عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Top-Ranked Iga Swiatek Withdraws from China Open for Personal Reasons

Tennis - WTA 500 - Ostrava Open - CEZ Arena, Ostrava, Czech Republic - October 9, 2022 Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the singles final against Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova. (Reuters)
Tennis - WTA 500 - Ostrava Open - CEZ Arena, Ostrava, Czech Republic - October 9, 2022 Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the singles final against Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Top-Ranked Iga Swiatek Withdraws from China Open for Personal Reasons

Tennis - WTA 500 - Ostrava Open - CEZ Arena, Ostrava, Czech Republic - October 9, 2022 Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the singles final against Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova. (Reuters)
Tennis - WTA 500 - Ostrava Open - CEZ Arena, Ostrava, Czech Republic - October 9, 2022 Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the singles final against Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova. (Reuters)

World top-ranked and defending champion Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from next week’s China Open in Beijing, citing personal reasons.

Swiatek and the WTA Tour announced her withdrawal on Friday.

“Due to personal matters, I’m forced to withdraw from the China Open in Beijing. I’m very sorry as I had an amazing time playing and winning this tournament last year and was really looking forward to being back there,” Swiatek said. “I’m sorry I won’t be a part of it this time.”

Swiatek has won four of the previous eight WTA 1000-level events played this year but last competed in New York two weeks ago at the US Open, where she lost to Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals.

Swiatek also withdrew from this week’s Korea Open in Seoul, citing fatigue.

Others to withdraw from the China Open are No. 9-ranked Maria Sakkari, with a continuing shoulder injury, and Danielle Collins, who has an illness.

US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka will be the top-seeded player in Beijing, a tournament at which she has reached the quarterfinals twice in three career appearances. US Open runner-up Pegula is expected to be seeded No. 2.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Vinícius Júnior Reaches 100 Goals with Real Madrid

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side's 5th goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and FC Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side's 5th goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and FC Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
TT
TT

Vinícius Júnior Reaches 100 Goals with Real Madrid

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side's 5th goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and FC Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side's 5th goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and FC Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Vinícius Júnior reached 100 goals with Real Madrid in the team's 5-1 victory over Salzburg on Wednesday to secure a playoff spot after a slow start in the Champions League.
Vinícius scored his 99th and 100th goals, according to UEFA, moving him into third place in the top Brazilian scorers in the Champions League with 28 goals in the competition. Neymar leads the way with 43, with Kaká second on 30.
Madrid said Vinícius has 101 goals for the club, with Spanish media saying the discrepancy dates back to a Spanish league goal that many considered an own-goal and should not count for the Brazil forward.
“Sometimes it’s pure instinct, sometimes there’s a little more time so I can take a glance and see things which help, like where the goalkeeper is," Vinícius said. "Goals are making me a better player. Early on here (at Real Madrid), I didn’t score so many, but now I might play the odd bad game but still score twice, and that’s a good habit to have.”
Madrid, the defending champion and record 15-time European champion, had lost three of its first six matches in the new format of the Champions League and was at risk of elimination.
“I truly think that tonight we produced pretty much the complete performance, because we also turned it on in the first half," said Vinícius, who was named the man of the match. "But we really need to keep seeking our absolute best form so that we can keep on scoring goals and defending better as a team.”
The victory moved Madrid to 16th place in the 36-team league phase of the competition.
“We have some things to fix but we have good momentum,” The Associated Press quoted Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti as saying. “The goal tonight was to win and play well. We started a bit soft but were able to improve.”
Rodrygo also scored twice for Madrid, and Kylian Mbappé added another goal after a blunder by Salzburg goalkeeper Janis Blaswich.
Rodrygo has scored five goals in his last four matches, while Vinícius has three in his last two games. Mbappé also has five goals in his last four matches.
Jude Bellingham set up one of Vinícius' goals with a neat back-heel flick. The England player left the match in the 64th minute with a back issue but Ancelotti downplayed the injury.
Madrid next visits French club Brest.