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Qatar Olympic Committee President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani presents the trophy to the victorious Al Duhail team after the Red Knights defeated Al Arabi to clinch their fourth Amir Cup handball title on Thursday. At Al Duhail Indoor Hall, Al Duhail clinched the title with a thrilling 27-25 win, avenging last Sunday’s defeat against Al Arabi in the Qatar Cup final. The match was also attended by Badr Diab, Vice-President of the International Handball Federation and Ahmed al-Shaabi, President of the Qatar Handball Federation. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil

Novak Djokovic reached the French Open last 32 for the 19th successive year on Thursday. The defending champion cracked 43 winners past Spain’s 63rd-ranked Roberto Carballes Baena to canter to a 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 win. The three-time champion, seeking a record 25th Grand Slam title, goes on to face either Gael Monfils of France or Italian 30th seed Lorenzo Musetti. Djokovic holds a 19-0 winning record against Monfils and has defeated Musetti four times in five meetings.However, the Italian gave the Serb a major scare at the French Open in 2021 when he won the first two sets before having to retire injured in the decider. “It was a difficult match against Roberto. He hit a lot of very good and precise shots,” said Djokovic. “The last game of the first set I played really well and started to play at a higher level. At the end of the match I was then playing very well.”Also easing through to the third round on another rain-hit day in the French capital were women’s title contenders Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina.Fourth seed Alexander Zverev, who effectively ended Rafael Nadal’s French Open career in the first round, defeated Goffin 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-2. Zverev arrived in Paris on the back of winning the Rome Open title and is the only player to reach the semi-finals at the last three French Open tournaments.On Friday, a Berlin court will hear an appeal by Zverev against a fine for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He received a 450,000-euro ($487,000) fine in October but appealed the ruling earlier this year, leading to a full trial. The 27-year-old is not required to attend the proceedings and insisted on the eve of the tournament that he “believes in the German system”. On Thursday, he refused to further discuss the case. “I have said everything before the tournament,” he said.After only nine singles matches were played after a Wednesday washout, 55 second round ties were scheduled on Thursday. Amongst early winners were world number two Sabalenka who fired 27 winners past Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima to win 6-2, 6-2.The two-time Australian Open champion, a semi-finalist in Paris in 2023, has made at least the last four at her past six Grand Slams and is expected to be Iga Swiatek’s chief rival in the Pole’s quest for a fourth French Open title. Sabalenka will take on close friend Paula Badosa of Spain for a place in the last 16.“It’s not the best weather. I feel like going back to the hotel. Getting a blanket and hot tea, and Netflix,” said the Belarusian who had the benefit of playing under the roof of Court Philippe Chatrier.Fourth-seeded Rybakina, the only woman to defeat Swiatek on clay this year, was similarly untroubled. She eased past Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-4.Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova overcame American Katie Volynets 0-6, 6-1, 6-4 in one of those matches while 11th seed Danielle Collins fell to Serbian qualifier Olga Danilovic 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-4 after dealing with a neck issue.Former world number one Daniil Medvedev moved into the last 32 after his opponent Miomir Kecmanovic retired with injury while trailing the fifth seed 6-1, 5-0.Play will begin early today to ease pressure on the packed schedule. With spirits already dampened on a soggy day, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo banned the consumption of alcohol in the stands to control spectators after Belgian David Goffin had accused one fan of spitting gum at him two days ago.Holder Iga Swiatek had also urged supporters not to scream during rallies, especially in high-pressure contests, after the Pole beat Naomi Osaka on Wednesday. “First of all, we’re happy people are very enthusiastic about watching tennis and being part of the matches, showing feeling and emotions,” said Mauresmo. “But there are definitely steps which shouldn’t go further. A few things have needed to be put in place. Alcohol was allowed up until now in the stands but that’s over.”Security will be deployed to ensure fans follow rules and respect players while umpires have been asked to be stricter, with more measures likely if the situation does not improve.Second round Results Men: Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) 6-4, 6-1, 6-2; Tommy Paul (USA x14) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA) 6-1, 6-0, 6-2; Alexander Zverev (GER x4) bt David Goffin (BEL) 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-2; Tallon Griekspoor (NED x26) bt Luciano Darderi (ITA) 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-3; Alex De Minaur (AUS x11) bt Jaume Munar (ESP) 7-5, 6-1, 6-4; Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Alexander Bublik (KAZ x19) 6-2, 6-2, 6-3; Daniil Medvedev (RUS x5) bt Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 6-1, 5-0 - retired; Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) bt Alexandre Muller (FRA) 6-4, 6-1, 6-3; Zhang Zhizhen (CHN) bt Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 7-5, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4; Ben Shelton (USA x15) bt Kei Nishikori (JPN) 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 - retired; Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN x21) bt Henri Squire (GER) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2; Sebastian Korda (USA x27) bt Kwon Soon-woo (KOR) 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3; Hubert Hurkacz (POL x8) bt Brandon Nakashima (USA) 6-7 (2/7), 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5); Denis Shapovalov (CAN) bt Frances Tiafoe (USA x25) 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-2, 6-4; Zizou Bergs (BEL) bt Maximilian Marterer (GER) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3; Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x10) bt Fabian Marozsan (HUN) 6-0, 6-3, 6-4; Corentin Moutet (FRA) bt Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ) 6-4, 6-2, 0-6, 6-3; Sebastian Ofner (AUT) bt Sebastian Baez (ARG x20) 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (10/5)Women: Marie Bouzkova (CZE) bt Jana Fett (CRO) 6-2, 6-2; Anastasia Potapova (RUS) bt Viktorija Golubic (SUI) 6-2, 6-2; Wang Xinyu (CHN) bt Viktoriya Tomova (BUL) 7-5, 5-7, 6-1; Olga Danilovic (SRB) bt Danielle Collins (USA x11) 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-4; Donna Vekic (CRO) bt Marta Kostyuk (UKR x18) 7-5, 6-4; Chloe Paquet (FRA) bt Katerina Siniakova (CZE x32) 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (10/6); Marketa Vondrousova (CZE x5) bt Katie Volynets (USA) 0-6, 6-1, 6-4; Dayana Yastremska (UKR x30) bt Wang Yafan (CHN) 6-2, 6-0; Liudmila Samsonova (RUS x17) bt Amanda Anisimova (USA) 6-2, 6-1; Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) bt Cristina Bucsa (ESP) 6-1, 6-4; Clara Tauson (DEN) bt Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x9) 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-3; Leylah Fernandez (CAN x31) bt Wang Xiyu (CHN) 6-3, 6-4; Elina Avanesyan (RUS) bt Anna Blinkova (RUS) 6-3, 6-0; Elina Svitolina (UKR x15) bt Diane Parry (FRA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3); Elise Mertens (BEL x25) bt Petra Martic (CRO) 6-4, 6-3; Elena Rybakina (KAZ x4) bt Arantxa Rus (NED) 6-3, 6-4; Madison Keys (USA x14) bt Mayar Sherif (EGY) 6-0, 7-6 (9/7); Paula Badosa (ESP) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 4-6, 6-1, 7-5; Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x2) bt Moyuka Uchijima (JPN) 6-2, 6-2

