PARIS: Beatriz Haddad Maia scored another comeback win at the French Open, upsetting Ons Jabeur 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1 on Wednesday to become the first Brazilian woman since 1968 to reach a Grand Slam semifinal.
The 14th-seeded Haddad Maia, who in 2019 was provisionally suspended for failing a doping test, shook off a slow start against the seventh-seeded Jabeur on Court Philippe Chatrier and will next face either Iga Swiatek or Coco Gauff.
After playing nearly four hours to beat Sara Sorribes Tormo in the fourth round, Haddad Maia won only one of her service games in the first set. But she saved the only two break points she faced in the second set — both in the 11th game to go up 6-5 — and won the tiebreaker.
The 27-year-old Brazilian started the deciding set with a double break and a 3-0 lead. A frustrated Jabeur flipped her racket in the air after sending an easy backhand wide on a break-point opportunity while down 4-1. Haddad Maia won the game and served out the match.
Jabeur was the runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open last year.
Haddad Maia is the first Brazilian woman to reach the semifinals at Roland Garros in the Open era. Maria Bueno reached the last four at the 1966 French Open and made the 1968 US Open semifinals.
Haddad Maia’s fourth-round win over Sorribes Tormo, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-5, was the longest WTA match of the year — clocking in a 3 hours, 51 minutes.
The top-seeded Swiatek and sixth-seeded Gauff were up next on Chatrier — a rematch of last year’s French Open final won by Swiatek in straight sets. The 22-year-old Swiatek has been ranked No. 1 for more than a year.
Beatriz Haddad Maia upsets Ons Jabeur to reach French Open semifinals
https://arab.news/zkyq3
Beatriz Haddad Maia upsets Ons Jabeur to reach French Open semifinals
- After playing nearly four hours to beat Sara Sorribes Tormo in the fourth round, Haddad Maia won only one of her service games in the first set
- The 27-year-old Brazilian started the deciding set with a double break and a 3-0 lead
Inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026 gets $45m boost
- New tournament set to elevate global esports by establishing a structured ecosystem that supports players, clubs, and national teams
RIYADH: The Esports World Cup Foundation has announced the competition dates and prize model for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026 in Riyadh from Nov. 2 to 29.
The ENC adds a national layer to the global esports calendar. It complements the club-based Esports World Cup by giving players the chance to represent their nations.
ENC 2026 is backed by a three-part funding commitment totaling $45 million, structured to support the esports ecosystem through player and coach prizing, club release incentives, and national team development.
It includes $20 million in prize money paid directly to players and coaches across 16 titles.
In addition, the EWCF will provide $5 million in incentives for clubs that release and enable their professional players to participate in the ENC, with rewards tied directly to the performance of their players at the event.
The EWCF will also provide $20 million through the previously announced ENC Development Fund, supporting partners with logistics, travel, program operations, marketing, and the long-term growth of national team pathways.
“National teams bring a powerful new layer to esports, one that is accessible, intuitive, and rooted in identity and pride,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the EWCF.
“Clubs are the cultural backbone of esports. Nation-based competition expands the stage, creates new rivalries, and gives more fans a reason to care from day one.
“Our prize model is designed to keep competition fair and sustainable, rewarding performance while supporting the long-term development of players, clubs, and national programs.”
The ENC introduces a placement-based prize framework, applied across all game titles, designed to be clear and player-centric. Every qualified participant earns prize money and is guaranteed a minimum of three matches.
Equal placement earns equal pay: the same finishing position pays the same amount per player across all titles, and coaches are rewarded alongside players for the same placement.
A first-place finish awards $50,000 per player, whether competing in a solo title or as part of a team, while second provides $30,000, and third $15,000. For team titles, payouts scale with the roster size, so the result is consistent and transparent for everyone competing.
The ENC will launch in Riyadh and move to a rotating host-city model. The event will be held every two years to provide a dependable structure that supports long-term planning for players, partners, and national programs.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Trackmania, Dota 2 have already been confirmed for ENC 2026, with additional titles to be announced in the coming days.
