CLARK, Philippines: President Rodrigo Duterte will attend Saturday’s opening ceremony of the Southeast Asian Games, the presidential palace said, a day after the Philippine leader apologized for the chaotic build-up.
The organization of the 30th edition of the SEA Games has been mocked and marred by complaints about transport, accommodation and food as thousands of athletes have flooded into the Philippines for the biggest-ever edition of the multi-sport event.
And the threat of an approaching typhoon — forecasted to hit the north of the country early next week — looms large.
Duterte had pledged a probe into the troubled run-up to the Games’ opening ceremony at the Philippine Arena, around 25 kilometers north of the capital Manila, after a rush of logistical problems and last-minute construction.
“I’m really apologizing for the country ... they (other nations) should know while they are still here that the government is not happy,” Duterte said in an interview that aired Friday.
“You cannot just cast away all those — the discomfort, the sufferings of the athletes, sleeping on the floors, getting hungry,” he added. “To the countries that sent them here, it’s a big deal.”
He also instructed organizers to release complimentary tickets to many of the 56 sports at the SEA Games to locals.
The Philippines was bracing for a typhoon which national forecasters warned was maintaining its strength.
PAGASA said Typhoon Kammuri — which is packing gusts of 185 kilometers per hour and maximum sustained winds of 150 kph (93 mph) — is presently heading right for Games venues in the north of the country and is expected to make landfall on Tuesday.
As the build-up woes cast a shadow over the Games, Indonesia clinched the first gold medal of the competition with a historic victory, bringing Singapore’s 54-year stranglehold on the men’s water polo competition to an end.
With only sailing, windsurfing and netball on the sporting schedule on Saturday, all eyes will be on the opening ceremony, which starts at 7 p.m. (1100 GMT).
Many of the details remain a secret, although the show’s director, Filipino writer Floy Quintos, shared a photo on Facebook of hundreds of performers in colorful costumes on stage.
“Yes, the show is a spectacle,” wrote the award-winning playwright, adding the image showed a people “united.”
“And the power of spectacle is one that has been used, worldwide by the powerful to further agendas. But it is in the hands of the spectacle’s creators to patch together some meaning, some cohesion, some message that goes beyond the political.”
This year’s Games in Clark, Manila and Subic, which run through to December 11, are particularly complex with a record 56 sports across dozens of venues that are in some cases hours’ drives apart, even before Manila’s notorious gridlock traffic is factored in.
SEA Games: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to attend opening ceremony
SEA Games: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to attend opening ceremony
- The organization of the 30th edition of the SEA Games has been mocked and marred by complaints
- Duterte had pledged a probe into the troubled run-up to the Games’ opening ceremony
Top seeds head into last 16 on a windy afternoon at the Dubai Tennis Championships
- Coco Gauff (No. 3 seed), Jessica Pegula (No. 4), Mirra Andreeva (No. 5) and Belinda Bencic (No. 9) all progress
- Last year’s beaten finalist, Clara Tauson (No. 12), and rising US star Iva Jovic (No. 16) also still in the hunt, as is ‘lucky loser’ Antonia Ruzic
DUBAI: A raft of seeds booked passage into the Round of 16 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as the action heated up amid glorious, if breezy, winter conditions on Tuesday.
Nine matches were completed during daylight hours on day three of the WTA 1000 event at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. Coco Gauff, the World No. 4, and No. 3 seed this week, defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-4 in little more than 90 minutes.
As blustery winds swirled across Center Court, the conditions were challenging for both players and the momentum of the game resembled a pendulum. Ultimately, however, the American prevailed against the Russian, who had defeated her en route to the 2024 final at the event.
“It wasn’t the prettiest win but it was enough for today,” said Gauff.
Regarding the weather conditions that caused havoc for both players, she added: “It was pretty windy; it felt very open on the (Royal Box) side, so I was trying to adjust a lot and was struggling with consistency. Every time I’ve been here it’s not been windy, so today was different.”
Gauff will face Elise Mertens in the last 16 on Wednesday, after the Belgian dispatched 14th seed Emma Navarro of the US 6-2, 6-2 in just 75 minutes on Court 1.
Asked how she will prepare, Gauff said: “I feel fine; it wasn’t that long of a match. (My focus) will be more trying to work on things I need for tomorrow’s match.”
Also on Center Court, No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula made quick work of French qualifier Varvara Gracheva, requiring just 70 minutes to triumph 6-4, 6-0. The world No. 5’s victory set up an all-American clash with talented young compatriot Iva Jovic, who saw off Russia’s Diana Shnaider 6-4, 1-6, 6-0.
Last year’s defeated Dubai finalist, Clara Tauson of Denmark, continued her fine run of form with a trouble-free 6-2, 6-4 victory on Court 2 over Peyton Stearns of the US. The reward for Tauson, who eliminated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the first round, is an eagerly anticipated showdown with Polish seed-extinguisher Magda Linette, who ousted World No. 12 Ekaterina Alexandrova, this week’s No. 8 seed, in a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 roller coaster.
The 2019 Dubai champion, Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, progressed to the last 16 in a walkover after the injury-enforced withdrawal of Czech wildcard Sara Bejlek. Russian No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva also received a walkover win when Russian-Australian Daria Kasatkina withdrew before play began.
Andreeva, the reigning champion, will face Jaqueline Cristian in the last 16 on Wednesday after the Romanian progressed past German qualifier Ella Seide, who retired after losing the first set 6-0.
Finally, Antonia Ruzic — the “lucky loser” who was defeated in the first qualifying round but made it to the main tournament as an alternate following withdrawals, and then sent British star Emma Raducanu packing on Monday evening — maintained her solid form to progress.
The Croatian saw off Anastasia Zakharova 6-1, 6-7, 6-1 in her second three-set epic in less than 24 hours. Depending on the evening’s remaining results, Ruzic could now face top seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the last 16. She was due to plays Australian qualifier Kimberly Birrell on Center Court at 7pm UAE time on Tuesday.
The 26th annual WTA event, which continues until Feb. 21, featured 16 of the top 20-ranked female players in the world, and 33 from the top 40.
