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
Joshua and Dubois meet at weigh in before Wembley showdown
- The pair came face to face in London’s iconic Trafalgar Square before headline event on Saturday
- Promoter Eddie Hearn predicts classic bout as Frank Warren says fight in capital ‘possible because of Riyadh Season’
LONDON: London’s Trafalgar Square is a monument to the strong. Kings, generals, vast lions cast in bronze and stone, with the great admiral Lord Nelson perched high atop his column surveying all below.
On Friday, it played host to two of the world’s greatest fighters, men who might as well be chiseled from rock and metal, as they met ahead of their eagerly anticipated showdown for one of the biggest prizes in boxing.
Anthony Joshua, 34, and Daniel Dubois, 27, face off at Wembley Stadium for the IBF world heavyweight title Saturday in the headline event of Riyadh Season’s card of bouts held across the British capital this week. It is set to be witnessed by a record-breaking sellout crowd of 96,000 spectators, with millions more tuning in from around the world — and a taste of the anticipation was felt in central London at the weigh in, which drew a healthy crowd of several thousand more baying fans.
Joshua, the challenger, garnered a rapturous reception when making his way to the stage, with his name ringing around the square to the tune of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” Clearly the favorite — and promoter Eddie Hearn felt the support was more than justified for his man.
“AJ can match him (Dubois) in every physical attribute,” he said, calling Joshua an “adonis who’s in the form of his life.”
He continued that he thought the fight was set to be a “heavyweight classic,” and that Joshua would look to put Dubois “to sleep nice and early,” adding: “I’m so proud of him, and when he becomes three-time world champion tomorrow night, there’ll be a tear in the eye, and it’ll be one of the great nights of British boxing.”
His opposite number, Frank Warren, countered that “there’ll be a lot of tears tomorrow night,” warning: “Daniel’s not coming to make up the numbers.
“He can punch, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s fast. AJ is going to have to be at the top of his game.”
Warren added: “These two guys are going to throw bombs at each other. You’re going to see something extra, extra special.”
He also praised the role played by Riyadh Season and the Saudi General Entertainment Authority in putting up the fight card, and special thanks were given to the Kingdom’s leadership, including King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as GEA Chairman Turki Alalshikh.
“Riyadh Season coming to London has made a major difference. Every day we’ve been at an iconic London venue promoting this fight. Its unbelievable,” Warren said. “This has happened because of Riyadh Season — His Excellency (Turki Alalshikh) and his team have enabled us not just to put this main event together, but also the fabulous undercard.”
At the weigh in, Joshua came in heavier than his opponent at 18 stone to fellow Londoner Dubois’ 17 stone, 10 pounds. The pair stared each other down as they came face to face, but there were no harsh words or throwing of hands, with each affixing the other with a steely, determined stare.
Dubois, the champion, was reticent when interviewed onstage afterwards. “I’m ready to fight,” he said three times. “I’m ready to go, talking’s done.”
Joshua, meanwhile, fed off the crowd’s support, saying he thought of himself “as a gladiator” about to “step into the arena.”
He added to the crowd: “I want to thank you for sticking with me through thick and thin. If I can ask you one favor, go home tonight and make a prayer for me, for success tomorrow, and I will become three-time heavyweight champion of the world.”
Guardiola tells players to lead change over workload fears
LONDON: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has urged players to lead the fight for change in the heated debate over the dangers posed by an increased fixture schedule.
City midfielder Rodri recently suggested players would consider going on strike in a bid to halt the dramatic rise in matches crammed into an already hectic calendar.
With the Champions League first stage now featuring an additional two matches and the expanded Club World Cup at the end of the season, Guardiola’s Premier League champions could play a maximum of 76 matches during the 2024/25 campaign.
Top players also have international fixtures to factor into the gruelling schedule.
Global players’ union FIFPro has said footballers should play a maximum of 50 to 60 games per season, depending on their age.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker joined the row when he said players were not given a voice by the sport’s authorities to express their concerns.
Many leading managers have expressed support for the players’ concerns, with Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany calling for a cap on the number of games a player is allowed to feature in each year.
As the debate intensifies, Guardiola says players have the power to spark change because the sport cannot go on without them.
“I’m pretty sure that if something is going to change, it must come from the players,” he said.
“They are the only ones who can change something about the organization, to take a voice.
“The business can be without managers, sporting directors, media, owners but without players you cannot play. The only ones with the power to do it are them.”
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea will, like City, take part in the Club World Cup in the United States at a time when the players would otherwise be resting.
The Italian hinted a strike could be a course of action to tackle the problem.
Asked whether there are too many games in the current calendar, Maresca said: “Yes, no doubt. In terms of games, it’s too much.
“I don’t think we protect players. We can say what we think and for me it’s completely wrong the amount of games that we have.
“The only ones that can do something are the players and we can help them. In the last two weeks some of the players have tried to explain what they think. I think it’s a good starting point.
“Some of them have said (they could strike). I think it could be an idea for them.”
Ferrari’s Leclerc sets early pace in Singapore ahead of Norris
- Leclerc lapped the Marina Bay Circuit in 1min 31.763sec on the hard compound tire with Norris 0.076sec behind on mediums
SINGAPORE: Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was quickest in first practice for the Singapore Grand Prix on Friday, less than a tenth of a second ahead of Lando Norris in a McLaren.
Carlos Sainz, who won for Ferrari in Singapore a year ago, was third fastest with championship leader Max Verstappen fourth.
Leclerc lapped the Marina Bay Circuit in 1min 31.763sec on the hard compound tire with Norris 0.076sec behind on mediums.
