Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia to host 8th edition of Kings and Princes Cups Festival

The past seven editions of the festival witnessed victories for 21 owners, who won 46 trophies(JCSA)
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Updated 09 January 2023
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Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia to host 8th edition of Kings and Princes Cups Festival

  • 2-day event at King Abdulaziz Racecourse kicks off on Jan. 13

RIYADH: The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia will host the 8th edition of the Kings and Princes Cups Festival on the grounds of King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Jan. 13.

The two-day festival will include local and foreign horses with a purse distribution of SR5.9 million ($1.57 million) within the 83rd and 84th ceremonies of the ongoing season.

The festival includes eight runs dedicated to horses of different ages and over several distances, with prize money for the runs of the Kings Cups (Saud, Faisal, Khalid, Fahd and Abdullah bin Abdulaziz) totaling $213,000 each, prizes for the cups of Princes Sultan and Nayef bin Abdulaziz reaching $186,000, and the prize for the Prince Badr bin Abdulaziz Cup amounting to $133,000.

The Princes Naif, Badr and Sultan bin Abdulaziz Cup races will be held alongside the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Cup on Friday, while the cups of Kings Fahd, Khalid, Faisal and Saud bin Abdulaziz will be held among the last races on Saturday.

The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia launched the first edition of the Kings and Princes Cups Festival in 2016 to celebrate the royals.

The past seven editions of the festival witnessed victories for 21 owners, who won 46 trophies, led by “The White Stable,” owned by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz’s sons, who won 13 trophies.

“The Red Stable,” owned by Prince Faisal bin Khalid, won seven cups, three of which were in the seventh edition. “The Sky Blue Stable,” owned by Abdullah Al-Mousa, came in third place, with four cups.

Meanwhile the stable of Prince Saud bin Salman bin Abdulaziz came fourth with three cups, two of which were in the previous edition.


Djokovic ‘shakes rust off’ to make third round of Shanghai Masters

Updated 7 sec ago
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Djokovic ‘shakes rust off’ to make third round of Shanghai Masters

The Serbian beat American Alex Michelsen in a thrilling two-set match that finished 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (11/9)
Sinner dispatched Japan’s Taro Daniel 6-1, 6-4, while Alcaraz made short work of China’s Shang Juncheng, winning 6-2, 6-2

SHANGHAI: Novak Djokovic said it took time to “get the rust off” as he fought through two tiebreaks to make his way into the third round of the Shanghai Masters on Saturday.
The Serbian beat American Alex Michelsen in a thrilling two-set match that finished 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (11/9).
Meanwhile Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz showed why they were top in the world as they raced through to the next stage with confident straight-set wins.
Sinner dispatched Japan’s Taro Daniel 6-1, 6-4, while Alcaraz made short work of China’s Shang Juncheng, winning 6-2, 6-2.
Four-time Shanghai champion Djokovic did not have it quite so easy against 43rd ranked Michelsen.
Introduced as the “Greatest Of All Time” as he walked onto the court, he received a rapturous welcome from the packed stadium.
But Michelsen started the first set strongly, breaking Djokovic early and going 1-4 up — to the displeasure of the crowd, fully behind the 37-year-old former world number one.
To their delight, the Serbian levelled, and then hit his stride in the tiebreak, winning it 7-3.
The reverse happened in the second set when it was 20-year-old Michelsen’s turn to catch up to take it to the tiebreak.
Djokovic admitted to being “surprised” by Michelsen.
“It took me a little bit of time to get the rust off and to start feeling better on the court,” he said.
“I was very glad to keep calm when it mattered in both tiebreaks.”
The crowd, already in a frenzy after Djokovic spoke Mandarin at the end of the match, went wild as he showed off a new trick — a sentence in the Shanghainese vernacular.
World number one Sinner has said he is not in a “comfortable” situation thanks to a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appeal a decision by tennis authorities to clear him of wrongdoing after he twice tested positive for a steroid in March.
His recent blistering winning streak was broken by Alcaraz in the China Open final on Wednesday.
But there was no tiredness on display from either player on Saturday, with 23-year-old Sinner looking completely unruffled in the first set against the 93rd-ranked Daniel.
Daniel fell behind again in the second set and despite rallying halfway through to gently test Sinner, the Italian kept his cool, ending the set 6-4.
“I had only one practice session yesterday but I felt very comfortable on the court,” he said after the match.
Sinner will face Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Sunday.
“It will be a tough one tomorrow, very physical, because me and Tomas know each other quite well now,” he said.
Earlier, arch-rival Alcaraz also looked comfortable throughout, breaking in the first game, with teenager Shang unable to make much headway against the world number two.
Despite their enthusiasm for Shang, the crowd could not resist Alcaraz’s charm.
At the Spaniard’s encouragement, they broke into loud cheers when he won a particularly exciting rally in which he hit a tricky backwards shot to keep the point alive.
“I just had one practice then was straight into this match, so to be able to show this level in the first match, I’m just really proud,” 21-year-old Alcaraz said after the match.
Alcaraz will next face another Chinese player, wildcard Wu Yibing, who beat 25th seed Nicolas Jarry in the second round.
The tournament lost its second top-ten player on Saturday, as Andrey Rublev fell to 19-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik, joining Norwegian Casper Ruud on the notable casualties list.
The Russian, a finalist at last year’s Shanghai Masters, roared in jubilation after winning a tiebreaker to take the first set.
But 65th-ranked Mensik broke Rublev in the first game of the second set, and again in the fifth to draw even.
The Czech then came from behind in the third to beat the world number six for the second time this year, with a final score of 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 6-3.

