Category Sports News

Cristiano Ronaldo is close to agreeing a new contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, Saudi sources have told BBC Sport.

The 40-year-old Portugal captain’s deal was due to expire at the end of June, but sources indicate a two-year extension is close to being finalised.

Ronaldo posted on social media “the chapter is over” following the Riyadh club’s final Saudi Pro League game of the season last month, leading to speculation he was set to leave.

Ronaldo said he had received offers from participating teams but had turned them down.

Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in 2023 after the termination of his deal with Manchester United.

He has scored 99 goals in 111 appearances for the Saudi club, including 35 in 41 matches last term, claiming the league’s Golden Boot award for top scorer.

Earlier on Wednesday, Al-Nassr parted company with Italian manager Stefano Pioli after less than a year in charge.

The ex-AC Milan boss led them to a third-placed finish last season in the Saudi top flight, where they finished 13 points behind champions Al-Ittihad.

“Thanks for everything,” Ronaldo wrote in a message on social media following news of Pioli’s exit, with the 59-year-old set to take charge of former club Fiorentina.

According to Saudi sources, Cristiano Ronaldo is close to completing a new deal with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

The 40-year-old Portugal captain’s contract was scheduled to expire at the end of June, but sources say a two-year extension is about to be agreed upon.

Following the Riyadh club’s final Saudi Pro League game of the year last month, Ronaldo’s tweet that read “the chapter is over” sparked rumors that he was going to leave.

After his contract with Manchester United expired, Ronaldo left Al-Nassr in 2023.

In his 111 starts for the Saudi club, he has scored a total of 35 goals, including the top goal scorer of the season. He also won the league’s Golden Boot for top goalscorer.

After less than a year in charge, Al-Nassr parted ways with Italian manager Stefano Pioli earlier on Wednesday.

The ex-AC Milan boss helped them finish third in the Saudi top flight last year, 13 points clear of Al-Ittihad’s champion team.

Following the announcement of Pioli’s exit, Ronaldo wrote in a message on social media that he would “thank you for everything.”

After capturing the world’s No. 13 Tommy Paul in Eastbourne with an impressive win, an emotional Dan Evans declared that he had been waiting for a chance to prove himself in a difficult season.

In the late afternoon sunshine, the 35-year-old advanced to the quarter-finals by defeating the former Queen’s champion 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Two weeks prior, Evans defeated world number 14 Frances Tiafoe at Queen’s, and he also defeated Miomir Kecmanovic from Serbia in round one at Eastbourne.

After winning in front of a cheering home crowd, Evans threw his arms wide in celebration before appearing visibly teary during an on-court interview.

He said, “It was a good match to serve for.” I simply said to myself, “Enjoy this,” and I ended up playing good tennis.

“I am certain that I have carried out the task. The work was in the bank once I gained confidence.

After briefly falling out, Evans, who has a main-draw wildcard for Wimbledon, has just resurrected. Two years ago, he was ranked among the top 30.

As Paul’s tension grew, the Englishman threw his fist on. Evans added 26 unforced errors to Paul’s 43, which compared to Paul’s 17 winners.

When he faces American champion loser Jenson Brooksby in the quarter-finals, he will aim to be even more patient.

Billy Harris’ recent success at Eastbourne was matched up by the Englishman’s second-straight quarter-finals.

Mattia Bellucci defeated Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci 6-3, 6-4, in the main draw as a lucky loser.

Next up is French fourth seed Ugo Humbert, who could face Evans in the semi-finals.

However, Marcos Giron, the second-ranked British citizen, humiliated Jacob Fearnley.

The Scot hit five double faults and lost his serve five times, sweeping past Fearnley 6-3, 6-1.

An emotional Dan Evans said he had been waiting for a chance to prove himself in a tricky season after earning an impressive win over world number 13 Tommy Paul at Eastbourne.

The 35-year-old beat the former Queen’s champion 6-4 3-6 6-3 in the late afternoon sunshine to reach the quarter-finals.

It comes two weeks after Evans beat world number 14 Francis Tiafoe at Queen’s, while he also beat a top 50 player in Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic in round one at Eastbourne.

Evans threw his arms wide in celebration after securing victory in front of a jubilant home crowd, before becoming visibly tearful in his on-court interview.

“I felt good serving for the match,” he said. “I just said to myself, enjoy this – I stopped worrying about what he was doing, and I played good tennis in the end.

“I know I have done the work. Once I got confidence, the work was in the bank.

Evans, who has a main-draw wildcard for Wimbledon, has just returned to the top 200 after a difficult few years.

The Englishman managed his nerves as the tension built against Paul. Evans hit just 17 winners to the American’s 31, but he also committed 26 unforced errors compared to Paul’s 43.

He will aim to be even more clinical when he faces American lucky loser Jenson Brooksby in the quarter-finals.

