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Saudi tennis chief plans sport’s growth in Kingdom, praises Ons Jabeur’s impact

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Almutabagani's priority is to imporve tennis at youth level in Saudi Arabia. (Supplied)
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Saudi Tennis Federation (STF) president Arij Almutabagani was in demand at Wimbledon 2023. (Supplied)
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Updated 25 August 2023
MARK LOMAS
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Saudi tennis chief plans sport’s growth in Kingdom, praises Ons Jabeur’s impact

  • Arij Almutabagani: ‘My primary concern is junior tennis because these kids are the future’
Updated 25 August 2023
MARK LOMAS

When Saudi Tennis Federation president Arij Almutabagani attended the iconic Wimbledon Championships in 2022, her sojourn to southwest London was quiet and uneventful. Fast forward 12 months and it was a different story.

In the buildup to the 2023 tournament, reports surfaced that the Association of Tennis Professionals, who run the men’s professional tour, were in talks with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund about a substantial new investment akin to the organization’s much-publicized foray into golf.

Suddenly, Almutabagani was in demand. 

“The announcement of the ATP and PIF discussions changed things very quickly,” Almutabagani told Arab News. “The experience at Wimbledon this year was different. People were asking about what is happening, and of course increased the interest in potentially hosting events in Saudi Arabia.

“This felt like such a positive development and shows that the work of the past few years and the support of our Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, has led to this moment. Now it is time for tennis to play a more important role in Saudi Arabia and there is huge potential for us to build the sport.”

It is a build that requires strong foundations and, in a nation so dominated by football, Almutabagani has been doing her utmost to lay a solid base for tennis since her appointment as STF president on a four-year term in 2021. She quickly put together a board to support her and set about growing the sport of tennis from the bottom up.

“My primary concern is junior tennis because these kids are the future,” Almutabagani explained. “We want to develop players who can enjoy tennis for their whole lives and show them that there are many ways to be part of tennis — not just as an amateur or professional player but as a coach, an administrator, an event organizer.

“Our focus is not only on big professional events right now because that won’t benefit our players. It is a strategy based on developing young players — we want to invest in grassroots initiatives that will help tennis grow in Saudi Arabia more and then, once that is in place, anything is possible.”

Almutabagani’s main challenge is moving tennis into the mainstream in the Kingdom. When she was first introduced to the sport it was at Saudi Arabia’s only tennis club, then located behind the US Embassy in Jeddah.

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl was one of her early heroes before Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal emerged to earn her admiration. The latter’s academy in Mallorca was attended by both her sons. Hers is a family of tennis lovers, but Almutabagani understands that she is very much the exception, not the norm, in Saudi Arabia.

A lack of courts is at the heart of tennis’ previous failure to garner mass appeal in the Kingdom, though the STF are working to rectify this and create a database of bookable facilities. Perhaps most importantly of all, tennis has now made it on to the physical education curriculum of many schools.

“This was a big step with the Ministry of Education that we launched in April,” Almutabagani said. “It was important that they play in school time because, if it was after hours, many kids would not join as they don’t already know about tennis. This way, more of them are exposed to it and it’s great to see how popular it has been already.

“We’ve delivered workshops to teachers in 90 schools across Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam, as many knew the theory of tennis but not the practical side of things. It’s been moving quickly and hopefully we can further increase the number of the schools.”

As well as positive experiences of playing, children also need sporting role models to inspire them. The emergence of Tunisian superstar Ons Jabeur has come at the perfect time, according to fellow STF board member Fatima Batook, who is responsible for the development of girls’ tennis in Saudi Arabia.

“Talking about Ons just gives me goosebumps,” Batook said. “I watched the Wimbledon final with a group of our Saudi girls, aged between 10 and 15, and seeing her play honestly just gives them so much hope.

“It’s not just about being a great tennis player but it is about how to carry yourself with dignity, how to do your best. Our Saudi girls see Ons on and off the court and it convinces them that they could do it too — they can visualize that anything is possible.”

Almutabagani first met a 17-year-old Jabeur in the UAE when she won the Emerging Arab Athlete prize at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Creative Sports Awards in 2012. The Tunisian’s coach, compatriot Issam Jellali, even previously spent some time coaching the STF president’s children. She, too, feels the power of Jabeur’s influence.

“I think the success of Ons will help take all the girls in the Arab world to the next level,” said Almutabagani. “It would be great to bring her to Saudi Arabia because she is an amazing ambassador for tennis and her story is just one that other Arab girls can relate to.

“And from a Saudi tennis perspective, it always makes me think that if Tunisia can do it, I know we can too. Tunisia has a great tennis infrastructure now and hosts more tournaments than any other country in the region, across every age group and level. This is a great blueprint for us.”

