NEW YORK: Aryna Sabalenka won the US Open and her third Grand Slam crown with a thrilling victory over a gallant Jessica Pegula in a rollercoaster final on Saturday.
World number two Sabalenka triumphed 7-5, 7-5 to add the New York title to her back-to-back Australian Open victories.
Pegula went down fighting, however, recovering from 0-3 and break point down to lead 5-3 in the second set before Sabalenka came through.
The 26-year-old from Belarus clubbed 40 winners to become the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to capture both hardcourt majors in the same season.
“I’m speechless. So many times I was close to the US Open title and finally I got it,” said Sabalenka, the runner-up last year and semifinalist in 2022 and 2023.
“Never give up on your dream. Work hard. I’m super proud of myself.”
Pegula had arrived in New York with a title in Toronto and runner-up spot to Sabalenka in Cincinnati.
She had won 15 out of 16 matches on the North American summer hard court swing.
“I wish she would have at least let me get one set. We had a tough match in Cincinnati a few weeks ago and she’s one of the best in the world,” said the American.
“She’s super powerful and isn’t going to give you anything. She can take the racquet out of your hand.
“I’m just glad I was able to stay in there and keep taking opportunities.”
Sabalenka lost the 2023 US Open final to Pegula’s compatriot Coco Gauff and she struggled to settle in during the early stages on Saturday as a flurry of errors handed the home favorite a break for 2-1.
But the powerful Sabalenka levelled immediately and broke again for 4-2.
A capacity crowd of 23,000 included sporting royalty such as Olympic 100m gold medallist Noah Lyles, NBA star Steph Curry and former Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton watched on.
Most were behind Pegula but the 30-year-old was defenseless against the remorseless hitting of the world number two, whose screams echoed beneath the closed roof of the cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Pegula, who had knocked out world number one Iga Swiatek and then battled from a set and break down to see off Karolina Muchova in the semifinal, clung on.
From 2-5 down, she hit back for 5-5, breaking Sabalenka as the Australian Open champion served for the set.
In a marathon 12th game, however, Pegula saved four set points but not the fifth.
Sabalenka had unleashed 25 winners and committed 23 unforced errors to Pegula’s nine and 11, illustrating a dramatic contrast of styles in the 60-minute opener.
For the second match in succession, Pegula was soon a set and break down again, a double fault allowing Sabalenka to move ahead 3-0.
Incredibly, the 30-year-old stormed back to lead 5-3 before Sabalenka broke in the 10th game as her opponent attempted to level the final.
Sabalenka held her nerve to claim victory when Pegula went long with a weary drive.
Sabalenka downs Pegula to win US Open thriller
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Sabalenka downs Pegula to win US Open thriller
- World number two Sabalenka triumphed 7-5, 7-5 to add the New York title to her back-to-back Australian Open victories
Riyadh Season to sponsor Spain’s La Liga
- Three-season deal positions Riyadh Season as the official sponsor of one of the world’s strongest football leagues
- La Liga President Tebas highlights strategic importance of the Kingdom to La Liga
RIYADH: Riyadh Season is to sponsor Spain’s La Liga for the next three seasons.
Riyadh Season, which was represented by Faisal Bafarat, the CEO of the General Entertainment Authority, signed the partnership agreement with Spanish football’s La Liga President Javier Tebas.
It marks a three-season deal that positions Riyadh Season as the official sponsor of one of the world’s strongest football leagues.
Tebas highlighted the strategic importance of the Kingdom to La Liga, noting the immense passion that Saudi football fans have for the Spanish league.
He added that La Liga is committed to fostering the growth of the sports and entertainment industry in the Kingdom by supporting initiatives like Riyadh Season.
David Villa, La Liga’s ambassador, expressed confidence that the partnership with Saudi Arabia would open new avenues for collaboration.
He stressed that football in the Kingdom had experienced tremendous growth in recent years, making it an ideal partner.
The partnership, which reflects Riyadh Season’s global presence, aims to initiate promotional activities for both brands and implement joint initiatives targeting football fans and visitors to Riyadh Season.
Shooter Suaar Al-Dosari wins gold in 10-meter air pistol competition at Saudi Games
- Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Musaed, Saudi Shooting Federation’s vice president, awards winners at event
RIYADH: Shooter Suaar Al-Dosari has won the gold medal in the men’s 10-meter air pistol competition at the 2024 Saudi Games.
Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Musaed, the Saudi Shooting Federation’s vice president, awarded the winners at the third edition of the event at Public Security Training City in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Attallah Al-Enazi claimed silver while Fahd Al-Mutairi took bronze.
Sarah Al-Huqbani claimed the gold medal in the women’s competition while Noura Al-Suqairan and Noha Al-Husseini won silver and bronze, respectively.
At the Paralympic weightlifting competition, Mohammed Al-Harbi, president of the Saudi Weightlifting Federation, awarded the medals to the winners.
Adnan Noor Saeed, of Jeddah Disability Club, took the gold medal In the 65 kg weight category, ahead of clubmate Mayasar Al-Alimi (silver) and Talal Al-Balawi, of Madinah Disability Club, who claimed bronze.
Jeddah Disability Club’s Aseel Hawsawi claimed gold in the 97 kg category, with Saeed Hawsawi, of Makkah Disability Club, taking silver and Tariq Balghith, of Jeddah Disability Club, the bronze.
Hall of fame manager Eddie Diaz selected to lead UAE’s national baseball team
- Hall of famer in both Mexico and the Dominican Republic, Diaz will lead the newly announced team at Baseball United’s Arab Classic next month
DUBAI: Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and South Asia, has announced that Eddie Diaz, the former Mexican League hall of fame manager and current vice president of baseball operations at Baseball United, has been named as manager of the UAE’s national baseball team.
The new team will compete for the first time at Baseball United’s Arab Classic tournament next month in Dubai.
Diaz’s career has covered more than four decades in professional baseball, with experience as a player, scout, manager, and executive. He played Minor League Baseball with the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians, and was also a Major League Baseball scout for more than a decade.
Diaz later managed in Mexico’s top summer baseball league, the LMB, for 12 years and its top winter league, the Mexican Pacific League, for 11.
Diaz won three successive championships as the manager of Yaquis de Obregon in the Mexican Pacific League. He was inducted into their hall of fame in 2022.
Diaz also won two Caribbean Series championships — a top professional tournament that brings together the champions of the best Latin American professional baseball leagues.
Born in the Dominican Republic, Diaz was inducted into its Northern Region Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
Kash Shaikh, the chairman, CEO and co-founder of Baseball United, said: “We are honored and excited to appoint a leader with Eddie’s character and pedigree as the first-ever manager of the UAE’s national baseball team.
“Eddie has a track record of success across the highest levels of professional and international baseball. And, even more importantly, he’s a great person and a strong motivator who cares about people. He will help this team develop quickly. We expect the UAE to make a strong showing at the Arab Classic.”
The UAE team will compete as one of nine nations at Baseball United’s Arab Classic from Nov. 7-10 at the league’s new ballpark at The Sevens sports and entertainment complex in Dubai.
The inaugural tournament is the largest national baseball team event to take place in the Middle East and South Asia. Others competing include India, Pakistan, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia, and the complete schedule will be announced shortly.
Diaz said: “I’m very thankful to Kash and (co-owner) John (Miedreich) for giving me this historic opportunity.
“I take the challenge with honor, gratitude, and responsibility. And, most importantly, I take it with a deep passion to continue Baseball United’s mission as we work to grow our sport on the other side of the world. I am so proud to be a part of this team.”
Six things we learned as Saudi Pro League pauses for international break
- Al-Hilal and Mitrovic dominant; Ronaldo and Mane in rich goalscoring form and Al-Ittihad are back
RIYADH: While this may be the second FIFA international break of the 2024-25 Roshn Saudi League season, the first happened so soon into the new campaign that this feels like the first true pause for reflection on the opening action.
Here is what we have learned from the opening six matches.
Al-Hilal machine rolls on
It is often said the more things change the more they stay the same.
After a remarkable undefeated season in 2023-24 in which they swept all before them, champions Al-Hilal came into this campaign with a massive target on their back; the hope being that somehow this merciless machine would have slowed down after last season’s exertions.
Any notion of that, though, has been comprehensively dismissed after only six matches, with Jorge Jesus’ men the only club with a perfect 100 percent record through to this point. Quite conceivably, there is an incredible resilience and belief in Al-Hilal that the RSL has arguably never seen before.
It is not that they are completely impenetrable: the Riyadh side have conceded six goals thus far — more than Al-Nassr, Al-Shabab, Al-Qadsiah and Al-Taawoun — and kept only two clean sheets. But whether they score first, or fall behind, patently they have an unshakable trust in that they will always come back — see the 3-2, come-from-behind win against Damac in Matchweek 2.
