Sabalenka wins 15th match in a row to reach Beijing quarters

Sabalenka wins 15th match in a row to reach Beijing quarters
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus returns a shot from Madison Keys of the United States during their women’s singles match of the China Open tennis tournament on Oct. 2, 2024. (AP)
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Sabalenka wins 15th match in a row to reach Beijing quarters

Sabalenka wins 15th match in a row to reach Beijing quarters
  • The US Open champion will face Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic or Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the last eight in Beijing

BEIJING: Top seed Aryna Sabalenka won her 15th match in a row to power into the China Open quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Madison Keys on Wednesday.
The US Open champion will face Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic or Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the last eight in Beijing.
World number two Sabalenka has won more matches on tour this season than anyone else and extended her red-hot streak with a fairly routine victory over the 24th-ranked American.
On a sunny Beijing day, Sabalenka and Keys exchanged breaks in the first set for 3-3 before the hard-hitting Belarusian pulled away go a set up.
The second took a similar course and Keys double-faulted on the first match point to gift Sabalenka victory in 65 minutes.
Sabalenka is on a collision course in the semifinals with China’s Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who faces 43rd-ranked Amanda Anisimova in the last 16 later Wednesday.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka can take a major step toward overhauling Iga Swiatek at the top of the rankings by lifting the title in Beijing.
Swiatek is not playing in the Chinese capital because of “personal matters.”


Bridgestone latest Japan firm to end Olympics sponsorship

Bridgestone latest Japan firm to end Olympics sponsorship
Updated 1 min 47 sec ago
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Bridgestone latest Japan firm to end Olympics sponsorship

Bridgestone latest Japan firm to end Olympics sponsorship
  • The decision comes after Japanese electronics giant Panasonic and auto titan Toyota said last month they had decided to end their top-tier Olympic sponsorship
  • Bridgestone struck sponsorship deals with the Olympics for 10 years in 2014 and the Paralympics for six years in 2018
  • The contract will not be renewed when it expires at the end of 2024, the firm said

TOKYO: Tire giant Bridgestone has become the latest Japanese firm to end its Olympics sponsorship, following pullouts by Toyota and Panasonic, saying it wants to focus on motorsport.

Bridgestone said on Tuesday that it “still strongly believes in the IOC’s vision of ‘building a better world through sport’,” referring to the International Olympic Committee.

“Still believing in the power of sports, the company will carry that momentum forward” by using tire products to “drive innovation,” a statement said.

The decision comes after Japanese electronics giant Panasonic and auto titan Toyota said last month they had decided to end their top-tier Olympic sponsorship.

Toyota’s chairman Akio Toyoda has said the Olympic Games were “becoming increasingly political,” while Panasonic announced their withdrawal citing “management considerations.”

Bridgestone struck sponsorship deals with the Olympics for 10 years in 2014 and the Paralympics for six years in 2018, a company spokesman told AFP on Wednesday.

The contract will not be renewed when it expires at the end of 2024, the firm said.

In December, Bridgestone said it had been named as the tire supplier for the Formula E World Championship from 2026.

It described its role in the championship for electric cars as “a cornerstone of the company’s sustainable global motorsports strategy.”


PGA Tour commissioner and Saudi fund governor paired at pro-am event in Scotland

PGA Tour commissioner and Saudi fund governor paired at pro-am event in Scotland
Updated 35 min 33 sec ago
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PGA Tour commissioner and Saudi fund governor paired at pro-am event in Scotland

PGA Tour commissioner and Saudi fund governor paired at pro-am event in Scotland
  • Monahan is paired with Billy Horschel, while Al-Rumayyan is playing with Dean Burmester of South Africa, one of 14 players from LIV Golf in the field
  • Monahan and Al-Rumayyan were involved in meetings in New York on Sept. 11 and 12 as the two sides try to work out a deal

Three weeks after PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan met with Saudi Arabia’s financial backer of LIV Golf, they will be together again this week in Scotland, this time inside the ropes.

Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Public Investment Fund that supports the LIV Golf League, are playing together in the Dunhill Links Championship on the European tour. The tournament starts Thursday.

Monahan is paired with Billy Horschel, while Al-Rumayyan is playing with Dean Burmester of South Africa, one of 14 players from LIV Golf in the field.

In the group directly behind them Thursday at Carnoustie will be Rory McIlroy, who will be playing with his father.

Monahan and Al-Rumayyan were involved in meetings in New York on Sept. 11 and 12 as the two sides try to work out a deal in which PIF would become a minority investor in PGA Tour Enterprises and they try to figure out a team concept and bring the sides together.

The PGA Tour has banned players who moved to LIV Golf, which launched in June 2022. The European tour has allowed players to return to certain events provided they take care of sanctions, a combination of suspensions and fines.

