Category Sports News

The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship was won by world champion Zhao Xintong, who defeated Neil Robertson 5-2 to claim the victory.

For his success in Saudi Arabia, Zhao becomes the 11th individual winner from 11 competitions this year. He also collects £250,000.

Zhao rallied from the opening two frames to take the lead 4-1 after the pair of frames that were shared, compiled superb breaks of 131 and 134.

The 28-year-old from China sealed his victory with a half-century in the seventh frame, despite Robertson crafting a 91 to lessen his arrears.

“I didn’t want to let Neil know that I was anxious.” Because of Neil’s excellent play and desire to play in this final, I was eager to watch this game a lot. Zhao expressed his happiness at this point.

This week has been amazing, I must say. I saw a lot of people there for me when I was there for the first time in Saudi.

For Zhao, who had earlier clinched a dramatic 4-3 victory over Judd Trump in the semi-finals, it ended up being a comfortable win.

Trump had a 2-0 and 3-2 lead in a see-saw match, but Zhao showed his unwavering resolve when he recorded the game’s highest break of the week, a 138 against the Englishman.

Robertson, who defeated Mark Allen 4-1, had been aiming to be the only player this season to win multiple titles, despite looking rejuvenated over the past 18 months.

A few “tired misses” [of Zhao’s] expense, I believe. Robertson said, “He punished me really well because I had shown him very little in the way of getting to the final.”

Following a superb 73 clearance in the fifth frame, the Australian made it past Allen.

After saving seven match points to defeat Belgium’s Zizou Bergs in a dramatic 32-point tie-break, Flavio Cobolli declared it “one of the best days of my life.”

After more than three hours, Cobolli tore off his shirt to celebrate as a party atmosphere erupted among Bologna’s home fans. He won 6-3,6-7, 7-6 (17-15), 6-3,6-7.

In Sunday’s final, two-time defending champions Italy will face either Spain or Germany following the thrilling conclusion, which is the sixth-longest tie-break in the Davis Cup’s 125-year history.

Cobolli comforted Bergs as his angstened opponent sat with his head in his hands on the Belgium team bench.

World No. 22 Cobolli said in an on-court interview that it was “really difficult to say something about this match.”

We fought hard and played for our countries in order to win. I finally realized my dream, and we are now in the final.

Filippo Volandri, the captain of the Italian national team, said: “I have never witnessed anything like that in my five years as captain.”

It was a truly unbelievable match. In the end, I simply stated that 95% heart and 5% tactics were involved. I’m very proud of the man who gave everything.

Matteo [Berrettini, Cobolli’s teammate], lost his voice, saying, “We have an unbelievable bench.

It is not the final game, though. Tonight we celebrate, and then we turn our attention to the competition.

Once more, Berrettini gave Italy the perfect start by dominating Raphael Collignon in straight sets with the support of the majority of the ten thousand-strong crowd.

Italy became the first country to reach three Davis Cup finals in a row since Australia did so in 2001 with Cobolli’s victory.

Italy will now aim to become the first country to win three consecutive Davis Cup titles for the first time in 53 years despite the absence of their top two men’s singles players, world number two Jannik Sinner and eighth-ranked Lorenzo Musetti.

Sinner, a key member of the Italian team that won the Davis Cup’s previous two editions, decided to maximize his recovery at the start of the sport’s brief six-week off-season after winning at the ATP Finals last week.

Discussions about the tournament’s future format have arisen as a result of the presence of just one of the top ten men’s players this year.

Both players discussed the privilege they felt competing for the host nation at the Finals after Berrettini and Cobolli made a statement about the performance for Italy in their quarter-final against Austria.

Both players fed off the enthusiasm of their home fans, who had already won back-to-back 2-0 this week, once more demonstrating that passion.

Bologna’s SuperTennis Arena, which had already become a roaring cauldron after Berrettini’s victory, reached fever pitch as Cobolli scored his match points on Bergs’ serve, but the Belgian twice held on with clutch serving to level at five games apart.

The setting was set for a grand finale, even though few could have anticipated the drama to come because the increasingly enthralled Cobolli had already shut down four break points in the deciding set that moment.

In a thrilling conclusion, Cobolli next had to withstand a number of match points, escaping four of them in just six points.

Despite the high stakes and enthralling crowd, the players kept getting better and maintaining their high standards as the score remained steady.

By the time Collignon lost 6-3, 6-4, Berrettini had again established the standard by setting the bar for his team-mate.

The former Wimbledon runner-up, who is ranked 56th overall, entered the first set after an early break, breaking immediately in set two when Collignon double-faulted twice.

However, when Collignon had his first chance to level at 2-2, his charge to the finish was slowed, and Berrettini, who had a sensational cross-court forehand to stop, was denied a fourth break for a 4-2 lead.

Great Britain’s Matt Weston kicked off his skeleton World Cup campaign in perfect fashion by winning Friday’s opening race of the season in Cortina.

The 28-year-old finished 0.15 seconds ahead of Austria’s Samuel Maier in Italy after the two runs to earn his 10th World Cup gold medal.

Later on Friday, British pair Tabby Stoecker and Marcus Wyatt triumphed in the team race with a combined time of two minutes 1.23 seconds.

That left them five hundredths of a second clear of Germany’s Jacqueline Pfeifer and Axel Jungk and two tenths ahead of Austria’s Janine Flock and Maier at the venue which will host February’s Olympic Winter Games.

Stoecker, who was fifth in the women’s event just prior to the team competition, was the fastest woman in the race in a time of one minute 1.31 seconds, while Wyatt was just ninth hundredths from the fastest men’s time of the night in 59.92 seconds.

Earlier, Weston’s start times of 4.78 and 4.76 seconds were only 24th and 18th quickest in the pack, leaving him with a struggle to make the podium.