While there is still so long to go this season, minds are already turning to whether Al-Hilal, unbeaten in an extraordinary 42 RSL matches, could do the seemingly impossible of going undefeated in back-to-back campaigns.
Former champions return to form
One of the biggest stories of the opening six matches has been the renaissance at 2022-23 RSL champions Al-Ittihad.
It was a title defence to forget for the Jeddah giants last time out, who finished fifth and well out of contention in the race for the league crown. After an off-season of soul searching and significant investment, World Cup winner Laurent Blanc was brought in as manager to replace Marcelo Gallardo.
To mark the new era, Al-Ittihad turned over the squad — heavily. The club introduced younger, more dynamic signings in the form of Moussa Diaby, Houssem Aouar, Steven Bergwijn and Mario Mitaj.
Most important, though, has been the return to form of captain and talisman Karim Benzema. After a mixed debut season in the RSL — nine goals in 21 appearances — the enduring Frenchman has found the net seven times in six top-flight matches this campaign. It means Benzema sits behind only Aleksandar Mitrovic (nine goals) in the scoring charts and has almost equalled his 2023-24 haul already.
Elsewhere, Al-Ittihad’s reemergence is also true for Al-Shabab as well, after they had a season to forget last time, at one point mired in the relegation battle before finishing strongly to come home eighth. That resurgence came after the arrival in February of Vitor Pereira; clearly, retaining the Portuguese manager is looking a hugely important piece of business.
With a sizeable turnover from last season, the new arrivals — among others, RSL legend Abderrazak Hamdallah, Serie A stalwart Giacomo Bonaventura, Dutch defender Wesley Hoedt and enterprising Portuguese winger Daniel Podence — are playing their part, too.
Heading into the two-week hiatus, Al-Shabab have four wins from six league outings, which sees the 2011-12 RSL champions occupy fourth. As such, they are only three points off second place.
Mixed bag for league new boys
Much was made in pre-season — and rightly so — of this being Al-Kholood’s first campaign in the RSL, but it has been a hardy welcome to the big time so far for the side from Ar Rass.
Despite a strong recruitment drive to prepare them for the challenge, Paulo Duarte’s team have struggled to make a mark, with a solitary win and four points to show from their opening six matches – even despite that gutsy, opening-round defeat to Al-Ittihad, a match in which they were desperately unlucky to lose.
However, back-to-back reverses in the past two matchweeks, to Al-Hilal and Al-Khaleej respectively, has caused Al-Kholood to drop into the relegation zone. Of course, they will hope to break free of the bottom three spots upon the league’s return.
In contrast, fellow new boys Al-Qadsiah and Al-Orobah have fared better, with the former perhaps always expected to given their considerable investment in the summer transfer window. In came the likes of recent Real Madrid captain Nacho; former Arsenal, Barcelona and Marseille striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; Belgium international goalkeeper Koen Casteels; highly sought-after Uruguayan midfielder Nahitan Nandez, and Mexican international forward champion Julian Quinones.
There was, also, much-coveted Argentine midfielder Ezequiel Fernandez and versatile Uruguayan defender Gaston Alvarez, alongside a host of talented Saudi Arabians, led by national-team defender Qassem Lajami.
That ambition propelled Al-Qadsiah to successive wins in the opening two matchweeks and, although they have been a little inconsistent since, they still sit sixth, with three victories, two defeats and a draw. Importantly, Aubameyang is off the mark in the RSL with the promise of more to come from the decorated striker.
For newly promoted Al-Orobah, meanwhile, they have seven points from six matches to lie mid-table — a decent return for Alvaro Pacheco’s side.
Mighty Mitrovic eyes Ronaldo’s record
When Cristiano Ronaldo broke the all-time, single-season goalscoring record last term (35 goals), few would have thought the tally would be under any threat anytime soon.
Yet Al-Hilal’s Serbian superstar, Aleksandar Mitrovic, has other ideas. The frontman, who finished second to Ronaldo in the race for the 2023-24 golden boot (28 goals), has begun the current campaign on fire, with nine goals from six matches. It could have even been 10, only for one of his goals against Al-Riyadh to be officially awarded by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s Referees Department as an own goal.
Still, you would imagine running at 1.5 goals per game is almost impossible to sustain across an entire season. However, with Al-Hilal showing no signs of slowing and scoring at a clip of three goals a match, Mitrovic will get more than his fair share of chances to chase down Ronaldo’s record.
