Gauff into fifth successive French Open quarter-final
PARIS: Coco Gauff reached a fifth successive French Open quarter-final on Monday as the world number two brushed Russian 20th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova aside 6-0, 7-5.
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Sabalenka: Finally Conquering Paris Clay Would Mean the World to Me
Hardcourt specialist and world number one Aryna Sabalenka was told for years that claycourts were not her surface but on Thursday after reaching her first Roland Garros final she said that winning the French Open would mean the world to her. Sabalenka battled past four-times champion Iga Swiatek in three sets to a place in the showpiece match on clay, Reuters reported. Her collection of three Grand Slam titles comprises back-to-back Australian Open crowns in 2023 and 2024 plus the US Open title last year. Both of those Grand Slam tournaments are played on hardcourts that suit the Belarusian's power game perfectly. "Well, it's going to mean everything to me and my team, because I have to say that almost like (my) whole life I've been told that it (clay surface) is not my thing and then I didn't have any confidence," she told a press conference. "In the past, I don't know how many years, we've been able to develop my game so much, so I feel really comfortable on this surface and actually enjoy playing on clay." Sabalenka, who had reached the last four in Paris only once before -- in 2023 -- powered through the third set and won 19 of the last 21 points to subdue her opponent 7-6(1) 4-6 6-0 and set up her biggest career final on clay. She will face world number two Coco Gauff, who eased past French wildcard Lois Boisson in straight sets. The American, a semi-finalist last year, also reached the final in 2022. "I have to say that for the clay I got better, much better physically," Sabalenka said. "I think it's really important on clay to be physically strong and ready to work for each point. "If I'll be able to get this trophy, it's just going to mean the world for us," she said.
Asharq Al-Awsat
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Ronaldo Scores his 137th Int'l Goal, Leads Portugal to Nations League Final
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Asharq Al-Awsat
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Swedish Court Convicts One Man of ISIS Membership, Acquits Three
A Swedish appeals court on Thursday found one man guilty of being a member of a terrorism organization for swearing loyalty to ISIS, upholding the verdict of a lower court, while the conviction of three others were overturned. Sweden's security services arrested the men last year and prosecutors later charged them with being members of a terrorism organization between September 2023 and March 2024. But the Svea Appeals Court said in a statement on Thursday it does not consider it proven that the three now acquitted acted on behalf of ISIS. "However, the person who swore an oath of allegiance to ISIS is also convicted in the Court of Appeal," it said. All four men had pleaded not guilty.
