Bencic defeats Serena Williams in National Bank Open
TORONTO, Aug 11: Belinda Bencic defeated three-time champion Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4 at the National Bank Open to advance to the Round of 16 here on Thursday. Playing her first match since her essay in Vogue detailing the decision behind her impending retirement, Williams was greeted by a rapturous ovation from the Toronto crowd as she took to the court. Williams was bidding to win her first back-to-back singles matches since 2021 Roland Garros, having won her Toronto opener over Nuria Parrizas Diaz. But in a rematch of their memorable semi-final duel on this very court in 2015, Bencic controlled the match. (IANS)
Nadal confirms Cincinnati Open participation
CINCINNATI, Aug 11: Rafael Nadal confirmed on Wednesday that he will travel to Cincinnati for the Western & Southern Open, where he could secure a return to World No 1. If the Spaniard wins the ATP Masters 1000 title and Daniil Medvedev fails to reach the quarterfinals, Nadal would rise to the top of the ATP Rankings. The 36-year-old is set for his first competitive appearance since pulling out of Wimbledon just before the semifinals with an abdominal injury he sustained during the London fortnight. His decision not to play Nick Kyrgios in that semi-final has allowed him a quick return from the muscle tear. (IANS)
Morocco fire coach 3 months before Qatar World Cup
RABAT (MOROCCO), Aug 11: The coach who helped Morocco qualify for the World Cup was fired Thursday, barely three months before the start of the tournament in Qatar. The Moroccan football federation said the decision to fire Vahid Halilhodžić was because of disagreements in preparing the team for the tournament. Halilhodžić’s exit opens the way for Hakim Ziyech to return to the squad. The Bosnian had cut the Chelsea winger from the squad last year in a dispute over a supposed unwillingness to play in a friendly game. It’s the third time the 69-year-old Halilhodžić has been fired by a team he helped qualify but could not coach at the World Cup itself. (AP)