Strong field assembled for 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF

Strong field assembled for 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF
Haotong Li, Denwit Boriboonsub, Othman Almulla and Peter Uihlien. (Supplied)
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Updated 16 April 2024
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Strong field assembled for 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF

Strong field assembled for 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF
  • Peter Uihlein, who plays for LIV Golf team RangeGoats GC, is making his first visit to Riyadh and expressed his excitement at playing in the Saudi capital
  • Haotong Li: I want to see different golf courses to the ones I have played previously and to visit new parts of the world

RIYADH: A strong field has assembled for the 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF, commencing tomorrow, April 17, with Asian Tour, LIV Golf and DP World Tour stars teeing off at Riyadh Golf Club.

Thai star Denwit Boriboonsub won the 2023 Saudi Open in December in stunning fashion, but Henrik Stenson, Peter Uihlien and Haotong Li are the standout names hoping to dethrone him, as 144 players from 33 different countries fight for glory from 17-20 April.

There are 20 Arab golfers from eight nations in the field, including seven from Saudi Arabia, who have all been handed the opportunity to compete alongside some of the world’s best players as golf continues to develop in the region. Golf&More will be on display at the course throughout the week with live DJ sessions at sunset, special activities for children and the authentic Sajah Bazaar giving fans the opportunity to immerse themselves in local culture.

Peter Uihlein, who plays for LIV Golf team RangeGoats GC, is making his first visit to Riyadh and expressed his excitement at playing in the Saudi capital. The American believes it will be an action-packed four rounds, filled with low scores and plenty of birdies.

Uihlein said: “I watched the 2023 Saudi Open on TV in December and the Aramco Series Ladies International recently and I saw a lot of low scores, so I am hoping for a tournament full of birdies. It does depend how much the wind blows, but hopefully it dies down later in the week. 

“It’s my first time in Riyadh, having been to Jeddah a few times, and I’m excited about it. I spoke to Othman [Almulla] about how many courses are planned and the ones they are already building around the Kingdom. It is really cool to be here.

“I feel like the stuff I am working on is getting better and better, and I feel a little bit sharper as the weeks go on. It is why I’m here - to carry on working on my game ahead of LIV Adelaide and LIV Singapore.”

Chinese sensation Haotong Li is a four-time DP World Tour winner and has chosen to play in the 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF to experience the continued growth of the game in the Kingdom.

Li said: “I want to see different golf courses to the ones I have played previously and to visit new parts of the world. It’s extremely exciting to play this week and do something special. I am truly honoured to be here and be a part of growing the game as big as possible. Hopefully everybody starts to fall in love with golf.

Golf Saudi CEO Noah Alireza spoke to gathered media ahead of the tournament and he stressed the importance of the 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF’s commitment to handing opportunities to national and regional players.

Alireza said: “We are delighted to welcome a strong field to the 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF following its first staging on the Asian Tour last year and I am certain that this week will prove a success with exciting golf on show at Riyadh Golf Club.

“The opportunity that the Saudi Open presents to all of the competitors, but particularly to the seven Saudi nationals and the 13 other Arab golfers in the field, is one of the main driving forces behind our desire to host this tournament in Riyadh. Playing alongside the best Asian Tour players, plus a number of LIV Golf and DP World Tour members, helps them understand what it takes to reach this level and is a vital part of their golf education. It is a key part of Golf Saudi’s commitment to golf in our country.”


Arsenal moves up to 2nd place in Premier League with 3-1 win over Brentford

Arsenal moves up to 2nd place in Premier League with 3-1 win over Brentford
Updated 02 January 2025
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Arsenal moves up to 2nd place in Premier League with 3-1 win over Brentford

Arsenal moves up to 2nd place in Premier League with 3-1 win over Brentford
  • Arsenal extended its unbeaten streak to 12 games in all competitions

