TEHRAN, May 28 — Iran’s football federation expects Fifa to facilitate multiple-entry visas for the US for the Iranian national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, its president said in a video broadcast by Iranian media today.

“Fifa is expected to deliver a multiple-entry visa so that the players can enter (the US) and return (to Mexico),” federation president Mehdi Taj said.

Known as “Team Melli”, the Iranian squad had initially planned to base itself in Tucson in Arizona during the tournament, but later moved its training camp to Tijuana in Mexico, which will co-host the World Cup alongside the US and Canada.

Taj previously said the move was intended to avoid complications related to US visas and to allow the squad to travel directly to Mexico aboard Iran Air flights.

Iran are scheduled to play all three of their Group G matches in the US.

“It is certain now that we will go to Mexico. The team is preparing,” Taj said.

Iran’s participation in the World Cup had been uncertain for months, with a backdrop of the Middle East war triggered by the US-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran on February 28.

The team will open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15 before facing Belgium in the same city and Egypt in Seattle later in the group stage.

Today, Taj said he was “not aware of the situation regarding Sardar Azmoun,” referring to Iran’s star striker, who was omitted from the initial squad list drawn up by the team’s manager.

Azmoun, who has scored 57 goals for Iran and previously played for Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma, had previously voiced support for recent anti-government protests.

He also faced criticism in Iranian state media, including accusations of treason after a photograph published in March showed him alongside the ruler of Dubai, where he currently plays and resides.

On Monday, an Iranian vice president called for Azmoun to be reinstated to the national team.

In a recent Instagram post, Azmoun said he had once rejected “a very large financial offer from another country” and described himself as “a son of Iran”. — AFP

PARIS, May 28 — Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Belgium stalwarts Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois head into Group G at the 2026 World Cup knowing this summer’s tournament will likely be their last chance for glory on football’s biggest stage.

Their respective countries have been drawn together into the same pool, alongside New Zealand and Iran, whose participation at the World Cup had been thrown into question following co-host country US and Israel’s war with the Middle East nation.

The arrival on the international scene in the early 2010s of a Belgian golden generation, featuring Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, De Bruyne, Lukaku and Courtois, seemed to herald a new dawn for the country as they sought to win a first major trophy.

But despite rising to become Fifa’s number one-ranked team, the best result that glittering cast of stars managed to return was a third-placed finish at the 2018 World Cup.

Of that generation remain only Napoli duo De Bruyne and Lukaku, now aged 34 and 33 respectively, and Real Madrid goalkeeper Courtois, 34, who returned to the fold last year after a falling-out with previous coach Domenico Tedesco that caused him to miss Belgium’s round-of-16 exit at Euro 2024.

The trio will suspect that the upcoming World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico will be their last chance of turning all that initial hope and expectation into some long-awaited silverware.

And the current batch of Belgian hopefuls is not without talent, as the likes of Amadou Onana, Charles De Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku and Youri Tielemans more than have what it takes to be a stellar supporting cast to their star team-mates.

Liverpool’s Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah looks on after taking a selfie with fans after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Brentford at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on May 24, 2026.

Hamstrung?

Salah, his country’s second-highest goalscorer in history, who will turn 34 during the World Cup, will doubtless have more modest ambitions heading into the tournament as part of an Egyptian team that have failed to win a trophy since being crowned Africa Cup of Nations champions for a third straight time in 2010.

Despite being widely considered the finest footballer ever to come out of the North African country, Liverpool legend Salah has never tasted success with Egypt.

His sole previous World Cup appearance, in 2018, was hampered by a shoulder injury he suffered in that year’s Champions League final and he goes into this edition struggling for fitness after suffering a hamstring injury in late April, which curtailed his Anfield farewell.

Iran are set to appear at their fourth straight World Cup, but much of the build-up to their latest attempt to reach the knockout stages for the first time has been overshadowed by questions about whether they would be allowed to enter the States.

After a call was made by US special envoy Paolo Zampolli to have his native Italy replace Iran at the World Cup, American Secretary of State Marco Rubio interceded to to deny that Washington had asked the Iranian team not to come to the tournament.

New Zealand will make their third appearance at a World Cup finals this summer thanks to a 3-0 victory over New Caledonia in the final of OFC qualifying. — AFP

TOKYO, May 28 — Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu said Thursday he felt a “responsibility” to perform for Japan at the World Cup after being called up following long stretches out through injury.

The 27-year-old last played for Japan two years ago and was without a club for six months after leaving Arsenal in July last year to focus on his rehabilitation.

He signed for Ajax in January but was forced to pull out of Japan’s squad for friendlies in March after more physical problems.

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu still named him in his 26-man squad for the World Cup starting next month and Tomiyasu is determined to seize his chance.

“I feel a sense of responsibility because I was picked for the squad even in these circumstances,” he told reporters after training with the team.

“I want to repay that faith with my performances on the pitch.”

Japan have been drawn with the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia in Group F and play the Dutch in their opener in Dallas on June 14.

Tomiyasu will be pushing for a starting place as Japan look to advance past the last 16 for the first time.

He said his return to the team had been “a long road”.

“A lot has happened on the way to me being picked for this World Cup and I don’t want to forget that and use it in a good way,” he said.

“I want to keep in mind that I can’t take being here for granted.”

Tomiyasu has 42 caps and played at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Japan stunned Germany and Spain before losing on penalties to Croatia in the last 16.

He said he wanted to make sure he enjoyed this year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“To be honest, I didn’t feel that way last time when it was all over,” he said.

“I think I was too self-conscious, and this time I want to say something if something needs to be said, and go into the tournament without overthinking anything.” — AFP

BARCELONA, May 28 — Boosted by teenage phenomenon Lamine Yamal, Luis de la Fuente’s Spain are attempting to follow in the footsteps of the country’s golden generation, who conquered Europe in 2008 and then the world two years later.

The 18-year-old Barcelona winger is recovering from a hamstring injury which could delay his appearance at the tournament, but he has the star quality to elevate Spain to an era-defining triumph by repeating the feat of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Co. in South Africa.

That team, guided to Euro glory by Luis Aragones for their first major trophy in 44 years, and then to the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 successes by Vicente del Bosque, was built on control and passing opponents into submission.

De la Fuente’s Spain are a different, more dynamic side.

With Yamal and Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams on the flanks, Spain cut teams open in transition, with pace and skill as well as the technical qualities La Roja are renowned for.

The coach, after replacing Luis Enrique following Spain’s Qatar World Cup elimination by Morocco in the last 16, said he was not afraid to have a Plan B or be more direct when needed.

Just as 2008 proved to Spain that they truly were capable of going all the way and securing silverware, De la Fuente’s Euro 2024 success in Germany could prove a similar stepping stone.

“We’ve recovered the spirit of 2010... the one that brought us all out into the streets,” said the Spain coach then.

The 2010 World Cup win is Spain’s sole triumph in the competition, and they struggled badly in the subsequent three editions of the tournament.

Del Bosque’s team were eliminated in the group stage in 2014 -- older, slower, and with classic tiki-taka past its peak.

“To say that the cycle has come to an end is crazy,” said defender Sergio Ramos at the time—but it had.

In 2018 Spain sacked coach Julien Lopetegui on the eve of the tournament after he agreed to join Real Madrid, thus destabilising themselves.

Four years later, Luis Enrique’s Spain lacked the cutting edge they needed, which Yamal now brings in spades.

“In my book we play the best football,” Yamal told FIFA.

“(When I’m on form) it’s like being a superhero—everything falls into place. I’m faster, stronger, full of adrenaline.

“I feel like nothing can stop me. I’d love to reach that level at the World Cup.”

Accepting the compliment 

Spain arrive at the World Cup as favourites alongside France, ahead of England, Brazil and Argentina, according to bookmakers.

“I think everyone likes it when people speak well of you, especially given it’s not us who are putting out that message... we’ll accept the compliment,” said De la Fuente in March.

“We’ll have to... put in an almost perfect performance to have a chance of winning,” he continued.

“We have to be aware that there are other teams just as strong as we are.”

Even though Spain head into the tournament with top billing, there are some worries.

It could take youngster Yamal time to get up to speed if he is not able to play in the opening Group H games against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia.

Reports in Spanish media suggest that he is likely to return for the third match, against two-time winners Uruguay, although De la Fuente said that everybody should be available by the second group game.

Williams’s own fitness is a significant issue.

He has struggled with a groin issue for much of the season, but rapid Osasuna winger Victor Munoz is there for back-up.

Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi appeared to finish the season exhausted, while Manchester City’s Rodri is not quite back at the dominant level he showed before his serious knee injury in 2024.

Some might argue that Spain still lack a top quality centre forward—think Fernando Torres, David Villa, Raul—but the classy Mikel Oyarzabal would beg to differ after his Euro 2024 final goal against England won Spain the trophy. — AFP

PARIS, May 28 — Jed Court Novak Djokovic extended his latest bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title with a hard-fought victory over Valentin Royer in the French Open second round yesterday, but women’s second seed Elena Rybakina crashed out of the tournament.

Djokovic had to come from a set down in his opening match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and was pushed hard again by another Frenchman in Royer, before finally sealing a 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (7/9), 6-3 win after three and three-quarter hours on Court Philippe Chatrier.

He will next take on Joao Fonseca after the Brazilian teenager fought back from two sets down to beat Croatia’s Dino Prizmic 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2.

“I hope I won’t play any more French players for the rest of the tournament,” said the third seed, who has been tied on 24 Grand Slam titles with Margaret Court since winning the 2023 US Open, with a wry smile.

Djokovic, who beat world number one Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open last four earlier this year, cannot meet the red-hot title favourite until the final at Roland Garros.

Djokovic powered through the first two sets, although world number 74 Royer, born just 5km from Roland Garros, showed much more resistance in the third before extending the match in a brilliant tie-break.

The Serb, who twice failed to consolidate breaks of serve in the third set, made no such mistake in the fourth as he belatedly booked his place in the next round on his fifth match point.

Alexander Zverev, who has reached at least the quarter-finals in five consecutive French Opens, swatted aside Tomas Machac 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the night match.

The German second seed will continue his latest tilt at a maiden Slam title against Frenchman Quentin Halys.

Czech Jakub Mensik, the only player other than Djokovic to beat Sinner this year, needed eight match points before eventually downing Mariano Navone 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (13/11) to book a meeting with eighth seed Alex de Minaur.

Mensik collapsed on the court after the match with exhaustion and cramp as the Paris heatwave continued to take its toll.

“It’s insane to play in this weather, especially in front of the sun, to be there for more than four and a half hours, it’s just insane,” said Mensik.

Rising Spanish star Rafael Jodar reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time, seeing off James Duckworth 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 7-5.

Two-time losing finalist Casper Ruud was back to full fitness after struggling with the hot weather in the first round, taking just three sets to get past Hamad Medjedovic.

Rybakina stunned by Starodubtseva 

Australian Open champion Rybakina blew a one-set lead to exit in dramatic fashion, slumping to a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10/4) loss to Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva.

It is Rybakina’s earliest departure from any tour-level tournament since the 2025 Miami Open and first defeat in the opening two rounds of a major since the 2024 Australian Open.

“I couldn’t find the balance. I couldn’t find the right shot, and it was clearly just too many mistakes,” said the Kazakh world number two.

Starodubtseva will face China’s Wang Xiyu for a place in the last 16.

She has already matched her previous best run at a Grand Slam event, when she lost to Jasmine Paolini in the French Open third round as a lucky loser 12 months ago.

“Honestly, hard to describe, I’m super happy,” said world number 55 Starodubtseva after beating a top-10 opponent for the first time in her career.

Swiatek, Svitolina through 

Four-time champion Iga Swiatek, looking to regain the title she last won in 2024, saw off battling Czech youngster Sara Bejlek 6-2, 6-3 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The third-seeded Pole will next face compatriot Magda Linette, who beat former winner Jelena Ostapenko in three sets, as she bids to preserve her record of having always reached the second week at Roland Garros.

Swiatek is playing at a first Grand Slam tournament since linking up with Rafael Nadal’s former coach Francisco Roig.

Elina Svitolina, who defeated Swiatek en route to the Rome title, beat world number 126 Kaitlin Quevedo 6-0, 6-4.

The Ukrainian seventh seed ended an eight-year wait for her fifth WTA 1000 trophy at the Italian Open to underline her credentials as a contender in Paris.

Jasmine Paolini, the 2024 runner-up, bowed out with a three-set loss to Argentina’s Solana Sierra.

Eighth seed Mirra Andreeva fought back from a set down to defeat qualifier Marina Bassols Ribera, while 10th seed and 2023 finalist Karolina Muchova got past Kamilla Rakhimova with little fuss. — AFP

PARIS, May 28 — Some 22,000 police officers will be deployed across France for the Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal this weekend, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said yesterday. 

PSG’s 5-0 victory last year against Inter Milan in European football’s showpiece competition saw violence, particularly on the Champs-Elysees and around the club’s Parc des Princes stadium, where the match was shown live.

Nunez told online news site Brut that of the 22,000 officers on duty for Saturday’s match, 8,000 would be in the French capital.

Last year also saw a huge policing operation, with 5,400 officers mobilised in the Paris metropolitan area. There were 563 arrests in France on the night, including 491 in Paris.

Another 79 people were arrested the following evening.

PSG, who won their fifth straight league title earlier this month, take on English champions Arsenal in Budapest. — AFP

LEIPZIG, May 28 — Outgoing Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner said he had made no plans for his future other than “flying back to London with a hangover” after taking charge of his last match with the club.

Glasner guided Palace to the Uefa Conference League title with a win over Rayo Vallecano yesterday in Leipzig, the club’s third trophy since he took over in 2024 — adding to the FA Cup and the Community Shield.

Speculation has swirled about the Austrian’s future since he announced his departure in January, with reports of a move to another Premier League club or a potential return to Germany. Glasner though said his only plan was to celebrate.

