‘Class of 1992 will never be replicated,’ says Ronnie O’Sullivan ahead of Saudi Masters opener

Ronnie O’Sullivan opens his Saudi Arabia Masters account against Ben Woollaston on Tuesday and spoke to SportsBoom.com ahead of the match about the trio’s longevity in the game. (AFP/File Photo)
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Updated 02 September 2024
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‘Class of 1992 will never be replicated,’ says Ronnie O’Sullivan ahead of Saudi Masters opener

  • ‘The Rocket’ opens his account in Saudi Arabia against Ben Woollaston on Tuesday

LONDON: Snooker icon Ronnie O’Sullivan has said it is unlikely the sport will again see the likes of the “Class of 1992,” the name given to the trio which includes himself, Mark Williams and John Higgins, once they eventually hang up their cues.

O’Sullivan opens his Saudi Arabia Masters account against Lei Peifan on Tuesday and spoke to SportsBoom.com ahead of the match about the trio’s longevity in the game.

“The Rocket,” Higgins and Williams, who have pocketed 14 world championships between them, have taken the sport to new heights during their three-decade-plus reign in the game and, despite fast approaching their 50s, the status quo remains in place as they fight it out for the £500,000 ($656,879) top prize at this week’s event in Riyadh.

O’Sullivan said: “I don’t think you will see three (players) have that sort of longevity again, certainly not in snooker anyway.

“I think we've pushed each other on in a way. One from Scotland, one from England, one from Wales, so there’s always been that rivalry there; there’s been a three-way rivalry going on.” 

O’Sullivan said he and his rivals looked up to the likes of Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and Jimmy White as inspiration for their ascent to the top of the game.

“I think obviously Stephen (Hendry) helped us as well because he was a really good yardstick. We grew up watching him, we came to tournaments and saw just how good he was and where we needed to get to,” he said.

“He was the man to beat. It took us a while and then he started declining. But we were already on that treadmill, that hard school of knocks if you like, where we were competing with guys like him, (Steve) Davis, John Parrott and Jimmy (White).

“We started getting in and amongst it when we were like 21 and from that age onwards, we’ve sort of kept that momentum and kept that professionalism and that hunger and desire to win.”

The seven-time world champion said Williams and Higgins were among the best to have ever played snooker and paid tribute to their ability to remain at a high standard for so long.

He said: “I played the best player ever in Hendry. I played Higgins and Williams. For me they’re the three best players I’ve ever played against. For me, I’ve never played against anyone who can play to their level consistently.

“Everyone has good matches or good seasons, but to do it over a 30-year period or even a 10-year period is not easy to do. They’re obviously in a league of their own.”

The top 16 in the world rankings, including O’Sullivan, Higgins and Williams, enter the Saudi event — which boasts a hefty prize pot of £2.3 million — in the last 32 on Tuesday. 

The Englishman has regularly reinvented himself during his illustrious career. His record-breaking CV is a roll call of the game’s biggest records, including most Triple Crown majors (23), most ranking titles (41), and most maximum 147 breaks (15). He is the only man to surpass 1,000 century breaks.

“Any one of us could be No. 1 still; there’s not a lot between us,” he said.

“I’m not surprised in many ways because I know how good those guys are; I grew up with them. You can’t just be good at potting or break building, you need more than that to survive; you need an all-round game.

“Even if things aren’t going great, we have this ability to stay in the game and keep relevant.”


