Boisson ‘going for the dream' at French Open after injury nightmare
Boisson swept past world number six Mirra Andreeva in a thrilling two-set battle 7-6 (8/6), 6-3
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Asharq Al-Awsat
5 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi PIF Partners with FIFA for 2025 Club World Cup
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and world football association FIFA have announced PIF as an official partner of FIFA Club World Cup 2025, which will take place in the United States from June 14 to July 13. The partnership reflects the shared vision of FIFA and PIF to enable greater participation in sports by unlocking new opportunities, fostering innovation, and engaging fans around the world. With a focus on youth, the partnership will provide opportunities for young people, supporting FIFA in its efforts to engage and inspire at a grassroots level. The new FIFA Club World Cup 2025 marks a fresh chapter for professional club football on the global stage. It will feature 32 of the world's top football clubs, bringing together champions from all six FIFA confederations for a month-long tournament in 11 cities across the United States. Football is the most popular sport in Saudi Arabia and globally. The Saudi public will follow the tournament, where Al-Hilal Club participates as a representative of the Asian continent. 'We are delighted to welcome PIF as a partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™,' said FIFA chief business officer Romy Gai. 'Together, we look forward to delivering a historic tournament that inspires and unites fans from around the world.' 'The partners of the first-ever 32-team FIFA Club World Cup believe in our vision to make football truly global. Their support of the tournament will not only be integral to its success but will underpin investment in supporting the development of club football everywhere,' Gai said. PIF head of corporate brand Mohammed AlSayyad said: 'PIF is creating a legacy of transformative impact in sports including through its partnerships, delivering positive and lasting results at every level, from players and fans to host communities.' 'PIF is at the forefront of growing football around the world following our CONCACAF partnership announced last year and our continued investment in football. We are unlocking opportunities to drive the growth of the sport around the world,' AlSayyad said. Football plays a crucial role in the ongoing transformation of Saudi Arabia, and as host of the FIFA World Cup 2034, reinforces the country's ambition to grow the game globally, create new opportunities for all, and extend its benefits in Saudi Arabia and every part of the world for generations to come. The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will be played in 12 stadiums across 11 US host cities. The 63-match tournament will culminate with what promises to be a spectacular final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, just outside of New York City, on July 13, when the FIFA club world champion will be crowned.
Arab News
11 hours ago
- Arab News
Sabalenka downs Swiatek as Gauff ends Boisson's French Open run
PARIS: Aryna Sabalenka ended Iga Swiatek's French Open reign with a devastating third-set performance on Thursday to tee up a Roland Garros final against Coco Gauff after the American knocked out French hero Lois Boisson. The Belarusian snapped Swiatek's French Open winning streak at 26 matches with a 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 6-0 success to reach her first final in the clay-court Grand Slam. 'Iga is the toughest opponent, especially on the clay and at Roland Garros,' said Sabalenka after becoming the first player to defeat Swiatek in a deciding set at the French Open. 'I'm proud that I was able to get this win.' World number two Gauff ended the dream run of 361st-ranked wildcard Boisson with a 6-1, 6-2 victory in the second semifinal on Court Philippe Chatrier. Gauff and Sabalenka are level at 5-5 in their head-to-head record and have won one each of their two meetings at major tournaments. Sabalenka edged a topsy-turvy first set that featured eight breaks of serve in a tie-break, before Swiatek hit back to level the match. The finale turned out to be a complete anti-climax, as Swiatek made 12 unforced errors in the third set and won only six points. 'I'm glad that I found my serve. It was a bit easier with the serve,' added the 27-year-old Sabalenka. 'What can I say, 6-0 — it couldn't be much more perfect than that!' Sabalenka is targeting a fourth Grand Slam title and first not on hard courts, after winning last year's US Open and the Australian Open back-to-back in 2023 and 2024. Swiatek has still not reached a WTA final since lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen 12 months ago. She showed signs of a revival on the Paris clay where she has dominated since winning as a teenager in 2020, but her game deserted her in the deciding set as she slipped to only the third French Open defeat of her career. 'I love playing here, so for sure I'm happy that I was fortunate enough to play so many great tournaments here,' Swiatek said. Sabalenka has now won their last two meetings, and five of 13 in total. This was the first time the pair, the dominant players in women's tennis of the past few years, have gone head-to-head at a Grand Slam tournament since Swiatek's win in the 2022 US Open semifinals en route to the title. Sabalenka will be the favorite to lift the trophy when she takes on Gauff, to whom she lost in the 2023 US Open final. Swiatek, who was bidding to become the first woman to win four successive French Opens in over a century, will drop to seventh in the world rankings next week. Boisson had got the better of third seed Jessica Pegula and world number six Mirra Andreeva in the previous two rounds but the test provided by Gauff proved to be a step too far. The home crowd were silenced by a ruthless opening set from the second seed. Boisson briefly raised the French fans from their slumber by breaking back in the second set, only to immediately surrender it straight back. Gauff clinically finished the job after just 69 minutes on court to book her spot in a second French Open final. 'When you guys were chanting her name, I was thinking my name,' Gauff told the crowd in her on-court interview. 'Obviously there's still a lot of work to do, but for now I'll enjoy this one and then prepare for the final tomorrow.' The 21-year-old suffered an emotional defeat by Swiatek in the 2022 final, but will believe she can finally win the tournament in which she has made at least the quarter-finals in five straight editions. Boisson had been hoping to become only the second Frenchwoman to win the title in the Open era after Mary Pierce, but went out in a blaze of 33 unforced errors. 'Of course I'm really disappointed today, because obviously I wanted to go further than this semifinal, but I'm just going to take the time to digest this,' said the 22-year-old. She will climb into the world's top 70 next week and has added 690,000 euros ($789,536) to her previous career prize money of $148,009.
Arab News
11 hours ago
- Arab News
Yamal, Williams dazzle as Spain beat France in nine-goal thriller
STUTTGART, Germany: Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart on Thursday, to set up a Nations League final with Portugal. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport
