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Novak Djokovic Clinches Year-End No. 1 Ranking at ATP Finals 

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts while in action against Holger Rune of Denmark during their match at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament at the Pala Alpitour Arena in Turin, Italy, 12 November 2023. (EPA)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts while in action against Holger Rune of Denmark during their match at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament at the Pala Alpitour Arena in Turin, Italy, 12 November 2023. (EPA)
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Novak Djokovic Clinches Year-End No. 1 Ranking at ATP Finals 

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts while in action against Holger Rune of Denmark during their match at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament at the Pala Alpitour Arena in Turin, Italy, 12 November 2023. (EPA)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts while in action against Holger Rune of Denmark during their match at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament at the Pala Alpitour Arena in Turin, Italy, 12 November 2023. (EPA)

Top-seeded Serbian Novak Djokovic opened group play with a 7-6 (4), 6-7 (1), 6-3 victory over No. 8 seed Holger Rune of Denmark at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, Italy, on Sunday to clinch the year-end No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings.

Djokovic lands at No. 1 at year's end for the eighth time, an ATP record. At 36, he is also the oldest player to finish in the top spot.

"Becoming year-end No. 1 is an incredible accomplishment. To achieve it eight times is absolutely extraordinary," ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said. "Novak continues to set the standard in tennis, and his passion and drive make him a true champion. There's no doubt that more greatness and records lie ahead in his journey."

With the victory, Djokovic improved to 1-0 in the Green Group.

The top eight players in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings were divided into two groups of four for the round-robin group stage. Italian Jannik Sinner, Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, Djokovic and Rune are in the Green Group, while Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev of Germany and Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev make up the Red Group.

The winners of each group will face the runners-up of the other group in the semifinals, with the third- and fourth-place finishers from each group getting eliminated.

Rune logged 18 aces and 48 winners on Sunday, but that still wasn't enough to get the best of Djokovic, who never trailed in the decisive third set.

"It took everything," Djokovic said. "I saw in the first game, when he fired shots from the baseline in the first three or four points, I knew that it was going to be a tough life for me. If I wanted to win this match, I was going to have to work really hard."

In Sunday's other match in the Green Group, fourth-seeded Sinner beat No. 6 Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4.

Sinner won 32 of 36 first-service points and racked up 21 winners against five unforced errors to cruise to the win. Tsitsipas saved three of five break points and had 16 winners.

"I was excited to step on court and opening the Finals is really, really special," Sinner said. "I knew it was going to be very tough, but I think I handled the situation well. I tried to stay aggressive and I am very happy with the performance."

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Prince Abdul Mohsin Airport Receives First Dakar Rally 2026 Arrivals

This comes as part of ongoing preparations to host the global sporting event - SPA
This comes as part of ongoing preparations to host the global sporting event - SPA
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Prince Abdul Mohsin Airport Receives First Dakar Rally 2026 Arrivals

This comes as part of ongoing preparations to host the global sporting event - SPA
This comes as part of ongoing preparations to host the global sporting event - SPA

Prince Abdul Mohsin bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Yanbu has received the first arrivals of competitors participating in the Dakar Rally 2026, as part of ongoing preparations to host the global sporting event.

Cluster2 Airports, the operator of Prince Abdul Mohsin bin Abdulaziz International Airport, stated that arrivals will continue from December 28 to December 31, with approximately 17 flights, both private and commercial, designated for the arrival of competitors and participating teams, SPA reported.

The process is being handled with a high level of operational readiness and full coordination among the relevant authorities.

Cluster2 Airports affirmed that operational and service preparations at the airports have been completed to ensure smooth passenger movement and the provision of high-quality services to participating delegations, reflecting the efficiency of the affiliated airports and their ability to accommodate major international events.

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Knee Injury for Shaheen Shah Afridi Forces Early Exit from Big Bash League

Pakistan’s ODI’s team captain Shaheen Shah Afridi attends a press conference, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)
Pakistan’s ODI’s team captain Shaheen Shah Afridi attends a press conference, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)
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Knee Injury for Shaheen Shah Afridi Forces Early Exit from Big Bash League

Pakistan’s ODI’s team captain Shaheen Shah Afridi attends a press conference, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)
Pakistan’s ODI’s team captain Shaheen Shah Afridi attends a press conference, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)

A knee injury has forced fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi to return home after playing four games for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League.

