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'It's history': Zverev against shortening Grand Slam match format
Beijing: Hardly any professional tennis players support shortening men's Grand Slam matches, world number two Alexander Zverev said on Thursday, coming out strongly in favour of the "history" behind the format.
Some around the sport, including the chief executive of the organising body that runs the Australian Open, have suggested in recent weeks that the four majors may eventually explore cutting early-round matches to the best-of-three sets from the current best-of-five.
Proponents argue the change would help audiences, particularly younger ones, engage better with a sport that can run to several hours in a tightly contested five-set match. truewildgame.com
But Zverev shot down the idea at the China Open on Thursday, defending the format by saying: "It's history."
"It's the toughest thing to win in our sport because we play best-of-five sets," the reigning French Open and US Open champion said.
"It's physically one of the most extreme things that you can go through."
Zverev played two five-setters en route to his US Open win, ending his first and second rounds well past midnight.
"I don't know a single player who would like to play best-of-three sets," the 29-year-old German said.
"Maybe Novak (Djokovic) wants to play best-of-three because, of course, he's getting a bit older now," he joked.
"But I think if you would have asked him this 10 years ago or 15 years ago, for sure not."
Djokovic, 39, is a 24-time Grand Slam champion but a record 25th has eluded him so far.
Rare draw of lots takes Oman over Iraq to Gulf Cup semis
Doha, Qatar: A tiebreaker was required to determine the fate of Oman and Iraq, who finished level on points, goal difference and goals scored in the Gulf Cup 2026 group stage on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
As Saudi Arabia defeated Iraq 2-0 to secure top spot in Group A, Oman, which beat Kuwait 3-1, finished level with the Lions of Mesopotamia on four points.
As per the tournament regulations, a draw of lots was required to determine the semi-finalist. The draw took place at a hotel in Jeddah, with Oman emerging as the team to advance.
دقائق من الترقب ????
— الشرق الأوسط - رياضة (@aawsat_spt) September 29, 2026
«الشرق الأوسط» ترصد مشهد إجراء القرعة بين منتخبي #العراق و #عمان لمعرفة المتأهل منهما ... القرعة تبتسم لعمان وفرحة صاخبة في القاعة.#خليجي27 pic.twitter.com/fqprh56Hqj
The result brought Iraq's campaign to an end, despite their 3-2 victory over Kuwait in the previous group-stage match.
The hosts will now face the runners-up from Group B, while Oman will play against the group winners. The match between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, set to kick off tonight, September 30, 2026, will determine the Group B standings.
The semi-finals are scheduled for October 3, with the final set for October 6.
India thump Sri Lanka, will face Pakistan for Asian Games cricket gold
Nagoya, Japan: World champions India will face arch-rivals Pakistan for the Asian Games cricket men's gold medal after both won their semi-finals with ease on Thursday.
India hammered Sri Lanka by 124 runs after Pakistan beat Bangladesh by six wickets to set up a mouth-watering final on Saturday at the Korogi Athletic Park Stadium in Nagoya.
India posted an above par 169-7 on a sharply turning pitch after being asked to bat.
Sri Lanka lost two wickets without a run on the board and they crumbled to 45 all out in less than 10 overs of chaos that included three run-outs.
It was Sri Lanka's lowest total in a men's T20 international, far below the 77 they scored against South Africa in New York in 2024, their previous worst.
Sri Lanka opted to field and were given an early taste of the power of 15-year-old opening bat Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on his Asian Games debut.
The fearless teenager, who topped the IPL batting charts this year, smoked a whirlwind 38 off 21 balls with six fours and two enormous sixes before falling to a thick edge caught at backward point.
Ishan Kishan was India's mainstay with a crafted 80 not out, including five sixes.
When Sri Lanka batted, pace bowling great Jasprit Bumrah ripped out two wickets in his first over and from then on it was a question of how long Sri Lanka might last in their chase of 170.
They were 18-5 by the end of the fourth over, with spinner Axar Patel taking two wickets, and there was also a needless run out.
Nuwanidu Fernando decided he would not wait around for a slow death and smacked two sixes off Washington Sundar only to run himself out for 15 two balls later, Sri Lanka's only batsman to get more than 10.
Sri Lanka were 33-7 after five overs, in total disarray, and the end came rapidly with the last three wickets falling in three balls.
