Djokovic makes slice of history as Zheng stunned in Melbourne

Djokovic makes slice of history as Zheng stunned in Melbourne
Novak Djokovic made a slice of Grand Slam history on his way into the Australian Open third round on Wednesday but last year’s women’s finalist Zheng Qinwen was knocked out in the biggest shock so far. (AP)
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Updated 15 January 2025
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Djokovic makes slice of history as Zheng stunned in Melbourne

Djokovic makes slice of history as Zheng stunned in Melbourne
  • Novak Djokovic made a slice of Grand Slam history on his way into the Australian Open third round on Wednesday but last year’s women’s finalist Zheng Qinwen was knocked out in the biggest shock so far

MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic made a slice of Grand Slam history on his way into the Australian Open third round on Wednesday but last year’s women’s finalist Zheng Qinwen was knocked out in the biggest shock so far.
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, two-time Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz were all also winners on a rainy day four.
Djokovic needed four sets for the second match in a row before defeating Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-2.
It was Djokovic’s 430th singles match at a major to claim sole ownership of most ever played, men or women, in the Open era ahead of Roger Federer (429) and Serena Williams (423).
The Serb is chasing an 11th Australian Open title and historic 25th Grand Slam crown.
“Whether I win or lose, I will always leave my heart out on the court. I’m just blessed to be making another record,” said Djokovic, 37, now coached by former rival Andy Murray.
Djokovic is drawn to meet Spain’s red-hot Alcaraz in the last eight.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz dropped just five games in an ominous display of strength to sprint into the third round.
The third seed showed no mercy to Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in a 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 rout in 81 minutes.
“The less time you spend on court in the Grand Slams, especially in the beginning, it is going to be better,” said Alcaraz, who is yet to go beyond the quarter-finals in Melbourne.
Second seed Alexander Zverev of Germany is seeking a first Grand Slam title and has enjoyed two days off since his straight-sets win on Sunday night against Lucas Pouille.
He again plays in the graveyard slot, the last evening match on Rod Laver Arena, this time against Spaniard Pedro Martinez.
Olympic champion Zheng was sent packing 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 by world number 97 Laura Siegemund, the second-oldest player in the women’s draw at age 36.
“I knew I just had to play more than my best tennis. I had nothing to lose so I just told myself to swing free,” said the German.
“It’s tennis. Nothing more,” said China’s Zheng, 22, who was given two time violations and lost her cool as her tilt at a maiden major crown evaporated in only the second round.
On center court Sabalenka dropped her serve three times and faced 11 break points before overcoming Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5, rattling off the last five games in a row.
“She played incredible tennis today and it was a really tough one. I expected this tennis from her, I’m really glad I was able to win this match,” said Sabalenka, who beat Zheng in the 2024 final.
The win kept the Belarusian world number one on course for a rare hat-trick of consecutive Australian Open titles, a feat last achieved 26 years ago by Martina Hingis and only matched by four other women in history.
Former world number one Osaka, the 2019 and 2021 champion in Australia but now unseeded, stormed back to defeat 20th seed Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.
American seventh seed Jessica Pegula, beaten in the US Open final by Sabalenka last year, eased through 6-4, 6-2 against Belgium’s Elize Mertens.
World number three Coco Gauff is unbeaten this year after inspiring her country to victory in the United Cup and breezing past former champion Sofia Kenin in the first round in Melbourne.
She faces Britain’s Jodie Burrage.


Li Haotong birdies last hole to win Qatar Masters for fourth European tour title

Li Haotong birdies last hole to win Qatar Masters for fourth European tour title
Updated 09 February 2025
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Li Haotong birdies last hole to win Qatar Masters for fourth European tour title

Li Haotong birdies last hole to win Qatar Masters for fourth European tour title
  • Li, the overnight leader, shot 3-under 69 in the final round to finish on 16-under par for the week

DOHA: Li Haotong holed a birdie putt from 15 feet at the last hole to secure a one-shot win at the Qatar Masters on Sunday for his fourth title on the European tour.
The No. 300-ranked Chinese golfer let out a loud roar, pumped both fists and wept in the arms of his caddie after his winning putt at Doha Golf Club. It denied Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen of Denmark a playoff.
Li, the overnight leader, shot 3-under 69 in the final round to finish on 16-under par for the week, while Neergaard-Petersen posted 65. The Dane was alone in second place, two shots clear of Brandon Robinson Thompson (70).
“I never thought I could come back in this position,” said Li, whose last win was in June 2022 at the BMW International Open. “This morning, I was really stressed.”
The Qatar Masters completes a run of four events in the Middle East. The tour next heads to Kenya on Feb. 20— 23.


