NEW YORK: Jannik Sinner avoided plunging through the US Open trapdoor which claimed Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz when he stormed into the last 16 on Saturday as fellow world number one Iga Swiatek stayed on course for a second New York triumph.
Australian Open champion Sinner raced past 87th-ranked Christopher O’Connell 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
The 23-year-old Italian’s win came a day after four-time champion Djokovic was sent spinning to his earliest loss in New York in 18 years by Alexei Popyrin.
One day earlier, 2022 winner Alcaraz was defeated in the second round by Dutch journeyman Botic van de Zandschulp.
“Today was great match. I knew I had to play very solid. My serve worked well so I am happy with my performance,” said Sinner after firing 15 aces in his 46 winners past outclassed O’Connell of Australia.
Sinner did not face a single break point in his one-hour 53-minute victory which took him into the last 16 for a fourth successive year.
“There have been some upsets in the tournament so let’s see what’s coming. I’m happy to still be here and play as many matches as possible,” added Sinner whose comfortable afternoon on Arthur Ashe Stadium saw tennis legend Serena Williams among the spectators.
Sinner will take on 14th seed Tommy Paul for a quarter-final place after the American defeated Canadian qualifier Gabriel Diallo in four sets.
There were 14 breaks of serve in that tie with Diallo, ranked a lowly 143 in the world, undone by 77 unforced errors.
Four-time French Open champion Swiatek was equally dominant as Sinner as the top-seeded Pole eased into the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
The 23-year-old didn’t face a single break point and will face another Russian, Liudmila Samsonova for a quarter-final place.
“I like the night sessions but it’s noisy so I need to focus on my job and stay inside my bubble,” said Swiatek who shot a long hard stare at her opponent when a ball was speared toward her early in the second set.
“Anastasia is really powerful, she serves fast so I needed to use my intuition of where the ball was going.”
With Djokovic and Alcaraz heading home to Europe, Daniil Medvedev finds himself as the only former champion left in the men’s tournament.
The eccentric Russian, seeded five, faces Flavio Cobolli, the world number 31 from Italy.
Medvedev famously shattered Djokovic’s bid for a rare calendar Grand Slam when he captured the 2021 title in New York.
This year he was runner-up to Sinner at the Australian Open and made the semis-finals of Wimbledon but is without a tour title since winning the Rome Masters in May last year.
If Medvedev makes the fourth round for the sixth straight year he’ll face unseeded Nuno Borges of Portugal who saved three match points in a five-set triumph over Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.
Britain’s Jack Draper reached the last 16 for a second successive year by defeating Alcaraz’s conqueror Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
Meanwhile, 2023 semifinalist Karolina Muchova, who knocked out two-time champion Naomi Osaka in the second round, cruised into the last 16 by beating Anastasia Potapova 6-4, 6-2.
She next faces French Open and Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini, the fifth-seeded Italian, who beat Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-4.
Paolini has now made the fourth round of all four Slams this year having previously never got beyond the second round in 16 attempts.
“I’m a fan of her (Muchova). I really love how she plays. She can play every shot, slice, volleys, serve and volleys. She’s a very complete player,” said Paolini.
US sixth seed Jessica Pegula made the second week for a third successive season by defeating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 6-3.
Pegula next faces Diana Shnaider, the 18th-seeded Russian who made the fourth round of a Slam for the first time by seeing off 37-year-old Sara Errani in straight sets.
Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac, ranked 39, also reached the fourth round of a major for the first time by defeating Belgian veteran David Goffin 6-3, 6-1, 6-2.
He will take on Draper for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Sinner avoids US Open trapdoor as Swiatek moves into last 16
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Sinner avoids US Open trapdoor as Swiatek moves into last 16
- Australian Open champion Sinner raced past 87th-ranked Christopher O’Connell 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
Saudi midfield duo are embracing life in Belgium at Beerschot
- Al-Ghamdi and Al-Sahafi, on loan from Ittihad, are part of Herve Renard’s squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Australia
- Al-Sahafi scored twice in a 2-1 win against Belgian giants Anderlecht in September and netted another brace against Club Brugge before the international break
LONDON: While scanning Herve Renard’s first squad list since his return as boss of the Saudi national team, three names stand out immediately. Twenty-four of the 27 players play their club football in the Kingdom; the exceptions are Saud Abdulhamid, who is at Roma, and Faisal Al-Ghamdi and Marwan Al-Sahafi, both currently on loan at Belgian side Beerschot.
Saudi players plying their trade in Europe are not the norm; only a handful have previously made the switch from the Kingdom. And even they — from Sami Al-Jaber at Wolves to Salem Al-Dawsari at Villarreal — only featured sparingly before returning to their homeland.
But at Beerschot, 23-year-old Al-Ghamdi and 20-year-old Al-Sahafi have been thrust immediately into first-team action and have produced influential performances for the team, which is fighting to stay in the Belgian Pro League.
