PARIS: Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Paris Masters in the second round on Wednesday after losing in three sets to American Tommy Paul, boosting Carlos Alcaraz’s hopes of finishing the year as world number one.
Nadal, who received a bye as second seed, was playing his first singles match in two months after spending time at home in Mallorca with his wife and newborn son.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion shook off an early break in the opening set by winning five of the next six games.
But Paul recovered from dropping serve in the third game of the second set to win a tie-break, having failed to convert a set point with Nadal serving at 4-5.
The Spaniard’s lack of match practice told as Paul dominated the final set, breaking three times to seal the biggest win of his career.
“I had the match (in my hands) in that second set with a set and break. I played a terrible game there. I didn’t deserve the victory playing that bad in that key moment,” said Nadal.
Nadal is a 14-time French Open champion but has never won the title at Bercy.
“A lot of things have been going on the last couple of months, without a doubt. But we are always ready to find excuses. At the end, it’s always the same. You play well, you win; you don’t, you lose,” he added.
Nadal said he expected to compete at the Tour finals in Turin from November 13-20.
“If nothing happens, I hope to be there. I’m excited about playing, even if it hasn’t been the perfect couple of months for me.”
Paul goes on to play Pablo Carreno Busta for a place in the quarter-finals.
Alcaraz, the reigning US Open champion, will play Grigor Dimitrov in the last 16 after defeating Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 6-4, 6-4.
The 19-year-old smacked 30 winners including nine aces despite a heavily-taped left knee, an issue he had downplayed on Monday.
“I tried to find my best level. I think I played really well. I don’t think about the pressure of being world number one,” said Alcaraz.
The Spaniard was presented with the world number one trophy earlier in the week, having become the youngest player to top the ATP rankings in September.
“I felt number one before getting the trophy, but of course with the trophy, is amazing. It was amazing feeling when I had the trophy in my hands.”
Alcaraz admitted there is a target on his back now as the world’s top-ranked player.
“Probably the difference, the way the players play against me, probably I felt that difference, but not too much,” he said.
“I would say the players play better or more aggressive with me.”
Nadal’s loss means Alcaraz will end the season as the top-ranked player if he takes home the trophy on Sunday.
Nadal’s early exit was preceded by that of Daniil Medvedev, the 2020 Paris champion and 2021 runner-up who was knocked out by Australia’s Alex de Minaur 6-4, 2-6, 7-5.
De Minaur, who had not previously beaten a top-five player, will now face US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe, who eased past Jack Draper 6-3, 7-5.
Felix Auger-Aliassime qualified for the season-ending Tour finals for the first time, with Andrey Rublev completing the tournament’s eight-man field after Taylor Fritz and Hubert Hurkacz both lost.
Auger-Aliassime began his bid for a fourth title in four weeks by battling back from the brink to beat Mikael Ymer in three hours and 30 minutes.
The Canadian eighth seed scraped through 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) to extend his winning streak to 14 matches.
Auger-Aliassime saved two break points at 1-4 in the second set just as Ymer looked poised to end his unbeaten run.
“Somehow I found a second wind after saving those break points at 4-1,” said Auger-Aliassime.
“It was pretty epic. Definitely a win to remember.”
Fritz was upset 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 by the 37-year-old Gilles Simon, who is retiring after the tournament.
Hurkacz’s qualification hopes ended with his 7-5, 6-1 loss to Danish teenager Holger Rune.
Fifth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas had no problem in seeing off Britain’s Dan Evans 6-3, 6-4 to book his place in the last 16.
Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti beat Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia 6-4, 6-2 to set up a meeting with third seed Casper Ruud.
Nadal stunned by Paul in opening match at Paris Masters
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Nadal stunned by Paul in opening match at Paris Masters
Kane hits double in Bayern win as Leipzig tighten grip on fourth
Kane is now six goals shy of Robert Lewandowski’s all-time single-season Bundesliga goals record
LEVERKUSEN, Germany: Harry Kane scored twice in Bayern Munich’s 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday to set a new personal record for goals in a season as RB Leipzig tightened their grip on fourth spot with a home victory over Borussia Dortmund.
Kane scored in each half, finishing off a tearing Konrad Laimer run and converting a penalty, to raise his league tally to 35 goals in 31 games.
Kane is now six goals shy of Robert Lewandowski’s all-time single-season Bundesliga goals record and has hit a personal best of 42 goals in all competitions this campaign.
The England captain’s goals came either side of a Hugo Ekitike stunner, a day after the Frenchman became a permanent Frankfurt player.