Last year, Saudi Arabia hosted an International Tennis Federation World Tennis Tour Juniors event in Jeddah for the first time, and on Thursday it was confirmed that the Kingdom has won its bid to host the season-ending Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah from 2023 to 2027.

The tournament, which brings together the best men’s players aged 21 and under, was won in 2021 by current men’s world No. 1 and reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.

In October, Saudi Arabia will for the first time send a team to compete in the Billie Jean King Cup, the world’s largest international team competition in women’s sport.

These developments appear to be a sign that the sport is being taken seriously in Saudi Arabia and Almutabagani is confident that the prospects for tennis are now firmly on an upward trajectory.

“It is clear to me that tennis is really on Saudi Arabia’s priority list as a sport now so I have a lot of hard work to do,” Almutabagani said, smiling. “It’s been soccer for a very long time, then we saw golf and now is the time for tennis.

“The moment for tennis is here and we really need to build on it. If I can help even just 1 percent to take tennis to the next level in Saudi Arabia I will be happy because it’s just such a great sport that has given so much to me and my family.”

Topics: tennis Saudi Arabia Ons Jabeur

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Al-Hilal defeat Al-Nassr to lift King’s Cup after penalty shootout leaves Ronaldo in tears

Updated 01 June 2024
John Duerden
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Al-Hilal defeat Al-Nassr to lift King’s Cup after penalty shootout leaves Ronaldo in tears

  • Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is the hero, saving two spot-kicks after three players were sent off and the game ended in a 1-1 draw
Updated 01 June 2024
John Duerden

Cristiano Ronaldo’s season ended in tears on Friday as Al-Hilal completed the league and cup double by defeating Al-Nassr 5-4 in a penalty shootout, after two hours of play in a tempestuous King’s Cup final at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah had ended 1-1.

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was the hero, saving two spot-kicks at the conclusion of a fierce battle between the Riyadh rivals that had a little of everything. There was an early goal from Aleksandar Mitrovic that seemed to put the league champions on course for their 11th triumph in Saudi Arabia’s premier cup competition. Then there was a late, late equalizer from Ayman Yahya that took the game into extra time — but not before three players had been sent off by Argentine referee Dario Herrera.

Al-Nassr goalkeeper David Ospina was the first to go, early in the second half. At that point, it seemed certain that Al-Hilal’s name was destined to be on the cup but then, late in the game, both of their central defenders, Ali Al-Bulaihi and then Kalidou Koulibaly, were red-carded.

Ronaldo and his teammates, who earlier in the week finished the league season in second place behind Al-Hilal, looked dangerous from the start.

 

Sadio Mane had the best opportunity of the early exchanges, firing just over from close range in the sixth minute. Seconds later, however, Mitrovic illustrated the difference between the teams this season as he made the Yellows pay for missed opportunities with the kind of ruthless efficiency that has been a trademark of this Al-Hilal side; if you do not take your opportunities against them, you will be punished. The Serbian striker was waiting at the far post to head the ball low into the net after Malcom curled a fine cross over from the right.

Just three minutes later, Al-Nassr had a great chance to equalize but Otavio fired just wide from inside the area. Shortly after the half-hour mark, Yahya had a shot cleared off the line by Al-Bulaihi, and then a low effort by Ronaldo was blocked by the legs of Bounou.

 

The Moroccan goalkeeper was in action again soon after, pushing another shot from the 39-year-old Portuguese superstar away and then saving Otavio’s follow-up header from the rebound. This summed up a frustrating first half for Al-Nassr in which they made most of the running.

GALLERY

View our photos from the drama-filled 2024 King’s Cup final in Jeddah

At the start of the second half, Ronaldo almost scored what might have been the goal of the season but his spectacular, near-perfect overhead kick, which left Bounou no chance, bounced off the post.

Things began to go wrong for Al-Nassr eight minutes after the restart when Malcom burst through on goal. Ospina came out of his area and handled the ball, earning him a red card.

Al-Nassr continued to give it their all, though, in an attempt to get back into the game, and Ronaldo forced another good save from Bounou with a well-struck free-kick. But the five-time Ballon d’Or winner appeared an increasingly frustrated figure.

Still, Al-Hilal were not quite able to put the game to bed and there were some nerves on display when a Mitrovic effort rolled just past the post when he had only substitute goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah to beat.

Then, three minutes from the end of the regulation 90 minutes, Al-Nassr were thrown a lifeline when Al-Bulaihi was sent off for seemingly headbutting Sami Al-Najei.

Yahya immediately took advantage by heading home from close range, sparking wild celebrations among the hordes of yellow-shirted fans and taking the game into extra time, but not before Al-Hilal went down to nine men when Koulibaly received a second yellow.

