RIYADH: Saudi Arabian wildcard Nada Abo Alnaja put up a brave fight before being beaten by No.2 seed Camille Serme of France at the inaugural Saudi PSA Women’s Squash Masters. Serme eventually eased into round two of the tournament in Riyadh with an accomplished display, dispatching Alnaja by three sets to love — 11-1, 11-3, 11-2.
The Saudi Women’s Masters is the first professional women’s squash tournament ever to take place in Saudi Arabia and offers up to $165,000 in prize money in addition to vital points for the PSA Women’s World Series Standings, where players battle for a top eight place which will guarantee them a coveted spot in June’s PSA World Series Finals.
Following recent initiatives from the General Authority of Sports in Saudi Arabia to increase sporting participation and awareness across the country, the $165,000 tournament will play a crucial role in inspiring a new generation of Saudis to become active within sport.
The staging of the tournament comes hot on the heels of the Saudi General Sports Authority approving three football stadiums to allow women to attend Saudi Professional League matches for the first time.
Meanwhile, Egyptian world No.1 Nour El-Sherbini (pictured above) will take on fellow Egyptian Hania El-Hammamy for a place in the quarterfinals.
KSA wildcard Nada Abo Alnaja bows out of Saudi Women’s Masters
KSA wildcard Nada Abo Alnaja bows out of Saudi Women’s Masters
Havertz haunts former club as Arsenal rescue 1-1 draw at Leverkusen
- Havertz converted the late spot kick to cancel out Robert Andrich’s 46th-minute header
- The two sides will meet again in London for the return leg next Tuesday
LEVERKUSEN, Germany: Arsenal’s eight-game winning run in the Champions League came to an end as they needed an 89th-minute penalty from substitute Kai Havertz to rescue a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen in their last-16 first leg on Wednesday.
Former Leverkusen player Havertz converted the late spot kick to cancel out Robert Andrich’s 46th-minute header for the hosts, marking the first time this season that quadruple-chasing Arsenal had fallen behind in Europe’s elite competition.
The Premier League leaders, who had won all eight of their previous matches to top the table after the league phase, were toothless in attack despite hitting the woodwork in a bright start, and could not find a way back into the game until their late penalty, awarded for a foul on Noni Madueke.
The two sides will meet again in London for the return leg next Tuesday.