He said he does not have the “desire or the energy to speak with another club, because I felt duty bound to give 100% of Oliver Glasner (to Palace).”

“I haven’t even thought about anything past tomorrow,” he continued.

“Today’s a day for celebrating, and anyone who knows me knows I’m completely focused on this and haven’t been able to do anything else except concentrate on the final.

“And I can really let loose, and I’m going to do that with the players today.

“Then tomorrow, I’ll fly back to London with a bit of a hangover. And then it’s time to get settled in and go back to my family.”

Glasner added: “Everything I say today will be wrong tomorrow. That’s why all I know for sure is that I’ll be celebrating with the players today, drinking a few beers, and flying back to London tomorrow.” — AFP

LEIPZIG, May 28 — Jean-Philippe Mateta scored as Crystal Palace beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the UEFA Conference League final in Leipzig yesterday to secure the club’s first European trophy in their history.

After a cagey opening half with few clear chances, Mateta turned in a rebound for the game’s only goal on 51 minutes, sending departing coach Oliver Glasner off in style.

Glasner departs with a third trophy in two years as Palace manager, the most successful period in the club’s history, after dashing Rayo’s hopes of landing their first major silverware.

“The difference he (Glasner) has made in two and a half years is incredible,” Palace midfielder Adam Wharton told TNT Sports.

“Three trophies, the first in the history of the club, first European competition and winning it.

“He’s got to be one of the best managers Palace have had and he’s made a huge difference to how the club looks at competitions now—we’re looking to win it.”

The victory also completed Glasner’s objective of returning Palace to the Europa League, the competition they qualified to play in this season before falling foul of multi-club ownership rules and being demoted to the Conference League.

The Austrian, already a Europa League champion with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, once again showed his excellence in knockout competitions.

Palace overcame the sales of star players Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi this season, and the fallout from the latter’s January move to Manchester City, to cap their first full venture into European competition with a title.

France striker Mateta, the hero on the night, was a failed medical away from leaving Palace for AC Milan this winter.

“I feel fantastic,” said Mateta. “First time in Europe, we did it! Now I just want to celebrate, I just want to party.

“I’m tired, man. I gave everything. The team gave everything and that’s why we won today.”

Palace became third London side in as many years to win the competition, after West Ham in 2024 and Chelsea in 2025, demonstrating the Premier League’s unmatched financial muscle.

With Aston Villa already Europa League winners, Premier League champions Arsenal can complete a clean sweep in European competition by beating Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on Saturday.

Wharton passed fit 

Palace received a boost just before kick-off when Wharton overcame an ankle injury to start.

Underdogs in their semi-final triumph over Strasbourg, who belong to the same BlueCo consortium which owns Chelsea, Rayo arrived in Leipzig riding a rich vein of form, unbeaten in nine matches.

With Rayo finishing eighth and Palace 15th in their respective domestic leagues, both knew victory on Wednesday was their only hope of returning to the European stage next season.

Rayo had the first chance of the match when Alemao flashed just wide of the post with 25 minutes gone.

Palace spurned a golden chance for the opener just before the break. Wharton looped an inch-perfect cross over the Rayo defence but Tyrick Mitchell’s header floated just wide.

The game burst into life early in the second half as Palace eventually found their stride.

Rayo goalkeeper Augusto Batalla got two hands to Wharton’s powerful shot from the edge of the box but could only parry the ball into the path of Mateta, who reacted quickly to tap home.

Palace came within inches of doubling their lead soon after, as Yeremy Pino crashed a free-kick against both posts. The ball ricocheted off a defender and struck the woodwork a third time before Rayo somehow managed to clear.

In truth, Palace were rarely troubled after taking the lead, keeping Rayo largely at bay and adding another trophy to last year’s breakthrough FA Cup success and the Community Shield at the start of this season. — AFP

PARIS, May 27 — Temperatures at the French Open are set to rise over the coming days, having already reached uncomfortable levels for everyone involved at Roland Garros, although cooler weather is expected next week, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

The latest Paris forecasts, which include yellow warnings for extreme heat from today to Friday, could lead to mandatory extra breaks for players if the so-called Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) exceeds the 32.2 degrees Celsius threshold specified in the rules.

The WBGT is used to determine heat stress on the human body, with factors such as humidity, solar radiation, and wind taken into account.

However, heat measures were not triggered in the first three days of the clay Grand Slam, despite conditions described as “roasting” by Germany’s Laura Siegemund.

Andrey Rublev’s first-round match against Ignacio Buse had to be briefly interrupted after a ball girl became unsteady on her feet and nearly fainted.

Meanwhile, Canadian Gabriel Diallo retired in the first round due to extreme heat.

Strong sunshine is also causing problems when players serve while looking up, with several taking to wearing sunglasses.

German tennis icon Boris Becker said the only silver lining was that the heat risks are now taken more seriously in tennis.

“You can’t explain to any young player today how we used to be treated back then,” Becker, who won six Grand Slam titles between 1985 and 1996, told Eurosport.

“God help you if you complained back then, you were nothing other than a wimp. I think it’s good that it’s different today and that the players are protected.”

Spectators are also struggling, and most have tried to seek out shady spots on the Roland Garros grounds. There have also been long queues in front of the water dispensers and sunscreen stands.

Relief is not expected until Sunday, when temperatures are set to fall to 24 degrees Celsius. — Bernama-dpa

SINGAPORE, May 27 — Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah marched on to the second round of the Singapore Open 2026 today, marking a successful return to action following a recent injury.

The world number two pair defeated Chinese Taipei duo Hu Li Fang-Jheng Yu Chieh 20-22, 21-16, 21-15 in a 51-minute rubber-set match.

Despite the win, Tan, who has fully recovered from a recurring back injury, said she was not entirely satisfied with their performance, particularly regarding their strategy and on-court coordination.

“I am not so happy overall for the performance because there is a lot that we could improve and also do better from the match, especially our strategy-wise and also rotation part.

“But of course I feel relieved and also very happy to be back on court and finish the match today safely,” she told Bernama at the Singapore Indoor Stadium mixed zone on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, defending men’s double champions, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik also advanced after an impressive first round performance, defeating French brothers Christo Popov-Toma Junior Popov in straight sets, 21-17 and 21-15.

The duo attributed their winning to calmness and strategic gameplay within the court despite the constant pressure from their opponent for long shots towards the back line.

Also advancing to the second round were mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, who took 40 minutes to overcome compatriots Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing 21-16, 21-19 in a 40-minute match.

In the singles category, national women’s top player K. Letshanaa failed to advance to the second round after losing 21-19, 15-21 and 17-21 to China’s world number four and Tokyo Olympic champion, Chen Yu Fei in a 66-minute match, despite winning the first set.

Malaysia’s challenge in the men’s singles also ended after world number 47 Justin Hoh bowed out to France’s world number four Christo Popov, 21-13, 18-21, 14-21, in a match that lasted 62 minutes. — Bernama

LONDON, May 27 — West Ham United have decided to keep manager Nuno Espirito Santo in charge of the London side despite their relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season, the club said today.

West Ham finished 18th in the standings to drop down to the second-tier Championship for the first time since 2011.

“While the ultimate outcome on Sunday was a painful one, the Board of Directors believe that there have been broader signs of improvement and progress in recent months, and we want Nuno to continue developing that progress,” the club said in a statement.

West Ham ended the campaign with 19 defeats and 10 wins, finishing two points behind London rivals Tottenham Hotspur despite winning their final fixture 3-0 against Leeds United on Sunday as Spurs beat Everton 1-0 to stay up.

The writing was on the wall for West Ham when they lost three straight games earlier this month against Brentford, Arsenal and Newcastle United, leaving Spurs in control of their destiny on the final day.

The club said they held meetings with Espirito Santo earlier this week, with the Portuguese manager expressing his commitment to the club he joined in September on a three-year contract following the sacking of Graham Potter.

The board of directors added they had seen a “clear improvement in squad mentality and togetherness” since January, making the 52-year-old the ideal candidate to lead their promotion charge next season.

“Nuno made it very clear that he is highly motivated for the challenge of guiding West Ham United back to the top flight at the first time of asking. That must be the unquestionable goal for next season,” the club added.

“Nuno has spent one previous year in the EFL Championship and it was an outstanding success as he secured 99 points to win the title with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018.”

West Ham also said they were reducing season ticket prices by up to 30 per cent after their relegation. — Reuters

BUENOS AIRES, May 27 — Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the initial news regarding superstar Lionel Messi’s fitness “is not that bad” and hopes further examinations will confirm that diagnosis with the World Cup just a fortnight away.

Messi has been diagnosed with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring by his Major League Soccer club Inter Miami after he made an abrupt exit from Miami’s 6-4 victory over Philadelphia in the 73rd minute on Sunday.

Even at 38 and eying a sixth World Cup finals appearance, Messi remains the side’s talisman for the defence of the title they won in Qatar four years ago.

“Obviously we would have preferred that nothing had happened,” Scaloni told Argentinian TV station DSports yesterday.

“Now one has to wait and see how it evolves and above all the new tests they are going to conduct in order to see if it confirms their original diagnosis.”

Scaloni, who is due to name his squad next week, added he had watched the match on TV at the federation’s headquarters and been relieved that Messi had asked to come off.

Inter manager Guillermo Hoyos explained after the match Messi was tired, the pitch was heavy and no-one wanted to take a risk with his fitness.

Inter Miami issued a statement on Monday saying: “The timeline for his return to physical activity will depend on his clinical and functional progress.”

That gave little indication about the status of the eight-time Ballon D’Or winner.

Argentina are set to begin their World Cup campaign on June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City.

They then play Austria on June 22 and round off their Group J campaign against Jordan on June 28.

Messi has managed his workload since joining Inter Miami in 2023, with team staff regularly excusing him from matches in congested fixture periods.

MLS has started a break in its season for the World Cup, which is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Messi has not formally confirmed he plans to play in the World Cup, but is widely expected to return for what would be a record-matching sixth appearance at the finals.

His great Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo and potentially Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa would also be making a sixth appearance.

Argentina are set to play two pre-World Cup friendlies against Honduras on June 6 and Iceland on June 9, both in the United States. — AFP

TOKYO, May 27 — Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu believes his team can win the World Cup after historic friendly wins over Brazil and England, despite the loss of Kaoru Mitoma dampening the mood.

Brighton winger Mitoma will miss the World Cup after suffering a hamstring injury less than a week before Moriyasu named his squad.

Japan have never gone beyond the last 16 at a World Cup but they were the first team to qualify and their soaring confidence has been boosted by impressive recent results.

They have been drawn with the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia in Group F and they start their campaign against the Dutch in Dallas on June 14.

Mitoma’s injury deprives Moriyasu of one of his most dangerous attackers but the coach still has a squad packed with European club experience.

“Last year we played Brazil in a friendly and we beat them for the first time, and Mitoma wasn’t available to play in that game,” Moriyasu said.

“That reflects the team concept, that anyone can come into the line-up and the team still performs.”

Japan came back from two goals down at half-time to beat Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil 3-2 in a friendly in Tokyo last October.

It was Japan’s first win over the five-time world champions.

They then became the first Asian team to beat England when they claimed a 1-0 victory at Wembley in March.

Japan started both games with entirely Europe-based line-ups and their World Cup squad features only three players from the domestic J. League.

Moriyasu believes they have greater strength in depth than ever, and the tactical nous to adapt to any opponent.

“Of course, the players were happy when we beat Brazil and England, two teams we had never beaten before,” he said.

“But I sensed an atmosphere where the players quickly shifted their focus to a bigger goal ahead.”

Mitoma’s absence is a major blow, with the 28-year-old hitting peak form just before his injury heartbreak.

He scored the winner against England, dispossessing Cole Palmer before launching a counter-attack that he finished himself.

Monaco’s Takumi Minamino will also miss the tournament after tearing knee ligaments in December.

Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and Ajax’s Takehiro Tomiyasu both recovered in time after long injury absences.

Feyenoord striker Ayase Ueda is a reliable source of goals, while Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada and Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo are key men.

Big ambitions 

Half of the players in the squad were also at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Japan stunned Germany and Spain, beating both 2-1, before losing on penalties to Croatia in the last 16.

“We have more players with World Cup experience and that will help us in terms of the team’s composure,” said Moriyasu.

“It will help us perform effectively in a variety of situations.”

Japan breezed through qualifying, winning seven out of 10 games and only losing after they had clinched their place at the tournament.

It will be their eighth straight World Cup appearance, having made their debut in 1998.

Japan have never reached the quarter-finals despite advancing to the last 16 four times.

Moriyasu has set their sights significantly higher this time, insisting that they have the quality to go all the way and win the tournament.

The loss of Mitoma has done nothing to temper his ambitions.

“The target doesn’t change,” he said.

“But it’s not just about that target, it’s about raising our level as individuals and as a team.”

Moriyasu is Japan’s longest-serving coach, having taken over after the 2018 World Cup.

He won the J. League three times with Sanfrecce Hiroshima and he has led his country at a World Cup, two Asian Cups, an Olympics and a Copa America.

“It’s not just about my own experience. The managers that have gone before me, both foreign and Japanese, and my staff also have experience of the World Cup,” Moriyasu said.

“I want to use that experience and knowledge to increase our chances, no matter how slightly.” — AFP

SEOUL, May 27 — Son Heung-min said he was “feeling great” ahead of the World Cup and backed himself to perform despite suggestions that South Korea’s talismanic captain’s powers are on the wane.

The 33-year-old skipper has scored only two goals since leaving Premier League Tottenham for Los Angeles FC in the MLS in August last year.

He has also struggled with South Korea, who head to the World Cup on the back of a dismal run of results and will face the Czech Republic, South Africa and co-hosts Mexico in Group A.

South Korea lost 4-0 to the Ivory Coast and 1-0 to Austria in recent friendlies.

Son tried to lift the mood as he spoke to reporters at the team’s training camp in Salt Lake City yesterday.

