DUBAI: Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri continued his surprise run at the Dubai Championships by beating Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the last four.
The 34-year-old wildcard will next face third seed Roberto Bautista Agut, who beat Croatian Borna Coric 7-6, 6-4, in the semifinals
Jaziri overcame a second-set blip to see off qualifier Tsitsipas 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 and reach the third semifinal of his career.
Jaziri, who began his week by knocking out world No.4 Grigor Dimitrov in the first round, is the first Arab player to get this far in Dubai since Moroccan Younes El-Aynaoui in 2002, who reached the final before losing to France’s Fabrice Santoro.
The world number 117 is now just one win away from reaching his first-ever ATP Tour final.
“It was a big fight today, not that easy at all,” Jaziri said.
“I finished very late yesterday. I think I was in bed at 2:30, so I didn’t sleep a lot.
“I tried to recover the most, I had to get ready today. It wasn’t easy, i had less than 17 hours.
“I was up and down little bit today. But I’m happy to win this match.”
Even before the match Jaziri said his shock run in Dubai had struck a blow for tennis across the Arab world.
“I was hearing the cheers from a lot of young Arab kids and after I won I saw how happy they all were for me,” he told Sport360 after his victory over top seed Dimitrov.
“I hope that this can show them that us Arabs can compete with and defeat the best players in the world, as long we work hard for it.”
Ranked 117 in the world, Jaziri has been given a wildcard for the tournament at The Aviation Club for the past six years and, as a result, usually faces one of the world’s big guns in the opening round. In 2013 he managed to take a set off the great Roger Federer.
“I feel so good here in Dubai,” he said. “They gave me a lot of opportunities in the past, like with wildcards. I got a lot of experience, playing top guys here in Dubai. I played last year against Andy Murray, the year before Novak Djokovic, five years ago I played Roger Federer as well. In Dubai, I only played top seeds. I knew one day it would happen (and I would get the win).”
Arab ace Malek Jaziri continues surprise run to march into Dubai semifinals
Arab ace Malek Jaziri continues surprise run to march into Dubai semifinals
Borussia Dortmund defeat Ulsan HD 1-0 to win Group F
- With the victory, as well as a draw by Fluminense, Dortmund (2-0-1, 7 points) claims the top spot in Group F to earn a July 1 matchup in the Club World Cup’s round of 16 in Atlanta
A 36th-minute goal from Daniel Svensson was all Borussia Dortmund needed to put away winless Ulsan HD in a 1-0 Group F win in Cincinnati on Wednesday.
With the victory, as well as a draw by Fluminense, Dortmund (2-0-1, 7 points) claims the top spot in Group F to earn a July 1 matchup in the Club World Cup’s round of 16 in Atlanta with an opponent that has yet to be determined. Fluminsense, which could have won the group with a victory over Mamelodi Sundowns, also moves on to the knockouts as the group’s No. 2 seed.
While the score indicates a close match, Dortmund dominated the pitch, putting 11 shots on goal among their 28 overall attempts. Compare that with Ulsan’s three shot attempts, all on goal and all occurring within a 16-minute period in the second half.
Dortmund put the pressure on early and often to open the match, ripping off 20 shots — eight on goal — in the first half. While Ulsan didn’t even get a shot off during the first 45 minutes plus stoppage time, goalkeeper Jo Hyeon- woo continued to deny Dortmund with seven saves.
That included a seven-minute stretch midway through the first half during which BVB put four shots on goal, only for Hyeon-woo to turn away each attempt.
Dortmund did not relent, however, and it paid off in the 36th minute as Svensson collected a touch pass from Jobe Bellingham in the box and put a left-footed shot past the keeper to put BVB in front 1-0.
Both Serhou Guirassy and Bellingham had prime chances to add to that advantage in the closing minutes of the half. Again, though, Hyeon-woo stood his ground to keep Dortmund from extending its lead.
Ulsan strung together their first strong chances at goal early in the second half. In the 48th minute, Kang Sang-Woo’s attempt from the right side of the box was saved by BVB’s Gregor Kobel. The goalkeeper was tested again in the 60th and 64th minutes as Kobel saved left-footed blasts by Lee Jin-Hyun and Ko Seung-Beom, respectively, to maintain the one-goal edge.
That was all that Ulsan (0-3-0, 0 points) could muster, however, as the South Korean side wrapped up Club World Cup play last in Group F. Hyeon-woo finished the day with 10 saves.
Mbappe returns to Real Madrid training at Club World Cup
- The French superstar was taken to hospital last Thursday
- Alonso said: “He is doing better, he is recovering“
PHILADELPHIA: Kylian Mbappe returned to training on Wednesday after missing Real Madrid’s first two matches at the Club World Cup in the United States due to illness, the Spanish giants confirmed to AFP.
