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German tennis player Alexander Zverev secured the top position in the ATP world rankings, effective Monday, after defeating Dutch opponent Tallon Hurkacz 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday and reaching the quarterfinals of the Vienna tournament. The 29-year-old two-time Grand Slam finalist had already clinched finishing the season in first place.
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Jebel Ali Racecourse — The facility opened its 2026-2027 season, the 35th in its history, on Saturday with a competitive evening featuring seven races for cross-bred horses. General manager Mohamed Al-Ahmad confirmed all technical, engineering, organizational and administrative committees completed preparations to welcome spectators and deliver an inaugural race matching the racecourse's reputation.Dakar Rally 2027 — The rally was relocated to Portugal and Morocco, scheduled for January 9-23, 2027, comprising 13 stages instead of being held in Saudi Arabia due to geopolitical developments and regional security tensions. Organizers confirmed the event will return to Saudi Arabia in 2028 for the 50th edition.African Nations Cup frequency — The Confederation of African Football formally reversed its December decision and approved returning the African Cup of Nations to biennial scheduling instead of quadrennial format. CAF President Patrice Motsepe cited protection of continental football interests and the 54 member nations' rights, noting the alternative "League of African Nations" project requires years to generate sufficient revenue.Paris Saint-Germain — The club holds first place in Ligue 1 with 17 points, one point ahead of Rennes, and enters Friday's away fixture against Le Havre in Round Nine riding five consecutive league victories despite recent defeats to Barcelona and Manchester City in European competition.Cristiano Ronaldo — The Al-Nassr striker scored a hat-trick on Thursday in a 5-3 victory over Al-Khaleej, advancing his career goal tally to 985 and leaving 15 goals remaining to reach the 1,000-goal milestone.Barcelona — The club hosts Alaves on Saturday in Round 11 of La Liga seeking to stabilize form after back-to-back losses to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Real Madrid in the league's classic fixture, with manager Hansi Flik attributing the decline to fatigue and fitness deficits.What to Watch:
Manchester United faces Chelsea on Saturday in Round Nine of the Premier League under significant pressure, with manager Michael Carrick avoiding temporary removal despite one point above the relegation zone and no wins in eight matches across all competitions. Arsenal visits Liverpool on Sunday in the same round.
The Iraqi national football federation offered to fund treatment costs for Saad Natiq, Al-Mina'a player, following a severe shin injury sustained during Round 12 of the Iraqi Premier League against Al-Quwwa Al-Jawwiya.