Olympiakos became the first Greek club ever to win a European title after a 1-0 extra time defeat of Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday. Moroccan striker Ayoub El Kaabi scored the winning goal in the 116th minute that allowed Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side to make history in the home of local rivals AEK Athens.Prior to Olympiakos’ success, Panathinaikos were the only club from Greece to make a European final when they lost to a Johan Cruyff-inspired Ajax in the 1971 European Cup decider. “I’m really happy. The team has made history. Mendilibar has made us a strong team. He told us we have to play as a family,” said midfielder Santiago Hezze.Mendilibar, 63, became the Greek side’s third manager of the season when he took over the reins in February and he now has back-to-back European trophies after winning the Europa League with Sevilla last year. Both sides started with great intensity as Daniel Podence forced a fine save from Fiorentina goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano, before Andrea Belotti missed his kick when presented with a good opportunity at the other end.Fiorentina briefly thought they had taken the lead after nine minutes but Nikola Milenkovic was immediately flagged for offside when he turned home a cross past Olympiakos’ Konstantinos Tzolakis. Greek goalie Tzolakis made a fine save at the feet of Giacomo Bonaventura soon after and Nicolas Gonzalez later completely mistimed his volley when well positioned as Fiorentina had the better of the first-half chances.Sights on goal dried up in the second half, though Tzolakis did come to Olympiakos’ rescue again on 69 minutes when he adjusted well to leap backwards and palm away Christian Kouame’s scuffed, bouncing effort. Olympiakos veteran Vicente Iborra nearly broke the deadlock with a header from a free-kick that flew just wide of the Fiorentina goal in the last 10 minutes.But this was the last big chance of regulation time as the match ebbed its way inevitably to extra time. Olympiakos appealed vainly for a penalty four minutes into extra time, but the defender’s arm was adjudged to be in a natural position when Stevan Jovetic’s cross struck it just inside the box.Ex-Fiorentina icon Jovetic, introduced from the Olympiakos bench, forced a good save from Terracciano with a curling 20-yard strike one minute later as the match seemed to spark back to life. However, the game then tightened up again as neither team appeared to want to take a risk that might cost them the tie.Penalties seemed certain until the 116th minute when El Kaabi stooped to head home Hezze’s cross for his 16th goal in European competition this season. The roar that greeted the validation of El Kaabi’s goal, following a lengthy VAR check, in the 120th minute from the majority Greek fans in Athens showed what the occasion meant to the club.“Amazing. For Olympiakos and me. Really proud of my guys. We did great all year and deserved it,” Jovetic said. The Montenegrin attacker added that the party tonight in Olympiakos’ hometown of Athens “will be amazing”.For Fiorentina, it meant defeat in consecutive Europa Conference League finals following a 2-1 loss to West Ham in 2023 after Jarrod Bowen’s 90-minute winner. “I have to compliment Fiorentina, two years in a row. A shame for them,” added Jovetic, who played for the Tuscan side from 2008-2013.

Reigning Qatar Stars League and Amir Cup champions Al Sadd on Thursday announced they have signed Spanish forward Rafa Mujica for four years starting from the 2024-2025 season. Mujica, who represented Spain at the U-19 level, has arrived at Al Sadd from Portuguese side FC Arouca.“I am happy to join Al Sadd Club, which has achieved and won [many] championships in Qatari football. I hope to achieve all my ambitions with my new team at the beginning of next season,” the 25-year-old said in a statement on club’s website. “It feels great to sign for Al Sadd Club. I have great enthusiasm and passion for the beginning of my new phase with the club.”In the summer of 2019, Mujica joined Leeds – who were managed by Marcelo Bielsa at the time – on a three-year contract, signing from Barcelona’s B team. However, the forward was never able to establish himself at Elland Road. After a string of loan spells, he left the West Yorkshire outfit permanently in 2021 to make a loan move to Las Palmas permanent, having never made his competitive debut for the Whites.Following his permanent move to Las Palmas, Mujica did not remain with the Spanish side for much longer. Instead, after just one season playing permanently with the club, he moved to Portugal to join Arouca in the summer of 2022.Since making that move, Mujica has started to find his touch in front of goal, scoring a total of 37 times in 68 appearances in all competitions for his current club, including 20 in Portugal’s top flight this season. Al Sadd, under coach Wesam Rizk, were phenomenal in the recently-concluded domestic football season claiming a double but they failed to leave a mark in last AFC Champions League.

Vincent Kompany was officially presented as Bayern Munich’s new coach on Thursday, insisting he did not share the football world’s surprise at his appointment. Bayern’s decision to take a gamble on the 38-year-old former Manchester City defender took many people by surprise because his first foray into managing in the Premier League ended with the relegation of his Burnley side two weeks ago.But Kompany said: “I think the aspect of being surprised is because you assume it is the only club that called and you only assume it because I am a private person. Maybe I was surprised by the first call but it wasn’t from Bayern Munich” he told the press conference, speaking in a mixture of German and English. My mentality is that I never haven’t ever worked for a top club in my head,” Kompany said.Kompany replaces Thomas Tuchel after failed attempts by Bayern to lure Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann and Austria’s Ralf Rangnick to one of the biggest jobs in the game. Reflecting on Bayern’s recruitment process, he said with a smile: “The only thing I can say is, the fact I am here means they are doing a very good job!”And he set out a clear vision of how he wants to shape his new team which has just suffered its first trophyless season for 12 years. “As a coach, you have to coach who you are as a person. I grew up on the streets of Brussels. I want the players of Bayern Munich to be brave and have personality on the ball. I want the team to be aggressive. I want the team to represent my character, to be brave and aggressive.”After a successful playing career where he captained Manchester City and the Belgian national team, Kompany returned to his first club Anderlecht to begin his managerial career. He moved to Burnley in 2022 and took them to the Premier League as second-division champions, before crashing back to earth with a poor season in which they won just five games and slipped back into the Championship.Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl believes they have made a sound investment in acquiring Kompany, someone he said had been on their radar “for a long time”. “Vincent has everything except the experience of having worked at a top club so far.“He has a great personality and his style of play suits FC Bayern perfectly: we want to be dominant, we want to have the ball. He also stands for that. We’re delighted to have this coach with us and to take the next steps with him.”“In terms of experience, we’re now going down the path together with him. We had a long decision-making process when looking for a coach and I can say: you save the best for last.”

