Djokovic falls to Popyrin in latest US Open shocker

Alexei Popyrin handed Djokovic his earliest Grand Slam exit since he fell in the Australian Open in 2017. (AFP)
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Updated 31 August 2024
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Djokovic falls to Popyrin in latest US Open shocker

  • Djokovic delivered four double faults in dropping his serve to trail 5-2

NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic’s latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title crashed to a halt as 28th-ranked Alexei Popyrin knocked the defending champion out of the US Open third round.

One day after third seed Carlos Alcaraz slumped to a shock defeat against 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp, 25-year-old Popyrin robbed the tournament of another superstar with a 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory.

Popyrin handed Djokovic his earliest US Open exit in 18 years and his earliest Grand Slam exit since he fell in the second round of the Australian Open in 2017 — which was also the last year the Serbian great failed to claim a single Grand Slam title.

Although he won the Olympic gold he had long coveted at the Paris Games, an uneven season that included knee surgery saw Djokovic come up empty in the majors.

He had beaten Popyrin in three prior encounters, including at the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year.

But a career-high 14 double faults — 49 unforced errors total — were too much for Djokovic to overcome.

“It was just an awful match for me,” Djokovic said. “I mean, I tried so many things, and sometimes that’s an issue ... you move away from the basics that work. You lose the foundation. You lose the movement, the timing, the rhythm, the tempo, everything, whether it’s a serve or any other shot.”

Popyrin, coming off the biggest title of his career at the Montreal Masters, saved five break points in the sixth game of the match, swinging fearlessly to seize the first two sets.

Djokovic gave himself some breathing room with an early break in the third. Popyrin clawed back only for Djokovic to break him twice more, the Serbian taking full advantage of Popyrin’s mounting errors.

But the Aussie responded in a tense fourth set, saving break points in the second game before breaking again for a 3-2 lead.

He stayed patient as Djokovic saved three break points and when the Serbian double faulted to gift him another Popyrin capitalized with a blistering forehand winner and let out a massive roar.

Djokovic delivered four double faults in dropping his serve to trail 5-2. He won the next two games, but Popyrin claimed the match with a love game.

“I was waiting for him to kind of step up,” Popyrin said.

“I didn’t want to be one of those moments where Novak kind of stepped up and came back from two sets to love down. It was kind of extra motivation for me not to do that and to win that fourth set.”

Popyrin will next face Frances Tiafoe, who beat fellow American Ben Shelton 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-3 in a pulsating afternoon contest on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Tiafoe avenged a quarter-final loss to Shelton in New York last year, withstanding 23 aces with a brilliant return display that saw him muster 21 break points and convert five.

That included one break in each of the last two sets.

World No. 6 Andrey Rublev of Russia beat Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 and eighth-seeded Norwegian Casper Ruud rallied from two sets down to beat 19-year-old Shang Juncheng of China 6-7 (1/7), 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-1.


FA investigates Premier League referee Coote over video rant

Updated 20 sec ago
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FA investigates Premier League referee Coote over video rant

Referees body Professional Game Match Officials Ltd. announced on Monday that Coote, 42, had been suspended pending a full investigation
The Football Association is also looking at Coote’s comments

LONDON: The Football Association is investigating after a video was posted on social media appearing to show Premier League referee David Coote making derogatory comments about Liverpool and their former manager Jurgen Klopp.
Referees body Professional Game Match Officials Ltd. announced on Monday that Coote, 42, had been suspended pending a full investigation.
The Football Association is also looking at Coote’s comments. It is understood part of its investigation will center on whether Coote’s reference to Klopp’s nationality constitutes an aggravated breach of its misconduct rules.
“We are aware of the matter, and we are investigating it,” an FA spokesman said on Tuesday.
According to the clip, Coote, who refereed Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Aston Villa on Saturday, said Klopp was “arrogant” and used offensive language.
Retired referee Mike Dean, now a TV pundit, believes the incident will have a damaging effect on officials throughout English football.
In an interview with Sky Sports, the 56-year-old said: “As referees you can’t put yourself in that position no matter what you do.
“You can say things away from camera, you can talk among your friends and things and colleagues, but you can’t let somebody video this and then hope that it’s never going to come out.”
The video appears to refer to a match that Coote officiated between Liverpool and Burnley in July 2020, which finished 1-1. Liverpool had already been crowned champions.
Klopp criticized Coote after the match, saying the referee had been too lenient in his treatment of Burnley challenges.
Klopp left Liverpool at the end of last season after nearly nine years in charge at Anfield.
The German was also critical of Coote over an incident in a match against Arsenal last season in which Gunners midfielder Martin Odegaard’s hand made contact with the ball.
Coote, as VAR, did not advise on-field official Chris Kavanagh to review the incident.
Coote was also the VAR in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in October 2020 when Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford inflicted a season-ending injury on Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.
Pickford was not sent off for the challenge and did not face retrospective action because, under FA rules, that can only happen if an incident was not seen either at the time or when it was reviewed by VAR.