Jon Rahm is playing the Dunhill while he appeals his fines. A ruling on that — an independent panel previously ruled in favor of the European tour — is not expected until next year.

Guy Kinnings, the CEO of the European tour, also was part of the New York meetings and will be at the Dunhill Links. Kinnings expressed optimism that discussions were headed in the right direction although he said, “Long way to go. A lot of detail, complicated stuff to be done.”

There had been concern negotiations had stalled with little movement since June. The LIV Golf League ended on Sept. 22, and the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs ended at the end of August.

The tournament pairs a professional with an amateur for three rounds at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. Al-Rumayyan also played in the Dunhill a year ago. Monahan has occasionally played in the AT&T Pebble Beach under a similar format.


Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan T20 and one-day captain

Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan T20 and one-day captain
Updated 02 October 2024
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Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan T20 and one-day captain

Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan T20 and one-day captain
  • Babar’s announcement came a week before Pakistan’s three-Test series against England, starting from October 7
  • He was removed as Pakistan captain in all formats after Pakistan’s humiliating exit from last year’s World Cup

ISLAMABAD: Babar Azam said on Tuesday he had stepped down as the captain of Pakistan’s Twenty20 and one-day teams, saying he wanted to focus more on his role as a batsman.

Babar’s announcement came a week before Pakistan’s three-Test series against England, starting from Oct. 7. Babar was named in the 15-member squad.

Pakistan are also scheduled to have a white-ball tour of Australia in Nov., but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will have to name a new captain following Baber’s resignation.

“I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team,” Babar said on X late Tuesday.

“Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it’s added a significant workload. I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy.”

Babar said he was stepping down as Pakistan’s captain in all three formats in November last year after Pakistan's humiliating exit from the One-Day World Cup in India.

He was re-appointed in May this year and took over from Shaheen Shah Afridi after a change in the PCB chairmanship.

Babar led Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign in June, in which the Green Shirts suffered a humiliating loss to the United States and lost to arch-rivals India. The Pakistan side crashed out of the tournament in the first round.

“By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth,” he said.

“I’m grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me.”


Sinner to play Alcaraz in China Open final; Osaka out with back injury

Sinner to play Alcaraz in China Open final; Osaka out with back injury
Updated 02 October 2024
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Sinner to play Alcaraz in China Open final; Osaka out with back injury

Sinner to play Alcaraz in China Open final; Osaka out with back injury
  • Sinner and Alcaraz accounted for all four Grand Slam titles this year between them
  • Arthur Fils saved a championship point and rallied to beat Ugo Humbert 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 in the final of the Japan Open

BEIJING: Top-ranked Jannik Sinner will play rival Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the China Open after recording a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory over home favorite Bu Yunchaokete on Tuesday.

Sinner and Alcaraz accounted for all four Grand Slam titles this year between them. Alcaraz leads the head-to-head series 5-4 — including wins at both their meetings this year — but Sinner doesn’t believe that recent history will have a bearing on Wednesday’s final.

“We know each other very well now, but every match is different, so the situation on the court is also a bit different than it was the last two matches,” Sinner said.

The 23-year-old Italian is the defending champion and hasn’t appeared distracted by the World Anti-Doping Agency announcing Saturday it was seeking a ban of one to two years for the US Open champion, who tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March.

Chinese wild card Yunchaokete, ranked 96th, couldn’t take any of his three break-point chances in the first set.

Sinner’s experience proved crucial during the pivotal moments, especially in the second-set tiebreaker, where he surged to a 6-1 lead.

Earlier, third-ranked Alcaraz’s athleticism was again on show as he advanced to the final with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Daniil Medvedev.

“I felt great on the court once again, so I’m really happy about it,” Alcaraz said. “I couldn’t ask for a better semifinal.”

The four-time Grand Slam champion — including this year’s French Open and Wimbledon — extended his head-to-head record against the Russian to 6-2.

The 21-year-old Spaniard found his way through a testing first set that had five breaks of serve, but crucially it was Alcaraz’s third service break in the 12th game that secured the set.

Alcaraz has now won eight straight matches — across the Davis Cup, Laver Cup and in Beijing — since his loss to Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round at the US Open.

Osaka out with back injury

Coco Gauff advanced to the quarterfinals when Naomi Osaka retired at 3-6, 6-4 because of a lower back injury.

Osaka, a four-time major champion, was leading 4-3 in the second set before Gauff won three straight games.

The sixth-ranked Gauff then helped carry Osaka’s bags off the court.

Gauff hit six aces compared to Osaka’s one and improved to 3-2 over her opponent at WTA tournaments.

She will next meet No. 115-ranked Yuliia Starodubtseva, who earlier upset No. 14 Anna Kalinskaya 7-5, 6-0.

Paula Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula to reach her eighth career quarterfinal at a WTA 1000-level event.

