DUBAI: In a long awaited triumph, Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen Sunday finally surmounted the one barrier that has stood in his way for many years — a first World Superseries title. It came on the grandest of stages, in the season-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals at the Hamdan Sports Complex that was packed by almost 9,000 spectators over the five days of competition.
And it was a repeat performance for Tai Tzu Ying who collected her second Dubai World Superseries title after winning here in 2014. Chinese teenager Chen Qingchen sealed her status as the most exciting doubles player on the circuit today, clinching the women’s and mixed doubles crowns, while Malaysia’s Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong gave a masterclass, winning the men’s doubles in convincing fashion.
Axelsen, in his second straight final, delivered what he has promised for so long, the men’s singles title with a hard-fought 21-14 6-21 21-17 result over China’s Tian Houwei.
“Winning this title means the world to me,” said Axelsen. “I’ve been in many finals now… it was a battle of nerves, especially in the third set, and I am happy I came out strongest in the end. It wasn’t beautiful, but it was enough from my side.”
It was his newfound ability to stubbornly stay the course despite setbacks that won Axelsen the title. It could have slipped away – a couple of misjudgments and some easy net kills that were blown. But as he showed over the last couple of days, the Dane refused to cave in.
The third set was neck-and-neck, until Axelsen found his second wind – three big jump smashes on the line took him to match point; the title was won when he rifled a shot at his opponent’s body. Axelsen turned to his coach and clasped his head in his hands.
“I was really nervous in that third set, but in the end, I just said, ‘You know what, just stop this and just play with everything you got. Don’t act like a cry baby and just play the shot over the net’, and that was enough in the end,” added Axelsen.
The women’s singles final was a mismatch. Sung was a far cry from her energetic self in the semifinal victory over Pusarla V Sindhu; she was a step behind and too erratic to test Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying who regained her 2014 women’s singles title with a 21-14 21-13 victory.
Tai had to do little but keep the shuttle in play, for Sung moved on leaden feet and her shots were too wayward. It was a day when she wasn’t required to be at her best – and she acknowledged as much: “I think Sung wasn’t moving well today. Maybe she wasn’t quite fit; it wasn’t difficult to deal with her. I’m surprised at how smoothly it all went. I’m thrilled to win my second title here and I thank all the fans who cheered for me. I loved the atmosphere in there.”
Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan won a rollercoaster of a match to win the women’s doubles title, edging past top seeds Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi in three games. Chen then returned for the mixed doubles with Zheng Siwei, and the pair buried the challenge of defending champion Chris Adcock-Gabrielle Adcock in just 30 minutes for 21-12 21-12 victory.
It was Chen, appropriately enough, who leapt up to fire the winner in both matches.
“I’m very excited and very happy to win two titles,” said Chen. “I was very tired in the second match but I must thank my coach for his advice. I hope we will have more success in the coming months.”
The women’s doubles final was fought on even keel until fortunes turned China’s way in the third. Matsutomo had been a challenge for her previous opponents with her roving presence at the net, but the Chinese completely took her out of the equation by sending the defensive shots high over her and keeping Takahashi on her toes. Matsutomo’s frustration showed as she fluffed a few sitters, and the Chinese had the first game in the bag.
The pattern changed in the second with Matsutomo exerting her presence once again; Jia Yifan was targeted, with the Japanese constantly flick-serving her and extracting defensive returns. Unfortunately for the Japanese, the tactic backfired in the decider when Matsutomo was faulted a couple of times; the rattled Japanese started to get shaky on serve and the momentum swung China’s way. Chen, the livewire on China’s side, set up three match points with a stunning pick-up at the front; the match was won on the next rally allowing the excitable Chinese to burst into celebration: 21-15 13-21 21-17.
England’s defending champions Chris and Gabrielle Adcock’s challenge in the mixed doubles lasted until midway in the first. Thereafter, their defenses were blown to bits by the fast-moving, hard-hitting and quick-thinking Zheng and Chen.
A day of superb badminton finished off with a masterclass from Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong, who took the men’s doubles title over Japan’s Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda.
Goh and Tan were a picture of unruffled calm, as they parried everything that Kamura and Sonoda threw their way. The Malaysians’ airtight defense gave the Japanese nothing to work with; while their own attack was judicious but deadly. The 21-14 21-19 result was achieved on the 40th minute, giving Goh and Tan the second World Superseries win of their career.
Axelsen breaks through, Tai repeats and Chen scores double in World Superseries Finals
Axelsen breaks through, Tai repeats and Chen scores double in World Superseries Finals
Al-Itttihad fined $37,000 for King’s Cup misconduct
- The reigning Saudi Pro League champions lost 2-1 to Al-Hilal last week in the semifinals of the Kingdom’s renowned competition
RIYADH: Al-Ittihad Football Club have been fined $37,000 (SR140,000) for misconduct by players and fans in its recent 2-1 defeat by Al-Hilal in the semi-final of the King’s Cup.