Oscar Piastri outpaces teammate Lando Norris to grab Spanish Grand Prix pole

Updated 6 sec ago
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Oscar Piastri outpaces teammate Lando Norris to grab Spanish Grand Prix pole

BARCELONA: Oscar Piastri outpaced title rival and McLaren team-mate Lando Norris in the final minute of a gripping qualifying session on Saturday to clinch pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix.
The championship leader clocked a near flawless final lap of one minute and 11.546 seconds to beat Norris by 0.209 seconds as McLaren claimed a dominant one-two having also topped all three practice sessions.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari and Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes.
Charles Leclerc was seventh in the second Ferrari ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Racing Bulls’ impressive rookie Isack Hadjar and local hero two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.
It was Piastri’s fourth pole of the season and career as he seeks to extend his three-point lead ahead of Norris in the drivers’ championship.
“Nice work, very nicely done, everyone,” said the cool 24-year-old Australian on team radio. “That’s quite some turnaround from last year. Well done everyone. Let’s have some fun tomorrow!“
He added: “I’m very glad to be on pole here and now I just need a good start. It’s a long run to the first corner!“
Norris said: “Oscar has driven really well and he deserved it. But it is a great result for the team.”
Piastri’s two-second advantage is the biggest this season between pole and second place.
After an early fast lap from Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll in Q1, the big guns arrived in torrid heat with a track temperature of 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), and the air at 29, punishing conditions for tires on a high-degradation track.
The session was briefly stalled when Alpine’s Franco Colapinto stopped in the pitlane and, after a delay, forced others to undertake him leading to a frantic final two minutes.
Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull was eliminated in 20th and last place along with Colapinto, Williams’ Carlos Sainz — his worst qualifying result at his home event — in 18th, Esteban Ocon of Haas and Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg.
For Tsunoda, it was a major setback as he sought to solve Red Bull’s dilemma in searching for a partner to push Verstappen.
At the front, Piastri topped Verstappen and Norris.
In Q2, McLaren’s duo led the first runs ahead of Verstappen, Russell and a revived Hamilton before choosing not to take a second go as Hadjar shone, taking sixth and splitting the Ferraris.
Out went Alex Albon of Williams, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, Stroll and Oliver Bearman in his Haas.
The top 10 shootout began with Piastri lapping in 1:11.836 before Norris overhauled him by 0.017sec for provisional pole on the opening charge.
Russell was third ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen and Hamilton before a late Alonso lap lifted him to fifth amid roaring appreciation.
Cloud cover affected conditions for the second runs as both McLaren men fought for pole with the Australian prevailing.
It was McLaren’s first front row lockout in Spain since 1998.

Real Madrid most valuable soccer team for fourth straight year, say Forbes

Updated 1 min 32 sec ago
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Real Madrid most valuable soccer team for fourth straight year, say Forbes

  • Real became the first soccer club to bring in a billion dollars in a single year
  • England’s Manchester United are second in Forbes’ list with a $6.6 billion valuation

MADRID: LaLiga side Real Madrid topped the list of the most valuable soccer teams in the world for the fourth year in a row with a valuation of $6.6 billion, business magazine Forbes has said.

Real became the first soccer club to bring in a billion dollars in a single year after they posted a record $1.13 billion in revenue for the 2023-24 season, the magazine added in a report published on Friday.

The Spanish club, the second sports team in history to hit the 10-figure threshold after National Football League side Dallas Cowboys, are the first soccer team to register one billion euros in revenue in a single season, Deloitte had said earlier this year.

England’s Manchester United are second in Forbes’ list with a $6.6 billion valuation after generating $834 million in revenue in the 2023-24 season despite a forgettable Premier League campaign where they finished eighth.

Real’s LaLiga rivals Barcelona are third, valued at $5.65 billion, while Liverpool and Manchester City are fourth and fifth.

Forbes named six Premier League sides among the top 10 most valuable teams with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea making the list after Bayern Munich and Paris St. Germain.

“Together, the 30 most valuable soccer teams are worth more than $72 billion, or an average of $2.4 billion, up 5 percent from 2024’s record $2.26 billion,” Forbes said.


Ajax appoint Heitinga as new coach

Updated 25 min 53 sec ago
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Ajax appoint Heitinga as new coach

  • Former club manager Marcel Keizer will serve as Heitinga’s assistant
  • “John knows the club well,” Technical Director Alex Kroes told the club website

AMSTERDAM: Ajax Amsterdam have named John Heitinga as their new coach, with the former Netherlands defender signing a two-year deal, the Eredivisie club confirmed on Saturday.

