Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur became the first Arab player to crack the top 10 of the tennis world rankings
(Credit: Mustafa Yalçın/Anadolu Agency)

Tennis

Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur became the first Arab player to crack the top 10 of the world rankings after reaching the Indian Wells semi-finals on October 14. The 27-year-old defeated Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit 7-5 6-3 in the California desert, converting five of her 12 break-point chances on the way to her 48th match win of the season, the most of any player on the Tour this season

Basketball

NBA: Brooklyn Nets’ Kyrie Irving says he is “doing what’s best for me” in refusing the Covid-19 vaccine, a move that will see him sidelined. The Nets have said the point guard will not play until he is eligible to become “a full participant” under New York City Covid-19 vaccine rules. Irving is unvaccinated but regulations state all athletes who play or practice in the city have to be vaccinated.
The 29-year-old says he will not bow to pressure to be vaccinated. Speaking about the issue on Instagram Live on October 13, Irving said, “Do what’s best for you, but I am not an advocate for either side. I am doing what’s best for me. I know the consequences here, and if it means that I’m judged and demonised for that, that’s just what it is, that’s the role I play.”
Irving is a seven-time All-Star who played in 54 regular-season games for the Nets last season.

Cricket

Moeen Ali announced on September 27 that he would retire from Test cricket to focus on his white-ball career, saying the format’s “intensity can be too much sometimes”. In 64 Tests, the 34-year-old scored five centuries and took 195 wickets, including a top score of 155 not out and five five-wicket hauls.

He decided to retire from cricket’s longest format to extend his career and give the game a new lease on life. “It has been bubbling for a bit of time,” Ali said. “I am really content and happy with my decision. The break between 2019 to playing three Tests this summer was too long and my mindset had changed. I found it difficult to really concentrate.”

He added: “I just found it really long and really difficult to get into – it is a shame. To be given the vice-captaincy against India was great and a huge honour and Joe Root always asked me a lot more towards the end, and made me feel more involved in the side, but I just couldn’t do it. I found it a struggle.

“The Ashes this winter would have been very difficult. I don’t think I would have gone because 14 days quarantining is a long time and I wouldn’t be surprised if people pull out because of that.” Since making his Test debut in 2014 Moeen has been part of England victories over India and Australia, but says his hat-trick against South Africa at The Oval in 2017 was “by far my favourite moment”.

Football

In a sensational swap deal, Real Madrid will reportedly offer Eden Hazard plus cash for Liverpool star Mohamed Salah. The 29-year-old Egyptian is one of Real Madrid’s main summer transfer targets, and it is claimed the Spanish giants have an inventive plan to seal the deal. Los Blancos are prepared to cut their losses on Eden Hazard, who joined the club for £130m in June 2019.

Hazard could be used as a makeweight in a deal for Salah, who is currently in a contract dispute with Liverpool. Hazard’s career at Real Madrid has been hindered by injuries, limiting the former Chelsea player to only 37 league appearances in over two seasons.

In related news Liverpool are hoping to come to an agreement which would delay Sadio Mane and Salah’s departure for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Under current rules outlined by FIFA, all qualifying countries can ask for their players to be released by clubs on December 27, with the tournament running until February 6. That means that Salah, Mane and Naby Keita could miss up to eight games for the Reds, including crucial Premier League games against Chelsea and Leicester.
However, Jurgen Klopp is planning to hold talks with the national teams during next month’s international break in a bid to persuade them to allow the players to leave in January, according to the Mirror.

England’s Premier League clubs voted on October 18 to temporarily block teams from signing sponsorship deals linked to owners in a move prompted by Saudi Arabia’s controversial takeover of Newcastle. The ban means Newcastle cannot sign commercial deals with entities linked to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns 80 percent of the club after a £305 million ($418 million) takeover that is still generating controversy.

Eighteen of the Premier League’s 20 clubs voted in favour of the motion at an emergency meeting, with Newcastle voting against, and Manchester City abstaining. Media reports said the abstention was due to legal advice the club received that the motion was illegal. The ban will last one month with discussions ongoing as to a longer-term solution, including making sure future sponsorship deals are at a fair market value.

Volleyball

Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship, (Japan) September 12–19:

Iran defeated Japan 3-0 (27-25, 25-22, 31-29) on to win the 21st Asian Senior Men’s Volleyball Championship. Saber Kazemi recorded 19 attacks, a block and an ace to lead Iran in scoring. His teammates Meisam Salehi and Amirhossein Toukhteh added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Japan captain Yuki Ishikawa and young star Ran Takahashi each made 16 markers in the losing effort.
After the poor performance in the 2020 Olympic Games, Iran participated in the Asian championship with the young players. The superstars like Saeid Marouf, Mohammad Mousavi, Amir Ghafour and Mehdi Marandi were not invited to the national team.
Defending champions Iran won the title for the fourth time. Japan still are the most-decorated team in Asia with nine titles. Kazemi was named as the competition’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). China overpowered Chinese Taipei 3-0 in bronze medal match.
Iran and Japan will also represent Asia at next year’s world championship in Russia.

