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Paris: Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka skipped her post-match press conference at the French Open on Friday citing mental health reasons, two days after she was asked to comment on the war in Ukraine following her second-round win.The tournament organisers instead released an interview with the world number two conducted by a hand-picked group of reporters in which she said she had not felt safe at her previous press conference.At Wednesday’s event Sabalenka was asked about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and her country’s role as a staging ground for Russian troops and weapons.Sabalenka said that her choice not to take part in Friday’s press conference was supported by the French Open organisers.“After my match (on Wednesday) I spoke with the media like I normally do. I know they still expect some questions that are more about the politics and not so much about my tennis,” she said.“For many months now I have answered these questions at tournaments and been very clear in my feelings and my thoughts. These questions do not bother me after my matches.“I know that I have to provide answers to the media on things not related to my tennis or my matches, but on Wednesday I did not feel safe in the press conference,” she said.A French tennis federation spokesperson told Reuters Sabalenka would not be fined.“It was to protect her,” the spokesperson said yesterday, adding that whether she attends other press conferences would be her decision.Sabalenka will play either American Sloane Stephens or Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan in the next roundIn 2021, former world number one Naomi Osaka of Japan was fined $15,000 for skipping a post-match press conference at the French Open and threatened with tough sanctions by the board of the four Grand Slam tournaments.She subsequently withdrew from the tournament citing mental health concerns and later said she had been battling depression and anxiety for years.China returns to WTA calendar in autumn after four yearsChina returns to the Women’s Tennis Association autumn calendar after a four-year absence with seven tournaments in the mainland and Hong Kong confirmed yesterday.With the exception of last year’s Beijing Winter Olympics, which took place in a “bubble”, most global sport halted in China after the Covid-19 pandemic emerged there in late 2019.The WTA had also suspended events in China for 16 months until last April in the wake of a sexual assault claim by Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai.Yesterday, the WTA announced the 2023 autumn calendar “outlining the tournaments that will take place following the US Open through to the WTA Finals” which takes place in the Chinese city of Shenzhen from October 30.The Guangzhou event will be the first tournament in China starting the week of September 18.It will be followed by Ningbo from September 25 with the China Open in Beijing from October 2, which is one of two WTA 1000 events scheduled along with Guadalajara from September 18.Zhengzhou will be included in WTA 500 events from October 9 along with San Diego and Tokyo, which both take place in September, details showed.Guangzhou (September 18), Ningbo (September 25), Hong Kong (October 9) and Nanchang (October 16) are among WTA 250 tournaments, along with Osaka, Seoul and Monastir.In addition the WTA Elite Trophy second-tier tournament takes place in Zhuhai in China from October 23.The WTA said that along with the tournaments confirmed on Friday “continual expansion of WTA 125 events across several continents with an updated schedule released in the coming weeks”.

Davis Riley birdied three of his final four holes on Thursday to grab a one-stroke lead with a 5-under-par 67 in the first round of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.Starting on the back nine during very challenging conditions in the afternoon wave at Muirfield Village Golf Club, Riley was 2 under through 14 holes. He then reeled off birdies on Nos 6 and 7 before draining a 13-foot birdie putt on No 9 to move a shot ahead of England’s Matt Wallace, who carded a 4-under 68 during the morning wave.“It’s a tough golf course,” Riley said. “Especially in the afternoon because the greens get really firm and bouncy. And the wind was up. I just had a couple up and ins on some par-4s to save par that kind of kept the round going.”Jordan Spieth is among a group of seven players another shot off the pace at 3 under that also includes Mark Hubbard. Spieth was tied for the lead at 4 under when his tee shot on No. 18 found a fairway bunker. After advancing the ball only 25 yards and then finding another bunker green side, Spieth got up and down to salvage bogey.“It felt like a great round,” he said. “It was nice to beat a tough golf course.”Hubbard, who got into the field as an alternate and also started on the back nine, reached 6 under during the morning wave. He then drilled a sprinkler head with his approach shot on No 16 that ricocheted his ball past the green, beginning a string of three consecutive bogeys to end his round.“I’ve been playing really well, I’ve been working really hard,” he said. “I’ve never really played that well here. So the combination of feeling pretty confident with my game and absolutely zero expectations always usually leads to good stuff.”A total of 32 players finished under par Thursday. That included 2020 champion Jon Rahm, who birdied three of his final eight holes to get to 2 under and in a tie for 10th place.That was four shots better than World No 1 Scottie Scheffler, whose opening 74 included four bogeys against a pair of birdies.Jack Nicklaus’ signature course underwent a significant re-design.Spieth said the fairways “are like half the width that they normally are,” which Rahm said he enjoys the options presented to players off the tee.“At the end of the day it’s mainly a second-shot golf course,” Rahm said. “You have to have those irons dialled in, whether you have an 8-iron or a pitching wedge. So to an extent I think it might compare to a US Open, but we’ve gotten to a point nowadays where hitting a 5-wood off a tee in a US Open doesn’t usually happen. So it’s usually mostly 5-wood, 7-iron. So there’s some holes where you relate, but for the most part I wouldn’t say it’s exactly the same.”Third-ranked Rory McIlroy struggled like many on the 18th hole. Like his playing partner Spieth, McIlroy was one shot off the lead when he lost his drive to the right. After going long with his third shot, the Northern Irishman sent his fourth back past the flag and wound up with a triple-bogey 7 to drop to even par.However, he’s still in the hunt, five shots back of Riley, who entered the week ranked 79th and coming off five consecutive missed cuts in stroke play events. He did win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Nick Hardy in April.Riley also held a share of the lead after the first round of the Memorial last year before eventually tying for 13th. He hopes to draw upon that experience for the next three days and earn a winning handshake from Nicklaus on Sunday afternoon.