Heitinga, who grew up in the club’s youth ranks and was part of Ajax’s senior squad for seven and a half seasons, was one of Arne Slot’s assistants at Liverpool in their Premier League-winning season.


Former club manager Marcel Keizer will serve as Heitinga’s assistant and has signed a contract of the same duration, Ajax added.

“John knows the club well,” Technical Director Alex Kroes told the club website.

“We are convinced that he, together with Marcel, will help improve our players and build on the progress made since last summer in terms of, for example, elite sporting culture and discipline.”

Heitinga replaces Italian Francesco Farioli, who resigned earlier this month after a year in charge.

Record 36-time champions Ajax finished the season second after blowing a nine-point lead as they were pipped to the league title by PSV Eindhoven on the final day.

Ajax last won the league in 2021-22.

“It’s good that it’s decided early on in the summer break that they will be in charge from the end of June. (We) can now continue working with John and the other parties involved on the squad composition for the coming season,” Kroes added.

Former Atletico Madrid and Everton defender Heitinga coached youth and reserve teams at Ajax after he retired from playing, following his return to Ajax, in 2016.

He was also briefly appointed as acting coach of Ajax in 2023 after the firing of Alfred Schreuder.

Heitinga, who won 87 caps for the Netherlands, was then David Moyes’s assistant at West Ham United before taking on the same role at Liverpool.

“I am incredibly excited to start,” Heitinga said.

“The last years in England have done me a lot of good. I’ve been able to develop further alongside David Moyes and Arne Slot, while also getting a behind-the-scenes look at two major clubs.

“I’m ready to continue as a head coach and I’m honored to be given that opportunity at Ajax.”


Benzema storms back to take acclaim as Aouar stars in Ittihad’s cup triumph

Updated 37 min 1 sec ago
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Benzema storms back to take acclaim as Aouar stars in Ittihad’s cup triumph

  • Praise for the 37-year-old former Ballon d’Or winner pours in from all corners after a brilliant national season for Saudi league and cup winners

DUBAI: Form is temporary, class is permanent.

After a difficult start to his Al-Ittihad career, Karim Benzema has stormed back to his best to crown a sensational season with a two goal-performance as the Yellows added the King Cup to their recent Saudi Pro League triumph.

Team-mate Houssem Aouar was nominated as the man of the match in the 3-1 win over Al-Qadsiah in Friday’s final at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.

As the celebrations continued the day after the final, football accounts and fans — many from France and former club Real Madrid — across social media have been united in their praise for the former Ballon d’Or winner, who on Wednesday was named 2024-25 player of the season by the Saudi Pro League.

On X, @433, which has a following of 5.8 million, commented: “AL ITTIHAD WIN THE SAUDI DOUBLE! What a season for Karim Benzema: Saudi Pro League. King’s Cup. Player of the Year.”

Meanwhile @theMadridZone, with 1.4 million followers, posted a photo of Benzema with the King Cup and Saudi Pro league trophies following the presentation after Friday’s final.

Just three days earlier, the same account had posted: “Congratulations to Karim Benzema for winning the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ittihad.  Champion wherever he goes.”

Al-Ittihad’s own English account on X had simply posted: “THE GOAT. Player of the Season @Benzema.”

The French star became the first player since Julio Tavares of Al-Faisaly to score twice in the final of Saudi Arabia’s premier cup competition with goals in the 34th minute and deep into stoppage time at the end of the match.

The first came from a clever chested effort from Steven Bergwijn’s cross from the right while the second was a simple tap-in from close inside the six-yard box to end Al-Qadsiah’s dreams of a late miracle.