Earlier, Billy Harris continued his recent Eastbourne joy as the Englishman reached the quarter-finals for the second successive year.

Harris, who reached the main draw as a lucky loser having lost in qualifying, beat Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci 6-3 6-4.

Harris will face French fourth-seed Ugo Humbert next and could potentially meet Evans in the semi-finals.

But British number two Jacob Fearnley suffered a chastening defeat by Marcus Giron.

The American dispatched Fearnley 6-3 6-1, with the Scot hitting five double faults and losing his serve five times.

After capturing the world’s No. 13 Tommy Paul in Eastbourne with an impressive win, an emotional Dan Evans declared that he had been waiting for a chance to prove himself in a difficult season.

In the late afternoon sunshine, the 35-year-old advanced to the quarter-finals by defeating the former Queen’s champion 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Two weeks prior, Evans defeated world number 14 Francis Tiafoe at Queen’s, and he also defeated Miomir Kecmanovic from Serbia in round one at Eastbourne.

After winning in front of a cheering home crowd, Evans threw his arms wide in celebration before appearing visibly teary during an on-court interview.

He said, “It was a good match to serve for.” I simply said to myself, “Enjoy this,” and I ended up playing good tennis.

“I am certain that I have carried out the task. The work was in the bank once I gained confidence.

After a difficult few years, Evans, who has a main-draw wildcard for Wimbledon, has just made it back to the top 200.

As Paul’s tension grew, the Englishman threw his fist on. Evans added 26 unforced errors to Paul’s 43, which compared to Paul’s 17 winners.

When he faces American champion loser Jenson Brooksby in the quarter-finals, he will aim to be even more patient.

Billy Harris’ recent success at Eastbourne was matched up by the Englishman’s second-straight quarter-finals.

Mattia Bellucci defeated Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci 6-3, 6-4, in the main draw as a lucky loser.

Next up for the semi-finals is French fourth-seed Ugo Humbert, who could face Harris.

However, Marcus Giron’s humiliating defeat to British number two Jacob Fearnley was.

The Scot hit five double faults and lost his serve five times, giving the American a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Fearnley.

After being defeated by Maya Joint, Emma Raducanu claims she needs to “get her head in the game” for the start of Wimbledon.

The 22-year-old lost 4-6 6-1 7-6 (7-4) to the Australian 19-year-old in an edgy second-round match.

In the decisive set, former US Open champion Raducanu rallied from 5-2 down to clinch a tie-break.

The out-of-sorts Briton, who had responded to a set-set with a heartfelt first-round victory on the south coast, was unable to record two comeback victories in as many days.

She said, “Unfortunately, I couldn’t get over the line today,” but she can now get some rest for the week ahead.

With a tight turnaround, Raducanu will begin playing at Wimbledon on June 30.

She claimed on Tuesday that she had been struck by “some really bad news.”

“I’m exhausted,” I said. She said, “I need to do my best to get my head in the game before the next week,” and we are just going through some things.

Realistically, Wimbledon will start in four days, which is pretty soon.

After a run to the quarter-finals at Queen’s a fortnight ago, Raducanu now occupies the top spot in the British.

However, her performance at Eastbourne appeared sluggish as she gears up for her fourth Wimbledon appearance, which has seen her twice advance to the fourth round.

Raducanu had a dominant lead in the opening set thanks to some impressive serving, but Joint’s dominant serve set set up a commanding second-set level.

Due to a back issue, world number 38 Raducanu pulled out of the Berlin Open last week, but she never called the trainer at any point against Joint despite appearing uncomfortable at times.

After winning over Ann Li on Tuesday, Raducanu cried and claimed that she was “mentally not really present” at times during that game.

On Wednesday, she sat in her chair occasionally, shaking her head in frustration, before coming to a thrilling conclusion to the third set.

Joint saved break-back points at 3-2 after breaking Raducanu in the first match of the decider, before breaking again as Raducanu followed a double fault with a long forehand.

However, Raducanu regained some momentum, breaking it twice during Joint’s match, and even gave off a remarkable break for 5-5.

Both players exchanged breaks as the to-and-forget ended the game, and Raducanu denied Joint a third time as she forced a tie-break.

Joint, who had the lead and secured her spot in the quarter-finals with an ace, was denied by an unfortunate net cord, though.

Joint will face world number 69 Anna Blinkova in the final eight, who was at the beginning of her career ranked 684th.

Barbora Krejcikova, the reigning Wimbledon champion, saved match points for the second day in a row against a British player earlier on Wednesday to advance to the quarter-finals.

Jodie Burrage, who had a lengthy layoff with a back injury, came out on top in the deciding set to defeat Jodie Krejcikova 6-4, 6 (6), 7-6 (7-3) while Krejcikova held three match points on Krejcikova’s serve in the final set.