‘Unique atmosphere’: Ronnie O’Sullivan happy to be back at Masters Snooker Championship in Jeddah

‘Unique atmosphere’: Ronnie O’Sullivan happy to be back at Masters Snooker Championship in Jeddah
The organizing committee of the World Masters Snooker Championship 2025 held a press conference on Monday attended by Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump. (Supplied)
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Updated 12 August 2025

‘Unique atmosphere’: Ronnie O’Sullivan happy to be back at Masters Snooker Championship in Jeddah

‘Unique atmosphere’: Ronnie O’Sullivan happy to be back at Masters Snooker Championship in Jeddah
  • Organizing committee of the tournament holds an expanded press conference with some of the world’s top players

JEDDAH: Ronnie O’Sullivan is excited to be back in the Kingdom for the Masters Snooker Championship in Jeddah.

“I love being here in at the Snooker Masters and enjoying its unique atmosphere,” he said on Monday of the contest which began on Aug. 8 and ends on Saturday.

“ has set a wonderful example in hosting international tournaments. From the moment you arrive, you feel the grandeur of the tournament and the wonderful experience,” he added.

The organizing committee of the championship held a press conference on Monday attended by Saudi Billiard and Snooker Federation President Naif Al-Jaweini, World Snooker Tour Chairman Steve Dawson, and ’s female referee Najla Al-Nuaimi.

Al-Jaweini lauded the Ministry of Sports’ role in the event, including the partnership with Matchroom and the WST.

“We are still at the beginning of the road, and in the coming years we will achieve many accomplishments to develop the level of players and referees, and we are pleased to welcome the world’s elite players to this prestigious tournament,” said Al-Jaweini.

The WST’s Dawson said: “The professional organization in is on par with the largest international tournaments.”

He added that ’s decision to host the event for 10 years would  “contribute to the development of the game and building a base of talent, players, and referees capable of competing in the world rankings.”

Al-Naimi said: “I am proud to represent in the field of refereeing, and I hope to see more Saudi women in this field of this distinguished sport.

“The tournament has given me a wealth of experience by rubbing shoulders with the best referees in the world.”

Defending champion Judd Trump also had praise for the Kingdom’s organization.

“Since the first edition, the attendance and interest have been evident, leaving us with many beautiful memories. It would be great to play against a Saudi player in the future, and perhaps see one of them become a world champion.”


Next generation of talent set for the 2025 F4 n Championship

Next generation of talent set for the 2025 F4 n Championship
Updated 1 min 4 sec ago

Next generation of talent set for the 2025 F4 n Championship

Next generation of talent set for the 2025 F4 n Championship
  • Three Saudi drivers to showcase the Kingdom’s growing motorsport ambitions on regional and international stages

RIYADH: Three of ’s most promising young racing talents — Farah Al-Yousef, Abdullah Kamel, and Faris Organji — have been officially confirmed to compete in the 2025 F4 n Championship.

Their participation represents a landmark moment for Saudi motorsport, as the Kingdom continues to develop the next generation of male and female drivers with the ambition to compete on both regional and global stages.

The F4 n Championship provides a professional, cost-controlled entry point to single-seater racing. All drivers will compete in identical Tatuus Abarth F4 G2 (T421) cars, ensuring that talent and racecraft remain the defining factors on track.

By joining the F4 n Championship, Al-Yousef, Kamel, and Orangi will line up alongside international competitors in an FIA-certified series that emphasizes equality of machinery and pure racing talent.

Al-Yousef is already a standout name in Saudi motorsport. She represented the Kingdom at the Formula Women Nations Cup Finals in Dubai, is the 2022 Saudi women’s karting champion, ranked 26th globally in the Karting World Finals, and took part as the Jeddah Wilcard in the 2025 F1 Academy. 

Kamel has quickly established himself as one of the Kingdom’s brightest young drivers, winning national titles in the IAME and RMC categories (2023/2024), claiming gold at the 2023 Saudi Games, and recently gaining international experience with AKM Motorsport in the Euro4 Championship. 

Organji is another rising star, regularly competing in the Sodi World Series at Dubai Autodrome and now stepping up to the Formula 4 stage.

The 2025 F4 n Championship will feature five rounds across Bahrain and . The season begins with two back-to-back events at the Bahrain International Circuit (Oct. 10–12, including an official test day, and Oct. 15–16), before moving to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit — the world’s fastest street circuit — for three further rounds on Nov. 10–11, 14–15 and Dec. 5–6.


Newcastle maintain pressure on Postecoglou with 2-0 win

Newcastle maintain pressure on Postecoglou with 2-0 win
Updated 44 min 39 sec ago

Newcastle maintain pressure on Postecoglou with 2-0 win

Newcastle maintain pressure on Postecoglou with 2-0 win
  • Crystal Palace’s 19-game unbeaten run ends by Jack Grealish’s late winner for Everton

LONDON: Newcastle beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 to extend Ange Postecoglou’s wait for a win, while Crystal Palace’s 19-game unbeaten run was ended by Jack Grealish’s late winner for Everton on Sunday.