The French superstar was taken to hospital last Thursday for tests and treatment after suffering gastroenteritis, before later being released.
He played no part in Real’s opening game at the tournament, a 1-1 draw with Saudi side Al-Hilal in Miami, or the 3-1 defeat of Mexico’s Pachuca at the weekend.
Coach Xabi Alonso did indicate after the latter game that Mbappe was on the mend, saying: “He is doing better, he is recovering.”
Real posted images of Mbappe in training on Wednesday on their website, as the squad worked out at their Florida base before traveling north in the afternoon to Philadelphia.
That is where Madrid will take on Red Bull Salzburg of Austria on Thursday in their last Group H match and will be looking for a victory which will confirm their progress to the last 16 in first place in the section.
A draw can also take them through to the next round, with Manchester City and Juventus the possible opponents in the last 16.
Mbappe has scored 43 goals in 56 appearances since joining Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain
last year.
His last game was for France in a 2-0 win away to Germany in the UEFA Nations League on June 8.
PFL Africa stars Juliet Ukah and Ceileigh Niedermayr train in front of fans at open workout
- Fighters showcase their skills during public training session ahead of their bout at the opening event of the inaugural PFL Africa season on July 19 in Cape Town
- ‘We’re going to be representing the two biggest MMA nations in Africa, and we want to help put African MMA in the global spotlight,’ Ukah says
KINSHASA: As the countdown continues to the start of the inaugural season of PFL Africa on July 19, Professional Fighters League stars Juliet Ukah from Nigeria and Ceileigh Niedermayr from South Africa took part in an open workout on Wednesday.
The fighters, who will face off in a Showcase Women’s Strawweight Bout during the PFL Africa opener at the Grand Arena, GrandWest in Cape Town next month, showcased their skills for fans and media at the public training session, which took place at the Champions Academy RDC Gym in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“I’m very happy to be on the first PFL Africa card and my fight with Ceileigh is going to be an exciting one,” said Ukah. “We’re going to be representing the two biggest MMA nations in Africa and we want to help put African MMA in the global spotlight.
“Compared to her, I think I’m the more experienced fighter and the better striker, so I’m comfortable wherever the fight goes.”
She added that expects to get the finish but would not mind if the fight went to a third round if needed.
Niedermayr said: “It’s truly an honor to be part of the first-ever women’s fight in PFL Africa. This fight camp isn’t just about preparing for my next opponent, it’s a reflection of my lifelong dedication to martial arts.
“On fight night, I’m bringing a new level of ‘Smiley Savagery’ to the SmartCage,” she added, referring to her professional nickname. “I have a lot of respect for Juliet as a fighter and I welcome the chance to test myself against her.”
She said she has never faced anyone like Ukah and expects an “exciting, high-level battle and I’m ready for it.”
The historic PFL Cape Town event will mark the start of the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament and feature first-round matchups in the heavyweight and bantamweight divisions.
The headline bouts include five must-see PFL Champions Series clashes, including a Middleweight World Championship main event in which titleholder Johnny “Pressure” Eblen (with a record of 16-0) will take on challenger Costello “The Spaniard” van Steenis (16-3). Tickets for the event are available from Ticketpro.
German Court fines FA over 2026 World Cup-related payment
- The DFB said it took note of Frankfurt Regional Court’s decision on Wednesday
- An appeal was possible but it would first study the written verdict once published
FRANKFURT: A German Court on Wednesday fined the German Football Association (DFB) just over 100,000 euros in relation to a World Cup 2006-related payment which had been at the heart of a years-long scandal that tarnished the reputation of the tournament.
The DFB said it took note of Frankfurt Regional Court’s decision on Wednesday, adding that an appeal was possible but it would first study the written verdict once published.
The case regarding a payment of 6.7 million euros ($7.8 million) made two decades ago damaged the image of the global showpiece event held in Germany.
At the heart of the case that dragged through the legal system and involved several other separate investigations is the payment linked to a 2006 World Cup-related event that never took place.
The tax return included a 6.7 million euro payment from the DFB to world soccer’s governing body FIFA for the 2006 World Cup, although the funds were actually used for another purpose and should not have been offset against tax, prosecutors had said.
“According to the ruling, the court assumes that the DFB fully declared and taxed its income from the 2006 World Cup. However, it believes that the 6.7 million euros should have been deducted for tax purposes in 2002, not in 2006,” the DFB said in a statement.
“The Regional Court imposed a fine of 130,000 euros on the DFB because it ruled in isolation on the year 2006 and did not take into account the excessive tax paid for 2002,” the DFB said.
“The DFB only has to pay 110,000 euros because the court deducted 20,000 euros due to the excessive length of the proceedings.
In April, the same court had discharged former DFB President Theo Zwanziger after ordering him to pay a 10,000-euro fine.