Bayern veteran Thomas Mueller said his side was “in a good flow,” saying since getting past Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals “we’ve been getting better, we’ve got a grip on things.”
Before the match, Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel hit back at claims from the club’s honorary president Uli Hoeness that the manager wanted to buy rather than develop players, saying the “absolutely baseless” allegation “could not be further from reality.”
Despite the victory, which solidified Bayern’s chances of a second-placed finish, both Laimer and defender Matthijs de Ligt were subbed off with injury just days before Tuesday’s home Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid.
Dortmund, Germany’s other Champions League semifinalist, had a setback ahead of hosting Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, being thoroughly outclassed in a 4-1 defeat at Leipzig.
The undermanned visitors, missing captain Emre Can, Donyell Malen, Ian Maatsen and Sebastien Haller, dominated early, hitting the lead after 20 minutes through Jadon Sancho.
The England winger curled an excellent shot from the edge of the box into the top right corner to give Dortmund the lead.
Jolted to life, Leipzig equalized almost immediately, Lois Openda turning in a superb Xavi Simons cross for his 24th goal of the season.
Originally called offside, the goal was awarded after a VAR review and the video referee intervened again shortly after, overturning a penalty for Leipzig.
Leipzig then scored two quick-fire goals either side of half-time. Benjamin Sesko pounced on a rebound just before the break and Openda found Mohamed Simakan early in the second.
Christoph Baumgartner added a fourth with 10 minutes remaining to send Leipzig five points clear of Dortmund in fourth, the final guaranteed Champions League spot.
Dortmund goalie Gregor Kobel said “like so often this season, we gifted the opponent too many goals.”
With three teams in the semifinals of the top two European competitions, Germany may however snare a fifth Champions League spot.
Werder Bremen guaranteed first division football next season, winning 3-0 away at Augsburg to go 10 points clear of the drop with three games to play.
Goals from Romano Schmid and Olivier Deman and a Marvin Ducksch penalty took Bremen to a second-straight win for the first time since February.
Wolfsburg also took a major step toward securing top-flight football, scoring two goals in the final minutes to come from behind and beat a 10-man Freiburg 2-1.
In Saturday’s late game, Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen will try and keep their unbeaten record alive this season when they host third-placed Stuttgart.
No team in Bundesliga history has ever gone through a season unbeaten.
Sheffield United become first team relegated from EPL after heavy loss at Newcastle
- The Blades were 10 points from safety with three games remaining, ensuring an immediate return to the Championship
- Alexander Isak scored two of Newcastle’s goals, taking his season tally to 23 in all competitions
NEWCASTLE, England: Sheffield United became the first team to be relegated from the English Premier League after losing at Newcastle 5-1 on Saturday.
The Blades were 10 points from safety with three games remaining, ensuring an immediate return to the Championship.
They took the lead in the fifth minute at St. James’ Park through Anel Ahmedhodzic, only to be overwhelmed by a home team on the charge for European qualification.
Alexander Isak scored two of Newcastle’s goals, taking his season tally to 23 in all competitions — 19 in the league. That’s one behind joint leaders Cole Palmer of Chelsea and Erling Haaland of Manchester City.
Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson also netted for Newcastle, while Ben Osborn scored an own-goal. That meant Sheffield United conceded 13 goals to Newcastle this season, following September’s 8-0 loss at Bramall Lane.
The visitors took the lead when they worked a short corner move for Ahmedhodzic to head Gustavo Hamer’s cross past Martin Dubravka.
Isak’s first goal came in the 26th after Jacob Murphy played the perfect ball into the Sweden striker, Isak, who ran in behind Auston Trusty and finished with aplomb.
Mason Holgate headed against the crossbar and Andre Brooks blazed wide from the resulting corner as Sheffield United threatened.
The second half was all Newcastle, which netted four goals in 18 minutes — starting in the 54th when Anthony Gordon curled a free kick to the far post where the unmarked Guimaraes dived to head home.
Isak coolly converted a 61st-minute penalty after Holgate bundled Gordon to the ground, and it was 4-1 within four minutes when Osborn back-heeled the ball into his own net as he tried to clear.
Foderingham denied Wilson within five minutes of his arrival but could not prevent him from making it 5-1 with a powerful finish after fellow substitute Harvey Barnes played him in.
Newcastle were in seventh place, one point Manchester United in sixth.
