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Wins for Sabalenka and Paolini on Opening Day of WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action during her Singles group stage match against Qinwen Zheng of China at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 02 November 2024. EPA/STRINGER
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action during her Singles group stage match against Qinwen Zheng of China at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 02 November 2024. EPA/STRINGER
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Wins for Sabalenka and Paolini on Opening Day of WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action during her Singles group stage match against Qinwen Zheng of China at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 02 November 2024. EPA/STRINGER
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action during her Singles group stage match against Qinwen Zheng of China at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 02 November 2024. EPA/STRINGER

Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka eased to a straight-set victory over Zheng Qinwen in the opening match of the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Sabalenka won 6-3, 6-4 to extend her perfect record against the Chinese player to 5-0. It was also her 21st win in her last 22 matches.
The seventh-seeded Zheng lost the last three games as her focus slipped, and also appeared to have lost track of the score. After hitting a backhand long on match point, Zheng headed toward her chair on what she seemed to think was a change of ends instead of going to the net for the traditional handshake.
She smiled and held up her hand in apology after realizing before heading back to the center.
The victory also sets up Sabalenka for ending the year at the top. The Belarusian player only needs to win two of her three group matches to ensure she retains the No. 1 ranking.
Fourth-seeded Jasmine Paolini of Italy beat fifth-seeded Elena Rybakina in the other Purple Group match.
Paolini, who is enjoying a breakout season, edged a tight match 7-6 (5), 6-4 on her debut at the year-ending tournament for the top eight ranked players.
American players Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula will face off in the Orange Group on Sunday after second-seeded Iga Swiatek takes on Barbora Krejcikova.

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Arsenal Midfielder Mikel Merino Needs Foot Surgery but Should Be Fit for World Cup

Football - UEFA Champions League - Inter Milan v Arsenal - San Siro, Milan, Italy - January 20, 2026 Arsenal's Mikel Merino reacts. (Reuters)
Football - UEFA Champions League - Inter Milan v Arsenal - San Siro, Milan, Italy - January 20, 2026 Arsenal's Mikel Merino reacts. (Reuters)
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Arsenal Midfielder Mikel Merino Needs Foot Surgery but Should Be Fit for World Cup

Football - UEFA Champions League - Inter Milan v Arsenal - San Siro, Milan, Italy - January 20, 2026 Arsenal's Mikel Merino reacts. (Reuters)
Football - UEFA Champions League - Inter Milan v Arsenal - San Siro, Milan, Italy - January 20, 2026 Arsenal's Mikel Merino reacts. (Reuters)

Spain midfielder Mikel Merino should be fit for the World Cup after he was ruled out for “an extended period” by Arsenal because of a right foot injury.

The Premier League leaders said late Sunday that Merino will have an operation on the bone injury sustained during the home loss to Manchester United on Jan. 25.

“Mikel will have surgery in the coming days and will then begin his recovery and rehabilitation program,” Arsenal said.

“Mikel is expected to be out of action for an extended period, with the aim of returning to full training before the end of the season.”

Merino was a member of the Spain squad that won the European Championship in 2024, scoring an extra-time winner against Germany in the quarterfinals.

The World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, is scheduled to start on June 11.

Sports

Pope Says Winter Olympics ‘Rekindle Hope’ for World Peace

01 February 2026, Vatican, Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV delivers Angelus prayer from the window of the Apostolic building in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. (dpa)
01 February 2026, Vatican, Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV delivers Angelus prayer from the window of the Apostolic building in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. (dpa)
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Pope Says Winter Olympics ‘Rekindle Hope’ for World Peace

01 February 2026, Vatican, Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV delivers Angelus prayer from the window of the Apostolic building in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. (dpa)
01 February 2026, Vatican, Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV delivers Angelus prayer from the window of the Apostolic building in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. (dpa)

Pope Leo XIV said Sunday that the Winter Olympics -- starting in less than a week's time in northern Italy -- were an opportunity to "rekindle hope for a world at peace".

The American-born pontiff, after wishing the best to athletes and organizers in remarks after the Angelus prayer, noted that the modern Olympic Games were founded on a credo of international peace and "fraternity".

With the Milan-Cortina Games, he expressed hope that "all those who care about peace among peoples and are in positions of authority will take this opportunity to make concrete gestures of detente and dialogue".

The Winter Olympics will begin on Friday with its opening ceremony, and run to February 22, followed by the Winter Paralympics from March 6 to 15.

In his remarks, the pope also stressed "greatly troubling news regarding an increase in tensions between Cuba and the United States of America".

He urged the two countries to engage in "sincere and effective dialogue, in order to avoid violence and every action that could increase the suffering of the dear Cuban people".

US President Donald Trump has been ramping up his threats against Cuba, following his deployment of the military in early January to attack Caracas and grab Venezuela's leader, Nicolas Maduro.

On Thursday, Trump issued an executive order threatening extra tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba, whose government he accused of aligning with "numerous hostile countries, transnational terrorist groups, and malign actors".

Sports

Alcaraz Says Nadal Inspired Him to ‘Special’ Australian Open Title

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts during a press conference as he sits with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, early Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts during a press conference as he sits with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, early Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP)
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Alcaraz Says Nadal Inspired Him to ‘Special’ Australian Open Title

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts during a press conference as he sits with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, early Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts during a press conference as he sits with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, early Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP)

Carlos Alcaraz said having Rafael Nadal watching in the crowd helped drive him to a maiden Australian Open title on Sunday and made the win "even more special".

The 22-year-old downed Serbian great Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 to become the youngest man in the Open era to win all four majors.

He had already claimed two titles each at Wimbledon and the French and US Opens.

In doing so he surpassed legendary countryman Nadal, who was two years older when he did the same.

Nadal greeted Alcaraz in the bowels of the stadium afterwards and they hugged and exchanged warm words.

"I mean, this moment is really special, but having Rafa in the stands, it made it even more special, to be honest," said Alcaraz.

"Lifting the trophy for the first time in Australia was crazy. A dream come true. I dreamed about getting an Australian Open and completing the career Grand Slam."

Alcaraz had to rouse himself after a more-than five-hour, five-set epic in the semi-finals against Alexander Zverev, where he suffered cramps and battled back from a 3-5 deficit in the fifth set.

He said he drew inspiration from a similar situation involving Nadal at the 2009 Australian Open.

Back then, the top-ranked Nadal outlasted fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in what was then the longest match in the tournament's history at 5hrs 14mins.

Nadal went on to beat Roger Federer in the final.

"After the semi-final, I just thought about that semi-final in 2009 he played against Verdasco, and then he came back physically and played such a great final against Federer and won," said Alcaraz.

"So I was thinking a little bit about it.

"It's just about pushing through and having him there, I was like watching him and he gave me some, like, good spirit, good mindset."

Before the match, 22-time Grand Slam winner Nadal, who retired from tennis in 2024, tipped Alcaraz to win.