A statement issued by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s disciplinary and ethics committee said Abderrazak Hamdallah and Saad Al-Mousa were each fined around $5,300 for not fulfilling their post-match media duties.
The committee also imposed a fine of $27,000 on the Jeddah club after fans threw bottles at opposition players from the stands. Nobody was harmed as a result of the incidents.
The authorities stressed that the three decisions are not subject to appeal.
Mitchell rallies Cavs for series-clinching Game 7 win over Magic
- Cavs move on to second round a year after a stinging first-round loss to the New York Knicks
- The Celtics will host Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Tuesday
LOS ANGELES: Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers silenced the young guns of Orlando, beating the Magic 106-94 in Game 7 of their NBA playoffs first-round series Sunday to book a meeting with Eastern Conference top seeds Boston.
It was another magisterial performance from Mitchell, who scored 39 points two days after pouring in 50 in the Cavs’ Game 6 defeat.
This time he had plenty of scoring support from teammates as the Cavs erased an 18-point second-quarter deficit to clinch a series in which the home team won every game.
Caris LeVert scored 15 points off the bench and Max Strus scored 11 of his 13 points in the third quarter, when the Cavs outscored the Magic 33-15 to take charge.
Evan Mobley scored 11 points with 16 rebounds and five blocked shots and Darius Garland chipped in 12 points to help Cleveland withstand a 38-point performance from Paolo Banchero.
The Cavs, with starting center Jarrett Allen sidelined a third straight game with bruised ribs, moved on to the second round a year after a stinging first-round loss to the New York Knicks.
“I didn’t want to go home,” Mitchell said of the mindset that saw him score 17 points in the third quarter as he virtually willed Cleveland to the lead.
The Magic delivered a strong first punch, Banchero scoring 10 points in the first period as Orlando grabbed a 24-18.
In the face of Orlando’s suffocating defense the Cavs connected on just six of 22 shots in the first quarter and didn’t make a three-pointer until Sam Merrill drilled one midway through the second quarter.
The Magic pushed their lead to as many as 18 points in the second quarter before the Cavs clawed back to cut the lead to single digits.
Banchero’s layup in the closing seconds of the first half saw Orlando take a 10-point lead into the break, but momentum was on Cleveland’s side and they overwhelmed the Magic in the third.
“I didn’t feel our confidence waver much, even when we had 18 points in the first quarter,” Mitchell said.
“They came out and jumped on us,” he added, saying the key was for the Cavs “to respond the way we did, keep plugging, just keep chipping away.”
Mitchell, again relentless in the paint, tied it at 64-64 with a floater and LeVert drained a pair of free throws to give the Cavs their first lead since the first quarter.
Strus hit back-to-back three-pointers as Cleveland built a 76-68 lead going into the final period.
The Cavs pushed their advantage to 14 points in the final frame, fans chanting “We want Boston” as the final minutes ticked off.
The Celtics will host Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Tuesday, and Mitchell vowed the Cavaliers will be ready for the team that posted the best record in the regular season.
“We didn’t make the group we made just to win the first round,” he said. “We accomplished one goal. Now we have to do it again.”
It was a crushing end to a strong season for the Magic, collectively the second-youngest team in the playoffs behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Wendell Carter Jr. scored 13 points and Jalen Suggs added 10 for the Magic, but Franz Wagner was held to just six as Orlando remained in search of a first playoff series victory since 2010.
Mitchell heaped praise 21-year-old Banchero, the top pick in the 2022 draft.
Banchero himself said the Magic’s fight back from 0-2 down in the series to force game seven “just shows where we’re headed.”
Sporting Lisbon win Portuguese league after Benfica stumble
- Last season’s victors stumbled 2-0 at Famalicao to complete Sporting’s triumph after Ruben Amorim’s triumphant side thrashed Portimonense 3-0 on Saturday
- Sporting will face Porto in the Portuguese Cup final on May 26, aiming to secure a double
LISBON: Sporting Lisbon were crowned champions of Portugal for only the second time in 21 years on Sunday after second-placed Benfica lost.
Last season’s victors stumbled 2-0 at Famalicao to complete Sporting’s triumph after Ruben Amorim’s triumphant side thrashed Portimonense 3-0 on Saturday.
Sporting, the division’s top scorers by far with 92 goals in 32 matches, are eight points clear of Benfica with just two games remaining.
Amorim’s side have lost just two times this season on the way to securing the club’s 20th league title, trailing Porto on 30 and record winners Benfica on 38.
Swedish forward Viktor Gyokeres’ goals have powered Sporting’s title success and he netted his 27th of the campaign on Saturday to wrap up their victory.
The striker signed from Coventry City last summer for a club record fee of 20 million euros ($21.5 million) plus add-ons.
It is the second league trophy brought to the club by former Benfica player Amorim, who led Sporting to glory in the 2020/21 season.
