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Australia Faces Toughest of Challenges in Asian World Cup Qualifying

Tony Popovic, head coach of Australia, gives instructions to his players during the Men's World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Australia and China at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, 10 October 2024. (EPA)
Tony Popovic, head coach of Australia, gives instructions to his players during the Men's World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Australia and China at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, 10 October 2024. (EPA)
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Australia Faces Toughest of Challenges in Asian World Cup Qualifying

Tony Popovic, head coach of Australia, gives instructions to his players during the Men's World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Australia and China at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, 10 October 2024. (EPA)
Tony Popovic, head coach of Australia, gives instructions to his players during the Men's World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Australia and China at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, 10 October 2024. (EPA)

Australia faces the most daunting road trip in Asia on Tuesday when it faces a dominant Japan at Saitama Stadium, knowing a win would put the Socceroos back on track for a sixth successive World Cup appearance after a mixed start in the third round of qualification.

The Group C meeting is also a chance for new coach Tony Popovic, appointed in September to replace Graham Arnold, to make a statement win in his second game in charge and cross swords with a former team-mate.

Popovic played for Japanese club Sanfrecce Hiroshima from 1997 to 2001 alongside Hajime Moriyasu – now coach of Japan. “I know their head coach very well; he was my captain during my time in Japan. A remarkable person who has dedicated years to developing the national team,” said Popovic.

Japan is on course for an eighth successive World Cup appearance with three wins against China, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, scoring 14 goals and conceding none.

“This is undoubtedly a significant challenge, but it also presents a fantastic opportunity to etch our name in history by winning in Japan,” Popovic said after defeating China 3-1 in his first game in charge on Thursday, a result that took Australia to four points in the group, five behind Japan.

The top two teams from each of the three groups of six qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup with the third and fourth place finishers advancing to the next stage.

Like Australia, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have four points and meet in Jeddah, while winless China hosts Indonesia at home.

The top two in Group B meet as South Korea hosts Iraq with both teams on seven points. The game has been switched to the city of Yongin, due to the poor condition of the playing surface at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

South Korea will be without English Premier League stars Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers due to injury.

Third-placed Jordan hosts Oman in fourth while the bottom two meet as the Palestinians take on Kuwait with both looking for a first win.

In Group A, Uzbekistan and Iran are top with seven points each. Iran will host fourth-place Qatar in Dubai, due to the security situation at home while Uzbekistan takes on the United Arab Emirates in third.

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Djokovic and Sinner Reach Shanghai Masters Final. Sabalenka Rallies over Gauff at Wuhan

Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after his victory against USA's Taylor Fritz at their men's singles semi-final match during the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 12, 2024. (AFP)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after his victory against USA's Taylor Fritz at their men's singles semi-final match during the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 12, 2024. (AFP)
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Djokovic and Sinner Reach Shanghai Masters Final. Sabalenka Rallies over Gauff at Wuhan

Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after his victory against USA's Taylor Fritz at their men's singles semi-final match during the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 12, 2024. (AFP)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after his victory against USA's Taylor Fritz at their men's singles semi-final match during the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 12, 2024. (AFP)

Novak Djokovic overcame physical discomfort to beat Taylor Fritz 6-4, 7-6 (6) and move closer to a 100th career title and a record-extending fifth at the Shanghai Masters on Saturday.

By also reaching the final, top-ranked Jannik Sinner ensured he will be the ATP year-end No. 1 and the first Italian to achieve that feat.

"(I've won) many titles, had great battles and great performances," the 37-year-old Djokovic said. "I did come here definitely with a vision and a desire to get to the final and fight for a 100th title. I get that chance against the best player in the world, and let’s see what happens."

Fellow great Roger Federer has 103 titles and Jimmy Connors leads men with 109 in the Open era.

Top-ranked Jannik Sinner will chase his seventh ATP title of the year after beating Tomas Machac 6-4, 7-5.

Djokovic improved to 10-0 in career matches against Fritz, who blew a 5-3 lead in the second-set tiebreaker and a set point at 6-5 up.

Djokovic was clearly struggling for mobility and balance with his left knee heavily strapped.

"It always takes it out of me, these kinds of battles, but particularly towards the end of the tournament," Djokovic said. "At this stage of my career, I’m doing my best to recover and I had some issues here and there on the court, physically."

But US Open runner-up Fritz could not take advantage.

He lost a long rally at 6-6 and succumbed on the first match point when Djokovic stabbed a volley at the net and the American flicked it just long at full stretch.

Djokovic leads 4-3 overall against Sinner, who has won the last two — including in the Australian Open semifinals.

Earlier, Sinner weathered a nearly two-hour baseline storm from No. 33-ranked Machac, who beat No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

The Italian has a shot at his third Masters title in 2024 following victories in Miami and Cincinnati, to go with his wins at the Australian Open and US Open.

"I just tried to stay there every point, to see what was going to happen," Sinner said. "Just playing every point with the maximum intensity I could, so I’m very happy about that. I’m happy to be back in a final again.

"I’m just looking forward to (the final), to try to find a solution somehow ... and hopefully it’s going to win the match."

Sinner fired 10 aces and 28 winners, against only seven unforced errors, in a characteristically efficient performance for his 64th match win this year.

Wuhan Open Second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a slow start to beat an in-form Coco Gauff 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals to advance to her third straight Wuhan final and preserve her perfect record at the tournament.

Sabalenka will face seventh-ranked Zheng Qinwen in the final. The Paris Olympics champion beat No. 51-ranked Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-4. Sabalenka will be bidding for her fourth title of the season, which includes the Australian Open and U.S. Open.

The Belarussian's 16th straight victory at Wuhan ended Gauff's own recent win streak at nine, including the China Open title last week. But it looked anything but certain for Sabalenka as she crashed 6-1 in the opening set.

"In the first set she was just crushing it," Sabalenka said. "Whatever she was doing, everything was flying in. Everything was so aggressive. I didn’t have much opportunities."

In a fight between the last two US Open champions, Gauff led by a break early in the second but Sabalenka responded to pull level at 4-4 and saved a break point on serve to take a 5-4 lead.

Serving to stay in the set, Gauff was broken as Sabalenka hit a lunging forehand volley to force a deciding set.

The Belarussian carried her momentum into the third, extending her streak to seven games for a 3-0 lead. Gauff fought back to level at 4-4, but Sabalenka held strong to halt Gauff’s run.

Sabalenka broke once more after Gauff hit her season-worst 21st double fault on match point, ending the 2 1/2-hour match.

"I know what she’s going through. This is really difficult," said Sabalenka, who had issues on her serve in the past. "But I know that if she’ll be able to overcome this serve situation, I’m pretty sure she’s going to be one of the greatest players."