Gauff fights back to set up Beijing final against Muchova

Updated 05 October 2024
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Gauff fights back to set up Beijing final against Muchova

  • The American former US Open champion beat Spain’s Paula Badosa 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to close on an eighth title
  • In the other semifinal, Karolina Muchova disappointed the 15,000 crowd to beat Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-4

BEIJING: Coco Gauff fought back from a set down to battle into the China Open final on Saturday setting up a showdown with party-pooper Karolina Muchova.
The American former US Open champion beat Spain’s Paula Badosa 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to close on an eighth title.
The 20-year-old faces Muchova after the 49th-ranked Czech silenced a capacity Beijing crowd to beat Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in straight sets.
Sixth-ranked Gauff has struggled for form in recent months and split with coach Brad Gilbert after her US Open defense ended in the last 16 in a blur of double-faults.
Gauff struggled again with her serve against Badosa, racking up 11 double-faults.
But she belatedly found a semblance of top form to down the former world number two in two hours, 20 minutes.
With a new coaching set-up in place, Gauff said that she had not really expected to be in the final.
“Has this week been my best tennis? In moments, yes,” said Gauff, the youngest player to reach the China Open decider since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.
“I think today I reached some levels where I was playing my best tennis. Obviously, that’s not the case for the whole match.”
The 19th-ranked Badosa broke in the fifth game of the first set as Gauff’s problems with her serve resurfaced.
The eighth game was mammoth, with Gauff finally converting her eighth break point, and she celebrated by putting both arms in the air.
The jubilation was short-lived, as Badosa broke back immediately and sealed the set on her third set point when Gauff overhit a simple forehand return.
Badosa broke once more to start the second set and Gauff was in danger of losing her cool, whacking the sole of her foot with her racquet as she fell 2-0 down.
Gauff recovered her poise to twice break the Spaniard and take the set against a suddenly rattled Badosa.
It was the first set Badosa had dropped in Beijing and Gauff took that ascendancy into the deciding set as her opponent faded fast.
Gauff’s only title of the year so far came in Auckland in January.
In the other semifinal, Muchova disappointed the 15,000 crowd to beat a subdued Zheng 6-3, 6-4.
The Czech is the lowest-ranked player to reach the Beijing final since the tournament began in 2004.
Last year’s French Open finalist toppled top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals on Friday.
She eased through the first set against Paris gold medalist Zheng and was unrelenting in the second to ram home her advantage.
Serving to stay in the tournament, the 21-year-old Zheng dug deep to save two match points in the ninth game, but the reprieve was only very brief.
The 28-year-old Muchova was inside the top 10 this time last year but did not play for nearly 10 months after having wrist surgery.
She is pursuing only the second title of her career.
Gauff has won both their previous two meetings, most recently in the US Open semifinals last year on the way to clinching her first major crown.


