LOS ANGELES: World No. 2 Rafael Nadal captured his first ATP Tour title of 2020, easily defeating unseeded Taylor Fritz in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, in the final of the Mexico Open.
The 33-year-old Nadal, playing in his first tournament since losing in the quarter-finals at the Australian Open last month, didn’t drop a set all week and improved to 19-2 all-time at this event.
He nabbed his third Mexico Open title to go with victories in 2013 and 2005.
“I couldn’t be happier. I played a great event from the beginning to the end,” Nadal said.
“Acapulco was the first big title that I won in my career, so to be able to stay here after 15 years is amazing.
“I can’t thank enough the people who make me feel at home every single time.”
Nadal wasted no time figuring out Fritz’s game in the first career meeting between the two.
The 19-time Grand Slam winner made eight unforced errors and needed just one ace but it came in the final game of the second set to get to championship point.
Nadal closed it out with a blistering serve that handcuffed Fritz and gave Nadal his 85th career title.
Nadal ceded the world No. 1 ranking to Novak Djokovic after the Australian Open, where the Serb won a record eighth title. Nadal could have regained the top spot with a win in Acapulco, but he also needed Djokovic to fail to reach the final in this week’s Dubai event.
Djokovic extended his win streak to 21 matches by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4 earlier Saturday to lift the Dubai trophy.
Nadal won the final eight points to take the first set. He seized control by breaking Fritz’s serve in the ninth game to go up 5-4. He then served for the set, winning four straight points.
On set point he hammered a serve which Fritz barely got back. That set up an overhead smash for Nadal which he put away nicely.
Nadal broke Fritz twice in the second set, including the fifth game to go up 3-2. He broke Fritz again to take a 5-4 lead and then served out the match.
Nadal has now won a title 17 consecutive years.
In the women’s final, seventh seeded Heather Watson captured her first WTA title in three years by grinding out a 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1 win over Canadian teen Leylah Fernandez.
The persistent Fernandez, of Filipino and Ecuadorean descent, survived nine championship points before finally succumbing to Britain’s Watson in a two hour, 46 minute marathon.
Nadal cruises past Fritz to win Acapulco title
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Nadal cruises past Fritz to win Acapulco title
- Nadal ceded the world No. 1 ranking to Novak Djokovic after the Australian Open, where the Serb won a record eighth title
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
- 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 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.
Cavaliers top Lakers in LeBron’s first game at 40, Celtics crush Raptors
- Milwaukee Bucks erased a 19-point deficit on the way to a 120-112 victory over the Indiana Pacers
- Another big night from Victor Wembanyama saw the San Antonio Spurs finish the year with a lopsided 122-86 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers
LOS ANGELES: The league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers spoiled LeBron James’s first game as a 40-year-old, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 122-110 on Tuesday, as the NBA champion Boston Celtics closed out 2024 with a 125-71 demolition of the Toronto Raptors.
Jarrett Allen scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Donovan Mitchell added 26 points and Evan Mobley chipped in 20 for the Cavaliers, who notched their eighth straight win to push their league-best record to 29-4.
James, whose four NBA titles include a 2016 championship with his hometown team Cleveland, scored 23 points with four rebounds, seven assists and a blocked shot.
It was his first game since his 40th birthday on Monday, and made James the first player in league history to play a game in his teens and in his 40s.
Austin Reaves led the Lakers with an impressive near-triple-double of 35 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
Anthony Davis scored 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, but after twice edging ahead in the second quarter the Lakers trailed by five at halftime and never led in the second half.
There was less drama in Boston, where the Celtics won by the second-largest margin of victory in franchise history — trailing only their 56-point triumph at Chicago in December 2018.
Jayson Tatum scored 18 of his 23 points in the third quarter, when the Celtics out-scored the Raptors 45-18 to effectively put the game out of reach.
Payton Pritchard scored 19 points off the bench as seven Celtics players scored in double figures.
The Celtics connected on 22 of their 43 three-point attempts as they handed the Raptors an 11th straight defeat.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said the big win — after the Celtics dropped four of their last six games — was just part of the process as the Celtics try to repeat as champions.
“There’s still stuff that we’ve got to work on... we’ve just got to continue to be better,” Mazzulla said.
The Milwaukee Bucks erased a 19-point deficit on the way to a 120-112 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, back after missing three games because of illness, found his rhythm after scoring just four points in the first half, finishing with 30 points and 12 rebounds.
Brook Lopez added 16 points and reserves Bobby Portis Jr. and Gary Trent Jr. scored 14 points each for Milwaukee, who trailed 83-64 midway through the third quarter.
“These are the type of games you need throughout a season to keep you going,” Portis said. “It was a great game for us, especially going forward, that we can look back on like: OK, cool, we do it one time we can do it again and just keep building, keep building.”
Another big night from Victor Wembanyama saw the San Antonio Spurs finish the year with a lopsided 122-86 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Wembanyama closed out a December to remember with 27 points, nine rebounds, five assists, one steal and three blocked shots in less than 26 minutes on the court.
His 17 points in the first quarter matched the Clippers’ total in the period.
In Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points and the Thunder notched their 12th straight regular-season victory, 113-105 over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Thunder trailed by as many as 12 in the second quarter and were down 52-46 at half time.
But they outscored the Timberwolves 43-23 in the third quarter and never trailed in the fourth on the way to a seventh consecutive win since they fell to Milwaukee in the NBA Cup final, which doesn’t count as part of the regular season.
Naomi Osaka wins again to reach the quarterfinals at the Auckland WTA tournament
- Osaka overcame a swirling breeze and a lengthy rain break to progress comfortably
AUCKLAND: Four-time Grand Slam singles winner Naomi Osaka has started 2025 in style, beating Julia Grabher 7-5, 6-3 Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Auckland tennis classic.
Osaka overcame a swirling breeze and a lengthy rain break to progress comfortably beyond the second round. Although the wind often affected her ball toss, Osaka didn’t drop her serve at any stage and broke Grabher once in each set to win her way to the Auckland quarterfinals for the second time. Osaka also reached the last eight on her only previous visit to New Zealand in 2017.
“She was a really tough opponent for me to play against and I felt I just had to concentrate on myself a lot and try not to be as nervous as I felt,” Osaka said.
“I got some great advice from a great coach over there,” Osaka added, referring to Patrick Mouratoglou who recently joined her team and previously had a long association with Serena Williams. “I just tried to focus on my bullet points and go out swinging if I had to go out. But fortunately I’m here to play another round.”
Osaka again showed no sign of the back injury which ended her 2024 season at the China Open in October. She moved freely, went to the net rarely but effectively and hit hard, especially from the forehand side.
Osaka’s first serve was a powerful weapon and she won 80 percent of points when she put the serve in play.
The first set was tight, without a break of serve until the 12th game. Osaka came back from the rain delay which came when she was leading 40-15 in the previous game and seemed to step up, holding serve and breaking the Austrian player immediately to take the first set.
She held serve to love in two of her first three service games in the second set, then broke Grabher in the sixth game to go ahead 4-2. Osaka continued to hold serve comfortably, closing out the match on her first match point.
The Auckland tournament is a tune-up for the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 12, and lost some of its star power on Tuesday when former US Open champion Emma Raducanu withdrew with a back injury. Elize Mertens also pulled out of Auckland with injury, leaving Osaka to face a more open draw
