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Alcaraz beats Cilic in straight sets to advance at Qatar Open

Alcaraz beats Cilic in straight sets to advance at Qatar Open
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after defeating Croatia's Marin Cilic during their men's singles match at the ATP Qatar Open tennis tournament in Doha on February 17, 2025.. (AFP)
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Updated 18 February 2025

Alcaraz beats Cilic in straight sets to advance at Qatar Open

Alcaraz beats Cilic in straight sets to advance at Qatar Open
  • Alcaraz will play either Zhang Zhizhen of China or Italy’s Luca Nardi next

DOHA, Qatar: Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz overcame Croatian veteran Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4 Monday to reach the round of 16 at the Qatar Open.
The 36-year-old Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion who has fallen to No. 192 in the rankings, was playing his first match of the season after recovering from a long-term knee injury. The Croatian led 4-3 and 0-40 on Alcaraz’s serve in the second set, but the Spanish four-time major winner managed to recover and then broke in the next game.
“I am just really happy that I stayed calm at that moment, breathing, going through my routines, making good points,” Alcaraz said. “That’s why I was able to win in two sets.”
Alcaraz will play either Zhang Zhizhen of China or Italy’s Luca Nardi next.
Earlier, seventh-seeded Grigor Dimitrov lost 6-4, 6-4 to Jiri Lehecka.
Also on Monday, eighth-seeded Jack Draper beat Alexei Popyrin 6-2, 7-6 (4) to set up a meeting with another Australian, Christopher O’Connell.
Several other top players will play their first matches on Tuesday.
Second-seeded Alex de Minaur will face Roman Safiullin. Novak Djokovic, who had to pull out of his Australian Open semifinal with a hamstring injury, will take on Matteo Berrettini.
Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Stefano Tsitsipas will also play on Tuesday.


Newcastle’s Livramento ruled out for eight weeks, says Howe

Newcastle’s Livramento ruled out for eight weeks, says Howe
Updated 8 sec ago

Newcastle’s Livramento ruled out for eight weeks, says Howe

Newcastle’s Livramento ruled out for eight weeks, says Howe
  • Livramento was taken off on a stretcher after landing awkwardly in an aerial duel in the 2-1 loss on Sunday but Howe said the 22-year-old’s diagnosis brought relief rather than despair
LONDON: Newcastle United full back Tino Livramento will be sidelined for eight weeks after injuring knee ligaments against Arsenal last weekend but the experienced Kieran Trippier will be an able deputy in his absence, manager Eddie Howe said on Friday.
Livramento was taken off on a stretcher after landing awkwardly in an aerial duel in the 2-1 loss on Sunday but Howe said the 22-year-old’s diagnosis brought relief rather than despair as his return timeline was better than expected.
“He went to see a specialist a couple of days ago as the scan initially looked better than we thought it was,” Howe told reporters ahead of Sunday’s home game against Nottingham Forest.
“He has confirmed it is looking like an eight-week injury, which is a blow given our schedule, but it is looking better than what we initially feared,” Howe added.
INJURY BLOW AMID HECTIC SCHEDULE
Howe said Newcastle would turn to 35-year-old Trippier to fill in for the England international amid a busy schedule with the club involved in three competitions.
“That is the beauty of the squad and the strength of the squad we have, which will make a difference for us. We have real depth in the strength of the defensive areas,” Howe added.
“Losing Tino is a big blow for us with his athleticism and quality, but I have spoken many times about the role Kieran plays and his experience and quality he brings to the squad.”
Meanwhile, Sky Sports reported tat the club’s new striker Yoane Wissa, who was sidelined for four weeks after suffering a knee injury on international duty with DR Congo last month, will likely return only in November.
Newcastle have work to do in the Premier League, where they are 15th with one victory in six games.
“We’ve got a few clicks to go but I will always be saying that regardless of how well we are playing,” Howe said.
“We are finding our rhythm, we are a new team and any change takes time to absorb but I am confident we can continue to get better.”
HOWE 100 percent COMMITTED TO NEWCASTLE
Howe also shot down reports linking him to the Manchester United job with their coach Ruben Amorim under pressure.
“My commitment is that I am all in. I am 100 percent here and always have been,” he said.
“My family are still here and we are fighting every day to make a success of what we are doing. The season ahead could be a wonderful thing and that is what I want to focus on.”
Another manager facing fan fury is Forest’s Ange Postecoglou, with Sunday’s opponents yet to win since the Australian took charge at the City Ground last month, and Howe said that was the ‘fragility’ of the job.
“No amount of success previously can take you out of that firing line,” Howe said.
“We are all subjected to the same forces and dictated to by results. In any moment, good or bad, you have to be yourself and that is what Ange is.”

Knicks’ Josh Hart ejected, injured in Abu Dhabi opener

Knicks’ Josh Hart ejected, injured in Abu Dhabi opener
Updated 03 October 2025

Knicks’ Josh Hart ejected, injured in Abu Dhabi opener

Knicks’ Josh Hart ejected, injured in Abu Dhabi opener
  • Hart, who is wearing a split on his right ring finger following surgery, came down with a rebound and landed awkwardly trying to avoid a tie-up with 76ers

Josh Hart was injured and ejected on the same play in the Knicks’ exhibition win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Hart, who is wearing a split on his right ring finger following surgery, came down with a rebound and landed awkwardly trying to avoid a tie-up with 76ers forward Kennedy Chandler and went to the ground in pain in front of the 76ers bench.
After grabbing his third rebound of the game in seven minutes of court time, Hart went to the floor and fired the ball across the court and into the stands, prompting referees to eject him from the game.
“I didn’t see him go down,” new Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “I saw him down and he looked like he was in considerable pain when he was down. He’s day-to- day. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”
The Knicks won the game 99-84. The teams will play again Saturday (11 a.m. ET).
Brown said the Knicks will list Hart’s injury as “lower back soreness.”
The Knicks reiterated the injury is not considered serious.


