DUBAI // Caroline Wozniacki fought back from a set down to beat Australian Open champion Samantha Stosur 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 and book her place in the third round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship.
Bothered by a knee problem, the 2011 Dubai champion lost the opening set in 44 minutes, but coming back after a seven-minute injury break, she looked in complete command and cruised through the second set in 36 minutes.
The Dane bolted off the blocks in the deciding set as well and was serving for the match at 5-2, but the Australian broke her and then fought back to level the scores at 5-5. She failed to hold on to her own serve in the next game though and Wozniacki finally closed it after an two hour and 41 minute engrossing duel.
Wozniacki’s next opponent is last year’s losing finalist Alize Cornet, who beat Cagla Buyukakcay of Turkey 6-2, 6-4.
World No 8 Agnieszka Radwanska overcame illness and extreme heat to advance after beating Caroline Garcia of France 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
“I came from Poland under different conditions, and there was a lot of sickness going on out there. Everybody was sick,” she said. “I came here not really 100 per cent well. But I think the most important part is that I was able to finish that match and win that match, so that’s the most important thing.”
The 30th ranked Garcia matched Radwanska for the first six games as the match stayed on serve, but the Pole posted the first break of service of the match in the seventh to lead 4-3.
Radwanska then closed out the first set 6-3 with another break of service after Garcia double faulted at 15-40.
The second set saw the French player show renewed reserves of energy as she broke Radwanska twice to lead 4-1.
The 32°C heat was proving too much for Radwanska, and play was stopped for eight minutes as she received attention from the medical staff.
“I was getting a bit worse and worse but didn’t go to the line that I would have to stop,” Radwanska said. “That’s why I was still going and, you know, keep fighting till the end.”
When she returned to court she looked out of sorts and despite holding her next service game, Garcia had no trouble winning the set 6-2.
Radwanska said that the heat did not help her breathing problems.
“It’s hard to breathe, hard to run, especially it’s noon, 30 degrees, didn’t really help me today,” she said. But I think it was good enough, and I think I played really well with that conditions.”
Radwanska however regrouped in the final set as it was her opponents turn to tire. Having double faulted five times in the second set, the Pole service improved significantly, and she hit four straight service winners to easily clinch the third set 6-3.
After clinching the match, she said she had spent a week in her home country but was only able to start practicing once she landed in Dubai.
“Well, in Poland actually I took a few days off. I couldn’t do it,” Radwanska said. “I came here a few days ago and was practicing but didn’t really feel that great. I was able to practice and I was hoping that every day is going better and better.”
The Pole also spoke of her close relationship with coach Martina Navratilova, who is not in Dubai.
“She couldn’t be here, but she’s going to be in Indian Wells and Miami for the big ones. We in touch pretty much every day and talking,” said Radwanska. “Of course sometimes it depends on the time zone and stuff, but of course she’s watching. We always analysing everything and talking about the matches.”
Radwanska, like Venus Williams a day earlier, added her voice to the growing list of players who believe the WTA schedule can be more efficient.
“Going to Australia or to China between tournaments in Europe is not really great schedule. So I think what they should maybe do, trying to play in the country that’s going to be easier for everyone,” she said. “I think it shouldn’t be any draw, like it just should be the place that is easier for the other WTA tournaments. I think that’s always going to be much easier for everyone just to stay very close or even the same country.”
Former world No 1 Ana Ivanovic destroyed Sabine Lisicki of Germany 6-0, 6-3 to advance to the third round where she will meet the Czech Karolina Pliskova.
The current world No 5 simply blew her opponent off the court in the first set, cruising to a 6-0 lead in less than 30 minutes.
Throughout a match played in 32 C heat, the German had no answer to Ivanovic’s aggressive net play and superb forehand.
The Serb started the second set in similar fashion to take a 2-0 lead, with Lisicki finally getting on the scoreboard in the ninth game of the match. The renaissance proved short lived as Ivanovic won the overcame tow break points to win the next match and lead 3-1, and then 5-1.
Lisicki put up a spirited fightback to win the next two games, saving a match point in the process, but Ivanovic broke her serve again in the ninth game of the match to close out the match.
Elsewhere, last year’s finalist Alize Cornet defeated wild card Cagla Buyukakcay 6-2 6-4, while No 13 seed Carla Suarez-Navarrao overcame Camila Giorgi 6-3 6-4.
There was a defeat for a seed, though, with Jelena Jankoic crashing out to Garbine Muguruza 6-3 6-1.
More to follow...
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COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
GULF MEN'S LEAGUE
Pool A Dubai Hurricanes, Bahrain, Dubai Exiles, Dubai Tigers 2
Pool B Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jebel Ali Dragons, Dubai Knights Eagles, Dubai Tigers
Opening fixtures
Thursday, December 5
6.40pm, Pitch 8, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Dubai Knights Eagles
7pm, Pitch 2, Jebel Ali Dragons v Dubai Tigers
7pm, Pitch 4, Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Exiles
7pm, Pitch 5, Bahrain v Dubai Eagles 2
Recent winners
2018 Dubai Hurricanes
2017 Dubai Exiles
2016 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
2015 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
2014 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
Abu Dhabi GP starting grid
1 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
3 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
6 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
7 Romain Grosjean (Haas)
8 Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
9 Esteban Ocon (Force India)
10 Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
11 Carlos Sainz (Renault)
12 Marcus Ericsson (Sauber)
13 Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
14 Sergio Perez (Force India)
15 Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
16 Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
17 Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
18 Stoffe Vandoorne (McLaren)
19 Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
20 Lance Stroll (Williams)
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
More on Turkey's Syria offence
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:
2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SQUADS
India
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur
New Zealand
Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Ish Sodhi, George Worker, Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult
Fight card
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) v Rey Nacionales (PHI)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROM) v Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR)
Catch 74kg
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) v Omar Hussein (JOR)
Strawweight (Female)
Weronika Zygmunt (POL) v Seo Ye-dam (KOR)
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) v Walid Laidi (ALG)
Lightweight
Leandro Martins (BRA) v Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW)
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) v Sofiane Benchohra (ALG)
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR)
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Glen Ranillo (PHI)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Aidan Aguilera (AUS)
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) Sasha Palatnikov (HKG)
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR)
Uefa Nations League: How it Works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet
Price, base: Dh429,090
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 510hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km
The biog
Age: 30
Position: Senior lab superintendent at Emirates Global Aluminium
Education: Bachelor of science in chemical engineering, post graduate degree in light metal reduction technology
Favourite part of job: The challenge, because it is challenging
Favourite quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Gandi
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
THE%C2%A0SPECS
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 5
Keita 1', Mane 23', 66', Salah 45' 1, 83'
Huddersfield 0
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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