Salah Treating this Season as His Last at Liverpool and Says No Approach Yet About a New Contract

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
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Salah Treating this Season as His Last at Liverpool and Says No Approach Yet About a New Contract

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Mohamed Salah said Sunday he has yet to be approached by Liverpool over a new contract and is treating this season as his final one at Anfield.
The Egypt forward, who is into the last year of his contract, scored one goal and set up two more in Liverpool's 3-0 win over Manchester United in the Premier League — and then was in bullish mood in an interview with British broadcaster Sky Sports.
“I had a good summer, I had a long time to stay with myself and try to think positive,” Salah said of his start to the season, which has seen him score in each of his first three games in the league. "But as you know, it's my last year in the club.
“I just want to enjoy it. I don't want to think about it. I feel like I am here to play football and we'll see what's going to happen.”
Salah spoke about his future unprompted and might have used the interview as an opportunity to put pressure on the Liverpool hierarchy, The Associated Press said.
“When I was coming to the game, I said, ‘Look it could be the last time (at Old Trafford with Liverpool) — nobody at the club (has) talked to me yet about contracts so I was like, ’Play my last season and then just see,'” Salah said.
When it was suggested he will play at Old Trafford again, Salah replied: “I don’t know with which club but so far, my last game here with Liverpool. It’s not up to me, but nobody talked to me from the club. We will see.”
Salah joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017 and has established himself as a club great, scoring 214 goals in 352 games.



In Latest-Ending Women’s Match in US Open History, Zheng Beats Vekic Again in Olympic Rematch 

Zheng Qinwen, of China, reacts against Donna Vekic, of Croatia, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis tournament Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP)
Zheng Qinwen, of China, reacts against Donna Vekic, of Croatia, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis tournament Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP)
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In Latest-Ending Women’s Match in US Open History, Zheng Beats Vekic Again in Olympic Rematch 

Zheng Qinwen, of China, reacts against Donna Vekic, of Croatia, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis tournament Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP)
Zheng Qinwen, of China, reacts against Donna Vekic, of Croatia, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis tournament Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP)

Zheng Qinwen beat Donna Vekic in a rematch of their Olympic final, advancing to the US Open quarterfinals with a 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-2 victory early Monday morning in the latest finish of a women's match in tournament history.

It was 2:15 a.m. when the No. 7-seeded Zheng finished off the match that lasted 2 hours, 50 minutes, a far tougher and longer test than she got from Vekic last month in Paris.

Zheng won China's first singles gold in tennis with a 6-2, 6-3 victory that day. She wasn't quite as dominant on the US Open's hard courts, where Vekic feels much more comfortable than the clay at Roland Garros.

But Zheng is plenty tough to beat herself on hard courts, having reached her first Grand Slam final this year at the Australian Open, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka.

“I feel really proud of myself because it’s not easy changing surfaces from clay to hard, especially because I went back to China so I don’t have the same practice like all the other players,” Zheng said. “So basically, I’m just trying to hold myself, find a way to get the match even if I’m not feeling at my best.”

She will play again against Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed who also beat Zheng last year in the quarters at Flushing Meadows on her way to the final, on Tuesday.

Zheng said she'll be ready — as long as she got eight or nine hours of sleep after finally getting back to the hotel.

“I really like to play against her and I’m looking forward to playing against her,” Zheng said. “I know she’s one of the greatest players on hard courts and I’ve been hoping for this moment.”

Vekic was coming off her best result in a Grand Slam, reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon. But the No. 24 seed knew she missed a chance to go even deeper in Flushing Meadows.

She frequently took long pauses in frustration after missing a shot, occasionally tugging at her hair or resting her head in her hand.

The Croatian broke Zheng to win the second set and even the match, driving Zheng back with some blistering returns before using a perfect drop shot to give herself a set point.

But after an ace to open the third set, Vekic made two straight unforced errors and Zheng broke her. Zheng then broke again at love for a 5-2 lead in front of the sparse crowd that had stuck around past 2 a.m.

The previous latest finish for a women's match was 2:13 a.m., when Maria Sakkari beat Bianca Andreescu in a 2021 fourth-round match.