CANBERRA, Australia: Tennis star Nick Kyrgios was due to appear in an Australian court Friday to apply to have an assault charge stemming from events two years ago dismissed on mental health grounds.
His lawyer Michael Kukulies-Smith appeared in a court in Kyrgios’ hometown of Canberra in October and asked for an adjournment so forensic mental health reports could be prepared.
Magistrate Glenn Theakston adjourned the case until Friday, when lawyers for the 27-year-old Australian are expected to apply to have the charge dismissed under a section of the local crimes law.
Kyrgios, a Wimbledon finalist last year, is set to appear in court in person for the first time since he was charged by police by summons in July last year.
His hearing was listed to start at 2:15 p.m. local time (0315 GMT).
The law gives magistrates the power to dismiss a charge if they are satisfied an accused person is mentally impaired, and if dealing with an allegation in such a way would benefit the community and the defendant.
The common assault charge, which has a potential maximum sentence of two years in prison, relates to an incident in January 2021 that was reported to local police in December that year.
The charge reportedly relates to an incident involving his former girlfriend.
Kukulies-Smith told the court his client’s mental health history since 2015 made the application appropriate, citing a number of public statements made by Kyrgios.
In February last year, Kyrgios opened up about his performance at the 2019 Australian Open, saying what appeared to be a positive time in his life had been “one of my darkest periods.”
“I was lonely, depressed, negative, abusing alcohol, drugs, pushed away family and friends,” he wrote on Instagram. “I felt as if I couldn’t talk or trust anyone. This was a result of not opening up and refusing to lean on my loved ones and simply just push myself little by little to be positive.”
Kyrgios made further references to his mental health struggles during his runs to the final at Wimbledon and the quarterfinals at the US Open.
After ending Daniil Medvedev’s US Open title defense in September last year to reach the quarterfinals, Kyrgios expressed pride at lifting himself out of “some really tough situations, mentally” and “some really scary places” off the court.
Theakston questioned whether Kyrgios would need to appear in court for Friday’s hearing, but Kukulies-Smith said his client wanted to attend.
Kyrgios had a career setback last month when he withdrew from the Australian Open because of an injured left knee that required arthroscopic surgery.
He was the runner-up to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon last year in singles and teamed with good friend Thanasi Kokkinakis to claim the men’s doubles championship at the 2022 Australian Open.
Kyrgios was considered the host country’s strongest chance to win a title at Melbourne Park last month before he had to pull out of the tournament. Djokovic went on to win the Australian Open singles championship for the 10th time.
Tennis star Kyrgios to contest Australian assault charge
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Tennis star Kyrgios to contest Australian assault charge
- The charge reportedly relates to an incident involving his former girlfriend
Nadal gets emotional after a loss in his last Madrid Open appearance. Alcaraz reaches quarterfinals
- Nadal: It’s been a gift what you’ve done for me during the 21 years that I’ve played here. All I can say is ‘thank you
- After the match, tournament organizers unfurled five banners for each of Nadal’s titles in Madrid — 2005, ‘10, ‘13, ‘14 and ‘17
MADRID: Rafael Nadal had to pause for a few moments, visibly emotional, while addressing the crowd after his loss in the fourth round at the Madrid Open.
As chants of “Rafa, Rafa, Rafa” echoed around, the five-time champion in Madrid made a farewell speech following a 7-5, 6-4 loss Tuesday to the 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka.
It was likely his last official match at the tournament in the Spanish capital.
“This is a difficult day when it arrives, but it’s a reality. My body and my life had been sending me signs for some time,” Nadal said. “I was able to say goodbye playing on this court, one of the most emotional ones for me. Madrid at times has been more important to me than a Grand Slam. The memories here will stay with me forever.”
After the match, tournament organizers unfurled five banners for each of Nadal’s titles in Madrid — 2005, ‘10, ‘13, ‘14 and ‘17. They also showed a video of his highlights, as his wife and sister shed tears in the stands.
“It’s been a gift what you’ve done for me during the 21 years that I’ve played here,” said the 37-year-old Nadal, a winner of 22 Grand Slam singles titles. “All I can say is ‘thank you.’”
Nadal had not lost to a player ranked outside the top 20 on clay since falling to Pablo Cuevas in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro. He was seeking his 60th win in Madrid and the 100th ATP 1000 quarterfinal of his career.
Earlier, the player who Spanish fans hope will take over Nadal’s reign, Carlos Alcaraz, needed nearly three hours to beat Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4).