Low turnout for France-Israel match would be understandable, says Upamecano

Updated 12 November 2024
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Low turnout for France-Israel match would be understandable, says Upamecano

  • Israeli soccer fans were attacked in Amsterdam last week by groups shouting anti-Israeli slurs
  • “I can understand why people don’t want to come. It’s their choice. We’ll keep going, we’ll fight on the pitch,” 26-year-old center-back Upamecano told reporters

PARIS: A low turnout for France’s high-security Nations League soccer match against Israel at the Stade de France on Thursday would be understandable, defender Dayot Upamecano said on Tuesday.
French media expect only 20,000 fans in the 80,000 capacity stadium north of Paris, where President Emmanuel Macron will attend under tight security, with 2,500 police around the stadium, 1,500 across the city and 1,600 stadium staff deployed.
Israeli soccer fans were attacked in Amsterdam last week by groups shouting anti-Israeli slurs, with at least five people injured after Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Europa League game at Ajax.
Some Maccabi supporters were also seen chanting anti-Arab slogans before Thursday’s match.
On Sunday, Israel urged its citizens to avoid attending cultural and sports events abroad involving Israelis over the coming week.
French supporters’ group Les Irreductibles Français conducted a survey among its members, which showed 15 percent would boycott the France-Israel match due to the Israel-Gaza war.
Some 30 percent cited “security risks,” with 34 percent listing practical reasons such as being unavailable or out of holiday time.
“I can understand why people don’t want to come. It’s their choice. We’ll keep going, we’ll fight on the pitch,” 26-year-old center-back Upamecano told reporters on Tuesday.
Dutch police said they took away more than 300 pro-Palestinian protesters who ignored a ban on demonstrations in Amsterdam on Sunday and detained 50 more following clashes involving Israeli soccer fans last week.
“We will stay focused on the upcoming match. Sorry I didn’t see what happened in Amsterdam,” Upamecano added.
Asked If the France-Israel match should have been moved he added: “Somewhere else? I don’t know at all. I’m just here to play. I’ve loved playing football since I was little.
“Yesterday was November 11 (Armistice Day). I love peace, I hope that one day we’ll find it again, in every country.”
France are second in Nations league Group A2 on nine points from four games, a point behind Italy and five ahead of Belgium. Israel are bottom of the four-team standings without a point.
The Europa League match between Turkish side Besiktas and Maccabi Tel-Aviv on Nov. 28 will be played at a neutral venue in Hungary, European soccer’s governing body UEFA said on Monday.


Former France striker Wissam Ben Yedder gets 2-year suspended jail sentence in sexual assault case

Updated 12 November 2024
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Former France striker Wissam Ben Yedder gets 2-year suspended jail sentence in sexual assault case

  • The prosecutor requested a jail sentence of two years, six months, including 18 months suspended
  • The plaintiff’s lawyer, Frank Michel, said during the trial that the victim was in a state of shock and asked for 25,000 euros in damages

PARIS: French soccer star Wissam Ben Yedder received a suspended sentence of two years in prison on Tuesday after his trial last month in France for sexually assaulting a woman, one of his lawyers told The Associated Press.
The prosecutor requested a jail sentence of two years, six months, including 18 months suspended.
Lawyer Marie Roumiantseva said Ben Yedder, who was accused of sexual assault while intoxicated, was ordered to pay compensation of 5,000 euros ($5,300) to the victim. The court in the southern city of Nice also imposed on Ben Yedder a duty to follow treatment.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Frank Michel, said during the trial that the victim was in a state of shock and asked for 25,000 euros in damages.
Ben Yedder was charged after a woman filed a lawsuit against him in September. He can appeal the ruling.
The 34-year-old player, a prolific striker who has also played for the national team, was briefly detained then released after the incident in his car on the French Riviera. He was arrested at his home later that night after he first refused to stop his car.
The court also ordered the suspension of Ben Yedder’s driving license for six months.
After his arrest, Ben Yedder — who has since started alcohol detox and therapy — admitted he drove while under the influence. He said during the trial he was so drunk he has no recollection of any kind of sexual assault.
Ben Yedder has been without a club since his contract with Monaco expired at the end of last season.
He scored 16 goals with three assists in the French league last season to help Monaco finish second behind Paris Saint-Germain. In five seasons with Monaco, he scored 118 times in 201 appearances in all competitions to become the club’s second-highest scorer behind retired Argentine striker Delio Onnis (223).
Ben Yedder has 19 caps for France, the last of which came in June 2022.
In a separate legal case last year, Ben Yedder was charged with rape, attempted rape and sexual assault over another alleged incident in the south of France.


