01/10/2025

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | OCT 1, 2025

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Swiatek may skip events due to packed schedule

WORLD NO. 2 Iga Swiatek said the tennis season is too long and too intense and the smart option for her would be to cut back on her schedule for the sake of her health, even if that means skipping mandatory tournaments. The men’s and women’s circuits have faced criticism due to their 11-month seasons, and both the tours have come under fresh scrutiny during the “Asian swing” with five matches at the China Open unable to be completed on Monday due to injuries. Camila Osorio retired after she dropped the first set to Swiatek, while Lois Boisson, Zheng

what’s healthy for us. It’s tough.” The WTA told Reuters athlete welfare is a top priority and that it listened to views on the calendar, both through the players’ council and their representatives on the WTA board, to improve the circuit structure in 2024 and boost compensation. The WTA added it would continue to keep its tour structure under review based on feedback, while recognising that a review of the calendar requires coordination across governing bodies including the ATP, ITF and Grand Slams. – Reuters

crazy for us.” Top players are obliged to compete in all four Grand Slams, 10 WTA 1000 tournaments and six WTA 500 events under WTA rules, with the punishment for missing them ranging from rankings points penalties to fines. “I don’t think any top player will actually be able to achieve this… It’s impossible to squeeze it in the schedule,” said Swiatek, who has committed to playing in all the mandatory events this year. “We have to be smart about it, not really unfortunately care about the rules and think

Qinwen, Lorenzo Musetti and Jakub Mensik were unable to complete their matches in Beijing. “I think people are more fatigued,” six-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek told reporters. “Unfortunately, the Asian Swing is the hardest part because you feel like the season is going to finish soon, but you still need to push. “I don’t know yet how my career is going to look like in a couple years. Maybe I will have to choose some tournaments and skip them, even though they are mandatory. The WTA, with these mandatory rules, they made this pretty

Sinner passes De Minaur test Gauff survives tense Bencic match to reach Beijing quarterfinals J ANNIK SINNER underlined his domi nance on hardcourts in the Asian swing of tournaments by outlasting Australian third seed Alex de Minaur 6-3 4-6 6-2 yes terday to reach his third straight China Open final. victory over De Minaur, breaking the world No. 8 to love for a 4-2 lead, but he had to battle hard in the next game to hold serve.

Nepal thrash sorry Windies

NEPAL produced a stunning performance to bowl the West Indies out for just 83 in the second T20I in Sharjah yesterday and claim a 2-0 victory in their first-ever series against a Test playing country with a game to spare. After racking up 173 for six in their 20 overs with half-centuries for Aasif Sheikh and Sundeep Jora, Nepal, ranked 18th in the world skittled the West Indies in 17.1 overs to claim victory by a crushing 90 runs. Mohammad Aadil Alam took 4-24 while Kushal Bhurtel took 3 16 in just 2.1 overs of leg spin. It marked the biggest winning margin for an associate member nation against a full member while West Indies’ total of 83 is the lowest a full member has mustered against an associate. “We are very happy. It took a lot to win against a Test-playing country,” said Nepal captain Rohit Paudel whose side won the opener on Saturday by 19 runs. “After two days, winning a bilateral series feels really great. The way we’ve been playing the last two or three years, lots of eyes are on us. “We want to continue this way and play more against Test playing nations.” Nepal’s total was built on a 100-run fourth-wicket partnership between opener Aasif Sheikh, who batted through for 68 not out, and Jora, who clubbed five sixes in his 39 ball 63. West Indies were quickly in trouble at 23 for three. They rebuilt to 63-4 in the 12th over before collapsing to 83 all out. The humiliation comes two months after the West Indies’Test team was bowled out for just 27 by Australia, the second-lowest score in Test history. The two-time T20 World Cup winners also failed to qualify for the 50-over World Cup in 2023 and are currently outside the qualifying places for the next edition in 2027. – AFP

garden. “And I feel incredibly fortunate to have lived out those dreams. “Representing England, wearing the Three Lions and sharing the field with teammates over the last 15 years. “Many of whom have become lifelong friends, are things I’ll look back on with the greatest pride.” The Warwickshire bowler said he looked forward to continuing to play the county game and exploring opportunities in franchise cricket. – AFP The 2023 champion had no trouble wrap ping up the first set from there but ran into trouble early in the next, appearing to struggle physically at times, before tight holds helped him level at 3-3 and 4-4. De Minaur persevered to win only his sec ond ever set against the Italian with a gutsy performance in the 10th game but Sinner regrouped in the decider, breaking in the first game and holding off his opponent to reach a ninth straight final on hardcourts. “I felt like it (the level) was very high,” Sinner added. “Many great rallies, many chances both ways. I had my chances in the second set, couldn’t take them. He had more chances, so it was quite an even match. “In the third set I tried to raise my level. I broke him very early, which gave me a bit of confidence to serve better at times. I’m very happy about today. It was a different match than usual against him.” Defending champion Coco Gauff fought back to beat Belinda Bencic 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 in a tense encounter yesterday and reach the China Open quarterfinals. Gauff next plays either Eva Lys of Germany or fellow American McCartney Kessler in Beijing. “It was a tough match,” Gauff said. “I had chances in the first to close it out but overall I’m happy with how I fought. She was being really aggressive.” There were frustrations on both sides of the court at a largely empty stadium as the players switched between one half dark ened by shade and the other in the blazing sun. There was a flashpoint between the two players during a changeover in the second set when Switzerland’s 15th seed Bencic said: “Your team is chatting. I’m too old for these mind games, okay?” “You’re the one playing the mind games,” Gauff, the second seed, shot back. With her last-16 victory, Gauff qualified for the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia in November. “Happy to qualify once again. Happy to be back in Riyadh and I’m glad I was able to do it here,“ Gauff told the on-court interviewer. “It’s been a tough tournament so far, but I’m happy to get through.” – Reuters/AFP

In the title clash, the four-times Grand Slam winner will take on either American 19 year-old Learner Tien or former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev. “I have one night to recover. I’m going to be fine,” Sinner said. “In the finals you have even more adrena line and more will to play as best as you can. I’m looking forward to it, finals are very special.

“It’s another final for me this season. It’s a great result again. Let’s see who it’s going to be.” Sinner made a typically fast start in his bid to secure an 11th straight

Jannik Sinner (left) and Coco Gauff. – AFPPIC/REUTERSPIC

England bowler Woakes retires

PACEMAN Chris Woakes yesterday announced his retirement from international cricket after England indicated he was no longer in their plans. Woakes’s final match was last month against India at the Oval, where he walked out to bat one-handed with his arm in a sling, having dislocated his shoulder in the field. He did not face a ball in his short time at the crease as India won by six runs to level the series at 2-2. That injury ruled him out of consideration for the upcoming Ashes tour to Australia and, at the

at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), said last week that Woakes was unlikely to feature again and the all-rounder has opted to call time on his international career. “The moment has come, and I’ve decided that the time is right for me to retire from international cricket,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “Playing for England was something I aspired to do since I was a kid dreaming in the back

age of 36, effectively brought down the curtain on his England career. Woakes, who made his Test debut for England in 2013, took 192 wickets in 62 games and scored more than 2,000 runs at an average of 25. He also featured in 33 T20 internationals and 122 one-day internationals, playing a key role as England won the 2019 World Cup. Rob Key, managing director of men’s cricket