Saudi Ministers of Sport and Education Inaugurate 1st Sports School for Talented Athletes

The groundbreaking partnership ceremony between the ministries and the academy was held at Prince Faisal bin Fahad Olympic Complex in Riyadh. SPA
The groundbreaking partnership ceremony between the ministries and the academy was held at Prince Faisal bin Fahad Olympic Complex in Riyadh. SPA
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Saudi Ministers of Sport and Education Inaugurate 1st Sports School for Talented Athletes

The groundbreaking partnership ceremony between the ministries and the academy was held at Prince Faisal bin Fahad Olympic Complex in Riyadh. SPA
The groundbreaking partnership ceremony between the ministries and the academy was held at Prince Faisal bin Fahad Olympic Complex in Riyadh. SPA

Minister of Sport and chairman of the Mahd Sports Academy's board of directors Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal and Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan inaugurated the first Government Sports School for Talented Athletes at the middle school level.

The groundbreaking partnership ceremony between the ministries and the academy was held at the academy's headquarters in Prince Faisal bin Fahad Olympic Complex in Riyadh.

Mahd Sports Academy President Abdullah bin Faisal Hammad outlined the academy's achievements since its establishment in 2021. He noted that the Sports School for Talented Athletes will build on the academy's successes and offer talented individuals both educational and sports training in one place.

These individuals will serve as role models for the sports sector, graduating with the knowledge and ambition to achieve championships and titles in future competitions.

He also disclosed that 354 talented individuals in football, athletics, and martial arts were enrolled in the first phase, and the academy aims to identify and nurture one million talents in various sports.

The academy aims to become a global leader in discovering sports talents through its research and innovation center.

Additionally, he highlighted the collaboration with the Ministry of Education on various programs, including the Tamheed program, which involves physical and technical assessments for students in public schools, enabling them to gather information and measurements for nearly half a million students.



Pegula Out of China Open after a 4th-Round Loss to Badosa

Paula Badosa of Spain serves during the women's singles fourth round match against Jessica Pegula of United States in the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 01 October 2024. (EPA)
Paula Badosa of Spain serves during the women's singles fourth round match against Jessica Pegula of United States in the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 01 October 2024. (EPA)
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Pegula Out of China Open after a 4th-Round Loss to Badosa

Paula Badosa of Spain serves during the women's singles fourth round match against Jessica Pegula of United States in the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 01 October 2024. (EPA)
Paula Badosa of Spain serves during the women's singles fourth round match against Jessica Pegula of United States in the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 01 October 2024. (EPA)

Paula Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula at the China Open on Tuesday to reach her eighth career quarterfinal at a WTA 1000-level event.

From 3-1 down in the opening set, former No. 2-ranked Badosa dominated in her first ever win over third-ranked Pegula.

“She’s one the of the players I never want to face -- she’s very solid, hits very flat, changes very well direction,,” said Badosa, who was 0-3 previously against Pegula. “I prepared myself for a battle, but I think today everything worked pretty well.

“Every point was very important for me, especially against Jessica, because she can come back at any moment."

Badosa next faces 35-year-old Chinese player Zhang Shuai, who continued her resurgence with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Magdalena Frech of Poland.

Zhang entered the China Open on a 24-match losing streak and ranked No. 595, but she's yet to drop a set in four matches this week. That includes eliminating US Open semifinalist Emma Navarro in straight sets for her first win over a Top 10 player in two years.

Zhang is now into her first women's tour quarterfinal since Tokyo in 2022, and her first at a WTA 1000 tournament since Cincinnati in the same year.

Later Tuesday, No. 14-ranked Anna Kalinskaya was scheduled to meet Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine, before the marquee women's match of the day between four-time major winner Naomi Osaka and sixth-ranked Coco Gauff.

It will be the first meeting between the two Grand Slam champions in more than two years, with the head-to-head series tied at 2-2.

On the men's side, Carlos Alcaraz was playing fifth-ranked Daniil Medvedev in the first semifinal, with the Spaniard holding a 5-2 advantage in their head-to-head history.

Defending champion and top-ranked Janner Sinner was set to face No. 96-ranked Bu Yunchaokete, who is playing in his first ATP 500 semifinal.