Gold, glory and remarkable comebacks on day 13 of Saudi Games 2023

Above, action from the handball games at Saudi Games 2023. (Supplied)
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Updated 06 December 2023
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Gold, glory and remarkable comebacks on day 13 of Saudi Games 2023

  • Al-Shabab clinch gold in women’s futsal
  • Men’s Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr clubs advance to basketball finals

RIYADH: There were celebrations for Al-Shabab’s women’s futsal team, who took gold following a 4-0 triumph over Al-Nassr in the final of the competition.

The medal was awarded by Adwaa Al-Arifi, assistant minister for sports affairs, witnessed by Lamia Bahaian, vice president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. The bronze medal was clinched by Al-Hilal after an impressive 11-0 victory over Al-Qadisiyah.

Sahari snatches paralympic table tennis gold

Rami Sahari from Al-Riyadh took gold in the men’s paralympic table tennis competition, with clubmate Thamer Habshan winning silver. Bronze went to Al-Sharqiya’s Abdulrahman Bamusa.

The medals were awarded by Abdulaziz Baeshe, CEO and secretary-general of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, in the presence of Dr. Abdullah Al-Bar, president of the Saudi Table Tennis Federation.

Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr advance to basketball finals

The upcoming men’s basketball tournament finals, set for Dec. 7 at 6 p.m., will see Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr face each other in the green hall at Prince Faisal bin Fahad Olympic Complex.

Al-Hilal emerged victorious in yesterday’s semifinals with an 81-51 win against Al-Ahli, while Al-Nassr narrowly defeated Ohud 75-73. Ohud and Al-Ahli will compete at 4 p.m., ahead of the final, to decide third place.

Three wins in youth handball

Al-Khaleej secured a 33-23 victory over Al-Ibtisam in the group 3 matches as part of the youth handball competitions, hosted at King Saud University’s main arena on Tuesday. Mudhar emerged victorious in group 2, scoring 31-20 against Al-Ahli, while in the same group, Al-Hilal narrowly overcame Al-Qarah 20-18.

There are two matches scheduled in group 1 on Dec. 6. Al-Hazem will face Al-Hada in the first, with Al-Wehda later going up against Al-Noor.

Men’s handball qualification battles begin

In men’s handball, Al-Noor defeated Al-Rawdah 38-26 during the group 3 matches. In Group 4, Al-Hada emerged victorious against Al-Adalah with a score of 32-24, and Al-Wehda overpowered Al-Hazem 32-19.

The schedule for Wednesday, Dec 6., features four exciting matches. In group 1, Al-Jeel will go head-to-head with Al-Zulfi, while Al-Qarah will face off against Mudhar. In group 2, Al-Njoom is set to compete against Al-Muheet and Al-Safa take on Al-Khaleej.

Women’s basketball final to feature Jeddah United and Al-Asima

The final showdown in the women’s basketball competition will be between Jeddah United and Al-Asima. The game, scheduled for noon on Dec. 7, will take place in the Ministry of Sport hall at Prince Faisal bin Fahad Olympic Complex. Third place will be determined between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad in a match starting at 10 a.m.

Today’s semifinals saw Jeddah United, last year’s champions, take a convincing 53-29 win over Al-Ittihad, while Al-Asima triumphed 58-41 over Hilal.

Eight groups in padel

The padel competition kicked off yesterday morning at Riyadh’s N1 padel center, with competitors divided into four men’s and four women’s groups. The group stage will conclude today, Dec. 6, with the quarterfinals on Thursday and the semifinals on Friday. The finals in each category will take place on Dec. 9. 

Three weight categories in mixed martial arts

The two-day mixed martial arts contest starts today at King Saud University’s swimming hall in Riyadh with its quarterfinal weight categories, including the 61 kg, 70 kg, and 83 kg divisions. The finals for each category will take place on Thursday.

Jujitsu begins today

The jujitsu competitions, which start today, Dec. 6, at King Saud University’s multipurpose hall in Riyadh, will include women’s under 60 kg and over 60 kg categories alongside the men’s under 66 kg, under 77 kg, and over 88 kg divisions.