“She’s one the of the players I never want to face — she’s very solid, hits very flat, changes very well direction,” said Badosa, who was 0-3 previously against Pegula. “I prepared myself for a battle, but I think today everything worked pretty well.”

Badosa next faces 35-year-old Chinese player Zhang Shuai, who continued her resurgence with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Magdalena Frech of Poland.

Zhang entered the China Open on a 24-match losing streak and ranked No. 595, but she’s yet to drop a set in four matches this week.

Zhang is now into her first women’s tour quarterfinal since Tokyo in 2022, and her first at a WTA 1000 tournament since Cincinnati in the same year.

“In this draw, everyone has a higher ranking than me,” Zhang said. “Just step on court, just play. So I do not have much to think about, to prepare. I will just focus on myself.”

Japan Open

Arthur Fils saved a championship point and rallied to beat Ugo Humbert 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 in the final of the Japan Open to earn his third tour-level title.

The championship point was in the second-set tiebreaker against his French compatriot.

The 20-year-old Fils struggled with an injury to his left leg for much of the second set and when trailing 4-3 in the second set — with three break points for his opponent — it looked almost certain that Humbert would go on to win his seventh final in seven appearances.

Fils defeated four top-20 opponents — US Open finalist Taylor Fritz, defending champion Ben Shelton, Holger Rune and Humbert — on his way to the title.


Dortmund score 7 while Barcelona, Man City and Arsenal all win in Champions League

Dortmund score 7 while Barcelona, Man City and Arsenal all win in Champions League
Updated 02 October 2024
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Dortmund score 7 while Barcelona, Man City and Arsenal all win in Champions League

Dortmund score 7 while Barcelona, Man City and Arsenal all win in Champions League
  • Adeyemi scored a first half hat trick as Dortmund routed Celtic 7-1 at home
  • There were more big wins Tuesday with Inter Milan defeating Red Star Belgrade 4-0, and tournament debutant Brest routing Salzburg 4-0 away

LONDON: Karim Adeyemi starred as Borussia Dortmund ran riot against Celtic while Barcelona and Manchester City claimed their first wins in the restructured Champions League on Tuesday.

Adeyemi scored a first half hat trick as Dortmund routed Celtic 7-1 at home. It was the second big win from a German team in the competition after Bayern Munich’s 9-2 bashing of Dinamo Zagreb in the first matchday.

Robert Lewandowski got Barcelona off the mark as the Spanish giant eased to a 5-0 home win over Swiss team Young Boys, while his former teammate İlkay Gundogan got City off to a 4-0 win at Slovan Bratislava. Erling Haaland scored his 42nd goal in his 41st Champions League game.

City were held 0-0 by Inter Milan in their opening game, while Barca responded to their 2-1 loss at Monaco, the team’s first defeat under new coach Hansi Flick.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal outclassed his former team Paris Saint-Germain in a 2-0 win with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka scoring in the first half for the Gunners. PSG coach Luis Enrique’s gamble on leaving Ousmane Dembele out did not pay off.

Arteta enjoyed a successful 18-month loan spell at PSG while still he was still a teenager at Barcelona.

Dortmund fans cry foul

Though the Dortmund team appear to have adapted to the new competition format very well — last season’s beaten finalists have 10 goals from two games after starting with a 3-0 win over Club Brugge — their fans made their opposition to the reforms clear with a huge tifo slamming UEFA.

This season UEFA changed the structure of Europe’s premier competition to add four more teams. The group stage was scrapped for a league system with each of the now 36 participating teams playing eight opponents once in a first phase of the competition.

UEFA claimed the changes would ensure more evenly matched games, but Tuesday’s results — the big wins for Barca, City and Dortmund — appear to belie that claim.

There were more big wins Tuesday with Inter Milan defeating Red Star Belgrade 4-0, and tournament debutant Brest routing Salzburg 4-0 away for its second win in as many games in Europe’s premier competition.

Iran forward Mehdi Taremi struck a penalty past Israel and Red Star goalkeeper Omri Glazer and set up two more goals for Inter hours after his country launched a barrage of missiles at Israel.

Senegalese forward Abdallah Sima netted twice for Brest to take his tally to three goals in two games after he scored in the French team’s tournament-opening 2-1 win over Austrian champions Sturm Graz.

Also Tuesday, Bayer Leverkusen defeated AC Milan 1-0 in Germany thanks a well-worked move finished by Victor Boniface.

Daniel Bragança scored late to earn Sporting Lisbon a 1-1 draw at PSV Eindhoven.

Kaan Kairinen’s brilliant free kick was enough for Prague to draw 1-1 at Stuttgart.

Stuttgart fans displayed a huge choreography saying “Back in Europe” behind one of the goals. It was the German team’s first Champions League match at home since a 1-1 draw with Barcelona in February 2010.