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American sprint legend Allyson Felix has chosen Aspire Academy in Doha as a key training base as she prepares for a return to competition with the goal of racing at the 2028 Olympic Games in her hometown of Los Angeles.Felix, 42, announced her return to competitive athletics in April after a four-year retirement and has set her sights on earning a place on the United States team for the Los Angeles Olympics.The seven-time Olympic gold medallist selected Aspire Academy as one of her training destinations, citing its world-class facilities and athlete development programs."I have been visiting Qatar for many years, and each time I have received a very warm welcome," Felix said in a statement. "I know very well the amazing sports facilities at Aspire Academy, and it is truly the best place in the world to train."She added: "It was important for Aspire Academy to be part of my journey as I work on regaining my full physical fitness in this new phase of my life, and I knew I could trust that I would find everything I needed here."The American sprinter, who has competed in the 100m, 200m and 400m events, said her return is driven by a desire to see what she can still achieve, with the 2028 Olympics providing added motivation."It's really about curiosity," she said. "I'm not trying to be the athlete I was in the past, but I'm curious to see what's still possible, especially since my city, Los Angeles, is hosting the Olympics. My goal is to be part of the national team, and I hope to be part of the relay team."By hosting Felix during her preparations, Aspire Academy further reinforces its reputation as a leading destination for elite athlete training while giving its student-athletes the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by one of the greatest sprinters in athletics history. 

Novak Djokovic admitted even he was surprised by his ability to out-last Felix Auger-Aliassime in a five-set epic that ranked as the longest quarter-final in Wimbledon history. Djokovic is 14 years older than Auger-Aliassime and had to battle a calf injury throughout a Centre Court classic lasting five hours and 15 minutes in sweltering temperatures. The 39-year-old Serb somehow summoned up the energy, focus and will-power to beat the Canadian third seed 7-6 (12/10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (10/4), booking a blockbuster semi-final against defending champion Jannik Sinner. Djokovic appeared out on his feet at times in the final set, which was only settled in a nerve-shredding tie-break that finished just minutes before the 2200 GMT curfew that would have halted play for the night. Refusing to accept defeat, the indefatigable Djokovic delivered one of the most tenacious performances of a glittering career that has brought him a record-equalling 24 Grand Slam titles. Djokovic has often tested the limits of his endurance with marathon victories in the past, but he conceded this was an extra special effort at an age when most of his contemporaries have retired. "I guess yes, at this stage that I'm still able to battle these young guys that have 15 years less than me, that I'm able to beat them at the tightest possible scoreline. Of course, in a sense, it is really a nice surprise," he said. "I try to also enjoy the moments like this. I think it was a really thrilling experience for us players, but also the crowd. I'm sure also a lot of people watching on TV. Glad to be part of another historic match." Djokovic rated his astonishing victory alongside his 2019 Wimbledon final against Roger Federer, which the Serb won in five sets over four hours and 57 minutes, as among the best of his career. "It's exciting to be part of such an epic match that was played over five hours, whatever it was," he said. "Just one of the best matches I was honestly part of in Wimbledon. Maybe the Wimbledon final in 2019 comes close in terms of time. "The crowd was up on their feet, particularly the last 30 minutes. They recognised how special the moment was. Just very proud to come out as a winner." 'AS GOOD AS A FINAL' Djokovic had spoken earlier in the tournament about his use of cutting edge technology to keep his body in condition to compete against younger opponents. He has used hyperbaric and cryo chambers, cold immersions and red light and pulse therapies to stop father time ruining his bid for a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title. The treatments have clearly done their job as Djokovic is the oldest man to reach a Wimbledon semi-final since Ken Rosewall in 1974. He has advanced to a 15th Wimbledon semi-final and 55th at the Grand Slams. Djokovic is into the Wimbledon last four for an eighth consecutive time, setting a new record for the longest streak of men's semi-final appearances at the All England Club. But the only question that matters for Djokovic now is whether he can recover in time to beat Sinner. "I don't know what tomorrow brings. To be honest, let's see. I'm still in the tournament," he said. "I still want to go at least one more step further. But this was as good as a final for me. I gave it all that I had." Djokovic, who last won Wimbledon in 2022, beat Sinner in five sets in the Australian Open semi-finals in January, but was thrashed by the Italian in the last four at Wimbledon 12 months ago. "Now I have Sinner. Another great, historic run for me at the Grand Slams. This is what counts the most, honestly," Djokovic said. "I still try to prove to myself and others that I'm able to compete with the best players in the world and beat them in the biggest stage."

