Saudi Arabia: Governor Crowns Winner of 2024 Hail Toyota International Rally

The Governor of Hail region has crowned Saudi driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi with the title of the 2024 Hail Toyota International Rally in its 19th edition. SPA
The Governor of Hail region has crowned Saudi driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi with the title of the 2024 Hail Toyota International Rally in its 19th edition. SPA
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Saudi Arabia: Governor Crowns Winner of 2024 Hail Toyota International Rally

The Governor of Hail region has crowned Saudi driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi with the title of the 2024 Hail Toyota International Rally in its 19th edition. SPA
The Governor of Hail region has crowned Saudi driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi with the title of the 2024 Hail Toyota International Rally in its 19th edition. SPA

The Governor of Hail region, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saad bin Abdulaziz, and Chairman of the Hail Region Development Authority (HRDA), has crowned Saudi driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi with the title of the 2024 Hail Toyota International Rally in its 19th edition.
Organized by the Ministry of Sport in cooperation with HRDA and the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), the rally represents the first round of the 2024 World Rally Cup "Baja" category.
It is also considered the first round of the 2024 Middle East Rally Championship, and part of the Saudi Toyota 2024 Championship.
The ceremony took place at Al-Maghwah Entertainment Park in Hail on Saturday, in the presence of the President of SAMF, Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdullah bin Faisal, the Deputy Governor of Hail region and HRDA Vice Chairman, Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Meqrin bin Abdulaziz, and Princess Haifa bint Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz.
Prince Abdulaziz, who is also the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, crowned the champions of the 2024 Hail Toyota International Rally. Al-Rajhi, accompanied by his German co-driver Timo Gottschalk, managed to clinch the title for the seventh time in its history, aboard a Toyota Hilux. They covered the distance of the special stage, which was 164 km long, in one hour, 42 minutes, and 55 seconds.
The Portuguese, Joao Ferreira, came in the second place in the overall standings, with a narrow margin of 38 seconds to Al-Rajhi. Lithuanian Rokas Baciuska came in third place behind them, with a time difference of one minute and 9 seconds.
Rally driver Saleh Al-Saif managed to win the 2024 Hail Toyota International Rally in the "Challenger" category, surpassing Portugal’s Joao Dias and the Argentine, Diego Martinez, who placed second and third respectively.

At the end of the ceremony, Prince Abdulaziz praised the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and the Crown Prince for sports.



Tien, Fonseca Set for Final Showdown at Next Generation ATP Finals in Jeddah

Tien secured the first ticket to the final after defeating his compatriot Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match. (SPA)
Tien secured the first ticket to the final after defeating his compatriot Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match. (SPA)
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Tien, Fonseca Set for Final Showdown at Next Generation ATP Finals in Jeddah

Tien secured the first ticket to the final after defeating his compatriot Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match. (SPA)
Tien secured the first ticket to the final after defeating his compatriot Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match. (SPA)

American Learner Tien and Brazilian João Fonseca advanced on Saturday to the final of the Next Generation ATP Finals.

The event, which will be held at the King Abdullah Sports City Arena in Jeddah on Sunday, is being organized by the Saudi Tennis Federation and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), sponsored by the Public Investment Fund, and held under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport.

Tien secured the first ticket to the final after defeating his compatriot Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match. This was Tien’s first appearance in the final of a professional tournament outside the US.

In the second semifinal, Brazilian João Fonseca earned his spot in the final by defeating France's Luca Van Assche in straight sets. Fonseca remains unbeaten in this edition of the tournament, being the only player with a perfect record.

Following his win, Tien said: "I can't put my feelings into words. I'm very happy with this victory, but I also feel a bit of regret since it came at the expense of Alex, with whom I share a strong bond. Of course, I'm thrilled to have advanced to the final."

Fonseca also reflected on his performance and qualification, saying: "I've never had such an outstanding week on a hard court before. I'm playing at my highest level, and I'm proud of what I've accomplished. I stayed fully focused, with my family and training team by my side, which has been amazing. I hope to keep this momentum and win the title."

The final match is expected to draw a large audience and media presence. It concludes the global tennis season for 2024.

The ATP Next Gen Finals represent a significant milestone for tennis in the Kingdom; it is the first professional tennis tournament hosted by Saudi Arabia, and helps achieve the Saudi Tennis Federation's ambitions, including fostering Saudi champions in the sport.