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Neymar Still Out of Brazil Squad for World Cup Qualifiers against Venezuela and Uruguay

Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al-Hilal v Al-Taawoun - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - October 26, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar poses for a picture in the stands during the match. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al-Hilal v Al-Taawoun - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - October 26, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar poses for a picture in the stands during the match. (Reuters)
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Neymar Still Out of Brazil Squad for World Cup Qualifiers against Venezuela and Uruguay

Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al-Hilal v Al-Taawoun - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - October 26, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar poses for a picture in the stands during the match. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al-Hilal v Al-Taawoun - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - October 26, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar poses for a picture in the stands during the match. (Reuters)

Neymar is back in action after more than a year out due to a torn ACL but he won’t be playing in Brazil’s last two World Cup qualifiers this year.

Brazil coach Dorival Júnior did not include the star striker in his squad on Friday for matches at Venezuela on Nov. 14 and against Uruguay five days later.

Neymar returned for Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal on Oct. 21 in the AFC Champions League Elite.

Júnior said he’s talked to Neymar three times in the last two months and the striker wanted to play for the national team.

“He is fully recovered, but he has had just a few minutes of play, and that was a big reason,” Júnior said. “By next year, he will have had more time playing, he will totally recover his confidence.”

Júnior also left out teenage striker Endrick.

Brazil is fourth in South American qualifying, six points behind leader Argentina after 10 rounds. The top six teams secure automatic berths in the 2026 World Cup.

Brazil:

Goalkeepers: Weverton (Palmeiras), Bento (Al-Nassr), Ederson (Manchester City).

Defenders: Danilo (Juventus), Vanderson (Monaco) Abner (Lyon), Guilherme Arana (Atletico Mineiro), Murillo (Nottingham Forest) Éder Militão (Real Madrid), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain).

Midfielders: André (Wolverhampton), Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle), Gerson (Flamengo), Lucas Paquetá (West Ham), Andreas Pereira (Fulham), Raphinha (Barcelona).

Forwards: Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Vinicius Júnior (Real Madrid), Luiz Henrique (Botafogo), Igor Jesus (Botafogo), Estêvão (Palmeiras), Savinho (Manchester City).

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Zverev Dispatches Humbert in Straight Sets to Win Paris Masters

Germany's Alexander Zverev poses with the trophy after winning the men's singles final match on day seven of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on November 3, 2024. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev poses with the trophy after winning the men's singles final match on day seven of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on November 3, 2024. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)
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Zverev Dispatches Humbert in Straight Sets to Win Paris Masters

Germany's Alexander Zverev poses with the trophy after winning the men's singles final match on day seven of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on November 3, 2024. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev poses with the trophy after winning the men's singles final match on day seven of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on November 3, 2024. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

Alexander Zverev was imperious in dispatching Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-2, 6-2 to win the Paris Masters on Sunday.
The third-seeded Zverev was in total control of the final to earn his seventh Masters 1000 title, his first in the French capital. The win at the indoor tournament also moved him past top-ranked Jannik Sinner for the most wins on the ATP tour this year, at 66.
Zverev's big serve, excellent returns and precise attacking shots did not take long to extinguish the hopes of the partisan crowd as Humbert never got into the match.
“I knew I had to play like this to win today,” Zverev said. “Ugo is an incredible player, but here in Paris he plays even better than he usually does and I knew that. Once the crowd gets involved, it’s going to be difficult. So I had to take that away early, and I did, so I’m happy about that.”
Humbert, who knocked out Carlos Alcaraz in the third round, won't have fond memories of his first Masters final. He tried to play aggressively from the start and to take all the risks to shorten rallies. But he could not find his range while Zverev defended extremely well.
The German quickly solved his rival’s serve and had his first break chance in the third game. He took it when Humbert sent a forehand into the net.
Humbert continued to make unforced errors. Trailing 3-1, he saved two break points but dropped his serve again when another shanked forehand sealed the game.
Zverev dropped just one point on his serve in the opening set and sealed it at love with an ace.
The 15th-seeded Humbert walked back to the locker room after the first set. The interlude didn’t change anything.
The Frenchman double-faulted on his return to the court, continued to make poor tactical decisions and was immediately broken with a forehand into the net. Another break gave Zverev a 3-0 lead as Humbert wasted a 40-0 lead and was never able to stage a comeback.
“I’m extremely happy to have played in this final,” said Humbert, looking at the bright side of his Parisian week. “To have my family and team with me the whole week has been incredible. It’s for moments like this why I do this every day, why I train.”
Zverev improved to 23-13 in tour finals and became the second German player to win in Paris after Boris Becker. He will overtake Alcaraz to move into second place in the new ATP rankings and will be a top contender at the ATP Finals gathering the top eight players of the season from Nov. 10-17 in Turin, Italy.
The Paris Masters will relocate to another venue next year, moving from its historic location at the Palais Omnisports to La Défense Arena.