Both Spaniards are coming off injuries and are trying to get back in shape ahead of next month’s French Open. The 20-year-old Alcaraz missed tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. Nadal was coming off two matches in Barcelona after not playing competitively in nearly three months.
He arrived in Madrid saying he wasn’t fully fit and was worried about his condition, but in the end he won three consecutive matches without showing significant physical limitations.
“Just two days before I left for Barcelona I really didn’t know if I was going to be able to play again in an official match,” Nadal said, “and in the end I’ve played two weeks.”
The second-seeded Alcaraz was coming off two comfortable victories in Madrid but struggled on Tuesday. He squandered four match points against the 24th-ranked Struff while serving at 5-3 but converted on his first opportunity in the deciding tiebreaker at the Caja Magica center court.
“I wasn’t at my best physically toward the end of the match, but I’m happy that in the end I found my game,” Alcaraz said. “I fought for every ball and didn’t let down despite some difficult moments when things didn’t go my way.”
Alcaraz is trying to become the first player to win three straight Madrid Open titles. He also needed three sets to beat Struff in last year’s final. The world No. 3 will next face seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev at the clay-court tournament.
Top-seeded Jannick Sinner defeated 16th-seeded Karen Khachanov 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the Madrid quarterfinals for the first time. He is the only player to make it to the quarterfinals at all four ATP 1000 events this season.
“I made a couple of mistakes in the first set when he broke me, but this can happen,” Sinner said. “In the second set I tried to stay focused. Immediately, I broke him, and the confidence level raised a bit.”
SWIATEK RALLIES
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek rallied for a 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 win over Beatriz Haddad Maia to reach the semifinals for a second straight year.
After letting a 4-1 lead slip to drop the first set, Swiatek regained control in the second and third sets.
She will next face 18th-seeded American Madison Keys, who overcame eighth-seeded Ons Jabeur 0-6, 7-5, 6-1 after losing the first eight games of the match.
The Madrid Open is the only high-profile European clay tournament that Swiatek is yet to win.
MEDVEDEV ADVANCES
Third-seeded Daniil Medvedev was given the run around by Alexander Bublik before winning 7-6 (3), 6-4 to advance into a match against Lehecka.
“A lot of drop shots, and I got so tired in the end running for them,” Medvedev said. “That’s when you lose your concentration and you start to play a bit worse. But after the match he told me he was dead also. So, good for me, at least I was not the only one.”
World No. 8 Rublev advanced 6-2, 6-4 over Tallon Griekspoor and No. 22 Francisco Cerundolo upset two-time champion Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-4 to set up a meeting with Taylor Fritz, a 7-6 (2), 6-4 winner over Hubert Hurkacz.
In-form Aubameyang aiming to fire Marseille to Europa League final
- Aubameyang has rediscovered the prolific form of his heady days at Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal, netting 27 goals in 46 games in all competitions
- Aubameyang and Marseille are on their third coach of the campaign, with Spaniard Marcelino Garcia Toral quitting in September
PARIS: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is enjoying a stunning late-career revival at Marseille, whose unlikely run to the semifinals of the Europa League has been made possible largely thanks to the goals of the former Arsenal striker.
There was plenty of skepticism when Marseille signed the 34-year-old on a three-year deal after a poor last campaign at Chelsea.
The Gabon international had struggled to settle at Stamford Bridge at a turbulent time for the London club, and scored just one goal in only five starts in the Premier League.
However, the return to the country of his birth after a decade abroad has worked a treat, even in a Marseille side who have lurched through numerous crises over the course of the season.
Aubameyang has rediscovered the prolific form of his heady days at Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal, netting 27 goals in 46 games in all competitions.
His goals have not been enough to propel Marseille into the upper reaches of the Ligue 1 table, given that they currently sit seventh with only three games left.
That means there is a danger they won’t qualify for Europe at all next season.
Aubameyang and Marseille are on their third coach of the campaign, with Spaniard Marcelino Garcia Toral quitting in September after only seven games at the helm.
His decision to walk came after a fiery meeting between club management and unhappy supporters groups.
Marcelino was replaced with former Italy star Gennaro Gattuso, but he didn’t fare much better, lasting five months before being dismissed in February.
The current man in charge is Jean-Louis Gasset, the veteran 70-year-old who was available after leaving the Ivory Coast job during the Africa Cup of Nations.
Gasset has not been able to make Marseille more consistent domestically, but he has led them to victories in the Europa League against Shakhtar Donetsk, Villarreal — two former winners of the competition — and Benfica.
That run, including beating former European Cup winners Benfica on penalties in the quarterfinals, has led OM to a last-four showdown with Atalanta.