Outgoing Eintracht Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner said on Friday he will not think about his future “until the final whistle” ahead of today’s German Cup final clash with RB Leipzig.Glasner, who took Frankfurt to a Europa League triumph last season, was sacked in May, but the club let him stay on until after final. “I don’t think it will matter to me until the final whistle” Glasner said in Berlin, explaining “I’ve had enough to do, Leipzig have kept me busy.”“I will enjoy the evening,” said the Austrian manager. “The game is important tomorrow, not Oliver Glasner.” Frankfurt’s Europa League win took them to the Champions League for the first time in their history this season.Despite finishing seventh in the league this season, a win today would see them qualify for the Europa League once more. Frankfurt are chasing their sixth German Cup title, which would draw them level with Werder Bremen as having the equal second most titles after Bayern Munich’s 20. Sitting next to the golden trophy at press conference, Glasner took a glance at it and told reporters “everyone wants to take it home – it sparkles the same for everyone”.Born on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Eintracht captain Sebastian Rode said he had positive memories of the final, which he won in 2016 with Bayern and in 2017 with Dortmund. “It brings back good memories, I’ve been here twice and I’ve won both times.”Glasner’s side face holders Leipzig, who last year beat Freiburg on penalties to lift their first ever major silverware. Leipzig manager Marco Rose, who was installed mid season and did not coach the Red Bulls to the title in 2022, said: “We’re here to win the thing – we want to go that final step.”Rose said his side would not be overawed despite facing a crowd which is likely to be heavily pro-Frankfurt in the German capital. Frankfurt fans are known for travelling, having bought an estimated 25,000 tickets for a game at Barcelona’s Camp Nou. “We know Frankfurt fans are an inventive bunch and find their way to get tickets, but we’ve experienced things like that before,” said Rose. “We’ll also have a couple of Leipzig fans in the stadium.”

Inter Miami’s sporting director Chris Henderson declined to comment on speculation over a bid for Lionel Messi as the club unveiled their new Argentine interim coach Javier Morales on Friday.Miami, who sacked their English coach Phil Neville on Thursday, have long been linked with a bid for Messi, who is expected to leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract runs out at the end of this season. The club, which is co-owned by David Beckham, has pointedly never denied the various reports of a bid and when asked directly if an offer had been made for Messi, Henderson was careful with his words.“I’m not going to get into specifics about players that are not on our roster,” he said. “I’m here today to talk about Javi Morales to talk about our team. You know there is a transfer window opening but we wanted we want to focus on tomorrow night (against DC United), the Open Cup quarter-finals and and the next game... so it’s a busy period for us and that’s our focus at the moment,” he said.Former Manchester United player Neville was sacked after Miami’s fourth straight loss left them stranded at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and ranked 27th of 29 teams in MLS with fans having turned against him. Morales was appointed as interim head coach but former Argentina and Barcelona coach Tata Martino, who worked in MLS as head coach of Atlanta before coaching Mexico at last year’s World Cup, has been linked with a move to the South Florida club.“I don’t I don’t want to talk about specific coaches,” said Henderson when asked about Martino. “There will be a process, interview process but I’m not going to get into specifics. That’s internal within our club between myself and our ownership group and we will we will continue that process together as a group,” he added.Although no timescale has been given to Morales, both the coach and Henderson referred to the next three games on several occasions. Morales, who began his playing career in Argentina before moving to Real Salt Lake in MLS, said he was relishing the chance to take charge of the side for the upcoming games, starting with the visit of Wayne Rooney’s DC United today.He also said he would love to get the job on a permanent basis. “Of course, this is the opportunity of my life, I’ve been waiting for this,” he said. “Probably it is not in the way that I expected but this is life, it is what it is, it has come at this time, I am happy for the opportunity and I will do my best. I’ve seen this club growing so much..I love this club and will try to help (the team) to improve and get better as soon as possible”.There is now a distinctly Argentine feel to the Miami club, which has a strongly South American fan base – as well as Morales, goalkeeping coach Sebastian Saja played four times for the national side and eight years with Argentine club San Lorenzo. Federico Higuain, the brother of former Argentina and Real Madrid forward Gonzalo, is the head coach of Inter’s reserve team, assisted by compatriot Cristian Raul Ledesma.“What we want to start achieving is that people come to the stadium and they feel identified and represented by this club and by this team,” said Morales. “That people go home, regardless of the result, proud to be an Inter Miami fan. I am not saying that has not what has happened in the past but that is what I want from my team”.

Pep Guardiola says Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish are fit to feature for treble-chasing Manchester City in their FA Cup final showdown against Manchester United today. De Bruyne, Grealish, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji all missed City’s last Premier League game of the season at Brentford last week.But City boss Guardiola revealed yesterday that the quartet have returned to training and are expected to be involved in the first all-Manchester FA Cup final at Wembley. “They’ve trained well in the last two training sessions. They are all of them, more or less, fine,” he said.Guardiola has also confirmed Stefan Ortega will start in goal against United instead of regular first choice keeper Ederson. Ortega, who started two of City’s last three league games, has not conceded a goal in the FA Cup this season.It is a bold move from Guardiola, whose side are two wins away from becoming only the second English club – after United in 1999 – to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season. “Stefan is going to play. I have always been like that in the FA Cup. The keeper who has played in the FA Cup is going to play in the FA Cup final,” Guardiola said.Although City surged to the title with a blistering run of 12 successive league victories and finished 14 points ahead of United, Guardiola has no intention of underestimating Erik ten Hag’s team. United beat City 2-1 in January, avenging their 6-3 loss earlier in the campaign, and also ended their six-year trophy drought by lifting the League Cup in February.Guardiola has been impressed Ten Hag’s work in his first season at Old Trafford. “I look at a manager on how his team improve. When you see a team better and better, in a league that is not easy, you identify a really good manager,” he said. “He represents our profession in the best way possible. I can’t say we are friends, we are not in touch much, but I think United have an exceptional manager for many, many years.”If City beat United, they can complete the treble in the Champions League final against Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10. But Guardiola urged his players not to look ahead to their bid for a first Champions League crown. “Thinking about titles, the second or third, we have to analyse the strength of our opponent, look at the weaknesses they have,” he said.“Everything surrounding is normal, you cannot control it. It’s special for itself but the question what United have done for the past five months means they are a completely different team. They were better when we lost but we played good. I have the feeling that they have improved, the playing patterns are more clear. We’ve done really, really well against them during my time but it’s United, the quality of player has always been there.”Meanwhile, United coach Erik ten Hag fears forward Antony is “unlikely” to recover from injury in time for FA Cup final. Antony was stretchered off during the first half of last week’s Premier League win against Chelsea.United boss Ten Hag had hoped the Brazilian could return to face treble-chasing City in the first all-Manchester FA Cup final. But Antony has made slow progress this week and looks set to be sidelined at Wembley. “Unlikely (he will be fit),” Ten Hag said. “Antony didn’t make the progress, so he still has a chance but unlikely he is available.”Anthony Martial’s injury-hit season will also end on the sidelines. The 27-year-old strained a hamstring towards the end of Sunday’s win against Fulham and he will miss the final after scans showed a muscle tear. Despite the fitness issues plaguing his team, Ten Hag remains confident United have the squad strength to beat arch rivals City. “These questions so many times about the absence of players in the last couple of months,” he said. “Every time I say the same answer: it’s about the players who are available and many times we were successful. We have a good squad and from that good squad we make a good team.”United fans are desperate for their side to extinguish those dreams as Pep Guardiola’s men look to replicate Alex Ferguson’s 1999 treble heroes. “We want to win, we want to win a cup,” Ten Hag said. “It’s not about stopping them. It is about that we win, that we win the cup. We have a great opportunity. That’s great that we deserved that opportunity to be in the cup final and then meet Man City. That’s a great opportunity. We fought so hard for it. I think we progressed that well that we are in that FA Cup final.”

The Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) announced the list of the Qatari national team athletes participating in the Asian U20 Athletics Championships, which will be held in Incheon, South Korea from June 4-7 2023.The list included: Ismail Daoud in the 400m and 400m hurdles races, Abdul Rahman Muhammad in 400m hurdles race, Saif Abdel Salam in pole vault competition, Nayef Al Rashidi and Omar Daoud in 110m hurdles race, Amer Muhammad in100m race, Ahmed Jibreen in the discus throw and shot put competitions.

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo pledged to remain in Saudi Arabia next season on Thursday despite failing to land any silverware since his lucrative move to the oil-rich kingdom.Ronaldo’s January signing for Al Nassr has been followed by speculation about how long he will stay, including reports of a swap deal with Saudi-owned Newcastle United who have now qualified for next season’s Champions League.But the 38-year-old said in an official Saudi Pro League interview: “I am happy here, I want to continue here, I will continue here. And in my opinion if they continue to do the work that they want to do here, for the next five years, I think the Saudi league can be a top five league in the world.”Ronaldo’s 14 goals in 16 league appearances were only enough for a second-place finish for the Riyadh club, a favourite of some senior Saudi royals. In January, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus marksman signed a two-and-a-half year deal said to be worth more than 400mn euros.He admitted some Saudi conventions had taken him by surprise, including late-night training sessions during the Holy month of Ramadan.“In Europe we train more in the morning, but here we train in the afternoon, or evening and in Ramadan we train at 10 at night,” he said.“So this is so strange, but as I tell you these situations are part of an experience, memories. I like to live these moments because you learn with these things. I expected to win something this year, but we didn’t, but next year I am really positive and confident that things will change, and we go in a better way.”Reality is not the Internet, Benzema says of lucrative Saudi moveReal Madrid striker Karim Benzema insisted yesterday that “reality is not the Internet” in response to rumours of a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia. “Why am I going to talk about the future if I am in Madrid?” asked the Frenchman. “The thing that is talking is the Internet and reality is not the Internet.”Benzema was responding to claims he might be en route to a Saudi club, although he still has a year left on his contract with the Spanish giants. According to Spanish press reports, Benzema could net 200mn euros ($215mn) in a two-year deal in the Gulf kingdom.“For now I’m here,” he said. “Tomorrow I go training, I enjoy every day and on Sunday I have a game. I’m very proud of my work and I enjoy every training session, every game and the most important thing is to enjoy. When I go to Valdebebas it’s not work for me because the day it’s work I won’t want to do it anymore. I enjoy football like children do and in my head I’m still a child,” said Benzema, who has won 25 titles in his time at Real Madrid.Benzema, speaking at an award ceremony, explained that his approach to the game meant he tried to be a more versatile striker. “I know how to score goals, but what I want in football because I like football is what I can do on the field: movement, assists – I try to do things that are not seen in other strikers.”Benzema said retired Brazilian player Ronaldo was his role model, explaining that “not only was he a goal scorer, but he could shimmy, make assists”.

The General Assembly of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) convened to elect Jassim bin Rashid al-Buenain as the president for the 2023-2027 term. The newly-formed executive committee for the upcoming term includes Hani Talib Ballan (Qatar Sports Club), Mohamed Khalifa al-Suwaidi (Al Rayyan Club), Hassan Juma al-Muhannadi (Al Khor Club) and Khalid Abdullah al-Sulaiti (Al Arabi Club).The Ordinary General Assembly meeting was attended by the president and members of the Executive Committee, as well as the General Assembly members from the 18 clubs, the Qatar Stars League Management, and representatives from Lusail, Al Bidda and Al Waab clubs. Abdullah Hamed al-Mulla, the Chairman of the Election Committee, and the committee members were also present.Distinguished guests, including representatives from FIFA – Hany Abu Reda and Essam al-Sahebani – and the Asian Football Confederation – Karim Haidar al-Zain – were invited to oversee the electoral process of the QFA.Following the first-ever electronic voting process in the elections, the votes were counted. Al-Buenain received 16 votes to secure the presidency. As for the members, al-Suwaidi received 18 votes, Ballan 17, al-Muhannadi 16 and al-Sulaiti 15.The composition of the new Executive Committee aligns with the amended articles of the QFA regulations, approved by the members in the previous General Assembly meeting. The Executive Committee, serving as the executive body of the Qatar Football Association, consists of a president and four members, with one member appointed as the vice-president, in accordance with the statutory provisions.Al-Buenain expressed his gratitude to the outgoing president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani for his immense contributions to the QFA and Qatari football during his successive presidential terms. These terms witnessed numerous achievements, championship victories, and the successful hosting of international tournaments. He affirmed that Sheikh Hamad will continue to support and endorse the Qatar Football Association through his membership in the FIFA Council, leveraging his extensive expertise to benefit the QFA at regional and international levels.Al-Buenain also extended his gratitude and appreciation to the former members of the Executive Committee for their significant contributions and unlimited support to Qatari football during their tenure. He acknowledged the dedicated work of the late Saoud bin Abdulaziz al-Muhannadi across all levels in the past period.Al-Buenain addressed the members of the General Assembly, including clubs and the Qatar Stars League, extending his sincere greetings and appreciation for their tremendous support to the Executive Committee. He expressed his wish for the new Committee to succeed, emphasising club supports indispensability. He highlighted the unity of purpose among all stakeholders, aiming for the benefit of Qatari football and its continuous growth to the highest levels.The meeting took place during the Ordinary General Assembly of QFA yesterday at the Al Majlis hall in the Sheraton Doha Hotel. It was attended by General Assembly members, Association directors and heads of departments. At the beginning of the meeting, outgoing working president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani welcomed the attendees and paid tribute to the late Saoud al-Muhannadi – and one of the most important figures in Qatari football.Sheikh Hamad said: “After Jassim al-Buenain learned about my non-candidacy in the elections, he expressed his desire to run, and he was appointed as the Vice-President of the Qatar Football Association on February 22, 2023. He was also entrusted by the QFA to manage the Qatar Stars League on February 27, 2023. Since then, I have decided that my brother al-Buenain should take on a greater leadership role within the association. Therefore, he has prepared well in the past period, and I have been by his side in the past, and I will continue to be so in the future.”Mansour Mohamed al-Ansari, the Secretary-General, then took over to present the assembly’s agenda. The meeting began with a quick presentation showcasing the major milestones from 2018 to 2022 through a short film. Al Rayyan, Al Arabi, and Al Shahania clubs were appointed to review the meeting minutes, while Al Gharafa, Al Khor, and Muaither were assigned as vote auditors.The minutes of the previous General Assembly meeting, held on March 27th last year, were approved. Additionally, there was a vote on the Executive Committee’s proposal to grant the title of honorary president of the QFA to Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani.The membership of Lusail, Al Bidaa, and Al Waab clubs was then voted upon and accepted. This was followed by the approval of the President’s report, the presentation of the unified, audited, and consolidated budget, the statement of profit and loss, and the approval of financial data and the budget.

