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Bayern keeper Urbig eyes another title after winning Bundesliga

Bayern keeper Urbig eyes another title after winning Bundesliga
Bayern Munich keeper Jonas Urbig celebrated his first Bundesliga title on Sunday with his team sitting eight points clear at the top with two games left to play. (X/@FCBayernUS)
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Updated 06 May 2025

Bayern keeper Urbig eyes another title after winning Bundesliga

Bayern keeper Urbig eyes another title after winning Bundesliga
  • The 21-year-old could end up collecting a second title with second-tier club Cologne
  • Urbig made 10 appearances for them this season

BERLIN: Bayern Munich keeper Jonas Urbig celebrated his first Bundesliga title on Sunday with his team sitting eight points clear at the top with two games left to play.
But the 21-year-old, who is first choice at Bayern with Manuel Neuer injured, could end up collecting a second title with second-tier club Cologne.

Urbig made 10 appearances for them this season before his January transfer to Bayern. Cologne are second in the standings, a point behind leaders Hamburg SV with two matches remaining.
“I am in very good contact with the lads and I would be extremely happy if Cologne win the second division title,” Urbig said.
Only two players have previously achieved this feat, Pasi Rautiainen with Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen in the 1980/81 season and Frank Hartmann in 1986/87, with Bayern Munich and Hannover 96.


Two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt suspended for 2 weeks for pushing anti-doping official

Two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt suspended for 2 weeks for pushing anti-doping official
Updated 5 sec ago

Two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt suspended for 2 weeks for pushing anti-doping official

Two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt suspended for 2 weeks for pushing anti-doping official
Hewitt denied the charge, pleading self-defense
The ITIA referred the case to an independent tribunal which upheld the charge of offensive conduct

LONDON: Two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt has been suspended for two weeks for pushing an anti-doping official.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency said Wednesday that the sanction will be in effect from Sept. 25 until Oct. 7, so as not to be “unduly punitive” on Hewitt by impacting his Davis Cup schedule.
The incident occurred last November after Hewitt, Australia’s captain, pushed a 60-year-old volunteer anti-doping chaperone after his team’s semifinal loss to Italy.
Hewitt denied the charge, pleading self-defense.
The ITIA referred the case to an independent tribunal which upheld the charge of offensive conduct, stating that Hewitt’s actions “did not meet the requirements of self-defense” and that his behavior was “not reasonable and proportionate.”
The 44-year-old Hewitt, a former No. 1-ranked men’s tennis player, has also been fined around $20,000.

Fujairah to host Round 6 of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship

Fujairah to host Round 6 of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship
Updated 10 September 2025

Fujairah to host Round 6 of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship

Fujairah to host Round 6 of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship
  • Competition in several categories will take place at Zayed Sports Complex from Sept. 12-14

ABU DHABI: The sixth round of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship, dedicated to Gi competitions, will take place at Zayed Sports Complex in Fujairah from Sept. 12-14.

The event, organised by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, will feature participation from elite male and female athletes representing top clubs and academies in the UAE.

The first day will feature youth, adults and masters categories. The second day will host the U14 and U16 categories, and the third day will focus on children’s and the U12 categories.

In Round 6 participants edge closer to the coveted title, which carries a total prize pool of $270,000.

Mohamed Salem Al-Dhaheri, vice chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “The sixth round is an important milestone in the championship’s journey, bringing us closer to decisive moments where every point becomes crucial in determining the champion.

“The championship is not only about sporting competition but also embodies its wider social mission by instilling values of discipline, respect for opponents, perseverance and self-confidence among young people, while strengthening family engagement and reinforcing jiu-jitsu’s presence as a pillar of the UAE’s sporting and community landscape.”

Recent rounds featured strong competition for the top spots in the overall rankings. In the fourth round (Gi), Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club claimed first place, Al-Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club finished second and Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club secured third. In the fifth round (no Gi), Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club topped the standings, M.O.D. UAE was second and Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club maintained its position in third.


‘Incredible talent’: Saudi eLeague Fighting Season 3 champions point to bright future for Kingdom’s gamers

‘Incredible talent’: Saudi eLeague Fighting Season 3 champions point to bright future for Kingdom’s gamers
Updated 10 September 2025

‘Incredible talent’: Saudi eLeague Fighting Season 3 champions point to bright future for Kingdom’s gamers

‘Incredible talent’: Saudi eLeague Fighting Season 3 champions point to bright future for Kingdom’s gamers
  • The championship, organized by the Saudi Esports Federation, took place in August in Riyadh Boulevard City

RIYADH: The head of esports product at the Saudi Esports Federation, Abdullah Al-Nasser, has praised the “incredible talent” that emerged in the recent Saudi eLeague Fighting Season 3.

The championship, which took place in August at the SEF Arena in Riyadh Boulevard City, brought together top local and international Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 players, highlighting the Kingdom’s ever-growing gaming scene.

The double-elimination format produced memorable moments, such as in the Street Fighter 6 tournament playoffs when Turkiabc of The Vicious Esports battled to a hard-fought 3-2 victory over vWsym of Twisted Minds, securing third place on the podium.

The Grand Final delivered a dramatic comeback as Latif of Twisted Minds, coming from a remarkable run through the losers’ bracket, faced off against Kusanagi of Team Falcons. In a high-intensity showdown, Latif prevailed 3-1 to claim the championship title and the SAR10,000 ($2,667) prize.

The final standings showed the depth of talent within șÚÁÏÉçÇű’s esports ecosystem, with Latif of Twisted Minds taking first place, Kusanagi of Team Falcons finishing second, and Turkiabc of The Vicious Esports securing third.

