Sport THURSDAY 12 AuGust 2021 Spain's Rafael Nadal withdraws from Toronto Masters with persistent injury I have had this issue for a couple of months, as people know. Of course, it is not a happy situation after all the success that I had here in Canada, not being able to play this year after missing a year. Rafael Nadal Sport | 15 CRICKET: DAY 1: ICC World Test Championship: INDIA vs ENGLAND (2nd Test at Lord's); West Indies vs Pakistan (1st Test in Kingston) Messi eyes Champions League crown with PSG THE PENINSULA/AGENCIES – DOHA This is a historic Argentinian star Lionel Messi yesterday said his goal is to power Paris Saint Germain moment in world (PSG) to their first Champions League trophy. Messi joined the star- studded PSG as a free agent football: Al Khelaifi after Barcelona, where he begun and always imagined QNA – PARIS “Saint-Germain” confirms the he would play out his career, importance and success of our con- acknowledged last week President of Paris Saint-Germain, tracts. And with our amazing coach they could no longer afford Nasser Al Khelaifi, confirmed that and crew, I look forward to seeing him. signing Argentine star Lionel Messi our team make history for all of our During an interview with is a historic event, not only in French fans around the world. beIN Sports, hours after football but also in world football. Al Khelaifi added, “We have been joining the Parisians, the "We are the first club that Messi applying the rules of financial fair former Barcelona star said signed for after Barcelona. We have play since day one, and we have con- PSG is one of the best sides in made the best transfer market in the tinued to respect these rules, and we the world, and he is targeting last 10 years. We expect a lot from use the specialists in these areas. As to another CL title with the him on the field. Our ambition is long as we signed with Messi, this French Club. great and we do not hide it. This means that we had the legal capacity, "Of course, it’s the place I player will bring a lot to the club today what this star brings to the club came to, and the team that inside and outside stadium," Al is a huge thing. It is a great gain for Paris Saint-Germain has is Paris Saint-Germain’s President Nasser Al Khelaifi holds Khelaifi said in the press conference the club, and the club increases the among the best in the world, a jersey with Argentinian star Lionel Messi. held yesterday during the presen- value of its presence in different and this is my goal as well. tation of the Argentine star. ways. I hope that you, as media pro- For a long time, I have said “I am happy that Messi chose to fessionals, focus on that.. that my goal is to win the Paris. The Brazilian left Cata- Neymar and Mbappe is arrived in 2011 but always join Paris Saint-Germain and we are "Messi’s arrival will reflect pos- Champions League again, lonia for the French capital insane,” Messi told a press fallen short of European foot- proud to welcome him to Paris with itively on our club. Everyone knows and I came to the perfect in a world record €222m conference. ball’s top prize. his family. Many big clubs called that what we are doing is not only place to achieve that," Messi ($259.94m) deal in 2017, but Thousands of PSG fans About choosing No.30 as him, and offered him more money, for PSG, but for French football and told beIN Sports. never hid his desire to link up thronged the side’s Parc des his jersey number, Messi said: but he chose this club. He wants to France." PSG reached the Cham- with his close friend once Princes stadium, daring to "That was my first shirt win titles and continue to play at the Regarding the Champions pions League final in 2020, again on the pitch. believe their team would now number with Barcelona, ​​ highest level,” the club President League, Al Khelaifi said: "We will but lost to Bayern Munich, They will now line up deliver the Champions when I started playing in my added. think about the Champions League. while last season they went with French Word Cup- League having hoovered up early years, and this is a new "The ambition of the club is the Now we have the French League. It out in the semi-finals. winner Kylian Mbappe in a domestic titles since free- beginning for me and I liked same, of course." is easy to say that we are favourites, Messi will join former potent front-three attack. spending owners Qatar to start with the shirt No. 30 He continued by saying that and surely this is our goal and we Barca team-mate Neymar in “To play with the likes of Sports Investment European as well." Messi’s joining