Elena Rybakina hits 10 aces in Miami for 12th straight win

Elena Rybakin of Kazakhstan returns a shot to Martina Trevisan of Italy during the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on Tuesday in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AFP)
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Updated 29 March 2023
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Elena Rybakina hits 10 aces in Miami for 12th straight win

  • The 23-year-old, who represents Kazakhstan, improved to 20-4 in 2023, including a run to the Australian Open final in January
  • Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner all beat seeded opponents in straight sets

MIAMI GARDENS: Reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina extended her winning streak to 12 matches by delivering 10 aces — her fourth consecutive outing with at least that many — in a 6-3, 6-0 victory over 25th-seeded Martina Trevisan on Tuesday in the Miami Open quarterfinals.

Rybakina has 46 aces through four matches at the hard-court tournament in Florida and a WTA-leading 201 this season.

The 23-year-old, who represents Kazakhstan, improved to 20-4 in 2023, including a run to the Australian Open final in January and a title at Indian Wells, California, last week.

She is trying to become only the fifth player to win the women’s trophies at Indian Wells and Miami in the same season. Top-ranked Iga Swiatek did it a year ago; she withdrew from Miami this time because of a rib injury.

“Of course it would be amazing to achieve something like that,” the 10th-seeded Rybakina said about the prospect of completing what’s known as the Sunshine Double, “but it’s still far away.”

So far in Rybakina’s career, 13 of her 18 semifinal appearances have come on hard courts. She will face No. 3 Jessica Pegula or No. 27 Anastasia Potapova for a berth in the final.

Trevisan reached the French Open semifinals in 2022.

In fourth-round men’s action Tuesday, No. 2 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was beaten 7-6 (4), 6-4 by No. 14 Karen Khachanov, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner all beat seeded opponents in straight sets.

Alcaraz, who returned to No. 1 in the ATP rankings last week, got past Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-4 to set up a meeting against Fritz, the top-ranked American man and seeded ninth in Miami.

Fritz compiled twice as many winners, 22, as unforced errors, 11, and only dropped serve once during a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 7 Holger Rune. That put Fritz into his first quarterfinal in seven appearances in Miami — and his first matchup against Alcaraz, a 19-year-old from Spain who won the US Open in September for his first Grand Slam title.

“I’m really excited for it,” Fritz said. “I think that a lot of people are really excited for that, too.”

No. 10 Sinner eliminated No. 6 Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 and has yet to drop a set in the tournament.

Sinner’s next opponent will be unseeded Emil Ruusuvuori, a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 winner against No. 26 Botic van de Zandschulp.


Longines World’s Best James McDonald set for Saudi Cup International Jockeys’ Challenge

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Longines World’s Best James McDonald set for Saudi Cup International Jockeys’ Challenge

  • John Velazquez, Hollie Doyle, Christophe Soumillon and Rachel King among strong IJC field at King Abdulaziz Racecourse next month

RIYADH: Recently crowned Longines World’s Best Jockey James McDonald will line up at the 2025 International Jockeys’ Challenge at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Feb. 21, the day before he bids for Saudi Cup glory aboard Romantic Warrior. 

It is the first time the globetrotting New Zealander, who has ridden 106 Group 1 winners in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, the UK and Japan, will compete in Saudi Arabia.

McDonald has forged a much-lauded partnership with the record-breaking, three-time Hong Kong Cup winner Romantic Warrior. Following the IJC he will attempt to guide the world’s highest-earning racehorse to victory in the $20m Saudi Cup on Feb. 22.

An array of global stars headlines this year’s IJC, with seven male and seven female riders.

John Velazquez, who has well over 6,000 winners in the USA to his name, including six Classic victories, will make his debut after riding on Saudi Cup night last year.

Another global superstar making his IJC debut is Christophe Soumillon. The Belgian has taken a handful of rides at King Abdulaziz Racecourse over the years, with a single success back in 2004.

Top British rider Hollie Doyle, a dual Group 1 winner in the UK and Ireland last year, returns to ride in her second IJC after competing in 2021. She will be joined by four-time British Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy, who finished third in last year’s Group 3 Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap aboard Giavellotto before going on to guide the Marco Botti charge to success in last month’s Group 1 Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin.

Australia-based British rider Rachel King is no stranger to the big stage. A multiple Group 1-winning jockey in Australia, she also recently secured a Group 3 victory in Japan.

Maryline Eon will return to defend her IJC title, having claimed the prize last year when finishing seven points clear of Saudi Arabia-based rider Camilo Ospina. She will be joined by the winner of the inaugural IJC in 2020, Germany-based Sibylle Vogt, who will be competing in her third IJC.

