points won this season.

This was her fourth victory in as many meetings with Paolini, who will remain in Riyadh to battle for a semi-final spot in the doubles competition alongside fellow Italian Sara Errani.

Since Wimbledon in July, Zheng has recorded the most wins of any woman on the tour. Besides taking gold in the singles at the Olympics, she defended her Palermo title, reached the quarter-finals of the US Open, the semi-finals in Beijing, the final in Wuhan, and lifted the trophy in Tokyo. Three of her five defeats during that run were at the hands of Sabalenka and she said she has been impressed by the Belarusian’s form this season. Zheng’s record against Sabalenka is 0-5, and she said this is a big source of motivation for her.

“She won two slams,” Zheng said. “This is really big achievement for her. And I remember last year, she won her first Grand Slam in the Australian Open. And then she kept going, kept working.

“But you know, both slams that she won this year, I lost against her on the way. Which means if I want to win a slam, I have to be able to beat her. And I’m quite excited for that day.”


Liverpool’s Premier League clash at Everton postponed due to high winds

Updated 15 sec ago
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Liverpool’s Premier League clash at Everton postponed due to high winds

Liverpool’s Premier League clash at Everton postponed due to high winds
High winds and heavy rain have battered western parts of the United Kingdom, causing widespread travel disruption
Everton said the fixture had been postponed on safety grounds

LIVERPOOL: Premier League leaders Liverpool’s Merseyside derby trip to Everton on Saturday was postponed due to adverse weather conditions caused by Storm Darragh.
High winds and heavy rain have battered western parts of the United Kingdom, causing widespread travel disruption.
In a statement, Everton said the fixture had been postponed on safety grounds following a meeting between both clubs, local police and Liverpool City Council.
“Whilst we appreciate this will be deeply disappointing for supporters, the safety of fans, staff and players is of paramount importance,” Everton’s statement added.
The fixture will be the final Merseyside derby in the league at Everton’s Goodison Park, home to the club since 1892, before they move to a new 53,000 capacity stadium next season.
Liverpool lead the Premier League by seven points after 14 games of the 38-match season.
Manchester United said their match later at Old Trafford against Nottingham Forest (1730GMT) is still scheduled to go ahead.
“The club will continue to consult the relevant authorities throughout the day and will update supporters immediately if anything changes,” United said in a statement.
Three other Premier League games are also due to go ahead at 1500GMT, including Manchester City’s trip to Crystal Palace.
Cardiff against Watford in the Championship has been postponed, along with every football and rugby match in Wales.
Plymouth’s meeting with Oxford has also been called off in the second tier.

Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, India’s Jasprit Bumrah nominated for ICC’s player of month

Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, India’s Jasprit Bumrah nominated for ICC’s player of month
Updated 07 December 2024
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Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, India’s Jasprit Bumrah nominated for ICC’s player of month

Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, India’s Jasprit Bumrah nominated for ICC’s player of month
  • The third nominee is South African Marco Jensen who excelled against India and Sri Lanka last month
  • Pakistani spinner Noman Ali last month bagged the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for October

KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced nominees for the Men’s Player of the Month Award for November, with Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf, India’s Jasprit Bumrah and South African Marco Jensen named as contenders.
The award recognizes the best male cricketer of the month, considering performances in Tests, one-day and Twenty20 internationals. A voting academy and fan determine the winner from the three nominees.
“Rauf played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s historic ODI series win in Australia — their first in 22 years,” the ICC said this week. “The 24-year-old Jensen showcased his all-round brilliance across all formats in November and India’s Bumrah reaffirmed his reputation as one of the greats of the games.”
The ICC said that Pakistan’s tour of Zimbabwe saw a strong performance by Rauf as the tourists won both the ODI and T20I series 2-1. Rauf took 10 wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the second match, steering Pakistan to victory. He continued his form in the T20Is, with five wickets and wrapped up the month with 18 dismissals across formats.
Jansen excelled in the T20I series against India, showcasing his all-round skills with a 17-ball 54 in the third match and consistent wickets. His standout performance came in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Durban, where he recorded career-best match figures of 11/86, including a seven-wicket haul that dismissed Sri Lanka for 42, securing a dominant 233-run victory for South Africa, according to the ICC.
Bumrah led India to a commanding 295-run victory in the opening Border-Gavaskar Test in Perth with an eight-wicket haul. His fiery opening spell restricted Australia to 104 after India’s first-innings collapse.
Pakistani spinner Noman Ali last month bagged the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for October after his stellar 20 wickets in a Test series against England that helped his team secure a 2-1 victory.