Jude Bellingham left out of England squad by coach Tuchel. Phil Foden also missing

Jude Bellingham left out of England squad by coach Tuchel. Phil Foden also missing
Updated 03 October 2025

Jude Bellingham left out of England squad by coach Tuchel. Phil Foden also missing

Jude Bellingham left out of England squad by coach Tuchel. Phil Foden also missing
  • Jude Bellingham has been left out of England’s squad for upcoming games against Wales and Latvia just two days after being named as the national team’s player of the year
  • he Real Madrid midfielder has recently returned after around two months out following shoulder surgery

LONDON: Jude Bellingham was left out of England’s squad on Friday for upcoming games against Wales and Latvia, two days after being named as the national team’s player of the year.
The Real Madrid midfielder has recently returned after around two months out following shoulder surgery, featuring in the Spanish champion’s last four games in all competitions.
However, Bellingham wasn’t included in a 24-man squad selected by head coach Thomas Tuchel that also saw fellow attacking midfielder Phil Foden, who has rediscovered his form at Manchester City, left out.
Bellingham, one of the most high-profile players in world soccer, is the big omission, though. On Wednesday, he was named England Player of the Year for the 2024-25 campaign after coming up with some big moments during the run to the European Championship final last year — notably a late equalizer with an overhead kick against Slovakia in the last 16.
In August, Tuchel said he apologized to Bellingham for saying the midfielder’s behavior “can be a bit repulsive.”
Tuchel said there was “no message, no hidden agenda” behind his comment, which was made in a radio interview the day after a 3-1 loss to Senegal in a friendly in June.
England plays Wales in a friendly on Thursday and a World Cup qualifier in Latvia five days later


World champion Marquez crashes twice in Indonesia MotoGP practice

World champion Marquez crashes twice in Indonesia MotoGP practice
Updated 03 October 2025

World champion Marquez crashes twice in Indonesia MotoGP practice

World champion Marquez crashes twice in Indonesia MotoGP practice
  • Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez fell twice on Friday in a crash-filled practice for the Indonesia MotoGP as Marco Bezzecchi clocked a blistering fastest time

LOMBOK: Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez fell twice on Friday in a crash-filled practice for the Indonesia MotoGP as Marco Bezzecchi clocked a blistering fastest time.
Spanish great Marquez took a spill early on in the afternoon session, sliding off the track, before returning only to suffer a heavier crash after a wobble threw him off his Ducati.
The 32-year-old was able to recover but could only set the 11th-fastest time, leaving him out of the top 10 and dropping into the first round of qualifying on Saturday for the first time this season.
It was instead Aprilia’s Bezzecchi who set the standard in humid conditions at the Mandalika track on the resort island of Lombok.
The Italian, fourth in the overall standings, recorded a best time of 1min 29.24sec, 0.408sec ahead of Ducati’s Fermin Aldeguer and 0.424sec faster than KTM’s Pedro Acosta.
Marquez will be joined in Q1 by two-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia, third in the championship standings, who struggled to a 17th-fastest time.
Marquez, who has already set a single-season points record for a MotoGP rider, can still reach the second qualifying round if he finishes fastest or second-fastest in the first qualifying session.
His brother Alex, second in the overall standings, also went down in a painful crash but his bike bore the brunt of the damage. He sneaked into Q2 on Saturday with the 10th-fastest time.
A dramatic practice session also saw Johann Zarco and Enea Bastianini crash.
Honda’s Luca Marini topped the morning practice session, with Marc Marquez fifth.
The top 10 fastest riders in practice book their tickets for Saturday’s second qualifying session, which shapes the first four rows of the grid.
This group is then joined by the two fastest riders from the first qualifying session.
Qualifying determines the grid for both the sprint race on Saturday and the main event GP on Sunday afternoon, with a maximum 37 points available.


Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson ruled out until after international break

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson ruled out until after international break
Updated 03 October 2025

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson ruled out until after international break

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson ruled out until after international break
  • Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has been ruled out until after this month’s international break after injuring his hamstring in the Champions League defeat at Galatasaray

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has been ruled out until after this month’s international break after injuring his hamstring in the Champions League defeat at Galatasaray.
The Brazil international was replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 56th minute of the game in Istanbul — Liverpool’s second straight defeat after they started the season with seven successive wins in all competitions.
Manager Arne Slot confirmed on Friday his number one goalkeeper would not be fit to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this weekend.
“Alisson is not a part of the squad tomorrow and he’s not going to travel to Brazil as well for the national team,” he said.
Slot said it was difficult to put a timescale on when the goalkeeper, 33, would return.
“I would be surprised if he would be there in the first game after the international break, but from there on sometimes things can go a bit faster or a bit slower,” he added.
“It’s difficult to say the amount of days and weeks, but for the upcoming games he will not be part of us or the Brazil team.”
Slot said forward Hugo Ekitike, who also came off with an injury in the second half in Turkiye, would train on Friday and would be assessed.
Liverpool remain top of the Premier League despite last week’s 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace — two points clear of second-placed Arsenal.