“A lot of people are worried, but I’m only worried if I’m not playing well,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s the case now. Physically, I am feeling great.”

South Korea face the Czechs in Guadalajara on June 11, the opening day of the tournament which is being co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada.

They reached the last 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before being sent packing 4-1 by Brazil.

Son, who will be playing at his fourth World Cup, said the players “need to know where our team-mates are with our eyes closed”.

“Of course, we want to get to a higher place this time and do better than the last World Cup,” he said.

“But we can’t predict the future. Other teams will be preparing just as hard.”

Son has scored 54 goals in 143 games for his country and been their inspiration for more than 15 years.

He has scored three World Cup goals to give him a share of South Korea’s record with Park Ji-sung and Ahn Jung-hwan.

“Obviously, it’s impossible not to be hearing about these records. People have been talking about them, and fans have taken great interest in them,” Son said.

“But I’ve just not been thinking too much about them.

“If I put the team above all else and worry about how I can help the team first, then goals will naturally follow.” — AFP

SINGAPORE, May 27 — Malaysia’s K Letshanaa gave Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Chen Yufei a real scare before crashing out in a thrilling first-round showdown at the Singapore Open today.

The world No. 30 looked on course for a massive upset after snatching the opening game against the Chinese star, only for Chen’s class and experience to shine through in a hard-fought 19-21, 21-15, 21-17 comeback win after 66 gruelling minutes.

The 22-year-old Malaysian came out firing and refused to be intimidated by her decorated opponent, matching Chen stroke for stroke in a tense opening game.

With the score locked at 19-19, Letshanaa held her nerve brilliantly to grab the next two points and stun the fourth seed.

Buoyed by the breakthrough, the Malaysian continued to pile the pressure on in the second game and stayed within touching distance for long stretches as Chen struggled to shake her off.

But the former Olympic champion finally found another gear midway through the second game, opening up an 11-8 lead at the interval before forcing a decider with a 21-15 win.

Letshanaa refused to go quietly in the third game and once again pushed Chen all the way in a fierce exchange of rallies.

However, the Chinese ace’s composure in the big moments proved decisive as she edged clear late on to complete the comeback and end the Malaysian’s brave run.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s women’s singles challenge suffered another early blow after Wong Ling Ching was dumped out in the opening round by Japan’s Riko Gunji.

The world No. 34 battled hard but eventually fell 22-20, 21-17 to the world No. 19.

PARIS, May 27 — As a relentless Parisian sun continued to beat down on Roland Garros and temperatures remained uncomfortably in the mid-30s Celsius, organisers laid out what it would take to stop play.

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) said that a match had never been called off at the French Open because of extreme heat but they would do it on all courts where the reading on one of their two wet bulb thermometers reached 32.2°C.

The FFT said that would included the display courts with retractable roofs: Philippe Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen.

Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) is an index that measures how effectively the human body can cool itself under heat, humidity, sun exposure and wind. At less than 100 per cent humidity it will give a lower reading than a normal thermometer.

The FTT said their two wet bulbs were on Chatrier and Court 14, at the western end of the Roland Garros precinct.

The FTT said that when the WBGT reached 30.1°C before the start of a singles match players, would be entitled to request one 10-minute break — before a possible third set for women and before a possible fourth set for men.

The FTT also said that play would be halted for lightning.

The FTT is exactly emulating the policies and thresholds of the women’s and men’s tours. The WTA introduced their first heat rule in 1992 and the ATP adopted one at the start of this year saying they were copying the latest WTA verison.

Other tennis majors, notably the Australian Open, have long struggled with extreme heat.

The Melbourne tournament introduced a “heat stress index” in 2019 which calculated “the maximum heat stress an athlete can safely withstand,” Dr Carolyn Broderick of Tennis Australia said in a statement at the time.

The five-step ‘scale’ takes into account “air temperature, radiant heat or the strength of the sun, humidity and wind speed” and goes from one to five.

At level five, play is suspended on the outside courts but can continue on the three main courts once the roof is closed and the air conditioning turned on.

This occurred during the round of 16 in Melbourne this year when play was suspended for nearly five hours on the outside courts.

Wimbledon operates a similar system to French Open and used 10-minute breaks last June when it opened in a heat wave.

Like Australia, the extreme heat protocol does not apply to courts with a roof: Centre Court and Court No. 1.

At the US Open, an extreme heat protocol was activated for the first time in 2018 it includes a provision for ‘case-by-case’ 10-minute breaks. — AFP

PARIS, May 27 — Three-time runners-up the Netherlands head into another World Cup with reasons to be hopeful of a long-awaited first global title, but not among the favourites to lift the trophy.

Coach Ronald Koeman returns to the United States, where he captained the Dutch to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals, with a well-balanced squad despite some injury worries.

His team are on a 14-match unbeaten run in all competitions, including all eight of their qualifiers, but are rarely mentioned alongside Spain, France, Argentina and England as leading contenders.

The Netherlands have rediscovered their form at major tournaments after some fallow years following a run to the 2014 World Cup semi-finals.

They suffered a penalty shoot-out loss to eventual winners Argentina in the quarter-finals in Qatar four years ago following a dramatic comeback from two goals down.

Another agonising defeat followed in the Euro 2024 semis, as Ollie Watkins’s injury-time strike snatched England a 2-1 win.

There is quiet confidence back home of a strong performance once more in North America, with former striker Patrick Kluivert saying he expects the Oranje to at least reach the last eight.

The Dutch will face Japan, Sweden and Tunisia in Group F as strong favourites to progress.

However, were they to win that group, a tough last-32 tie could follow against the runners-up of Group C which includes Brazil and 2022 semi-finalists Morocco.

“With Argentina, Brazil, Spain and France in the mix, the Netherlands are one of the teams to watch out for at the World Cup,” Kluivert told Koora.

“I think they could reach the quarter-finals at the very least.”

It could be the last chance for some of the Netherlands’ star players to shine in a major tournament, with captain Virgil van Dijk to turn 35 during the World Cup and 32-year-old Memphis Depay struggling for full fitness.

But they otherwise boast a largely youthful side.

The injury absences of forward Xavi Simons and midfielder Jerdy Schouten could prove to be a big blow, although Koeman has options to replace them.

Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert is nearing a return to action after injury, while PSV Eindhoven midfielder Guus Til could also be in contention for at least a place in the squad.

“Xavi’s injury was a real blow,” Koeman said. “You are watching the match and then you see it happen. And you can tell by Xavi’s reaction that it is serious. This is dramatic for us.”

No return for Wijnaldum 

Georginio Wijnaldum, though, will not be making a return to the fold despite a strong season in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ettifaq.

“I called him and said that I prefer others,” Koeman told broadcaster NOS of the former Liverpool midfielder.

“I haven’t selected him since the European Championship, and I have preferred a number of others in his position. And I am very satisfied with that.”

The Netherlands proved they can mix it with the best in their Nations League semi-final against European champions Spain last year, when they were edged out on penalties after a 5-5 aggregate draw.

They were rarely challenged in World Cup qualifying, only dropping points in two draws with Poland.

Losing World Cup finalists in 1974, 1978 and 2010, alongside two semi-final appearances, the Dutch are the nation with the best previous performances never to have won the tournament.

They now lack star names of the calibre of Johann Cruyff, Marco van Basten and Arjen Robben, but Koeman has moulded a team that is very difficult to beat.

The nation’s all-time leading scorer with 55 goals, Depay, is set to be a part of the squad even if he fails to regain 100-percent fitness after a recent injury absence.

Koeman has said the Corinthians striker will likely still feature in his plans even if he cannot start their opening game against Japan in Arlington, Texas, on June 14.

If he is resigned to a role as a substitute, Donyell Malen is a candidate to lead the line after scoring 14 Serie A goals for Roma since joining on loan from Aston Villa in January. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Selangor FC captain Muhammad Faisal Abdul Halim has urged his teammates to embrace a “nothing to lose” mentality as the Red Giants prepare for a high-octane battle to overturn a one-goal deficit in the second leg final of the Asean Club Championship (ACC) against Thailand’s Buriram United FC at Buriram Stadium, tomorrow. 

The winger emphasised that the squad must enter the pitch with total conviction and insisting that the final match of the season is the ultimate stage for the players to give their absolute best for the club.

“For me, we’re already here in the final. We cannot just come here, finish the game, and go back like this. We need to fight until the end for this cup and give a good fight to our opponent,” he said in an audio recording shared after yesterday’s pre-match press conference.

Faisal further cautioned his teammates to maintain peak concentration throughout the match and warned that against a clinical side like Buriram, a momentary lapse or a repeat of past mistakes could prove fatal.

He also made a solemn promise to the supporters that the Red Giants would fight with every ounce of their character to bring the regional trophy back to Malaysia.

Meanwhile, sharing the captain’s optimism, head coach Kim Pan Gon expressed his unwavering belief that the Malaysian side possesses the tactical maturity to turn the tide against the Thai giants on their own turf.

The South Korean strategist revealed that the team has undergone a thorough post-mortem of their first-leg performance to rectify errors and refine a new blueprint specifically designed to dismantle Buriram’s setup.

Pan Gon highlighted that hunting for an early goal remains the top priority as it would not only level the aggregate score but also put immense pressure on the home side to open up their game.

“Our performance in the first leg wasn’t 100 per cent of what we have. We have talked a lot and corrected some things, and I believe our players are fully confident that we can turn back the results,” he added.

Despite the significant blow of losing key pillars like Al-Rawabdeh and Abualnadi who currently have already been spotted training with the Jordan national squad for the World Cup, Pan Gon remained defiant by asserting that Selangor’s strength lies in their collective unity rather than individual stars.

He maintained that the replacements for the missing duo have the necessary quality to step into the fray and ensuring the team’s engine continues to function effectively in what is expected to be a gruelling encounter. — Bernama

PARIS, May 27 — Four-time champions Germany head to North America seeking to break their more recent World Cup hoodoo after failing to make it out of the group stage at the last two editions.

Since Mario Goetze’s extra-time winner at the Maracana in the 2014 final, perennial World Cup contenders Germany have had a miserable time of it on football’s biggest stage.

Their title defence in Russia in 2018 ended with a bottom-place finish in their group, before their campaign in Qatar four years later hit the rocks at the same stage.

Germany have won just two World Cup games since lifting the trophy in Rio de Janeiro, against Sweden and then Costa Rica.

Standing between Julian Nagelsmann’s charges and a return to the knockout stages at the 2026 edition in Group E are 2023 Africa Cup of Nations champions Ivory Coast, Ecuador and World Cup debutants Curacao.

Since 38-year-old Nagelsmann took over Germany two years ago, he has overseen an upturn in their fortunes, spearheaded by extravagant youthful talents such as Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, as well as experienced stalwarts like Joshua Kimmich and Antonio Rudiger.

They reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 on home soil and then made it to the last four in the Uefa Nations League the following year, falling on both occasions to the eventual winners of the respective tournaments, Spain and Portugal.

Elephants, Blue Wave, Tricolor 

Germany’s biggest threat in Group E will likely be Ivory Coast as the Elephants return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014.

Long gone is the glorious generation of Didier Drogba and the Toure brothers, Yaya and Kolo, but Emerse Fae’s current squad nonetheless boasts some mercurial talents such as Nicolas Pepe, Amad Diallo and Wilfried Zaha.

After a disappointing Afcon title defence this winter, which was curtailed at the last-eight stage by Egypt, Ivory Coast enter their fourth World Cup finals with probably their best chance yet of making the knockout stages after three consecutive third-placed finishes between 2006 and 2014.

Caribbean island nation Curacao will appear for the first time at the global showpiece after emerging unbeaten from Concacaf qualifying.

Since becoming the smallest nation ever to make a World Cup, their momentum has stalled somewhat as Curacao crashed to consecutive defeats against China and Australia in warm-up friendlies in March.

The Blue Wave must also make their World Cup bow without the man who guided them there after veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat departed his role for family reasons and has been replaced at the Curacao helm by compatriot Fred Rutten.

Ecuador qualified for the tournament by finishing second in South American qualifying, ahead of Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia, meaning they certainly won’t be there just to make up the numbers at this extended 48-team World Cup. — AFP

NEW YORK, May 27 — United States coach Mauricio Pochettino named Giovanni Reyna in his 26-strong for the World Cup yesterday, four years after the midfielder was almost sent home from the 2022 tournament in Qatar following a bust-up with former coach Gregg Berhalter.

Borussia Monchengladbach attacking midfielder Reyna appeared as a substitute in the USA’s friendly defeats to Belgium and Portugal in March after impressing Pochettino during last November’s international window.

Reyna has played only a handful of games at club level since the turn of the year, making only eight appearances in the Bundesliga as a substitute for Monchengladbach.

However, the 23-year-old remains one of the most technically gifted attacking players available to Pochettino as the Argentine coach prepares for the USA’s World Cup Group D opener against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12.

Reyna was at the centre of an explosive controversy in Doha four years ago, when it emerged after the tournament he had almost been kicked out of the camp by then coach Berhalter over his attitude in training.

That in turn led to Reyna’s mother informing US Soccer of a physical altercation in 1991 between Berhalter and his then girlfriend, and now wife, which triggered an investigation by US Soccer.

Pochettino’s squad was announced at a roster reveal event in New York yesterday.

“I think we were seeing, analyzing, assessing all the situations and we decided the 26 players of the roster,” Pochettino told a briefing yesterday.

He added that he was seeking the “best balance in the 26” picks.

The US coach declined to comment on high-profile figures like Lyon’s Tanner Tessmann who were left out of the roster while relying heavily on the likes of Tyler Adams.

“I think we cannot talk about the players that are not in the roster, because it’s very respectful to the players that made the roster,” he said.

“I know what it means to be out of the roster, in 1994, the World Cup in the US I was out... finally I made the roster. That is why I know it’s so painful, but that is my job.”

