BASKETBALL | Page 5 RUGBY | Page 6 NBA’s Jokic Prop Kepu to shines as end Wallabies Serbia crank career aft er up WC assault World Cup Tuesday, September 3, 2019 FOOTBALL Muharram 4, 1441 AH Bale sent off GULF TIMES as Real held by Villareal SPORT Page 3 QATAR TRAIN FOR QUALIFIER SPOTLIGHT ‘We’re going backwards’, says Lukaku aft er racist abuse at Cagliari Reuters game in shame. Milan “I hope the football federa- tions all over the world react strongly on all cases of discrimi- elgium and Inter Milan nation. striker Romelu Lukaku “Social media platforms (In- made a plea to football stagram, Twitter, Facebook) federations and social need to work better as well with Bmedia platforms yesterday to football clubs because every day do more to fi ght racism after he you see at least a racist com- was subjected to racist abuse in ment under a post of a person of Sunday’s 2-1 Serie A victory at colour. We’ve been saying it for Cagliari. years and still no action. The former Manchester Unit- “Ladies and gentlemen it’s ed striker appeared to be the 2019 — instead of going for- target of monkey chants from wards we’re going backwards... the home crowd at the Sardegna As players we need to unify and Arena — the same venue where make a statement on this matter Qatar football coach Felix Sanchez instructs Ali Afif during a training session in Doha yesterday. At right, Bassam al-Rawi runs with the ball. Qatar will take on Afghanistan former Juventus forward Moise to keep this game clean and en- on Thursday in a joint World and Asian Cup Group E qualifying match. Kean was also abused — as he joyable for everyone.” prepared to take the decisive Chelsea boss Frank Lampard penalty. had also called on social media Several black players have companies to register their users TENNIS/ US OPEN suff ered online racist abuse in so they could be held account- recent weeks, including United’s able for online racist abuse. Paul Pogba and Chelsea’s Tam- Twitter said last month that it my Abraham and Kurt Zouma. would meet with United and the Lukaku lamented the lack of anti-discrimination group Kick action despite years of com- It Out to address online racist plaints. “Many players in the last abuse towards players in Britain. month have suff ered from racial Last season, a number of Pre- abuse. I did yesterday too,” Lu- mier League players backed a Osaka ousted by kaku said on Instagram. “Foot- Professional Footballers’ Asso- ball is a game to be enjoyed and ciation (PFA) campaign to boy- we shouldn’t accept any form of cott social media for 24 hours in Bencic while Vekic discrimination that will put our a stand against racism. rallies for victory Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, the reigning French Open champion who was beaten Sunday, will move into the world number one position next Monday AFP in a season for the third consecutive year, New York a fi rst in the Open era. Reigning Australian Open champion Osaka struggled from the start on the elinda Bencic stunned top- same Arthur Ashe Stadium court where ranked defending champion she consoled tearful US teen Coco Gauff Naomi Osaka to reach the US just two days earlier. Lukaku has faced disgusting racist abuse in Italy. Open quarter-fi nals, where she “It was just an unbelievable moment willB face Donna Vekic, who rallied from for tennis,” Bencic said of Osaka help- match point down to advance. ing Gauff cope with her sadness. “Coco’s Bencic’s 7-5, 6-4 triumph, her WTA- story is unbelievable but what Naomi did beIN to broadcast programme on best sixth over a top-fi ve foe this year, is what a true champion would do.” ensured 21-year-old Japanese star Osaka Osaka double faulted to surrender a World Cup logo unveiling will fall from the world number one spot break in the opening game of the match, next week. but levelled at 2-2 when Bencic netted a eIN MEDIA GROUP will senter Ayman Jadah and stars “The challenge cannot be bigger backhand. Bencic swatted a backhand today broadcast an such as Tarak Dhiab, Egyptian against Naomi,” Bencic said. “I had to down-the-line winner for a break to exclusive programme football legend Mohamed be at the top of my game and I’m really seize a 6-5 lead then held on a service b“Road to 2022” for the Abutrika and Qatar football pleased how well I handled my nerves at winner to capture the fi rst set. unveiling of the 2022 FIFA legend Ibrahim Khalfan. beIN the end.” Osaka double faulted away a break to World Cup Qatar logo across SPORTS’ English studios