Qatar handball team have been placed in tough Group C of the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship facing reigning Olympic champions France, Austria and Kuwait in the first stage.Croatia, Denmark and Norway will co-host the 29th edition of the world handball flagship competition which will take place from 14 January to 2 February 2025. Qatar’s matches will take place in Porec, Croatia.The Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb, Croatia, was the venue for the glitzy draw of the tournament on Wednesday night, when the 32 participating teams learnt their fate for the preliminary round of the 29th edition of the world handball flagship competition.The 32 sides, which were divided into four pots of eight teams each, were drawn starting from Pot 4 to Pot 1, with eight groups set for the preliminary round of the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship, as the top three teams in each group progress to the main round.Co-hosts Croatia had their coach, Dagur Sigurdsson draw their opponent from Pot 1, while goalkeeper Dominik Kuzmanovic assigned the teams in the draw from Pot 4 and the co-hosts will face Egypt, Argentina and Bahrain in the preliminary round in Group H, in Zagreb.“I am not sure about luck, both Egypt and France were tough opponents from the first pot. We played Argentina a few weeks ago, I know Bahrain from my previous job as the Japan national team head coach, therefore I think it will be a tough group,” said Croatia’s coach, Dagur Sigurdsson.Eight teams had been previously been assigned according to the 1.3.2 article of the Regulations for IHF Competitions, in the case of more than one (1) host nation, the organiser shall assign one (1) team per group, which had previously been assigned to a city, including the teams of the host nations.Reigning champions and co-hosts Denmark, who were represented on stage by Morten Stig Christiansen, a former international, will be playing in Group B, in Herning, alongside Italy, Algeria and Tunisia, while the other co-hosts, Norway are headlining Group E, in Baerum, Oslo, where they face Portugal, Brazil and the United States of America. Left wing Alexander Blonz also helped in the draw, selecting the teams from Pot 3.Undoubtedly, the group which will be the most balanced is Group A, where four European teams will face off for a place in the main round, as Germany, Czechia, Poland and wild card Switzerland are due to face off in a battle for the ages.Another tough group will be the one in Baerum, Oslo, where Sweden meet Spain, Japan and Chile, in a battle of different styles. Another tough group looks to be D, in Varazdin, with three European teams – Hungary, the Netherlands and North Macedonia – are facing debutants Guinea, the only team which will make their debut at the IHF Men’s World Championship in this edition.

New Zealand have long made a virtue of taking each challenge as it comes and while it might not make for much excitement at press conference time, it has not harmed their performances at major tournaments. Masters of tournament craft at least until the business end, the Black Caps have reached the semi-finals at four of the eight T20 World Cups and lost the 2021 final to neighbours Australia. The June 1-29 tournament in the Caribbean and United States will present new challenges – an expanded field to 20 teams and a variety of conditions over the disparate venues – but undoubtedly New Zealand will be meticulously prepared. Gary Stead’s squad has a profusion of experience with five players having been around since the 2016 T20 World Cup and only two, seamer Matt Henry and exciting all-rounder Rachin Ravindra, making their tournament debuts. The quality of the balanced squad captained by Kane Williamson is illustrated by the fact that nine New Zealanders prepared for the tournament against the best players in the world in the Indian Premier League (IPL). “We know if we can play some good cricket then we can compete with all teams in the world,” Stead said at the team training camp at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval in mid-May. “We’re looking forward to the challenge that’s ahead, and also the unknown of some of these new teams as well, the difference that they might bring. We have to be really, really complete with our planning and readiness for those teams.” New Zealand will play no warm-ups before their World Cup opener against Afghanistan in Georgetown, Guyana on June 7, a fixture Stead thinks will be one of the most challenging in a Group C that also includes co-hosts West Indies. “I think it’s going to be a very tough game,” he said. “We’ve watched them grow as a cricketing country and ... I think there’s no doubt they’ll be more comfortable in the slower and spin-friendly conditions that we’re likely to face in Guyana. “So that’s a really big challenge for us, but I guess we will lean on the experience of our guys.” The second game against West Indies takes them to Trinidad, where they will also play their last two group games against minnows Uganda and Papua New Guinea. “It’s pretty simple, really, to make the next round you’ve got to be in the top two teams,” Stead added. “And that’s our first focus and we won’t look too far further than that.” If they progress, the Super 8 could take them to Barbados and Saint Vincent or Saint Lucia and Antigua and the Black Caps have been preparing on a variety of surfaces at Bay Oval. “It’s one of the things we try and talk about as a team is our ability to adapt to the different surfaces and to the different teams we face,” Stead said. New Zealand matches: June 8 vs Afghanistan: Providence Stadium, Georgetown, Guyana: June 13 vs West Indies: Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago June 15 vs vs Uganda: Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago June 17 vs Papua New Guinea: Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago New Zealand T20 World Cup 2024 Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.

West Indies will be eager to hoist the Twenty20 World Cup for a third time when they co-host next month’s tournament with the United States, and in the process bury the heartbreak of failing to even qualify for last year’s 50-over World Cup.The glory years of West Indian cricket are long gone as the team that won the first two editions of the 50-over World Cup did not even make the cut for last year’s tournament in India – the first time ever that they had missed the event.West Indies are now looking for redemption under the guidance of Daren Sammy, a coach who knows what it takes to win the global T20 trophy after he captained them to the title in 2012 and 2016.Sammy was appointed as West Indies’ limited overs coach in May last year after the resignation of Phil Simmons following their first-round exit at the 2022 T20 World Cup.While the 40-year-old will be desperate to get West Indies back on top of the world, he hopes his bowlers can step up and make the most of home advantage.“Bowlers have been under the pump,” the former all-rounder told Reuters in a telephone interview from his T20 World Cup trophy tour in Saint Lucia. “It’s not just the young bowlers, every single international bowler has been under pressure.“Look at the IPL (Indian Premier League) right now. Teams are scoring 200 and it’s not a safe total. It tells you that the batsmen are really dominating T20 cricket now.“The difference will be some X-factor bowlers. Whether that’s pace, whether that’s mystery spin you’d need that in your armoury in order to defend totals or restrict opponents.”They may no longer be the formidable force they once were, West Indies still have a promising generation coming up, particularly 24-year-old pace sensation Shamar Joseph.Following Joseph’s heroics in his debut Test series against Australia in January, where he gave West Indies their first victory Down Under since 1997, he is poised to make his T20 international debut after being picked in their 15-member T20 World Cup squad.West Indies have never lacked firepower in the batting department and will be able to rely on the experience of Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell and Shimron Hetmyer, among others.“We had a very long discussion with the situation of the batting line-up,” director of West Indies Cricket Desmond Haynes said when they announced the squad earlier in May.“I want to state very clearly that our focus has always been (on) roles – roles that we want people to play. The situation of someone like Shamar Joseph, you really can’t question someone like him, we saw him in Australia. He ticked the boxes for us.”West Indies will kick start their T20 World Cup campaign against Papua New Guinea in Guyana on June 2. Their Group C also includes New Zealand, Afghanistan and Uganda.West Indies matches:June 2 vs Papua New Guinea, TexasJune 9 vs Uganda, GuyanaJune 13 vs New Zealand, TrinidadJune 18 vs Afghanistan, St LuciaWest Indies T20 World Cup 2024 squad:Rovman Powell (c), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Oshane Thomas, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd.