Little suspense surrounded the event, with details of Pochettino’s selection leaking out in US media reports for several days leading up to yesterday’s formal announcement.

As expected, Europe-based players make up the bulk of Pochettino’s squad with the likes of AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic, Juventus’s Weston McKennie and Monaco’s Folarin Balogun all included alongside English Premier League players Adams (Bournemouth), Brenden Aaronson (Leeds), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace) and Antonee Robinson (Fulham).

Among the Major League Soccer players included in the roster are former coach Berhalter’s son, Sebastian, the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)

Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergino Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Alex Freeman (Villarreal/ESP), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach/GER), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO)

Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA), Gio Reyna (Borussia Monchengladbach/GER), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Tim Weah (Marseille/FRA), Alejandro Zendejas (Club America/MEX)

Forwards: Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG) — AFP

SINGAPORE, May 27 — National men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao crashed out in the first round of the Singapore Open 2026 yesterday, marking his fifth opening-round exit in six tournaments this year.

Jun Hao’s campaign came to an end after he fell to Chinese Taipei’s Lee Chia Hao 21-18, 20-22, 8-21 in a 54-minute battle at the Singapore Indoor Stadium here yesterday.

The world number 26 admitted that he lost consistency during the second set after his opponent picked up the gameplay to win the set.

“I tried to chase him in the second set but in the end, I could not get the game while in the rubber set, he (Chia Hao) was more comfortable in his game to win the match.

“I think I need to be more consistent and the coach also told me I should maintain my consistency during the game,” he told Bernama after the match.

In the women’s singles, Wong Ling Ching also suffered an early exit after losing in straight sets to Japan’s Riko Gunji, 20-22, 17-21, in 48 minutes.

The world number 34 said she was not at her best in her debut at the Super 750 tournament.

“I think overall I am not satisfied, but I tried my best in my first time here. It was quite a good experience.

“There are still a lot of areas in my skills and game plan to improve. For me, I think I am not very good at controlling the wind, and this is the most important thing I need to work on,” she said. 

Earlier, mixed doubles pair Jimmy Wong-Cheng Su Yin upset the top-seeded Chinese world number one Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping 23-21, 21-16 in 43 minutes.

Jimmy said the key to their victory was a strategy of remaining patient yet aggressive to counter the top-seeded Chinese duo’s shots.

Meanwhile, in the men’s doubles pair meet, Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai defeated Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong in straight sets 21-15, 21-17. — Bernama

PARIS, May 27 — If Paris Saint-Germain’s maiden triumph last year allowed the French club to break their Champions League hoodoo, winning the title again this season would allow them to be remembered as one of Europe’s all-time great teams.

Twelve months after crushing Inter Milan 5-0 in Munich to take the trophy with the biggest win in the final in European Cup history, PSG head to Budapest to face Premier League champions Arsenal.

Stopping Luis Enrique’s thrilling PSG side has proven impossible for everyone over the last 18 months, from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to Bayern Munich in their recent semi-final clash.

Arsenal tried, and failed, in last season’s semis, and the Parisians are the favourites to retain their title this time.

“We understand that we are the reigning champions and we can win again,” Khvicha Kvaratskhelia said in an interview with Uefa.

“Of course this will be difficult, but we’ve proved once more that we can beat any team as long as we play our way and give our all on the pitch,” added the Georgian winger, surely the best player in this season’s Champions League with seven goals and three assists in the knockout rounds.

When Luis Enrique, a Champions League winner with Barcelona in 2015, arrived in 2023, PSG were transitioning away from the era of splashing vast sums on superstar players.

Lionel Messi and Neymar left that same summer, ending underwhelming spells in the French capital. Kylian Mbappe departed a year later.

PSG had been completely transformed since the Qatari takeover of the club in 2011 but — one run to the final in 2020 and a semi-final in 2021 apart — they had become associated with frequent disappointment in the Champions League, and occasional humiliation.

Luis Enrique has overseen a radical change, completely altering perceptions of the club outwith France.

‘Keep writing history’ 

PSG were almost once seen as a little bit of a joke in Europe due to their enormous spending and lack of continental success.

Now they are taken very seriously and have won admirers for the breathtaking football played by an exciting young team, built with the transfer market nous of their “football adviser” Luis Campos and coached by Luis Enrique.

“He is a top-class coach with clear ideas. He is full of energy. He is exceptional and we hope he will stay for a very long time,” said Ousmane Dembele.

The France forward has been transformed from dazzling but often wasteful winger into a prolific striker.

He scored 35 times last season and won the Ballon d’Or. This season his minutes have been carefully managed amid numerous fitness scares, but he has still scored 19 goals and set up 11 more in just 24 starts.

Dembele, at 29, is the fourth-oldest player in the squad, behind only Fabian Ruiz, Lucas Hernandez (both 30) and 32-year-old captain Marquinhos.

The youthful energy all over the team allows them to play with a terrifying intensity that has blown away most opponents.

Things might not be so easy against Arsenal but PSG have already reached three consecutive semi-finals under Luis Enrique. Before his arrival they had got to the semis three times in their history.

Getting to consecutive Champions League finals is incredibly hard, but retaining the title is almost impossible.

Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid side that won three on the bounce from 2016-18 is the only side to have gone back-to-back in the modern Champions League era -– before them you have to go back to Arrigo Sacchi’s AC Milan in 1989 and 1990.

Within a French context, the country had only ever produced one Champions League winner before last season, with Marseille in 1993.

This is not a fairytale story for a club backed by the wealth of Qatar and with the fourth-highest revenue in world football last year according to the Deloitte Football Money League, behind only Real, Barcelona and Bayern.

But it shows they did the right thing in abandoning the old superstar project, even if plenty of their current squad -– Dembele, Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Achraf Hakimi –- should really be considered as superstars.

The true superstar now is the coach, and Luis Enrique can become just the fifth manager to win three European Cups after Carlo Ancelotti, Bob Paisley, Zidane and Guardiola.

“When I came to the club I said my objective was to make history,” he told Uefa.com

“We want to keep writing history because we feel there are still things to be achieved.” — AFP

PARIS, May 27 — Jannik Sinner powered into the second round of the French Open yesterday as his fellow world number one Aryna Sabalenka also made a winning start at Roland Garros.

Sinner needed just over two hours to beat French wildcard Clement Tabur 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 to extend his winning streak to 30 matches.

After taking all three clay-court Masters 1000 events in the run-up to Roland Garros, the 24-year-old Italian appears to have cracked the code to victory on the red dirt.

Without double-reigning champion and world number two Carlos Alcaraz in the draw, top seed Sinner is considered the runaway favourite to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires for the first time come the men’s final on June 7 and complete his career Grand Slam.

“Pressure is always going to be there,” Sinner told reporters.

“It’s normal. So I try to take it in a very natural way. I know what kind of player I am. Then, you know, if you don’t feel the pressure, it means you don’t care.

“I do care a lot about what I’m trying to achieve on a tennis court.”

He showed why he is the man to beat in the French capital with a punishing display against the world number 171, hititng 40 winners to just 21 unforced errors.

Sinner will meet Argentinian Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round.

Belarusian Sabalenka hurried through a 6-4, 6-2 win against Spanish world number 50 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro first on centre court as temperatures continued to soar through the first week of the tournament.

The only real blip for Sabalenka as she returned to winning ways on clay after a surprise early exit from the Italian Open was her failure to serve out the match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

But the four-time major winner broke in the next game to book her spot in the second round against France’s Elsa Jacquemot.

“I’d say that for me always not easy, the first rounds,” Sabalenka said. “And then, as I get further in the tournament, as I get more comfortable, my level becomes better.”

Following a wet and cold Italian Open earlier in May and similar conditions during the practice week at Roland Garros, the big-hitting 28-year-old said the scorching conditions played somewhat in her favour.

“I’d say that it was a bit warm,” she joked.

“Especially compared to the first days when I first got here, it was like 14C, like, freezing.

“Now it’s boiling hot and balls are flying, everything is much faster. But physically I feel strong, so I feel like it can benefit me.”

Gauff ‘glad’ 

Women’s defending champion Coco Gauff made short work of fellow American Taylor Townsend, kicking off her tournament with a clinical 6-4, 6-0 performance.

The fourth seed joked the heat was “nothing” as she grew up in Florida, but added: “Honestly, I felt more bad for the fans. Dang you’re watching in the heat and I hoped no one passed out. So I’m glad I finished quickly.”

Felix Auger-Aliassime claimed a fifth-set tie-break to move into the round of 64 as the Canadian narrowly avoided coming undone against Germany’s Daniel Altmaier.

Russian sixth seed Daniil Medvedev was not so fortunate, however, going down in five sets to Australian wildcard Adam Walton.

It was the seventh time in 10 French Open appearances that the former world number one has fallen in the first round.

“I know that I am in good shape and I can play well in Roland Garros. I can,” Medvedev said.

American fifth seed Jessica Pegula also departed as she went down 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 to Australia’s Kimberly Birrell.

Alexander Bublik completed the list of big-name exitees for the day as the ninth-seeded Kazakh succumbed in four sets to German Jan-Lennard Struff.

Japanese four-time former major winner Naomi Osaka got off to a winning start, beating Laura Siegemund of Germany 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).

Last year’s breakout star at Roland Garros, Lois Boisson, was unable to recreate her stunning run to the last four as she went down 6-2, 6-2 to 22nd-seeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya.

Rising US star Iva Jovic, 18, further confirmed her potential as she strolled past Alexandra Eala 6-4, 6-2 to book a clash with compatriot and former world number eight Emma Navarro, who defeated Indonesian Janice Tjen in straight sets.

Canadian teen Victoria Mboko was also victorious, needing just over an hour to beat Czech Nikola Bartunkova for the loss of only three games.

French 17-year-old Moise Kouame won his first match at his home major; an impressive 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-1 victory over 2014 US Open winner Marin Cilic of Croatia. — AFP

PARIS, May 26 — Morocco produced a historic best performance for an African and Arab nation at the 2022 World Cup, but their hopes of another run to the latter stages this time may not have been helped by a turbulent few months.

The Atlas Lions reached the semi-finals in Qatar, eliminating Spain on penalties in the last 16 and knocking out Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the quarter-finals.

Their remarkable run ended in defeat to France, before they lost the third-place play-off against Croatia.

Morocco were a surprise package then, having only previously made the knockout stage of a World Cup once, when they reached the last 16 in Mexico in 1986.

This time is different: they are ranked eighth in the world, in between the Netherlands and Belgium, and two places above Germany.

At home, supporters want to see their side play more expansive football than the largely defensive style which proved so effective in 2022.

Walid Regragui was the mastermind of Morocco’s run in Qatar, but he left the coaching job in March, six weeks after his side lost a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final to Senegal.

With home advantage, Morocco were favourites to win that competition but appeared to blow it when Brahim Diaz — their outstanding performer — failed to score a penalty deep in injury time in the final in Rabat.

Senegal were so furious at the decision to give the spot-kick that most of their players stormed off the pitch.

They eventually came back on, an unsettled Diaz had his kick saved, and Morocco lost 1-0 in extra time.

Having faced criticism from a demanding public and media, Regragui departed to be replaced by Mohamed Ouahbi.

Born and raised in Brussels, Ouahbi was promoted to the top coaching role after overseeing Morocco’s triumph at the Under-20 World Cup last October.

Days after his appointment, the Confederation of African Football stripped Senegal of the AFCON crown as a punishment for their walk-off protest, and handed the title to Morocco.

An outraged Senegal are challenging that decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and the whole affair casts a cloud over both teams as they head to the US.

They might not face each other at the World Cup, although curiously they will be based just a short distance apart in New Jersey.

‘Go all the way’ 

But Ouahbi and his team — led by Paris Saint-Germain’s brilliant right-back Achraf Hakimi, the reigning African player of the year — must try to focus solely on the challenge in store at the World Cup.

They begin with a mouth-watering clash against Brazil, before also facing Scotland and Haiti in the group phase.

“The Atlas Lions have a real and serious chance at this World Cup. The current team is more experienced and more talented than four years ago,” insists Oussama Berraoui, a Moroccan football pundit.

Morocco’s transformation into a serious player on the international stage has been achieved thanks to two main pillars.

They have a successful youth programme at the Mohammed VI academy, the national training centre just outside the capital Rabat. And they have tapped into the rich seam of talented players born in Europe with Moroccan heritage.

Hakimi is one of them. Diaz is another, and there are also Noussair Mazraoui, Bilal El Khannouss and Neil El Aynaoui.

The latest is Ayoub Bouaddi, the Lille midfielder and France Under-21 captain who has just chosen to represent his parents’ country at senior level.

“When you look at the image Morocco has around the world and the players we have, we can dream,” Ouahbi, the new coach, said in an interview with Moroccan channel Arryadia.

“This is football so we could also go out in the first round. But believe me, I think we can go all the way and win a World Cup.”

Morocco are already building towards the next World Cup in 2030, which the country will co-host with Spain and Portugal.

They want to host the final in four years’ time, in a new 115,000-seat mega-stadium under construction near Casablanca.

So they will want to feature in that final too, but they head to the US with big ambitions despite the drama of recent months. — AFP

TOKYO, May 26 — The manager of the Yomiuri Giants, one of Japan’s most popular baseball teams, resigned on Tuesday after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting his teenage daughter.

Shinnosuke Abe allegedly grabbed the 18-year-old and forced her to the floor at their home in central Tokyo on Monday evening, reported national broadcaster NHK and Kyodo News, citing unnamed police sources.

“Leaving like this really means I’m causing you a lot of trouble, and I feel truly sorry about that,” Abe told a hastily arranged new conference, his eyes red with tears.

The 47-year-old former star catcher, who is among baseball-obsessed Japan’s most recognised sports figures, had been released by police early on Tuesday, according to the reports.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police declined to comment when contacted by AFP. The team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Because of my family matters, I have caused great concern and trouble for many baseball fans, to those involved in professional baseball, and to my company,” Abe said.

