LONDON: Malek Jaziri will have to wait another year to improve his modest Wimbledon record after he bowed out of two events at the first hurdle.
The top men’s Arab player was beaten in straight sets in the men’s singles by Jared Donaldson on Monday and then exited the men’s doubles on Thursday, he and his partner Radu Albot losing in four sets to Divij Sharan and Artem Sitak.
The defeat to Donaldson would have hurt the most as Jaziri has been in the form of his life in singles play this year and was fancied to reach the second round of Wimbledon for only the second time in his career.
He has tasted victory over top-ten players Grigor Dimitrov and Marin Cilic this year so beating Donaldson, the 21-year-old American, was well within Jabeur’s capability, but he struggled to get his first serve going, landing just 57 percent of his efforts in play and then only winning 65 percent of points on his first serve. He failed to win a single break point. He managed to take the first set to a tie break but then folded, losing 6-3, 6-1. Donaldson went on to lose to Stefanos Tsitsipas in a five-setter in the next round.
Jaziri then hoped to pick himself up in the doubles and reach the third round for the first time, but he and Albot, his Moldovan partner, lost 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2. Albot could have been forgiven for having one eye on his singles tournament as he faces John Isner in the last 32.
Jaziri earned £39,000 ($51,000) in prize money for playing in the first round of the singles and shared £11,500 with Albot for playing in the doubles. He has earned nearly $3 million in career prize money.
Top Arab player Malek Jaziri fails to deliver at Wimbledon
Top Arab player Malek Jaziri fails to deliver at Wimbledon
- Tunisian loses to Jared Donaldso in the singles
- World No. 1 also bows out early in the doubles
Al-Fateh grab second win on the trot, Al-Taawoun keep up pressure in title race
- Al-Fateh win 2 consecutive games for the first time this season and move to 11 points
- Al-Taawoun grab late winner against last-placed Al-Najma to stay within 4 points of Al-Nassr
RIYADH: Matchday 12 of the Saudi Pro League got underway on Monday with Al-Khaleej hosting Al-Fateh in the first of the evening’s three fixtures.
Despite producing a strong display in a 3-2 loss to Al-Hilal last week, Al-Khaleej lost 1-0 to Al-Fateh, with Matias Vargas scoring the decisive goal.
Al-Fateh’s strategy was clear: Moroccan midfielder Sofiane Bendebka would be flanked by Mourad Batna and Vargas in a fluid attacking set-up, allowing him to drift between a second-striker role and deeper midfield positions.
The free-flowing forwards enabled Al-Fateh to take control of the final third, with Batna cutting in from the right flank proving to be a dangerous asset in Al-Fateh’s arsenal.
That combination paid dividends in the 41st minute, when Batna delivered a diagonal ball across the pitch to find Vargas, who calmly chipped the ball over Anthony Moris to open the scoring.
It marked the Argentinian’s fourth goal in three matches, with his recent form directly contributing six points — more than half of Al-Fateh’s total this season.
Al-Khaleej were unable to replicate the same intensity shown against Al-Hilal, despite the introduction of club top scorer Joshua King after the break and Pedro Rebocho’s marauding role down the left.
Their clearest opportunity came in the 68th minute, when Rebocho squared the ball to Giorgos Masouras only for his effort to hit the post.
Al-Fateh then adopted a more cautious approach, looking to exploit Al-Khaleej on the counter. They nearly doubled their lead in the 88th minute when Vargas teed up Bendebka, but the midfielder’s powerful backheel crashed against the woodwork.
The defeat marks a slowdown for Al-Khaleej after an encouraging start to the campaign, with this being their third consecutive loss, now leaving them on just 14 points from 11 matches.
Elsewhere, Al-Hazem travelled to the capital to face Al-Riyadh, securing a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Nawaf Al-Habashi and Omar Al-Somah.
The Syrian striker netted his 157th Saudi Pro League goal, extending his lead over Abderazzak Hamedallah at the top of the all-time scoring charts and helping Al-Hazem move further clear of the relegation zone.
In Qassim, third-placed Al-Taawoun edged bottom side Al-Najma in a tightly contested encounter. A late strike from Roger Martinez in the 85th minute sealed a 1-0 win, Al-Taawoun’s ninth of the season, keeping them firmly in the title race.
Pericles Chamusca’s side have exceeded expectations with their stellar start to the season. The Wolves move into second with 28 points, two ahead of Al-Hilal in third and two behind league leaders Al-Nassr, with both sides still holding a game in hand.
It marks the best start to a Saudi Pro League season in Al-Taawoun’s history, a run that continues to surprise in a league filled with established stars.
Matchday 12 on Tuesday starts with Al-Ahli vs. Al-Fayha, followed by Al-Ettifaq vs. Al-Nassr and Al-Okhdood vs. Damac later in the evening.