No team have successfully defended the Twenty20 World Cup title and England do not have to go far back in the record books to understand the magnitude of the task facing them in the tournament in West Indies and the United States.Seven months ago, Jos Buttler’s side set about retaining the 50-over world crown they secured on home soil and endured a miserable tournament in India, winning three out of nine group games to finish seventh in the standings.“That pride was obviously dented and it was a really disappointing competition,” Buttler said.“But life moves on, it’s a chapter in the book and there’s lessons you learn but we’re presented with a new opportunity, a different format.”Buttler, 33, made two centuries for Rajasthan Royals in this year’s Indian Premier League, but England’s recent T20 record is poor.Since beating Pakistan in the 2022 final, they have lost series in Bangladesh and West Indies before drawing 2-2 at home with New Zealand to slip to third in the world rankings behind India and Australia.Drawn in Group B with Australia, Namibia, Oman and Scotland, England should easily reach the Super Eight stage of the tournament but they then need to rediscover the dominant form that brought them the 2022 trophy.Ben Stokes, who guided them to victory over Pakistan in the final two years ago, is not in the squad and Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Phil Salt, Ben Duckett and Harry Brook will be tasked with providing top-order fireworks and consistency.The return of Jofra Archer after major injury problems is a huge boost for England but Mark Wood and Reece Topley, the other genuine fast bowlers in the squad, are also prone to fitness issues.That could place a heavy burden on seamers Sam Curran and Chris Jordan, and England will rely heavily on experienced spinners Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali to contain the scoring rate during the middle overs of the innings.Curran has struggled over the past year, taking only seven wickets in his last eight T20 internationals, and Buttler will need the feisty all-rounder to show the form that earned him the player of the tournament award in 2022.Curran last week produced a match-winning performance for Punjab Kings in the IPL, completing bowling figures of 2-24 before making 63 not out, and the 25-year-old will be a key player if England are to lift the T20 World Cup trophy for the third time.

As the French Open announced stricter measures on Thursday to clamp down on inappropriate fan behaviour, players had varying stances on a polarising issue with Iga Swiatek told by one rival “she cannot complain”.Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said action would be taken to weed out troublemakers following complaints by Swiatek, the women’s defending champion, and David Goffin.“We’re happy to see there’s an atmosphere, emotions and that the spectators are there. However, we will be uncompromising with respect to the players and the game,” said Mauresmo.“If there’s the slightest behaviour that oversteps the mark, it will be the exit,” asserted Mauresmo, while acknowledging that “identifying the person is not always easy”.Swiatek scolded spectators in her on-court interview for making noise during several points of her tense second-round win over Naomi Osaka.But Paula Badosa, who will face second seed Aryna Sabalenka in round three, suggested Swiatek has it better than most given her status as the world number one and a four-time Grand Slam winner.Swiatek has not played on any court other than Philippe Chatrier or Suzanne Lenglen since her second-round match of the 2021 French Open.“I think she cannot complain, because I played Court 8 and 9 and you can hear everything,” said Spain’s Badosa, the former world number two.“Like, I can hear Suzanne Lenglen, Philippe Chatrier, Court 6, 7 during the points. I think she’s very lucky she can play all the time on Philippe Chatrier and she’s okay with that.“But I don’t mind. As I said, I played in small courts these days, and I was hearing so much noise. In that moment, I’m just so focused on myself and on my match that it doesn’t really bother me.”Badosa recalled the 2020 and 2021 editions of the tournament, when fan capacity was reduced due to Covid-19 restrictions and matches at times were played in front of empty stands.“Honestly, I like when the fans cheer and all this. I think I get pumped,” she said.“Look, we had a very tough situation years ago when we were playing without fans with the Covid situation, so now, for me, I’m so happy they’re back and think they’re very important for our sport.”‘Quiet or super loud’Daniil Medvedev sympathised with Swiatek’s frustration at beingdistracted by the crowd at key moments, pointing out the fine margins between winning and losing.“If someone screams in your ear, your serve, you could double fault. That’s as easy as that. That’s not good,” said Medvedev.“Now what happens is that 95% of matches, tournaments, it’s quiet. And then when suddenly you come to Roland Garros and it’s not, it disturbs you, and it’s a Grand Slam so you get more stress and it’s not easy.”“There is no in between,” he continued.“It either should be quiet or super loud but all the time, and then we would get used to it, I would get used to it also, and we would not actually complain about it.”Goffin, who claimed he was spat at by a spectator as he defeated French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the opening round on Tuesday, said he had received plenty of support from his peers.“I don’t know how many people and how many players came to me and were on my side,” said Goffin, whose tournament ended Thursday in a straight-sets defeat by Alexander Zverev.“I was surprised that everybody was, like, ‘Okay, what you saidis great, what you said to the press is great, I agree.’ So everybody is behind me, so I’m really surprised.”Mauresmo said there would be “no hesitation” to remove anyone caught throwing something at a player.She said it would be at an umpire’s discretion how to handle other disruptive spectators, but called for them to be sterner while announcing alcohol will now be prohibited in the stands.Sebastian Korda, who awaits Carlos Alcaraz in the last 32, wants fans to enjoy themselves, but within reason.“I’ve played in Australia on one of their brand new courts that has a bar right next to it. It wasn’t a fun experience,” he said.“I think they should do whatever they want, but hopefully not get too rowdy out there.”

