Oct. 13, 2020 Third bout in doubt British WBC world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury said he has “moved on” from facing Deontay Wilder for a third time in December and 11 will instead be “coming home” to fight, BBC reported. Sports beat Mali game ‘a real test’ for for NBA title with LeBron MVP , Skocic says

Sports Desk

Iran’s head coach Dragan Skocic said the friendly encounter against Mali would be “a real test” for his team. The Asian powerhouse will take on the African side in Anta- lya, Turkey, today – in what will be the Croatian’s second match IRNA on Iran’s bench. Skocic’s men beat Uzbekistan 2-1 in Tashkent last Thursday – courtesy of a Sardar Azmoun’s long-range effort and a spot-kick converted by with Eldor Shomu- rodov scoring a consolation for the host. Mali, meanwhile, beat Ghana 3-0 on Friday. Stade Rennais fullback Hamari Traoré scored a brace before RB Leipzig’s Amadou Haidara’s strike. “Mali, along with Senegal and Nigeria, are the best teams in Africa, so it will be a real test for us. Almost all of their players play in European clubs,” former San’at Naft Abadan manager said. The Croatian believes the most significant aspect of today’s game will be the “physical challenge” of playing against an African side. Mali’s squad, however, has reportedly been hit hard by COVID-19 as manager Mohamed Magassouba has only 15 players at his disposal for the match. Skocic’s team is preparing for the remainder of its 2022 World Cup qualification campaign. Iran stands third in Group C of the Asian qualifiers with six points, trailing Iraq and Bahrain by five and three points, respectively, albeit with a game in hand. Eight group winners plus four best runners-up will progress to the final round of qualifiers. Persepolis to start Persian Gulf DOUGLAS P. DEFELICE/GETTY IMAGES The Los Angeles Lakers players celebrate with the NBA trophy after beating the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the finals in Orlando, Florida, US, on October 11, 2020.

he Los Angeles Lakers ended a decade-long wait for a then a three-time NBA champion – from the Cleveland Cava- Pro League title defense at Saipa 17th NBA title as they beat the Miami Heat 106-93 to liers. Tseal a 4-2 series victory. That was followed by the signing of Davis in June 2019, with Sports Desk begin its campaign at Zob Ahan , with Tractor, The Finals’ Most Valuable Player (MVP) LeBron James whom James teamed up in a partnership that quickly clicked. in ’s league debut, playing Naft posted a triple double – scoring 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 They led the Lakers to the top of the Western Conference, and Persepolis will kick off the defense of its Persian Gulf Masjed Soleyman in . assists – with both Anthony Davis and Rajon Rondo adding 19 ultimately to the very top of the NBA. Pro League title against Saipa at Shahr-e Qods Stadium Foolad will then host Esteghlal on matchday two in points, BBC Sport reported. James becomes the first player in NBA history to be named on October 31. ’s Foolad Arena, and Sepahan will play at Trac- Victory ties the Lakers with the for the most Finals MVP with three different teams (Lakers, Cavaliers and The full draw for the Iranian league was announced tor the following weekend. NBA championships. Heat). Now with four MVPs to his name, he trails only Mi- on Monday as 16 teams learned their fate for the 20th The highly-anticipated derby will see archri- “It means a lot to represent this franchise,” said James. chael Jordan, who won six. edition of the competition. vals Persepolis and Esteghlal battling it out on match- “I told [Lakers president] Jeanie [Buss] when I came here that “Thinking I have something to prove fuels me,” said James. I was going to put this franchise back in the position where it “No matter what I’ve done in my career up to this point, there’s belongs. still little rumblings of doubt, com- “We just want our respect. Rob paring me to the history of the [Pelinka] wants his respect, coach game... ‘Has he done this, has he [Frank] Vogel wants his respect, done that?’ our organization wants its respect, “Having that in my head, saying Lakers nation wants its respect. to myself why not still have some- “And I want my respect too.” thing to prove, I think it fuels me.” ‘Kobe proud of us’ From wilderness to winners Victory for the Lakers also Before this season the Lakers comes in a year in which they lost had failed to reach the playoffs one of their greats – . for six consecutive years and their The five-time NBA champion, long-awaited success comes after who spent his entire career with the a campaign like no other. Lakers and led them to their last The NBA Finals would have NBA title in 2010, was killed in a been done and dusted in the spring helicopter crash in January along- but for the global spread of coro- MIKE EHRMANN/AFP side his daughter Gianna. navirus that shut the season down Lakers’ LeBron James (C) dunks during a Game 6 victory On several occasions during the over the Heat in the NBA Finals in Orlando, Florida, US, on on March 11, hours after it was October 11, 2020. playoffs, the Lakers have compet- declared a pandemic and several ed in ‘Black Mamba’ jerseys – a players tested positive for the virus. strip themed on Bryant’s self-styled nickname. The season eventually re-started on July 31, but with no fans “Ever since the tragedy, all we wanted is to do it for him, and courtside. Played behind closed doors at Walt Disney World in we didn’t let him down,” said Davis. FARS NEWS AGENCY Florida, players entered a bio-secure bubble – which the Lakers “It would have been great to do it in the last game in his jer- will now leave after more than 90 days away from friends and seys, but it made us come down even more aggressive, even Also on the first day of the new season, Esteghlal, day eight, after ’s men take on family. more powerful on both ends of the floor, to make sure we closed under new manager Mahmoud Fekri, will face newly- Sepahan at the . The Lakers last won an NBA title in 2010 and the six years it down tonight. promoted side Mes Rafsanjan, while Amir Qalenoei The full dates and kickoff times of the league fix- they failed to reach the playoffs starkly illustrated their fall from “I know he’s looking down on us proud of us. I know Vanessa will have a reunion with former club Sepahan when tures are yet to be released by the Iran Football Federa- grace. [Bryant] is proud of us, the organization is proud of us. It means his new team Golgohar Sirjan hosts the Isfahan-based tion’s League Organization. The low point came in the 2015-2016 season, when they a lot to us.” side. Before the league gets underway Persepolis and managed just 17 wins and suffered 65 defeats. Lakers president Buss added: “To Lakers nation, we have ’s Foolad Khuzestan, which stole Hazfi Cup champion Tractor will play the Iranian Su- Change was on its way though, with firing and hiring at man- been through a heartbreaking tragedy with the loss of our be- the headlines with a third-spot finish last season, will per Cup match on October 26. agement level followed by the blockbuster arrival of James – loved Kobe Bryant and Gianna.” Age just a number for Nadal, Federer and Djokovic

