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MONTREAL: Four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka reached the semi-finals of the Canadian Open for the first time after beating Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-2 in the quarters on Tuesday, while Ben Shelton eliminated Alex de Minaur on the men’s side. It marks Osaka’s first WTA 1000 semi-final since Miami in 2022, as the Japanese former world number one needed just over an hour to secure victory over the 10th seeded Svitolina. Osaka capitalised on Svitolina’s unforced errors to break twice and move within a game of taking the first set. Despite dropping serve while Svitolina threatened to shift the…
RIYADH: Holders Al Hilal will be banned from the 2026-27 Saudi Super Cup if they qualify after withdrawing from this season’s four-team competition, the Saudi Arabia Football Federation’s (SAFF) Disciplinary and Ethics Committee said on Tuesday. The decision came after Al Hilal pulled out of the Super Cup, scheduled to be played from Aug 19-23 in Hong Kong, citing player fatigue following their Club World Cup campaign. They lost 2-1 to Fluminense in the quarter-finals on July 4. “Al Hilal refused to participate in the Saudi Super Cup for the 2025-2026 season after the official schedule for the competition was…
ISLAMABAD: For the first time, Pakistan will be represented by its senior squash players at the 12th edition of the World Games to be held in Chengdu, China, with Nasir Iqbal and Noor Zaman set to compete in the championship. The duo, led by head coach Fahim Gul, marks Pakistan’s inaugural participation in the squash event at these global championships. The Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) highlighted the significance of the World Games, describing it as a major international gathering of top athletes. “It is an honour to have Pakistan’s squash team participating in this mega event,” stated a PSF press…
WASHINGTON: Donald Trump on Tuesday established a task force that he will lead on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, a Democrat-run city that has frequently clashed with the Republican US president. The group will engage the federal government to “ensure the Games are safe, seamless and historically successful,” potentially offering Trump and his allies greater influence over the sporting event. Trump will serve as chairman and Vice President JD Vance will be vice-chair of the task force, which will encompass several other leaders in his administration. Other members include Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem…
PORT OF SPAIN: West Indies have recalled all-rounder Romario Shepherd for the three-match One-day International series against Pakistan with coach Darren Sammy hoping that positive results will strengthen their case for an automatic spot at next year’s ODI World Cup. The squad retained the core of players who secured recent home series victories over England and Bangladesh at the end of 2024, as well as the tour of the United Kingdom earlier this year. The West Indies are aiming for a fourth consecutive home ODI series win Shepherd returning to the side — led by Shai Hope — for the…
Aussie great Beth Mooney endured a tough match with the bat as Manchester Originals started poorly in the Hundred Beth Mooney, one of three Australian captains in the women’s Hundred, has endured a miserable launch to her reign at Manchester Originals, failing with the bat before overseeing a comprehensive six-wicket defeat. At the Originals’ Old Trafford base on Wednesday, the 31-year-old Perth Scorchers wicketkeeper-batter lost the toss against the Southern Brave – and things went quickly downhill after her side were put in to bat. Opening the batting as ever, Mooney, who’s taken over the captaincy from English international teammate…
Reece Topley and Craig Overton of Southern Brave celebrates their teams victory©ECB Images In a thrilling finish at The Hundred 2025, Reece Topley struck the winning runs as Southern Brave edged past Manchester Originals by one wicket in a dramatic contest. Match Analysis Reece Topley carved his first ball and the penultimate ball of the match for four to take Southern Brave to a dramatic and unexpected one-wicket win against Manchester Originals in The Hundred. Last man Topley walked out with three runs needed from two balls, after Craig Overton (18 off 8) and Tymal Mills (8 off 4) had…
SA TOUR OF AUSTRALIA, 2025 Thirteen innings into his T20I career, Rickelton has just one fifty to show © Getty When Ryan Rickelton imagined Australia, he probably thought of the MCG, kangaroos and Sydney Opera House. He probably didn’t think of Darwin. But that’s where he is on his first trip Down Under. He will also be in Cairns and Mackay for the three T20Is and as many ODIs South Africa will play across 14 days, starting with the first T20I in Darwin on Sunday. Shukri Conrad joked last month that he would have to “go to Google to find…
THE HUNDRED, 2025 Lauren Bell picked up 3/28 © Getty Southern Brave made a winning start to their Women’s Hundred campaign with a six-wicket win over Manchester Originals at Old Trafford. Lauren Bell, named Player of the Match, and Mady Villiers shared five wickets between them to restrict Originals to 95/8, before an unbeaten 42 from Laura Wolvaardt helped chase the target with 11 balls to spare. Opting to bowl first, Bell got Brave off to a good start by clean-bowling Kathryn Bryce off the third ball of the innings. Villiers struck in her first over, removing captain Beth Mooney…
BULAWAYO TEST Santner also led NZ in the first Test © BCCI New Zealand will be without regular Test captain Tom Latham for the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, after the left-handed opener failed to recover from a shoulder injury. Latham, who was also ruled out of the first Test, had been undergoing rehabilitation but was unable to clear a fitness test on the eve of the second match. Head coach Rob Walter confirmed the setback, calling it “hugely disappointing”. “He’s been working hard and had been tracking well towards the second Test, but unfortunately today he couldn’t pass…