Inside Ittihad: A match day experience to rival the world’s best

Inside Ittihad: A match day experience to rival the world’s best
Updated 09 February 2025
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Inside Ittihad: A match day experience to rival the world’s best

Inside Ittihad: A match day experience to rival the world’s best
  • In this special three-part feature, Arab News goes behind the scenes at Al-Ittihad to discover how the club has transformed its off-field operations
  • In Part 1, we look at how the home of the league leaders continues to produce some of the most colorful and noisy match experiences in the region

RIYADH: A big screen bombarding match-going fans with advertisements, an emcee screaming at the top of their lungs and a playlist of overly commercialized pop music devoid of any meaning or connection.

Welcome to the experience for many football fans the world over.

As the football world becomes smaller thanks to technology and globalization, the matchday experience has become increasingly gentrified as clubs follow the same playbook to entertain their fans. If you’ve been to enough games, you’ll have encountered this.

So, as a club looking to grow its global resonance, how does Al-Ittihad ensure it doesn’t fall into the same trap and instead continues to offer something distinctly Saudi Arabian to its increasingly international audience?

Enter Salma Malaeb, senior manager of matchday experience at Al-Ittihad, whose job it is to create an atmosphere unique to Saudi Arabia’s oldest football club.

The simplest experience, Malaeb told Arab News, is the stadium playlist.

“A lot of the playlist songs are actual Ittihad songs written by Ittihad artists, because the club is a community in itself, you know?

“You have a lot of local artists, a lot of creatives. We try to even work with the creatives, for example, in the fan zone. We have a pop-up from time to time, (where) we work with a local artist, so we try to incorporate the community into matchday through these little things, while at the same time trying to modernize it.

“Because, yes, we do want to reach international standards, but we also want to maintain the identity of the club, and this is maintained (by) our Ultras as well. They will make you feel like this is Saudi football, and this is what football means to them.”

The biggest expression of their passion is undoubtedly the iconic full-stadium tifos that have become synonymous with the Al-Ittihad matchday experience.

Malaeb, who has only been in the role for just over six months and has previously worked for Real Madrid and at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, sees first-hand the work that goes into preparing the displays.

Aside from facilitating the pre-match planning and coordination, the club is largely uninvolved in the process, preferring to keep it a uniquely fan-controlled initiative.

“In terms of how much it’s controlled by the club, we really try to not control it,” she explained. “We want it to be as genuine as possible, coming straight from these hardcore fans.

“A lot of sponsors have tried to engage in some way, but for us, it’s always like: ‘No, we really want to keep this for them.’ This is something for the audience, this is something for these fans.”

And how much work goes into coordinating these works of art? Simple answer — a lot.

“We see it because we’re behind the scenes,” she explained.

“They work with an artist (who) comes up with the designs. This is basically the process. But then, operationally, we see them matchday minus one, matchday minus two working on it, hanging it on the seats.

“It’s really incredible, the amount of work and dedication that it takes. But the guys here, they work tirelessly around the clock to get a tifo in place. So, it’s honestly a work of art, really.”

And much like the greatest art galleries of the world, there is a lure so compelling that it just draws people in, converting them into fans — Malaeb included.

“When you see the dedication, and you actually see the results of this, honestly, automatically, you fall in love with the club,” Malaeb said.

“Because football is about the passion behind it, right? It’s about the fans. This is what makes football so beautiful. So, when you get to know the club, and you get to see the passion and dedication that these guys put in around the club to try to get something like this done, you just fall in love with it.

“I’ve been here for six months, but I swear, I am in love with this club. You can’t help it.”

And when fans visit the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, that is the emotion Malaeb wants every single one of them to feel. She wants them to feel at home, even if they do share the stadium with crosstown rivals, Al-Ahli. On matchday, when it’s decked out top-to-bottom in yellow and black, she wants them to feel a sense of belonging.

That includes, in increasing numbers, families and female fans. Now that they know a woman is behind the matchday operations, women are “even more excited” to attend matches, Malaeb said.

“Also, a lot of kids, because now they know we’re trying to entertain the kids with our tiger mascot, getting him more involved on a match day, visiting different areas of the stadium, interacting with the spectators.

“We do notice that, and I know I’m relatively new here, but I hear from my colleagues, and they tell me the atmosphere has changed,” she added.