Rafael Nadal’s 13th French Open 7-5 win over Djokovic in the Ro- “In terms of these records, of which cost him the chance to be- comfortably in his sights. was hailed as “one of sport’s land Garros final allowed him to course I care. For me it means a lot come the first man since Rod La- The iron-grip on the Slams of greatest achievements” by close join the Serb in winning majors to share this number with Roger. ver in 1969 to win all four majors Nadal, Djokovic and Federer is friend and rival Roger Federer, in three different decades. “But let’s see what’s going on twice, he believes the 20-Slam another source of frustration for but for tennis’s flagging chasing The 34-year-old Spaniard in- when we finish our careers. We mark can be bettered. the young pretenders who have pack, it was another dagger in the sists that he won’t become ob- keep playing. I don’t know what “If I thought it was too late I constantly come up short. heart of their ambitions. sessed with ending his career as can happen in the future.” would have ended my career to- From Federer’s first Slam tri- Nadal, who has now gone level the all-time greatest Slam winner. day,” the world number one told umph at Wimbledon in 2003, 57 with Federer on 20 career Grand “I would love to finish my ca- Iron grip of ‘Big Three’ Serbian media after his seventh of the 69 majors have been won Slams, has won six since turning reer being the player with more loss in eight meetings with Nadal by the ‘Big Three’. 30, AFP reported. Grand Slams,” he said after win- Federer, who missed the US in Paris. Only six finals have failed to World number one Novak ning his 100th match at Roland Open and Roland Garros to recov- “Myself, Nadal, Federer have feature at least one of them. Djokovic has captured five of his Garros against just two losses in er from knee surgery, believes that been written off many times but we The most recent even carries 17 since leaving his 20s while 15 years. he and Nadal have “pushed each keep coming back and proving that an asterisk as Dominic Thiem’s even Federer, now 39, claimed “But I’m not going to be think- other to become better players.” we are still the best in the world.” win over Alexander Zverev at the four after his 30th birthday. ing all the time Novak has this one, Nadal is the oldest Roland “My goals remain the same – US Open last month came after They are statistics which il- Roger is winning the other one. Garros champion since Andres the historic number one ranking Nadal and Federer opted not to CLIVE BRUNSKILL/GETTY IMAGES lustrate even more starkly how “You can’t be always unhappy Gimeno in 1972. and Grand Slam titles.” play and Djokovic was defaulted. Novak Djokovic (L) gives Rafael Nadal a pat on the shoulder during the big the gap remains between the because your neighbor has a big- Djokovic, at 33, is the young- Djokovic started his 289th week Until Sunday, that was French Open men’s singles trophy presentation in Paris, France, on sport’s ‘Big Three’ and the rest. ger house than you or a bigger est of the three giants of the sport. as world number one on Monday Djokovic’s only loss of 2020 October 11, 2020. Nadal’s staggering 6-0, 6-2, boat or has a better phone. Despite his loss on Sunday, with Federer’s all-time high of 310 compared to 37 wins.