“It was not difficult to make the switch for us,” Al-Ghamdi told Arab News in an exclusive interview from Beerschot’s training ground. “We had goals and dreams of reaching the highest levels in Europe.
“Some things are definitely different from playing in Saudi — like the environment and climate — but we’ve adapted to these differences quite well, and things are going smoothly. It has been a good experience for both of us. Really, we benefited a lot. Every time you move to a different place you learn new things and develop yourself naturally.”
He added: “In terms of the future we hope to get more results, we want to reach higher levels in Europe and develop our skills.”
While both players, who are on loan from Al-Ittihad for the 2024-25 season, have quickly settled into life in Belgium, it is Al-Sahafi who has made the biggest impact so far.
After scoring both goals in a 2-1 win against Belgian giants Anderlecht in September, he netted another brace ahead of this week’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The winger’s double salvo helped Beerschot fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Club Brugge, who are playing in this season’s UEFA Champions League.
“Against Anderlecht, we had the resolve to win and God blessed me with the two goals,” Al-Sahafi said. “It was superb, and an amazing feeling throughout the game. It was one of my best performances by far and I will remember this for a long, long time. [I think] we’ve acclimated to the different situation well and it wasn’t difficult even though there are not many players from the Kingdom who have played in Europe.”
For Al-Ghamdi, too, seeing Al-Sahafi among Beerschot’s goal scorers has been special.
“I’m extremely proud of him and it is a joy seeing him score,” Al-Ghamdi said. “I have very high hopes for him and I hope we will both [continue] to have better performances in the future, with more goals and more wins.”
The Saudi duo’s coach at Beerschot is former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt. He became a cult hero during his six years at Anfield, aided by scoring a match-winning hat-trick against Manchester United in 2011. With 104 caps for the Netherlands under his belt, Kuyt’s experiences as a player have helped him transition into an effective coach.
“He’s a little bit before our time but we do remember watching clips and videos of him in his career,” Al-Ghamdi said. “As a coach we try to benefit as much as possible from having him, he’s a great influence both on and off the pitch, well-rounded. He’s responsive with the players, he is engaging as a person, very warm. He gets close to the players and offers his best advice — whether in training, in matches, or even off the pitch.”
Al-Sahafi has also felt the benefit of Kuyt’s guidance: “He’s close to us and really tries to facilitate the best conditions and prepare us before the game. He takes care of us and he has a big personality and character — on and off the pitch. He is very impactful.”
At international level, too, Al-Sahafi and Al-Ghamdi are set to play under a hugely popular coach. Herve Renard returned to coach the Green Falcons last month, replacing Roberto Mancini.
It was under Renard that Al-Ghamdi made his international debut against Yemen in January 2023 and, after struggling for game time while Mancini was at the helm, the midfielder is optimistic about the future of the national team.
“He is a huge coach and we had very good results with him,” Al-Ghamdi said. “We are so happy to have him back and we hope to get amazing results with him. Inshallah, we will qualify for the World Cup with him, that is our primary objective.”
Al-Sahafi’s international bow only came in June this year, and he was handed his first start for the Green Falcons in last month’s 0-0 draw with Bahrain in Jeddah — a game that proved to be Mancini’s last.
“This will be my first experience with the new coach and I want to prove myself,” Al-Sahafi told Arab News. “I believe there is a clear reason why he chose me and I want to make him proud. Our goal is to reach the World Cup.”
So by the time the 2026 tournament begins in the United States, Mexico and Canada, could there be more Saudi players making their mark in European football?
“There have definitely been many players in the Saudi national camp who have asked us about playing in Europe,” Al-Ghamdi said. “We explained what has happened and how we have developed. We told them it has been exciting and they were quite curious.”
Al-Sahafi also hopes to convince some of his Green Falcons’ teammates to join the duo in testing themselves on a different continent and in a different football culture.
“A lot of people outside and within the Saudi national team have asked me questions and I told them it has been a tremendously valuable experience. And very fun too,” he said.
“I hope this time in Belgium helps us develop to be the best players for the Kingdom and to improve. We want to give the best we have to offer for Saudi Arabia and I hope soon we will see many players go abroad to improve themselves further.”
Curry dazzles on Thompson’s return at Chase Center as Warriors down Mavs
- The 34-year-old was given a guard of honor by cheering Golden State staff upon his arrival at the Chase Center before fans wearing nautical caps roared their appreciation for the player
- Joel Embiid made his long-awaited first appearance of the season but was unable to prevent the Philadelphia 76ers from sliding to a 111-99 defeat to the New York Knicks
LOS ANGELES: Stephen Curry scored 37 points as the Golden State Warriors spoiled Klay Thompson’s return to the Bay Area with a thrilling 120-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the NBA Cup on Tuesday.