Andersson takes pole in Sharjah powerboat racing as Thani Al-Qemzi shines and Wyatt suffers title blow

Andersson takes pole in Sharjah powerboat racing as Thani Al-Qemzi shines and Wyatt suffers title blow
Updated 07 December 2024
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Andersson takes pole in Sharjah powerboat racing as Thani Al-Qemzi shines and Wyatt suffers title blow

Andersson takes pole in Sharjah powerboat racing as Thani Al-Qemzi shines and Wyatt suffers title blow
  • Veteran Team Abu Dhabi driver set for 158th Grand Prix start 24 years after debut on Khalid Lagoon

ABU DHABI: Sweden’s Jonas Andersson secured pole position for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Sharjah to boost his hopes of a third UIM F1H2O World Championship triumph as Team Abu Dhabi’s Thani Al-Qemzi rolled back the years on Khalid Lagoon.

Andersson won the six-boat qualifying shootout from Victory Team’s Erik Stark and veteran Emirati driver Al-Qemzi in third, after his closest rival in the title race, Sharjah Team’s Rusty Wyatt, was penalized following an earlier collision with Poland’s Bartek Marszalek in Q2.

The incident resulted in a spectacular barrel roll for Marszalek, leaving his mechanics with urgent repair work ahead of the afternoon sprint races.

Canadian rookie Wyatt, who had set the sixth-fastest time at that point, was eliminated from the session by race officials for dangerous driving and will start in 11th position tomorrow, handing a major advantage to Andersson and Team Vietnam.

This was the latest in a long line of dramatic moments that have won and lost the championship in Sharjah over the years, and no one knows this better than Al-Qemzi, who made his debut on the splendid race arena that is Khalid Lagoon back in 2000.

The veteran Team Abu Dhabi driver, who has recorded three Grand Prix victories in Sharjah during his career, will be starting his 158th F1H2O race tomorrow afternoon and remains a class act, still hungry for success, two years after his last win in Sardinia.

He was third-fastest in Friday’s free practice with a lap time bettered only by Andersson and Wyatt and went into this morning’s three-phase qualifying session determined to give himself the best chance of a strong finish to the season.

After setting the early pace in Q1, he went through with the fourth-fastest time, as Frenchman Peter Morin topped the standings ahead of Wyatt and Andersson, and Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al-Qemzi missed progressing in the 11th spot.

Stark, with a mathematic chance of taking the world title before joining Team Abu Dhabi next year, topped the Q2 timings ahead of Morin and Andersson, with Thani Al-Qemzi going through in fifth position as cousin Rashed missed out.

Wyatt’s penalty following the collision with Marszalek looked to have put Andersson on course for a double drivers’ and team title success with Team Vietnam, although the afternoon sprint races to follow could yet play an important part in the proceedings.


Pakistan cricket team arrive in South Africa to play all-format series starting on Dec. 10

Pakistan cricket team arrive in South Africa to play all-format series starting on Dec. 10
Updated 07 December 2024
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Pakistan cricket team arrive in South Africa to play all-format series starting on Dec. 10

Pakistan cricket team arrive in South Africa to play all-format series starting on Dec. 10
  • Pakistan to play two Tests, three ODIs and three T20I matches in South Africa
  • Rizwan’s team heads to South Africa after beating Zimbabwe in white-ball series

KARACHI: The Pakistan cricket team have arrived in South Africa to play an eight-match all-format series beginning from Dec. 10 till January 2025, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday.

The national squad arrived in Durban after defeating Zimbabwe in the ODI and T20 series earlier this month. Pakistan will play two Tests and three One Day Internationals and three Twenty20 matches against the host country. 

The first match of the series, a T20I contest, will take place on Dec. 10.

“National T20 squad arrived in Durban from Zimbabwe,” the PCB said in a post on social media site X. “Captain Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah also arrived in Durban.”

The statement said the Pakistan cricket team will rest on Sunday before beginning their first practice session the same day at the Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban.

