Saudi Football Federation Unveils Redesigned King's Cup

The winner of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup receives a prize of 10 million Saudi Riyals. - SPA
The winner of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup receives a prize of 10 million Saudi Riyals. - SPA
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Saudi Football Federation Unveils Redesigned King's Cup

The winner of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup receives a prize of 10 million Saudi Riyals. - SPA
The winner of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup receives a prize of 10 million Saudi Riyals. - SPA

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) revealed the newly redesigned trophy of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup during a ceremony held in Riyadh. The event was attended by club representatives, athletes, and media personnel.

The new King's Cup is an evolution of the previous design that was introduced in the 2011-2012 season.

Its unveiling follows Al-Hilal club's achievement of winning the cup for the fourth time. Under the competition's regulations, a team that wins the cup three consecutive times or four times in total has the right to keep the original trophy, SPA reported.

The new precious cup draws inspiration from past editions, incorporating the same design concept that emphasizes the cup's historical significance and value in the region.

The new trophy is crafted from 925 sterling silver coated with 24-carat pure gold. It weighs 9.32 kg, symbolizing the year 1932 when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was unified.

The new King's Cup is adorned with a football-shaped piece coated in gold and malachite, featuring four distinct handles. In the center, the emblem of crossed swords and a palm tree represents the Kingdom. The cup's name is manually engraved in a circular pattern.

Standing at a height of 54 cm, with a base diameter of 17 cm and a width of 18 cm, the cup rests on a base made of marble and malachite.



Kyrgios’ Return to Grand Slam Tennis Is in Doubt Ahead of the Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios of Australia and Novak Djokovic of Serbia (not pictured) hit a return against Michael Venus of New Zealand and Nikola Mektic of Croatia during their men's doubles match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on January 1, 2025. (AFP)
Nick Kyrgios of Australia and Novak Djokovic of Serbia (not pictured) hit a return against Michael Venus of New Zealand and Nikola Mektic of Croatia during their men's doubles match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on January 1, 2025. (AFP)
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Kyrgios’ Return to Grand Slam Tennis Is in Doubt Ahead of the Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios of Australia and Novak Djokovic of Serbia (not pictured) hit a return against Michael Venus of New Zealand and Nikola Mektic of Croatia during their men's doubles match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on January 1, 2025. (AFP)
Nick Kyrgios of Australia and Novak Djokovic of Serbia (not pictured) hit a return against Michael Venus of New Zealand and Nikola Mektic of Croatia during their men's doubles match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on January 1, 2025. (AFP)

Nick Kyrgios’ planned return to Grand Slam tennis at the Australian Open is in doubt after he sustained an abdominal injury and was forced to withdraw from an exhibition with Novak Djokovic this week.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist, sidelined with wrist and knee injuries since the 2022 US Open, said in an Instagram post Wednesday that an ultrasound scan had revealed an abdominal strain and "unfortunately (I) won’t be able to play my good friend (Djokovic) this Thursday."

He said he’d be resting and doing everything possible to be ready for the Australian Open, which starts Sunday at Melbourne Park.

The mercurial Australian, who has become a popular commentator during his lengthy stints on the injured list, made his competitive comeback last week at Brisbane, where he played one singles match and partnered with Djokovic in two doubles matches.

Djokovic and Kyrgios won their opening doubles match, a crowd-pleasing, fist-pumping affair by both players at Pat Rafter Arena before a 6-2, 3-6, 10-8 loss to Nikola Mektic of Croatia and New Zealander Michael Venus.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley remained confident Kyrgios would play at the year's first major.

"I think it’s just precautionary, that’s the word we’ve got from him," Tiley said Wednesday, responding to questions about the potential absence of the star Australian. "Nick’s not the only one not doing some of their pre-planned matches over the next few days. There’s no concerns ahead of the Open."