Sports

AMMAN — The experienced Khalid Juma has been crowned the 2018 Jordan National Rally Champion after taking the third round of the Jordan Motorsport-organised series on Friday, according to the Jordan Motorsport Media Service.

Juma cruised to victory by a winning margin of three minutes and 50 seconds, taking the maximum 25 points in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10 and securing the drivers’ crown with a round to go.

Salameh Al Gammaz, in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5, moved into second on the championship standings after finishing second, with Ihab Shurafa continuing his consistent season in third place, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, while Sami Fleifel and Tareq Al Taher completed the top five.

With the drivers title already sorted, there is a dramatic chase for the co-drivers’ crown with Shadi Shaban, who was reading the notes for Fleifel, leading the way by just 1.5 points from Emad Juma, who has been alongside Khalid Juma for his past two victories. The final round of the Jordan National Rally Championship will be held on November 16.

NEW YORK — Defending champion Rafa Nadal eased into the third round of the US Open with a regulation 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over unseeded Vasek Pospisil on Wednesday.

A fresh-looking Nadal, whose first round match was cut short after opponent David Ferrer retired with a calf injury midway through the second set, started brightly against the Canadian and never looked back.

The top-seeded Spaniard wrapped up the opening set in 35 minutes after breaking early to go 3-0 up as Pospisil, ranked 88th in the world, struggled to settle into a serving rhythm.

The Canadian rallied briefly in the second set, improving his first serve percentage and managing to break Nadal to lead briefly, but the World No. 1 broke back immediately and went on to win four games in a row to seize complete control.

“In the second set I had two games in a row where I had trouble with my serve,” Nadal said in a courtside interview. “The first one I saved, the second one I couldn’t. I was lucky to be able to break back.

“To win in straight sets is always positive.”

Nadal started the third set on the front foot, breaking early once again as Pospisil ran out of steam. The Spaniard wrapped the contest in exactly two hours, and will next face Russian prospect Karen Khachanov, the 27th seed.

Playing his second night match in a row, Nadal looked a lot more comfortable in the muggy conditions than he did against Ferrer, who was down a set but up a break against his fellow Spaniard when he was forced to retire in the first round.

The weather has been one of the main talking points of the first week at Flushing Meadows, with high temperatures and humidity forcing organisers to impose “extreme heat” rules to give the players some relief.

The 32-year-old Nadal said he was looking forward to the end of the week, when rain is expected.

“We’ll be able to see better tennis than what we saw first couple of days of the US Open,” added the 17 times Grand Slam champion.

“Playing under these conditions is, first thing, not healthy, and second thing, is not good for nobody — not good for the fans, not good for the players. The show is a little bit worse under these conditions.”

Andy Murray lived up to his pre-tournament prediction that he would not win this year’s US Open when he was beaten 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 by Spain’s Fernando Verdasco.

The former World No. 1 and 2012 US Open champion, who is still working his way back from hip surgery and had earlier downplayed his chances, battled Verdasco for nearly three hours and 30 minutes before finally surrendering on a fourth match point while trying to force a fifth set.

“I think some of the tennis I played today was some of the best I’ve played since I had the surgery or since I came back,” said Murray.

Home fans rose to acclaim John Isner after he fought back to vanquish Chilean Nicolas Jarry 6-7(7), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 in a five-set, second-round thriller.

Isner relied on his power serve, delivering 38 aces in the match to surpass Roger Federer with the second-most career aces, ATP statistics showed. 

Isner appeared to feed off the crowd’s energy in the fifth set and thanked them for helping him across the line.

“This right here is what the US Open is all about,” said Isner. “I couldn’t have won this match without the support of you guys,” he added, gesturing to the crowd.

Isner later told reporters that the match had been a struggle “from the get-go” but that overall he was pleased with his performance throughout the year.

“I’m certainly very confident. I’ve had a very good year,” Isner said. “I mean, probably the best year of my career. Doing that at 33 is pretty cool.”

The three hour and 38-minute match was comparatively light work for marathon man Isner, who in July lost a six hour and 36-minute Wimbledon semifinal to South Africa’s Kevin Anderson and in 2010 won an 11 hour and five-minute match against Nicolas Mahut at the All England Club.

Isner next faces Serbian Dusan Lajovic, who beat Briton Cameron Norrie, for a place in the fourth round.