Postecoglou faced calls from the Forest fans for him to be sacked after just six games in the closing stages of Thursday’s 3-2 Europa League defeat to Midtjylland.

The Australian is the first Forest boss in over 100 years to fail to win in his first seven games and now faces an anxious wait to see if club owner Evangelos Marinakis decides to make another managerial change over the international break.

Newcastle had only won one of their opening six Premier League games. But Bruno Guimaraes led the Magpies to victory with a brilliant strike from outside the box to break the deadlock on 58 minutes.

Guimaraes then won a penalty after robbing former team-mate Elliot Anderson inside the Forest box.

Nick Woltemade smashed the resulting spot-kick into the top corner for his fourth Newcastle goal since joining from Stuttgart last month.

Forest slip to 17th, the same league position that saw Postecoglou sacked by Tottenham at the end of last season despite winning the Europa League.

Meanwhile, Palace missed the chance to go second after suffering a European hangover at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The Eagles were dominant in the first 45 minutes but were left to rue not adding to Daniel Munoz’s finish from Ismaila Sarr’s pass.

However, their Conference League exertions in winning away to Dynamo Kyiv on Thursday took their toll in the second half.

Iliman Ndiaye equalized from the penalty spot after Maxence Lacroix clumsily upended Beto as Everton fought back to avoid a first defeat at their new home.

Grealish then got fortunate for his first Everton goal as Munoz’s attempted clearance rebounded off the Manchester City loanee into the roof of the net.

After a slow start to the season, Aston Villa beat Burnley 2-1 to secure a fourth win in the last 11 days.

Donyell Malen was the Villa match-winner with his first goals since April.

The Dutch forward opened the scoring after racing onto Boubacar Kamara’s brilliant through ball to slot into the far corner.

Morgan Rogers was the creator for the second that Malen controlled before drilling confidently into the far corner.

Lesley Ugochukwu pulled a goal back but Burnley remain in the relegation zone.

Wolves are still rooted to the foot of the table after conceding a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Brighton.

The Seagulls’ only two league wins this season have come against Manchester City and Chelsea and they again failed to deliver in a seemingly more winnable game.

Bart Verbruggen’s own-goal put Wolves in front just seconds after home boss Vitor Pereira was shown a red card.

The Dutch international was desperately unlucky as he turned Marshall Munetsi’s thunderous volley onto the bar, but saw the ball rebound into the net off his back.

Wolves conceded in stoppage time to draw at Tottenham last weekend and suffered a similar fate when Jan Paul van Hecke bulleted in a header from a corner five minutes from time.


Russell wins Singapore Grand Prix, McLaren take constructors’ title

Russell wins Singapore Grand Prix, McLaren take constructors’ title
Updated 49 min 34 sec ago

Russell wins Singapore Grand Prix, McLaren take constructors’ title

Russell wins Singapore Grand Prix, McLaren take constructors’ title
  • George Russell took the chequered flag under the lights of the Marina Bay street circuit 5.4 seconds clear of Verstappen to claim his second victory of the season

SINGAPORE: George Russell drove a flawless race from pole position to win the Singapore Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday, leaving Red Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen and the two McLarens to fight it out for the other podium spots.

Briton Russell took the checkered flag under the lights of the Marina Bay street circuit 5.4 seconds clear of Verstappen to claim his second victory of the season.

“It feels amazing,” said Russell. “We don’t really know where this performance came from, but really, really happy.

“I was really nervous at the beginning when I saw Max on the soft (tires), but that first stint was great from us.”

Lando Norris put pressure on Verstappen toward the end of the race but had to settle for third ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, the pair earning enough points to seal a second consecutive constructors’ title for McLaren.

“It was a tough race,” said Norris. “Max didn’t make any mistakes. I gave it my all today, and got close.

“I’m happy with today. I got forward two positions. We won as a team, the constructors’ once again.”

Piastri’s lead over Briton Norris in the drivers’ standings was cut to 22 points, while Verstappen is 63 points behind the Australian with six races remaining in the season.

“I think second was the maximum result today,” said Verstappen. “I think the whole race was quite difficult, more difficult than I hope for, for a lot of different reasons.”

The celebrations for the constructors’ title in the McLaren garage might be muted, however, with Piastri fuming at the way Norris forced his way past his teammate on the opening corner.

Kimi Antonelli was a distant fifth in the other Mercedes with Charles Leclerc finishing sixth ahead of his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton was later docked a five-second penalty for repeatedly leaving the track as he struggled with a braking issue, dropping him to eighth with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso moving up to seventh.

Haas driver Oliver Bearman was ninth and Carlos Sainz, who started at the back of the grid after the Williams cars were disqualified from qualifying, took the final points in 10th.