The UAE-based Irish rider Tadhg O’Shea, whose biggest success to date came on 2024 Dubai World Cup champion Laurel River, will make his IJC debut.

McDonald’s New Zealand compatriot, Kelly Myers, is another riding in the IJC for the first time and will be joined by 22-year-old Canada-based Sofia Vives and Japan’s Manami Nagashina, also 22 years old. Both Vives and Nagashina come to the Kingdom on the back of outstanding seasons, where both celebrated their first Graded successes.

The IJC line up will be completed by two leading Saudi Arabia-based riders to be announced at a later date.

Riders will compete for points across the four IJC races, with the jockey that amasses the most points emerging victorious. In each race, 15 points will be awarded for first place, 10 for second, seven for third, four for fourth and the fifth placed rider will receive two points.

The first two IJC races will be run on the dirt track at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, while legs three and four will take place on the turf track. Each race is worth a total of $400,000.


Arabia Wolves and Mid East Falcons set for Baseball United Series in Dubai

Updated 30 min 41 sec ago
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Arabia Wolves and Mid East Falcons set for Baseball United Series in Dubai

  • The 3-game series will have the league’s 2 UAE-based franchises play in February at Baseball United Ballpark, part of the Sevens Sports and Entertainment Complex

DUBAI: Baseball United, the first professional league dedicated to the Middle East and South Asia, has announced its first event of 2025 which will have its two UAE franchises face-off next month.

The three-game UAE Series will feature the Dubai-based Arabia Wolves and Abu Dhabi’s Mid East Falcons. The games take place from Feb. 14 to 16 at Baseball United Ballpark, which forms part of The Sevens Sports and Entertainment Complex in Dubai.

The UAE Series will mark the first time Baseball United’s franchises take the field, as well as the first time a professional baseball club competes in the Middle East.

The two franchises have rosters made up of former Major League Baseball players, including former New York Yankees stars Robinson Cano and Didi Gregorius for the Wolves, and former San Francisco Giants standouts Pablo Sandoval and Alejandro De Aza for the Falcons.

The UAE Series will mark the third marquee event hosted by Baseball United in Dubai, following the successful Baseball United Dubai All-Star Showcase in November 2023, and the recent Baseball United Arab Classic in November 2024.

All UAE Series games will be hosted at Baseball United’s new ballpark — the first professional baseball field in the region.

“Thanks to the hard work of our team, and the inspired collaboration with partners, we closed out last year with several historic milestones,” said Kash Shaikh, chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Baseball United.

“We built the first ballpark in the history of the region, we hosted the largest national team tournament in the history of the region, and we launched our official merchandise program at retail and online.

“Next month, we are making history again. Our two UAE-based franchises — the first professional baseball franchises in the history of the Middle East — will take the field for the first time. I’m so excited for our fans in Dubai and around the world to finally see the Wolves and Falcons in action.”

Each team will feature five prospects from the region playing at professional level for the first time. The prospects were selected based on their performance at the Baseball United Arab Classic, as well as via Baseball United’s regional scouting program.

Baseball United’s franchises are made up of professional players from around the world.

The league’s inaugural draft was held in October 2023, with 70 percent of selected players originally drafted by Major League Baseball teams. This includes former MLB All-Stars Cano, Sandoval, Bartolo Colon, and Jair Jurrjens, and four-time Gold Glove Winner Andrelton Simmons.

In addition to the Wolves and Falcons, Baseball United has announced the Mumbai Cobras and the Karachi Monarchs as its two other founding franchises.

Baseball United was co-founded by Shaikh, John Miedreich, and MLB Hall of Famers Barry Larkin and Mariano Rivera in November of 2022.

Its ownership group now includes 20 MLB legends, including Hall of Famer, Adrian Beltre and stars Felix Hernandez, Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, Ronald Acuna Jr., Robinson Chirinos, and Cano.

Tickets are on sale on Platinumlist. Games will be broadcast across the Middle East and streamed for free on baseballunited.com.