There was plenty of space on the pitch during the first period of extra time, given the reduced number of players, and both teams pushed forward in search of a winner. However, the longer they went without one of them managing to grab that all-important goal, the more inevitable it seemed the result would be decided by penalties. And so it proved to be.

Ruben Neves missed the first kick of the shoot-out but then so did Alex Telles. Bounou then saved from Ali Al-Hassan and Meshari Al-Nemer to secure another trophy for Al-Hilal and leave Ronaldo sprawled on the turf in despair.

Topics: football soccer Saudi Arabia King Cup Al-Nassr Al-Hilal

Pakistan says ‘expects’ full US security for cricket team at World Cup following Daesh threat

Updated 31 May 2024
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Pakistan says ‘expects’ full US security for cricket team at World Cup following Daesh threat

  • The statement comes after Daesh Khorasan called for ‘lone wolf’ attack against the Pakistan-India match in New York
  • The foreign office spokesperson says Pakistani authorities are in contact with US officials to facilitate the team’s visit
Updated 31 May 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office said on Friday it expected the United States government to ensure full security for the national cricket team during the upcoming World Cup after a high-profile militant group threatened to target their match with India on June 9.

Media outlets around the world reported on the possibility of a “lone wolf” attack on the cricket stadium in New York after Daesh Khorasan released a message calling for independent attackers to act.

The 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to be co-hosted by the West Indies and the US from June 1 to June 29. The Pakistan team is expected to arrive days ahead of their first match against the USA on June 6 in Dallas, Texas.

The players have just finished their tour to England where they lost the T20 series 2-0 to the home team.

Asked about their safety, foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told her weekly media briefing the Pakistani authorities were in contact with the US authorities to facilitate the cricket team’s visit.

“We expect the government of the US to fully provide security to Pakistan’s cricket team and Pakistani nationals who live in the United States,” she said.

Daesh Khorasan is a regional affiliate of the Daesh group that operates primarily in Afghanistan, though it is also suspected to have a presence in Pakistan and other parts of South Asia.

The group has been involved in various attacks in Pakistan, targeting public spaces, religious minorities and government installations, contributing to regional instability.

Their operations are part of a broader campaign to establish their influence and demonstrate their reach beyond the Afghan borders.

Topics: Pakistan World Cup t20 world cup 2024

Drinking culture in English cricket ‘excluding’ British Muslims from attending, playing

Updated 31 May 2024
Arab News
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Drinking culture in English cricket ‘excluding’ British Muslims from attending, playing

  • Former player Azeem Rafiq speaks at Hay Festival
Updated 31 May 2024
Arab News

LONDON: Cricket’s culture of drinking alcohol is alienating British Muslims, whistleblower Azeem Rafiq said at a literature festival this week.

Pakistan-born former off-spinner Rafiq, who first raised allegations of racism and bullying in September 2020 related to his two spells at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, was speaking at the Hay Festival on Thursday.

He said club cricket in England “revolved around alcohol,” which was “excluding Muslims specifically, but everyone who doesn’t drink,” The Times reported.

He added: “Every part of it, the minute you turn up to a club to the minute you leave, is around alcohol. The game needs to evolve its economy so it doesn’t at recreational level revolve around alcohol.”

This feeling of exclusion had led many British Asians and Muslims to set up their own cricket clubs away from mainstream club cricket, Rafiq added.

He told the festival that around 30 percent of players at recreational level were of British Asian heritage, but that this number plummeted to around 4 percent at professional level.

“The reason Asian people have gone and set up on their own is because they felt excluded from the system,” he said, adding that separate systems were “exactly the type of thing the racists want.”

The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report, known as the ICEC, was published last June and found the sport in England was “infected” with institutional racism, sexism and class-based discrimination.

Actor and comedian Stephen Fry, who was on the same panel as Rafiq, echoed its findings.

He slammed the influential Marylebone Cricket Club, the former custodians of the game, as having a public face that “stinks” of “privilege and classism.”

He added: “It (MCC) has a public face which is a deeply disturbing sort of beetroot-colored gentleman in yellow and orange blazer sitting in front of the Long Room at Lord’s Cricket Ground and looking as if they had come out of an Edwardian cartoon.

“The game will not survive (if it continues) giving off an atmosphere that puts people off.”

