Sports Sunday, February 7, 2021 13 beIN SPORTS to broadcast Djokovic, Kenin defend titles but no Australian Open exclusively Federer at unique Australian Open across MENA DPA TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK BERLIN The coronavirus has made the Australian Open a massive challenge DOHA THE contrast to 2020 could for tennis players and organizers alike but the best in the world – BEIN MEDIA GROUP, the hardly be starker when the global sports and entertain- Australian Open starts Mon- ment broadcaster and its day with Novak Djokovic and most of them – are now ready to take to the court in Melbourne. flagship sports channel beIN Sofia Kenin defending the ti- SPORTS will broadcast the tles they won 13 months ago in long awaited 2021 Australian Melbourne. Open live and exclusively for Those wins heralded the its viewers and subscribers start of a tennis season which across the Middle East and would soon be halted by the North Africa (MENA) – in- coronavirus pandemic and cluding exclusive footage of then resumed in limited fash- Tunisian star Ons Jabeur and ion only months later, after Egyptian talent Mayar Sherif. the cancellation of Wimble- The date for the start of don, and with a completely re- the 2021 Australian Open was worked schedule. previously scheduled to begin The global health situation in January but was postponed has forced Australian Open to February (8-21) due to the organizers to delay their tour- COVID-19 pandemic. The nament from its usual slot by 2021 Australian Open men’s three weeks from the intended qualifying was successfully January 18 start. hosted in Doha, Qatar – where And moving the dates has beIN SPORTS also provided been one of the simpler as- subscribers with exclusive pects of the event which takes content via its OTT service place after players and their beIN CONNECT. entourages had to quarantine This year’s Australian Open for two weeks on arrival in will be the 109th edition and Australia. will feature star players such Some players were allowed as defending champion Novak out for limited periods to train Serbia’s Novak Djokovic hits a return against Germany’s Alexander Zverev during their ATP Cup group A Sofia Kenin of the US hits a return against Spain’s Garbine Muguruza Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Domi- while those unlucky ones - men’s singles in Melbourne on Friday. (AFP) during their Yarra Valley Classic match in Melbourne on Friday. (AFP) nic Thiem, Naomi Osaka, Sofia more than 70 - who shared a Kenin and more. The tourna- plane with someone who test- the caught at other times. ment will consist of matches for ed positive were confined to Osaka, Azarenka withdraw from respective tournaments due to injuries “There were certainly professional players in singles, their rooms. BERLIN: Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka withdrew from their respective Australian Open tune-up tournaments on Saturday due some challenges today but I doubles, and mixed doubles. “It’s like being in the jail. to injuries. Osaka, a three-time grand slam champion, opted out of her Gippsland Trophy semi-final against Elise Mertens. Azarenka, was happy to click into gear Wheelchair players will also It’s the same, it’s the same with meanwhile, was due to face Anett Kontaveit in the Grampians Trophy quarter-finals. Osaka said her move was a cautious one ahead of and find a way in that third compete in singles and doubles Wifi,” Argentine RobertoB au- the Australian Open, which begins on Monday. set.” Barty cannot meet Wil- tournaments. tista Agut told Israel’s Sport5. “Sorry to Tennis Australia and the fans to have to withdraw today,” she said, via the WTA. “I have a niggling injury and in light of the liams until the final but is beIN SPORTS’ coverage “These people have no idea Australian Open on the horizon, I need to be cautious. I look forward to competing next week.” Mertens will advance to the Gippsland in the same half of the draw of the 2021 Australian Open about tennis, about practice Trophy final. It continues what has been a difficult build-up to the first Grand Slam of the year. (DPA) as women’s champion Sofia will see the global sports chan- courts, no idea about anything.” Kenin of the US, who also lost nel exclusively cover the tour- He later apologized, saying the final of the French Open. nament on its beIN SPORTS his remarks had been miscon- here.” The conditions, or the next generation of players. city that has always carried me in her bid to become the first “After the victory here HD8, HD9, HD10 and HD12 strued, while Serbia’s Djokovic complaints about them, have Austria’s Dominic Thiem to