Griekspoor stuns top-seeded Zverev, avenges French Open heartbreak

 Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands plays a forehand against Alexander Zverev of Germany in their second round match during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 07, 2025 in Indian Wells, California.(AFP)
Short Url
Updated 08 March 2025
Follow

Griekspoor stuns top-seeded Zverev, avenges French Open heartbreak

  • It was a cherished win for Griekspoor, who had lost five straight matches — including four last year — to the German
  • American Marcos Giron joined Griekspoor in posting his first win over a top-five player, upsetting fourth seed Casper Ruud 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-2
  • Iga Swiatek, the women’s defending champion in this combined ATP and WTA 1000 event, eased through her opener 6-2, 6-0 against French veteran Caroline Garcia

INDIAN WELLS: Tallon Griekspoor stunned top-seeded Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4) in the second round at Indian Wells on Friday, avenging a devastating loss to the German at Roland Garros last year.

Zverev, the world No. 2 who is heading the field of the prestigious ATP Masters event with No. 1 Jannik Sinner serving a three-month drugs ban, is the first Indian Wells men’s top seed to lose his opening match since Andy Murray in 2017.

It was a cherished win for Griekspoor, who had lost five straight matches — including four last year — to the German.

That included a five-setter at the French Open in which Griekspoor was up a double break in the fifth in a defeat he called “absolute heartbreak.”

“It was such a mental thing. I played so many battles against him and had chances but they all went his way,” said Griekspoor, who claimed his first victory over a top-five player in his 19th attempt.

“I am incredibly proud of myself from this performance and to get it over the line,” the 28-year-old added.

Broken to trail 5-6 in the third set, Zverev saved five match points in a dramatic 12th game, finally converting his fifth break point of the game to force the tiebreaker.

But Griekspoor sealed it on his first chance in the decider.

The defeat in a tension-packed Stadium Court clash continued a lackluster run for Zverev since he fell to Sinner in the Australian Open final. Following that loss he has made early exits at Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Acapulco.

“I always struggle against him,” Zverev said of Griekspoor. “He played a good match. There’s no question about that. But I have to look at myself a little bit, and it’s nowhere near where I want to be.”

American Marcos Giron joined Griekspoor in posting his first win over a top-five player, upsetting fourth seed Casper Ruud 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-2.

Russian Daniil Medvedev, runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz the past two years, moved on with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over 71st-ranked Bu Yunchaokete of China.

Fifth-seeded Medvedev, bundled up against the cold desert night air with leggings under his shorts and long sleeves, dropped his serve to open the match.

But he broke back immediately and was never seriously threatened despite the wealth of long rallies.

“I’ll be surprised if he had more than five winners in the match,” Medvedev said. “I just knew that I have to put the ball in court and run.”

Iga Swiatek, the women’s defending champion in this combined ATP and WTA 1000 event, eased through her opener 6-2, 6-0 against French veteran Caroline Garcia.

“I’m happy that I was solid until the end, and I’m just happy that I adjusted to the conditions well,” said Swiatek, who played as the late afternoon temperture dropped and the breeze picked up.

“First matches are not easy, and didn’t know what to expect from Caro, but I’m happy that I could dominate from the beginning.”

Swiatek converted six of her nine break points and was broken only once in the 61-minute victory.

Fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula also powered through, beating Poland’s Magda Linette 6-4, 6-2.

“Honestly, I think it was just handling the conditions,” Pegula said. “I felt like I was able to handle the side with the wind pretty well and really take advantage of using that for my serve ... and then just being a little gritty and digging out some tough points on the side that was against the wind.”

Mirra Andreeva, the 17-year-old Russian, who became the youngest ever WTA 1000 champion in Dubai last month, battled back from 0-4 down in the second set to beat France’s 70th-ranked Varvara Gracheva 7-5, 6-4 in another windblown, error-laden late match.

Andreeva, seeded ninth, booked a third-round meeting with Denmark’s Clara Tauson, the woman she beat in the Dubai final.