AMMAN — Jordan Motorsport have confirmed a strong field for the third round of the National Rally Championship which takes place this Friday, according to the Jordan Motorsport Media Service.

It promises to be a fantastic day of action with nine of the Kingdom’s best drivers entered hoping to make an impact on the standings.

Asem Aref is seeded first in his Renault Clio, but championship leader Khalid Juma (55.5 points) will be breathing down his neck after finishing as the top placed Jordanian in May’s Jordan Rally, which was the championship’s second round. Ahmad Shaban is in second place with 52 points.

Third-placed Salameh Al Gammaz (37.5 points) is also entered, knowing that a win can throw him right into the championship mix in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5.

The event also welcomes Omani driver Abdullah Al Rawahi in a Subaru Impreza. The action gets under way at 10:30am from the Royal Automobile Club.

AMMAN — Jordan has another rising sports star after Bader Simreen took bronze medal at the World Youth Boxing Championships on Tuesday taking place in Budapest, Hungary, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

The youngster enjoyed an incredible run to the semifinal where he eventually lost to Cuba’s Yumara Ariaba. It is the first time that a Jordanian has won a medal of any colour at the event.

AMMAN — While the Asian Games medals have rained down on Jordan over the past week in Jakarta, several of those who have missed out have played their part by setting new national records, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

The latest came in Athletics on Tuesday night when Tamara Armoush finished a credible 11th in the 5,000m, beating her previous national record in a time of 16 minutes 44.98seconds. She will be hoping to put more pressure on another Jordan best time on Thursday when she competes in the 1500m.

Team Jordan have won a total of 12 medals so far in Jakarta, a new record at the games for the Kingdom.

LONDON — Eyebrows were raised when Tottenham Hotspur became the first Premier League club to spend nothing in the summer transfer window, but they are proving there is simply no price you can put on stability and familiarity.

Mauricio Pochettino’s team were not even at their slick best against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday, but came away with a clinical 3-0 victory that maintained their 100 per cent start to the season.

Earlier this month, when other clubs were indulging in the customary spending frenzy, Tottenham defied convention and decided to stick with what they had — prompting criticism from even the club’s own fans.

Pochettino, who has taken Tottenham to three consecutive top-three finishes, said there was no point in making signings for the “sake of it” although he too might have felt frustrated by the lack of a statement purchase and concerned the still-to-be-completed £800 million ($1 billion) stadium would start eating into the squad budget.

Crucially, however, Tottenham have not sold anyone despite the likes of Belgian duo Toby Alderweireld and Mousa Dembele and England left back Danny Rose all being expected to leave.

That trio played at Old Trafford on Monday as Tottenham won there for the first time in Pochettino’s reign having lost the last four without even scoring a goal.

After failing to win at any of so-called big six since beating Manchester City in February, 2016 it felt like a landmark night for Pochettino and his players.

Alderweireld, a target for United boss Mourinho, and Rose both fell out of favour last season but slotted seamlessly back into a defence that has become the platform from which Tottenham have become consistent Champions League qualifiers.

While Spurs did ride their luck at times, especially in the first half, they picked United off with ease in the second with Brazilian Lucas Moura scoring twice after Harry Kane had headed Tottenham in front.

Little fanfare

Moura arrived with little fanfare from Paris St Germain in January and had few chances to impress last season but he has begun the season in superb form — offering a viable alternative in attack to Son Heung-min and Erik Lamela who were both unavailable against United.

Tottenham playmaker Christian Eriksen was not at his best on Monday, yet, even on an average night for the Dane he provided the corner for Kane’s opener and played in Moura for his first.

Kane’s pass to Moura helped the Brazilian kill the game — another example of the intuitive inter-play that comes from players well-coached and clear in what they are doing.

Tougher tests will come for Tottenham, starting at Watford, who are also on nine points from three games, on Sunday.

But Pochettino’s blueprint is now so ingrained on the Spurs squad that a title challenge cannot be ruled out — even if Liverpool are tipped as the most likely side to pose a serious challenge to champions Manchester City.

While a stony-faced Mourinho went through a bizarre post-match ritual of applauding the United fans in one corner of the stadium before angrily ending a news conference, Pochettino oozed contentment, embracing his players one by one.

“It’s belief, always. Belief in the way that you work, the trust, the confidence and all together trying to fight for one objective,” he said.

“It was clear we’re a team on the pitch and outside.”

MANCHESTER — Jose Mourinho insists he is only interested in the future prosperity of Manchester United rather than his own position at the troubled club.