Qatar’s Nasser bin Khalifa al-Atya (also inset) and Italian co-driver Bernacchini Giovanni drive their Ford Fiesta during the Special Stage 1 of the Rally Italia Sardegna on Thursday. Al-Atya and Giovanni were sixth fastest in the SS1. This is the second round in Europe in the FIA Masters Cup for Al-Atya and Giovanni. They featured in the Rally of Portugal three weeks ago.

England’s Stuart Broad laid down an early marker in what promises to be a seismic summer of Test cricket with five wickets against Ireland before Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley crushed the visitors’ spirit at sun-baked Lord’s on Thursday.The 36-year-old paceman was supreme, taking the 20th five-wicket haul of his career as Ireland were dismissed for 172.England openers Duckett and Crawley then tucked into an appetising Ireland attack after tea as the hosts reached 152-1 in only 25 overs to seize control of the four-day test.Left-hander Duckett was particularly impressive as he reached his sixth test half century from 53 balls, ending a one-sided day on 60 not out.Crawley, yet to convince as England’s first-choice opener despite 32 previous tests, reached his 50 off only 39 balls as Ireland’s attack wilted.Crawley fell for 56 but Ollie Pope continued the punishment with 29 from 35 balls before stumps.The one-off Test is very much an aperitif for the Ashes starting in a fortnight and there was a buzz of anticipation around the ground as captain Ben Stokes won the toss and invited Ireland to bat on a greenish wicket under an overcast sky.Ireland, still looking for their first win as a test-playing nation having lost the previous six, slumped to 19-3 as Broad, appearing in his 162nd Test match, wrought havoc with three wickets in an eight-ball spell.First he trapped Peter Moor (10) lbw with a full and straight delivery and on the first ball of his next over Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie dangled his bat outside off stump and edged to Crawley who took a fine slip catch.Two balls later Harry Tector flicked a rising Broad ball off his body straight into the hands of Matthew Potts at leg slip.Broad’s next delivery rapped Paul Stirling’s pads and he was given out but reprieved after a review.Ireland were bowled out for 38 in their previous innings at Lord’s four years ago when they were chasing a modest target of 182 for what would have been an historic victory.There was no repeat of that shambolic collapse as Stirling launched a spirited fightback alongside opener James McCollum. Stirling struck England’s debutant seamer Josh Tongue for successive boundaries in the 16th over and also went after spinner Jack Leach but was out for 30 off 35 balls when he gloved an attempted sweep off Leach behind to Jonny Bairstow.Having reached 78-4 at lunch and with the sun bursting through, Ireland might have hoped to reach 200 at least.McCollum moved to 36 after lunch before edging Broad to Joe Root at first slip and then Lorcan Tucker (18) fell lbw to Leach when he missed an attempted sweep.Curtis Campher and Andy McBrine shared a 38-run stand before McBrine attempted to drive Potts through extra cover but nicked behind to Bairstow.Broad completed his third ‘five-for’ at Lord’s and first at the home of cricket for 10 years by clean bowling Mark Adair (14) before Campher (33) was bowled having a swing at Leach.Potts finished it off by having Fionn Hand caught behind.With sumptuous batting conditions the only question then was whether England would be ahead by the close.They just failed but should pile up the runs today.SCOREBOARDIreland 1st InningsJ. McCollum c Root b Broad 36P. Moor lbw b Broad 10A. Balbirnie c Crawley b Broad 0H. Tector c Potts b Broad 0P. Stirling c Bairstow b Leach 30L. Tucker lbw b Leach 18C. Campher b Leach 33A. McBrine c Bairstow b Potts 19M. Adair b Broad 14F. Hand c Bairstow b Potts 1G. Hume not out 0Extras (b1, lb9, nb1) 11Total (all out, 56.2 overs, 263 mins) 172Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Moor), 2-19 (Balbirnie), 3-19 (Tector), 4-64 (Stirling), 5-98 (McCollum), 6-104 (Tucker), 7-142 (McBrine), 8-169 (Adair), 9-172 (Campher), 10-172 (Hand)Bowling: Broad 17-5-51-5 (1nb); Potts12.2-4-36-2; Tongue 13-4-40-0; Leach 14-2-35-3England 1st InningsZ. Crawley c and b Hand 56B. Duckett not out 60O. Pope not out 29Extras (b4, lb1, nb1, w1) 7Total (1 wkt, 25 overs, 113 mins) 152To bat: J Root, H Brook, B Stokes, J Bairstow, S Broad, M Potts, J Tongue, J LeachFall of wickets: 1-109 (Crawley)Bowling: Adair 7-1-59-0 (1w); Hume 8-0-29-0; Hand 7-1-42-1; Campher 3-0-17-0 (1nb)Note: Match scheduled for maximum four days.

