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Bencic Battles Past Kenin to Set Up Noskova Final in Tokyo

Tennis - WTA 500 - Pan Pacific Open - Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan - October 25, 2025 Switzerland's Belinda Bencic in action during her semi final match against Sofia Kenin of the US. REUTERS/Manami Yamada
Tennis - WTA 500 - Pan Pacific Open - Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan - October 25, 2025 Switzerland's Belinda Bencic in action during her semi final match against Sofia Kenin of the US. REUTERS/Manami Yamada
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Bencic Battles Past Kenin to Set Up Noskova Final in Tokyo

Tennis - WTA 500 - Pan Pacific Open - Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan - October 25, 2025 Switzerland's Belinda Bencic in action during her semi final match against Sofia Kenin of the US. REUTERS/Manami Yamada
Tennis - WTA 500 - Pan Pacific Open - Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan - October 25, 2025 Switzerland's Belinda Bencic in action during her semi final match against Sofia Kenin of the US. REUTERS/Manami Yamada

Belinda Bencic reached her second Pan Pacific Open final a decade after her first with a hard-fought 7-6(5) 3-6 6-2 win over American Sofia Kenin on Saturday, booking a title clash with Linda Noskova, who advanced via a walkover.

Playing under the centre court roof of the Ariake Coliseum due to rain, both players stayed strong on serve in the opening 12 games before Swiss Bencic turned up the intensity in a tight tiebreak to take the opening set with a forehand winner.

Former Australian Open champion Kenin wiped the slate clean and came out firing to bag a break in the fourth game of the second set and overcame a minor wobble on her own delivery in the next game to eventually draw level in the contest.

Bencic, the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist, broke for a 3-1 lead in the decider after some sloppy play by Kenin, and the 28-year-old rode the momentum to wrap up the victory and stay on course for her second title of the season.

Earlier, Elena Rybakina pulled out of her clash against Noskova with a back injury, a day after the Kazakh secured the last qualifying spot for next month's season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh by reaching the semi-finals in Tokyo.

"I'm very sorry I can't play today," Rybakina said.

"I've been having problems with my back this week and can't play 100%. I'm disappointed that my fans will not see me today but I hope to see you next year."

Noskova, who was beaten in the China Open final earlier this month by American Amanda Anisimova, will aim to capture only her second WTA title having triumphed in Monterrey last year.

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PSG's Ligue 1 Visit to Lens Postponed to Aid Champions League Preparations

FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
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PSG's Ligue 1 Visit to Lens Postponed to Aid Champions League Preparations

FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa

Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain's visit to second-placed Lens, set for April 11, has been postponed to May 13 to allow them more time to prepare for their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said on Thursday.

Strasbourg's visit to Brest, scheduled for April 12, has also been moved to May 13 to help them prepare for ⁠their Europa Conference League ⁠last-eight clashes with Mainz, Reuters quoted the LFP as saying in a statement.

"These decisions are in line with the board of directors’ clear strategic aim of enabling France to retain its fifth place in ⁠the UEFA coefficient rankings, which secures four places in the UEFA Champions League," the LFP said.

PSG, the reigning European champions, host Liverpool three days before the Lens fixture and travel to Anfield for the second leg on April 14.

PSG and Lens are separated by one point in Ligue 1, with ⁠PSG ⁠having a game in hand. Lens had earlier pushed back against PSG's request.

"It seems to us, in fact, that a worrying sentiment is taking hold: that of a French league gradually being relegated to the status of an adjustment variable at the whim of certain parties' European imperatives," Lens said in a statement on Monday.

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Asian Cup Draw Postponed

The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)
The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)
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Asian Cup Draw Postponed

The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)
The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)

The draw for January's Asian Cup finals, which was due to be held in Riyadh on April 11, has been postponed, the Asian Football Confederation announced on Thursday.

Officials have rescheduled the event to a later date "to ensure the undisrupted attendance of all stakeholders at the final draw ceremony," the governing ⁠body said in ⁠a statement.

"The AFC expressed its appreciation to the Local Organizing Committee for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ for their full readiness to host the draw as planned, and it appreciates the understanding and continued cooperation of its Participating Member Associations, fans and stakeholders," the statement added.

Saudi Arabia is due to host the 24-team quadrennial continental championship for the first time with the last remaining round of qualifiers taking place on Tuesday.

Qatar are the defending champions and have already secured their ⁠berth ⁠at the finals alongside four-times winners Japan, plus fellow World Cup qualifiers South Korea, Iran, Jordan, Australia and Uzbekistan.

The AFC announced on Tuesday that the latter stages of the Asian Champions League Elite would go ahead as planned in Jeddah, with matches running from April 13 to 26.

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Maguire: Amorim Had Great Ideas but they Did Not Click at Man United

Manchester United's English defender #05 Harry Maguire is sent off the pitch after receiving a red card during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
Manchester United's English defender #05 Harry Maguire is sent off the pitch after receiving a red card during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
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Maguire: Amorim Had Great Ideas but they Did Not Click at Man United

Manchester United's English defender #05 Harry Maguire is sent off the pitch after receiving a red card during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
Manchester United's English defender #05 Harry Maguire is sent off the pitch after receiving a red card during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire said former manager Ruben Amorim had strong ideas, but they ultimately “didn’t work” at Old Trafford, further praising interim manager Michael Carrick for overseeing a smooth transition.

United have revived their season since Carrick took charge in January, rising into the Premier League’s top three after earning 23 points in 10 games, with only one defeat. "I really like Ruben, he’s ⁠got great ideas. ⁠The ideas just didn’t work at Manchester United," Maguire said of Amorim in an interview with Britain's The Guardian.

"It just didn’t click or work and us, as players, have got to ⁠take a lot of responsibility for that as well."

Amorim was known for his back-three system, but Maguire said he feels more comfortable in a back four.

“In the middle of a back three, it is more cautious, a sweeper-type role and not as much driving forward with the ball, which has been a big part of ⁠my ⁠game throughout my career," he said, according to Reuters.

"I feel like it has been a great transition. Credit to Michael and his staff for making it so smooth.” Maguire was named last week in Thomas Tuchel's 35-man England squad as they host Uruguay at Wembley Stadium on March 27, followed by a clash with Japan at the same venue four days later.