Center Court crowd relish Arab stars Ons Jabeur, Mayar Sherif at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

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Ons Jabeur in action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. (DDFTC)
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Mayar Sherif in action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. (DDFTC)
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Mayar Sherif in action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. (DDFTC)
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Updated 15 February 2022
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Center Court crowd relish Arab stars Ons Jabeur, Mayar Sherif at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

  • Tunisian, Egyptian role models revealed their mutual admiration after a day of contrasting fortunes

It was a special day to be an Arab sports fan on Tuesday as Egyptian Mayar Sherif and Tunisian Ons Jabeur played back-to-back matches on Center Court at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, showcasing the kind of grit and fighting spirit one has come to expect from the two pioneering women on the WTA tour.

While the pair came out with mixed results, Sherif falling to former world number three Elina Svitolina in straight sets before eighth-seeded Jabeur battled past Vera Zvonareva in three, the significance of the occasion was not lost on the buoyant Arab crowd in attendance, who witnessed a rare double-header featuring two talented women from the region competing on UAE soil.

“Mayar is a great player. I met her and her team. It’s so nice to see her here. Hopefully she will get better,” said Jabeur, who last year became the first Arab tennis player in history to be ranked inside the world’s top 10.

“I know it’s not easy to start those tournaments. I’ve been there. I played those tournaments; it was very tough to win the first rounds. I am 100 percent sure she is going to get there.”


Jabeur, 27, has helped pave the way for players like Sherif, who is following in the Tunisian’s footsteps and breaking new ground for Egyptian women in the sport.

World No. 65 Sherif is the first woman from Egypt to be ranked in the top 100 and made her Dubai debut this week courtesy of a wildcard.

The 25-year-old from Cairo has seen Jabeur make history time and time again and is thrilled to be sharing a locker room with the affable Tunisian.

“Of course Ons is a dear friend; I’ve known her since I was 14 years old. She knows my family well, I know her well. She is a lovely personality, so anytime I want to ask her about anything, she gives me advice or offers me whatever I am seeking,” Sherif told Arabic media on Tuesday.

“Even when I told her I’d love to play doubles with her one time, she agreed right away and said she’s looking forward to it.

“It’s a very nice feeling to have this kind of support from someone else on tour, especially from an Arab player. It gives you lots of hope as well, so it’s a great feeling that Ons is around all the time.”

Jabeur was contesting her first match in over a month, having missed the Australian Open with a back injury. The world No. 10 felt rusty during her two-hour 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 win over Zvonareva on Tuesday, and admits staying healthy is her top priority heading into her second-round clash with American Jessica Pegula on Wednesday.

For Sherif, facing two-time Dubai champion Svitolina was a tough initiation, but the Egyptian is ready to confront such challenges in order to take the next steps in her career.

“I came here knowing that every player in the draw is a very tough player, from the top seed all the way to the qualifying rounds. So drawing Svitolina in the first round was not a shock for me — I knew I was going to face someone very good,” said Sherif.

The Center Court stands were full of Egyptian and Tunisian flags on Tuesday, with lots of young kids making their way from school straight to the stadium to catch a glimpse of Sherif or Jabeur.

“It’s very heartwarming to see young Egyptians that come tell me they did a school project about me, or someone sends me a portrait they drew of me as a gift. These things really move me because you know that people are following you and see you as an image that they’re looking up to,” said Sherif.

“They see me as a role model. Of course it’s a bit of pressure on my shoulders but it also gives me lots of motivation to do better and better so people can follow in my footsteps. Seeing kids asking me for photos and telling me they’re proud of me — I carry all that in my heart.”

Unlike Jabeur, who turned pro as a teenager as soon as she wrapped up her junior career, Sherif took the college tennis route, attending Pepperdine University, US, where she reached the semifinals of the NCAA Championship.

Several former college players have made waves on the professional tour, most recently UVA graduate Danielle Collins, who reached the Australian Open final last month.

It is yet another encouraging sign for Sherif, who is thrilled to see her decision to delay her pro career while she developed her game and character during her college tennis years now paying off.

“You hear from many people that going to college would kill your game, going to college would kill your chance of being a professional. But seeing now this happening more often than before, now the players see us that are playing college, and that’s the vision, is that when they finish college, that’s what they want to do,” said Sherif.

“Especially players that were playing while I was there, I see them trying. I think they see us there and they’re, like, ‘if they can do it, why not us too?’

“I think it gives a lot of motivation for the players who are competing at a high competition in college. I’m so proud to be a part of that, to be honest.”