Tauson advanced with a 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 victory over Colombian Camila Osorio, who had ousted four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the first round.


Alcaraz saves three match points to beat Sinner to French Open title in final for the ages

Updated 42 min 33 sec ago
Follow

Alcaraz saves three match points to beat Sinner to French Open title in final for the ages

  • Alcaraz pulled off his first ever comeback from two sets down to stun Sinner in the longest Roland Garros final in history

PARIS: Carlos Alcaraz saved three championship points as he produced an astonishing fightback from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in a French Open final for the ages on Sunday.
Reigning champion Alcaraz rallied from the brink of defeat to overcome world number one Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/2) to clinch his fifth Grand Slam title after five hours and 29 minutes.
The 22-year-old Spaniard is now unbeaten in five Grand Slam finals after snapping Sinner’s 20-match winning run at the majors.
Alcaraz pulled off his first ever comeback from two sets down to stun Sinner in the longest Roland Garros final in history. It easily eclipsed the 1982 final in Paris when Mats Wilander triumphed in four sets over Guillermo Vilas in 4hr 42min.
Alcaraz becomes the third youngest man to win five Grand Slams — after Bjorn Borg and compatriot Rafael Nadal — following an incredible duel between the two stars of a new generation.
Sinner fell agonizingly short of a third successive Grand Slam crown after last year’s US Open title and back-to-back Australian Open triumphs.
He suffered his fifth straight loss to Alcaraz in what was their first meeting in a Grand Slam final — and the first championship match at a major between two men born in the 2000s.
Alcaraz leads 8-5 overall having also beaten Sinner to win in Rome, where the Italian returned to competition in May after a three-month doping ban.
Alcaraz put the pressure on Sinner by carving out three break points to start Saturday’s final, but the Italian resisted and soon had a chance of his own.
He couldn’t take advantage and found himself having to fend off two more break points at 1-1, producing clutch serves to grind out another tough hold.
Alcaraz’s persistence paid off in the fifth game when he broke to nudge 3-2 ahead, only for the Spaniard to immediately hand the lead back.
The unshakeable Sinner threatened to break again at 4-3, with a brief lapse from Alcaraz eventually enabling Sinner to snatch the first set.
Sinner hit the accelerator to start the second set, surging 3-0 in front. After facing seven break points in the opener, he tightened up considerably on serve.
But Alcaraz brought up his first break point of the second set with Sinner serving for a two-set lead, duly pouncing on the opportunity to check his rival’s momentum.
With the swagger back in his step at a crucial juncture, Alcaraz sought to bring the crowd into the contest but Sinner remained unflustered in the tie-break.
The first five points went with serve before Sinner whipped a forehand down the line and Alcaraz then steered an attempted drop-shot wide.
A tame return into the net presented Sinner with four set points. Alcaraz saved two before Sinner unleashed a blistering cross-court forehand to move to within a set of the trophy.
It all looked to be going his way when he broke Alcaraz to begin the third set, but the Spaniard refused to surrender his title quietly and rattled off four games on the bounce to lead 4-1.
Alcaraz lost serve at 5-3 but promptly broke to love to force a fourth set, lapping up the roars of the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd.
That ended Sinner’s run of 31 consecutive sets won at Grand Slams.
Alcaraz saved a break point in the third game amid a series of holds as Sinner doubled down. The Italian appeared to be closing in on victory when he broke at 3-3 as the finish line neared.
But Alcaraz had other ideas as he staved off three championship points at 3-5 and then broke Sinner when he tried to seal the title on his serve.
Successive aces spurred a reinvigorated Alcaraz on in the tie-break and into a decisive fifth set.
A despairing Sinner lost his serve right away and his gloom deepened as Alcaraz saved two break points to pull 3-1 ahead, but incredibly there was another twist.
Alcaraz this time faltered with the title within his grasp as Sinner broke at 3-5 to spark a three-game burst that left the Spaniard needing to hold serve to prolong the final.
He kept his nerve to set up a 10-point tie-break, which Alcaraz ran away with as the outrageous shotmaking continued until the very end when he took his first championship point with a sizzling forehand down the line.