Guardiola claims Premier League won’t delay season for Man City

Updated 05 October 2024
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Guardiola claims Premier League won’t delay season for Man City

  • Guardiola said City had asked the Premier League to postpone their first matches of the 2025-26 campaign to allow extra time to rest after the Club World Cup in the US

LONDON: Pep Guardiola claims the Premier League have refused to accept Manchester City’s request to start next season late due to their involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Guardiola said City had asked the Premier League to postpone their first matches of the 2025-26 campaign to allow extra time to rest after the Club World Cup in the United States.
Having already lost influential Spain midfielder Rodri for the rest of this season following his knee injury against Arsenal, Guardiola fears his players will be burnt out and at risk of injury because of the increased workload.
The Premier League champions’ season could run until July 13 if they reach the final of the expanded 32-team Club World Cup.
That could leave them just a four-week gap to squeeze in player holidays and preparations in time for the anticipated start of the next Premier League season on August 9 or 16.
There could be an even shorter break if City are involved in the Community Shield, as they have been for six of the last seven season.
But Guardiola said City’s plea for a longer recovery period had so far fallen on deaf ears and he does not expect that to change.
City already have a strained relationship with the Premier League as they fight 115 charges of alleged financial breaches, including a failure to co-operate with an investigation.
“The Premier League has not allowed us to postpone — and Chelsea, I think, all the teams that will go to the World Cup — the first two games to have more recovery. Thank you so much! They don’t postpone these games,” Guardiola said.
“I think the club asked the Premier League, for the first or second game, to postpone it one or two, three weeks, in the middle of the week, to have one more week or two more weeks’ holiday after the World Cup.”
Asked to clarify if a request had not been allowed, Guardiola said: “Absolutely not. The Premier League say yes to us? No. Absolutely not. It’s not going to happen.”
The Premier League has not commented but it is believed initial discussions were held over the possibility of postponing fixtures.
Whilst there was no outright refusal, City have not been given the impression any such application would succeed.


Team Abu Dhabi duo ready for powerboating battle after Wyatt claims pole in China

Updated 05 October 2024
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Team Abu Dhabi duo ready for powerboating battle after Wyatt claims pole in China

  • Veteran Emirati Thani Al-Qemzi calls on his vast experience as typhoon looms at Grand Prix of Shanghai

SHANGHAI: Team Abu Dhabi’s Thani Al-Qemzi and Alberto Comparato are ready for a tough examination in tomorrow’s Grand Prix of Shanghai, China after Sharjah Team’s Rusty Wyatt secured pole position for Round 4 of the 2024 UIM F1H2O World Championship.

Rough waters stirred by powerful winds have plagued the championship’s return to Shanghai following a 20-year absence, and Wyatt adapted best to dominate today’s single qualifying session as he looked to extend his lead in the title race.

The Canadian rookie won by an impressive 1.25 seconds from Sweden’s defending world champion Jonas Andersson, who was followed by Victory Team’s Erik Stark as the top three in the championship standings made their mark.

Veteran Emirati driver Al-Qemzi, making his 156th race start, will be looking to call on his vast experience to climb through the field after qualifying eighth, 13 years after securing one of his 10 Grand Prix victories in China.

He was forced to return to the pontoon with technical issues after completing just two qualifying laps, but returned to the circuit later, although he was unable to improve his position.

Abu Dhabi teammate Comparato also has a lot of work to do when he starts in ninth position on the new and demanding 2,153m circuit on the Huangpu River, with typhoon conditions forecast for this weekend.

With that in mind, a last-minute decision was taken to start qualifying 30 minutes early today and reduce it from the normal three phases to a single 40-minute session.

But as conditions deteriorated following the completion of qualifying, the two scheduled sprint races, both carrying championship points, were canceled, and tomorrow’s Grand Prix was switched from the afternoon to a 9 a.m. local time start.