Jabeur’s journey in Dubai continues as Sherif shifts her focus to next week’s Qatar Open in Doha, where once again the two North African women will have an opportunity to inspire an entire Arab population.


Peru arrests the country's football boss as part of a criminal investigation into fraud

Updated 14 sec ago
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Peru arrests the country's football boss as part of a criminal investigation into fraud

  • Agustin Lozano is the second Peruvian football boss to be detained since 2018
  • Prosecutors said football boss and others tried to wrest lucrative broadcast rights from Peru's first division soccer teams

LIMA, Peru: Peruvian police arrested the head of the country's football federation Thursday as part of an investigation into allegations that he abused his position to extort local clubs into ceding their television rights.

Agustin Lozano is the second Peruvian football boss to be detained since 2018 when his predecessor was investigated for his alleged role in two murders for which he was later absolved.

Lozano was escorted handcuffed into a police vehicle outside his home in the capital, Lima, as several journalists stood by. He promised to clear up any misunderstanding and asked that the public reserve judgements.

Six other people connected to the suspected conspiracy were also arrested.

Prosecutors, in a 140-page court filing seeking Lozano's arrest, said the football boss and others tried to wrest lucrative broadcast rights from Peru's first division soccer teams. Clubs that didn't cede control were threatened with being relegated from the top tier of Peru's soccer clubs, according to the document obtained by The Associated Press.

Lozano is also suspected of illegally spending $1.8 million in federation funds to transport 142 people not associated with the football organization to Doha in 2022 for a playoff match between Peru and Australia to see which side qualified for the World Cup in Qatar that year, according to the court filing.

A prosecutor overseeing the case told local radio that Lozano had been under investigation for over a year. Although he has not been criminally charged, authorities ordered his arrest because they deemed he is a flight risk and could obstruct their investigation.

Lozano has had run-ins with the law before. In 2023, prosecutors sought his arrest as part of an embezzlement investigation from his days as mayor of the northern city of Chongoyape.

Under Lozano's leadership, Peru's national football team is in second to last place among South American men's teams seeking to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.


Pakistan win toss, bowl in 2nd ODI against Australia

Updated 08 November 2024
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Pakistan win toss, bowl in 2nd ODI against Australia

  • The hosts lead 1-0 after a tense two-wicket win in Melbourne on Monday
  • Pakistan named unchanged side with fast bowler Naseem Shah declared fit

ADELAIDE: Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to bowl in the second of a three-game one-day series against Australia in Adelaide on Friday.

The hosts lead 1-0 after a tense two-wicket win in Melbourne on Monday.

Pakistan named an unchanged side with fast bowler Naseem Shah declared fit after leaving the field during the first match, apparently with cramp.

Australia made one change with veteran Josh Hazlewood returning in place of Sean Abbott to join his long-time pace partners Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.

Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short again open the batting in the absence of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head and will be keen to make their mark after falling cheaply in the opening match.

Teams

Australia: Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (capt), Kamran Ghulam, Agha Salman, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain


Galatasaray down Spurs to go top in Europa League

Updated 07 November 2024
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Galatasaray down Spurs to go top in Europa League

  • The Turkish champions have 10 points from four games and have all but secured qualification for at least the knock-out play-off round, while
  • Spurs sit in fifth place after losing their 100-percent record

PARIS: Victor Osimhen scored twice as Galatasaray inflicted a first Europa League defeat of the season on Tottenham to move top of the table with a 3-2 victory in Istanbul on Thursday.
The Turkish champions have 10 points from four games and have all but secured qualification for at least the knock-out play-off round, while Spurs sit in fifth place after losing their 100-percent record.
Galatasaray took an early lead when Yunus Akgun smashed a sensational long-range volley into the top corner in the sixth minute.
But the visitors hit back just 12 minutes later as teenage striker Will Lankshear marked just his second first-team appearance with a goal by tapping in Brennan Johnson’s pass across goal.
Galatasaray took control before half-time, though, as Osimhen scored twice in the space of eight minutes.
The Nigerian star fired them back in front just after the half-hour mark, before cleverly volleying Dries Mertens’ cross past Tottenham goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
Osimhen has now scored six goals in eight appearances for Galatasaray since joining on loan from Napoli.
The home side passed up several opportunities to put the game out of sight for their opponents, but Spurs’ hopes of a comeback were hit when Lankshear was sent off for two yellow-card offenses in quick succession in the second half.
Dominic Solanke pulled one back in the 69th minute, shortly after being brought on by Ange Postecoglou, but Galatasaray held on with relative comfort.
Eintracht Frankfurt are second in the standings, behind Galatasaray on goals scored, after Omar Marmoush’s 13th goal of the season clinched a 1-0 win against Slavia Prague.
The Egyptian clipped a superb free-kick in off the crossbar shortly after the break.
Athletic Bilbao are in third, separated from Eintracht also by goals scored, after coming from behind to grab a 2-1 success at Ludogorets.
Inaki Williams and Nico Serrano both scored in a two-minute burst from the Basque club.
Roma’s disappointing form this season continued as Kevin Mac Allister’s goal 13 minutes from time secured Union Saint-Gilloise their second point of the competition with a 1-1 draw in Belgium.