Topics: Cricket England England cricket

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French security authorities foil a plan to attack soccer events during the Paris Olympics

Updated 31 May 2024
AP
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French security authorities foil a plan to attack soccer events during the Paris Olympics

  • A Chechnyan man was arrested on May 22 on suspicion of being behind a plan to attack soccer events that will be held in Saint-Etienne
  • The planned attack was to target spectators and police forces
Updated 31 May 2024
AP

PARIS: France’s security authorities have foiled a plan to attack soccer events during the upcoming Paris Olympics, the country’s interior minister said Friday.
It was the first such thwarted plot targeting the Games, which start in eight weeks as France is on its highest threat alert level.
Gerald Darmanin said in a statement that members of the General Directorate of Internal Security arrested an 18-year-old man from Chechnya on May 22 on suspicion of being behind a plan to attack soccer events that will be held in the southern city of Saint-Etienne.
According to the initial investigation, the man was preparing an attack targeting the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in Saint-Etienne that will host several soccer matches during the Summer Games. The planned attack was to target spectators and police forces, the statement said. The suspect wanted to attack the Olympic events “to die and become a martyr,” the statement also said.
The Paris Olympics will run from July 26-Aug. 11. Soccer matches will take place in cities across France before the final in Paris’ Stade de France.
France is on in its highest security alert ahead of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, which are expected to draw millions of visitors.
Darmanin, the interior minister, did not cite a specific security threat against the soccer event, but has said there are multiple potential threats, including those from Islamic extremist groups, violent environmental activists, far-right groups and cyberattacks from Russia or other adversaries.
The Paris Olympics organizing committee said it was made aware of the arrest and praised intelligence and security services. ‘’Security is the highest priority of Paris 2024. We are working daily in close coordination with the Interior Ministry and all stakeholders — and will continue to be fully mobilized,” it said in a statement.
Security concerns are notably high for the exceptional opening ceremony, which brings more than 100 world leaders to the French capital. It involves boats carrying athletes along the Seine River on a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) open-air parade and huge crowds watching from the embankments.
In April, French President Emmanuel Macron said the July 26 opening ceremony could be moved instead to the country’s national stadium if the security threat is deemed too high.
Organizers had originally planned to host as many as 600,000 people, most watching free of charge from riverbanks. But security and logistical concerns have led the government to progressively scale back its ambitions. Earlier this year, the overall number of spectators was reduced to around 300,000.
The French government also decided that tourists won’t be given free access to watch the opening ceremony because of security concerns. Free access will be invitation-only instead.
Extra security is also on hand for the Olympic torch relay, which passed on Friday through the monastery outcropping of Mont-Saint-Michel, which sees thousands of tourists daily.

Topics: 2024 Paris Olympics France security authorities attack soccer Chechnya

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Rublev falls to Arnaldi in the French Open third round while Gauff, Sinner move on

Updated 31 May 2024
AP
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Rublev falls to Arnaldi in the French Open third round while Gauff, Sinner move on

  • Rublev showed frustration throughout over his lack of precision, committing 37 unforced errors and four double faults
  • After netting a forehand in the third set, he smashed his racket on his knee four times
Updated 31 May 2024
AP

PARIS: Sixth-seeded Andrey Rublev was knocked out of the French Open by Matteo Arnaldi 7-6 (6), 6-2, 6-4 in the third round on Friday.
Rublev showed frustration throughout over his lack of precision, committing 37 unforced errors and four double faults. After netting a forehand in the third set, he smashed his racket on his knee four times.
“I am completely disappointed with myself, with the way I behaved, the way I performed, and I can’t remember ever behaving worse in a Grand Slam tournament,” he said. “It was the first time I ever behaved that badly.”
Rublev entered the French Open as a contender after winning the Madrid Open this month.
Arnaldi, ranked 35th, will face Stefanos Tsitsipas or Zhizhen Zhang, who were scheduled to play later Friday.
No. 2 Jannik Sinner progressed by downing Pavel Kotov 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
On the women’s side, No. 3-seeded Coco Gauff advanced to the fourth round after beating Australian Open semifinalist Dayana Yastremska 6-2, 6-4.
Gauff pressured her opponent into committing 38 unforced errors on Court Philippe Chatrier, and converted five of her 11 break points.
After several seeded players were knocked out on Thursday, Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto pulled off another upset by defeating No. 17 Liudmila Samsonova 7-6 (4), 6-2 on Court Suzanne Lenglen. Cocciaretto, ranked 51st, reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.
She will play Gauff next. Gauff won both of their previous meetings but said, “She is definitely a fighter.”
Gauff is the reigning US Open champion and was a finalist at the French Open in 2022.
Qualifier Olga Danilovic, ranked 125th, beat Donna Vekic 0-6, 7-5, 7-6 (8) to make her first fourth-round appearance at a Grand Slam tournament.
For the fourth consecutive day, rain interrupted play. There was a delay of about 1 1/2 hours on Friday.

Topics: Andrey Rublev French Open Matteo Arnaldi Roland Garros

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