England complete series win over West Indies with a game to spare after chasing down a target of 197

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

England complete series win over West Indies with a game to spare after chasing down a target of 197

  • Former captain Jos Buttler led the way with 47 and current skipper Harry Brook made 34

BRISTOL: England completed a series win over the West Indies with a game to spare after chasing down a target of 197 in the second T20 international in Bristol on Sunday.

Former captain Jos Buttler led the way with 47 and current skipper Harry Brook made 34 as the hosts reached 112-2 inside 13 overs.

But the duo were dismissed in consecutive overs, with England still needing 85 more runs to win. But that was the cue for two of the newer team members to lay down a marker.

Jacob Bethell’s rapid 26 off 10 balls, including three sixes, and Tom Banton’s 30 not out helped complete a four-wicket win with nine balls remaining as England went 2-0 up ahead of Tuesday’s series finale in Southampton.

West Indies were struggling at 121-4 off 16 overs before adding 75 runs in the final four overs of their innings.

Luke Wood gave England the ideal start when his swinging yorker had Evin Lewis lbw with the first ball of the match, but West Indies captain Shai Hope (49) and Johnson Charles (47) repaired some of the early damage in a stand of 90.

Rovman Powell added late impetus with 34 off 15 balls and former captain Jason Holder struck 29 off nine.

Adil Rashid bowled the penultimate over as England again only selected two seamers, but the veteran leg-spinner conceded 31 runs and finished with figures of 1-59 — his most-expensive T20 return.

Separately, Beau Webster is hoping to make an already memorable 2025 extra special by featuring for Australia in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s.

Webster only won the first of his three Test caps in January and was in the side when Australia played their most recent red-ball international, against Sri Lanka in February.

The 31-year-old all-rounder would relish the opportunity to play for the World Test champions on the hallowed turf at Lord’s.

“It’s pretty special. I’ve been here a couple of times to watch a few games throughout the years, but to be out in the middle, yeah, extra special,” he told reporters at Lord’s on Sunday.

“If I get the nod, I’m looking forward to Wednesday.”


Free entry for fans as Saudi Arabia face crucial World Cup qualifier against Australia

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

Free entry for fans as Saudi Arabia face crucial World Cup qualifier against Australia

  • The final match of the third round of Asia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers will be staged in Jeddah, with more than 60,000 supporters expected at the stadium

RIYADH: Fans will be granted free entry to Al-Inma Stadium on Tuesday as Saudi Arabia take on Australia in a must-win World Cup qualifier, the Saudi Football Federation announced on Sunday.

The final match of the third round of Asia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers will be staged in Jeddah, with more than 60,000 supporters expected at the stadium.

The federation’s decision to open the gates free of charge was confirmed via the national team’s fan council on social media platform X, citing “appreciation of the support from the nation’s fans.”

The Green Falcons face a daunting task, as only a win by five goals or more will secure direct qualification to the 2026 tournament.

Failure to meet that target will see Saudi Arabia move into the fourth qualifying round.

That stage features six teams split into two groups, with each group winner earning a direct World Cup berth.

The runners-up will meet in a two-legged playoff to determine Asia’s representative in the intercontinental playoff.


Pakistan to face off Myanmar in AFC Asian Cup qualifier on Tuesday

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan to face off Myanmar in AFC Asian Cup qualifier on Tuesday

  • The Pakistan team arrived in Yangon via private airline flight on Sunday
  • Pakistan are placed in Group E alongside Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Syria

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will face off Myanmar on Tuesday to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup tournament, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said on Sunday.

The Pakistan team arrived in Yangon via private airline flight on Sunday, according to the PFF. They will train in Yangon on Monday.