LONDON: Arsenal is back into second place in the Premier League and in no rush to add players in the transfer window.
Mikel Arteta’s team beat Brentford 3-1 on Wednesday to leapfrog Nottingham Forest and close the gap on league leader Liverpool to six points.
“If there’s an opportunity, we’ll look at it,” Arteta said of the January window. “I really like my players. I really value what we have, because it’s a lot of quality and a lot of commitment from all of them.”
That includes 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, who got his first Premier League start in place of the injured Bukayo Saka. The teenager was involved in second-half goals by Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli.
Bryan Mbeumo put the home team ahead in the 13th minute at Gtech Community Stadium, but Gabriel Jesus made it 1-1 just before the half-hour mark — his sixth goal in the past four games.
Merino scored in the 50th minute and Martinelli added a third three minutes later.
It was Arsenal’s second straight win without Saka, who is likely to be sidelined until at least March. The England winger tore his right hamstring in a 5-1 win over Crystal Palace on Dec. 21.
Arsenal extended its unbeaten streak to 12 games in all competitions.
Liverpool has a game in hand on the Gunners, who play at Brighton on Saturday. Liverpool hosts Manchester United on Sunday.
Brentford remained in 12th place and has lost three of its past four Premier League matches.


Saudi Arabia hosts Italy’s football giants for Italian Super Cup

Saudi Arabia hosts Italy’s football giants for Italian Super Cup
Updated 01 January 2025
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Saudi Arabia hosts Italy’s football giants for Italian Super Cup

Saudi Arabia hosts Italy’s football giants for Italian Super Cup
  • Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus and Atalanta prepare to battle it out in Riyadh

RIYADH: The Italian Super Cup hosted by Saudi Arabia gets underway on Thursday with giants Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus and Atalanta preparing to battle it out for the silverware.

The four-team knock-out tournament will take place at Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh.

Serie A champions Inter Milan will play the first semifinal against the Italian Cup runners-up Atalanta on Thursday. 

AC Milan, who finished second in Serie A last season, on Friday will play the second semifinal against Juventus, the Italian Cup winners.

The final will take place on Sunday, Jan. 6.

It will be the fifth time that Saudi Arabia has hosted the Italian Super Cup.

The event is organized by the Ministry of Sports and is expected to attract local and international attention from fans and media alike.

It is the latest major global sporting event to be hosted by the Kingdom as part of the Ministry of Sports’ commitment to the Saudi Vision 2030 reform program.

 


Second Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship set for Abu Dhabi this month

Second Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship set for Abu Dhabi this month
Updated 01 January 2025
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Second Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship set for Abu Dhabi this month

Second Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship set for Abu Dhabi this month
  • First edition in 2024 attracted 10,000 participants across 5 rounds

ABU DHABI: The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation will hold the second edition of its successful Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship from Jan. 17 to 19 at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Registration is now open for the UAEJJF-sanctioned event, which features competitions across various categories including children, youth, adults and masters.

The first edition of the championship spanned five rounds — two for the no-Gi category and three for the Gi category. It was held in various emirates and attracted over 10,000 male and female participants from leading clubs and academies nationwide.

“We are proud of the success of the first edition of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which carries a name dear to us all,” said Mohamed Salem Al-Dhaheri, vice chairman of the UAEJJF.

“This achievement was made possible by the limitless support of our wise leadership for sports and athletes, especially jiu-jitsu.”

Al-Dhaheri said the championship reflects the federation’s strategy to strengthen jiu-jitsu’s presence locally and internationally while continuing to nurture and develop national talent.

He added: “The male and female athletes demonstrated incredible skill and competitive spirit throughout the five rounds, showcasing their dedication to improvement and success.

“The championship has succeeded in providing a platform to identify and develop talent while promoting jiu-jitsu as a sport that instils discipline, patience, resilience, courage, and teamwork.”

He said the event played a “central role in encouraging community participation in sports, helping to build a generation that is physically and mentally strong.

“The large turnout of families supporting their children highlights the championship’s significance. It has evolved into a comprehensive event, combining a professional sports environment with cultural activities, sports exhibitions, and entertainment for all.”


