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)
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Updated 08 March 2025
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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.


Portuguese goalkeeper Patricio joins Al-Ain for Club World Cup

Updated 47 min 51 sec ago
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Portuguese goalkeeper Patricio joins Al-Ain for Club World Cup

  • “Patricio will arrive to the UAE tomorrow evening to undergo medical tests,” Al-Ain said
  • Patricio played 108 matches for Portugal

ABU DHABI: Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio will join Al-Ain on a short-term contract for the Club World Cup, the team from the United Arab Emirates said on Saturday.

“Al-Ain has signed Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio to participate with the team in the 2025 Club World Cup,” the club said on X about the 37-year-old Portugal international who is joining them from Atalanta.

“Patricio will arrive to the United Arab Emirates tomorrow evening to undergo medical tests and join the first-team training,” Al-Ain added.


Patricio played 108 matches for Portugal, helping them win Euro 2016, and has had spells with Sporting Lisbon, Wolverhampton Wanderers and AS Roma.

Al-Ain, who won the AFC Champions League title in 2024, reached the final of the 2018 Club World Cup final in front of their home fans.

This year’s revamped 32-team tournament will take place in the United States in June and July.

Al Ain have been drawn in Group G with Juventus, Manchester City and Morocco’s Wydade.

FIFA opened an exceptional transfer window from June 1-10 to allow players to be signed for the tournament.


Green Falcons hold Alkhobar training session in preparation for World Cup qualifiers

Updated 31 May 2025
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Green Falcons hold Alkhobar training session in preparation for World Cup qualifiers

  • French coach Herve Renard supervised the team as they held a light recovery session
  • Team preparations resume tomorrow night with full training session

KHOBAR: The Saudi national football team held a training session on Saturday in Alkhobar, as they continue preparing for the decisive ninth and 10th rounds of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

French coach Herve Renard supervised the team as they held a light recovery session at the health facilities of the Green Falcons’ base camp, a media statement said.

Injured left back Muteb Al-Harbi continued his rehabilitation program under the medical staff’s supervision, while teammate Mohammed Bakr resumed physical training with the team’s fitness coach.

After the recovery session ended, Renard gave the players some free time, with the squad scheduled to return later this evening at their base.

The Green Falcons’ preparations resume tomorrow night with a full training session at 7 p.m. in Ettifaq Club Stadium.

The first 15 minutes of the session will be open to the media to offer a glimpse into the team’s readiness as the qualifiers draw near.

Saudi Arabia stands at third place in Group C with 10 points from eight matches. Japan tops the group on 20 points, while second-place Australia has 13 points.

The Green Falcons play against Bahrain on June 5 and Australia on June 10.


Oscar Piastri outpaces team-mate Lando Norris to grab Spanish Grand Prix pole

Updated 31 May 2025
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Oscar Piastri outpaces team-mate Lando Norris to grab Spanish Grand Prix pole

  • Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell

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 31 May 2025
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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 31 May 2025
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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.”