World No.1 Asal to kick off Qatar Classic campaign against Muller

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Classic 2026 opens tomorrow at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, and the draw brings together a number of heavyweight round-one clashes. tbzikra.org

A number of champions, former champions and home hero Abdulla Al-Tamimi will enter the fray today at the prestigious indoor sports venue in Doha.

World No.1 Mostafa Asal will begin his Qatar Classic title campaign against Switzerland’s Nicolas Muller, with the Egyptian determined to avoid another near-miss in Doha. Asal has finished runner-up at the Qatar Classic in each of the past two years, and the top seed will be determined to go all the way to the top this time.

Four-time champion Mohamed ElShorbagy also begins his campaign against France’s Bernat Jaume, while No.3 seed and former champion Diego Elias faces American Timothy Brownell.

Elias remains one of the most consistent players on the PSA Tour and could face Asal in the semi-finals if the seeding holds. If both of them reach the semis, it would be their fifth meeting of the year.

Defending men’s champion Paul Coll will also be in action, opening his title defence against India’s Veer Chothrani. The New Zealander is bidding to claim his second Qatar Classic crown.

For the home crowd, the spotlight will be on 2016 champion Karim Abdel Gawad, who faces Al-Tamimi.

Al-Tamimi returned to competition last month following injury and is using the Qatar Classic as valuable preparation ahead of the Asian Games in Japan. Qatar’s other representative, Salem Al-Malki, will take on France’s Melvil Scianimanico.

On the women’s side, defending champion Hania El Hammamy starts against fellow Egyptian Hana Moataz. El Hammamy has already lifted the Qatar Classic trophy twice, in 2023 and 2025.

El Hammamy will be also looking to defend her World No.1 status, which will be challenged by World No.2 and reigning World Champion Amina Orfi who faces fellow Egyptian Hana Ramadan.

Meanwhile, former World No.1 and World Champion Nouran Gohar is back on the PSA Tour after a year away following the birth of her first child in April.

Gohar’s comeback begins against compatriot Kenzy Ayman, in what promises to be a demanding first test for the 2024 Qatar Classic runner-up. Four-time finalist Nour ElSherbini, seeded No.3, opens against Egypt’s Nada Abbas, while USA No.1 Olivia Weaver, seeded fourth, is in action against Egypt’s Sana Ibrahim.

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s Abdulrahman Moustafa won the gold medal in the under-21 under-60kg category at the 24th Asian Cadet, Junior and Under-21 Karate Championship in Amman, Jordan.

The championship, which concludes today, features more than 350 male and female athletes from 30 Asian countries.

Moustafa produced a series of impressive performances on his way to the title. After receiving a bye in the draw, he advanced directly to the quarter-finals, where he defeated Chinese Taipei’s Shih Po-Yun 11-3. He followed that with an 11-7 victory over Saudi Arabia’s Sultan al-Masiri in the semi-finals to book his place in the final. Moustafa then beat India’s Viraj Saini 4-1 in the final to claim the gold medal.

Qatar’s Hassan Mansour had earlier won the silver medal in the youth over-76kg category. The championship features kata and kumite competitions and is one of the continent’s leading age-group karate events.

From free Pilates and yoga to unlimited tiramisu and immersive classical music, Looking for things to do in Dubai this weekend? From September 11 to 13, the city is serving up a little bit of everything. You can start your day with a free Pilates session or sunrise yoga, tuck into award-winning Asian and Italian […]

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يختتم دور المجموعات في منافسات دوري الكابتن سعيد المسند رحمه الله لكرة الصالات في نسخته الثانية الذي يستمر حتى يوم الجمعة المقبل في صالة الاتحاد القطري لكرة الصالات بنادي الوكرة غداً السبت، حيث ستقام مباراتان في المجموعة الأولى، تجمع بين أكاديمية فاردن واتحاد الشرطة، وفي المباراة الثانية يلتقي سبورت دوم وجامعة الدوحة، وكانت مباريات اليوم الخامس شهدت غزارة كبيرة من ناحية التهديف، حيث حقق فريق اتحاد الشرطة الفوز على سبورت دوم بثمانية أهداف مقابل هدفين في المجموعة الأولى، وفي نفس المجموعة فاز فريق سنونو بسبعة أهداف مقابل هدف على جامعة الدوحة، وتقام البطولة بمشاركة 10 فرق، وهي: أكاديمية فاردن، وسبورت دوم، وسنونو، واتحاد الشرطة، وجامعة الدوحة، والشقب، والوكرة، والجسرة، والنصر، ومدرج العنابي، ويحظى دوري الكابتن سعيد المسند بتواجد عدد كبير من الرعاة والشركاء، وزارة الرياضة والشباب الشريك الاستراتيجي، وفودافون قطر راعى الاتصالات الرسمي للبطولة، والاتحاد القطري لكرة القدم شريك المنشأة، ومن الداعمين الرسميين شركة أسيل للمياه، والجزيرة للعطور بجانب الرعاة والشركاء الآخرين.

Madrid: Charles Leclerc on Thursday conceded he was at fault when he clashed with Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton during the opening lap at the Italian Grand Prix.

Speaking to reporters at the new Madring, ahead of this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, the Monegasque driver said the pair had discussed the incident and settled their differences.

The clash saw Hamilton run off into the gravel and lose six places while Leclerc continued, but then crashed out on lap two at last Sunday's Grand Prix in Monza.

Leclerc had initially said "we went too far", a claim that Hamilton disagreed with by stating that "there was no 'we' in it".

"I think it's kind of clear that we never want to see a car of the same team in the grass," Leclerc said in the Spanish capital.

"After reviewing, we spoke with Lewis, I obviously know I went too far in Turn Two and I said it to Lewis and I think it's very clear what we should do or should avoid going forward."

Leclerc added that it was "not acceptable" to see his team-mate in the gravel, but pointed out that more was made of the incident because it occurred at the team's 'home' race.

"We are driving for Ferrari and if there's one race where you don't want that to happen it is Monza and when these things happen at our home race, then it does a huge mess outside," the 28-year-old added.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton said he also discussed the matter with Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur and that there was no bad blood.

"That's the positive of where we've got to over the past 15 months," the 41-year-old explained. "We've got to a place where we have really great communication internally and the same with me and Charles.

"I think it's great that there was no shying away from having a discussion. We sat face to face, just him and me and we talked and we were both open and honest. We squashed it. We can move on."