“Due to an unexpected injury; I have been called back by the PCB and will have to take a rehab. Hopefully, I will be back in the fields soon,” Afridi wrote on X on Tuesday.

Afridi limped off the field when he picked up the injury on his right knee while bowling against Adelaide Strikers last Saturday, The AP news reported.

Apparently the Pakistan Cricket Board has called back Afridi as a precautionary step with T20 World Cup due to start from February 7.

“I’m massively thankful to the Brisbane Heat team and fans for showering me with immense love and support,” Aridi said, while adding: “Meanwhile, I will be cheering for the amazing team.”

Afridi had a challenging short stint at Brisbane Heat where he picked up just two wickets in four matches at an expensive economy rate of 11.19. In his first game of the season he was removed from the attack in the 18th over when he bowled to waist-high full tosses to Melbourne Renegades’ batters Tim Seifert and Oliver Peake.

It is not the first time that Afridi has hurt his right knee. He sustained an injury on that knee while fielding during a test match in Sri Lanka in 2022 that also ruled him out from the early stages of the T20 World Cup in Australia.

He returned at the later stages of the tournament, but again picked up injury on the same knee during the death overs of the final against England that let the title match slip away from Pakistan.

Pakistan didn’t name Afridi for next month’s three-match T20 series in Sri Lanka as a rotation policy, but he remains one of the key players for the T20 World Cup to be jointly hosted by Sri Lanka and India.

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Injured Aubameyang to Miss International Swansong with Gabon

Gabon's forward #09 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores a goal in front of Mozambique's defender #17 Edson Sitoe during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group F football match between Gabon and Mozambique at Grand Stadium in Agadir on December 28, 2025. (AFP)
Gabon's forward #09 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores a goal in front of Mozambique's defender #17 Edson Sitoe during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group F football match between Gabon and Mozambique at Grand Stadium in Agadir on December 28, 2025. (AFP)
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Injured Aubameyang to Miss International Swansong with Gabon

Gabon's forward #09 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores a goal in front of Mozambique's defender #17 Edson Sitoe during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group F football match between Gabon and Mozambique at Grand Stadium in Agadir on December 28, 2025. (AFP)
Gabon's forward #09 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores a goal in front of Mozambique's defender #17 Edson Sitoe during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group F football match between Gabon and Mozambique at Grand Stadium in Agadir on December 28, 2025. (AFP)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s international career looks to have ended with a whimper as he headed back to France on Tuesday and will miss Gabon’s last game at the Africa Cup of Nations ​finals.

After losing their opening two matches in Group F to Cameroon and Mozambique, Gabon have been eliminated with one match left to play against holders Ivory Coast in Marrakech on Wednesday.

At the age of 36, it was expected the clash against the Ivorians would bring down the curtain on his 16-year international career, but he will skip the last group game as he returns to his club ‌Olympique de Marseille. ‌

A thigh injury on the eve of ‌the ⁠tournament ​in Morocco ‌meant his participation was in doubt, but he came on after 30 minutes against Cameroon in Gabon’s opening game on Christmas Eve and played the full game against Mozambique on Sunday, scoring in the 3-2 defeat.

“Following the established medical protocol between Marseille and Gabon medical staff regarding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, clinical examinations were conducted daily,” said a statement on Tuesday from the ⁠Gabon football federation.

“The most recent examination confirmed the discomfort he experienced in his left thigh ‌the day after the Gabon-Mozambique match. Given the ‍disappointing results, which cut short ‍Gabon’s participation, the medical staff, in consultation with his club, agreed to ‍protect the player's physical well-being by exempting him from the final, inconsequential match."

GABON’S LONG TIME TALISMAN

Aubameyang has long been Gabon’s talisman, electing to play for the team his father had captained, even after playing for France, where he ​was born, at junior level.

He made his debut for Gabon in 2009, scoring against Morocco in a World Cup qualifier, ⁠and went on to win 82 caps and score 39 goals.

Aubameyang helped Gabon reach the Cup of Nations quarter-final when they hosted the tournament in 2012 but was the only player to fail to convert his penalty in a post-match shootout loss to Mali.

The tournament in Morocco was Aubameyang’s sixth Cup of Nations finals appearance. He was African Footballer of the Year in 2015.

Earlier this year, he helped Gabon finish as one of the four best runners-up in the World Cup qualifiers, including four goals in the game against Gambia in October.

Gabon, however, lost in ‌last month’s Africa playoffs, ending hopes of qualifying for a first-ever World Cup finals appearance in North America next June.