“I have also tarnished the name of the manager of the long-established Giants, and I am filled with a profound desire to offer my deepest apologies,” he said.

Abe reportedly told investigators that he was trying to mediate a fight between his daughters, aged 18 and 15, Kyodo said.

He allegedly had been drinking and became furious after his older daughter talked back to him.

He was arrested at home in front of his daughters and wife, Kyodo said.

His 18-year-old daughter reported the incident to a child protective service after consulting with ChatGPT, she said in a letter read by his agent at the press conference.

In her letter, she denied media reports that she had been beaten.

“This was the first time I had such a major quarrel with my father, and after consulting ChatGPT, I learned that there was a child consultation centre where I could seek advice anonymously, so I decided to call.

“I told them I didn’t know what to do and asked for advice, but without anyone asking what I wanted or how I hoped things would be handled, it ended with the police being notified.”

She said she was “shocked” when officers arrived and she broke down in tears when her father was taken away.

“I am deeply reflecting on the fact that I caused such a commotion and that the situation became so serious. I am truly sorry,” she said.

She said she wrote the letter of her own volition, and her father said such a letter was unnecessary.

The Giants are Japan’s oldest and arguably most famous baseball team, often compared to the New York Yankees.

Giants president Toru Kunimatsu earlier issued a statement saying violence could not be tolerated. — AFP

SINGAPORE, May 26 — Malaysian national men’s double shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are confident of defending their title at Singapore Open 2026, which begins Tuesday.

The pair said they are entering this year’s competition fully prepared, following their recent upset at Malaysia Masters 2026.

“For sure that we hope that we could defend our title from last year and we are coming here with full preparation.

“Of course we would not be giving ourselves too much pressure on it and we will be going step by step,” said Aaron at a press conference here Monday.

The world number two pair will begin their Singapore Open campaign by meeting the Popov brothers of France, Christo and Toma Junior, in round one on Tuesday.

When asked about the possibility of facing Korean world number one pair, Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae in the tournament, Wooi Yik noted that they would adjust their gameplay if they meet the opponents.

He said the pair is highly anticipating a meeting against their rivals again at this year’s edition.

“We have played a lot of times against them and (noticed) the difference between us and them, there is a slight difference.

“That is one crucial part that we need to adjust from there and we hope that in this Singapore Open, if we meet them again, we will try to win against them,” he added.

Malaysia’s delegation at this year’s tournament will be led by Aaron-Wooi Yik, who return in search of back-to-back titles.

Malaysia also boast strong contenders in women’s doubles through world number two pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, mixed doubles through world number three pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, and in men’s doubles through professional pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani. — Bernama

PARIS, May 26 — Jannik Sinner will start his first bid to complete the career Grand Slam at Roland Garros on Tuesday, with Coco Gauff getting her French Open title defence under way.

World number one Sinner is the overwhelming favourite in the men’s draw in the absence of injured rival Carlos Alcaraz.

He will be hoping for a comfortable victory in his first-round tie against French wildcard Clement Tabur in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier, after a gruelling, albeit successful, clay-court season.

The Italian clinched his sixth successive Masters title at the Italian Open earlier this month, completing the set of all nine 1000-level trophies, adding to tournament wins on clay in Monte Carlo and Madrid.

Sinner will be playing at Roland Garros for the first time since his agonising loss to Alcaraz in last year’s final, in which he led by two sets and missed three championship points.

He is on a 29-match winning streak and has not lost since a defeat by Jakub Mensik in Doha in February.

“Everyone is trying to beat (me), but that’s also the most normal thing,” said Sinner.

“You need to be ready. Best-of-five matches, they are a bit different.

“It gives you a little bit more time to understand how to beat a player, and even if you have a wrong start, then potentially you can find a way in.”

Tabur will be playing in the main draw of a Grand Slam for only the second time at the age of 26, after a first-round loss to Corentin Moutet as a qualifier last year.

The world number 171 has lost all of the other six qualifying matches he has played at the majors.

Gauff faces Townsend 

Coco Gauff, the women’s fourth seed, has struggled for consistency since beating Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s title decider in Paris. — Imagn Images pic via Reuters

Gauff begins her defence of the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen against fellow American Taylor Townsend.

The women’s fourth seed has struggled for consistency since beating Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s title decider in Paris, but did reach the Italian Open final before losing to Elina Svitolina.

Gauff could reach at least the quarter-finals for a sixth successive year at Roland Garros, where she has by far her best record in Grand Slam events.

“Whenever I come to this tournament, I don’t even think about my past results here,” she said.

“It’s obviously different thinking about last year, but, I don’t know, last year feels like 10 years ago.”

Townsend won her only previous meeting with Gauff at an ITF event in Charleston seven years ago, when her opponent was a 15-year-old qualifier.

Sabalenka appeared poised to be a strong favourite for the French Open when she completed the ‘Sunshine double’ by emerging victorious at both Indian Wells and in Miami in March.

But the world number one enters Roland Garros with question marks around her form after a Madrid Open quarter-final loss to Hailey Baptiste and another shock defeat in the third round against Sorana Cirstea in Rome.

She believes she will be fresh, though, when she starts her latest tilt at a maiden French Open title, facing Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain.

“I struggled at the beginning of the clay court (season) physically, to be honest, but right now I feel 100 percent,” Sabalenka said.

“We did a great recovery. We focused on recovery and making sure that I’m healed everywhere and I’m ready to go.”

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, a potential last-16 opponent for Sabalenka, plays Laura Siegemund of Germany, while the Philippines’ Alexandra Eala faces a tough test against 17th-seeded teenager Iva Jovic. — AFP

LOS ANGELES, May 26 — The United States head into World Cup Group D with everything to prove after a turbulent build-up marked by an unconvincing run of form that saw them comfortably beaten by elite European opposition in their two most recent friendlies.

A 5-2 thrashing by Belgium in March was followed by a clinical 2-0 defeat to Portugal, giving US coach Mauricio Pochettino a sobering reality check as he attempts to plot a deep run in the tournament.

After experimenting with a wide range of players following his first game in charge in 2024, Pochettino will look to a core of experienced European-based personnel for group games against Paraguay, Australia and Turkey.

AC Milan attacker Christian Pulisic, Juventus’s Weston McKennie and Bournemouth’s Tyler Adams are among Pochettino’s key men, along with the likes of Marseille’s Tim Weah, AS Monaco’s Folarin Balogun and in-form striker Haji Wright, whose goals helped Coventry secure promotion to England’s Premier League.

It will be a major surprise if Pochettino’s team does not manage to progress out of the group, and friendly wins last year over Paraguay and Australia will fuel optimism that the Americans can reach the knockout rounds once more after qualifying for the last 16 at the 2010, 2014 and 2022 finals.

Paraguay will provide the first test for Pochettino’s men when they meet at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 12.

The South Americans are returning to the World Cup after a 16-year absence following a comfortable qualifying campaign that saw them finish level on points with Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia.

Paraguay arrive at the tournament brimming with confidence thanks to a resurgence inspired by Argentine coach Gustavo Alfaro, who took over after the team’s dismal 2024 Copa America campaign, when they failed to earn a single point.

Under Alfaro, Paraguay went on a charge in qualifying, taking 24 points from a possible 36 and scoring a notable 2-1 defeat of Argentina in the process.

Australia qualified for their sixth straight consecutive World Cup after finishing second in Asia’s Group C behind Japan.

Tony Popovic replaced Graham Arnold during qualifiers and oversaw a successful campaign that included a notable 1-0 win over Japan last year.

The Australians are aiming to emulate their class of 2022, who reached the last 16 and gave eventual champions Argentina a scare before exiting in a 2-1 defeat.

European qualifiers Turkey could well prove to be the biggest threat to US hopes of a safe passage to the knockout rounds.

The Turks are back at the World Cup after a 24-year absence, after failing to qualify for five consecutive tournaments following their memorable third place finish at the 2002 finals in South Korea and Japan.

Under the guidance of Italian manager Vincenzo Montella, Turkey lost only one game in qualifying – against European champions Spain – and booked their place in the United States with playoff wins over Romania and Kosovo.

Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu provides craft and industry in midfield, with Real Madrid’s 

talented Arda Guler a potent attacking threat. — AFP

MIAMI, May 26 — Lionel Messi remained at the heart of an injury scare only weeks before the World Cup after medical tests diagnosed him with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring, Inter Miami announced on Monday.

The Major League Soccer club’s update provided no clear timetable for the Argentine superstar’s return after his abrupt exit from Miami’s 6-4 victory over Philadelphia in the 73rd minute on Sunday.

The 38-year-old icon for the defending World Cup champions grabbed the back of his left leg and asked to come off, but appeared to be walking normally as he made his exit to the locker room.

“After undergoing further medical tests this Monday, the initial diagnosis indicates an overload associated with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring,” Inter Miami said in a statement.

“The timeline for his return to physical activity will depend on his clinical and functional progress.”

That gave precious little indication about the status of the eight-time Ballon D’Or winner as Argentina prepares to defend the crown in a World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico that kicks off June 11.

Argentina’s first match will be five days later against Algeria in Kansas City.

Messi has managed his workload since joining Inter Miami in 2023, with team staff regularly excusing him from matches in congested fixture periods.

MLS has started a break for the World Cup.

Messi has not formally confirmed he plans to play in the World Cup, but is widely expected to return for what would be a record-matching sixth appearance at the finals.

Argentina’s squad is due to be named next week and the South American giants will journey to the United States for pre-World Cup friendlies against Honduras on June 6 and Iceland on June 9. — AFP

LONDON, May 26 — From Jens Lehmann’s rush of blood to ‘Nayim from the halfway line’, Arsenal will have to banish three decades of European final misery if they are to win the Champions League for the first time.

Fresh from clinching their first English title since 2004, Mikel Arteta’s side are preparing to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest on Saturday.

Bringing home the club’s first Champions League crown just 12 days after their long-awaited Premier League triumph would make it the greatest season in Arsenal’s illustrious history.

But the Gunners head to the Puskas Arena haunted by the ghosts of past European failures.

Since Tony Adams lifted the Cup Winners Cup after Alan Smith sealed a 1-0 win over Parma in 1994, the north Londoners have endured four painful defeats in continental finals.

In 1995, they returned to the Cup Winners Cup final, losing 2-1 to Real Zaragoza in agonising fashion when Nayim caught out Arsenal keeper David Seaman with an astonishing lob from 40 yards in the last minute of extra-time.

Rubbing salt into Arsenal wounds, Nayim previously played for their arch rivals Tottenham, whose fans have celebrated the moment by chanting ‘Nayim from the halfway line’ ever since.

Five years later, Arsene Wenger took Arsenal to the Uefa Cup final, with victory expected against Galatasaray in Copenhagen.

But the Turkish underdogs frustrated Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and company in a 0-0 draw before winning 4-1 on penalties.

In 2006, Arsenal reached the Champions League final for the first time.

However, Wenger’s men left Paris in despair after their keeper Lehmann was sent off for racing out of his penalty area to foul Samuel Eto’o early in the first half.

Despite playing with 10 men, Arsenal took the lead through Sol Campbell, but late goals from Eto’o and Juliano Belletti broke their hearts.

Unai Emery has won the Europa League five times as manager of Aston Villa, Villarreal and Sevilla, but his lone defeat in the final of that tournament came with Arsenal, who were thrashed 4-1 by Chelsea in Baku in 2019.

Arsenal also lost the 1980 Cup Winners Cup final against Valencia, with their only other European silverware coming in the long-forgotten Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1970.

‘It would be unreal’

Exorcising those demons would be the crowning glory for Arteta, who has ended Arsenal’s six-year trophy drought by leading them to the club’s 14th Premier League title.

Following Sunday’s 2-1 win at Crystal Palace in their last game of the domestic season, Arteta joined Arsenal’s players and backroom staff to celebrate at a Mediterranean restaurant in London’s Mayfair on Sunday night.

The party lasted long into the night at several other celebrity hot spots, with Declan Rice seen singing the ‘Ice Ice baby’ tune that has become Arsenal fans’ anthem for their influential midfielder.

Just hours after lifting the trophy at sun-drenched Selhurst Park, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard summed up the ecstatic mood ahead of the trip to Budapest.

“Everyone is so happy. We’re living a dream, winning the Premier League and being in a Champions League final,” he said.

“Now we have a big final. If we could do it, it would be unreal.”

Arteta interrupted the revelry to keep his players focused, praising the unity in the squad and urging them to follow their title triumph by conquering Europe.

“We need that energy to flow. Going against that will be a big mistake,” the Spaniard said.

“We’ve already talked about what we have to do in Budapest, how we’re going to use all the incredible energy that we’re all carrying towards that final.

“We can’t wait to write the new chapter in the history of our club and win the Champions League.”

Holders PSG present a formidable challenge after beating Arsenal 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals last season.

But, after more than 30 years of European angst, Arteta knows immortality is within their grasp.

“If we win one more, we are the champions of Europe - as simple as that,” he said. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Datuk Nicol David’s Instagram post this week has left fans both inspired and highly entertained after the Malaysian squash legend shared photos of herself meeting former NBA giant Yao Ming in Beijing.

The eight-time world squash champion described it as “an absolute honour” to meet the Chinese basketball icon during her visit to the Chinese capital.

But while the two sports legends bonded over their shared passion for helping children through sports, social media users could not help being distracted by the dramatic height difference between the pair.

“The size difference is crazy,” wrote one commenter.

Another joked: “If you want to get someone to install a roof now, you won’t even need a ladder anymore.”

One user quipped that the squash racquet held by Yao looked like “a mosquito swatter”.

Another added: “Wow. He made that tennis racket look like a kid’s racket and u made the basketball look like a tiny one too. Lol.”

Others leaned fully into the sports puns.

“Luckily he didn’t fall over and SQUASH you,” one commenter wrote.