The International Boxing Association’s (IBA) plans to offer prize money to medallists at the Paris Games could widen the rift in the governance of amateur boxing after the announcement drew sharp criticism from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).The IBA’s move follows World Athletics’ announcement last month that they would offer $50,000 in prize money to Olympic champions, starting in Paris this year.The governing body’s announcement was met with criticism from the IOC, whose President Thomas Bach suggested that the federation should instead use its funding to support athletes across the board.Despite the IOC’s disapproval, IBA President Umar Kremlev said World Athletics had made the right decision.“For me, the spirit of the Olympic Games is to create the right conditions for athletes,” Kremlev told Reuters with the help of a translator.“Athletes are the ones who attract sponsors and, of course, all the money should belong to the athletes. That’s the true spirit of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement. We know that is not what the IOC leadership does nowadays.“IOC officials fly first class, live in five-star hotels, while the athletes don’t live in the best conditions... I see it like gladiatorial fights, where athletes are treated as if they are slaves.”The two bodies have been at loggerheads for years, with the IOC stripping the IBA of recognition last June, saying it had failed to complete reforms on governance, finance and ethical issues.Just as in Tokyo, the boxing tournaments in Paris are being organised by the IOC. But there are fears that boxing might be excluded from future Games, with the sport not on the initial programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.PRIZE MONEYThe IBA said on Wednesday that it would pay prize money worth more than $3.1mn to boxers who win a medal or reach the quarter-finals at Olympic events.However, the IBA did not disclose the source of their funding. It said the prize money would be handed out in a ceremony at the next IBA Congress, which will be held in November or December.The IOC said they had taken note of the IBA’s announcement but questioned the source of the funds. “This total lack of financial transparency was exactly one of the reasons why the IOC withdrew its recognition of the IBA,” it said.Relations between the two bodies soured following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the IBA run by Russian Kremlev and with Russian energy firm Gazprom being its main sponsor, though Kremlev said last year that the sponsorship had ended.The IOC had also said it would not organise the boxing tournament in 2028, urging national federations to decide on a “credible, well-governed” successor to the IBA by next year.The IOC warned national federations aligned with the IBA that they will not be able to participate in Los Angeles if boxing is on the programme.“The respective National Olympic Committee will have to exclude such a National Boxing Federation from its membership,” the IOC added.LEADING CANDIDATEThe leading candidate to replace the IBA is World Boxing, which launched in April last year and currently has 28 national federations, such as Great Britain Boxing and USA Boxing, as members.Last month, World Boxing Secretary-General Simon Toulson said the body was hoping to begin formal talks with the IOC over recognition as the sport’s official governing body.But Kremlev said the IBA and IOC could still mend their broken relationship, predicting a changing of the guard after the Paris Games.“The IBA does not have issues with the Olympic family. We have issues with certain personalities, namely Thomas Bach and his team,” Kremlev said.“I believe that their work is not transparent and democratic. Their actions do not meet the responsibilities that they have.“We believe that after the Olympic Games, we will see some renewal in the IOC leadership and this will allow the IBA to restore its relationship with the IOC.”The IOC declined to respond to Kremlev’s comments.

Defending two-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia is relishing the prospect of putting on a show fit for his home fans in this weekend’s Italian MotoGP.The Ducati rider turns up at Mugello fresh from his win in Catalunya, which moved ‘Pecco’ 39 points behind series leader Jorge Martin. The revitalised six-time former champion Marc Marquez sits third in the standings, two points behind Bagnaia, who was kicking himself after throwing away victory in last weekend’s sprint with a final lap crash when in the lead.In front of tens of thousands of his adoring tifosi supporters, Bagnaia is the man to beat for this seventh round of the season at a circuit where he has emerged victorious in the past two years. “Mugello is a circuit I adore with all the fans there,” said the 27-year-old Italian.“With its heavy braking and long straights it’s a track that suits my riding style and my bike really well,” the Turin-born Bagnaia told Thursday’s press conference.Spain’s Martin is eager to press home his standings advantage on his Ducati Pramac satellite bike.“This is a very important weekend for me and the team so I really want to concentrate on the race,” he said ahead of discussions next week on whether he moves up to the factory Ducati next season.Marquez is evidently having the time of his life this season since leaving Honda for Ducati’s Gresini outfit. The Catalan has finished on the podium in the past three races.But he knows if he is to mount a sustained challenge for the title and even a first race win since 2021, he must improve his qualifying performances.“I still have to better understand my bike to know what I have to do on my fast laps in qualifying. I have to work on my style and with my team we have an idea where I need to improve.”Looking at this year’s title battle, Martin believes it’s between him, Bagnaia and Marquez.“The championship still has a long way to go but I think it’ll be the three of us fighting for it to the end of the year. Each of us have strong points and areas where we could improve.”Marquez commented: “For me, I’ve got nothing to lose. We’ll see if I can keep up my speed and my performance but it’s already an honour to be almost as quick as these two riders.”

HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), chaired the 36th meeting of the Council of the Presidents of the Olympic Committees of the Gulf Co-operation Council countries, which was held on Wednesday in Doha.Sheikh Joaan opened the meeting with a speech in which he welcomed the attendees and conveyed to them the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Amir of Qatar. He expressed his thanks and appreciation to Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed al-Zubair, President of the Oman Olympic Committee, for the sincere efforts made by the Oman Olympic Committee under his chairmanship during the previous session, which had a significant impact on strengthening the course of joint Gulf sports work.Sheikh Joaan praised the great efforts made by the national Olympic committees in the Gulf Co-operation Council countries, which have been positively reflected in the development of the Olympic and sports movement in the Gulf countries. He also congratulated the United Arab Emirates on the distinguished hosting of the first edition of the Gulf Youth Games, which achieved great success and constituted an important tributary for the preparation of new generations of athletes.In the meeting, the presidents of the Olympic Committees in the GCC countries, were also briefed on the recommendations on joint Gulf sports work, where the Secretariat received requests to host 13 Gulf sports championships for the year 2024. The presidents appreciated the efforts made by the Olympic committees and sports federations for various sports in order to strengthen joint Gulf sports activity.It was agreed that the national Olympic committees in the GCC countries should provide the General Secretariat with the Gulf sports tournaments and championships that the Olympic committees and sports federations intend to host during the next year 2025.The council reviewed the memorandum of the General Secretariat on the meeting of the Working Group on studying the conditions of the committees and working groups affiliated with the council, and the recommendations that emerged from the meeting. It was decided to form a planning, co-ordination and follow-up committee consisting of nominees from the member states who have experience and competence in the sports field. The tasks and responsibilities of the committee were also approved, and the Executive Board was tasked with following up, supervising and approving the results of the outputs of the committees and working groups affiliated with the Council of Presidents of the Olympic Committees.The presidents of the Olympic Committees in the GCC countries, were also briefed on the recommendations of the Executive Board and the memorandum of the General Secretariat on international cooperation and partnerships regionally and internationally, in addition to other international organisations in the sports field, and on the current state of joint Gulf sports activity, which focuses only on organizing the Gulf multi sports events, where a sports tournament is held every year represented in the General Sports Games, the Youth Sports Games, the Beach Sports Games, and the Indoor and Martial Arts Sports Games, with varying activity in holding sports tournaments and specialized workshops in the sports field. The council recommended that the Planning, Co-ordination and Follow-up Committee study the most appropriate forms of international cooperation in the coming period.The 37th meeting of the Council of the Presidents of the Olympic Committees of the GCC countries will be held on May 6, 2025 in Kuwait.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek escaped from match point down against Naomi Osaka to reach the French Open third round on Wednesday, while Carlos Alcaraz overcame a scare of his own as persistent rain caused widespread disruption to the tournament.Swiatek outlasted fellow four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka 7-6 (7/1), 1-6, 7-5 in a breathtaking second-round clash, livening a gloomy day in which 23 singles matches were postponed until Thursday.World number one Swiatek won the last five games of the match to keep her bid for a third successive Roland Garros title on track. Justine Henin was the last woman to achieve the feat in 2005-07.She is attempting to become only the fourth woman in the Open era to lift four Roland Garros titles and just the second - after Serena Williams - to complete the clay-court treble of Madrid, Rome and French Opens in the same season.“This match was really intense, much more intense for the second round than I ever expected,” said Swiatek, who fought off a break point on Osaka’s serve while trailing 5-3 in the deciding set.“Naomi played amazing tennis and maybe she is going to be a clay-court specialist in a while!”Osaka, appearing at only a second Grand Slam since giving birth to her daughter last July, was on the cusp of her biggest win since returning to tennis at the start of the year but instead must digest the pain of a match that she let slip from her grasp.Later, Osaka was in tears but admitted: ‘I’ve felt worse’. “It was the most fun match I have ever played, the atmosphere was incredible, it was very memorable for me,” said the 26-year-old. “I’ve felt worse, that’s for sure.”Despite the defeat, Osaka said she can only take positives from the match which extended close to three hours and where she unleashed 54 blistering winners.“I cried when I came off court but then I thought of how last year I was watching Iga win the French Open while I was pregnant,” said Osaka. .“My dream then was to come and play against her, so when I think of that I try not to be too hard on myself. “I’m just here for the vibes. I’m a hard court kid; I’d like to play her on a hard court.”Entering the showdown with a 29-2 record in Paris, Swiatek landed the initial blow in the first meeting on clay between the past and present world number ones, breaking Osaka to love for a 2-1 lead.Osaka, who won a match at a Grand Slam event for the first time since the 2022 Australian Open with her opening victory over Lucia Bronzetti, clawed back to 4-4 as Swiatek miscued a forehand following a lengthy rally. The Japanese star had Swiatek in trouble down set point on the Pole’s serve in the 10th game, but the top seed knuckled down and forced a tie-break, which she dominated to snatch the opening set after 69 minutes.Osaka produced a stirring response and broke Swiatek to begin the second set before she powered into a 4-0 lead, dropping just one point on serve on her way to levelling up the match. Three break points eluded Swiatek to start the deciding set and Osaka’s clean hitting quickly had her opponent again on the back foot.Osaka blasted a backhand winner to break for a 2-0 advantage before demonstrating her resolve once more to save another five break points. Swiatek fended off a break opportunity to stay in touch at 2-4, but she looked doomed when Osaka brought up match point three games later.A terrific return kept her alive and a loose backhand from Osaka handed Swiatek a break to get back to 4-5. After a tough hold, Swiatek broke again to move 6-5 in front before holding her nerve to wrap up victory after nearly three hours.Swiatek will next play 42nd-ranked Czech Marie Bouzkova or Jana Fett, the world number 135 from Croatia. Their match was among those to fall foul of the weather as play on all but the main two courts was called off for the day around 3pm local time, following a five-hour delay.US Open champion and third seed Coco Gauff defeated Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek 6-3, 6-4, while eighth seed Ons Jabeur overcame Colombia’s Camila Osorio in three sets.Alcaraz shook off a third-set blip against world number 176 Jesper de Jong before the Spaniard came through 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier. Wimbledon champion Alcaraz arrived in Paris with doubts over his fitness after a right forearm injury sidelined him for almost a month.After dropping just four games in his Roland Garros opener, third seed Alcaraz looked to be cruising against De Jong, a Dutch qualifier taking part in only his second Grand Slam main draw, but he was ultimately made to work harder than expected. “Every player can cause you trouble,” said Alcaraz.“You have to be focused in every round, have to play at your best, it doesn’t matter what the ranking is.”Alcaraz goes on to face either American 27th seed Sebastian Korda or South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo for a place in the last 16. Former French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the last 32 for the sixth straight year with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4 win over Germany’s Daniel Altmaier. Sixth seed Andrey Rublev eased aside Pedro Martinez in straight sets.

Costa Smeralda, Sardini: Nasser al-Khelaifi, Chairman of the European Clubs Association and President of PSG, won the Football Leadership Award at the inaugural KAFD Globe Soccer Awards Europe in Costa Smeralda, Sardinia, on May 28. This came during a glittering ceremony that saw some of European football’s brightest stars, including PSG striker Kylian Mbappe, Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, and FC Barcelona phenom Lamine Yamal, emerging as winners.Al-Khelaifi received the award for leading PSG to achieve the domestic double, winning both the French league and the French Cup. Under his leadership, the club has won 10 French League titles, 7 French Cup titles, and 6 French League Cup titles.“Thank you very much to Globe Soccer for inviting us here. And thank you to the legend of football; it’s an honour to receive this award from him,” said al-Khelaifi after receiving the award from Fabio Capello, the former manager of England, Madrid, and Milan. “It means a lot. Football is not an individual sport; it’s collective. So, this award goes to the team, management, staff, coach, and players. One of them is still here, the best player in the world.”“You know what we’ve been doing for the last 13 years with Paris Saint-Germain — it’s become one of the biggest. I’m proud to be here. There’s a lot still to be done, it’s great because we love football and are passionate about it. Football and sport are in our blood. So, we’re going to continue working hard every year, and we are excited about the next season.”Alongside Mbappe and Alonso, a full catalogue of football industry figures from past and present were in attendance at the event, including FC Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, three-time Champions League winner Fernando Morientes, current Italy coach Luciano Spalletti, Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta and presidents, chairmen, and CEOs of some of the continent’s most prominent clubs and organisations.