Florence, Italy: World 100m champion Fred Kerley will again miss out on a chance to test himself against absent Olympic gold medallist Marcell Jacobs, but the field for the blue riband event at the Florence Diamond League today still oozes class.Jacobs also pulled out of last weekend’s Diamond League meet in Rabat, meaning there has not been a showdown between the pair since the Italian trumped Kerley for a shock gold at the Tokyo Olympics, pushed back a year to 2021.“I’m not upset that he’s not competing,” Kerley said of Jacobs, who withdrew with a back injury.“I just wish him health and that he gets back to 100 percent.”Kerley will notably line up with US teammates Marvin Bracy and Trayvon Bromell, the duo who completed the world championship podium in Oregon last year.Kerley, winner of the meeting in Rome last year in 9.92sec before conquering the US championships and taking the world gold in Eugene, will also be up against Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala.Omanyala has the fastest time of the season, 9.84sec run in Nairobi, but was second to Kerley in Rabat.Completing the line-up will be Jamaica’s 2011 world champion Yohan Blake, South African Akani Simbine, Italy’s surprise European indoor champion Samuele Ceccarelli and Australian Rohan Browning.“It will be a chance to test myself against high-level rivals, I’ll try to have something to say,” said Ceccarelli.

Fourth seed Casper Ruud and holder Iga Swiatek stayed on course to reach consecutive finals at the French Open while a couple of unheralded names in the women’s draw continued to show their immense potential on a sunny day at Roland Garros.Elena Rybakina also booked a third round spot with a 6-3 6-3 win over rising Czech teenager Linda Noskova with the fourth seed and Wimbledon champion dazzling again on Parisian clay as one of the top contenders for the Grand Slam title.Ruud, who lost to Rafa Nadal in last year’s final, is aiming to capitalise on the 14-time champion’s absence through injury this year and looked rock solid for much of his 6-3 6-2 4-6 7-5 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri.“It was a tough match,” Ruud said.“I started well, got a break early and served well myself.“That’s the beauty of best-of-five sets. In a normal match I would have won 6-3 6-2, but here you have the chance to fight like he did.“He played much better in the third set and the fourth set, and it became very tough.”Swiatek, who is looking to lift the Suzanne Lenglen Cup for the third time in four years, briefly struggled against American Claire Liu but returned to her rampant best with another bagel in her 6-4 6-0 victory.Russian qualifier Mirra Andreeva continued to enjoy a dream Grand Slam debut as the 16-year-old stormed into the third round with a 6-1 6-2 win over Frenchwoman Diane Parry, though she admitted to having butterflies in her stomach.“I’m happy that you don’t see that I’m nervous,” said the world number 143, who became the youngest player to reach the third round in Paris since a 15-year-old Sesil Karatantcheva stormed into the last eight in 2005. “I hide it pretty well.” American Kayla Day made no secret of her success after a stunning 6-2 4-6 6-4 win over compatriot Madison Keys, thanking her Czech roots for enhancing her tennis skills.“My mum, she was born and raised in Prague, and I speak fluent Czech. That’s the only reason why I’m good at tennis, because I’m half Czech.”Jannik Sinner later squandered two match points in his 6-7(0) 7-6(7) 1-6 7-6(4) 7-5 loss to German Daniel Altmaier in an epic battle lasting more than five hours. “Playing every point you can with the best effort, that’s what keeps you in reality,” Altmaier said about his escapes on match point.“I was just thinking that and the competition says it all. We’ve had historic matches with so many match points ... I don’t know if you can call this a ‘historical’ match, but I think it was one to remember.”Croatian Borna Coric was made to work hard by Pedro Cachin before the 15th seed prevailed 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-4 but it was a day to forget for Australian 18th seed Alex de Minaur who fell to a 6-3 7-6(2) 6-3 defeat by Tomas Martin Etcheverry.Jabeur subdues risk-taking Dodin for third round spotWorld number seven Ons Jabeur played the odds in her French Open match against daredevil Oceane Dodin yesterday to win 6-2 6-3 and march into the third round.Jabeur has endured a stop-start season in which she had minor knee surgery before winning the title in Charleston and skipping the Madrid Open with a calf problem. While it may not have been the preparation she would have liked for Paris, Jabeur has looked solid in her two matches so far, having reached the third round without dropping a set.The Tunisian initially struggled to control Dodin’s power game as the 26-year-old French world number 122 attacked almost every ball, playing with considerable risk. While she made many difficult points, Dodin missed several easier ones, including two volleys, to send Jabeur 4-2 up.The Tunisian’s drop shot is arguably the best in the women’s game and the 28-year-old world number seven made full use of it on her next service game to move 5-2 ahead. Dodin’s risky play did not pay off when another audacious crosscourt forehand flew wide to hand Jabeur the first set.The pair then traded early breaks but Dodin’s errors gradually piled up as Jabeur clinched the contest on her third match point to end the French presence in the women’s draw.It is the third time in five years that no French player has made the third round of the women’s competition.

Paris: Novak Djokovic has defiantly insisted “it’s something I stand for” regarding the controversy over his explosive comments about Kosovo earlier this week at the French Open.On Monday, the 22-time Grand Slam champion wrote “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence” on a TV camera after his first match at Roland Garros.“I would say it again, but I don’t need to because you have my quotes,” he said after making the third round on Wednesday with a straights sets win over Marton Fucsovics.“I’m aware that a lot of people would disagree, but it is what it is. It’s something that I stand for. So that’s all.”Djokovic had defended his message in comments to Serb media, saying that Kosovo is Serbia’s “cradle, our stronghold”.The International Tennis Federation (ITF), the governing body of the sport, said they had received a request from the Kosovo Tennis Federation demanding Djokovic be sanctioned over his actions.However, they pointed out that such statements do not contravene regulations.“Rules for player conduct at a Grand Slam event are governed by the Grand Slam rulebook, administered by the relevant organiser and regulator. There is no provision in this that prohibits political statements,” an ITF spokesman told AFP.Djokovic was criticised for his comments about recent clashes in Kosovo by French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera who said he “shouldn’t get involved”.Oudea-Castera told broadcaster France 2 that Djokovic’s message was “not appropriate, clearly”. “It was a message that is very activist, that is very political.”The Kosovo Olympic Committee (KOC) accused Djokovic of “stirring up” political tensions, a spokesman told AFP.Djokovic “breached the fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter regarding political neutrality and involved yet another political statement in sports”, the KOC wrote in a letter sent to the IOC on Tuesday.KOC head Ismet Krasniqi sought that the IOC initiates disciplinary proceedings against Djokovic, said the letter posted on its Facebook.Such “behaviour cannot be tolerated as it sets a dangerous precedent that sports can be used as a platform for political messages, agendas and propaganda”, the letter quoted Krasniqi as saying.Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina said Djokovic should be free to “say his opinion”.