Sporting will face Porto in the Portuguese Cup final on May 26, aiming to secure a double.
’Almost dead’ Rublev battles illness to claim Madrid Open title
- The Russian world No. 8 said he was “almost dead every day” and could barely sleep this week after securing a career second Masters 1000 victory
- Rublev, who takes the Madrid crown from double champion Carlos Alcaraz whom he beat in the quarterfinals, said he had played despite feeling ill at times this week and hailed his doctors for helping him through
MADRID: Andrey Rublev won the Madrid Open with a hard-fought 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime on Sunday to secure his second title of the year, despite battling with illness.
The Russian world No. 8 said he was “almost dead every day” and could barely sleep this week after securing a career second Masters 1000 victory.
Rublev had lost four consecutive matches before arriving in the Spanish capital but came from a set down to beat his Canadian opponent.
The 26-year-old triumphed at the Hong Kong Open in January but struggled since before turning around his form in Madrid, dropping just one set on the way to what proved a tense final.
“I think it was an incredible match, Felix deserved (in) the same way as me to win today and we showed a great battle together, I think the most important thing was that the people enjoyed it,” said Rublev on court.
“Our sport is like this, we cannot have both winners.”
Rublev, who takes the Madrid crown from double champion Carlos Alcaraz whom he beat in the quarterfinals, said he had played despite feeling ill at times this week and hailed his doctors for helping him through.
“If you knew what I had been through in the past nine days you would not imagine that I would be able to win a title,” he added.
“I was almost dead every day, I was not sleeping at night — the last three, four days I didn’t sleep.”
Auger-Aliassime reached the final after his opponent Jiri Lehecka retired hurt in the semifinals and quarterfinal opponent Jannik Sinner withdrew with a hip injury, with the ATP draw at the clay-court tournament struck by misfortune.
However, the 23-year-old Canadian, ranked 35th in the world, gave everything he had in his first Masters 1000 final appearance.
Auger-Aliassime started superbly by breaking to love in the first game and then again in the fifth game for a 4-1 lead.
Rublev recovered a break when Auger-Aliassime went long, and consolidated for a 4-3 deficit.
The Russian saved a set point to hold for 5-4 down but Auger-Aliassime clinched it at the second opportunity with a forehand down the line.
In the second set the Canadian held for 3-3 with a brilliant drop shot after Rublev spurned a break point.
They stayed on serve until the 12th game when Rublev brought up two set points, converting the second to take it to a deciding third set.
Rublev raced through his service games and put heavy pressure on his opponent’s serve, forcing a break point in the second game and two more in the fourth, none of which he could take.
Auger-Aliassime produced huge serves to fight his way out of tough spots, racking up 14 aces in the match to Rublev’s seven.
However Rublev dropped just three points on his serve in the third set, while Auger-Aliassime trailed in all of his service games but always battled back, until the decisive 12th game.
Auger-Aliassime double-faulted to hand Rublev the title, with the Russian falling to the floor in delight.
Sri Lanka, Scotland qualify for women’s T20 World Cup
- Winner of Sri Lanka, Scotland match to join Group A members Australia, India, New Zealand and Pakistan
- Qualifying runners-up will play Bangladesh, England, South Africa and West Indies in T20 World Cup 2024
Abu Dhabi: Sri Lanka survived a scare against the United Arab Emirates on Sunday to secure the last place at this year’s women’s T20 World Cup, after Scotland also booked a spot at the tournament.
In the second semifinal of the global qualifying event in Abu Dhabi, Sri Lanka posted 149-6 batting first, with Vishmi Gunaratne top-scoring with 45.
Sri Lanka, seventh in the world T20I rankings, were in trouble for much of the UAE’s chase, but the hosts fell away after the dismissal of captain Esha Oza for a 44-ball 66, finishing on 134-7 to lose by 15 runs.
Chamari Athapaththu’s side will head into the World Cup, to be held in Bangladesh in October, with hopes of getting out of the group stage for the first time after a historic T20 series win over former world champions England last year.
Earlier, 14th-ranked Scotland qualified for a maiden women’s World Cup by cruising to an eight-wicket win over Ireland.
Captain Kathryn Bryce took 4-8 from four overs as Ireland were restricted to just 110-9 batting first.
“It’s unbelievable, I feel like we’ve worked so hard for this for so long, and had our share of disappointments,” Sarah Bryce, who was at the crease with sister Kathryn when her team secured victory, told Cricket Scotland.
“To finally get over the line, it makes me well up every time I start thinking about it, we’re actually going to a World Cup.”
Bryce made a 29-ball 35 not out after Megan McColl’s fifty, as Scotland chased down their target with 3.4 overs to spare.
Scotland will meet Sri Lanka in Tuesday’s qualifying final, with the winners to join holders Australia, India, New Zealand and Pakistan in Group A at the main event which runs from October 3-20.
The qualifying runners-up will play Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies in Group B.