New Zealand win toss, opt to bowl in 5th and final T20 against Pakistan
- Pakistan, looking to build-up for June’s T20 World Cup, are trailing 2-1 in the series
- Pakistan have brought in their ace fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in place of Zaman Khan
LAHORE: New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell won the toss and elected to field in the fifth and final Twenty20 against Pakistan on Saturday.
Pakistan, looking to build-up for June’s T20 World Cup, are trailing 2-1 in the series as they tested their bench strength against the understrength Black Caps.
Pakistan made just one change from the team that lost the fourth match by four runs, bringing in their ace fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in place of Zaman Khan.
New Zealand, touring Pakistan without their nine frontline T20 players who are in the Indian Premier League, made three changes.
Tim Seifert recovered from sore back and returns in place of Tim Robinson, who scored a half-century in the last game but was ruled out with a groin injury.
Cole McConchie and Zak Foulkes also made it to the playing XI replacing Dean Foxcroft and Jacob Duffy. Foxcroft was ruled out with a back injury.
The first game was abandoned because of rain before Pakistan bowled out New Zealand for 90 runs in the second game to win by seven wickets.
New Zealand made a comeback, winning the third match by seven wickets before edging out the home team in the last game at Qaddafi Stadium on Thursday.
Klopp and Salah involved in touchline spat during Liverpool’s draw at West Ham
- Klopp went over to speak to the Egypt winger
- Salah answered back with his arms outstretched then started to point at Klopp, who was nodding while looking out onto the field
LONDON: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and star forward Mohamed Salah were involved in a touchline confrontation during the team’s 2-2 draw with West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Salah was a substitute for the game and was preparing to come on shortly after Michail Antonio’s 77th-minute equalizer when Klopp went over to speak to the Egypt winger.
Salah answered back with his arms outstretched then started to point at Klopp, who was nodding while looking out onto the field. Darwin Nunez, who was also about to enter as a sub, got in between Salah and Klopp and pushed away his teammate.
Klopp refused to divulge the reason behind the spat.
“No, we already spoke in the dressing room,” Klopp said. “For me, that’s done.”
When Salah was asked for a comment after the game, video footage on social media showed him saying: “There’s going to be fire today if I speak.”
The 31-year-old Salah has scored in just one of his last six games and has started on the bench for two of Liverpool’s last three matches.
Klopp is leaving at the end of the season after nearly nine years in charge.
Saudi table tennis stars get ready to compete in Saudi Smash 2024 championship
Saudi table tennis stars are getting ready to compete in the Saudi Smash 2024 championship, one of the most important table tennis tournaments in the world, taking place in Jeddah from May 1-11.
The championship will feature elite players from around the world competing in singles (men and women), doubles (men and women), and mixed doubles, organized by the Saudi Table Tennis Federation, under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports and in collaboration with the World Table Tennis organization.
Among the Saudi players on the list is captain Ali Al-Khadrawi, one of the Kingdom’s top table tennis players. He started playing the game in 2007 and has a successful track record in both local and international competitions, including his distinguished participation in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Al-Khadrawi played 382 professional matches, with 14 appearances in the WTT matches, and maintained a win percentage of 54.5 percent throughout his career.
Ali-Al Khadrawi said: “I am delighted to participate in the Saudi Smash, a premier event hosted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is an opportunity to compete with my Saudi teammates against elite table tennis players from around the world. We look forward to the challenges of this championship, which will play a good role in promoting table tennis popularity in the Kingdom and inspiring the next generation of Saudi athletes.”
Another prominent player in the tournament is Abdulaziz Boushlybi, who began his career in 2007 and has achieved various individual and team titles, including a silver medal in the men’s singles at the 2022 Gulf Games in Kuwait.
He also won a gold medal in the team event at the same games with Al-Khadrawi and others. Boushlybi has played 277 professional matches, with 13 appearances in WTT matches, maintaining a win percentage of 63.2 percent.
Another Saudi player is Khalid Al-Shari, who started his table tennis journey in 2012 and has a record of individual and team victories, including a bronze medal in men’s singles at the 2021 World Championship qualifiers in Qatar.
Al-Sharif played 257 professional matches, with 12 appearances in WTT matches, achieving a win percentage of 51.4 percent throughout his career.
Other players participating in the championship are Hadi Abu Al-Raha, Turki Al-Mutairi, Salem Al-Suwailm, and Mohammed Al-Qasab.
Their participation in the Saudi Smash 2024 championship is a unique opportunity to showcase their abilities and talents and compete with some of the best international names in table tennis.
The Saudi Smash championship is one of the three Grand Smash tournaments for 2024, alongside the Singapore Smash and China Smash.
