Sabalenka blames lack of focus for Dubai exit
World number one Aryna Sabalenka blamed a lack of focus and motivation for her last-16 defeat at the Dubai Championships, where she fell 6-3 6-2 to world number 38 Clara Tauson.
Iga Swiatek Sport News
Bayern’s Kane says injury could keep him out against Frankfurt
PARIS: Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane said he was likely to miss Sunday’s Bundesliga game at home to Eintracht Frankfurt after he was replaced at half time in Bayern’s 3-2 aggregate Champions League victory over Celtic. Kane hit the bar in an otherwise quiet 45 minutes against the Scottish side. He later told reporters that he had suffered a calf problem. “We’ll have a scan tonight and then we’ll see.
De Minaur, Medvedev and Rublev advance to Qatar Open quarterfinals
DOHA: Four of the top-seeded players of the Qatar Open advanced on Wednesday to the quarterfinals of the tournament. Alex de Minaur, Andrey Rublev, Daniil Medvedev, and Jack Draper won their matches in straight sets. Top-seeded player Carlos Alcaraz can join them among the last eight later if he beats Italy’s Luca Nardi. Second-seeded De Minaur beat Botic van de Zandschulp by a double 6-4.
Sabalenka thrashed in Dubai as Paolini’s title defense ends
DUBAI: World number one Aryna Sabalenka slumped to a 6-3, 6-2 loss against Denmark’s Clara Tauson in the last 16 of the Dubai Championships on Wednesday, as Jasmine Paolini’s title defense came to a painful end. Sabalenka, who beat the 38th-ranked Tauson on her way to last month’s Australian Open final, suffered a second straight premature exit after losing in her opening match in Qatar a week ago. Tauson broke Sabalenka’s serve six times and the Dane will go on to play Czech youngster Linda Noskova, who knocked out fifth seed Jessica Pegula in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals. The 22-year-old Tauson beat Noskova in the first round of the Australian Open.
Witness Stand gears up for Saudi Cup’s $2m 1351 Turf Sprint
LONDON: Urloxhey Stables is set for its first international flat runner as Witness Stand prepares to line up in the $2 million 1351 Turf Sprint at the Saudi Cup on Saturday.
Real Madrid’s Bellingham banned for two matches after dissent
MADRID: Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham was hit with a two-match La Liga ban on Wednesday by the Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee after he was sent off for dissent. The England international was dismissed during the champions’ 1-1 draw at Osasuna on Saturday by referee Jose Munuera Montero. Bellingham, who insisted he had been expressing his frustration and not insulting the referee, will miss league matches against Girona and Real Betis on February 23 and March 2 respectively. The disciplinary committee said Madrid’s attempts to show that Bellingham had not insulted the official were “insufficient” to remove “the presumption of veracity of the referee’s report.” Bellingham had said his dismissal was due to a misunderstanding.
Who would WTA players choose to coach them from their closest rivals?
DUBAI: Last December, Novak Djokovic shocked the sports world by announcing he had hired his long-time rival and recently retired Andy Murray to be his coach.
Coco Gauff Knocked Out In Dubai By Compatriot McCartney Kessler
World No.3 Coco Gauff crashed out in the second round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai on Tuesday when she was beaten 6-4, 7-5 by fellow American McCartney Kessler. The world No.53, who beat Doha champion Amanda Anisimova in the first round, broke Gauff's serve three times and saved five of the six break points she faced. The only time she slipped up came when she tried to serve out the match for the first time at 5-4 in the second set.