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.
Tunisia defeated Iraq 3-0 in the all-Arab clash at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup on Thursday to keep their second round hopes very much alive and leave the losers stunned and looking at early elimination.
Despite the scoreline, Iraq dominated much of the game against the clinical North Africans but two goals in two minutes early in the second half turned the game at La Plata in Argentina on its head.
ZOLDO ALTO, Italy: Geraint Thomas said he had a “decent day” on his 37th birthday on Thursday as he kept the Giro d’Italia’s leader’s pink jersey and withstood an attack by Primoz Roglic that shook off all the other leading contenders.
On the first of three brutal days in the Dolomites, local boy Filippo Zana edged French veteran Thibaut Pinot in an exhausted dash to the line to win the 18th stage of the race.
Down the mountain, Roglic, paced by teammate Sepp Kuss, went on the attack from the group of leading riders.
SAN SALVADOR: El Salvador’s Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered the arrest of five people allegedly responsible for the weekend stampede at the Cuscatlan stadium in the country’s capital that left 12 fans dead during the second leg of the quarter-final playoffs between Alianza FC and Club Deportivo.
DUBAI: Abu Dhabi Entertainment Company has signed a deal with PRO Events to launch e-gaming and e-sports events in Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain.
The Memorandum of Understanding also leverages both organizations’ talents and resources to help expand the regions’ sports, e-sports and leisure sectors, Emirates News Agency reported on Thursday.
Khalid Al Mutawa, Acting Chief Executive Officer of ADEC, and Rashed Abdulla, General Manager of PRO Events, signed the agreement.
BERLIN: The closest Bundesliga title race for years ends on the final day of the season on Saturday when Borussia Dortmund or Bayern Munich will be crowned champion.
Dortmund lead by two points and need to beat Mainz at home to be sure of ending Bayern’s 10-year reign, while Bayern will be hoping for a Dortmund slip-up as they visit Cologne at the same time.
Bayern’s goal difference is better than Dortmund’s so a draw won’t be enough for Dortmund if Bayern beat Cologne.
KOBE: Andres Iniesta, who won the World Cup with Spain in 2010, and four Champions League titles and nine La Liga championships with Barcelona, is leaving Japanese club Vissel Kobe.
Iniesta brushed back tears Thursday as he announced he was leaving and indicated he planned to keep playing, but did not say where.
Asked where he might play, he replied: “I don't know.”