sport

Al-Ittihad are Saudi Arabian champions for the first time since 2009 after defeating Al-Fayha 3- 0 on Saturday in the penultimate round of fixtures in the Roshn Saudi League. Second-placed Al-Nassr came back to draw 1-1 at Ettifaq but it was not enough as Ittihad’s win ended an exciting title race. It is a well-deserved triumph for coach Nuno Santo and his players who saw off the challenge of Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr to lift a hard-fought and deserved prize.

JEDDAH: The Jeddah Superdome could not contain the pandemonium and excitement expressed by more than 13,000 WWE fans. The Night of Champions had fans hanging from the rafters and provided excitement from bell to bell. The evening showcased superstars such as AJ Styles, Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Trish Stratus, and others who kept fans out of their seats throughout. The premium live event showcased WWE’s commitment to its partnership with the General Entertainment Authority to provide sports entertainment. This was the ninth event of the partnership.

PARIS: Novak Djokovic admitted Saturday that when career-long rival Rafael Nadal retires next year “part of me will be leaving too.” Djokovic shares the all-time men’s record of 22 Grand Slam titles with Nadal but can break that tie by winning the French Open for a third time. Nadal, the 14-time champion in Paris, is sitting out Roland Garros with a hip injury. With his 37th birthday fast approaching, the Spaniard has admitted that 2024 will likely be his final year on tour.

LONDON: Erling Haaland became the first man to win both Premier League player and young player of the year awards in the same season on Saturday. The 22-year-old has taken just 35 appearances to set a new Premier League record of 36 goals in a single season to help Manchester City retain the title. “I am honored to have become the first player to win both awards in the same season — thank you to everyone who voted for me,” said Haaland in a City statement.

LONDON: Saudi businessman and senior executive Majed Al-Sorour was appointed president of sports platform Sports.com on Friday. A worldwide entrepreneur with a reputation for identifying performance potential in growth-focused businesses, Al-Sorour’s role will include investment strategy and execution as well as strategic communications and investor relations. He has a particular interest in the sports and technology industries, said a media statement issued on Friday.

JEDDAH: WWE fans in Jeddah were treated to a day of fun and excitement at the Champions Village ahead of the the Night of Champions event on Saturday. Saudi wrestling superfans got to enjoy an immersive WWE experience with games, activities, a ring entrance experience and a chance to see their favorite WWE superstars up close and personal, such as Cody Rhodes, Gunther, AJ Styles, Trish Stratus and Becky Lynch. Mustafa Ali was one of the crowd favorites, with fans chanting his name during his segment with Gunther to hype up their upcoming Intercontinental Title match.

PARIS: Aryna Sabalenka said Friday that “it’s OK if she hates me” as the Belarusian star braced to face Ukraine rival Marta Kostyuk in a highly-charged French Open showdown. World number two Sabalenka knows that Kostyuk, an outspoken critic of tennis authorities over their handling of players from Russia and their Belarusian allies in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine, will refuse to shake hands after their first round match at Roland Garros. “If she hates me, OK. I can’t do anything about that,” said 25-year-old Sabalenka.