Sports

AMMAN — The 4th annual Lexus Tennis Festival gets under way in Amman on the weekend with an action packed week of activity featuring Patrick Mouratoglou — legendary coach and mentor of tennis champion Serena Williams — who will be attending the 2018 Festival at Dunes Club Amman.

Organised from September 14- 21 by the Tennis Academy Amman (TTA) Jordan’s leading tennis training institute, in collaboration with Markazia Lexus, TTA held a press conference on Wednesday announcing the festival which will feature local tournaments open to all age groups, High School Music and Telematch competitions, and a Family Tennis Day hosted by Mouratoglou. 

“I am very excited to come to Jordan to participate in the festival. It is an opportunity for me to discover this beautiful country and spend time with the kids and share with them my passion for the game of Tennis,” Mouratoglou said in a statement made available to the media.

Born in France, Mouratoglou is considered one of the most successful coaches in the history of the game and the founder of the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, home to one of the best junior tennis players in the world.

Mouratoglou has guided Williams since June 2012 to multiple Grand Slam championships including three Wimbledon titles, three US Open titles, two French Open titles, and two Australian Open titles. He coached her to an Olympic Gold medal and three consecutive end-of-year championship titles.

Mouratoglou has devoted his career to help athletes accomplish their goals and coached several players to the world’s top ten, including Grigor Dimitrov and Marcos Baghdatis. He is currently mentoring Stefaons Tsitsipas who is ranked No. 15 in the world and is considered the youngest player ranked in the top 20 by ATP.

In his first visit to the Hashemite Kingdom, Mouratoglou will be the guest of honour during the 8-day Tennis Festival. In 2017, the guest of honour was Toni Nadal, legendary coach, uncle, and mentor of World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, while in 2016 the guest of honour was Moroccan Karim Alami, who retired in 2002. As a junior, he reached World No. 2 in Singles and World No. 1 in doubles. In 2015, the festival featured an exhibition match between top international players former World  No. 13 Jarkko Nieminen and Tunisian tennis star Malek Jaziri, and hosted legendary multiple Grand Slam champion Mary Pierce.

The TAA was established with a mission to build champions both on and off the court, with the firm belief that tennis builds character, teaches perseverance, and has the power to mould a whole new generation of athletes the kingdom and the region can be proud of.

Five years after embarking on its mission, the academy now has an impressive group of young players showing the promise, the dedication, the character and the talent to reach their highest potential. 

“It is with this understanding and the continued support of our partners, our sponsors and our players, that we have worked to build long-lasting partnerships with the best coaches, academies and players in the world so that when the time comes, we can lean on their wealth of expertise to take our players to the highest levels of the game,” said Academy founder and Director Khalid Naffa.

“In that spirit, we are thrilled to welcome Mr Mouratoglou, to Jordan, to the academy, and to the festival!” Naffa added.

This year, TTA has partnered with Emirates Airline a sponsor of the 2018 Tennis Festival. This is the first time Emirates sponsors a sports event in Jordan and the first time the airline sponsors a sports academy in the region.

“We see our partnership with the Tennis Academy Amman as an opportunity to connect with tennis fans in Jordan. This association will allow us to play an important role by bringing fans of tennis closer to what they love and to create unique opportunities and experiences with tennis legends and athletes. Together, we will help develop and nurture the necessary skills needed to turn young players into world-class athletes,” said Sultan Al Riyami, manager to Jordan and West Bank for Emirates Airline.

AMMAN — The third week of the Jordan Professional Football League kicks off on Thursday, as teams gear up for three consecutive weeks of matches before the league halts for regional matches and national team camp.

Jazira and Shabab Urdun top the standings for now as newcomers Salt are fourth after Faisali while Aqaba, who managed to hold on to their spot in the league last season, are fifth. Wihdat are 7th while Hussein and Ahli are at the bottom.

The league will stop after Week 5 allowing the September 18 match of Jazira versus the Iraqi Air Force in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup, which was twice won by Faisali and once by Shabab Urdun. 

Ramtha will also host Tunisia’s Etoile Sportive Du Sahel in the return leg of the Arab Clubs Championship on September 28 as they seek to make up for their 3-1 defeat in the first leg. Last year, Faisali finished runner-up to Tunisia’s Tarajji in the Arab Championship after an impressive performance,  which included two wins over Egyptian veterans Ahli. 