Mourinho has found his future as United manager the subject of much discussion after a tempestuous period, dating back to a frustrating close-season transfer window.

That led to conjecture that Mourinho was not happy with the efforts of executive vice chairman, Ed Woodward, who handles player signings at Old Trafford.

Equally damaging has been Mourinho’s relationship with star player Paul Pogba, which has come under close scrutiny after comments made by the France midfielder.

Mourinho was in particularly dour and uncooperative mood ahead of his team’s Premier League meeting with Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham today, although, in one of his few talkative moments, he did reveal his gratitude for the support shown by fans over the first two games of the season.

“The supporters were fantastic in both matches,” said Mourinho. “Not for me, for the team which is the only thing that matters.

“In my career I was never selfish and thinking about myself, I was always a club man.

“That’s what I am. I am really happy when the supporters support the team. Against Leicester, you can say in a normal situation because the team was playing well and was winning.

“But to be supportive of the team against Brighton, where we didn’t play well and lost the match, it gives you a fantastic feeling. 

“I hope that feeling, the players also feel it and the players they are ready to give them everything they have.”

Winning style

Mourinho refused to discuss even the most banal of topics with the media, other than to claim that he was not left frustrated by the defeat at Brighton last weekend.

“No, it is not a frustration because it would also be a frustration if we win every match against the non-top-six team and don’t win against the top six, that would also be a frustration,” he said. 

“We want to win all the time. We want to play well all the time. We don’t want to make mistakes. That is what you always want.

“We want a winning style. Don’t make defensive mistakes. Be dominant. Chances, score goals and go home with the three points.”

Mourinho has clearly been unhappy with the coverage the mainstream media has provided of his club over the past few months — especially a disappointing transfer market and his obviously tricky relationship with key figures at Old Trafford.

And, in response, Mourinho refused to address the issue of whether or not he had entered the new season with a squad that was to his satisfaction.

“You know my answer,” said Mourinho.

“I do not need to answer because I do not even know sometimes why I am here because you know everything.

“During the week it looks like you show that you know everything then I come here and you ask me questions. It’s a bit strange.”

Even when United’s hapless press officer attempted to move the line of questioning onto the meeting with Tottenham, Mourinho refused to play ball or discuss Pochettino’s side.

When asked for his opinion on Spurs’ failure to strengthen their squad this summer, he snapped: “It is not my problem.”

AMMAN — Jordan added another medal to its record Asian Games tally on Monday when Bashar Al Najjar won bronze in the karate -75kg division, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

Najjar, 26, cruised through to the quarter-finals with a victory over Dastonbek Otabolaev, from Uzbekistan, but he was stunned, 3-1, by eventual silver medallist Raef Al Turkistani of Saudi Arabia to drop into the repechage process of trying to win bronze.

He regrouped to beat Ka Wai Lee, of Hong Kong, 8-0, before overcoming Pakistan’s Abbas Ghulam in the bronze medal fight. Mahmoud Sajan narrowly missed out on another karate medal in the -85kg weight after losing 3-2 to Iran’s Zabiollah Poorshab in the bronze medal match.

There was also disappointment for the boxing team with Olympian Obada Al Kesbeh missing out on a -64kg quarter-final spot after losing to World Championships silver medallist, Ikboljon Kholdarov, of Uzbekistan.

Monday’s bronze takes Jordan’s tally to 11 medals, including five in ju-jitsu, four in taekwondo and two in karate. 

AMMAN — Saudi Arabian driver Essa Al Dossari is one of the first international drivers to enter the exciting new Jordan Baja, an FIA candidate event for the forthcoming FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

The three-day off-road event for cars, motorcycles and quads will take place in the stunning Wadi Rum area on September 27-29.

Dossari has been out of international rallying action since crashing his ED Racing Nissan Navara on the second stage of April’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. But the Saudi is relishing a return to the hot seat in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan after the car’s return was put on hold in June by the cancellation of the Aseer Rally in Saudi Arabia.

He will be partnered by the UAE navigator Ali Hassan Obaid. Organised by Jordan Motorsport, the event is the first of its kind to be based out of the Red Sea city of Aqaba.

It will run 383.80 competitive kilometres in Wadi Rum — a UNESCO World Heritage site that featured in a number of Oscar-winning films. Entries for the new Jordan Baja close at reduced rates on August 30. The final cut-off for entries will be September 11.