The South Africa series will see the return of cricket stars Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who were both rested for the Zimbabwe T20I and ODI series. 

Pakistan squads for South Africa tour:

Tests: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha

ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wk)

T20Is: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wk)


Jafel Filho triumphs over Amir Albazi at eighth edition of Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship in Al-Ain

Jafel Filho triumphs over Amir Albazi at eighth edition of Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship in Al-Ain
Updated 07 December 2024
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Jafel Filho triumphs over Amir Albazi at eighth edition of Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship in Al-Ain

Jafel Filho triumphs over Amir Albazi at eighth edition of Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship in Al-Ain
  • Emiratis Al-Shehhi, Al-Kalbani, Al-Fadhli, Al-Qubaisi and Al-Ameri claimed victories in front of home crowd

AL-AIN: Jafel Filho emerged victorious against Amir Albazi in the much-anticipated featherweight grappling bout, the main event of the eighth edition of the Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship, held at the ADNEC Centre in Al-Ain on Friday.

The aggressive and technically skilled Brazilian mixed martial artist defeated the Iraqi MMA star via unanimous decision in a five-round match.

This edition was organized by International Vision Sports Management in cooperation with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi. The championship, known for its unique rules and innovative system, featured 13 fights combining jiu-jitsu and grappling, all held in an octagonal cage.

Speaking about his victory, Filho said: “I’m happy for the opportunity to compete in the ADXC. My opponent is (in) the top three in my MMA weight division, so I trained a lot for this fight and I’m very happy with the results.”

In the co-main event, Brazil’s Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu marked his third ADXC appearance with a split-decision victory over Ghanaian Haisam Rida in the heavyweight division. The seasoned Brazilian fighter outclassed his opponent in a thrilling match that electrified the arena.

Elsewhere on the main card, Emirati champion Khaled Al-Shehhi showcased his techniques in the bantamweight jiu-jitsu main event, overcoming Brazilian opponent Thalison Soares, a black belt holder and gold medalist at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024. Al-Shehhi claimed a unanimous decision victory after a grueling five-round battle.

“I was fully prepared for this fight because I know Soares is a big name in jiu-jitsu. Winning here in front of my family, friends, and fans in Al-Ain is truly special,” said Al-Shehhi. “This is my second time participating and winning in this championship, and I believe it will continue to grow in stature.”

The main card fights also saw Movlid Khaybulaev secure a unanimous decision victory over James Gallagher in an intense grappling contest, while Maria Luisa Delahaye defeated Brenda Larissa via unanimous decision in a jiu-jitsu bout, showcasing her precision and technique.

On the preliminary card, Emirati jiu-jitsu star Shamma Al-Kalbani delivered an impressive performance, defeating China’s Peiqin Ge via unanimous decision in the bantamweight category after a challenging three-round match.

“I’m proud to represent the UAE and highlight the strength of women in jiu-jitsu,” Al-Kalbani said. “The match was tough, but I stayed focused and won through my offensive strategy. I look forward to representing the UAE in an honorable way in future competitions.”

Emirati Omar Al-Fadhli also shone, defeating Chilean Nicolas Ponce via unanimous decision in the lightweight jiu-jitsu category. “Competing in a cage for the first time made this victory even more special and gave me valuable experience, as I’m more accustomed to fighting on the mat,” he said. “My opponent took a defensive approach and tried to use the cage to counter my attacks, but with my coach’s guidance and my determination to win, I managed to adapt and secure the victory.”

Saudi Arabia’s Abdulmalik Al-Murdhi secured a hard-fought split-decision win over Peruvian Eduardo Farfan in the unrestricted weight jiu-jitsu bout. Meanwhile, Egyptian Mido Mohamed triumphed over Uzbek Bakhromjon Ruziev in a closely contested featherweight grappling clash.

Craig McIntosh of Scotland claimed victory against Kuwait’s Ahmad Al-Bousairi via unanimous decision in the welterweight grappling bout.

In the showcase bouts, Emirati Salem Al-Qubaisi delivered a commanding performance, submitting Russia’s Mukhammad Ramazanov with a cross choke in the first round at 4:39. Brazil’s Daniel Poncio dominated Thor Koringa with a rear-naked choke in round three at 0:39, while Saif Al-Ameri, also from the UAE, edged out Pablo Henrique via split decision in a highly competitive contest.