Paris: Sixteen-year-old qualifier Mirra Andreeva became the youngest player since 2005 to reach the French Open third round on Thursday and immediately set her sights on winning a record-shattering 25 Grand Slam titles.Andreeva, ranked at 143 in the world and making her Grand Slam debut, eased to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Diane Parry of France.The France-based Russian is the youngest player to make the last 32 since a 15-year-old Sesil Karatantcheva made the 2005 quarter-finals.She is also just the seventh player under the age of 17 to make the third round in Paris in 30 years, a group that includes the likes of serial Slam champions Serena Williams and Martina Hingis.“My dream? I know that Djokovic did 22 Grand Slams so I want to go until 25, if it will be possible,” said Andreeva who played the junior tournament in Paris last year.However, should she reach that mark and surpass the majors collections of Djokovic and Rafael Nadal (22), Serena Williams (23) and all-time leader Margaret Court (24), she promised to stay grounded. “If I will be a little bit like a diva, my coach will say something to me for sure because he doesn’t like those people,” said Andreeva. “So I’m sure I will get some words from him. I will just be me. I will just be myself, and I’m sure if I will just do my thing, I will just, let’s say, stay on the ground.”It has been a breakout tournament and year for the teenager.She has won five matches at Roland Garros without dropping a set while her record for 2023 stands at 22 wins and just two losses. Six of those wins have come against top-100 players.The French Open is only her third tour-level main draw appearance. On the eve of Roland Garros, she went all the way to the last 16 in Madrid, beginning the event when she was still 15. Andreeva could face 2022 runner-up Coco Gauff for a place in the last 16 if the 19-year-old American gets past Austria’s Julia Grabher. Gauff and Andreeva have practised together at Roland Garros.

Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes teammate George Russell were optimistic on Thursday that their heavily-upgraded car will produce improved performance and results at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.But both conceded that the runaway dominance of Red Bull and the similar improvements to be introduced by rivals Ferrari and Aston Martin, among others, made it difficult to evaluate their progress.“Monaco was not a good place to introduce new parts, but this is the perfect test track with a lot of high-speed corners so I am sure we can learn more about where we stand here,” said seven-time champion Hamilton.“Of course, the others have upgrades here too, but from our race here last year, I am intrigued to see what happens because we did well and had a relatively good weekend. It’s going to be very interesting to see.”Mercedes introduced a change of philosophy with the sidepods of their W14 car in Monte Carlo along with new suspension arrangements, a revised floor and rear wing and rear brakes in a wide-ranging package. Those changes are expected to be followed by more upgrades this weekend as the team seek to overhaul Aston Martin and Ferrari in pursuit of Red Bull.“We are not going to judge anything just on this weekend,” said Russell.“Last year, we had a really competitive weekend in Barcelona. I was on the podium and Lewis was strong in the race after a puncture.“We came away thinking all our problems were solved and then went to the following couple of races and learned that wasn’t the case at all!“I’m sure we will have a slightly more competitive weekend here, but that won’t mean we are definitely back.”Verstappen says Red Bull need luck to win every raceMax Verstappen yesterday returned to the scene of his maiden Formula One victory and sought to play down talk of Red Bull becoming the first team to win every race in a season.The Dutchman claimed his first win as a teenager on his Red Bull debut in the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, after the two championship-leading Mercedes drivers Nico Hamilton and Lewis Hamilton collided on the opening lap.The defending double world champion leads this year’s title race by 39 points from teammate Segio Perez, with Red Bull dominating. Verstappen has won four of six races so far, with Perez winning the other two.Their imperious consistency has raised the prospect of a unique sweep, despite Perez’s lapse in Monaco last weekend when he crashed in qualifying, started from the back of the grid and failed to score a point.Speaking to reporters at a pre-race news conference at the Circuit de Catalunya, Verstappen was asked about that race, his teammate’s mishap and its impact on the title battle.“I think it’s mainly just the team, of course, as they want to score more points, but that’s Monaco – it can bite you,” he said.“I’ve been in that position myself, but now, from my point of view, it doesn’t really change anything.“I know it’s a very long championship and you need to be very consistent.“You can barely afford mistakes, especially when it’s one team, one opponent, really.“And at the moment, it looks like ‘best case you win’ and ‘worst case you’re second’ so you can’t really lose too many points like that.He said he plans to “keep grinding every single weekend.”“It doesn’t really change anything for me. It’s not like I came out of Monaco relieved, or whatever.“I’m planning to gain seven points every single weekend.”

