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 No. 5 Elena Rybakina to headline strong field at 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open

Updated 12 January 2026
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World No. 5 Elena Rybakina to headline strong field at 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open

  • The 2022 Wimbledon champion joins defending champion Belinda Bencic and Spanish favorite Paula Badosa for the event from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7
  • Rising stars Victoria Mboko and Alexandra Eala continue breakthrough journeys at WTA 500 platform

ABU DHABI: One of the strongest fields in its history has been unveiled for this year’s Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion and world No. 5 Elena Rybakina will head an exciting line-up featuring Grand Slam winners, Olympic medalists and the sport’s most exciting rising stars when the WTA 500 tournament returns to the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7.

The Kazakh powerhouse, who won the tournament in 2024, has established herself as one of the game’s elite competitors. Since her triumph at Wimbledon, she has reached the 2023 Australian Open final and secured multiple WTA 500 and 1000 titles, including the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh where she brushed aside World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets.

“I really enjoyed my time in Abu Dhabi last year,” said Rybakina, who was defeated in the semi-finals by Bencic. “The city’s support for tennis is amazing, and reaching the semifinals was a solid way to begin 2025. This year, I’m coming back with the goal of going all the way again. The competition will be fierce, but that’s what makes it exciting.”

Rybakina will be joined by Belinda Bencic, who returns to defend her unbeaten record at the event. The Swiss Olympic gold medalist has lifted the trophy in both 2023 and 2025 and remains the only player never to have lost a match at the tournament.

Spanish favorite Paula Badosa adds further depth to the elite contingent. A former world No. 2 and Indian Wells champion, Badosa brings explosive power and fierce competitiveness to a field that promises compelling matches throughout the week.

The tournament’s commitment to the next generation is underlined by the confirmation of two of 2025’s most compelling breakthrough stars. Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko, who rocketed from outside the world’s top 300 at the start of 2025 to inside the top 20 following titles in Montreal and Hong Kong, continues her remarkable rise on the WTA Tour.

Joining her is Filipina star Alexandra Eala, who returns to Abu Dhabi following her 2024 debut. The 20-year-old former US Open girls’ champion has continued her steady climb through the rankings and remains the highest-ranked Filipino player in tour history.

Czech duo Barbora Krejcikova, a multiple Grand Slam champion in both singles and doubles, and Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, bring proven track records while American rising star Emma Navarro, Denmark’s Clara Tauson and Canada’s Leylah Fernandez — the 2023 French Open finalist — add further depth to an already formidable lineup.

The field also features former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who captured the 2025 doubles title in Abu Dhabi alongside Ellen Perez. Chinese star Qinwen Zheng, Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska and 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin round out a top 20 that promises world-class tennis from the opening qualifiers through to the championship weekend.

Further elite talent includes Ekaterina Alexandrova and Liudmila Samsonova, Belgium’s Elise Mertens, Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia, American McCartney Kessler and Australian Maya Joint.

Nigel Gupta, MARI tournament director, said: “The 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open field represents everything this tournament has become — a compelling blend of Grand Slam champions, Olympic medalists and the sport’s most exciting emerging talent. Elena Rybakina’s arrival as our top seed adds tremendous star power, while Belinda’s pursuit of a third title and the inclusion of breakthrough stars like Victoria Mboko and Alexandra Eala demonstrate our commitment to showcasing both today’s champions and tomorrow’s legends. This is shaping up to be our strongest edition yet.”