Thompson — a beloved member of four NBA championship-winning Golden State teams before joining Dallas in July — received a rapturous welcome in his first game back in San Francisco since his departure.
The 34-year-old was given a guard of honor by cheering Golden State staff upon his arrival at the Chase Center before fans wearing nautical caps roared their appreciation for the player who famously used to commute to work in his fishing boat.
But despite delighting the home crowd with six three-pointers in a 22-point haul, Thompson was upstaged by former teammate Curry who produced a stunning fourth-quarter performance to drag the Warriors over the line.
The Mavericks looked poised to snatch victory after battling into a six-point lead at 114-108 with just over three minutes remaining.
But Curry then took over with 10 unanswered points — including one sensational step-back three from 28 feet — to put Golden State into a 118-114 lead, before adding two late free throws to seal the win.
“There was a lot of emotion but both teams wanted to win,” Curry told TNT television. “It was a playoff-like atmosphere, with great players making great plays. That’s why we love the competition.”
Luka Doncic led Dallas’s scorers with 31 points while Kyrie Irving added 21.
In other games, Joel Embiid made his long-awaited first appearance of the season but was unable to prevent the Philadelphia 76ers from sliding to a 111-99 defeat to the New York Knicks.
Embiid missed the first six games of the season as the team managed his rehabilitation from a left knee injury, and was suspended for three games after a locker room altercation with a journalist.
Embiid’s lack of game time was apparent in a sluggish performance that saw him finish with 13 points, five assists and three rebounds.
“He was a little rusty,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said.
“But I thought he played with some pretty good competitive spirit for what he can do out there.”
With Embiid not firing on all cylinders, the Knicks dominated for long periods, leading for almost the entirety of the game before pulling away in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Sixers 33-24.
Karl-Anthony Towns impressed with 21 points, 13 rebounds and six assists while O.G. Anunoby led the scoring with 24 points.
In Boston, the Atlanta Hawks pulled off the shock of the opening round, defeating the in-form Celtics 117-116 despite missing injured talisman Trae Young.
A game which saw the lead change hands 14 times looked to have swung decisively in favor of the home side midway through the third quarter as the Celtics raced into a 15-point lead.
But Dyson Daniels led a late rally which included 11 points in the fourth quarter, and Onyeka Okongwu tipped in the winning basket with 6.1sec left on the clock to snatch victory.
Daniels led Atlanta’s scorers with 28 points while Larry Nance Jr. added 19 with Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela chipping in with 18 points each.
The victory was sweet for Atlanta, who had suffered a 123-93 mauling by the Celtics at home on Nov. 4.
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said Atlanta “outplayed us in every facet of the game.”
“They beat us on all the margins and they deserved to win,” Mazzulla said.
Elsewhere, the Phoenix Suns downed the Utah Jazz 120-112 while the Milwaukee Bucks beat Toronto 99-85.
The NBA Cup was introduced last season as a way of providing a knockout competition in the early months of the league season.
All 30 league teams are drawn into six groups of five, with eight teams advancing to single-elimination knockout rounds, with the semifinals and final taking place in Las Vegas on Dec. 14-17.
NEOM McLaren drivers in top form at Formula E testing in Madrid
- After 6 successful seasons of racing in Diriyah, the contest will debut at Jeddah Corniche Circuit Feb. 14-15
MADRID: NEOM McLaren driver Taylor Barnard finished in the top five at the official pre-season test of the 2024-2025 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at Madrid’s Jarama Circuit last week, which is fitting preparation for next month’s Brazil E-Prix.
All 22 drivers and 11 teams — including NEOM McLaren — headed out onto the track for the first and only time before the season-opening Sao Paulo E-Prix on Dec. 7.
After six successful seasons in Diriyah, Jeddah was announced as the new host city for the race at the iconic Corniche Circuit for the first time on Feb. 14 and 15.
The shift to Jeddah reflects Formula E’s commitment to innovation and sustainability and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s vision for the future of sports in the Kingdom.
The championship’s fastest race car yet — the GEN3 Evo — is capable of 0-100 kph, which is 30 percent faster than the current F1 car.
Barnard — the 20-year-old Brit who secured his first full-time Formula E race seat with NEOM McLaren for this 2024-2025 season — finished the test in 1 minute, 27.780 seconds, just 0.319 seconds off the fastest lap set by Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans.
“We have had a great three full days testing, and I feel it was a very positive test for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team,” he said. “I’ve set some strong lap times today and Sam’s (Bird) pace has been very strong throughout the test.
“We have completed all the items we needed to test with no reliability issues, which is very positive. I’m very happy we were able to go testing this week in Madrid, following the terrible tragedy in Valencia.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to those affected by this awful disaster. Now, I’m ready to go racing. I’m happy with the settings on the car and the team environment — bring on Sao Paulo.”