The national team will also regroup to play Albania on October 10 and World Cup runner up Croatia on October 15. Jordan was held 0-0 by Oman on Tuesday and lost to Lebanon 1-0 earlier this week as the team’s coach, Jamal Abu Abed, was relieved of his duty by the Jordan Football Association (JFA), as the team gears up for the Asian Cup — the continent’s most important football event. The team beat Cyprus 3-0 earlier in this summer.

The 2018-2019 football season agenda kicked off in August when league champs Wihdat beat Jordan Cup champs Jazira in the 36th Jordan Super Cup — the first major competition on the annual football calendar.

Last season, Wihdat won the league for a record 16th time. Jazira lost two competition finals conceding the 35th Jordan Super Cup to Faisali and the JFA Shield final to Wihdat. Jazira also finished runner-up in the league, but made club history by winning the 38th Jordan Cup final after they last won the Jordan Cup in 1984.

All four major golf championships this year were won by players without equipment contracts, an unusual situation but one that reflects an era when club and ball manufacturers increasingly focus on signing only the biggest names in the sport.

Nike’s exit from the golf equipment business two years ago set off a “free-for-all” that ushered in an era of free agency that is still shaking itself out, according to one insider.

Keith Sbarbaro, senior vice-president of tour operations for TaylorMade, said equipment companies did not have unlimited budgets to sign everyone they wanted.

Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka and Francesco Molinari were among players contracted to use Nike equipment when the company decided to leave the golf stage.

Woods and McIlroy subsequently became contracted TaylorMade players, but Koepka and Molinari did not.

Without the benefit of a crystal ball, TaylorMade had no way of knowing that Koepka (US Open and PGA Championship) and Molinari (British Open) would carry off three majors in 2018.

Even if they had known, they would not necessarily have had the budget to add them to a crowded stable that includes Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Jon Rahm and Jason Day. 

Molinari remains uncontracted, a free agent even though he used 12 TaylorMade clubs, along with a Bettinardi putter and a Titleist ball for his Carnoustie triumph.

Koepka, meanwhile, used clubs of four different manufacturers in his 2018 major championship wins, including TaylorMade’s M3 driver and Mizuno irons. Mixing and matching has certainly not hurt his game.

Patrick Reed, who left Nike in 2013, also used a variety of clubs to win the Masters in April, a Ping driver and mainly Callaway irons.

Free agents

“You had all four major winners being free agents. I don’t think you’ll see that again,” Sbarbaro told Reuters.

“They are high ranked players. They are not going to have small deals. They got great deals with Nike and they’re not bothered trying to find a bit of club money.”

Sbarbaro said Nike’s exit set off a mad scramble from rival club makers to sign the most marketable players.

The superstars were wooed by multiple manufacturers, the others not so much.

“When Nike exited it was a free for all. Most [people] didn’t see it coming,” Sbarbaro said.

“It opened up for all these Nike guys to play whatever they wanted.

“Rory’s parents’ house looked like a golf warehouse. Tiger’s house too.”

When the dust settled TaylorMade had the two biggest names in the game, with McIlroy’s deal worth a reported $100 million over 10 years.

“We’ve got Rory, Tiger [etc]. You would love to have every player in the top 10. We just can’t have them all. Us golf companies don’t have endless pockets.”

Middle tier

Sbarbaro said the days were gone when so-called journeymen enjoyed lucrative equipment contracts.

“The middle tier is getting hurt a bit,” he said.

“It’s got even more separated. The big guys are more important than ever. There’s more value at the top.”

He said a prominent social media presence is important, an area where McIlroy excels with 3.17 million Twitter followers.

“His social media side. We didn’t have anyone like him, Rory. He touches so many people.”

But good old-fashioned television remains the biggest factor in determining a player’s worth. 

“Our top four players get over 90 per cent of our TV time,” Sbarbaro added. “What percentage is Tiger getting on his own?

“Back in the day Tiger [before signing for TaylorMade] was getting more TV time on his own than our whole staff.

“The beauty of it is when Tiger is on TV that’s when most people are watching.”

NEW YORK — For Novak Djokovic, a season that got off to a gloomy start is heading for a brilliant finish after he dismissed Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 to win the US Open on Sunday and earn back-to-back Grand Slam titles.