If you ever find yourself walking into the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, don’t expect just any experience. Expect something more unique.

Where Liverpool has “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” Al-Ittihad has “The Nation’s Club,” a thunderous anthem the fans belt out pre-game as the players stand arm-in-arm in front of them. It gets the hairs standing every time.

They may now operate in a global environment, but Al-Ittihad remains rooted in the local community.


Saudi crown prince meets president of International Olympic Committee

Saudi crown prince meets president of International Olympic Committee
Updated 09 February 2025
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Saudi crown prince meets president of International Olympic Committee

Saudi crown prince meets president of International Olympic Committee
  • Discussion focused on ways to develop the Olympic Games domestically and globally

RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, at Al-Yamama Palace in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, they discussed the cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the IOC and ways to develop the Olympic Games domestically and globally, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the minister of sports, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund, and Abdulaziz Baeshen, the CEO and secretary-general of Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, attended the meeting.

In July, Saudi Arabia and the IOC signed a 12-year partnership to host the new e-sports Olympics, beginning with the Esports Olympics in 2025, in Riyadh.


South Africa call up Bosch for Champions Trophy in Pakistan and UAE

South Africa call up Bosch for Champions Trophy in Pakistan and UAE
Updated 09 February 2025
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South Africa call up Bosch for Champions Trophy in Pakistan and UAE

South Africa call up Bosch for Champions Trophy in Pakistan and UAE
  • Bosch made his one-day international and Test debuts against Pakistan in December 2024
  • He will replace fellow fast bowler Anrich Nortje in South Africa’s squad for Champions Trophy

Johannesburg: Corbin Bosch will replace fellow fast bowler Anrich Nortje in South Africa’s squad for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, Cricket South Africa announced on Sunday.

Bosch, who made his one-day international and Test debuts against Pakistan in December, will depart for Karachi on Sunday to join the squad for a triangular series against Pakistan and New Zealand ahead of the Champions trophy, which starts on February 19.

Nortje was named in the squad last month but was withdrawn a day later because of a back injury.
Nortje’s likely replacement, Gerald Coetzee, was on Wednesday named, then withdrawn from the tri-series squad after feeling tightness in his groin during a pre-departure net practice.

Teenage fast bowler Kwena Maphaka will join the squad for the tri-series and be a traveling reserve for the Champions Trophy.

Cricket South Africa also announced that former Pakistan all-rounder Yasir Arafat had joined the support staff as a consultant for both tournaments in Pakistan.

Revised South African squad:

Temba Bavuma (capt), Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton (wkt), Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen.


Sharjah Self-Defense takes lead on opening day of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship

Sharjah Self-Defense takes lead on opening day of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship
Updated 09 February 2025
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Sharjah Self-Defense takes lead on opening day of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship

Sharjah Self-Defense takes lead on opening day of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship
  • The 2nd round of the competition also saw Al Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club and Abu Dhabi Martial Arts Academy in 2nd and 3rd places on Day 1

DUBAI: The Sharjah Self-Defense Sports Club dominated the opening day of the second round of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship at Al-Nasr Club in Dubai. The event, featuring No-Gi competition, brought together young athletes from leading clubs and academies across the country.

Competitors in the U-12, U-14, and U-16 categories took to the mats on Day 1, with the Sharjah Self-Defense Sports Club securing the top spot. The Al Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club and Abu Dhabi Martial Arts Academy followed in second and third place, respectively. The action continues on Sunday with U-18, Adults, and Masters divisions set to compete.

Yousef Abdullah Al-Batran, board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “The second round of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship dedicated (to) No-Gi competition offers a valuable experience for young talents, allowing them to think quickly and apply precise techniques that enhance their technical and physical abilities. This helps them improve their performance and sharpen their skills.

“This championship serves as an important platform for athletes across different age groups to test their abilities, build confidence, and develop a strong competitive mindset. It also reinforces core sporting values such as discipline, commitment, and respect, while preparing them for challenges in their athletic careers.

“The Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship was the first event to introduce the Under-12 category to No-Gi competitions during its inaugural edition last year. This step was taken to help young athletes adapt to a professional competition environment early on, ensuring they develop both physically and mentally to become the future of jiu-jitsu in the country.”

Fareed Al-Qaiwani, executive director of Al-Nasr Sports Games Co., said: “We at Al-Nasr Club are honored to host this prestigious championship. We maintain close collaboration with the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, and by hosting this event, we play a role in promoting jiu-jitsu. We look forward to welcoming more championships in the future.”