Isak fires Newcastle into Premier League top four, Moyes misery

Updated 16 January 2025
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Isak fires Newcastle into Premier League top four, Moyes misery

  • The striker is just the fourth different player to score in eight successive Premier League appearances

LONDON: Alexander Isak fired Newcastle into the Premier League’s top four on Wednesday, scoring twice in a 3-0 cruise against Wolves as David Moyes endured a miserable return to the Everton dugout.
Red-hot Isak found the net for the eighth league match in a row as the Magpies leapfrogged faltering Chelsea into fourth spot in the table.
The Swedish international put the home side ahead in the 34th minute when his shot took a huge deflection off Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri, leaving Jose Sa wrong-footed.
The striker is just the fourth different player to score in eight successive Premier League appearances, after Jamie Vardy (twice for Leicester), Ruud van Nistelrooy (twice for Manchester United), and Daniel Sturridge (for Liverpool).
Isak doubled Newcastle’s lead shortly before the hour mark, controlling Bruno Guimaraes’ pass before firing home for his 15th league goal of the season and Anthony Gordon added a third.
Eddie Howe’s men, who have now won six straight league games, have recovered strongly from a lengthy poor spell to make a powerful case for a Champions League spot next season.
Taking advantage of the faltering form of Manchester City and Chelsea, they are just three points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest.
Moyes, in the first game of his second spell in charge of Everton, watched his toothless side lose 1-0 to Aston Villa at Goodison Park.
Ollie Watkins broke the deadlock in the 51st minute, slotting past England teammate Jordan Pickford after he was sent clear by Morgan Rogers.
Everton huffed and puffed but showed a lack of creativity — unsurprising for a team who have scored just 15 league goals in their 20 matches this season.
The result lifts Unai Emery’s Villa to seventh in the table but Everton remain in deep trouble, just one point above the relegation zone in 16th spot.
The Liverpool club’s new owners, the American-based Friedkin Group, sacked Sean Dyche last week and brought back 61-year-old Moyes, who enjoyed success during an 11-year stint at Goodison Park from 2002 to 2013.
But the Toffees, ever-present in the top flight since 1954, have battled relegation for the past three seasons and are once again in deep trouble.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester suffered their sixth straight league defeat, losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace to leave the Foxes second from bottom of the table.
Jean-Philippe Mateta put the visitors ahead early in the second half and Marc Guehi made the points safe with a late second.
Arsenal, winless in three matches in all competitions, are hosting injury-hit Tottenham in the late kick-off on Wednesday.


Police probe abuse of Havertz’s wife after Arsenal star’s woes

Updated 15 January 2025
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Police probe abuse of Havertz’s wife after Arsenal star’s woes

  • Havertz missed a penalty in Arsenal’s shootout defeat against Manchester United in the FA Cup
  • The Germany international’s wife, Sophia, reposted two abusive messages she had received on Instagramhavertz

LONDON: Police have launched an investigation into social media abuse aimed at Arsenal forward Kai Havertz’s wife after his latest poor performance.
Havertz missed a penalty in Arsenal’s shootout defeat against Manchester United in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.
Following Arsenal’s second successive loss, the Germany international’s wife, Sophia, reposted two abusive messages she had received on Instagram.
A police spokesman told Britain’s Press Association: “Officers have received a report of malicious communications toward a Hertfordshire resident on Sunday 12 January. Enquiries are under way.”
Speaking on Tuesday, on the eve of Arsenal’s Premier League match against Tottenham, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta flagged the “terrible consequences” of online abuse.
“It’s something that we really have to eradicate from the game, because it’s so cynical as well,” he said.
Havertz has scored 12 goals in 27 matches for Arsenal this season.
But his woeful finishing in the United game and the preceeding 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle in the League Cup semifinal first leg has reopened criticism of the German.
Havertz, who scored the Champions League final winner for Chelsea in 2021, has endured an erratic spell with Arsenal since moving across London in 2023.
But Arteta said there is no excuse for the abuse, saying: “We can accept it and say ‘that’s our job’, but there are certain limits and the line has to be drawn. It cannot happen. That’s it.”


Lyon dumped out of French cup by fifth-tier Bourgoin-Jallieu

Updated 15 January 2025
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Lyon dumped out of French cup by fifth-tier Bourgoin-Jallieu

  • The hometown hero was Mehdi Moujetzky

BOURGOIN-JALLIEU, France: Seven-time French champions Lyon were sent crashing out of the French Cup when they were beaten 4-2 on penalties by fifth-tier Bourgoin-Jallieu in their last-32 tie on Wednesday.
The hometown hero was Mehdi Moujetzky, who scored both goals for Bourgoin-Jallieu in normal time as the game ended 2-2.
He put his side ahead after 20 minutes and scored his second in the 69th to level the scores after Nemanja Matic and Georges Mikautadze appeared to have put Lyon, who are sixth in Ligue 1, en route for the last 16.
Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette and Corentin Tolisso both missed penalties in the shoot-out to send Bourgoin-Jallieu through.
There was another upset when Ligue 2 side Troyes beat Ligue 1’s Rennes 1-0.