RIYADH: Al-Nassr began their 2025-26 Saudi Pro League campaign with a 5-0 thrashing of Al-Taawoun on Friday, while Al-Hilal also kicked off their season comfortably with a 2-0 victory over Al-Riyadh.

Joao Felix scored a hat-trick on his league debut for visiting Al-Nassr after his summer move from Chelsea, the first of his goals coming after just seven minutes. Angelo pulled the ball into the area from the left and Portuguese star Felix fired a first-time shot from the left side of the penalty spot into the opposite corner.

Cristiano Ronaldo increased the lead from the spot in the 54th minute after a handball in the area. And just a minute later it was effectively game over when Kingsley Coman scored his first goal in Saudi Arabia, heading home from the edge of the area.

Midway through the second half, Felix grabbed his second with another fine strike from distance. He wasn’t done yet, though his third, Al-Nassr’s fifth, came from close range.

Earlier, Al-Nassr’s Riyadh rivals, and last season’s SPL runners-up, Al-Hilal also took three points from their opening game, at home. After impressing at the FIFA Club World Cup this summer under new coach Simone Inzaghi, it did not take them long, after an early claim for a goal from new signing Darwin Nunez was ruled out, to begin their campaign in spectacular style during a dominant first-half performance.

The opener came midway through the opening 45 when Salem Al-Dawsari found Moteb Al-Harbi on the left and the 25-year-old unleashed a rocket from just inside the area that left goalkeeper Milan Borjan with no chance.

Al-Dawsari assisted once again for the second, just before the break, and it was another beauty. Malcom, now wearing No. 10, cut inside from the right, exchanged a quick one-two with Saudi international Al-Dawsari on the edge of the box and then curled the ball into the bottom corner.

There would be no more goals for the 19-time champions but nor was there ever much indication that they would fail to take all three points come full time.

In the day’s other game, visiting Al-Khaleej comfortably defeated Al-Shabab 4-1. Champions Al-Ittihad begin the defense of their title on Saturday at Al-Okhdood.

NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic shook off a back problem early in the match to beat Cam Norrie on Friday night and at 38 become the oldest man to reach the fourth round of the US Open since Jimmy Connors was the same age in 1991.
Djokovic pulled away to win 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-3, helped by hitting 18 aces in what he said was his best serving performance of the tournament.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion seemed in jeopardy of matching his earliest exit in Flushing Meadows when he needed medical attention near the end of the first set. But he recovered to reach the last 16 of a major for the 69th time, matching Roger Federer for most ever, and will next face German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff.
The No. 7-seeded Djokovic wouldn’t reveal specifics of his injury in his interview on the court after the match.
“I’m good. I’m as young as ever and as strong as ever,” Djokovic said.
It was during a point at 5-3 in the first set that Djokovic raised his racket awkwardly to reach a volley and immediately showed signs that all was not well. He began trying to stretch his back between points and barely ran for one ball that Norrie hit toward a corner.
After that, Djokovic indicated to the chair umpire that he wanted a visit from a trainer, and soon was walking to the locker room for a medical timeout, clutching at his lower left back. Djokovic returned to the court soon and held serve to take the opening set.
At the changeover at 2-1 in the second set, Djokovic got a back massage while seated on the sideline and also was given pills by a doctor.
It’s the third time at a Grand Slam tournament this season that Djokovic has been hampered after getting hurt during a match. At the Australian Open in January, he tore a hamstring and was unable to continue after one set of his semifinal against Alexander Zverev.
At Wimbledon in July, Djokovic took an awkward fall in the last game of his quarterfinal victory, tweaking his groin muscle, and while he stayed in the bracket there, he was clearly compromised during a semifinal loss against eventual champion Jannik Sinner.
The US Open was Djokovic’s first tournament since then and he’s had some struggles in each of his first three matches.
“My team wants me to suffer on the court so I can get more minutes of match play,” he joked.