Swiatek beats Keys in straight sets in WTA Finals opener - ESPN
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — In a clash of Grand Slam winners, Iga Swiatek swept aside Madison Keys in straight sets on the opening day of the WTA Finals in Riyadh on Saturday.
Elena Rybakina Sport News
Five storylines to follow at the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh
RIYADH: The WTA Finals are back in Riyadh for a second straight year, with the top eight women of the tour ready to do battle one last time this season. Taking place at King Saud University Indoor Arena from November 1 to 8, the world’s best players are split into two groups of four. They will go through a round-robin stage, with the top two in each group advancing to Friday’s semifinals. Aryna Sabalenka is the top seed and headlines the Stephanie Graf Group alongside defending champion Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Jasmine Paolini, while second-seeded Iga Swiatek is in the Serena Williams Group with Madison Keys, Elena Rybakina and Amanda Anismova. Seven of the eight players spoke to the press on Friday, with Paolini forced to skip her media duties citing illness.
Bencic out of Hong Kong last eight as tennis injury list mounts
HONG KONG: Top seed Belinda Bencic pulled out of the Hong Kong Open quarter-finals on Friday as the Tokyo Olympic champion became the latest in a long line of players to suffer a late-season injury. The Asian “swing” on the WTA Tour has been particularly hard hit by injuries and pullouts in recent weeks, placing renewed scrutiny on the demanding tennis schedule. Bencic, who was ranked 421 in the world at the start of the season but has climbed to 11, was supposed to meet Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the last eight in Hong Kong. “So disappointed to have to withdraw today from my quarter-final match here in Hong Kong due to my thigh injury,” said the 28-year-old Swiss, who won gold at the Covid-delayed Olympics in 2021. “I’ve played a lot of tennis in the past few weeks and did everything I could to stay healthy, but it was not to be.” Bencic beat Linda Noskova last weekend to win the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo and cap a remarkable comeback, a year after returning to tennis from having a baby. Noskova reached the final in the Japanese capital after Elena Rybakina withdrew injured ahead of their semifinal. The tournament in Hong Kong was hit even before it began with the withdrawals of former world number one Naomi Osaka and the 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu. Both ended their seasons early through injury. Daria Kasatkina, who has won eight WTA titles, was also initially scheduled to compete in Hong Kong but she too brought the curtain down prematurely on her season. “The schedule is too much, mentally and emotionally I am at breaking point and sadly I am not alone,” the 28-year-old, who this year switched nationality from Russia to Australia, said in early October.
Canada's Victoria Mboko ousted from Pan Pacific Open in quarterfinals
Victoria Mboko's run at the Toray Pan Pacific Open came to an end Friday as she fell 6-3, 7-6(4) to Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals.
Rybakina books place in WTA Finals for third straight year
Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina secured the last qualifying spot for the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh after advancing to the Pan Pacific Open semi-finals in Tokyo on Friday.
Felix bags treble as unstoppable Al-Nassr extend lead at top of Saudi Pro League
RIYADH: A Joao Felix hat-trick on Saturday saw Al-Nassr extend their lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League after a comprehensive 5-1 win over Al-Fateh at Al-Awwal Park.
Morocco beat Argentina to clinch first Under-20 World Cup title
SANTIAGO, Chile: Striker Yassir Zabrini scored twice as Morocco clinched their first Under-20 World Cup title with a 2-0 win over Argentina on Sunday.
Manchester United stretch Liverpool losing streak to four games
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat for the first time in 11 years as Manchester United won 2-1 on Sunday to end their near decade-long wait for victory at Anfield.