many victories,” said Djoko- home winner in Melbourne last year I expected a great channels in English and Arabic. was also criticized for sending a threatened to overshadow won the US Open late last year vic, who tuned up at the team since 1978. season but the pandemic beIN SPORTS will also pro- list of demands to organizers in the first grand slam of the to break the long stranglehold ATP Cup tournament. French Open winner in linked to Covid cost me a lot vide daily highlights of all the a letter he explained as trying to year which will have around of the ‘big three’ and he is in Also chasing history is Ser- 2019, Barty did not compete and obviously I was disap- main matches – including ex- stand up for other players. 30,000 fans a day attending the same half of the draw as ena Williams, looking for a at the end of last season as she pointed,” said Kenin, who is clusive content on Arab players Daniel Andrews, premier despite the virus. Djokovic, who wants an 18th record-equalling 24th Grand remained at home during the relishing her return, at a re- Ons Jabeur and Mayar Sherif. of Melbourne’s state of Victo- Swiss great Roger Federer major title to close in on the Slam win, but she had to pull pandemic and is still shaking cent sponsor’s event. ria, however, insisted: “They will not be on site as he con- record of 20 shared by Nadal out of her warm-up competi- off the rust. “I worked hard to be here were all briefed on that before tinues to recover from a knee and Federer. tion at the semi-final stage “I thought I did well to hang and it’s an honour,” she said. “It they came. injury and record eight-time “I am very much looking with a shoulder injury. in there at times,” she said after will be a great challenge, every- “And that was the con- champion Djokovic and world forward to playing in front of That handed world num- a tight three-set win over under- one is excited to be back here dition on which they came. number two Rafael Nadal will the people and joining the ten- ber one Ash Barty a walkover dog Shelby Rogers this week. with the fans, I can’t wait to see There’s no special treatment face renewed competition from nis frenzy and energy of the as she concludes preparations “Shelby was able to hit me off them and feel their energy.” On beIN SPORTS coverage Chittagong cricket Test excitingly poised of the upcoming 2021 Austral- ian Open, Duncan Walkinshaw, Acting Director of Programs for beIN MENA, said: “We are very Windies need 285 more, B’desh 7 wkts excited to be broadcasting the 2021 Australian Open for our AGENCIES to push Bangladesh further. fans and viewers across MENA. CHITTAGONG They already had a sizeable beIN is delighted to be at the lead of over 200 and it was up heart of all the action, showcas- MEHIDY Hasan took 3/52 in to the two batsmen to ensure ing world class tennis tourna- the fourth innings, accounting that ballooned sufficiently. ments such as the WTA, ATP for the West Indies top order, West Indies, in search of and Australian Open to its mil- putting Bangladesh in a strong wickets, reviewed a not out lions of viewers and subscribers position on day four of their decision against Liton in the Pakistan’s Hasan Ali holds the ball as his teammates congratulate from across the globe. beIN’s first Test in Chittagong. 33rd over for a catch at slip. him after he took five wickets on the third day of the second Test coverage across 4 dedicated West Indies went to However, replays showed that against South Africa in Rawalpindi on Saturday. (AFP) linear channels and our digital stumps at 110/3, needing 285 the batsman had missed the and Social Media platforms, in more for victory. ball and was fine on the lbw dual language demonstrates After another terrific Me- check as well. SA bowlers fight back our commitment to becoming hidy performance, Nkurmah The visiting bowlers con- the leading global sport and en- Bonner (15*) and Kyle May- tinued to toil but by lunch, the after Hasan Ali five-for tertainment network with such ers (37*) dropped anchor and Bangladesh duo had put up 76 a diverse portfolio of premium added 51 runs for the fourth for the fifth wicket with Momi- AGENCIES global events.” wicket, ensuring that the visi- nul inching towards his Test RAWALPINDI Scoreboard A number of beIN analysts tors did not lose any more hundred. Pakistan (1st Innings): 272 and stars will be covering the wickets. The second session was AN eventful day in Rwalap- South Africa (1st Innings; Overnight 106-4) 2021 Australian Open includ- Earlier, West Indies open- equally fruitful for Bangladesh indi saw a total of 12 wickets Dean Elgar c Mohd Rizwan b Hasan Ali .............