With big points on offer at Roland Garros, a number of ATP Tour stars made significant moves in the PIF ATP Rankings by producing impressive runs at the clay-court major in Paris.Among them was quarter-finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime, who has hit a new career-high World No. 4 as a result of his run, while finalist Flavio Cobolli has cracked the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time. ATPTour.com looks at the movers in the PIF ATP Rankings as of Monday, 8 June. The 25-year-old Auger-Aliassime became the first Canadian man to reach the quarter-finals at all four Grand Slam tournaments with his last-eight run in Paris.  He hung tough through a five-set opener against Daniel Altmaier before advancing to the quarter-finals, where he fell in four sets to Cobolli. Auger-Aliassime has risen two spots to a career-high No. 4 after his run.  The three-time ATP Tour champion Cobolli advanced to his maiden major final with a breakout streak on the Parisian clay.  The 24-year-old Italian dropped just two sets across five matches prior to the final, in which he pushed Alexander Zverev to five sets. Cobolli has now become a Top-10 player for the first time: He is just the seventh Italian man to break the Top 10 in PIF ATP Rankings history (since 1973). ATP rankings 1 Jannik Sinner (ITA) 135002 Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 99603 Alexander ‌Zverev (DEU) 73054 Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 44405 Ben Shelton (USA) 39206 Alex ​de Minaur (AUS) 39057 Novak ‌Djokovic (SRB) 37608 Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 37609 Taylor ‌Fritz (USA) 372010 Flavio ⁠Cobolli (ITA) 354011 Alexander ‌Bublik (KAZ) 293012 Jiri Lehecka (CZE) 257513 Andrey ‌Rublev (RUS) 246014 Casper Ruud (NOR) 242515 Karen Khachanov (RUS) 232016 Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) 231517 Jakub ⁠Mensik (CZE) 230018 Luciano Darderi (ITA) 230019 Learner Tien (USA) 227020 Valentin Vacherot (MCO) 

Organisers of the Doha Diamond League Meeting on May 8 have confirmed that athletes who set new meeting records at the 2026 event will be awarded a $5000 bonus, an innovative concept that was first introduced in 2025.The Diamond League series broke new ground in 2025 with $9.84mn awarded in prize money across the series as a whole, the largest prize pool in Diamond League history.While the introduction of meeting record bonus payments in Doha provided another welcome incentive for athletes, the high standard of past-performances meant that only Bahrain’s Olympic silver medallist Salwa Eid Naser came close. Her winning time of 49.83 in the women’s 400m matched the meeting record set by Allyson Felix of USA in 2008, but it wasn’t quick enough for the outright best required to meet the criteria for the $5000 bonus payment.Mohammed al-Fadala, Qatar Athletics Federation president, said: “The Doha Meeting has established itself as one of the leading Wanda Diamond League fixtures and feedback from our athletes, their coaches and their managers, repeatedly tells us that our exceptional hospitality is a key factor in them wanting to return.“As Mutaz Barshim said in last year’s press conference, track and field isn’t an easy job, so it’s very important that we value our athletes and take care of them, as well as providing the perfect stage for top quality competition. By continuing to award bonus payments for new meeting records we are incentivising athletes to perform, but we are also rewarding them for their efforts.“Mutaz acknowledged that change is positive and that as a meeting, and across the sport as a whole, we were moving in the right direction. We in Doha remain committed to innovation and change and that remains crucial if we’re to continue to grow our reputation and profile globally.”Earlier, multiple Olympic, world and European champion Mondo Duplantis of Sweden confirmed he will compete in Doha. The 26-year-old, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and six-time world champion, is also the meeting record holder in Doha with 6.02m, set in 2022. He arrives following another standout season, having broken the world record for the 14th time, most recently with 6.30m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.Duplantis is unbeaten in this Doha Diamond League fixture, but it’s been far from plain sailing. The 2020 event was postponed due to the pandemic (he won the rescheduled competition with a best of 5.82m), while in 2022 the men’s pole vault was delayed by one day and moved indoors due to high winds. Duplantis cleared 6.02m for the win on that occasion – a mark that still stands as the meeting record.“We’ve had a couple of challenges in the past for sure, but I’ve always loved coming to Doha,” said the 2025 World Athlete of the Year. “Last year was amazing for me. I ticked off a couple of really big goals, stuff that was high up on my bucket list, but my hunger and motivation is still 100% there. My training has gone well over the winter and I’m looking forward to competing indoors – it’s important to have something new to aim for, and for me, I want to successfully defend my European title. Doha will follow and it’s the perfect meet to kick off my outdoor season. I definitely prefer the warm weather to the cold, so hopefully conditions will be conducive to jumping high, challenging my meeting record, and setting a solid benchmark – and new goals – for the year ahead.”The azzraty Doha Meeting is the opening meeting of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League. The series comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field across four different continents. It concludes with a single final across two days in Brussels on September 4 and 5. 