Bayern Munich’s long search to fill their vacant head coaching position is over with the German giants naming Vincent Kompany as manager in a shock move on Wednesday. The 38-year-old Belgian, a surprise choice with his Burnley side relegated from the Premier League this season, has penned a three-year deal at the Allianz Arena.Normally in contention for the biggest names in the business, Bayern have been searching for months but have been knocked back by several candidates after their first trophyless season for 12 years.After failed attempts to lure Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann and Austria’s Ralf Rangnick, Bayern tried to hold onto Thomas Tuchel, who had agreed in February to leave in the summer. Tuchel however announced in May he “couldn’t agree on terms” to stay with the club and would “stick to the agreement we had in February”.Instead, Bayern have decided for Kompany, taking a risk on an inexperienced yet promising candidate in one of the biggest jobs in football. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of FC Bayern. It’s a great honour to be able to work for this club - FC Bayern is an institution in international football,” said Kompany in a club statement. “I’m now looking forward to the basics: working with the players, building a team. Once the basis is right, success will follow.”Burnley will reportedly receive £10 million ($13 million) in compensation for allowing their manager to leave. “We understand the allure and prestige of a club like Bayern Munich and respect Vincent’s ambition to explore new opportunities,” Burnley said in a statement.After a successful playing career where he captained Manchester City and the Belgian national team, Kompany returned to his first club Anderlecht to begin his managerial career. He moved to Burnley in 2022 and took them to the Premier League as second-division champions, before crashing back to earth over the past 12 months.Yet, he crucially retained the support of his old coach at City Pep Guardiola, who advised his former club to go for Kompany due to his leadership qualities and determination to play an attacking brand of football. “As a coach, you have to stand for what you are as a character,” added Kompany. “I love having the ball, being creative - but we also have to be aggressive and courageous on the pitch.”Coaching instability has been a feature at Bayern over the past decade and a half, despite their consistent on-field success. Guardiola, whose three-year spell in Bavaria ended in 2016, was the last Bayern coach to complete at least two full seasons.Used to poaching the best talent from their Bundesliga rivals, Bayern were shunned by Alonso, as he decided to take Leverkusen into the Champions League next season. However, recreating the Spaniard’s success in Germany looks to have been on the minds of the Bayern board.Like Alonso, Kompany is a disciple of Guardiola and speaks German thanks to his spell at Hamburg as a player. But his transition into coaching has not been as smooth as the Leverkusen boss. He finished third and fourth in his two full seasons at Anderlecht before overseeing Burnley’s lowest ever points tally in the English top-flight to finish second bottom of the Premier League this season.Kompany, who is the same age as Bayern captain Manuel Neuer, now has a mammoth task ahead of him in reviving Bayern’s on-field fortunes, not to mention navigating the club’s complex backroom politics, which have derailed more experienced coaches.

Fitogether announced a strategic partnership with Qatar’s renowned Aspire Academy, which provides sports training and high school education to local student-athletes with sporting potential. Aspire Academy, which is dedicated to producing champions in sports and life, offers athletic scholarships in football, athletics, squash, table tennis, and fencing.To identify those with the potential to become future champions, the Academy engages with thousands of children aged 6-12 through nationwide sports and talent development programs. In June this year, the number of student-athletes who have graduated will rise to 644. Many of them go on to successfully represent Qatar at major events such as the Olympics, World Championships and Asian Championships.Fitogether — the FIFA preferred provider for Wearable Player Tracking, has been validated as the most accurate solution with centimetre-level data accuracy. Beyond tracking, Fitogether analyses an athlete’s every step using precise speed data for sophisticated performance assessment and injury prevention. Fitogether is enhancing its capabilities with a wearable-optical hybrid system, aiming to seamlessly estimate football context, promising a more comprehensive analysis by interpreting positional data for ball location, possession, team formation, and player role estimation.This collaboration marks a significant milestone for both organisations. Through this partnership, Fitogether will validate and test the new development of their product, OHCOACH, within the Aspire network, develop new products and services, and engage in educational collaboration to enhance athlete training and development.To officially commence this partnership, Ivan Bravo, Director General of Aspire Academy, travelled to Seoul, South Korea on May 27. He was accompanied by Professor Valter Di Salvo, Director of Football Performance & Science at Aspire Academy and Nawaf al-Mudahka, Head of Special Projects at Aspire Zone Foundation. The ambassador of Qatar in South Korea Khalid Ebrahim Abdulrahman al-Hamar also attended the signing ceremony for the partnership agreement between Aspire Academy and Fitogether.Commenting on this collaboration, Bravo said: “Aspire Academy is excited to work with Fitogether. We are eager to witness their products in action with our footballers and to utilise the data to help develop the next generation of Qatar football stars. We are equally enthusiastic about the opportunity to test, assess, and improve software features with Fitogether as we strive to enhance their future products. We are thrilled to contribute to the development of areas such as athlete performance tracking, training programs, and video integrations of Fitogether’s sports performance products. As one of the world’s leading sports academies, we share a deep understanding of the crucial role that technology and data analysis play in the development and improvement of young footballers.By leveraging video and text training materials gathered by Aspire Academy, we are confident that Fitogether’s products will continue to pave the way for footballers worldwide.Jinsung Yoon, CEO of Fitogether, also expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership during the ceremony and the future advancements in athlete performance and training that it will bring. “Being recognised as the FIFA Preferred Provider in 2022, Fitogether’s technology has been acknowledged for its accuracy and advancement. Through our partnership with Aspire Academy, we are now being recognised for the practicality and usability of our technology in the global market. Fitogether will collaborate with Aspire Academy and its World Fellows’ clubs to develop the most innovative sports performance solutions and lead continuous innovation in the related fields.”Following the launch of this exciting collaboration, Aspire Academy commences the “Aspire in the World Fellows” Workshop Tour, beginning in Argentina on June 4th-5th, 2024. This tour will feature Fitogether equipping players with FIFA’s top-rated accuracy devices, showcasing their unparalleled 2-3cm-level accuracy, 10-hertz, and 3D tracking capabilities. Jinsung Yoon, Fitogether’s CEO, will be a keynote speaker at this conference, presenting the seamless integration of video, tracking, and physical data collected during training sessions.