French minister criticizes PSG fans’ ‘Free Palestine’ banner; club to escape UEFA sanctions

Updated 07 November 2024
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French minister criticizes PSG fans’ ‘Free Palestine’ banner; club to escape UEFA sanctions

  • European soccer’s governing body UEFA said the club would not face sanctions
  • Retailleau, asked if he would seek sanctions against PSG, told Sud Radio: “I am not ruling out anything. I will demand explanations from PSG“

PARIS: French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau on Thursday criticized the unfurling of a giant “Free Palestine” banner at a Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) soccer match, saying it was “unacceptable.”
However, European soccer’s governing body UEFA said the club would not face sanctions.
Retailleau, asked if he would seek sanctions against PSG, told Sud Radio: “I am not ruling out anything. I will demand explanations from PSG.”
The French federation (FFF) president, Philippe Diallo, was summoned for a meeting at 0900 GMT at the interior ministry on Friday, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters, adding it had not yet confirmed its attendance.
The FFF has no power over European club competitions.
French TV channel BFM said PSG director general Victoriano Melero was also summoned. PSG did not respond to a request for comment.
Fans from PSG’s hard-line Auteuil Kop group displayed a huge “Free Palestine” banner before their Champions League game against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night, eight days before France play Israel in Paris in a Nations League game.
“In no way was this tifo (banner) intended to convey a message of hatred — quite the contrary,” the group, Collectif Ultras Paris, said in a statement.
“The message that accompanied it is explicit and is a call for peace between peoples,” the group said, adding that the banner was made outside the stadium.
Their action took place as Israel pressed on with a military offensive in Gaza that has killed about 43,400 Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023, according to Gaza health ministry figures.
The conflict broke out after Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people.
PSG said after the game they had not been made aware of any plans to display such a message.
“Paris St. Germain recall that the Parc des Princes is — and must remain — a place of communion around a common passion for soccer and firmly opposes any message of a political nature in its stadium,” the club said in a statement.
Minister Retailleau said: “Of course the club president is responsible. I want to know how this tarpaulin arrived, how it was deployed.”
A UEFA spokesperson said that PSG would not face disciplinary proceedings as it only bans political messages deemed insulting or provocative.
Last year, the Scottish club Celtic were fined 17,500 euros ($18,907) for fans’ waving Palestinian flags at a Champions League match.
Questions have been raised about security surrounding the France v Israel Nations League game next Thursday in a country that has the largest Jewish community in Europe as well as its biggest population of Muslims.


Krejcikova beats Gauff to earn last semifinal spot at WTA Finals. Swiatek eliminated despite win

Updated 08 November 2024
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Krejcikova beats Gauff to earn last semifinal spot at WTA Finals. Swiatek eliminated despite win

  • Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic beat American Coco Gauff 7-5, 6-4
  • Swiatek had kept her hopes alive by beating Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-0

RIYADH: Barbora Krejcikova grabbed the last semifinal spot at the WTA Finals with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Coco Gauff on Thursday, a result that eliminated second-ranked Iga Swiatek from the season-ending tournament.
Krejcikova completes a last-four lineup that already included top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, Zheng Qinwen and Gauff.
“Well, I was definitely super excited to be here, to come here, to qualify to play against the best ones,” Krejcikova said. “I don’t really know where everything started to come together. Before the tournament, I had a couple of days where we hit lightly and already during those hits, I felt quite good. And I think definitely for me, it’s a big thing that it’s the last tournament of the season.”


Krejcikova, the Wimbledon champion, won the Orange Group and will face Zheng in Friday’s semifinals, while Gauff will take on Purple Group winner Sabalenka.
Swiatek earlier routed alternate Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-0 in less than an hour, but she needed Krejcikova to lose to third-ranked Gauff in order to advance from the Orange Group. Krejcikova, Gauff and Swiatek all finished at 2-1, and Swiatek was eliminated because she has a worse percentage of sets won.
Kasatkina replaced American Jessica Pegula, who withdrew from the tournament on Wednesday because of a left knee injury.
“I’m professional enough to always give 100 percent no matter what the stakes are,” Swiatek said.