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Ronaldo Is Rested and Returning His Attention to an Asian Champions League Title 

Cristiano Ronaldo. (Reuters)
Cristiano Ronaldo. (Reuters)
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Ronaldo Is Rested and Returning His Attention to an Asian Champions League Title 

Cristiano Ronaldo. (Reuters)
Cristiano Ronaldo. (Reuters)

Cristiano Ronaldo has rested and now is returning his attention to winning his first major trophy in Saudi Arabia.

Despite breaking the Saudi Pro League’s scoring record last season with 35 goals and leading the standings in this campaign, the 40-year-old Ronaldo is yet to collect any silverware since signing for Al-Nassr in December 2022.

On Saturday, he’ll be leading Al-Nassr against Japan-based Yokohama F.Marinos in the Asian Champions League Elite quarterfinals.

The Riyadh club, still yet to win a continental championship, is expected to progress to the last four, particularly after Ronaldo was rested this week for Al-Nassr's domestic league win over Damac.

Even without the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, coach Stefano Pioli has a star-studded roster at his disposal. It includes Jhon Duran, signed from Aston Villa in January for over $100 million, former Liverpool star Sadio Mane and Spanish international defender Aymeric Laporte.

Al-Nassr also has the advantage of not having to travel far, as all playoff games are taking place in Jeddah along the Red Sea coast.

“We're now fully focused on Asia,” Pioli said Tuesday. “We have been working hard to prepare for it and I'm satisfied with the performance of the players.”

Yokohama was a beaten finalist last season but is struggling in last place in Japan's domestic league after collecting just two points from the last seven games. The club last week fired Steve Holland, a former England national team assistant to Gareth Southgate, after just four months as coach.

“To fill the void,” the club said in a statement, Australian “Patrick Kisnorbo will serve as an interim manager for the time being.”

Nassr’s Riyadh rival Al-Hilal has won a record four Asian titles and plays Friday against Gwangju FC, a South Korean club making its first appearance in the tournament.

Hilal was the best performer in the ACL group stage and, as it is unlikely to catch Al-Ittihad at the top of the Saudi Pro League, is focused on its bid for a fifth continental championship.

“The Asian Champions League is a personal dream for me, as I have not yet achieved it with the team,” Hilal coach Jorge Jesus said. “It is also a dream for the fans and the club president, and we will continue to play to win every match.”

Al-Ahli is the third contender from Saudi, and the two-time finalist is determined to lift the trophy in its home stadium in Jeddah on May 3. First, though, it must win a quarterfinal against Thai powerhouse Buriram United.

The only one of the four ties not to feature a Saudi club takes place on Sunday when two-time champion Al-Sadd of Qatar takes on Kawasaki Frontale, a Japanese club looking for a first title.

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Sabalenka Overcomes Holder Gauff to Reach Semis of WTA Finals

Tennis - WTA Finals - Riyadh - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 6, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in action during her group stage match against Coco Gauff of the US. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Tennis - WTA Finals - Riyadh - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 6, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in action during her group stage match against Coco Gauff of the US. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
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Sabalenka Overcomes Holder Gauff to Reach Semis of WTA Finals

Tennis - WTA Finals - Riyadh - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 6, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in action during her group stage match against Coco Gauff of the US. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Tennis - WTA Finals - Riyadh - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 6, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in action during her group stage match against Coco Gauff of the US. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

Aryna Sabalenka roared back from a slow start to beat Coco Gauff 7-6(5) 6-2 and clinch a semi-final spot at the season-ending WTA Finals on Thursday, sending the defending champion packing and assuring Jessica Pegula of a place in the last four.

The world number one, who is seeking a maiden trophy in the event since a run to the final three years ago, finished top of the Steffi Graf Group and next takes on Amanda Anisimova in a rematch of their US Open title clash.

"She always makes me work hard, always great battles against her," Sabalenka said about Friday's showdown.

"I enjoy playing against her and I enjoy the fights so I'm excited to play her. I hope it's going to be a great match."

American Pegula meets the in-form Kazakh Elena Rybakina, who qualified for the semi-finals as the best player from the Serena Williams Group to continue her own bid for a maiden trophy in the season finale in Saudi Arabia.

Gauff's erratic serve had been a concern after her opening defeat by Pegula, but it was the 21-year-old's aggressive return game that stood out against Sabalenka as she broke to start the match and went 4-2 up at the King Saud University Sports Arena.

Sabalenka let out a scream after she saved break points and held for 3-4 in the rematch of the French Open title clash that she lost, and the fired-up Belarusian soon broke to draw level at 5-5 with a neat forehand winner.

"I probably wouldn't put myself in that situation (again)," Sabalenka said about being 4-5 and 0-30 down.

"I was just trying to stay aggressive and trying to find my rhythm. I was working for the second set already, but magically I was able to turn things around.

"I'm super happy with the performance and super happy to get this win in straight sets."

Sabalenka showed more fight in the tiebreak to come from behind and take the first set, and there was no stopping the 27-year-old when she eased to a 4-0 lead in the second set.

Earlier, Pegula secured a breezy 6-2 6-3 victory over the already-eliminated Jasmine Paolini and said she would work out a strategy for her next opponent despite knowing there was a slim chance of an exit if Gauff prevailed in three sets.

"We're going to be really happy with today, for the rest of the day and maybe for most of the night, and then we're going to have to switch strategies a little bit because it's a quick turnaround now," said Pegula.

"We'll be ready for the next opponent."

Pegula gained the upper hand, winning five out of the first six games after Paolini faltered on her serve early, before the 2023 runner-up took the first set, giving her Italian opponent no chance.

Paolini withstood some powerful baseline hitting in the next set to hold in the opening game but Pegula continued to heap on the pressure and broke for the third time in the contest, paving the way for a comprehensive victory.