Sevilla found their Europa League magic formula on Wednesday night, beating Roma 4-1 on penalties in Budapest to make it a perfect seven out of seven in finals in the competition. The game finished 1-1 following extra-time after Paulo Dybala’s opener was earlier cancelled out by an own goal from Roma defender Gianluca Mancini.A bad-tempered but gripping match went to a shootout at a raucous Puskas Arena, with Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou proving the hero with two saves. Gonzalo Montiel, who scored the winning penalty in the 2022 World Cup final, netted the decisive spot-kick after Mancini and Roger Ibanez had failed to convert for Roma.The win is a remarkable achievement for 62-year-old Jose Luis Mendilibar, who only took over at Sevilla in March and is now celebrating his first major trophy. “We are going to enjoy this because it has cost a lot and right now I don’t know if I will renew or not and I don’t care,” said the Spaniard, who is not certain to be at the club next season.The veteran coach was brought in to save the club from relegation and has led them to safety as well as European glory. “When I arrived I told the players that they were very good but that they were not mentally in the right place and that was my job,” he said. “They have shown me in the end that they are very good.”Defeat spells heartbreak for Roma boss Jose Mourinho, who has lost a European final for the first time after five successes. The fans created a crackling atmosphere before kick-off but the early stages of the game did not match the colour in the stands.Dybala repaid Mourinho’s gamble on his fitness in the 35th minute when he latched onto Mancini’s through ball from the centre circle, coolly slotting his shot past Bounou. Sevilla, finally finding some fluency, came agonisingly close to levelling deep into the seven minutes of added-on time when Ivan Rakitic drilled a fierce left-footed strike from distance that cannoned back off an upright.Mendilibar brought on forwards Suso and Erik Lamela for Oliver Torres and Bryan Gil at the break and the Spanish side began the second period on the front foot. They were level after 10 minutes when Mancini bundled a Jesus Navas cross from the right into his own net from close range. Roma seemed certain to re-take the lead against the run of play midway through the second half but the Sevilla defenders somehow scrambled the ball away after several stabs at goal from close range.Dybala, starting a match for the first time since mid-April, was withdrawn, with midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum coming on to replace him. Sevilla thought they had a penalty with 15 minutes to go after referee Anthony Taylor ruled that Ibanez had brought down Lucas Ocampos but the decision was overturned by VAR.Roma squandered a glorious chance to go back in front when substitute Andrea Belotti failed to keep his shot on target with only the goalkeeper to beat. Extra-time was largely uneventful as tempers flared between the two benches but Roma defender Chris Smalling almost snatched the win when he hit the woodwork with a looping header from a corner in the dying seconds.There were 13 yellow cards awarded, the most ever in a UEFA Europa League game. The first three spot-kicks were converted but when man-of-the-match Bounou saved penalties from Mancini and pushed Ibanez’s effort onto the post, the Spanish side had a 3-1 lead and appeared certain winners. But there was more drama to come.Montiel’s effort was saved by Rui Patricio but the kick was ordered re-taken after an encroachment by the goalkeeper and this time the Argentine made no mistake.Sevilla, 11th in La Liga with one match to play will play in the Champions League next season.But Roma’s campaign could end with a whimper after the highs of winning the inaugural Europa Conference League last year. The Italian team are sixth in Serie A with one game remaining and there are major doubts over whether Mourinho, 60, will still be manager next season. “We felt pressure against a team that has more talent than us,” said the Portuguese. “We lost a game but not dignity. I’ve never gone home prouder than today, even when I won.”

Jose Mourinho threw his future as Roma manager into further doubt on Wednesday, saying he was “too tired” after the bitter pain of losing his first major European final to Sevilla. The Spanish team triumphed 4-1 on penalties after the game in Budapest finished 1-1, with Paulo Dybala’s opener cancelled out by an own goal from Roma defender Gianluca Mancini.Such a defeat is a new experience for Mourinho, 60, who had won all five of his previous major European finals, including last year’s inaugural UEFA Conference League final with the Italian side. “I’m too tired to do the job as a trainer, as a spokesman of the club, to fight every time,” he said in the immediate aftermath of the defeat.Mourinho told reporters that questions over his future were “not important at the moment”, adding he was looking forward to going on holiday at the end of the season.Roma are sixth in Serie A with one match remaining.The Portuguese said he was disappointed with the officiating during the final and felt a number of decisions went against his men. “We felt pressure against a team that has more talent than us,” he said. “We lost a game but not dignity. I’ve never gone home prouder than today, even when I won. We had also worked hard on penalties but we missed two – but all together, not only the penalty takers. Congratulations to Sevilla, but also congratulations to my players. The boys must go home peacefully, with pride for having done what they have done. These are my boys from Budapest.”

Paris St Germain’s home game against Clermont will not necessarily be Lionel Messi’s last for the capital side, a club source said after coach Christophe Galtier said yesterday it would be ‘his last match at the Parc des Princes’.Messi, who has 21 goals and 20 assists for PSG in all competitions this season, moved to the French capital from Barcelona in 2021 on a two-year contract. He has not yet renewed his deal with the Ligue 1 champions.“It will be his last game this season,” the source told Reuters.The 35-year-old, who led Argentina to the World Cup title in Qatar and also boasts a record seven Ballon d’Or awards, won the Ligue 1 title in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons with PSG as well as the French Super Cup in July 2022. “I had the privilege of coaching the best player in the history of football. This will be his last match at the Parc des Princes, and I hope that he will receive the warmest of welcomes,” Galtier told reporters.Last month, French media reported that Messi was suspended for two weeks after an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia when he was supposed to train with his team following their 3-1 defeat at home to Lorient in the league. “This year, he has been an important part of the team, always available. I don’t think any of the comments or criticisms are justified,” Galtier said. “He’s always been there for the team. It’s been a great privilege to accompany him throughout the season.”Messi’s future at PSG had been the subject of much speculation recently, with a source close to the Argentina captain saying that he had received a formal offer to join Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal next season. He has also been linked in the media with a move back to boyhood club Barcelona, with the United States’ Major League Soccer club Inter Miami also being touted as a possible destination.Tomorrow’s game, however, will not be a joyous affair. Galtier said the club’s title celebrations have been put on hold following goalkeeper Sergio Rico’s accident. Rico was involved in a riding accident while participating in an annual pilgrimage in southern Spain, the day after PSG wrapped up the title with one game to spare.Rico has been in intensive care after suffering “a serious mishap due to a mule cart and a horse that hit him”, his family said in a statement late on Sunday. Spanish paper Marca reported that Rico had been riding a horse himself.“There will be no celebrations, it’s been a very difficult week. We’re all affected because we went from winning the French title on Saturday to waking up in more than a little pain on Sunday morning,” Galtier told reporters ahead of PSG’s final league game of the season.“We’re all affected, and we’re trying as best we can to take our minds off things through the training sessions... We’re very united in sending out lots of positive vibes and energy to Sergio, his mum, his wife and his loved ones.”