The first was yet another run out, then Abishek Sharma mopped up the last two off two balls.
Picture: Asian Cricket Council / X
Smashing Samad
Earlier Abdul Samad smashed an unbeaten 30 off 15 balls as Pakistan thumped Bangladesh by six wickets with nine balls to spare in a semi-final reduced to 13 overs by a wet outfield.
"To be honest, we don't really care about who will win and who will reach the final," said Pakistan batsman Saim Ayub, who scored 21 of his side's 112-4 after Bangladesh posted 111-7.
"All we care about is winning the final, no matter who we are playing against," he said of the prospect of facing India.
Under clear blue skies, Pakistan soon had Bangladesh reeling at 21-3 and then 45-4 in the sixth over.
Towhid Hridoy led a recovery with 42 off 25 balls with two fours and four sixes as Bangladesh reached 111-7.
Pakistan lost some early wickets but once Samad and Hasan Nawaz (27 not out) came together at 53-4 in the seventh over the result never looked in doubt.
The pair posted an unbroken stand of 59 in 32 balls as they raced to their target.
Samad put Pakistan in complete control in the 10th over, bowled by Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman.
Nawaz prodded a single off to third man off the first ball.
Samad then launched a towering six over long on and four fours off consecutive deliveries to leave Pakistan needing only 13 from 18 balls and they cantered home.
Bangladesh will play Sri Lanka for the bronze medal, also on Saturday.
Tearful Nishikori calls time on career with defeat at Japan Open
Tokyo: Japan's Kei Nishikori, Asia's most decorated men's tennis player, brought the curtain down on his pioneering career on Thursday, losing 6-4, 6-4 to Frances Tiafoe on home turf.
The 36-year-old announced his retirement in May, having notched a string of professional accolades but falling just short of the game's elite names due to persistent injury.
Fans packed Tokyo's Ariake Colosseum and showered the former world number four with cheers and applause as he fell to the second-seeded Tiafoe in the opening round of the Japan Open.
"Playing in Japan is always special," Nishikori told the crowd during an on-court ceremony after the match.
"I wish I could show a bit more and better performance. But I am happy that in my spirit I remained competitive until the end," he said with a boyish smile while fighting back tears.
"I am proud that I didn't give up and played until the end."
Nishikori became the first Japanese player to reach a Grand Slam final, losing the 2014 US Open to Croatia's Marin Cilic.
He was the first Japanese man to make the top 10 in the ATP world rankings and won 12 titles on tour, including two victories in Tokyo.
Nishikori also won bronze in the men's singles at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
He has been dogged by injuries for years and said this year that he was "barely hanging on" in terms of physical fitness.
He produced the best season of his career in 2014, winning four ATP titles and upsetting then world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the US Open on the way to defeat by Cilic.
At his last Grand Slam tournament in August, he was beaten by his much younger compatriot Rei Sakamoto, 20, in the third round of qualifying at the US Open.
Norway star Haaland sues airline over ponytail image
Oslo: Norwegian football superstar Erling Haaland is suing airline Norwegian Air Shuttle for unlawfully using his likeness, a lawsuit which the airline claims is incomprehensible and "regrettable", the two parties said Thursday.
"The case concerns Norwegian's unlawful use of Haaland's distinctive signs in its promotion of plane tickets during the football World Cup," Haaland's lawyer, Thomas Hagen, said in an email to AFP.
Haaland, who plays for Manchester City, inspired Norway to reach the World Cup quarter-finals this summer, in their first appearance in football's showpiece event since 1998, before losing 2-1 to England.
The exact subject of the dispute is not known, but newspaper Verdens Gang (VG) reported that Norwegian has removed a photo montage showing one of its planes sporting a ponytail, which until he recently cut his hair was characteristic of Haaland, from social media.
"We've never looked more Norwegian," the caption of the image read.
The airline confirmed it had received a writ "which we find hard to understand".
"Like almost all of Norway, we supported the national team this summer, through a few spontaneous posts inspired by trends on social media," spokeswoman Catharina Solli told AFP.
"It is regrettable that this support has been met with legal action, but we hope to have a reasonable dialogue so that we can continue, in the future as well, to support our common sport heroes," she added.
According to VG, a hearing at Oslo District Court is scheduled for October 9.