Al-Nasser said: “The Saudi eLeague Fighting continues to showcase the incredible talent emerging from across the Kingdom, as Season 3 set a new standard for competitive play. The league is a testament to the depth of talent and dedication of Saudi esports athletes, where they can compete at the highest level, refine their skills and inspire the next generation of esports athletes in șÚÁÏÉçÇű. We can’t wait to build on this momentum in Season 4 and deliver even more thrilling competition and standout performances.”

In TEKKEN 8, the top players competed in a high-stakes double-elimination championship, with ATIF of Team Falcons a standout performer. He secured victory in the Winners Final against M-D-LUFFY-19 with a 3-1 score and went on to claim the Grand Final against fellow Team Falcons player Aqeel9, winning 3-2.

ATIF’s triumph adds to an impressive year, which includes a commanding victory at the Riyadh Clash 2 tournament, securing his spot at the Esports World Cup where he finished in the top 12.

As Season 4 approaches, the Saudi eLeague Fighting is set to expand its reach, welcoming more international players and building on its role as a premier platform for the fighting game community.


‘Grand Arrival’ brings together Canelo and Crawford for historic night in Las Vegas

‘Grand Arrival’ brings together Canelo and Crawford for historic night in Las Vegas
Updated 10 September 2025

‘Grand Arrival’ brings together Canelo and Crawford for historic night in Las Vegas

‘Grand Arrival’ brings together Canelo and Crawford for historic night in Las Vegas
  • The super-middleweight showdown, part of Riyadh Season 2025, will take place on Saturday.

LAS VEGAS: Grand Arrival began in fine style on Tuesday night ahead of a historic showdown due to take place on Saturday.

The Sept. 13 bout will see Mexico’s Saul “Canelo” Alvarez take on America’s Terence Crawford for the Undisputed Super Middleweight Championship as part of Riyadh Season 2025.

Tuesday’s launch event saw the two headliners arrive in Las Vegas to be met by fans and media, all keen to begin the countdown to a clash that is eagerly anticipated by millions of people around the world.

The Grand Arrival was attended by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, and was broadcast across leading global boxing outlets.

The pre-bout events continue on Wednesday with the Public Workout, which offers fans and media a chance to watch fighters up close as they train in the ring. This will be followed by a press conference and official weigh-in before the ultimate fight night.

The bout is being held under the umbrella of Riyadh Season 2025, which has expanded beyond the Kingdom’s borders to deliver major international events.


Giannis powers Greece past Lithuania 87-76 and into EuroBasket semifinal matchup against Turkiye

Giannis powers Greece past Lithuania 87-76 and into EuroBasket semifinal matchup against Turkiye
Updated 10 September 2025

Giannis powers Greece past Lithuania 87-76 and into EuroBasket semifinal matchup against Turkiye

Giannis powers Greece past Lithuania 87-76 and into EuroBasket semifinal matchup against Turkiye
  • Alperen Sengun’s triple-double helped unbeaten Turkiye to a 91-77 win over Poland
  • Finland face Georgia, while World Cup winner Germany play Slovenia on Wednesday

RIGA, Latvia: Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 29 points and his younger brother Kostas blocked four shots as Greece beat Lithuania 87-76 to reach the EuroBasket semifinals on Tuesday.

The Milwaukee Bucks star’s clutch free throws in the final minute helped Greece seal the victory to set up a last-four matchup with Turkiye.

Antetokounmpo sank two free throws to give Greece a 10-point lead with 19 seconds left after Lithuania had cut Greece’s 16-point fourth-quarter advantage in half. He had made two other free throws with 47 seconds on the clock.

Kostas Antetokounmpo’s four blocked shots all came in the first half. The 27-year-old center plays for Olympiakos. Vasileios Toliopoulos scored 17 points for Greece.

Greece are a two-time EuroBasket champions, having won the tournament in 1987 and 2005.

Jonas Valanciunas led Lithuania with 24 points and 15 rebounds.

Sengun stars as Turkiye beat Poland

Alperen Sengun’s triple-double helped unbeaten Turkiye to a 91-77 win over Poland. The Houston Rockets forward had 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in an entertaining performance.

With his mother in the crowd, Sengun made a one-handed pass the length of the court to Sehmus Hazer, who dunked and gave Sengun a thumbs up late in the second quarter.

Sengun found Hazer again with a spinning no-look pass in the lane in the third quarter and then treated himself to a one-handed reverse dunk with the game in hand.

Turkiye pulled away to lead 46-32 at halftime after Poland’s physicality on defense and their bench presented early problems.

Poland moved within eight points with three minutes left, but Hazer sank a 3-pointer to keep Turkiye in control.

Mateusz Ponitka and Jordan Loyd both scored 19 points to lead Poland.

Wednesday’s quarterfinal matchups

Finland face Georgia, while World Cup winner Germany play Slovenia on Wednesday.

It is a first EuroBasket quarterfinal for Georgia, who knocked out Olympic silver medalist France in the round of 16 and beat defending champion Spain in the group stage.

Finland knocked out Nikola Jokic’s Serbia and boasts Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen. The Finns also have highly-rated 18-year-old forward Miikka Muurinen.

Germany and Slovenia have won the title once: Germany as host in 1993 and the Slovenians in 2017.

Coming off a 42-point game against Italy in the round of 16, Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is looking for fifth game of the tournament with at least 30 points scored.

Doncic and Sengun have one triple-double each and they could yet face off for the gold medal in Sunday’s final.