The race could become a test of nerve if there is no reprieve from the stormy weather that greeted the teams on their arrival in Shanghai and forced the cancelation of Friday’s first free practice session because of safety concerns.

As conditions eased later, Wyatt set the fastest time ahead of Stark in the second free practice session, with Al-Qemzi recording the third-best lap ahead of Frenchman Peter Morin and Andersson, and Comparato in ninth spot.

Few are better equipped to handle the conditions, and their effect on the race schedule, than Al-Qemzi, who has seen it all in an F1H2O career that began back in 2000, and he will be determined to get the maximum out of himself, and Team Abu Dhabi 5, tomorrow.


Jokic in ‘category of his own,’ despite Nuggets defeat to Celtics in Abu Dhabi

Updated 05 October 2024
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Jokic in ‘category of his own,’ despite Nuggets defeat to Celtics in Abu Dhabi

  • Russell Westbrook praised the Serbian star after Boston beat Denver 107-103 in first of pre-season games at Etihad Arena

ABU DHABI: Russell Westbrook believes his new teammate Nikola Jokic “belongs in a category of his own,” the 16-year NBA veteran said in Abu Dhabi on Friday after making his first appearance for the Denver Nuggets.

Playing the first of two preseason games against the Boston Celtics in the UAE capital, the Nuggets squandered a 14-point lead en route to a 107-103 defeat to the reigning NBA champions.

Westbrook, a former MVP and nine-time All-Star, joined the Nuggets in July after spending last season with the LA Clippers, and the 35-year-old made his debut for his new team on Friday, sharing some minutes with Jokic in the first half.

“As we all know, he sits in a category of his own. He’s so unique in the sense of he’s so unselfish,” said Westbrook of the three-time MVP.

“He loves to be able to make the game easy for his teammates and he’s done that and won a championship and multiple MVPs and he’s still the same person since I’ve been around.

“Getting a chance to know a little about him and his background, I really enjoyed that and I’m grateful to be on his team and learn from him as well.”

Jokic is coming off a hectic summer during which he helped guide Serbia to a bronze medal at the Olympic Games.

In a clash that pit the last two NBA champions in front of a capacity crowd at Etihad Arena, Jokic had 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and a 71.4 field goal percentage in under 17 minutes of play.

“Last time, I remember, when I played for the national team, we won the championship, so maybe that’s saying something, maybe not, who knows. Most players say that summer tournaments, like the Olympics, kind of helps you stay in shape or to get better maybe,” said Jokic.

“I don’t know if that’s the case or not, but I definitely had a really good time and I think I improved playing for the national team.”

The Celtics started with Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Luke Kornet, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, but it was their second unit that cut their deficit against the Nuggets, with guard Payton Pritchard scoring 21 points, including six 3-pointers from 12 attempts.

Boston players combined for 61 3-point attempts, which would have been a franchise record had it been an official game.

“I feel like we took a lot of 3s last year. I don’t know if we’ll take 61 most nights, but obviously we don’t have two of our interior players and it’s the first game, getting our legs under us, so sometimes repeatedly is tiring. I think we’ll get to the rim more during the season,” said Pritchard, referring to coach Joe Mazzulla emphasizing shooting from beyond the arc throughout their run to the championship.

NBA Finals MVP Brown, who addressed the Abu Dhabi crowd with some Arabic words ahead of the game, had eight points, two rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes of play, while Tatum had 12, six and five.

“We’re definitely getting back into season form, just finding that continuity again, we had some good spots, defensively made some good plays, offensively we got some good looks,” said Brown, who spent a large portion of his summer in the Arabian Peninsula.

“A lot of excitement here in Abu Dhabi as well, so I think the next game we should be better.”

The night in the UAE capital was a star-studded affair with a host of football legends in attendance, including Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Roberto Carlos and Alessandro Del Piero.

Jokic said he was happy to see them all in one place, adding: “Thierry Henry was my favorite player, when he was in Arsenal, I really loved him. He was really fast and I’m going to say a game-changer. He was a really good player.”

Boston and Denver will square off again in a second preseason game on Sunday, Oct. 6. The 2024-25 NBA season tips off on Oct. 22.