MUSLIM MEDALLISTS

Weightlifting

Youth World Championships, (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), October 5 -12:

Gold (1), Silver (2) Bronze (3)

Men’s Event

55 kg Snatch – 2: Ali Majed Kalitit (KSA) lifted 100 kg
55 kg Clean & Jerk – 3: Ertuğrul Seçgin (TUR) lifted 123 kg
55 kg Total – 2: Ertuğrul Seçgin (TUR) lifted 221 kg
55 kg Total – 3: Ali Majed Kalitit (KSA) lifted 215 kg
61 kg Snatch – 1: Kaan Kahriman (TUR) lifted 123 kg YWR
61 kg Snatch – 3: Khusinboy Matrasulov (UZB) lifted 119 kg
61 kg Total – 2: Kaan Kahriman (TUR) lifted 264 kg
73 kg Snatch – 1: Diyorbek Ermatov (UZB) lifted 132 kg
81 kg Snatch – 1: Alireza Abbaspour (IRI) lifted 147 kg
81 kg Snatch – 3: Mukhammad Romanov (RUS) lifted 141 kg
81 kg Clean & Jerk – 1: Alireza Abbaspour (IRI) lifted 181 kg
81 kg Clean & Jerk – 3: Mukhammad Romanov (RUS) lifted 164 kg
81 kg Total – 1: Alireza Abbaspour (IRI) lifted 328 kg
81 kg Total – 3: Mukhammad Romanov (RUS) lifted 305 kg
89 kg Snatch – 1: Hakan Kurnaz (TUR) lifted 149 kg
89 kg Snatch – 2: Enes Çelik (TUR) lifted 148 kg
89 kg Clean & Jerk – 3: Hakan Kurnaz (TUR) lifted 170 kg
89 kg Total – 3: Hakan Kurnaz (TUR) lifted 319 kg
96 kg Snatch – 1: Kurbonmurod Nomozov (UZB) lifted 153 kg
96 kg Snatch – 3: Muhammed Burun (TUR) lifted 147 kg
96 kg Clean & Jerk – 1: Kurbon’Nomozov (UZB) lifted 189 kg
96 kg Clean & Jerk – 3: Muhammed Burun (TUR) lifted 179 kg
96 kg Total – 1: Kurbonmurod Nomozov (UZB) lifted 342 kg
96 kg Total – 3: Muhammed Burun (TUR) lifted 326 kg
102 kg Snatch – 1: Rakhat Bekbolat (KAZ) lifted 155 kg
102 kg Snatch – 2: Taner Çağlar (TUR) lifted 152 kg
102 kg Clean & Jerk – 1: Rakhat Bekbolat (KAZ) lifted 200 kg
102 kg Clean & Jerk – 2: Amar Rubaiawi Ali (IRQ) lifted 185 kg
102 kg Clean & Jerk – 3: Taner Çağlar (TUR) lifted 185 kg
102 kg Total – 1: Rakhat Bekbolat (KAZ) lifted 355 kg
102 kg Total – 2: Taner Çağlar (TUR) lifted 337 kg
102 kg Total – 3: Amar Rubaiawi Ali (IRQ) lifted 334 kg
+102 kg Snatch – 1: Aslambek Pliev (RUS) lifted 150 kg
+102 kg Snatch – 3: Amir Reza Mohammadinia (IRI) lifted 144 kg
+102 kg Clean & Jerk – 1: Aslambek Pliev (RUS) lifted 190 kg
+102 kg Total – 1: Aslambek Pliev (RUS) lifted 340 kg
+102 kg Total – 3: Amir Reza Mohammadinia (IRI) lifted 310 kg Women’s Event