The General Assembly of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) convened to elect Jassim bin Rashid al-Buenain as the president for the 2023-2027 term. The newly-formed Executive Committee for the upcoming term includes Hani Talib Ballan (Qatar Sports Club), Mohamed Khalifa al-Suwaidi (Al Rayyan Club), Hassan Juma al-Muhannadi (Al Khor Club) and Khalid Abdullah al-Sulaiti (Al Arabi Club).The Ordinary General Assembly meeting was attended by the president and members of the Executive Committee, as well as the General Assembly members from the 18 clubs, the Qatar Stars League Management, and representatives from Lusail, Al Bidda and Al Waab clubs. Abdullah Hamed al-Mulla, the Chairman of the Election Committee, and the committee members were also present.Distinguished guests, including representatives from FIFA – Hany Abu Reda and Essam al-Sahebani – and the Asian Football Confederation – Karim Haidar al-Zain – were invited to oversee the electoral process of the QFA.Following the first-ever electronic voting process in the elections, the votes were counted. Al-Buenain received 16 votes to secure the presidency. As for the members, al-Suwaidi received 18 votes, Ballan 17, al-Muhannadi 16 and al-Sulaiti 15.The composition of the new Executive Committee aligns with the amended articles of the QFA regulations, approved by the members in the previous General Assembly meeting. The Executive Committee, serving as the executive body of the Qatar Football Association, consists of a president and four members, with one member appointed as the vice president, in accordance with the statutory provisions.Al-Buenain expressed his gratitude to the outgoing president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani for his immense contributions to the QFA and Qatari football during his successive presidential terms. These terms witnessed numerous achievements, championship victories, and the successful hosting of international tournaments. He affirmed that Sheikh Hamad will continue to support and endorse the Qatar Football Association through his membership in the FIFA Council, leveraging his extensive expertise to benefit the QFA at regional and international levels.Al-Buenain also extended his gratitude and appreciation to the former members of the Executive Committee for their significant contributions and unlimited support to Qatari football during their tenure. He acknowledged the dedicated work of the late Saoud bin Abdulaziz al-Muhannadi across all levels in the past period.Al-Buenain addressed the members of the General Assembly, including clubs and the Qatar Stars League, extending his sincere greetings and appreciation for their tremendous support to the Executive Committee. He expressed his wish for the new Committee to succeed, emphasising club support’s indispensability. He highlighted the unity of purpose among all stakeholders, aiming for the benefit of Qatari football and its continuous growth to the highest levels.The meeting took place during the Ordinary General Assembly of QFA yesterday at the Al Majlis hall in the Sheraton Doha Hotel. It was attended by General Assembly members, Association directors and heads of departments.At the beginning of the meeting, outgoing working president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani welcomed the attendees and paid tribute to the late Saoud al-Muhannadi – and one of the most important figures in Qatari football.Sheikh Hamad said: “After Jassim al-Buenain learned about my non-candidacy in the elections, he expressed his desire to run, and he was appointed as the Vice President of the Qatar Football Association on February 22, 2023. He was also entrusted by the QFA to manage the Qatar Stars League on February 27, 2023. Since then, I have decided that my brother al-Buenain should take on a greater leadership role within the association. Therefore, he has prepared well in the past period, and I have been by his side in the past, and I will continue to be so in the future.”Mansour Mohamed al-Ansari, the Secretary-General, then took over to present the assembly’s agenda. The meeting began with a quick presentation showcasing the major milestones from 2018 to 2022 through a short film. Al Rayyan, Al Arabi, and Al Shahania clubs were appointed to review the meeting minutes, while Al Gharafa, Al Khor, and Muaither were assigned as vote auditors.The minutes of the previous General Assembly meeting, held on March 27th last year, were approved. Additionally, there was a vote on the Executive Committee’s proposal to grant the title of honorary president of the QFA to Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani.The membership of Lusail, Al Bidaa, and Al Waab clubs was then voted upon and accepted. This was followed by the approval of the President’s report, the presentation of the unified, audited, and consolidated budget, the statement of profit and loss, and the approval of financial data and the budget.

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo pledged to remain in Saudi Arabia next season yesterday despite failing to land any silverware since his lucrative move to the oil-rich kingdom.Ronaldo's January signing for Al Nassr has been followed by speculation about how long he will stay, including reports of a swap deal with Saudi-owned Newcastle United who have now qualified for next season's Champions League. But the 38-year-old said in an official Saudi Pro League interview: "I am happy here, I want to continue here, I will continue here. And in my opinion if they continue to do the work that they want to do here, for the next five years, I think the Saudi league can be a top five league in the world."Ronaldo's 14 goals in 16 league appearances were only enough for a second-place finish for the Riyadh club, a favourite of some senior Saudi royals. In January, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus marksman signed a two-and-a-half year deal said to be worth more than 400mn euros.He admitted some Saudi conventions had taken him by surprise, including late-night training sessions during the Holy month of Ramadan. "In Europe we train more in the morning, but here we train in the afternoon, or evening and in Ramadan we train at 10 at night," he said."So this is so strange, but as I tell you these situations are part of an experience, memories. I like to live these moments because you learn with these things. I expected to win something this year, but we didn't, but next year I am really positive and confident that things will change, and we go in a better way."'Reality is not the internet', Benzema says of lucrative Saudi moveReal Madrid striker Karim Benzema insisted yesterday that "reality is not the internet" in response to rumours of a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia. "Why am I going to talk about the future if I am in Madrid?" asked the Frenchman. "The thing that is talking is the internet and reality is not the internet."Benzema was responding to claims he might be en route to a Saudi club, although he still has a year left on his contract with the Spanish giants. According to Spanish press reports, Benzema could net 200mn euros ($215mn) in a two-year deal in the Gulf kingdom."For now I'm here," he said. "Tomorrow I go training, I enjoy every day and on Sunday I have a game. I'm very proud of my work and I enjoy every training session, every game and the most important thing is to enjoy. When I go to Valdebebas it's not work for me because the day it's work I won't want to do it anymore. I enjoy football like children do and in my head I'm still a child," said Benzema, who has won 25 titles in his time at Real Madrid.Benzema, speaking at an award ceremony, explained that his approach to the game meant he tried to be a more versatile striker. "I know how to score goals, but what I want in football because I like football is what I can do on the field: movement, assists – I try to do things that are not seen in other strikers."Benzema said retired Brazilian player Ronaldo was his role model, explaining that "not only was he a goal scorer, but he could shimmy, make assists".