Tunisia’s Jabeur Wins Ningbo Open

Tunisia's Jabeur hits a return against Russia's Diana Shnaider during the women's singles final match at the WTA Ningbo Open tennis tournament in Ningbo, in China's eastern Zhejiang province on September 30, 2023. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
Tunisia's Jabeur hits a return against Russia's Diana Shnaider during the women's singles final match at the WTA Ningbo Open tennis tournament in Ningbo, in China's eastern Zhejiang province on September 30, 2023. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
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Tunisia’s Jabeur Wins Ningbo Open

Tunisia's Jabeur hits a return against Russia's Diana Shnaider during the women's singles final match at the WTA Ningbo Open tennis tournament in Ningbo, in China's eastern Zhejiang province on September 30, 2023. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
Tunisia's Jabeur hits a return against Russia's Diana Shnaider during the women's singles final match at the WTA Ningbo Open tennis tournament in Ningbo, in China's eastern Zhejiang province on September 30, 2023. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT

Top-seeded Ons Jabeur won her fifth career title at the Ningbo Open with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over teenager Diana Shnaider on Saturday.
The seventh-ranked Jabeur, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, saved her best performance of the tournament for the final and raced to victory in 78 minutes.
“I felt tactically I played very well, I had an advantage in that I had more experience than her to manage certain points,” The Associated Press quoted Jabeur as saying.

“Playing a final here is more relaxed than playing a Grand Slam final, but I think it will help me gain confidence more, and to help me manage the pressure and stress.”
The Tunisian had 18 winners to only 10 unforced errors, while saving all three break points she faced, denying the 19-year-old Shnaider any chance to get a foothold in the match.
This was 85th-ranked Shnaider's first career final in just her ninth WTA tournament main draw. One year ago, she was ranked No. 220 and beginning her freshman year at North Carolina State.



‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
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‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)

The Paris Olympics look likely to get off to a soggy start.

Meteo-France, the French weather service, is predicting “flooding rains” Friday evening when the opening ceremony is set to unroll along the Seine River. But the show is set to go on as planned, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CEST and should last more than three hours.

Already in the late afternoon, skies were gray with intermittent drizzle. There was a silver lining, though, with temperatures expected to stay relatively warm throughout the evening.

Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Though 10,700 athletes are expected to compete at these Olympics, hundreds of soccer players are based outside Paris, surfers are in Tahiti and many have yet to arrive for their events in the second week, organizers said Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including 320,000 paying and invited ticket-holders, are expected to line the Seine’s banks as athletes are paraded along the river on boats.