The payment in question had triggered investigations over allegations it had been used as a slush fund to buy votes in favor of Germany’s bid to host the 2006 tournament.
A DFB-commissioned investigation in 2016 had said the sum was the return of a loan via FIFA from former Adidas chief Robert Louis-Dreyfus.
The German tax office ordered the DFB in 2017 to pay more than 20 million euros in back taxes related to the year 2006.
The tournament was nicknamed the “summer fairytale” because of the home team’s run to the semifinals, and the sold-out stadiums and outdoor viewing areas across the country which attracted hundreds of thousands of fans.
Players and fans at the Club World Cup are coping with high temperatures as a heat wave hits US
- The gruelling conditions could also be a preview of what’s to come next summer when the United States, Canada and Mexico host soccer’s premier event, the 2026 World Cup
- A “heat dome” of high pressure has settled in over the central and eastern US
TEXAS: Substitutes who watch from the locker room, abandoned practice sessions and sweat-soaked jerseys. A heat wave hitting a wide swath of the country is taking a toll on players at the FIFA Club World Cup.
The gruelling conditions could also be a preview of what’s to come next summer when the United States, Canada and Mexico host soccer’s premier event, the 2026 World Cup.
“It’s impossible, it’s terribly hot. My toes were sore, even my toenails were hurting, I couldn’t stop or start. In the end, it’s incredible, but since it’s the same for everyone, there’s no excuse,” Atlético’s Marcos Llorente said following a match against Paris Saint-Germain.
A “heat dome” of high pressure has settled in over the central and eastern United States, sending temperatures soaring into the 90s in Fahrenheit and above in many areas.
That’s rough on both Club World Cup players and fans, who can potentially experience dehydration and cramps, or more serious conditions like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
“In Europe it’s more of a dry heat and this is more of a humid heat. I think it’s going to hit them twice as hard,” fan Tyler Fernando said before Bayern Munich’s match against Benfica on Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the temperature was 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 Celsius) at game time.
Those at the Auckland City match against Boca Juniors in Nashville on Tuesday braved temperatures in the upper 90s. Male spectators went shirtless and fans sought sections where there was shade.
Heat is of particular concern during big tournaments like the Club World Cup because the players don’t have much time off to recover between games. And in the group stages, matches are usually staggered each day, meaning some teams play in the midday sun.
Chelsea cut short a practice session in Philadelphia, where temperatures reached the 90s.
“I always try to avoid excuse, I always try to be honest. It’s not about excuses, it’s about reality. It’s an excuse when it’s not hot, and we say it’s hot. That’s an excuse. But if it’s hot, it’s hot. But we are here, and we’re trying to do our best,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said.
During a match between Borussia Dortmund and the Mamelodi Sundowns, Dortmund posted on social media: “Our subs watched the first half from inside the locker room to avoid the blazing sun at TQL Stadium — never seen that before, but in this heat, it absolutely makes sense.”
“We always think about how we can help the team, how we can minimize a negative influence. And it was just very, very hot. We had cooling sticks in order to cool the players down. We had them waiting in the dressing room with the air conditioning,” Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said through an interpreter. “This was very important for all of us. It’s not only about tactics, but it’s also about minimizing the load, minimizing the stress. The stress is already high enough.”
FIFA guidelines mandate breaks when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature — a composite of factors including temperature and humidity — reaches 89.6 degrees. The breaks usually occur around the 30th and 75th minutes.
Cooling breaks were initially used at the 2008 Olympic final between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Nigeria at Beijing’s National Stadium, where the on-field temperature reached 107 degrees.
But at the time, such breaks were rare. They became more commonplace following the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where a Brazilian labor court ordered hydration breaks when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature reached 89.6 degrees.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue went to social media to urge Club World Cup fans to exercise caution in the heat before Inter Miami’s match against Palmeiras on Monday night, and Chelsea posted “heat mitigation” guidelines on their official website before the Blues’ match against Esperance on Tuesday.
It’s not just high temperatures that can impact summer tournaments: Five Club World Cup matches have been delayed by thunderstorms.
The climate is going to be an increasing issue for FIFA as global temperatures rise. Sixteen cities will host World Cup games next year. Five of the stadiums that will be used have roofs to provide some sun protection.
At Mexico’s venues, Mexico City and Guadalajara could be impacted by the summer’s hurricane season, and in Monterrey, summer temperatures average in the 90s.
After the 2026 World Cup, the 2030 edition will be held in Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. And the problem isn’t just on the men’s side: The 2027 Women’s World Cup is set to be played in Brazil.
Peter Crisp from Fossil Free Football said: “Scheduling matches in no-shade stadiums in the middle of the day and promoting oil-dependent sponsors shows FIFA is dangerously out of touch with the threat extreme heat poses to its major summer tournaments.”