“The match between Pakistan and Myanmar will be held at Thuwana Stadium,” it said. “It will start at 3:30 PM according to Pakistani time.”

Pakistan have been training under the supervision of head coach Stephen Constantine in hopes of bouncing back from a 2-0 defeat to Syria in the campaign opener back in March.

Pakistan are placed in Group E alongside Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Syria.


Dubai remains a cornerstone in Carlsen’s journey, says father after Norway chess triumph

Magnus Carlsen lifted a record-extending seventh Norway Chess title. supplied
Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

Dubai remains a cornerstone in Carlsen’s journey, says father after Norway chess triumph

  • Carlsen’s deep ties with Dubai began in 2004, when he achieved his final grandmaster norm at the sixth Dubai Open at just 13 years old

STAVANGER: As Magnus Carlsen lifted a record-extending seventh Norway Chess title on Friday, his father Henrik Carlsen reflected on the enduring significance of a city that has long been woven into the fabric of his son’s chess journey — Dubai.

“Dubai has been part of Magnus’ chess journey for over 20 years now,” Henrik said after his son secured victory with a final-round win over India’s Arjun Erigaisi.

“He took his final GM norm there in 2004, won his first double crown in 2014, and played his last World Championship match during World Expo 2020. That kind of continuity is rare.”

Carlsen, 34, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in chess history, finished with 16 points — narrowly edging out American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana (15.5) and reigning world champion D Gukesh of India (14.5). The win meant the Norwegian star extended a remarkable run at the top of the sport that now spans over two decades.

“I used to say that everything after he became a GM was a bonus — and the bonuses just kept coming,” Henrik said. “He’s still winning tournaments, still competing at the highest level even as he’s preparing for a new chapter, becoming a father himself.”

Carlsen’s ties to Dubai began in 2004, when he achieved his final grandmaster norm at the sixth Dubai Open at just 13 years old. The performance made him the youngest GM in the world at the time and the second youngest in history behind Sergey Karjakin.

A decade later, he returned to Dubai to make history again, clinching both the World Rapid and World Blitz Championships in June 2014 — becoming the first player to simultaneously hold world titles in all three time controls.

In 2021, the city again played host to a milestone moment. At Expo 2020 Dubai, Carlsen defended his World Chess Championship title against Ian Nepomniachtchi, including a marathon Game 6 that lasted nearly eight hours and 136 moves — the longest match in World Championship history.

Dubai was also the stage for Carlsen’s appearance in the inaugural Global Chess League in 2023, where he reaffirmed his dominance and trademark confidence. “I’m still the best,” he declared, a statement made with calm assurance and underlined by his relaxed demeanor.

Despite an evolving look — in Stavanger this week, rather than sporting his trademark ponytail his tousled hair whipped in the breeze — Henrik said little has changed beneath the surface.

“He’s still the same cocky young man — and I mean that in the best way,” he said, referring to a famous moment of frustration when Carlsen slammed a table after his loss to Gukesh in Round 6. “In our family, arrogance isn’t a flaw if you’ve earned it — and Magnus certainly has.”

Henrik also dismissed recent speculation about a possible move to the UAE for his son.

“He’s spent a lot of time there lately, mostly playing golf, but there are no plans to move,” he said. “He knows all the golf courses there, but he’s staying in Norway.”

Nevertheless, Dubai’s imprint on Carlsen’s chess legacy is undeniable.

“Chennai was his first World Championship match, but Dubai remains his last [as of now]. And in between, so many important things happened there,” Henrik said. “For Magnus, it may well be the most special place in the world.”

Elsewhere at Norway Chess, GM Anna Muzychuk claimed the women’s title, finishing ahead of China’s GM Lei Tingjie and India’s Koneru Humpy.

The tournament also marked a breakthrough moment for 15-year-old Emirati prodigy Rouda Al-Serkal, the UAE’s first Woman Grandmaster and a former world youth champion, who wrapped up her debut in the open category with three consecutive wins.