China’s Huang and Sheng Win First Gold of Paris Games at Air Rifle Mixed Team Event

 China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao pose on the podium after winning the gold of the shooting 10m air rifle mixed team during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Chateauroux Shooting Centre on July 27, 2024. (AFP)
China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao pose on the podium after winning the gold of the shooting 10m air rifle mixed team during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Chateauroux Shooting Centre on July 27, 2024. (AFP)
TT
20

China’s Huang and Sheng Win First Gold of Paris Games at Air Rifle Mixed Team Event

 China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao pose on the podium after winning the gold of the shooting 10m air rifle mixed team during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Chateauroux Shooting Centre on July 27, 2024. (AFP)
China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao pose on the podium after winning the gold of the shooting 10m air rifle mixed team during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Chateauroux Shooting Centre on July 27, 2024. (AFP)

China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao won the first gold medal of the Paris Games on Saturday in the 10 meters air rifle mixed team event.

Keum Ji-hyeon and Park Ha-jun of South Korea claimed silver and Alexandra Le and Islam Satpayev of Kazakhstan were awarded bronze.

Three years after Yang Qian and Yang Haoran won the gold in Tokyo, compatriots Huang and Sheng made sure China retained it.

The reigning world champions topped the qualifying round ahead of their Korean rivals at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.

The gold medal round was not really a cakewalk though despite them racing to a 14-8 lead after the first 11 shots.

Keum and Park staged a late comeback to reduce the gap at 14-12 but the Chinese pair prevailed 16-12 in the end.

Le and Satpayev gave Kazakhstan their first medal of the Paris Games with a 17-5 romp against the German pair of Anna Janssen and Maximilian Ulbrich.



Top-seeds Sabalenka and Zverev Advance in Madrid

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates after her victory over Elise Mertens of Belgium during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates after her victory over Elise Mertens of Belgium during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
TT
20

Top-seeds Sabalenka and Zverev Advance in Madrid

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates after her victory over Elise Mertens of Belgium during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates after her victory over Elise Mertens of Belgium during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka rallied to defeat former doubles partner Elise Mertens in three sets and advance to the last 16 of the Madrid Open on Sunday.
Top-seeded Alexander Zverev scraped past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina after requiring tiebreakers in the final two sets of their match, while defending men's champion Andrey Rublev lost in three sets to Alexander Bublik.
Sabalenka got off to a poor start against the 26th-ranked Mertens, but picked up the pace to comfortably close out the match at the Caja Magica center court, The Associated Press reported.
The two-time champion in Madrid won 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 to keep alive her hopes of reaching the final for the third straight time. Sabalenka won the title in the Spanish capital in 2021 and 2023, and finished runner-up to Iga Swiatek last year.
“I think it’s one of those days where I didn’t feel my best and I got super emotional in that beginning of the first set and put myself in a tough situation," Sabalenka said. "I’m really happy that I was able to bring such a high level in the second and the third set, especially against someone like Elise, if you give her any chance, she’s going to be there fighting and putting you under pressure, so really happy with the way I turned around this game.”
It was Sabalenka's ninth consecutive victory over Mertens, her doubles partner while winning the 2019 US Open and 2021 Australian Open. Sabalenka had won 14 consecutive sets against the Belgian.
“She’s such a great player, it doesn’t matter the score between us, it’s always a great battle," Sabalenka said.
Sabalenka will next face either Rebeka Masarova or Peyton Stearns.
Zverev struggled early but recovered to fend off a gritty performance by local favorite Davidovich Fokina in the third round. The second-ranked German needed tiebreakers to outlast the Spaniard 2-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (0).
Zverev, seeking his third Madrid Open title, has won seven matches in a row and is coming off a title-run in Munich.
“The first set wasn’t my best tennis but it is sport and it can change quickly,” Zverev said. “I was down a set and a break and I had to fight. I am very happy with the win. Alejandro is playing unbelievable tennis, the best of his life, so I am happy to be through.”
Zverev will face either Francisco Cerundolo or Francisco Comesaña.
Defending champion upset Defending champion Rublev was eliminated after a 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 loss to Bublik.
It was the 10th top-10 win for the 75th-ranked Bublik, who made it to the fourth round in Madrid for the fourth time.
Rublev did not have to play in the previous round because Gael Monfils withdrew with an illness.
The eighth-ranked Rublev beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in last year's final in the Spanish capital.
Bublik will next face Ben Shelton or Miami champion Jakub Mensik in the round of 16.
Brandon Nakashima got past Flavio Cobolli to reach the fourth round of a Master 1000 tournament for the fifth time. The 32nd-ranked American will next meet either Daniil Medvedev or Juan Manuel Cerundolo.