will The 22-year-old Swiss 13th seed hand Vekic a 3-2 lead and the Swiss never its beIN SPORTS channels. host Qatar Football Association’s matched her deepest career Grand Slam faced a break point in the second set, The unveiling will take place Technical Director Tarik Mansour run from the 2014 US Open with her fi nishing off the victory with a forehand today at exactly 20:22 Makkah and former French footballer third victory of the year over Osaka, hav- winner to end matters after 87 minutes. Time (GMT+3), with the time re- Didier Domi. ing also won at Indian Wells and Madrid. “I was taking the serve early, trying sembling the actual year when Commenting on the unveiling of Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, the reign- to anticipate, because she has so much the much-anticipated FIFA World the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar ing French Open champion who was power,” Bencic said. “I’m trying to play Cup will take place. logo, beIN MEDIA beaten Sunday, will move into the world like chess and make it tactical on the beIN SPORTS’ free to air channel, GROUP Sports Advisor Jonathan number one position next Monday. court.” Bencic hit 29 winners with only news channel as well as channels Whitehead said: “As the of- Vekic, the 23rd seed from Croatia, 12 unforced errors to Osaka’s 26 winners from HD 1 to HD 7 will ficial broadcaster, beIN MEDIA saved a match point in the second set and and 21 unforced errors. broadcast the dedicated pro- GROUP’s prime focus is providing made her fi rst Slam quarter-fi nal by ral- Goerges won the tie-breaker with gramme “Road to 2022” in Arabic, millions of viewers with an out- lying past German 26th seed Julia Goerg- consecutive forehand winners, then as beIN SPORTS HD 11 and HD 13 standing World Cup es 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-3. broke Vekic to open the second set and will broadcast in English start- experience. With a strong and “I don’t even know how I won this fi red four consecutive aces for a 2-0 lead. ing from 20:00 Makkah Time proud footprint in the Middle East, match,” Vekic said. “She was serving for But the German was broken serv- (GMT+3) – with exclusive clips of we are tremendously excited that the match. She had match point. I just ing for the match, squandering a match Qatar’s achievements, views of the off icial 2022 FIFA World Cup kept fi ghting and believing I could win. It point in the 10th game, and Vekic broke the city of Doha and the impres- Qatar emblem is finally being feels pretty amazing.” again when Goerges hit a forehand wide sive construction projects across unveiled. As we move closer to Bencic owns a 2-1 career edge over to force a third set. the whole country. the biggest sporting event in Vekic from two 2014 wins but Vekic won Belinda Bencic of Switzerland celebrates after winning her fourth round match “I was just trying to get a return in beIN SPORTS will host a guest the history of this region, we are the most recent meeting with her friend against Naomi Osaka of Japan at the US Open yesterday. the court,” Vekic said. “She was serving from the Supreme Committee for delighted to share this historic and frequent practice partner in the third amazing. I was feeling confi dent in the Delivery and Legacy in the moment with our millions of view- round of this year’s French Open. sure,” Vekic said. “She’s one of the best Osaka’s exit means there will be four rallies and I knew if I could get that re- Arabic studios with beIN pre- ers across Mena”. “It’s going to be a tough match for players this year.” diff erent women’s Grand Slam winners turn in I would have an advantage.” Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, September 3, 2019 TENNIS FOCUS SPOTLIGHT Bryan fi ned $10,000 for gun gesture Injured Djokovic at US Open AFP round match 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 against New York Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain and Argentina’s Federico Del- bonis. merican doubles play- It is the highest fi ne received by quits US Open er Mike Bryan was a male player so far at this year’s fi ned $10,000 by the tournament. US Open on Sunday “I apologize for any off ense ‘The pain was constant for weeks now, some days higher, some days with less intensity’ Afor using his racquet to make a I may have caused. We won the shooting gesture at a line judge. point and the gesture was meant Bryan, playing alongside twin to be playful,” Bryan said in a AFP doesn’t.