It was a tentative opening daylight session, unrepresentative of Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race which will be run in different conditions under lights.
Sainz clocked 1:31.952 with Verstappen’s Red Bull going around the 4.94km layout in 1:32.097.
Englishman Norris is hunting down the Dutchman Verstappen at the top of the drivers’ standings.
The triple world champion’s lead is 59 points with seven grands prix and three sprints to go, leaving a maximum of 207 points up for grabs.
Singapore was the only race Red Bull failed to win last year.
They returned 12 months later having lost their lead at the top of the constructors’ standings at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last weekend. McLaren are 20 points ahead after Oscar Piastri won in Baku.
The Australian may have crossed the line first there, but he was last out of the pits in Singapore and could only record the sixth fastest time, on soft tires.
Piastri emerged more than 10 minutes after the rest of the cars because of a problem with his left rear wheel nut becoming stuck during pit-stop practice earlier in the day.
RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo showed promising early pace, lapping fifth and seventh fastest respectively.
Alex Albon’s Williams was eighth with Fernando Alonso in an Aston Martin and Esteban Ocon’s Alpine rounding out the top 10.
Verstappen won seven of the first 10 races this season but he has not triumphed in the last seven as McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes have all taken race wins.
History suggests that Verstappen’s fortunes are unlikely to improve around the unpredictable city center track in Singapore this weekend.
Verstappen failed to make the top 10 in qualifying 12 months ago, eventually finishing fifth, and he has never won on the tight city-center circuit.
Red Bull traditionally struggle in Singapore where tropical storms, intense humidity, concrete barriers, safety cars and red flags are ever-present dangers.
Sergio Perez did win in Singapore in 2022, but that was Red Bull’s only victory here since Sebastian Vettel in 2013.
Mercedes usually fare well in Singapore, even during their recent lean years, but both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell could not get the balance right in the first session and trailed in 12th and 16th respectively.
Deep takes two as Bangladesh totter in reply to India’s 376
- Bangladesh limped to 26-3 at the break after Jasprit Bumrah bowled left-handed opener Shadman Islam for two and fellow quick Akash Deep struck twice in two deliveries
Bangladesh limped to 26-3 at the break after Jasprit Bumrah bowled left-handed opener Shadman Islam for two and fellow quick Akash Deep struck twice in two deliveries.
After Bumrah’s heroics in the opening over, Deep took centerstage as he bowled the left-handed Zakir Hasan for three and then rattled the stumps of another left-hander Mominul Haque for a duck.
Mushfiqur Rahim played out the hat-trick ball and was batting on four alongside skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, on 15, at the break.
Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud finished with figures of 5-83 after rattling the Indian batting on day one, but a 199-run seventh-wicket stand between Ashwin and Jadeja powered a fightback from the hosts.
The pair resumed with India on 339-6 overnight but pace bowler Taskin Ahmed broke the stand early, with Jadeja caught behind without adding to his overnight score of 86.
Deep hit a quickfire 17 with four boundaries before being dismissed by Taskin, who soon got his third with the wicket of hometown hero Ashwin, caught by Najmul.
The 38-year-old Ashwin was given a standing ovation after a sixth Test ton, which included 10 fours and two sixes.
Hasan wrapped up the innings with his second five-wicket haul in just his fourth Test.
Ashwin had taken to the crease with India in trouble on 144-6 on Thursday and turned the attack on the opposition bowlers with the left-handed Jadeja for company.
Both men — India’s go-to spinners — blunted a Bangladesh bowling onslaught led by Hasan, who had reduced the hosts to 34-3 in the first hour of play.
India are looking to extend their lead at the top of the World Test Championship rankings as they begin a fresh Test season of 10 matches.
Bangladesh have never beaten India in a Test.
LIV golfers get green light for US Ryder Cup team, PGA Championship
- The PGA of America decision solidifies spots in events although several LIV players had been granted special invitations to certain majors in past seasons and Koepka was welcomed into the Ryder Cup squad
- The move shows tensions could be easing in golf’s civil war even as talks continue between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, LIV’s backers, and the PGA Tour about a merger agreement
WASHINGTON: LIV Golf players will be eligible for the Ryder Cup and the PGA Championship, the PGA of America announced Thursday in a move made to ensure access to top talent.
Since the early days of the Saudi-backed series, the US PGA Tour has banned LIV players from competing in its events, making it hard for LIV players to earn world ranking points and qualify for majors.
But PGA and LIV players have faced each other at major tournaments in recent years, with LIV’s Brooks Koepka winning last year’s PGA Championship for his fifth major crown and receiving a captain’s pick place on last year’s US Ryder Cup team.
“To ensure the PGA Championship will continue to deliver the strongest field in golf and that the US Ryder Cup team will continue to have access to the best American players, the PGA of America board has determined that LIV Golf players will be eligible for both,” the PGA of America statement said.
“Going forward, all LIV Golf players are eligible for the PGA Championship and any American player who qualifies for the Ryder Cup on points or is added to the US team as a captain’s pick is eligible to compete.”
The PGA of America decision solidifies spots in events although several LIV players had been granted special invitations to certain majors in past seasons and Koepka was welcomed into the Ryder Cup squad.
Some LIV players have been able to compete in majors thanks largely to wins before LIV began, many competing as past winners of specific majors.
The move shows tensions could be easing in golf’s civil war even as talks continue between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, LIV’s backers, and the PGA Tour about a merger agreement, negotiations that have stretched well beyond their original deadline of the end of last year.
Talks were conducted last week in New York but among the sticking points remains how to punish former PGA players who defected to LIV should they return and what LIV’s future might become.