“We dream of evenings like these. This is a competition that suits us,” Gasset said after beating Benfica.
“We have got to the semifinals of a European competition having beaten three clubs who have won (European) trophies.
“It is an epic tale. A season can only be judged at the end, but we want to go as far as possible.”
That would mean getting to the final in Dublin on May 22 against either Roma or German champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Marseille, who lost the Europa League final in 2018 and the UEFA Cup finals of 1999 and 2004, would not be favorites in the final and are also probably the underdogs against Atalanta, conquerors of Liverpool in the last round.
But Aubameyang could be the man to make the difference.
After all, the forward who was on the books at AC Milan as a youth and who made his name at Saint-Etienne, is the all-time top scorer in the Europa League.
He has 34 goals in the competition, a tally that leaves him four ahead of Radamel Falcao, the next best marksman.
“It’s my competition,” he remarked with a smile when speaking to UEFA after starring in the 4-0 win over Villarreal in the last-16 first leg.
Eight of those goals came at Dortmund, while he got 14 for Arsenal, with whom he played in their defeat by Chelsea in the 2019 final in Baku.
He has 10 in 11 games in the competition this season for Marseille, including five in two games against Ajax.
“He is a champion and he has almost unique characteristics. He is one of the best strikers of the last 15 years,” Marseille president Pablo Longoria told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“He has scored lots of goals and done so everywhere he has been. He is the best goal-scorer in the Europa League.
“We hope he will make his mark against Atalanta and stay with us until the end of his career.”
Vinicius hits brace as Real Madrid come back to snatch draw at Bayern
- The draw puts Madrid in the driving seat ahead of next week’s return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. Bayern, who dominated large parts of the match, will still have hopes of making it to Wembley’s final in June
MUNICH, Germany: Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior scored a double, including an 83rd-minute equalising penalty, to snatch a 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich in Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal first leg.
Vinicius gave Real the lead after 24 minutes but Bayern scored twice in four second-half minutes to wrestle back control of the match, Leroy Sane with a stunning opener and Harry Kane converting a penalty.
Kim Min-jae judo tackled Rodrygo Goes in the box with eight minutes remaining and Vinicius stepped up, drowning out a chorous of boos and whistles to blast home.
“In this competition it’s important not to lose, and we’re here because we haven’t lost yet,” said Vinicius.
“I’m very happy that I was able score two goals, and now we need to have a magical night at home,” he added.
The draw puts Madrid in the driving seat ahead of next week’s return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. Bayern, who dominated large parts of the match, will still have hopes of making it to Wembley’s final in June.
“It’s a good result for the second leg,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “But nothing has been decided yet.
“Bayern have high quality. They have players like Musiala or Sane who can hurt us.”
“It feels a bit strange,” said Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel.
“But the situation is very clear. Win in Madrid, then off to Wembley. The winner takes it all.
“We will be ready and we accept the fight. We will go to Madrid with self-confidence. We have to be brave.”
Before the match, the Bayern fans unveiled a giant banner depicting Franz Beckenbauer which spanned all the way from the grass to the rafters. It was a fitting tribute on a night featuring the most-played fixture in European Cup history.
Famed for their composure on the biggest of stages in this competition, the 14-time winners struggled early, Bayern dominating possession and field position while spurred on by a ferocious home crowd.
Sane had a chance after just 40 seconds and another minutes later, while Kane chipped a shot from halfway just over the bar as the leggy visitors struggled to cope.
Madrid’s continued success in this competition, including in their quarter-final win over Manchester City, has been built on absorbing pressure before striking.
The visitors repeated the trick for the opener, breaking Bayern’s dominance in ruthlessly simple fashion while showing the hosts how easy scoring goals can be.
Toni Kroos collected the ball from a corner and drilled a defense-splitting pass along the ground which found Vinicius galloping in acres of space on the edge of the area.
Without a Bayern player in range, Vinicius calmly slotted the opener past a helpless Manuel Neuer, changing the complexion of the match completely.
Bayern, who have six European Cups of their own, were not awed and continued to push but could not break through; their best chance of the remainder of the half came through a free kick, with Kane finding a huge gap in the wall but blasting wide.
With Real seemingly in cruise control, Bayern grabbed hold of the match early in the second-half, scoring twice in four minutes.
Eric Dier found Sane down the right flank. The Germany winger, who had missed several chances in the first half, dribbled into the box before unleashing an unstoppable rocket at the near post, his first goal for Bayern in any competition since October.
The hosts’ next attack came down the left, with the ever-dangerous Jamal Musiala felled by Lucas Vazquez in the box. Referee Clement Turpin pointed straight to the spot and Kane duly sent Andriy Lunin the wrong way to take the lead.
