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Saudi Footballer Salem Al-Dawsari Named 2022 AFC Player of the Year

President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa (L) presents Saudi Arabia's forward Salem al-Dawsari with the AFC Player of the Year award during the AFC Annual Awards Doha 2022 on October 31, 2023. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)
President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa (L) presents Saudi Arabia's forward Salem al-Dawsari with the AFC Player of the Year award during the AFC Annual Awards Doha 2022 on October 31, 2023. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)
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Saudi Footballer Salem Al-Dawsari Named 2022 AFC Player of the Year

President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa (L) presents Saudi Arabia's forward Salem al-Dawsari with the AFC Player of the Year award during the AFC Annual Awards Doha 2022 on October 31, 2023. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)
President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa (L) presents Saudi Arabia's forward Salem al-Dawsari with the AFC Player of the Year award during the AFC Annual Awards Doha 2022 on October 31, 2023. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)

Saudi national team player and Al-Hilal SFC winger Salem Al-Dawsari was crowned the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Player of the Year for 2022 in a ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Center in Doha.

Salem has solidified his position as one of the best players in Asia, showcasing his talent on the world stage during his participation in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he scored the winning goal for the national team in a 2-1 victory against Argentina, which ultimately became the champions.

He also netted a goal against Mexico, equaling the record for the highest number of goals scored by a Saudi player in World Cup matches with a total of three goals.

Locally, Al-Dawsari was a main contributor to Al-Hilal's triumph in the Saudi Pro League 2021-2022 and the King Cup 2022-2023.

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Gauff Building Momentum in Rome with French Open Looming 

USA's Coco Gauff reacts during her match against British Emma Raducanu at the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 12, 2025. (AFP)
USA's Coco Gauff reacts during her match against British Emma Raducanu at the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 12, 2025. (AFP)
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Gauff Building Momentum in Rome with French Open Looming 

USA's Coco Gauff reacts during her match against British Emma Raducanu at the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 12, 2025. (AFP)
USA's Coco Gauff reacts during her match against British Emma Raducanu at the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 12, 2025. (AFP)

Coco Gauff became the youngest player to reach four WTA 1000 quarter-finals on clay with a 6-1 6-2 over Emma Raducanu in Rome on Monday and the American said she is growing more comfortable on the surface with the French Open just around the corner.

The world number three has won eight out of her last nine matches on outdoor red clay, losing only to world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final.

At 21 she is the youngest player to reach the quarters at four of the WTA 1000 tournaments since the elite events were introduced in 2009.

The 2023 US Open champion said she was pleased with the way her forehand was working against Raducanu.

"Especially on this surface, I think I can do a lot with it," she added.

"I’m getting used to it (clay) with each match. I feel really happy with how I played. I think I really was the one dictating the match for the most part."

Gauff said she was also working on her footwork in the last two weeks while preparing for the French Open, where she reached the final in 2022 before losing to Iga Swiatek, who also beat her in the semi-finals last year.

Gauff next faces world number seven Mirra Andreeva in the Italian Open quarters on Wednesday.