Aouar scored Al-Ittihad’s second on 43 minutes while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang replied with Qadsiah’s solitary effort six minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half with a penalty as the Jeddah giants claimed their tenth title in the competition.

At the final whistle, a celebrating Benzema still found time to console former Real Madrid colleague and current Qadsiah captain Nacho with a warm hug.

Benzema had joined Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023 but his first season did not go to plan as the then reigning champions failed to retain the SPL title they had won for the first time in 14 years the previous campaign.

Injuries and lack of form, not to mention managerial changes at the club, led to frustration from supporters who questioned the wisdom of Benzene’s signing as Al-Hilal stormed another League title.

All that has been forgiven and forgotten as Benzema rolled back the years to score 21 SPL goals for Laurent Blanc’s team in 2024-25, behind in the top scorer’s chart to only Al-Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo with 25 and Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney with 23. The King Cup double was the icing on the cake for the 37-year-old Ittihad captain.

While Benzema has rightly been lauded by his club’s supporters and others across the region for his display, Algeria’s Aouar has been named player of the match by football platform Sofascore, which awards players scores out of 10 for their performances. Aouar was given 8.3 for his own starring role against Al-Qadsia, which saw him nod-in from close range after Qadsia goalkeeper Koen Casteels had saved brilliantly from Benzema’s header.

Ittihad goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic was second with a score of 8.0 while Benzema came third with 7.9.


Sinner singes Lehecka, Pegula prevails on overcast day at French Open

Updated 31 May 2025
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Sinner singes Lehecka, Pegula prevails on overcast day at French Open

  • Lehecka drew loud cheers when he finally got on the board but Sinner continued his Roland Garros masterclass
  • Russian 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva outclassed Kazakh Yulia Putintseva 6-3 6-1

PARIS: World number one Jannik Sinner pummelled Jiri Lehecka at the French Open to reach the fourth round while third seed Jessica Pegula took a longer route with a battling victory over 2019 runner-up Marketa Vondrousova on Saturday.

As grey skies enveloped Roland Garros after the temperature soared a day earlier, an unrelenting Sinner turned up the heat on Lehecka at Court Suzanne Lenglen to win the opening 11 games of their clash without any response.

Lehecka drew loud cheers when he finally got on the board but Sinner continued his Roland Garros masterclass and eased to a 6-0 6-1 6-2 victory and booked a clash with Andrey Rublev, who advanced after injured Frenchman Arthur Fils pulled out.

Vondrousova is also no stranger to injuries, her latest being a shoulder problem after her Wimbledon title defense ended in the first round last year, and the Czech looked to be finding her best form again on Parisian clay.

She won the opening set of her match on Court Philippe Chatrier but American Pegula proved too good when it mattered to close out a 3-6 6-4 6-2 win and will face the winner of the all-French clash between Elsa Jacquemot and Lois Boisson.

’LUCKY CHARM’
Russian 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva outclassed Kazakh Yulia Putintseva 6-3 6-1 at Court Suzanne Lenglen and the sixth seed attributed the comfortable win to a colorful drawing a young supporter left for her on her bench.

“Wherever that little girl is, I want to thank her, because it’s my lucky charm,” added sixth seed Andreeva, who became the youngest woman to complete 10 Roland Garros singles match wins since Swiss two-times runner-up Martina Hingis.

Spanish 10th seed Paula Badosa would have wished for a bit of luck to force a third set against a dominant Daria Kasatkina but instead crashed 6-1 7-5 to the Russian-born 17th seed who now represents Australia.

“I was ready for a difficult match,” said Kasatkina, who can expect another big test against Andreeva next.

“I knew if she got a chance, she would take it straight away. That’s what happened in the second set. This is where things got tight. But I’m really proud of myself and how I handled the situation.”

Three-time champion Novak Djokovic takes on qualifier Filip Misolic in the evening session seeking his 99th match victory at Roland Garros and equal his tally at the Australian Open, where he has 10 titles.