Working his way back from elbow surgery he underwent following the Australian Open, Djokovic did not expect to feature in the Grand Slam picture this season.

But in the last eight weeks the 31-year-old has resembled the Grand Slam machine that held all four major titles at the same time in 2016, wining three of his last four events including Wimbledon and US Open.

“If you told me in February this year when I got the surgery that I’ll win Wimbledon, US Open, and Cincinnati, would be hard to believe,” said Djokovic, after pushing his career total to 14 Grand Slams to sit equal third with Pete Sampras on the all-time list. 

“Life showed me that it takes time for good things, it takes time to really build them, for things to fall into place.

“The last two months have been terrific.”

The sixth seed had suffered in the ferocious heat and humidity through the early days of the season’s final Grand Slam but dropped only two sets for the tournament and none since the second round.

Playing on the same court where Sampras claimed his 14th and final Grand Slam crown, Djokovic has endured more disappointment than joy on Arthur Ashe, winning three titles from eight finals.

All that frustration was washed away when he struck the overhead winner to clinch victory over Del Potro, Djokovic falling to his back, arms and legs spread savouring the moment.

“Pete Sampras is one of the biggest legends ever to play the game,” explained Djokovic. “He was my childhood idol. 

“There is a lot of significance of me being now shoulder to shoulder in terms of Grand Slam wins with him. 

“It’s truly incredible when you think about it. I watched him win one of his first Wimbledon championships and I grew up playing and thinking that one day I’ll be able to do what he does.

“To actually be here, it’s a dream come true.”

Djokovic and Del Potro walked onto Arthur Ashe Stadium court with the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre still buzzing over the controversial women’s final on Saturday, won by Japan’s Naomi Osaka after Serena Williams incurred three code violations.

Britain’s Alison Hughes, the second woman to umpire a US Open men’s singles final, kept a low profile as the two former champions went to work.

The tension and fireworks of the Osaka-Williams clash were left behind during a relatively calm and composed baseline battle between two friends and familiar foes, who had played each other 18 times, with Djokovic holding a commanding 14-4 edge.

While there was joy in victory there was none to be taken from beating a teary Del Potro, who knows the pain of a comeback having undergone four wrist surgeries that caused him to miss 14 Grand Slams and at one point looked to be derailing his career.

Del Potro’s sole Grand Slam title came at the US Open in 2009 and he said it had been an emotional journey back to the Flushing Meadows final.

“I’m very sad for being a loser today but Novak deserved to take the trophy,” said Del Potro, who wept into his hands before being comforted by Djokovic.

“I was playing almost at the limit all the time, looking for winners with my forehands, backhands, and I couldn’t make it because Novak was there every time.

“The worst part to me is the chances that I couldn’t make but then when you see a friend holding the trophy, it’s good, too.

“I’m glad that Novak is the champion.”

AMMAN  — Jordan’s national football team hosts Oman on Tuesday as part of their preparations for the 2019 Asian Cup in the UAE.

Jordan last beat Cyprus 3-0 earlier in this summer and then lost to Lebanon 1-0 this week. On Monday, the team’s coach Jamal Abu Abed was relieved of his duty by the Jordan Football Association as the team gears up for the continent’s most important football event. 

At the Asian Cup, Jordan will play alongside Australia, Syria and Palestine in Group B.

While the team’s path to the championship was not difficult against relatively unknown teams on the Asian continent, now comes the serious part. Twenty-four teams will play in six groups with the top two from each group and four third placed teams advancing to the Round of 16. 

The Kingdom’s competitive edge is lacking and judging by FIFA Rankings it seems there will be a tough task ahead. Once among Asia’s top 10, Jordan is now 19th in the continent and 110th in the latest FIFA Rankings. The national team is now lagging behind relatively uncompetitive Asian teams. Jordan ended 2017 at 107th — a position they did not better throughout last year. 

Since first taking part in Asian Cup qualifiers in 1972, Jordan reached the Asian Championship three times. The peak was at the 13th Asian Cup, when they lost to Japan in the quarter-finals and jumped to the best ever FIFA Ranking of 37th in August 2004. They also reached the Asian Cup in 2011 and 2015.

After elimination from the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, playing in the Asian finals was a priority for Jordan who have steadily slid down FIFA Rankings and the team has had inconsistent results compared to 2013 when Jordan was on the verge of qualifying to the 2014 World Cup for the first time.