Despite the jokes, many also praised the meeting of two decorated athletes using their fame for a common cause.

“Two sports giants with gigantic hearts to help children of the world,” read one comment.

Yao, who stands at 2.29 metres, established the Yao Foundation in 2008 following the devastating Sichuan earthquake.

The foundation focuses on improving education, health and self-esteem among children in rural China through sports and physical education programmes.

According to Nicol, the foundation has built 28 schools and impacted about 6.7 million children so far.

The Malaysian sports icon also shared details about the Nicol David Organisation, the non-profit she co-founded in 2022 with former Colombian squash player Mariana de Reyes.

She said the organisation hopes to help transform Malaysia through sports and education while encouraging children to lead healthier and happier lives.

Nicol said the foundation is expected to impact 5,000 children this year.

“My foundation is only four years old but this year we will impact 5,000 children — one day I hope to say we have impacted millions,” she wrote.

TOKYO, May 25 — Seina Imamura became the first Japanese woman to win a domestic Grade 1 race by driving Juryoku Pierrot to victory in the Japanese Oaks.

Imamura guided three-year-old filly Juryoku Pierrot to snatch the 2,400-metre Japanese Oaks at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday by a neck in a tight finish.

“It feels like I’m still in a dream. She had the legs to go between the horses in the final straight,” said the 22-year-old Imamura, who received a huge ovation after her victory.

“I was thinking I’d be left frustrated if I were to finish second or third, and she had another gear to go to at the end.”

Imamura is one of six current Japan Racing Association woman jockeys and was riding in her first Classic.

“I’ve always thought jockeys were cool since I was small,” she said.

“Hopefully I can provide dreams and hopes with this victory.”

Imamura is the second woman to win a Grade 1 flat race in Japan after the Australia-based Briton Rachel King, who guided Costa Nova to victory in the February Stakes in 2025. — AFP

LAS VEGAS, May 25 — Juiced-up athletes narrowly failed to “beat” world records in early contests at the first-ever Enhanced Games yesterday in Las Vegas, despite using performance-enhancing drugs that have sparked health concerns.

The vast majority of the 42 sprinters, swimmers and weightlifters taking part in the divisive event are on combinations of testosterone, peptides, anabolic steroids and other substances banned by events like the Olympics.

The Games have been denounced as dangerous by athletics governing bodies, who have said they will not recognize any records set at the event.

But participants, lured by prize money of up to US$1 million (RM3.96 million) for surpassing world records, and US$250,000 for event wins, include Olympic medallist swimmers James Magnussen, Cody Miller and Ben Proud.

In the men’s 100m freestyle swim, Greece’s Kristian Gkolomeev clocked 46.60secs, just fractionally off Pan Zhanle’s world best of 46.40.

“It was very close to the world record. I really wanted to do it, but it’s OK,” said Gkolomeev.

“I felt at the end I died a little bit, but I didn’t really train for the 100 this year, definitely I will take that,” added Gkolomeev, who will also race in the 50m freestyle later yesterday.

Britain’s Emily Barclays won the women’s 50m freestyle in 24.09, around half-a-second slower than the world record.

‘Good shot’ 

Co-founder Max Martin has predicted “quite a few” world records will be unofficially “beaten.” But the first half of the event did not bear that out.

Weightlifter Beatriz Piron, who reportedly surpassed a world record in training, attempted to get the Games off with a bang with the same feat by lifting 100kg in the women’s snatch—but narrowly failed.

On the men’s side, Canada’s Boady Santavy and US lifter Wesley Kitts attempted record snatch lifts of 183kg and 197kg respectively, but fell short—despite organizers bending the rules to give each a fourth attempt.

“I hit a lot of PRs in training. Not 197 yet... Man, if I had about four more week (in training) I’d say I’d have had a good shot at it,” said Kitts.

The day’s first swimming event was won by an athlete who chose not to dope. Hunter Armstrong won the men’s 50m backstroke in 24.21sec, defeating two rivals on performance-enhancing drugs.

US swimmer Miller rolled back the years to win the 50m men’s breaststroke, telling the crowd he was delighted to shave “seven-tenths (of a second) off my personal best at 34”—though his time of 26.55 did not threaten Adam Peaty’s 25.95 world record.

Enhanced Games swimmers are also wearing the types of “supersuits” that led to many official records falling around the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but were subsequently prohibited.

Former 100m sprint champion Fred Kerley—one of the few athletes competing without drugs at the event—set the pace in the men’s heats with 9.93secs, followed by “enhanced” athlete Emmanuel Matadi on 9.95.

‘Consequences’ 

The Enhanced Games are taking place at a purpose-built $50 million arena in a Las Vegas casino parking lot, a structure to be dismantled hours after the final race.

In a marriage of sports, biohacking, politics and entertainment, billionaire Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr are among the event’s investors, while rock band The Killers will play a closing set.

Health experts warn that several of the substances could risk “life-shortening and fatal consequences,” including heart, liver and kidney issues, as so little is known about their long-term effects.

But Enhanced Games officials say all medications are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, and no expense had been spared on hiring top medical experts.

Chief medical officer Guido Pieles described the risk of the medications as “clearly there” but “really manageable.”

His team has published the percentage of athletes taking each substance, with Martin vowing that “transparency is core to our DNA.”

Yet athletes said that they are not able to disclose the specific combinations each has taken.

Parent company Enhanced sells many of the substances being taken by its athletes to the public. — AFP

MEXICO CITY, May 25 — Activists displayed images of some of Mexico’s “disappeared” people near its main football stadium yesterday, hoping to raise awareness as the country prepares to co-host the World Cup next month.

About 130,000 people have been officially recorded as missing in Mexico since 2006, when the government launched its controversial anti-drug operation.

Some experts say the real number could be even higher. In April, a United Nations report deemed the crisis so grave that it labeled it a “crime against humanity.”

Activists and families searching for their loved ones put up images of their faces near Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Sunday, where the country will kick off its World Cup campaign against South Africa on June 11.

“We are making this visible so that tourists who z to this city see that we do, in fact, have a disappearances crisis,” Vanesa Gomez, who has been searching for her daughter since last year, told AFP.

“The ball is coming home, so when will our children?” some of the activists shouted, while some spray-painted graffiti of protest slogans.

Gabriel Diaz, who is searching for his missing sister, said: “Just as the World Cup is important for Mexico City, the people who are missing should be just as important.”

Mexico expects around five million tourists to visit for the World Cup, which it is jointly hosting with the United States and Canada. — AFP

MADRID, May 25 — European champions Spain will travel to next month’s World Cup with plenty of Barcelona swagger but no-one from Real ‌Madrid after manager Luis de la Fuente named a 26-man squad on Monday built around eight players from the Catalan club.

It is the first time since 1950 that Spain will go to a World Cup without a Real Madrid ‌player in their squad, a striking absence for the 15-times Champions League winners as De la Fuente prepares to lead one of the tournament favourites.

Defenders Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal were among the Real Madrid names to miss out, leaving Barcelona to provide the spine of a team chasing Spain’s second World Cup title after their 2010 triumph in South Africa.

De la Fuente played down the absence of the club’s players, preferring to highlight those who are in the squad.

“I’m the manager and I don’t look at where the players come from. They’re national team players; I don’t look at one club or another. I don’t have the same local bias that a fan might have. All I want is for ‌these players to feel proud to represent the national team,” De la Fuente told reporters.

Barcelona’s contingent includes ⁠Joan Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Pedri, Dani ⁠Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, while seven players called up are ⁠based in the Premier League.

“Excitement is ⁠the key word. Passion,” ⁠De la Fuente said.

“The reaction of people all over Spain - adults and children alike - is that they are fully behind the national team. It is an honour for me to represent the national team.”

Arsenal provide three ⁠of Spain’s Premier League-based players in goalkeeper David Raya and midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, while Manchester City’s Rodri gives De la Fuente a commanding presence in midfield.

The coach also addressed the injury concern regarding Yamal and Nico Williams, who will arrive at the tournament nursing hamstring issues.

“We’re very relaxed. Barring any setbacks, we’ll have everyone available from the very first match. We’re in close contact with the ⁠clubs’ medical teams,” he said.

“We’ll call on them when we deem it appropriate. I’d like to reiterate that we’ll have everyone in top form and we’ll be able to enjoy watching ⁠them in the tournament.”

Spain will arrive at the World Cup carrying the confidence of their European Championship triumph ⁠in Germany two ⁠years ago, but with the weight of expectation from a passionate fanbase.

Spain squad:

Goalkeepers: Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan Garcia (Barcelona)

Defenders: Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), ‌Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)

Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City), Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal), Gavi (Barcelona), Pedri (Barcelona), Fabian Ruiz (Paris St Germain), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid)

Forwards: Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Victor Munoz (Osasuna), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Borja Iglesias (Celta) — Reuters

LIVERPOOL, May 25 — An emotional Mohamed Salah said “we put the club back where it belongs” after playing his final game for Liverpool yesterday.

A 1-1 draw at home to Brentford on the last day of the Premier League season marked the end of the Egyptian forward’s nine-year spell at Anfield.

Salah, 33, bid farewell alongside Scotland defender Andy Robertson, who also joined Liverpool in 2017.

Salah scored 257 goals for Liverpool, behind only Ian Rush (346) and Roger Hunt (285) in the club’s list of leading goalscorers.

He has also won multiple trophies at the club including the Champions League and two Premier League titles.

Liverpool’s Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah reacts with his daughter on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Brentford at Anfield in Liverpool May 24, 2026. — AFP pic

“I think I cried more than in my whole life,” Salah told Sky Sports after the Brentford match. “I’m not really an emotional guy.

“We lived our youth here, sharing everything from the beginning to the end,” said Salah of the time he shared with Robertson at Anfield. “We put this club back where it belongs.”

Robertson too made no attempt to hide his feelings, saying he felt “emotionally drained” after playing his final game for Liverpool.

‘Our family’ 

“In years to come, we know we are both welcome back to this football club. This is a big chapter in our book, but it’s not the end.

“First and foremost, we have to switch off and focus on the World Cup. I know this is our family and we’ll be welcomed back.”

Salah’s departure was announced in March after he told reporters in December his relationship with Liverpool manager Arne Slot had broken down.

And in a social media post following last week’s defeat at Aston Villa, Salah said he wanted to see a return to “heavy metal football”, referring to the approach under former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

But he still started the match against Brentford, with the names of both Salah and Robertson met with a deafening roar when introduced by the stadium announcer.

Fans hold tributes to Jordan Henderson and Liverpool’s Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah ahead of the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Brentford at Anfield in Liverpool May 24, 2026. — AFP pic

Banners in the crowd celebrated both players, one saying “Thank you legends”. Another said: “We Have Gone From Great To Glory. Salah Is Our King”.

“Brilliant as expected,” said Slot of the reception for Salah and Robertson. “Our fans always find a way of doing something special in beautiful moments and in special moments.”

Salah was the Premier League’s top scorer last season, with 29 goals, as Liverpool won the title, but his form dipped dramatically this term and he managed just seven goals in the league.

The draw with Brentford, allied to Bournemouth’s defeat by Manchester United, ensured Liverpool secured fifth position in the Premier League, guaranteeing the six-time European champions a place in next season’s Champions League.

“It’s tricky to leave Liverpool,” said Salah, adding: “It’s life. I look back and wonder if I would have wanted more than I achieved. Not really.

“We won it all. We see the love from the fans and this is the most important thing for me.

“I will be far away from here. I will be emotional every time. I hope the team stays in the position, fighting for everything.” — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz described the performances of BAM players at the 2026 Malaysia Masters as falling short of expectations.

He said excuses were no longer sufficient, and all parties involved needed to undergo a reset by focusing on fundamental aspects such as discipline, consistency, and the mentality required to compete and win at the highest level.

He added that BAM would implement improvements, including refining training approaches and strengthening focus ahead of upcoming tournaments.

“Everyone must take responsibility — players, coaches, and management. In elite sports, a big name alone is not enough. Performance must be consistent.

“Keep fighting. We are not done yet,” he said in a post on his Instagram account today.

Earlier, none of BAM’s representatives managed to reach the final of the 2026 Malaysia Masters after national men’s doubles pairs Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King were eliminated in the semi-finals on Saturday.

The outcome was in stark contrast to last year’s edition, when two Malaysian representatives — Aaron-Wooi Yik and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun in the men’s doubles event — reached the final, with Wei Chong-Kai Wun emerging as champions. — Bernama

LONDON, May 25 — Tottenham secured Premier League survival at the expense of West Ham yesterday as Pep Guardiola and Mohamed Salah bade emotional farewells to English football.

Spurs knew a draw against Everton would realistically keep them up as they had a two-point advantage over West Ham and a significantly superior goal difference.

Joao Palhinha released the mounting pressure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium just before half-time, poking home after his header thundered back off a post, before being mobbed by his teammates.

Just a few miles away, at the London Stadium, Valentin Castellano, Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson scored for West Ham in a 3-0 win against Leeds but it was too little, too late as a nervy Spurs held on to win 1-0.

“This day for us is much more than winning a game,” match-winner Palhinha told the BBC.

“A lot of people depend (for) their lives on this club. It was a tough season but I think this season can help for the future. We can take a lot from it even if we didn’t reach the level Tottenham should.”

Spurs, the ninth-richest club in the world, have enjoyed a mini-revival in recent weeks under Roberto De Zerbi, who arrived in late March as the club’s third head coach of the season.

West Ham United’s fans react in the stands after the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Leeds United at the London Stadium, in east London May 24, 2026. — AFP pic

The Hammers, who were promoted to the English top division in 2012, will join Burnley and Wolves in the Championship next season.

“We knew it was going to be difficult, it was not in our hands,” West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo said to Sky Sports.

“We did our part and we hoped for the best — it didn’t happen. We have to pass the sad moment that we are living.”

Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola reacts as he watches videos of himself during ceremonies to honour those leaving the club at the end of the season, following the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester May 24, 2026. — AFP pic

Pep farewell 

Manchester City boss Guardiola took charge at the Etihad for the final time after a decade of almost unbroken success, with newly-crowned Europa League winners Aston Villa the visitors.

The Catalan on Friday confirmed reports that he was leaving the club after 10 years in charge, with six Premier League titles and the Champions League in his huge collection of silverware.

A huge banner rippled over the heads of fans bearing a giant image of Guardiola, with the messages “Game Changer” and “History Maker”.

A supporter holds up a sign in honour of Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola during ceremonies to honour those leaving the club, including Guardiola, at the end of the season, following the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on May 24, 2026. — AFP pic

Antoine Semenyo gave the home side the lead but England’s Ollie Watkins scored twice to secure a 2-1 win and fourth spot in the table for Villa.

“In the next years, if you see me in the streets in the (United) States or Europe or somewhere and you are a Man City fan, come to me and hug me. I will need it,” Guardiola said in his post-match address to the crowd.

Elsewhere on a day of significant departures, Salah and Andy Robertson played their final game for Liverpool, who drew 1-1 against Brentford.

Deposed champions Liverpool finished fifth in the table, joining Arsenal, City, Manchester United and Aston Villa in next season’s Champions League.

Liverpool’s coaching staff and players formed a guard of honour for a tearful Salah and Robertson before they were embraced by club greats Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush.

“I think I cried more than in my whole life,” Salah told Sky. “I’m not really an emotional guy. We (with Robertson) lived our youth here, sharing everything from the beginning to the end.

“We put this club back where it belongs.”

There was a party atmosphere at Selhurst Park, where a much-changed Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy after beating Crystal Palace 2-1.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted he had had doubts after three consecutive runners-up finishes as he chased the club’s first Premier League trophy since 2004.

“That was beautiful,” he said. “Look at the joy of all of the people, they have been waiting for this for so long.

“We have had difficult moments along the way but it is all worth it when you see that kind of reaction.”

Ten-man Chelsea lost 2-1 at Sunderland, meaning that newly appointed boss Xabi Alonso will have no European football when he is at the helm next season.

Victory took Sunderland into the Europa League, alongside Bournemouth, while Brighton will be in the Conference League. — AFP

MIAMI, May 25 — Lionel Messi was at the center of an injury scare just weeks before the start of the World Cup yesterday after abruptly exiting Inter Miami’s Major League Football clash against the Philadelphia Union.

Argentina superstar Messi was substituted in the 73rd minute at a rain-soaked Nu Stadium in Miami after clutching the back of his left leg and requesting to come off.

The 38-year-old icon appeared to be walking normally as he headed straight down the tunnel after exiting the game, which Miami went on to win 6-4.

Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos said after the game it was too early to determine if Messi was injured, and suggested the Argentine’s substitution was precautionary due to the pitch conditions.

“As far as I know, we don’t have a (medical) report on that yet, but we will have one shortly,” Hoyos said after the game when asked for details of Messi’s condition.

“He was genuinely suffering from fatigue in that regard — it is indeed fatigue.

“He was tired; the pitch was heavy and when in doubt, the standard approach is always to ensure you don’t take any risks.”

Inter Miami’s Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi leaves the field during the Major League Football (MLS) regular season football match between Inter Miami CF and Philadelphia Union at Nu Stadium in Miami May 24, 2026. — AFP pic

Messi’s Inter Miami team-mate Mateo Silvetti was unable to shed any light on his compatriot’s condition.

“I’m just as in the dark as everyone else,” Silvetti said. “At that moment, we were all focused on the match. I didn’t know if it was an injury or if he was simply tired.

“We’re hoping it turns out to be nothing serious. Given his mindset and everything else, we’re going to wish him the very best.”

Messi has carefully managed his workload since joining Inter Miami in 2023, with team staff regularly excusing him from games during particularly congested fixture periods.

He has spent multiple stints on the sidelines in the past few years due to problems with his hamstring, which caused him to miss parts of Miami’s pre-season campaign earlier this year.

Any significant injury to the eight-time Ballon D’Or winner, though, would deal a huge blow to Argentina’s hopes of defending their World Cup crown in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The tournament kicks off in Mexico City on June 11, with Argentina due to play their opening game against Algeria in Kansas City five days later.

Inter Miami’s game on Sunday was the last before MLS takes a break ahead of the World Cup.

Messi has not formally confirmed he plans to play in the World Cup, but is widely expected to return for what will be a record-equalling sixth appearance at the finals.

Argentina’s squad is due to be named next week, and the South American giants will head to the United States shortly afterwards for pre-World Cup friendlies against Honduras in Texas on June 6, followed by a game against Iceland on June 9. — AFP

LONDON, May 25 — Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes set a new outright record of 21 assists in a single Premier League season when he set up Patrick Dorgu’s goal against Brighton yesterday.

The match, on the final day of the Premier League campaign, was still goalless when Dorgu powered in a 33rd-minute header from Fernandes’s corner at the Amex Stadium.

Dorgu’s goal gave Fernandes sole possession of a record he had shared with Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, both of whom managed 20 assists in a Premier League season.

And after Bryan Mbeumo had doubled United’s lead, Portugal midfielder Fernandes made it 3-0 in the 48th minute with his ninth league goal of the season — a low shot drilled into the bottom corner from Dorgu’s pass.

Fernandes has been a key figure for United this term, with the Red Devils rallying under Michael Carrick to rise to third place and so secure qualification for next season’s Champions League.

The assist record was another individual honour for Fernandes, coming just a day after he was named the Premier League Player of the season. He had already won the equivalent football writers’ award.

“I want collective awards more than anything,” said Fernandes last week. “But knowing that your job is being recognised by many people, a lot of players came out and said I was player of the season, for that I am very grateful.” — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — National men’s doubles pair, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, will miss two upcoming Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour tournaments, namely the Singapore Open starting tomorrow and the Indonesia Open on June 2.

Head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi said the decision was made as Wei Chong has yet to fully recover from a knee injury.

“Wei Chong’s leg has not fully healed, and he is still recuperating.

“For the time being, he is not ready for tournaments, so they will skip the Singapore and Indonesia Opens,” he said recently.

Herry added that he and the player are expected to meet a doctor soon to obtain a clearer assessment of the injury.

Last week, Wei Chong-Kai Wun also withdrew from the Malaysia Masters due to Wei Chong’s knee problem. — Bernama

PARIS, May 25 — Novak Djokovic battled from behind to keep his dream of winning a 25th major crown at Roland Garros alive, while Alexander Zverev enjoyed a more comfortable first-round victory as the clay-court Grand Slam got underway yesterday.

Lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for a fourth time would send the 39-year-old Djokovic clear as the player with the most major titles in the history of the sport.

Djokovic’s last Grand Slam title came at the US Open in 2023, and with double-defending Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz missing through injury, he knows this is a big chance to seal that elusive quarter century of crowns.

But that dream looked in jeopardy in his opening match against the big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who was playing in front of a vocal home support in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The Serb had to deploy all of his expertise as a returner to finally find a way to break the 2.01-metre Mpetshi Perricard’s serve as he fought back to win 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 in just under three hours on court.

“The match, it was very challenging, obviously mentally,” Djokovic told reporters after making a record 82nd appearance at a major.

“First set, zero chance on him serving. It’s one of the most tremendous serves in terms of precision and speed that I have ever faced in my career.

“Obviously, the crowd gets into it and you feel the pressure even more. All in all, it was a good match to be part of.

“Three hours, just what the doctor ordered at age 39.”

After struggling with a shoulder issue that caused him to miss the vast majority of the clay-court swing, Djokovic’s victory over the former world number 29 was his first on the red dirt in 2026.

He will meet another Frenchman in Valentin Royer in the second round after the world number 74 beat Bolivian qualifier Hugo Dellien.

‘Thoughts to Ukraine’ 

Under a blazing sun earlier in the day, German second seed Zverev eased past France’s Benjamin Bonzi 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

The 29-year-old said it was “always nice to start with a straight-sets win”, and he will doubtless have been glad to spend as little time on court as possible with the thermometer going past 30C in the French capital.

The only blip for Zverev in an otherwise polished performance was conceding a break of serve in the second frame against the world number 95 but he swiftly righted course to claim that frame.

He will next face Czech Tomas Machac, who earlier beat Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.

Karen Khachanov of Russia also advanced into the second round with a straight-sets win over French wild card Arthur Gea.

Czech 26th seed Jakub Mensik made similarly short work of another French invitee, Titouan Droguet, as the 20-year-old strolled through 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Brazilian 19-year-old Joao Fonseca put on a clinical display to see off hometown qualifier Luka Pavlovic without dropping a set.

Taylor Fritz, the seventh seed, again suffered another early exit from Roland Garros as the American went down 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (9/11), 6-1 to his 148th-ranked compatriot Nishesh Basavareddy.

Former French Open winner Barbora Krejcikova was another high-profile departee as the world number 41 was eliminated 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 by American 26th seed Hailey Baptiste.

She was joined in exiting Roland Garros by fellow former major winners Emma Raducanu and Sofia Kenin.

Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk earned her 12th consecutive win on clay as she eased past Oksana Selekhmeteva, who was born in Russia but obtained Spanish nationality four days ago, 6-2, 6-3.

The Madrid Open champion then revealed that her family home in Kyiv was nearly struck by a Russian missile during a massive bombardment of the Ukrainian capital earlier on Sunday.

“This morning, 100 metres from my parents’ house, a missile fell,” the 15th seed said.

“All my thoughts and all my heart was to the people of Ukraine today. My biggest example are Ukrainian people today.”

Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic opened play on Court Philippe Chatrier with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus.

Russian teenager and eighth seed Mirra Andreeva navigated her way past 181st-ranked Fiona Ferro of France in straight sets. — AFP

MONTREAL, May 25 — Delighted Lewis Hamilton rolled back the years yesterday to finish second for Ferrari in the Canadian Grand Prix then declared Circuit Gilles Villeneuve his favourite track in the world.

The seven-time champion claimed his best result since joining Ferrari last year, his second podium of the season and the 104th podium of his career.

“I am so happy,” he said. “I have to say a huge thank you to my team here. These guys have welcomed me with open arms.

“It has been really tough over the past year and a bit, so to finally find our sweet spot and have a good weekend... it’s an amazing feeling.

“We’ve got an amazing crowd here. I love this track and I can’t wait to come back.”

Hamilton, 41, claimed his maiden F1 victory in the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix and shares the record of seven wins at the circuit with Ferrari great Michael Schumacher.

Buoyed by his strong drive and result, he was optimistic for the future and encouraged Ferrari to believe they can chase down the pace-setting Mercedes team.

Ferrari’s British driver Lewis Hamilton waves from the podium as he celebrates his second place at the conclusion of the 2026 Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada, on May 24, 2026. — AFP pic

In yesterday’s race, Italian teen Kimi Antonelli won for Mercedes to extend his lead ahead over team-mate George Russell to 43 points in the drivers’ title race.

“It’s definitely encouraging, given that this weekend, Mercedes brought a big upgrade here,” said Hamilton.

“A lot of people brought them here — we brought our big one in Miami and the team are working really hard back at the factory so hopefully we’ve got some things on the way.

“Considering this is a really straight circuit and we just managed to hold on and get this result, it definitely gives me high hopes for what’s ahead, but we’ve got to keep pushing and keep trying to extract more.”

After saying he felt he had been unable to perform and experienced one of the worst weekends of his career, Charles Leclerc came home fourth for Ferrari, but admitted he had no confidence in his car.

“I just couldn’t get the tyres working in the window and there is no one to blame for that except me,” he said. “Lewis did a great job and showed the potential we have in our car.” — AFP

MONTREAL, May 24 — Max Verstappen returned to the Formula One podium for the first time ‌this season yesterday but the Red Bull driver, third in Canada, left no doubt about his unhappiness with new rules he considers to be ‌anti-racing. The four times world champion, 28, had said on Saturday it would not be “mentally doable” for him to continue beyond this season if the sport backtracked on agreed rule changes for 2027.

The latest hybrid power units are now split roughly 50-50 between combustion power and electric but the changes would make that more like 60-40, allowing for more flat-out racing and less energy management.

Verstappen, who has been one of the foremost critics of the existing rules, ‌told Sky Sports television that the tweak would be “the very minimum” ⁠acceptable. “The thing is of course I ⁠know how pure other motorsports can feel ⁠like,” said the Dutch driver, ⁠who competed ⁠in the Nuerburgring 24 Hours endurance race in between races in Miami and Canada.

“So then when you come back to this, it’s just ⁠not very nice.

“I don’t want to be too negative now after a race like this but I know what it feels like to drive pure racing cars and pure overtakes, pure racing and just natural driving. This is all, especially qualifying, very anti-driving, ⁠anti-racing.

“And that’s not what Formula One should be about.”

Verstappen said a 60-40 split would naturally help the situation.

On Thursday, he had ⁠told reporters the agreed 60-40 changes would boost his chances of staying ⁠in the ⁠sport.

“I always wanted to continue anyway, but I always wanted to see change. And I think the change that’s coming now is definitely very, ‌very positive — or at least, almost back to normal,” he said then, before reports of some manufacturers having doubts. — Reuters

MONTREAL, May 25 — Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli continued his spectacular early-season romp yesterday when he claimed his fourth straight win for Mercedes to extend his lead in the drivers world championship to 43 points in a thrilling Canadian Grand Prix.

His win made him the first driver in F1 history to secure his first four wins in succession thanks, in part, to the retirement of team-mate George Russell with a power failure after the pair had battled through the first half of the race.

The 19-year-old Italian came home 10.768 seconds clear of Ferrari’s seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

The Briton secured his tenth Canadian podium and the 204th of his career after resisting four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who claimed his first podium of the season.

“It was a really fun battle with George,” said Antonelli.