With Bayern in control, Real went on the counter and it was Kim’s turn to give away a clumsy penalty, with Vinicius confidently slotting in the equalizer.
“We have to continue with cool heads, rest until next week, and we will give everything to leave the Bernabeu qualified for London,” said Madrid’s goal hero on the night.
All-round Stoinis helps Lucknow beat Mumbai in IPL
- Stoinis top-scored in Lucknow’s modest chase of 145 against Mumbai Indians as the home team achieved their target with four wickets and four balls to spare
- Mumbai managed 144-7 courtesy Nehal Wadhera’s 46 and an unbeaten 18-ball 35 by Tim David after being invited to bat first
LUCKNOW: All-rounder Marcus Stoinis smashed 62 after he took a wicket on Tuesday to guide Lucknow Super Giants to an IPL win on the eve of Australia’s T20 World Cup team announcement.
Stoinis top-scored in Lucknow’s modest chase of 145 against Mumbai Indians as the home team achieved their target with four wickets and four balls to spare.
Lucknow moved to third spot in the 10-team table led by Rajasthan Royals. Five-time winners Mumbai remained ninth above wooden spooners Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Lucknow skipper KL Rahul fell for 28, hours after being snubbed by India’s selectors, who on Tuesday afternoon named the team for the T20 World Cup in June.
Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya was named deputy to India captain Rohit Sharma for the World Cup in the West Indies and the US, but the star all-rounder fell for a duck and his team to their seventh loss in 10 matches.
“Sometimes you will be down, sometimes you will be up, just that you got to give it your all,” Pandya said. “Looks difficult but a lot of things that you can learn from this game.”
Birthday boy Rohit, who turned 37, Japsrit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav are three of the four players from Mumbai to make the Indian team for the World Cup starting June 2.
Mumbai managed 144-7 courtesy Nehal Wadhera’s 46 and an unbeaten 18-ball 35 by Tim David after being invited to bat first.
Pandya said Wadhera will “play a lot of IPL and (represent) India eventually.”
Lucknow left-arm quick Mohsin Khan took two wickets after he struck first with the wicket of Rohit, who was caught out for four by Stoinis at extra cover.
Stoinis got the key wicket of Yadav for 10 and Mumbai were soon 27-4 when Naveen-ul-Haq got Pandya for a first-ball duck.
But Pandya returned to take two wickets with his pace bowling.
Stoinis turned up with the bat to raise his second fifty — he has also hit a century — of the season with hours left for the Australian selectors to announce the T20 team on Wednesday.
He fell to Afghanistan spinner Mohammad Nabi after his 42-ball knock laced with seven fours and two sixes.
Lucknow lost two more wickets to raise Mumbai’s hopes of a turnaround, but Nicholas Pooran steered the team home in the final over.
Jeddah hosts Saudi Smash 2024 table tennis championship from May 1-11
- The prestigious championship will see the world’s top table tennis players in action, including rising star Wang Chuqin
- The championship is set to further solidify the Kingdom’s position as a preferred destination for global sporting events
RIAYDH: Jeddah is gearing up for the commencement of the Saudi Smash 2024 table tennis championship scheduled to take place May 1-11.
The event marks the second run in the series of the Grand Smash tournaments on this year’s World Table Tennis Organization calendar.
Saudi Arabia hosts the 10-day tournament which is being organized by the Saudi Table Tennis Federation under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports and in collaboration with WTT.
The prestigious championship will see the world’s top table tennis players in action, including rising star Wang Chuqin, the Grand Smash Singapore 2024 winner Fan Zhendong, and French talent Felix Lebrun among others.
In the women’s singles category, elite players like Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu, Chen Meng, Hina Hayata, Shin Yu-bin, Bernadette Szocs, and Adriana Diaz Gonzalez will showcase their skills on the international stage.
Saudi fans are eagerly anticipating the debut of local table tennis players such as Ali Al-Khudrawi in the men’s singles event, alongside Abdulaziz Boushlbi, Khaled Al-Sherif, Hadi Abu Al-Raha, Turki Al-Mutairi, Salem Al-Swailem, and Mohamed Al-Qasab.
This championship offers a unique opportunity for Saudi players to shine globally and compete against the world’s best table tennis players.
The championship is set to further solidify the Kingdom’s position as a preferred destination for global sporting events, fostering the development of sports at the grassroots level and supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to promote sports as an integral part of society.
Those interested in witnessing the excitement of the tournament can secure their tickets through the official website: SaudiSmash.com/Visitor