AMMAN — One of Jordan’s top Paralympians has won gold on Sunday at the Asian Powerlifting Championships taking place in Japan.

Omar Qaradeh lifted an incredible 175kg to win the 49kg division, followed by China’s Zoung Yu in second and Iran’s Ali Reda in third.

Mohammad Tarbash, picked up a bronze medal in Japan on Monday. Tarbash lifted an incredible 187kg to finish third in the 65kg category.

LONDON — Harry Kane raged at Dutch referee Danny Makkelie for ruling out a late equaliser as Spain punctured England’s post World Cup euphoria by winning 2-1 at Wembley on Saturday to hand coach Luis Enrique a winning start in the Nations League.

In their first game since reaching the semifinals in Russia, England was denied a point when Makkelie awarded a foul in favour of Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea for minimal contact with Danny Welbeck.

“In the big moments you need the referee to stay strong, but unfortunately he has bottled it,” said Kane.

“Big moments you need a firm referee who don’t, under the pressure, get wrong decisions, basically.”

However, England manager Gareth Southgate admitted his side weren’t good enough as Spain bounced back from Marcus Rashford’s opener to go ahead before half-time through Saul Niguez and Rodrigo.

Despite the joy at reaching the last four in Russia, England has now lost three consecutive games for the first time in 30 years.

“We have to accept Spain was better than us for long periods of the game,” said Southgate.

“Their retention of the ball was top class. We were a bit disjointed in our pressing, but even when you press well against them they have some wonderful players.

“We aren’t able to do that when teams press high against us yet.”

There was some relief for England, though, as left-back Luke Shaw confirmed he is fine after being stretchered off early in the second half with a nasty head injury.

Fast start

Kane was presented with his Golden Boot for being top scorer at the World Cup amid a buoyant atmosphere before kick-off that continued with a fast start from the host, thanks in large part to the unfortunate Shaw.

The Manchester United left-back was making his first international start in three years after battling back from a broken leg and loss of form in the past two seasons.

Kane released Shaw free down the left on 11 minutes and his teasing cross curled perfectly into the path of Rashford to slot past United team-mate De Gea.

However, the England fans had barely retaken their seats by the time Spain levelled two minutes later when Saul swept home Rodrigo’s cross.

De Gea denies England

England’s strength at set-pieces was one of the key factors for its success at the World Cup, but it was easily outdone for the winner by a simple Thiago Alcantara free-kick that Rodrigo slotted home at the near post.

De Gea had been labelled as one of the main culprits for Spain’s poor showing in being knocked out by the host at the last 16 in Russia as he made just one save in the whole competition.

However, the United keeper produced the sort of stunning save he does routinely at club level to deny Rashford an instant equaliser with a powerful header from point-blank range.

“I am especially happy about De Gea’s performance,” said Enrique.

“We have one of the best goalkeepers in the world, he’s showed that for many years in the Premier League. We are talking about a player of a top level.”

The second period had barely begun when Shaw suffered a sickening blow to the head as he clashed with Dani Carvajal.

A five-minute stoppage ensued as Shaw was carefully carried from the field on a stretcher and with an oxygen mask strapped around his face.

England, though, finished the stronger and only De Gea with two more stunning saves from Rashford and the referee denied them at least a share of the points.

NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic sat out last year’s US Open to rest an elbow injury that eventually required surgery, but that pain and frustration felt like a distant memory on Friday when the Serb completed his march to the New York final with authority.

Djokovic barely played in the second half of 2017 as his ailing body demanded a lengthy hiatus and the rejuvenated Serb now appears hungrier than ever, intent on making up for lost time by claiming a second Grand Slam title of the year.

“There was always part of me that believed I could come back relatively quickly to the level of tennis that I once was playing,” sixth seed Djokovic told reporters after he completed a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 semifinal demolition of Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

“But at the same time, I felt like the six months off served me very well to find new motivation, inspiration, to recharge my batteries.”

Djokovic roared back into the spotlight when he ended a 54-week title drought in style by securing a fourth Wimbledon championship and 13th career Grand Slam crown with a performance that suggested he has plenty of majors left in him.

The 31-year-old Serb, clearly enjoying the fruits of his labour, delivered a comprehensive performance against Nishikori as he served impeccably, was solid with his returns and dominated from the back of the court.