Al Sadd have parted ways with head coach Felix Sanchez, with assistant coach Sergio Alegre stepping in as interim coach, the reigning Qatar Stars League (QSL) champions announced Wednesday.“Al Sadd Club’s management and head coach Felix Sanchez have mutually agreed to terminate the contract between the two parties. Assistant coach Sergio Alegre will assume responsibility for training the team until a new coaching staff is appointed,” the club posted on its official X handle.Sanchez, 49, took charge of Al Sadd in July 2024, following a celebrated spell with the Qatar national team, where he oversaw their historic AFC Asian Cup title win in 2019 and led the side in their first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance on home soil in 2022. The Spaniard’s appointment was seen as a strategic move aimed at restoring Al Sadd’s domestic dominance and rekindling their continental competitiveness.However, the team have struggled for form this season, currently sitting seventh in both the QSL standings and their AFC Champions League Elite group, falling short of the club’s high expectations. Alegre, who worked closely with Sanchez during his tenure with both Qatar’s youth and senior national teams, will now take charge of preparations for Al Sadd’s upcoming AFC Champions League Elite clash against Al Hilal in Riyadh on Tuesday.Al Arabi appoint Contra as new head coachAl Arabi have announced the appointment of Romanian coach Cosmin Contra as head coach for the remainder of the season. The club confirmed the move on its official X account, stating that Contra will lead a Romanian coaching staff, though details of the contract were not disclosed.Contra replaces Pablo Amo, who parted ways with the club after a disappointing start to the Qatar Stars League campaign. Al Arabi have collected only four points from their opening six matches and currently sit 11th in the standings.A former Romanian international, the 50-year-old Contra enjoyed a distinguished playing career with European giants AC Milan and Atletico Madrid before moving into management. His coaching resume includes stints with Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) and Dinamo Bucharest (Romania), among others.Al Arabi will hope the experienced tactician can spark a turnaround as the team seeks to climb out of the relegation zone and rediscover its form in the league.

Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Andrey Rublev in straight sets at the US Open Monday as the Canadian 25th seed reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final in three years.Auger-Aliassime retrieved a break in the first set before seizing control against the 15th-ranked Rublev, triumphing 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 for just his second win over the Russian in nine attempts.Also Monday, four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka of Japan crushed French Open champion Coco Gauff in straight sets. Osaka, a two-time US Open champion, Monday won 6-3, 6-2. The match was a repeat of the duo’s first meeting at the US Open in 2019, when Osaka overpowered the then 15-year-old Gauff in straight sets.Osaka is enjoying her best US Open showing since winning the tournament for the second time in 2020.The 25-year-old Auger-Aliassime backed up his win over third seed Alexander Zverev in the previous round and will play Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the last eight.Auger-Aliassime climbed as high as sixth in the world at the end of 2022 but had not made it to a major quarter-final since that year’s Australian Open. His deepest run at a Grand Slam came when he advanced to the semi-finals of the US Open four years ago.“It feels even better than the first time,” Auger-Aliassime said of returning to the last eight in New York.“I think the first time at 21 I was kind of on my way up. To have a few setbacks, injuries, struggles with confidence... to come back for a second time to the quarter-finals here, it feels much better.“It feels more deserved. I’m soaking in every moment here.”Also Monday, Australian eighth seed Alex de Minaur powered into the quarter-finals of the US Open with a straight-sets rout of Swiss qualifier Leandro Riedi.De Minaur, who also reached the US Open quarter-finals last year, cruised to victory 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in one hour 33 minutes.De Minaur has reached five Grand Slam quarter-finals before but never managed to progress beyond the last eight.“I’m super proud of what I’m doing,” De Minaur said. “Ultimately this is where I want to be - I want to be playing for big titles, I want to be in contention.”Fritz reaches quarters as Townsend loses epicDreams died by fractions of an inch and were reborn through sheer determination on a pulsating Sunday at the US Open, with Taylor Townsend’s heartbreaking exit contrasting sharply with Taylor Fritz’s steady march onward.Townsend’s three-hour odyssey against Barbora Krejcikova provided the day’s most compelling drama, the mother from Chicago saving eight match points before finally succumbing 1-6 7-6(13) 6-3 in a thriller that left even her four-year-old son AJ offering gentle consolation. “It was literally like a point here and there that made the difference,” said Townsend, tears still fresh after the longest tiebreak of the tournament.The 29-year-old’s anguish provided a stark contrast to Fritz’s businesslike 6-4 6-3 6-3 dismissal of Czech Tomas Machac, to fly the American flag as the country’s sole male survivor from the 23 who began the tournament.The Californian will carry the nation’s hopes of ending a 22-year major drought since Andy Roddick’s 2003 triumph. “It’s been a tough week for the guys,” Fritz admitted after reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open for a third year in a row. “I wasn’t expecting that. I’m happy to be here and happy to be the last one standing. Hopefully the crowd will get behind me and will me through it.”HISTORY MAKERAt 38, Novak Djokovic made history by becoming the oldest man to reach Grand Slam quarter-finals in all four majors in a single season, dispatching Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 6-3 6-2 despite requiring treatment on his right shoulder during the match. “I don’t know how many more I’m going to have, so obviously each one is very special,” said the Serbian, who extended his all-time record to 64 major quarter-finals and now awaits Fritz. Djokovic leads their head-to-head 10-0.Swiatek breezes pastAlexandrova Laser-focused Iga Swiatek barely broke sweat as the former US Open champion methodically dismantled Russian 13th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3 6-1 and booked her return to the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam Monday.The 24-year-old’s crushing win on Louis Armstrong Stadium meant that she became the youngest woman to reach at least the quarter-finals of all four Grand Slams in a single season since 18-year-old Maria Sharapova managed the feat in 2005.