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Wins for Sabalenka and Paolini on Opening Day of WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action during her Singles group stage match against Qinwen Zheng of China at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 02 November 2024. EPA/STRINGER
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action during her Singles group stage match against Qinwen Zheng of China at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 02 November 2024. EPA/STRINGER
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Wins for Sabalenka and Paolini on Opening Day of WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action during her Singles group stage match against Qinwen Zheng of China at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 02 November 2024. EPA/STRINGER
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action during her Singles group stage match against Qinwen Zheng of China at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 02 November 2024. EPA/STRINGER

Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka eased to a straight-set victory over Zheng Qinwen in the opening match of the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Sabalenka won 6-3, 6-4 to extend her perfect record against the Chinese player to 5-0. It was also her 21st win in her last 22 matches.
The seventh-seeded Zheng lost the last three games as her focus slipped, and also appeared to have lost track of the score. After hitting a backhand long on match point, Zheng headed toward her chair on what she seemed to think was a change of ends instead of going to the net for the traditional handshake.
She smiled and held up her hand in apology after realizing before heading back to the center.
The victory also sets up Sabalenka for ending the year at the top. The Belarusian player only needs to win two of her three group matches to ensure she retains the No. 1 ranking.
Fourth-seeded Jasmine Paolini of Italy beat fifth-seeded Elena Rybakina in the other Purple Group match.
Paolini, who is enjoying a breakout season, edged a tight match 7-6 (5), 6-4 on her debut at the year-ending tournament for the top eight ranked players.
American players Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula will face off in the Orange Group on Sunday after second-seeded Iga Swiatek takes on Barbora Krejcikova.

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Mourinho Lays into ‘Man of the Match’ VAR after Fenerbahce’s Win

Joe Mourinho. (AFP via Getty Images)
Joe Mourinho. (AFP via Getty Images)
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Mourinho Lays into ‘Man of the Match’ VAR after Fenerbahce’s Win

Joe Mourinho. (AFP via Getty Images)
Joe Mourinho. (AFP via Getty Images)

Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho said the Video Assistant Referee went from being the invisible man to the most important man on the pitch after several controversial decisions went against his side in their 3-2 Super Lig win at Trabzonspor on Sunday.

Trabzonspor were awarded two penalties in the second half following VAR interventions, and with the score tied a 2-2 late in the game Mourinho was incensed when a challenge on Bright Osayi-Samuel went unpunished.

The Portuguese coach suggested the VAR, Atilla Karaoglan, had missed the incident as he was drinking coffee.

Despite having late penalty claims waved away, the visitors got the win when Sofyan Amrabat scored deep into stoppage time, prompting the former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager to race onto the pitch to celebrate with a knee slide.

"The referee was just a little boy that was there on the pitch, but the referee was Atilla Karaoglan, so man of the match," Mourinho told beIN Sports Türkiye.

"He goes from the invisible man to the most important man in the match."

Mourinho said Karaoglan should never be involved in officiating another Fenerbahce game.

"Isn't a red card on Bright, Karaoglan was what, drinking coffee at that time, didn't see that red card for that player?" he said.

"He was alert to give the two penalty decisions (to Trabzonspor) when the referee didn't give, then was having Turkish tea when it was a clear penalty for us and didn't give it.

"I think I am speaking on behalf of every Fenerbahce fan, we don't want him again."