Next up is a mouth-watering clash against Argentine third seed Juan Martin del Potro and should Djokovic bag a third New York crown, he would join 14-times Grand Slam winner Pete Sampras in third on the all-time list, trailing only Roger Federer (20) and Rafael Nadal (17).

Few would have predicted such a remarkable season for Djokovic, who lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open, underwent surgery on his right elbow and fell at the first hurdle in Indian Wells and Miami on his return.

But Djokovic, who looked on from the sidelines while Federer and Nadal padded their Grand Slam totals, now stands one victory away from winning Wimbledon and the US Open in the same year for the third time in his career.

“These are pinnacles of our sport: majors. It’s where you want to play your best,” Djokovic added. “There is something special about them.

“Especially the top players, they always try to set their own form, so to say, around the Grand Slams because that’s where they want to play their best.” 

Nadal retires

A weary and wounded World No. 1 Rafael Nadal retired from his semi final while trailing Del Potro 7-6(3), 6-2, sending the Argentine back to the Flushing Meadows final for the first time since his 2009 triumph.

Nadal, who had never before retired from a US Open match, showed signs of distress almost from the start as he limped noticeably after a gruelling 69-minute opening set.

He called for the trainer during the changeover on serve at 2-1 in the second.

The defending champion had his knee massaged and re-taped and bravely continued through the second set before telling the umpire he was unable to continue.

“It’s not the best way to win a match,” said Del Potro. “I love to play against Rafa because he’s the biggest fighter in this sport.

“I’m sad for him.”

Nadal’s stamina and famous fitness have been put to the test on the sweltering Flushing Meadows hardcourts as he has logged nearly 16 hours through five matches.

The Spaniard was made to work for his place in the last four, needing a fifth set tiebreak to see off Dominic Thiem in the quarters.

It was the second time this year that the World No. 1 has retired from Grand Slam as he also quit during his quarter-final against Marin Cilic at the Australian Open in January.

PARIS — France star Antoine Griezmann insists he deserves to be on the podium for this year’s Ballon d’Or after winning the World Cup and major silverware with Atletico Madrid.

Griezmann came third in 2016 in the voting behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the most prestigious individual award in football, despite not winning anything.

That year was agonising for the forward as he lost the Euro 2016 final with France and the Champions League final with Atletico.

But this season fortune has smiled on Griezmann, who starred in France’s triumphant World Cup winning campaign in Russia after an impressive year at Atletico, who won the Europa League and UEFA Super Cup.

“Comparing 2016 and this year, for me I have to be in the top three,” the 27-year-old told French sports daily L’Equipe.

“In 2016, I lost two finals and was in the top three. This time I have won three finals.”

Asked if not winning it would be unfair, Griezmann replied: “Not unfair, but I would wonder what more I could do. I have won three trophies, stood out at decisive moments, but it is not me who votes.”

Ronaldo and Messi have dominated the Ballon d’Or over the last decade and the Portuguese superstar will be a contender again this year after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid.

But Griezmann, who rejected a move to join Messi at Barcelona in the close season, admits ending their stranglehold over the award would be special.

“I think about it, especially the closer I get to it. The Ballon d’Or is a prestigious award, and it is the highest you can go as a player. There are trophies in your league, in the World Cup, the Euro, but it’s not the same,” he said.

However, there are signs that Griezmann’s glorious 2018 on the field might not be enough.

UEFA gave their award for the best player of last season to Luka Modric, skipper of the Croatia side that reached the World Cup final and a Champions League winner with Real.

And Griezmann was omitted, along with the rest of his France team-mates, from the final three nominees for FIFA’s player of the year award.

The finalists for that prize are Modric, Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah, the same three who made up the podium for UEFA’s award.

Asked about the FIFA snub, Griezmann replied that “it’s bizarre, and a shame. It is a trophy given out by FIFA, isn’t it?

“And the World Cup is organised by FIFA, right? We win the World Cup, and there is no French player there. That is their choice but it is surprising that there is no world champion.”

The Ballon d’Or award was run jointly by FIFA and magazine France Football until the end of 2016, since when world football’s governing body have reverted to giving out their own prize.

While a panel of supporters, national team captains, coaches and journalists vote for the FIFA award, only journalists vote for the Ballon d’Or.