the world-class team must keep it working." Sport THURSDAY 12 AUGUST 2021 15 Qatari skydivers impress at World Parachute Jumping Championships THE PENINSULA – DOHA The Qatar skydiving team continued their rounds at the ongoing World Parachute Jumping Championships in Kemerovo, Russia, yesterday and showed impressive performances. After two days of competitions, Team Qatar is occu- pying the fifth spot in the teams eight-way formation competition while Belarus are on top, followed by France, the Czech Republic and Russia, respectively. The four-way formation competition was postponed until today due to the bad weather. Qatar are currently placed third after three rounds in the four-way competition. On the individual events, Qatari jumpers Khaled Shaja and Abdulaziz Al Hajjaji are competing for the a podium spot while Saleh Al Obaidi is in action in the under-22 category. Rashid Talib Al Marri, captain of the team, said that the competition is tough due to the presence of strong teams, but the team has prepared well for the champi- onship. He said that the team members are optimistic about achieving distinguished results and a podium spot. Other members of the Qatar team are Muhammad Saeed Al Marri, Mishaal Ismail Al Qaoud, Muhammad Mohsen Al Attas, Muhammad Abdullah Al Hajri and Para jumpers of the Qatar team pose for a photograph during the 2021 FAI World Parachuting Muhammad Issa Al Kuwari. Championships in Kemerovo, Russia. RIGHT: A Qatari skydiver lands on the target. Serena Williams Medvedev advances in Toronto IN BRIEF New golf as Andreescu wins in Montreal ranking system AP – TORONTO set for 2022 Daniil Medvedev advanced to AGENCIES – LONDON No Williams the third round of the National Bank Open, defeating Alex- Changes to the Official World sisters, Kenin ander Bublik of Kazakhstan Golf Ranking are set to begin 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a match that in the summer of 2022. at Western & was briefly suspended by rain. Per the Governing Board Medvedev, ranked No. 2, of OWGR, ranking points for Southern Open lost to Rafael Nadal in the each player are accumulated finals of the Toronto event in over a two-year “rolling” REUTERS – CIncInnaTI 2019, the last year it was period, with points awarded played. Nadal withdrew from for each tournament main- Venus and Serena Williams as the tournament on Tuesday tained for a 13-week period. well fellow American Sofia with a foot injury. This places emphasis on recent Kenin on Tuesday withdrew On the women’s side in performances. from the upcoming Western & Montreal, defending champion Points are reduced from Southern Open in Cincinnati, Bianca Andreescu, the No. 2 there in equal amounts for the dimming the star power at the seed, beat qualifier Harriet remaining 91 weeks of the US Open tune-up event. Dart 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in a match two-year ranking period. “Unfortunately, I will not be that lasted just over two hours. Also, the field rating for playing in the Western & T h e 2 1 - y e a r - o l d each event will be set by every Southern Open next week as I Andreescu, who won the US player in the field, not just the am still in recovery from my leg Open in 2019, was playing her Daniil Medvedev of Russia serves against top 200 golfers in the current injury at Wimbledon,” two- first match since a first-round Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan on Tuesday. ranking. time champion Serena said in exit at Wimbledon in late June. Major championships will a tournament press release. "My goal isn’t to be on the continue to award 100 first- “I will miss all of my fans in court that long,” Andreescu place points, while The Players Cincinnati whom I look said. "I want to be able to stick Nadal withdraws from Toronto Championship will award 80. forward to seeing every to my game plan the whole All other tournaments will summer. I plan to be back on entire match and I feel I award ranking points the court very soon.” haven’t been doing that in my Masters with persistent injury according to the strength and Williams, who was forced matches a lot. depth of their fields. to retire during her first round "That comes with expe- REUTERS – ToronTO “Of course, it is not a happy situation after all All tournaments from Aug. match at Wimbledon in June, rience and playing matches the success that I had here in Canada, not being 8, 2022 will employ the calcu- will instead focus on being and I haven’t been playing World number four Rafa Nadal (pictured) on able to play this year after missing a year.” He said lation.