Boxer Majrashi’s inspiring comeback

The boxing ring at King Saud University bore witness to a remarkable comeback spanning an entire year. Saudi boxer Zeyed Majrashi, representing Al-Shabab, faced numerous challenges and setbacks following his defeat by Mohammed Al-Kreedis of Al-Hilal the previous season. Majrashi settled for silver in the 57 kg category in the 2022 Saudi Games.

Determined to secure the gold this year, Majrashi embarked on a year-long journey of rigorous training, intensive camps and both domestic and international competitions.

The pivotal moment arrived on Nov. 29, with Majrashi facing the same opponent who had defeated him previously. When the final bell rang Majrashi was awarded the gold, marking an incredible achievement following a year of relentless dedication. Speaking about his comeback, Majrashi said every goal was achievable when hard work met determination and desire.


World’s top 20 confirmed for Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

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World’s top 20 confirmed for Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

  • Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and defending champion Mirra Andreeva headline the 26th premier women’s tournament
  • WTA 1000 event runs from Feb. 15-21, followed by the 34th ATP 500 tournament from Feb. 23-28

DUBAI: The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships returns in 2026 with one of the strongest WTA 1000 line-ups in its history, featuring all of the world’s top 20 players for the Women’s Week from Feb. 15-21.

The 2026 field features a complete set of top-ranked stars, including World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, World No. 3 Coco Gauff, and World No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, alongside Elena Rybakina (No. 5), Jessica Pegula (No. 6), Jasmine Paolini (No. 7), 2025 champion Mirra Andreeva (No. 8), Madison Keys (No. 9) and Belinda Bencic (No. 10).

Leading the charge is Sabalenka, who returns to Dubai after a standout 2025 season highlighted by her US Open triumph, where the Belarusian claimed her fourth career Grand Slam title and secured a second consecutive win in New York. Reinforcing her position at the top of the women’s game, Sabalenka has started the 2026 season in fine form by retaining her title at the Brisbane International without dropping a set.

Six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek also returns following another exceptional season in which the Polish star captured the 2025 Wimbledon title and reached multiple WTA 1000 finals, finishing the year with one of the highest win percentages on tour.

Joining them is Gauff, who enjoyed a defining 2025 campaign with her French Open victory, the second Grand Slam title of her career and first on clay. The American 21-year-old also added a Masters 1000 trophy in Cincinnati and reached the semi-finals of both the Australian Open and US Open grand slams, closing the year inside the top three for the first time.

Defending champion Andreeva had a breakthrough season in 2025, which saw her secure a historic triumph in Dubai, making her the youngest WTA 1000 champion in history. The 18-year-old Russian followed that success with two Grand Slam quarter-finals and a rapid rise into the world’s top 15. She arrives in Dubai looking to defend the title that launched her onto the global stage.

“We are delighted to welcome all of the top 20 women’s players once again,” said Ramesh Cidambi, managing director of Dubai Duty Free and chairman of the organising committee. “The depth of talent committed for 2026 reflects the status of this event on the global tennis calendar. Dubai has become an essential stop for the world’s best players, and we look forward to another exceptional week of world-class tennis.”

The line-up also includes talents such as World No. 12 and two-time Dubai champion Elina Svitolina, as well as Canada’s World No. 17 Victoria Mboko, whose breakthrough performances propelled her into the world’s top 20 for the first time. Their presence adds further depth to a roster that cements Dubai’s position as one of the most competitive stops on the WTA calendar.

Salah Tahlak, tournament director and deputy managing director of Dubai Duty Free, said of the line-up: “Women’s tennis continues to set new standards for competitiveness and quality. With the top 20 players confirmed, spectators can expect compelling matches from the opening day. Each year our WTA event delivers incredible moments, and 2026 promises to be no different.”

The 2026 Championships will run back-to-back once again, with the women’s WTA 1000 event from Feb. 15-21 and the men’s ATP 500 tournament from Feb. 23-28.