But two-time world champion Weston made up the deficit through the 16-corner track, to win with a time of one minute 53.84 seconds and claim his 21st podium finish in his past 25 races.

A hamstring injury meant Weston missed a pre-season training camp in Norway.

“I’m not able to push at anywhere near my usual pace but I feel like I’ve really clicked with the track and that showed”, said Weston.

“To start 24th and then 18th but still get the win proves that my sliding was on point, even though I’ve missed out on a lot of ice time because of the injury.

” It’s been an incredible two or three weeks here – it’s an amazing venue and a really interesting track – and I’m already looking forward to trying to match today’s result when we come back for the big one, “said Weston.

” I know that this result won’t mean anything come the Olympics but it’s a great way to start the season and it will definitely give me confidence when we come back here in February. “

Briton Anthony Joshua said he will “stomp all over” Jake Paul and “break” the American as the pair came face-to-face to promote next month’s heavyweight fight.

Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Joshua meets YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul – in what is, on paper, a mammoth mismatch – at Miami’s Kaseya Center on 19 December.

“I’m going to break his face and break his body up. I’m here to prove I’m the better fighter,” Joshua, 35, said.

“I’ll stomp all over him. That’s a fighter’s mentality.

“I’m going to really want to hurt him. That’s what I want to do.”

Despite those words, a relaxed Joshua and social media star Paul – usually known for his theatrics – exchanged pleasantries and kept it respectful with each other.

Paul instead targeted Joshua’s former opponent Francis Ngannou and called him “a joke” after the Cameroonian declined a fight offer.

He claimed the December bout had also been offered to Tommy Fury and Ryan Garcia but they were “scared”, while pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford had agreed to fight him next year.

Joshua, meanwhile, took aim at British rival Tyson Fury – Tommy’s brother – and refused a £1m bet ‘The Gypsy King’ says he will place on a Paul win.

“[Paul] is better than Tyson Fury – he’s actually sitting here. I give him credit for that,” Joshua said.

Despite saying he intends to punish Paul, Joshua declined to speak negatively about his opponent’s boxing ability. “Jake is a serious fighter,” he said.

Paul – who first rose to fame on the Disney Channel – has mostly boxed MMA fighters or faded names since turning professional. He lost to Tommy Fury in 2023.

Still, the novice remains one of boxing’s biggest commercial attractions, regularly earning huge paydays.

The 28-year-old predicted a knockout win in round four or five and claimed he would derail the long-awaited Joshua–Fury fight, which is reportedly in the works for 2026.

“It’s going to be me versus Tyson Fury next year,” Paul said.

The surreal nature of the whole affair is heightened by Paul’s previous plan to fight a lightweight boxer in Gervonta Davis this month, a bout scrapped after Davis faced a domestic abuse lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend.

As part of the stipulations, Joshua, who tipped the scales at more than 17st 12lb (113kg) in his past three outings, must come in below 17st 7lbs (111kg) and both fighters will wear regulation 10oz gloves.

Paul suggested he was willing “to die in the ring” – a particularly coarse comment given the safety concerns surrounding the fight amid the gulf in experience and size between the two men.

“This is going to be fun. I want him to cut me up. I want him to break my face,” he said.

Joshua – who said he planned to fight in Saudi Arabia before the end of the year anyway – is reportedly set to earn about £36.9m ($50m) for December’s bout.

The 2012 Olympic gold medallist has been out of the ring since losing to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.

He revealed he has been training with former opponent and current unified world champion Oleksandr Usyk’s coaching team for this bout and will not have Ben Davison in his corner.

“I took 12 months out of the game and realigned my vision board,” he said in his usual philosophical way.

After receiving a three-game suspension for his red card against Paris St-Germain, Munich, Bayern will be without Luis Diaz when they face Arsenal in the Champions League next week.

In Bayern’s 2-1 victory over PSG on November 4th, Diaz scored twice, but he was sent off shortly before halftime for a dangerous tackle on Achraf Hakimi.

Hakimi, a player from Morocco, hasn’t played since and has a severely sprained left ankle.

Diaz was given a three-game suspension after Uefa determined his tackle to be “serious rough play.”

He will miss both his home games against Sporting and Union Saint-Gilloise on December 9 and January 21, respectively, as well as the trip to Arsenal on November 26 and January 21, respectively.

Vincent Kompany, the manager of Bayern, earlier on Friday, stated that he anticipated Diaz to receive a one-game suspension.

In terms of goals scored differential, Bayern lead Arsenal and Inter Milan at the top of the Champions League standings with 12 points after four games.

Watch highlights of every Champions League game on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport, and the BBC Sport website and app from 12:00 to eve of the match.

After receiving a three-game suspension for his red card against Paris St-Germain, Munich, Bayern will be without Luis Diaz when they face Arsenal in the Champions League next week.

In Bayern’s 2-1 victory over PSG on November 4th, Diaz scored twice, but he was sent off shortly before halftime for a dangerous tackle on Achraf Hakimi.

Hakimi, a player from Morocco, hasn’t played since and has a severely sprained left ankle.

Diaz was given a three-game suspension after Uefa determined his tackle to be “serious rough play.”

He will miss both his home games against Sporting and Union Saint-Gilloise on December 9 and January 21, respectively, as well as the trip to Arsenal on November 26 and January 21, respectively.

Vincent Kompany, the manager of Bayern, earlier on Friday, stated that he anticipated Diaz to receive a one-game suspension.

In terms of goals scored differential, Bayern lead Arsenal and Inter Milan at the top of the Champions League standings with 12 points after four games.

Watch highlights of every Champions League game on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport, and the BBC Sport website and app from 12:00 to eve of the match.