The International Boxing Association (IBA) will offer prize money to all those who become Olympic champions and medallists at this year’s Paris Games, the body announced on Wednesday.The body is not organising the boxing tournament at the Paris Olympics after it was stripped of recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last year.Based on the placings of boxers at the July 26-August 11 Games, the IBA said it will award $100,000 to gold medallists, $50,000 for silver medals and $25,000 for bronze.The move follows that of World Athletics, which in April announced it would be the first governing body to offer $50,000 in prize money for its Olympic champions, starting in Paris this year.“Paris gold medallists in the boxing tournament will receive a substantial financial reward of $100,000. Out of this amount, the athlete will receive $50,000, their National Federation will receive $25,000, and their coach will receive $25,000,” IBA President Umar Kremlev said in a statement.“Our athletes and their efforts must be appreciated. The IBA offers opportunities and invests considerably in our boxers, they remain as the focal point, and we will continue to support them at all levels.”Kremlev added that the total prize money fund commitment was worth more than $3.1mn and would be distributed to more than 100 boxers.“We are setting a clear example for many on how International Federations should be treating their champions,” IBA Secretary-General Chris Roberts said.“This is real support with real actions, a thing that has become rare in the international sports environment. We are happy to be the lead sport to have this opportunity to support our boxers and reward them for their hard work and dedication.”The IOC decided in June to strip the IBA of recognition over its failure to complete reforms on governance, finance and ethical issues.The boxing tournaments at the Paris Games are being organised by the IOC, but there are fears it might be excluded from future Games, with the sport not on the initial programme for Los Angeles 2028.

Belgium’s David Goffin claimed he was spat at by a French Open spectator and warned that tennis is in danger of descending into the firm grip of “hooligans”.Goffin said a fan spat chewing gum at him as he defeated French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 on a raucous Court 14 at Roland Garros.When the Belgian left the arena, he cupped his ear to all four sides to counter the jeers.“When you are insulted for three and a half hours, you have to annoy the public a little,” Goffin told Belgian media.“Clearly, it goes too far, it’s total disrespect. It’s becoming like football, soon there will be smoke bombs, hooligans and there will be fights in the stands.“It’s ridiculous. Some are there more to make a scene than to set the mood.”The 33-year-old added after the match late Tuesday: “Today, someone spat out their chewing gum at me.”French women’s number one Caroline Garcia said she “feels sorry” for Goffin. “Thank God I never experience it, and I hope it will never happen again,” said Garcia after being knocked out of the tournament by Sofia Kenin on Wednesday.“In every sport sometimes there are fans who go too far. We are all here to play tennis and we are all here to watch and enjoy tennis. Even if we have our favourite player we want to cheer with respect.”At last year’s French Open, fans were branded as “embarrassing” and even “feral” especially when attempting to push a home player over the line.On the opening day, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk was booed for refusing to shake hands with Belarusian opponent Aryna Sabalenka in protest over the ongoing war in her country.“I want to see people react to it in 10 years when the war is over. I think they will not feel really nice about what they did,” said Kostyuk.“People should be honestly embarrassed.”Also in 2023, America’s Taylor Fritz was irritated by a partisan night-time crowd desperate to see last remaining home player Arthur Rinderknech make the third round.At one stage, fans even sang the French national anthem.- ‘Adds spice’ -When he wrapped up victory, Fritz placed his finger to his lips to shush his tormentors before theatrically blowing kisses.The jeers continued as he attempted to carry out the traditional on-court TV interview.“The crowd was just so great that I had to let it fire me up. They cheered so well for me, I wanted to make sure I won. Thanks guys,” the American said sarcastically.It has been 41 years since France was able to celebrate a men’s champion at Roland Garros when Yannick Noah triumphed in 1983.Mary Pierce was the last home female winner in 2000.Defending champion Novak Djokokic was jeered on Tuesday night by fans convinced he was taking too long to dust himself down after a tumble on the clay of Court Philippe Chatrier in his win against France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert.Last year Djokovic chose to mimic the crowd’s boos after he was targeted for taking a medical time-out in his victory against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.“I think the majority of the people come to enjoy tennis or support one or the other player. But there are people who love to boo every single thing you do,” said Djokovic. “That’s something that I find disrespectful and I frankly don’t understand that. When somebody is disrespectful he or she deserves to have an answer to that.”Despite Goffin’s irritations with the crowd, his 2.03m (6ft 7in) opponent Mpetshi Perricard said he enjoyed the support of a crowd left frustrated by rain delays which had caused a five-hour suspension of play.“It was really nice to have so much support. It’s really fantastic to have these guys there,” said the 20-year-old.France’s Lucas Pouille, a former top 10 player, said fans at Roland Garros had not particularly crossed the line.“It adds spice to a sport that can sometimes be flat,” he told Eurosport.

Ons Jabeur said the French Open must “try more” when it comes to promoting women’s tennis in the tournament’s prime time spot.In 2022 and 2023, only two women’s singles matches featured in a total of 20 allocated night time sessions.“I’m going to get in trouble again, aren’t I? Listen, I know they’re trying here. I wish they’d try more,” said Tunisian world number nine Jabeur after reaching the last 32 by seeing off Camila Osorio in three sets on Wednesday.“It’s not something we’ll change in a day. I’m watching TV every day. A lot of men matches more than women, and it is the truth.”Over the first four days of the 2024 tournament, all night sessions featured men’s singles - with world number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic, second-ranked Jannik Sinner and three-time major winner Andy Murray featuring.The fifth on Thursday was set to see Frenchman Gael Monfils - who also played the Monday night match - taking on Lorenzo Musetti.For Jabeur, the standout match on Wednesday was the duel between women’s world number one Iga Swiatek and fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. However, that tie closed out the afternoon session on the showpiece Court Philippe Chatrier with Sinner’s clash against French veteran Richard Gasquet taking the prime time night session. “Osaka vs Swiatek is a brilliant watch. WTA need to do more to capitalise on these match ups!” wrote Murray on X. Jabeur is hopeful tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, a former world number one, will succeed in the scheduling balance.“I’m not gonna lie about it. I think Amelie is doing an amazing job and is trying to change that, but these things, they take time,” added Jabeur.“I wish I can see the change more. I wish I saw Osaka and Iga’s match today as a night session. But it’s a choice. I understand that. Maybe the prime time is now. I will keep pushing and I wish really to see promoting more women’s sport in general and women’s tennis in general.”