Remember, his overall RSL haul stands at a mighty 37 goals in 34 appearances. Phenomenal.
Title-chasing Al-Ahli have work to do
The three-time Saudi champions were quiet achievers last season, largely out of the title race that unspooled between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, but far enough ahead of the rest of the pack that their third place was never under serious threat.
Now boasting England international Ivan Toney, Matthias Jaissle’s side would have had ambitions of at least matching their 2023-24 flourish, achieved upon their first season back in the top flight, if not going better and joining in the title fight. But after the opening six rounds, the Jeddah club look some way off the side that performed so well last season. With three defeats thus far, they are already 11 points off the pace.
A home win against Al-Hilal would have been just the tonic before the international break, but despite taking the lead against the defending champions through Spanish talent Gabri Veiga, another second-half double from Mitrovic saw the away side depart with all three points.
It leaves Jaissle with plenty of questions to ponder over the international break, especially with Al-Ahli 10th in the standings. Although, with the likes of Veiga, Franck Kessie, Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Feras Al Buraikan and Toney in the team, there is no shortage of star power to get the club back up and running.
Ronaldo, Mane and Pioli lead Al-Nassr resurgence
By their own, incredibly lofty, standards, Al-Nassr deemed their start to the season — one win and three draws from four matches across all competitions — as insufficient and, thus, that a change of manager was required. So, with three RSL matchweeks in the books, Luis Castro was out, and Stefano Pioli was in.
The Italian, who guided AC Milan in 2021-22 to a first Serie A title in more than a decade, has proved an inspired appointment, with Al-Nassr reeling off five wins on the bounce. Three of those have come in the Saudi top flight, to the tune of eight goals scored and none conceded.
As usual, Ronaldo has been key, the Portuguese superstar taking his season’s tally to five goals in six RSL appearances. The club captain has been ably supported by Sadio Mane who, after a modest debut campaign in the Kingdom, has been a player reborn this term. Although the Senegal international opened his goal account only in Matchweek 6 with a brace against Al-Orobah, he has contributed five assists — second only to Al-Ittihad’s Diaby.
With Pioli in place, and Ronaldo and Mane firing, Al-Nassr have moved up to third in the table. It bodes well for when the RSL returns on Oct. 18. Could this finally be the capital club’s year?
Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah announces T20 retirement
- The 38-year-old Mahmudullah, who quit Tests in 2021, is set to play his 140th T20 match for Bangladesh in the second game in New Delhi on Wednesday
- “I am retiring from T20 cricket after the last game of this series,” Mahmudullah told reporters
NEW DELHI: Former Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad said Tuesday his remaining two T20 matches in India will be his last international appearance in the format, vowing to play out with a “good show.”
The 38-year-old Mahmudullah, who quit Tests in 2021, is set to play his 140th T20 match for Bangladesh in the second game in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The tourists need to win in the Indian capital to keep the three-match series alive, after they lost the opener by seven wickets in Gwalior.
“I am retiring from T20 cricket after the last game of this series,” Mahmudullah told reporters.
The final match of the series will be in Hyderabad on Saturday.
“I was pre-decided before coming here. I had a chat with my family and with my coach and captain,” Mahmudullah added.
“It is the right time to move on from this format for me and the team as well and concentrate on the one-day game.”
Mahmudullah has been Bangladesh’s warhorse after he made his international debut in 2007 in a one-day international against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
He has played 50 Tests, 232 ODIs and 139 T20 matches for his country with over 10,500 runs across formats as a dependable middle-order batsman and 165 wickets with his off-spin.
“If we can play to our ability (in Delhi), then we could put up a good show,” he said.
Mahmudullah said he had “no regrets” in his 17-year career.
“I have never ever regretted, at any stage at any point of my life, playing for Bangladesh,” he said. “I have always been a team man.”
The veteran said the T20 team remains in good hands under skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto.
Mahmudullah’s T20 exit comes soon after star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan announced his decision to quit the format last month during the Test series, which the tourists lost 2-0.
India’s left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh meanwhile said he was making the most of his opportunities in the national team without thinking much about the future.
“My life mantra is to enjoy the present,” Arshdeep, who made his India debut in 2022, told reporters.
“I want to do my best in all the formats wherever I get the opportunity.”
Arshdeep, who has claimed 86 wickets in 55 T20 internationals, played in India’s T20 World Cup triumph in June.