His Neom McLaren teammate, Bird, finished further down the grid in P18, with a time of 1:28.529.
“I am very pleased with the work we have done in Madrid. We have finished our program with no major issues, which is a great confidence boost for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team,” said the British driver.
“My thoughts and prayers go out the people affected by the tragedy in Valencia, and I am very grateful for the work the whole Formula E paddock has put in to enable us to go testing at Jarama this week.
“Going into the first race in Sao Paulo, I feel excited and optimistic about the season ahead, and I’m looking forward to getting out there in a month’s time.”
Evans drove the quickest over the 4,731 total laps and 18,512 km completed in the six three-hour test sessions across four days — with the New Zealander setting a lap time of 1:27.461.
The Jaguar driver set the pace during the final morning’s running on Friday, with the entire field split by a little over a second on the overall timesheet.
Reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein was third in the running in the latest factory Porsche 99X Electric. He split the impressive Porsche-powered Kiro Race Co pair of Dan Ticktum and David Beckmann who sat second and fourth, respectively, using the season-10-specification powertrain.
In a strong showing, Zane Maloney, new to Formula E this season and the grid’s only full debutant, found himself mid-pack on the timing screens. The Lola Yamaha ABT driver from Barbados enters the series from FIA Formula 2.
UAE’s Commando Group sets the pace as Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship kicks off
- Competition for veterans is part of ongoing 16th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship at Mubadala Arena
ABU DHABI: The UAE’s Commando Group have continued their successful run on the seventh day of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which is taking place at Mubadala Arena until Nov. 16.
The Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship began on Tuesday, featuring purple and brown belts. At the end of the day, Commando Group topped the medal table, followed by MOD UAE in second, and the Kazakhstan National Academy in third.
The day also featured qualifying matches for the masters’ men’s and women’s black- and brown-belt contests, with competitors vying for Wednesday’s final-round spots.
Mohamed Salem Al-Dhaheri, vice chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “The masters category is a key part of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, with athletes demonstrating challenge and determination, inspiring new generations in the sport.”
One of the guests of honor, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development’s Deputy Director-General Khalifa Abdullah Al-Qubaisi, said: “We are proud to organize an event of this scale in our capital, Abu Dhabi, and to witness its growth each year into a true celebration of sport.
“We greatly appreciate the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s efforts in promoting and advancing the sport, especially with the achievements of our sons and daughters at both local and international levels.”
Cobra Fitness’ Jyri Heinonen, who won gold in the 94 kg Men’s GI/Brown/Master 4 category, was delighted at his performance.
“I’ve been planning to come to Abu Dhabi and compete in the championships here for a long time, and I decided to enter this year’s Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
“I’m thrilled to have secured first place. I spent a lot of time training and preparing, and even continued training in Abu Dhabi with many skilled competitors, gaining valuable experience,” he said.
“I’ve competed in many tournaments across Europe, but I’ve never seen one of this scale. The experience was incredible in every way, so I’ll be back for next year’s edition.”
Caitlin Clark steps off the court and onto the fairway to play in an LPGA pro-am
- The WNBA rookie of the year star was invited to take part in Wednesday’s pro-am at Pelican Golf Club ahead of The Annika
- This will be her second pro-am, which often attracts athletes and entertainers
BELLEAIR, Florida: Caitlin Clark has one goal when she plays in an LPGA pro-am.
“I’ve tried to practice as much as I can,” Clark said Tuesday. “I’m just the average golfer. I’m going to hit some good, I’m going to hit some bad. ... Just going to try not to hit anyone standing outside of the ropes. But it’ll be fun.”
The WNBA rookie of the year star was invited to take part in Wednesday’s pro-am at Pelican Golf Club ahead of The Annika. The presenting sponsor is Gainbridge, which has an endorsement deal with Clark.
She took part in an LPGA Women’s Leadership Summit with Sorenstam, the tournament host, and former model and business leader Kathy Ireland.
Clark will be playing the front nine with Nelly Korda, the No. 1 player in the women’s ranking who has clinched the LPGA’s player of the year award. She plays the back nine with Sorenstam, who retired in 2008 and now dabbles in senior golf.
Clark had said after the Indiana Fever were eliminated from the WNBA playoffs that she planned to play golf until it became too cold in Indiana, adding with a smile, “Become a professional golfer.”
Yes, she was kidding.
“I’ve tried to take as much time as I can to practice, but there is only so much hope. You just cross your fingers, pray,” she said Tuesday. “No, I’ve practiced a little bit and I just had the quote about becoming a professional golfer. Everybody thought I was serious. I was not serious. I love it. I love being outside and making it competitive with my friends.
“It’s challenging and getting to come here and be around the best and have a good time is what I’m looking forward to.”
This will be her second pro-am, which often attracts athletes and entertainers. Clark played in the pro-am at the John Deere Classic in July 2023 when she was still at Iowa.