40 kg Snatch – 1: Ezgi Kılıç (TUR) lifted 55 kg
40 kg Clean & Jerk – 1: Ezgi Kılıç (TUR) lifted 70 kg
40 kg Total – 1: Ezgi Kılıç (TUR) lifted 125 kg
45 kg Snatch – 3: Najla Khoirunnisa (INA) lifted 62 kg
45 kg Clean & Jerk – 3: Najla Khoirunnisa (INA) lifted 80 kg
45 kg Total – 3: Najla Khoirunnisa (INA) lifted 142 kg
49 kg Clean & Jerk- 1: Medine Bilicier (TUR) lifted 93 kg
49 kg Total – 2: Medine Bilicier (TUR) lifted 165 kg
55 kg Total – 2: Ozoda Hojieva (UZB) lifted 172 kg
55 kg Clean & Jerk – 3: Ozoda Hojieva (UZB) lifted 95 kg
59 kg Clean & Jerk – 3: Ghazaleh Hosseini (IRI) lifted 94 kg
71 kg Snatch – 1: Zarina Gusalova (RUS) lifted 103 kg
71 kg Snatch – 2: Nigora Suvonova (UZB) lifted 92 kg
71 kg Clean & Jerk – 1: Zarina Gusalova (RUS) lifted 123 kg
71 kg Clean & Jerk – 2: Nigora Suvonova (UZB) lifted 114 kg
71 kg Clean & Jerk – 3: Sevinchoy Komilova (UZB) lifted 111 kg
71 kg Total – 1: Zarina Gusalova (RUS) lifted 226 kg
71 kg Total – 2: Nigora Suvonova (UZB) lifted 206 kg
76 kg Snatch – 3: Madina Kelekhsaeva (RUS) lifted 88 kg
76 kg Clean & Jerk – 1: Madina Kelekhsaeva (RUS) lifted 117 kg
76 kg Total – 1: Madina Kelekhsaeva (RUS) lifted 205 kg
81 kg Snatch – 3: Yekta Jamali (IRI) lifted 90 kg
81 kg Clean & Jerk – 2: Yekta Jamali (IRI) lifted 115 kg
81 kg Total – 2: Yekta Jamali (IRI) lifted 205 kg
+ 81 kg Snatch – 1: Rufina Chalkarova (KAZ) lifted 107 kg
+ 81 kg Snatch – 2: Fatmagül Çevik (TUR) lifted 95 kg
+ 81 kg Clean & Jerk – 1: Rufina Chalkarova (KAZ) lifted 140 kg
+ 81 kg Clean & Jerk – 3: Fatmagül Çevik (TUR) lifted 108 kg
+ 81 kg Total – 1: Rufina Chalkarova (KAZ) lifted 247 kg
+ 81 kg Total – 3: Fatmagül Çevik (TUR) lifted 203 kg

Wrestling

World Championships (Oslo, Norway), October 2 – 10, 2021

Men’s freestyle

57 kg – 2: Alireza Sarlak (IRI)
61 kg – 1: Abasgadzhi Magomedov (RUS)
65 kg – 1: Zagir Shakhiev (RUS)
65 kg – 2: Amir Mohammad Yazdani (IRI)
65 kg – 3: Alibek Osmonov (KGZ)
70 kg – 1: Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (POL)
70 kg – 2: Ernazar Akmataliev (KGZ)
70 kg – 3: Yevgeny Zherbaev (RUS)
74 kg – 3: Fazlı Eryılmaz (TUR)
74 kg – 3: Timur Bizhoev (RUS)
79 kg – 2: Mohammad Nokhodi (IRI)
86 kg – 1: Hassan Yazdani (IRI)
86 kg – 3: Abubakr Abakarov (AZE)
92 kg – 1: Kamran Ghasempour (IRI)
92 kg – 2: Magomed Kurbanov (RUS)
92 kg – 3: Osman Nurmagomedov (AZE)
97 kg – 1: Abdulrashid Sadulaev (RUS)
97 kg – 3: Mahamed Zakariiev (UKR)
97 kg – 3: Mojtaba Goleij (IRI)
125 kg – 1: Amir Hossein Zare (IRI)
125 kg – 3: Taha Akgül (TUR)

Men’s Greco-Roman

55 kg -2: Emin Sefershaev (RUS)
55 kg -3: Eldaniz Azizli (AZE)
60 kg -2: Zholaman Sharshenbekov (KGZ)
61 kg -3: Murad Mammadov (AZE)
63 kg -1: Meisam Dalkhani (IRI)
67 kg – 1: Mohammad Reza Geraei (IRI)
68 kg – 2: Nazir Abdullaev (RUS)
69 kg – 3: Almat Kebispayev (KAZ)
77 kg – 2: Sanan Suleymanov (AZE)
78 kg – 3: Mohammad Ali Geraei (IRI)
82 kg – 1: Rafig Huseynov (AZE)
83 kg – 2: Burhan Akbudak (TUR)
84 kg – 3: Adlan Akiev (RUS)
85 kg – 3: Pejman Poshtam (IRI)
97 kg – 1: Mohammad Hadi Saravi (IRI)
130 kg – 1: Ali Akbar Yousefi (IRI)
131 kg – 2: Zurabi Gedekhauri (RUS)

Women’s freestyle

62 kg – 2: Aisuluu Tynybekova (KGZ)
68 kg – 1: Meerim Zhumanazarova (KGZ)
68 kg – 3: Khanum Velieva (RUS)
72 kg – 2: Zhamila Bakbergenova (KGZ)
72 kg – 3: Buse Tosun (TUR)
76 kg – 3: Samar Amer (EGY)
76 kg – 3: Aiperi Medet Kyzy (KGZ)