UAE team show quality at Baseball United Arab Classic final in Dubai

Updated 12 November 2024
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UAE team show quality at Baseball United Arab Classic final in Dubai

  • The team defeated several more experienced baseball nations during their journey to the tournament finale

DUBAI: The UAE’s national baseball team — assembled in just 30 days — put on a stunning performance when they played in their first international tournament at the weekend.

During the inaugural Baseball United Arab Classic, the UAE side won five games before finishing as runners-up, losing in the final to the championship’s highest-ranked team, Pakistan.

All games were played at Baseball United’s new ballpark at The Sevens, with the UAE defeating India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan en route to the quarterfinals. There, they beat Saudi Arabia — also playing in their first international tournament — and followed that up with a semifinal over Palestine.

That was arguably the championship’s most exciting game, with shortstop Chris Beyers hitting a momentum-shifting home run to spearhead the victory. Overall, the UAE outscored their opponents by 23 runs during the tournament, with Beyers (SS), Lorenzo Riddle (RF/P), and Gabriel Reque (DH) winning All-Tournament Team honors.

It was a strong and unprecedented debut for a team new to the international scene. The UAE national team was formed after Baseball United’s chairman, CEO and co-founder Kash Shaikh petitioned the Emirates Cricket Board to allow the organization to build, develop and manage a national baseball program.

The rights were granted on Oct. 4, based on “Baseball United’s professional knowledge, expertise and pedigree as a respected international baseball organization.”

Shaikh said: “I am so proud of this historic team and I’m very grateful to Emirates Cricket Board for enabling us to elevate the UAE on yet another global stage. To go from formation to championship game in just one month’s time is incredible.

“From our managers, Eddie Diaz and Roger Duthie, to the entire coaching staff, to this passionate and talented group of players — everyone came together to positively share the UAE’s vision and values through sport. They truly got the world to take notice. The UAE baseball team, our new ballpark and our Baseball United professional games and brand have put Dubai and the UAE on the baseball map. And we believe it’s just the beginning.”

Diaz, a Hall of Fame manager in Mexico, has a professional baseball career that spans more than four decades, with experience as a player, manager and executive. He played Minor League Baseball with the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians, and also was a Major League Baseball scout for more than a decade. Diaz later managed in Mexico’s top summer baseball league, LMB, for 12 years and its top winter league, the Mexican Pacific League, for 11 years. He also won two Caribbean Series championships.

“As Kash often says, we made history,” said Diaz. “It was an honor for our team to represent the UAE. Most of these guys have spent the vast majority of their lives in this great country so they were very proud to have UAE across their chest. We are looking forward to continuing (to get) better with Baseball United’s leadership, guidance, and support.”

The team follows World Baseball Classic eligibility rules and regulations, which will enable broader representation and participation for local residents. In addition to citizens, WBC rules allow for permanent legal residents and/or players born in the national team’s country of territory to participate in its international events, as well as those with at least one parent who is a citizen of or who was born in the country or territory.

Globally, baseball is classed as a top five sport, with some 600 million fans. Most are located in the US, Latin America, Japan and Korea. In the US alone, professional baseball generates nearly $15 billion in revenue each year.

International tournaments are gaining in worldwide popularity, with the World Baseball Classic generating record attendance, viewership and revenue last year. Baseball is also set to appear in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.


Pakistan wants ICC explanation after India’s Champions Trophy snub

Updated 12 November 2024
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Pakistan wants ICC explanation after India’s Champions Trophy snub

  • India have refused to travel across the border for next year’s Champions Trophy
  • India have not toured Pakistan since 2008 because of soured political relations 

The Pakistan Cricket Board has sought clarification from the sport’s governing International Cricket Council (ICC) following India’s refusal to travel across the border for next year’s Champions Trophy, a PCB spokesperson told Reuters on Tuesday.

India have not toured Pakistan since 2008 because of soured political relations between the neighbors, who play each other only in global multi-team tournaments.

Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup last year but winners India played all their matches in Sri Lanka under a “hybrid model.”

The PCB has ruled out a similar arrangement for the Feb. 19-March 9 Champions Trophy despite the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) maintaining its stance of not sending a team to Pakistan citing government advice.

“The PCB has sent a letter to the ICC seeking clarification,” the spokesperson said, adding it was awaiting Pakistan government advice before deciding their next step.

“The PCB received an email from the ICC late last week, stating that the BCCI has informed them that their team will not travel to Pakistan...

“The PCB has forwarded that email to the government of Pakistan for their advice and guidance.”

ICC officials were not immediately available to explain how it planned to resolve the uncertainty around the elite 50-overs tournament.

While India’s presence is crucial to the commercial success of the ICC event, Pakistan might pull out of the tournament should it be shifted out of the country, the Dawn newspaper reported on Tuesday citing sources.

The ICC is in talks with the PCB and the participating boards before finalizing the schedule of the eight-team tournament.