‘Riyadh feels like home for Inter’, says Henrikh Mkhitaryan before Italian Super Cup start

 ‘Riyadh feels like home for Inter’, says Henrikh Mkhitaryan before Italian Super Cup start
Updated 01 January 2025
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‘Riyadh feels like home for Inter’, says Henrikh Mkhitaryan before Italian Super Cup start

 ‘Riyadh feels like home for Inter’, says Henrikh Mkhitaryan before Italian Super Cup start
  • The Milan club face Atalanta in the first semi-final on Thursday at Al-Awwal Park
  • Marten de Roon of Atalanta says ‘we are spreading the name of Atalanta and will try to do it also here in Saudi’

RIYADH: Henrikh Mkhitaryan said “Riyadh feels like home” for Inter Milan, as the club targets an EA Sports FC Italian Super Cup treble in the Saudi Arabian capital.

Having beaten city rivals AC Milan 3-0 in 2022 and Napoli 1-0 last year in the Italian Super Cup final in Riyadh, Inter face Atalanta at Al Awwal Park on Thursday night in the 2024 semi-final. In the final on Monday the winners will play either Juventus or AC Milan, who play the following night at the same venue.

Another Italian Super Cup triumph would equal a record four in succession for Inter — having beaten Juventus in Italy in 2021 — and midfielder Mkhitaryan said the fans in Riyadh can play a big part in achieving history.

“Riyadh feels like home,” Mkhitaryan said. “This is the third time we are going to play the Super Cup in Riyadh. We won the past two times and hope to succeed this time as well, but first of all we have to think about tomorrow’s game, which will be very hard to play. We know the strength of the Atalanta team. We hope the fans and the surroundings will help us to feel at home and win tomorrow’s game.

“We need to play our game to win the game. It’s very important for us to continue (our success) and win the Super Cup. It’s an important trophy. We hope to do our best. We are fully focused on this game.”

Simone Inzaghi, the Inter manager, said: “It’s clear that the targets of 2025 are the same as when I came three and half years ago. We represent Inter, an important club and we need to always target high. The target in this moment is to win games as much as possible, to win trophies as much as possible. The nearest target is to win the Super Cup because it means a lot for us. This year it’s harder to win because there are two games within a few days, but we’ll try to give our best already from tomorrow evening.”

Inter are the current Liga Serie A champions but are up against this season’s table toppers in Atalanta. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side — who won the UEFA Europa League last season — have a better goal difference than second-placed Napoli and are point ahead of Inter in third.

“Being in those competitions is very important, and playing finals is even more important as it gives prestige to the club and value to the players,” Gasperini said. “It makes us proud. It’s a great result being in the final phase of the Super Cup, but our target is to win the competition.

“I’d like to thank the people in Saudi Arabia for the way you have hosted us. We arrived yesterday evening and we didn’t see many things, but we are very impressed by the modernity and beauty of Riyadh. Congratulations again!”

Marten de Roon, Atalanta’s Dutch midfielder, said: “I agree with the coach. We are playing many finals in Europe and now also in Saudi Arabia. I don’t know how many supporters will follow us, but we are spreading the name of Atalanta and will try to do it also here in Saudi.”


Djokovic and Kyrgios lose in doubles to top-seeded team at the Brisbane International

Djokovic and Kyrgios lose in doubles to top-seeded team at the Brisbane International
Updated 01 January 2025
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Djokovic and Kyrgios lose in doubles to top-seeded team at the Brisbane International

Djokovic and Kyrgios lose in doubles to top-seeded team at the Brisbane International
  • DJokovic and Kyrgios won their opening doubles match, a crowd-pleasing, fist-pumping affair by both players at Pat Rafter Arena
  • Djokovic won his first singles match and will next play Gael Monfils, who he has a 19-0 record against

BRISBANE: The new doubles team of Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios are out of the Brisbane International in the second round.
The pair, granted a wild-card entry by tournament organizers, lost 6-2, 3-6, 10-8 Wednesday to the top-seeded team of Nikola Mektic of Croatia and New Zealander Michael Venus.
DJokovic and Kyrgios won their opening doubles match, a crowd-pleasing, fist-pumping affair by both players at Pat Rafter Arena.
Kyrgios lost his opening singles match on Tuesday after an 18-month absence from the tour due to injuries. Djokovic won his first singles match on the same day and will next play Gael Monfils, who he has a 19-0 record against.