"Today I finally got a straight-sets win for the first time in like a few months," Pegula said.

"That always feels really good. I thought I served well, just played solid and was aggressive when I needed to be. There weren't any negative notes today."

Sports

Dutch Giants Ajax Sack Coach John Heitinga

(FILES) Ajax' Dutch headcoach John Heitinga gestures during the UEFA Europa League first leg play off football match between Ajax Amsterdam (NED) and Union Berlin (GER) at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam on February 16, 2023. (Photo by MAURICE VAN STEEN / ANP / AFP)
(FILES) Ajax' Dutch headcoach John Heitinga gestures during the UEFA Europa League first leg play off football match between Ajax Amsterdam (NED) and Union Berlin (GER) at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam on February 16, 2023. (Photo by MAURICE VAN STEEN / ANP / AFP)
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Dutch Giants Ajax Sack Coach John Heitinga

(FILES) Ajax' Dutch headcoach John Heitinga gestures during the UEFA Europa League first leg play off football match between Ajax Amsterdam (NED) and Union Berlin (GER) at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam on February 16, 2023. (Photo by MAURICE VAN STEEN / ANP / AFP)
(FILES) Ajax' Dutch headcoach John Heitinga gestures during the UEFA Europa League first leg play off football match between Ajax Amsterdam (NED) and Union Berlin (GER) at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam on February 16, 2023. (Photo by MAURICE VAN STEEN / ANP / AFP)

Dutch giants Ajax said Thursday they had sacked coach John Heitinga after a poor start to the season that has seen them rooted to the bottom of the Champions League table.

"Ajax is looking for a new head coach. In the meantime, Fred Grim will take over Heitinga's duties," the four-time European champions said in a statement.

Heitinga signed a two-year contract in May but has not been able to mastermind a turnaround in the club's fortunes. His contract would be terminated, AFP quoted Ajax as saying.

The club's technical director Alex Kroes admitted it was a "painful decision".

"We know it can take time for a new coach to work with a squad that has undergone changes," said Kroes.

"We have given John that time, but we believe it's best for the club to appoint someone else to lead the team."

Kroes himself offered his resignation but the board asked him to stay in place to offer some continuity.

The technical director is under contract until the end of the season.

"Should the club appoint a new technical director earlier, I will hand over my responsibilities at that time," he said.

The final straw appeared to be yet another humiliating loss in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Ajax lost 3-0 at home to Galatasaray, a bruising defeat that came on the back of a 5-1 thrashing away to Chelsea.

A 4-0 loss to Marseille and a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Inter Milan adds up to a miserable record in Europe of zero points, one goal scored and 14 conceded.
Domestically, Ajax currently sit in fourth place in the Dutch Eredivisie, languishing eight points behind pace-setters Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven.

Ajax fans had jeered Heitinga at Stamford Bridge for his substitutions and the supporters appeared to have lost faith in their manager.

However, the Ajax Supporters Association voiced sadness that the club was losing "one of us".

"All we want is a successful Ajax... Driving each other apart is not in line with that," the association wrote on its blog.

The Amsterdam-based club is still recovering from an extraordinary end to last season that saw them throw away the title from a seemingly impregnable position.

With only five matches to play, Ajax were nine points clear and seemingly cruising to the title.

But Ajax somehow contrived to hand the title to PSV Eindhoven, losing twice and drawing twice.

The season before, Ajax had suffered their worst-ever start to a campaign, at one point propping up the Eredivisie table.

Heitinga played at center-back for Atletico Madrid, Everton and Fulham, retiring in 2016 after a brief second spell with boyhood club Ajax.

He played 87 times for the Netherlands but was sent off in extra time in the 1-0 loss to Spain in the 2010 World Cup final.

The supporters' association acknowledged that the club has lost its place among Europe's elite -- "That ship has long since sailed, no matter how much we'd like to join it."

"Ajax, however, belongs among the Dutch top teams, must compete for the title every year, and ideally, win it," wrote the association.

Sports

Pegula Dispatches Paolini to Keep WTA Finals Semis Bid Alive

Tennis - WTA Finals - Riyadh - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 6, 2025 Jessica Pegula of the U.S. shakes hands with Italy's Jasmine Paolini after winning her group stage match REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Tennis - WTA Finals - Riyadh - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 6, 2025 Jessica Pegula of the U.S. shakes hands with Italy's Jasmine Paolini after winning her group stage match REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
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Pegula Dispatches Paolini to Keep WTA Finals Semis Bid Alive

Tennis - WTA Finals - Riyadh - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 6, 2025 Jessica Pegula of the U.S. shakes hands with Italy's Jasmine Paolini after winning her group stage match REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Tennis - WTA Finals - Riyadh - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 6, 2025 Jessica Pegula of the U.S. shakes hands with Italy's Jasmine Paolini after winning her group stage match REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

American Jessica Pegula kept her chances of reaching the semi-finals of the WTA Finals alive by easing past Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-3 in Riyadh on Thursday.

The world number five had to avoid a straight-sets loss to maintain her shot at advancing from the group stage, but must now await the result of the later showdown between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka to learn her fate in the tournament.

Action in the Stefanie Graf Group has come down to the wire with three of the four players all in with a chance of moving on to Friday's semi-finals.

Pegula improved to 4-1 head-to-head against eighth seed Paolini, and avenged her recent defeat to the Italian in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen.

"Today I finally got a straight-set win for the first time in like a few months. I served very, very well and was very aggressive. There weren't any negative notes today," said the 31-year-old Pegula.

Elena Rybakina and Amanda Anisimova have already punched their tickets to the final four by finishing in the top two spots of the Serena Williams Group.