India crush Pakistan by 88 runs amid handshake snub, umpiring drama at women’s World Cup

India crush Pakistan by 88 runs amid handshake snub, umpiring drama at women’s World Cup
Updated 05 October 2025

India crush Pakistan by 88 runs amid handshake snub, umpiring drama at women’s World Cup

India crush Pakistan by 88 runs amid handshake snub, umpiring drama at women’s World Cup
  • India’s innings was built on a series of useful starts, with Harleen Deol’s composed 46 off 65 balls anchoring the effort
  • Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh provided the late fireworks, blazing an unbeaten 35 off 20 deliveries with three fours, two sixes

COLOMBO: India thumped arch-rivals Pakistan by 88 runs in a Women’s World Cup clash but the game was marred by controversy as players refused to shake hands at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.

The two captains avoided the customary handshake at the toss and there was hardly a glance exchanged during play.

Once the formalities were done, both sides made a beeline to their dressing rooms, skipping the traditional post-match greetings, a frosty ending to a heated encounter.

The animosity that brewed during the recent men’s Asia Cup in Dubai seemed to spill over to the women’s fixture in Colombo.

Even before a ball was bowled, controversy struck when the toss went the wrong way.

Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana’s call of “tails” was misheard by match referee Shandre Fritz and announcer Mel Jones as “heads.”

When the coin landed heads up, the decision was incorrectly awarded to Fatima, who chose to field.

The drama didn’t stop there. Pakistan’s Muneeba Ali was caught short in bizarre fashion.

After surviving a leg-before appeal, she wandered out of her crease and though she had grounded her bat when the throw came in, it was in the air when the bails were dislodged.

The television umpire ruled her out amid heated protests from the Pakistan camp.

“We are very happy. This was a very important game for us. I am sure people back home are happy too. There are few areas to improve but, for now, we’ll savour this win,” said Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.

India’s innings was built on a series of useful starts, with Harleen Deol’s composed 46 off 65 balls anchoring the effort.

Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh provided the late fireworks, blazing an unbeaten 35 off 20 deliveries with three fours and two towering sixes to lift India to a competitive 247.

Pakistan seamer Diana Baig bowled with heart, claiming 4-47 in a spirited spell.

Three of those wickets came in her final burst, though she was denied a five-for after overstepping when Jemimah Rodrigues was caught behind on two.

Pakistan’s chase never got out of first gear. The Indian new-ball attack swung the ball late, nipping out early wickets before the spinners tightened the screws.

Off-spinners Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana shared five scalps between them while seamer Kranti Goud’s three-wicket burst earned her the player of the match award.

Sidra Amin, batting at number three, stood tall amid the ruins. Her elegant 81 off 106 balls, laced with nine boundaries and a six, was a lone hand in an otherwise sorry tale.

Running out of partners, she perished sweeping Rana to square leg, ending Pakistan’s faint hopes.

“We gave away too many runs in the Power Play. Sidra was superb again, but someone had to stay with her till the end. Very disappointed with the result,” lamented Pakistan skipper Sana.

The win sent India to the top of the table in the eight-nation tournament while Pakistan languish in sixth, still searching for their first points.


Tension lingers as India and Pakistan skip handshake in women’s World Cup

Tension lingers as India and Pakistan skip handshake in women’s World Cup
Updated 05 October 2025

Tension lingers as India and Pakistan skip handshake in women’s World Cup

Tension lingers as India and Pakistan skip handshake in women’s World Cup
  • India-Pakistan relations have significantly deteriorated following military conflicts in May
  • India are the hosts of the ongoing women’s World Cup but Pakistan will be playing all their matches in Colombo

COLOMBO: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Pakistan counterpart Fatima Sana skipped the customary handshake before a women’s cricket World Cup match on Sunday amid ongoing tensions between the rivals that plagued the men’s Asia Cup last month.
India-Pakistan relations have significantly deteriorated following military conflicts in May that nearly escalated into a full-fledged war between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
India beat Pakistan three times in the men’s Asia Cup, including in the September 28 final in Dubai, but refused to shake hands with their counterparts before or after the matches.
They also declined to receive the winners’ trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, who is Pakistan’s interior minister.
The frosty relations were evident in Colombo too where Kaur and Sana did not shake hands at the toss, nearly ignoring each other’s presence.
Sana won the toss and elected to field against India, who have never lost to Pakistan in a women’s one day international.
“We’re going to bowl first, looks like there could be some moisture on the wicket,” Sana said.
“On this wicket, anything under 250 would be a good total to defend and hopefully we can restrict them.”
India won a tri-series in Sri Lanka, also involving South Africa, in May and captain Kaur said that experience would stand them in good stead.
“It was a good series for us,” Kaur said.
“We played a lot of cricket here and, yeah, we have experience. Now it’s only about staying positive and playing good cricket.”
Bilateral cricket remains suspended between India and Pakistan, who play each other only in multi-team events at neutral venues.
India are the hosts of the ongoing women’s World Cup but Pakistan will be playing all their matches in Colombo under an agreement approved by the International Cricket Council.