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Karim Benzema leaves Madrid for €100m Saudi deal

Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema said farewell to Real Madrid in a small, private ceremony closed to fans and media on Tuesday following a trophy-laden 14-year stay with the La Liga club. The 35-year old French striker will leave as a free agent in the close season and is set to move to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad, signing a two-year deal estimated by media reports to be worth more than €100m. There were no tears in a ceremony that lasted less than 20 minutes and in which only players, family and close friends were allowed to attend. "I will never forget Real Madrid. It's impossible, it's the best club in history," Benzema told the small audience at Real's training facilities

Muchova, Sabalenka reach first French Open semifinals

PARIS: Aryna Sabalenka and Karolina Muchova are in the French Open semifinals for the first time.The second-seeded Sabalenka overpowered Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday to set up a semifinal against the unseeded Muchova. The Czech beat 2021 runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia 7-5, 6-2.Muchova and Sabalenka had never progressed beyond the third round in Paris.Svitolina was booed by some sections of the crowd because she snubbed the Australian Open champion after the final point, instead of shaking her hand at the net.Sabalenka walked up to the net, and leaned on the top of it with both hands, looking at Svitolina as she walked.

DGDA chief Jerry Inzerillo welcomes privatization of Diriyah Sports Club

RIYADH: Jerry Inzerillo, group CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, has commended the launch of the Sports Club Investment and Privatization Project by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the landmark project that has led to the transfer of ownership of the Diriyah Sports Club from the Ministry of Sport to the DGDA.