“We were pretty much on the limit. It was not easy today. It was a shame for George to have the failure because it would have been a very cool battle, but I’ll take it.”

Hamilton, who took his maiden victory in Montreal in 2007 and shares the record of seven wins there with Michael Schumacher, was delighted and hugged Antonelli who succeeded him at Mercedes.

“Finally, we found our sweet spot and had a good weekend. It’s amazing to be back up here and I got to have a battle with Max, which was great. I am so happy, I love this track,” said Hamilton.

“I had some cool battles,” said Verstappen. “It is better to race up front. And it is really cool to have our first podium and to battle with Lewis. All really positive.”

Charles Leclerc came home fourth for Ferrari ahead of Isack Hadjar in the second Red Bull, Franco Colapinto of Alpine and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson. Pierre Gasly was eighth for Alpine ahead of Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Oliver Bearman of Haas.

McLaren misery 

It was a dismal day for champions McLaren who made an error in tyre selection pre-race and then saw Oscar Piastri finish 11th while world champion Lando Norris retired with a gearbox failure.

The race began in cold, damp and drizzly conditions with a temperature of 12 degrees and the teams divided on tyre choice.

Both McLarens and five others gambled on intermediates while Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and five others chose softs and four picked mediums.

At the start, Arvid Lindblad failed to find a gear, leading to an aborted start and two extra formation laps before the lights went out — and Norris from third flew past a cautious-starting Russell on pole to snatch the lead.

Norris led and then pitted to ditch his ‘inters’ as did Piastri and the rest while Antonelli inherited the lead, chased by a recovered Russell and Hamilton.

Russell forced his way past Antonelli at the back chicane on lap six, where the young Italian skated across a run-off to rejoin. It set up a thrilling battle at the head of the field.

At the front, Antonelli regained the lead on lap 12, briefly, but it was clear the young Italian had the pace to hound, if not pass, the Briton as they delivered a riveting spectacle of wheel-to-wheel racing.

Antonelli tried to pass Russell on lap 19, but was rebuffed. They scrapped again on lap 21 before Antonelli retook the lead on lap 22 at the chicane.

Two laps later, he locked up and Russell regained the lead before they banged wheels again, the precocious Italian stealing in front at the hairpin, but he went off. He handed the place back.

As they scrapped, Piastri was handed a 10-second penalty for colliding with Alex Albon’s Williams, another blow on a wretched weekend for McLaren before, on lap 30, Russell pulled up and retired with a power-unit failure.

It was Russell’s first ‘did not finish’ in 38 races since the 2024 British Grand Prix.

“Everything went off, the engine and the electronics. The lot,” said Russell. “I’m lost for words.”

A Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed with Antonelli back in the lead before pitting, like the rest, for mediums. On resumption, he led from Verstappen by 4.5 seconds with Hamilton third ahead of Hadjar and Leclerc.

With Russell gone, it was back to ‘normal’ racing — and Hamilton’s pursuit of a podium — spiced up by Leclerc taking fourth and more McLaren misery on lap 40 when Norris retired with a gearbox issue. — AFP

LONDON, May 25 — Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy after celebrating their first game as champions with a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace yesterday.

Mikel Arteta’s side clinched their first English title for 22 years on Tuesday when second-placed Manchester City drew at Bournemouth.

In action for the first time since the celebrations of their long-awaited triumph, the Gunners took the lead through Gabriel Jesus late in the first half at Selhurst Park.

Noni Madueke scored Arsenal’s second goal after the interval to ensure the champions ended the league campaign with 26 wins from 38 games.

Since losing at City on April 19 in a game that appeared to have tilted the balance of power in their rivals’ favour, Arsenal have reeled off five successive league victories to finish seven points above Pep Guardiola’s team.

Once the match was over, the main event could take place as Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard got his hands on the trophy after medals were presented to Arteta and his squad.

Red confetti and fireworks exploded into the air as he hoisted the silverware, while Arsenal’s stars sprayed champagne in front of thousands of Gunners fans in the Arthur Wait Stand.

Arteta was tossed into the air by his players, while Arsenal’s United States-based owner Stan Kroenke and his son Josh had carried the trophy onto the pitch for the presentation ceremony.

Those ecstatic supporters kept the party going, singing songs of praise for the champions, waving inflatable replicas of the trophy and joining the players in a rendition of club anthem ‘North London forever’.

Raising the trophy away from the Emirates Stadium couldn’t detract from the glorious moment for Arteta and his players, who will display the silverware to many more of their adoring fans at a parade in north London on May 31.

Now Arteta’s men will turn their attention to their bid to win the Champions League for the first time in the final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30.

Winning the title was good enough but bringing home the Champions League as well would make this Arsenal’s greatest season.

Guard of honour 

Arteta made a host of changes ahead of the final in Budapest, leaving Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Gabriel Magalhaes, Eberechi Eze, David Raya and Viktor Gyokeres on the bench.

Arsenal forward Max Dowman became the youngest ever player to start a Premier League match at 16 years and 144 days, surpassing the previous record set by Jose Baxter, aged 16 years and 198 days old, in 2008.

Palace boss Oliver Glasner also rested several of his key players prior to Wednesday’s Uefa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano.

Arsenal were given a guard of honour by Palace’s players when they emerged onto the pitch before responding to Arteta’s demand that they play with “new standards” befitting their status as champions.

On a blazing hot afternoon in south London, Jesus hit the post in the fifth minute and shot straight at Palace keeper Dean Henderson from a good position soon afterwards.

Jesus broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute, converting the trickiest of his three chances.

Gabriel Martinelli slipped a deft pass towards Jesus and the striker drilled a low drive past Henderson at his near post.

Madueke bagged Arsenal’s second goal in the 48th minute and fittingly it came from a corner.

Arsenal’s set-piece prowess has been the calling card of their campaign and once again they crafted a perfect dead ball goal as Kai Havertz headed back to Madueke, who volleyed home from just inside the area.

Jean-Philippe Mateta reduced the deficit with an 89th minute header, but Arsenal’s celebrations were all that mattered. — AFP

PARIS, May 24 — The French Open gets under way today, with Jannik Sinner an overwhelming favourite to lift the men’s title for the first time and Coco Gauff defending her women’s crown.

Here, AFP Sport takes a look at the pick of the first-round matches at Roland Garros (x denotes seeding):

Novak Djokovic (SRB) v Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (FRA)

Djokovic has not been given an easy start to his bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.

The 39-year-old, tied with Margaret Court on 24 major triumphs since winning the 2023 US Open, faces big-hitting Frenchman Mpetshi Perricard in round one.

Djokovic has played only two tournaments since losing the Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, but is confident he can still challenge again in Paris, where he reached the semi-finals last year.

“If I’m able to somehow maintain that level of freshness and progress, and then I feel like I have always a very good chance,” he said.

Mpetshi Perricard is a former top-30 player who has slipped to 80th in the rankings after injury problems.

“No matter what happens at the end of the match, it’s going to bring a lot to my game. So I’m very excited. I’m very happy that I have this opportunity,” Mpetshi Perricard said of facing Djokovic for the first time.

Hugo Gaston (FRA) v Gael Monfils (FRA)

Monfils will hang up his racquet at the end of the season and is waving goodbye to his home Grand Slam.

The 39-year-old reached the last four in Paris in 2008, one of his two major semi-final appearances.

Monfils has only lost in the first round twice in his previous 18 French Open appearances.

He will be taking on fellow wildcard Gaston for the first time.

Taylor Townsend (USA) v Coco Gauff (USA)

Gauff starts her title defence against Taylor Townsend, facing her fellow American for the first time since 2019.

The fourth seed clinched her second Grand Slam title with a battling victory over world number one Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s final.

“Whenever I come to this tournament, I don’t even think about my past results here. It’s obviously different thinking about last year, but last year feels like 10 years ago,” said Gauff.

Townsend won their previous meeting at an ITF event in Charleston seven years ago, when Gauff was a 15-year-old qualifier.

Emerson Jones (AUS) v Iga Swiatek (POL)

Swiatek’s three-year reign as Roland Garros champion was brought to an end last year by Sabalenka in the semi-finals.

The four-time winner is hoping to regain her crown in her first Grand Slam tournament since linking up with coach Francisco Roig, who spent many years as part of the team of 14-time men’s champion Rafael Nadal.

First up, Swiatek faces Australian 17-year-old Jones, playing at a first Grand Slam outside her home country.

Iva Jovic (USA) v Alexandra Eala (PHI)

Time moves fast in tennis and last year’s rising star Eala is the comparative veteran in her opening match of the 2026 edition as the 21-year-old prepares to take on American teenager Jovic.

After a breakthrough season, 18-year-old Jovic is the 17th seed in Paris and will have designs on bettering her quarter-final run from the Australian Open in January.

As for world number 38 Eala, she has somewhat struggled so far in her short career on the Grand Slam stage and will be keen to lay down a marker early in the French capital. — AFP

PARIS, May 24 — Novak Djokovic’s road to No. 25 starts now as Roland Garros gets under way will headline the opening day of Roland Garros today as the 24-time Grand Slam champion begins his latest tilt at history.

Lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for a fourth time would send the 39-year-old clear as the player with the most major titles.

Djokovic’s last Grand Slam title came at the US Open in 2023, and every subsequent major has been claimed by tennis’ two new dominant forces —Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

With double-defending champion Alcaraz missing through injury, Djokovic will enter his first-round match in the night session on Stade Philippe Chatrier against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard knowing this may well be his best chance of claiming a record-breaking 25th crown.

“It’s been a lot of hours spent on the court and trying to perfect the game and the body and enable myself physically and game-wise to be ready for best of five (sets),” Djokovic told reporters Friday of his preparations as he returns from a shoulder issue.

“Let’s see. I don’t know whether that’s going to be the case for the entire tournament, however long that tournament will be for me.

“But Grand Slams have been, and I have said this many times, always the priority list, particularly in the last couple of years... So I can’t wait to get on a court and start competing.”

The third-seeded Serb enters the tournament with little match practice on clay after only competing in the Italian Open, where he was eliminated in his opening match earlier this month.

Djokovic is a different beast when it comes to Grand Slams. Despite his reduced participation in ATP tournaments in recent years, he has nonetheless reached at least the semi-finals at each of the past five majors.

He has, however, been handed a tough draw in the French capital.

First on the menu is former world number 29 Mpetshi Perricard, who, in addition to having one of the biggest serves on the tour, will also enjoy raucous home backing on Roland Garros’ centre court.

Second seed Alexander Zverev will also be in action on the opening day as the German faces home hope Benjamin Bonzi.

Rising stars Joao Fonseca of Brazil and Czech Jakub Mensik will both open their bids on Court Simonne Mathieu.

‘Never tricky’ 

Russia’s Mirra Andreeva will be the highest-ranked woman playing today. The eighth seed meets French wildcard Fiona Ferro on Philippe Chatrier.

“Of course it’s never tricky to play a French player, especially in Paris,” Andreeva joked.

“Because obviously the crowd is gonna support her as much as they can, and that’s totally okay. I mean, I have some experience even from last year when I played quarters, so I pretty much know what to expect.”

Last year, the 19-year-old stormed through to the last eight before falling to French sensation Lois Boisson in a match in which Andreeva received a warning from the umpire for blasting the ball into the crowd.

Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic will open play for the tournament on Philippe Chatrier against Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus.

Former Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin, Barbora Krejcikova and Emma Raducanu all start their French Open campaigns too.

Lilli Tagger of Austria, the 2025 junior champion who has drawn comparisons to four-time Roland Garros winner Justine Henin for her elegant single-handed backhand, will make her bow in the senior draw on court nine against Chinese 32nd seed Wang Xinyu. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — National professional men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Mohd Rumsani admitted that their opponents’ superior gameplay was among the reasons for their defeat to the Danish duo, Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard, in the Malaysia Masters 2026 final today.

Nur Izzuddin said that their opponents put on an excellent performance and piled on continuous pressure from the start to the end of the match.

“Uh, I think the opponents played very well today. They really put pressure on us from the start of the game until the end,” he told reporters after the match.

At the same time, Nur Izzuddin also admitted that a factor in their defeat today was that their opponents had successfully read the duo’s gameplay, making it difficult for them to make tactical adjustments.

“Nothing else, I feel the opponents had definitely read our game, so we were slow to make changes,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sze Fei opined that the aspects of serving and receiving need to be improved ahead of their next tournament.

“I think in terms of service and receiving, I feel that is the part we need to do better in,” he said.

Nur Izzuddin added that their main focus moving forward is to regain their physical and mental fitness levels, given that they do not have much time to prepare for the Singapore Open.

“The most important thing for us right now is recovery, because we don’t have much time. So, the focus is on mental and physical (recovery),” he said.

Earlier, Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin missed out on their first title of the season after succumbing to a straight-set defeat of 21-16, 21-17 to the Danish pair in 42 minutes. — Bernama

PARIS, May 24 — The French Open started today under a blazing sun as panama-hatted fans streamed into Roland Garros, which felt more Riviera than claycourt grind as alleys echoed with a violin rendition of Coldplay’s Viva la Vida and other soft-rock staples.

With temperatures expected to exceed 30°C, play began at 0900 GMT (1100 local time).

Russian Karen Khachanov, seeded 13, was taking on French hope Arthur Gea on Court Suzanne Lenglen an hour before 11th-seeded Swiss Belinda Bencic opens proceedings on Court Philippe Chatrier against Sinja Kraus of Austria.

The claycourt Grand Slam suffered two major withdrawals as twice champion Carlos Alcaraz pulled out last month with a wrist injury and much-hyped local favourite Arthur Fils also withdrew injured yesterday.

Italian Jannik Sinner, the world number one, is the heavy favourite in the men’s draw, while the women’s draw seems wide open.

Serbian Novak Djokovic, chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, opens his campaign against big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard later today.

Russian eight seed Mirra Andreeva will be the highest seeded woman in action when she takes on French wildcard Fiona Ferro. — Reuters