Aira Villegas, Albert Ian delos Santos PH flag bearers in Asian Games

TORONTO: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is aiming to rediscover her best form as she begins her campaign at the WTA 1000 Canadian Open in Toronto, with the top ranking and momentum ahead of the US Open at stake. The Belarusian has enjoyed an outstanding hard-court season, winning 23 of her 24 matches on the surface in 2026. Her only defeat came against Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final. Despite her dominance on hard courts, Sabalenka struggled to produce similar results during the clay and grass-court seasons. She was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the French Open before suffering a fourth-round exit at Wimbledon against Japan’s Naomi Osaka. The Toronto tournament could have a significant impact on the WTA rankings. Sabalenka risks losing the world No. 1 position if she fails to reach the round of 16 and Rybakina goes on to win the title. Although Sabalenka has never progressed beyond the semi-finals at the Canadian event, she believes she is mentally refreshed after taking a short break following Wimbledon. The 27-year-old spent several days on the Greek island of Mykonos before returning to training with renewed motivation. Speaking ahead of the tournament, Sabalenka said the time away from tennis allowed her to recover physically and mentally. She admitted that some adjustments made during the clay and grass seasons did not deliver the desired results but expressed confidence that returning to her usual approach would help her regain consistency. The tournament draw presents another tough challenge for the top seed. Sabalenka leads the upper half, which also features two-time champion Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova and Poland’s Iga Swiatek, who is looking to bounce back after an early Wimbledon exit. Meanwhile, Elena Rybakina heads the bottom half of the draw alongside Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and newly crowned Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. Noskova, who recently captured her maiden Grand Slam title, enters the tournament with growing confidence and could face rising Philippine star Alexandra Eala in the third round. Several notable players will miss the tournament. Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova remains unavailable while recovering from minor surgery, while defending champion Victoria Mboko is also sidelined with the knee injury that forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon.

Former West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite has praised Pakistan captain Babar Azam for his outstanding leadership, describing his captaincy as a tactical masterclass during the ongoing Test against the Caribbean side. Speaking during his analysis of the match, Brathwaite highlighted Babar’s calm decision-making and ability to read the game under pressure. He said the Pakistan skipper showed excellent awareness by slowing the pace of play at key moments and making smart field changes that unsettled the West Indies batters. According to Brathwaite, one of Babar’s best tactical moves was the field placement against experienced batter Roston Chase. The carefully designed field forced Chase to rethink his natural game and prevented him from scoring freely. “Babar’s field settings kept Roston Chase under constant pressure,” Brathwaite noted. “He had to keep adjusting his approach, and eventually that pressure led to a mistake.” The former all-rounder added that Babar’s leadership reflected a high standard of captaincy, saying every move appeared to be planned according to the match situation rather than following a fixed strategy. Brathwaite believes the Pakistan captain demonstrated maturity, patience and tactical intelligence, qualities that helped his team remain competitive during crucial stages of the contest. Meanwhile, the Test match remains finely balanced. West Indies reached 103-6 in their second innings and currently hold a lead of 60 runs, setting up an intriguing finish over the remaining sessions. Pakistan will now look to capitalize on any opportunity to wrap up the innings quickly, while the West Indies hope to extend their advantage with the lower order. Brathwaite’s glowing assessment has once again placed the spotlight on Babar Azam’s leadership, with many cricket fans praising the Pakistan captain for his strategic approach and composure in high-pressure situations.

LEEDS: England strengthened their position in the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley on Thursday, reaching 409 runs in their first innings to secure a substantial 238-run lead after Pakistan were bowled out for 171. Pakistan’s bowlers managed to break through England’s batting line-up on the third morning, but the home side’s tailenders added valuable runs to push the total beyond the 400-run mark. England resumed the day on 366-8, with Jofra Archer and the lower order looking to extend their advantage. Archer remained unbeaten on 23, while Jamie Smith contributed 25 before being dismissed. Josh Tong was also removed after scoring eight. Earlier, England’s top and middle order had laid the foundation for the imposing total. Harry Brook missed out on a century but made a valuable 91, while Jordan Cox scored 73. Captain Joe Root continued his dependable form with 66, and Dan Lawrence added 51. The combined efforts of England’s senior batters ensured that Pakistan faced a demanding bowling assignment and left their opponents with a sizeable deficit to overcome. For Pakistan, Ali Usman emerged as the standout bowler. The spinner claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket, providing a major highlight for the visitors despite England’s strong batting performance. Khurram Shahzad supported him with three wickets, while Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali took one wicket each. Pakistan’s first innings had lasted only long enough to produce 171 runs, leaving their bowlers with the difficult task of restricting England and preventing the hosts from building an overwhelming advantage. England’s ability to extend their innings through the lower order proved particularly costly for Pakistan. Archer’s unbeaten 23 ensured that the hosts crossed the 400 mark, while the additional runs from Smith and Tong further increased the pressure on the visitors. With England now holding a 238-run lead, Pakistan face a challenging second innings. Their batters will need to produce a vastly improved performance if they are to prevent England from taking control of the Test. The Headingley contest has already produced a contrasting display from the two sides: England’s batting depth has stood out, while Pakistan’s Ali Usman has provided a significant individual breakthrough with his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket. The match remains a stern test of Pakistan’s resilience as they look to recover from their modest first-innings total and keep their hopes alive in the opening Test.

OSLO: Norway’s Football Federation has announced that it will call for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign, intensifying pressure on the football governing body’s leader ahead of next year’s presidential election. Norwegian federation president Lise Klaveness said Infantino no longer has the institutional trust needed to lead FIFA, arguing that the organisation requires stronger and more credible leadership in the current climate. “He does not have the institutional trust required to lead FIFA in a stable manner,” Klaveness told reporters on Friday. “We are going to ask the FIFA president to resign now.” Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, is seeking a fourth and final term. He is currently the only declared candidate and would need a majority of votes from FIFA’s 211 member associations to secure re-election. Candidates have until November 18 to enter the race. Norway has been among Infantino’s most vocal critics, particularly over the governance of FIFA and decisions made under his leadership. Klaveness said the federation believed there was “no turning back” for the FIFA chief. The latest dispute follows the collapse of Infantino’s reported plan to allow private investors to participate in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. The proposal drew criticism and added to concerns over the organisation’s direction. Norway’s federation has also decided to refer three matters to FIFA’s ethics committee. These include the abandoned private-investment plan, the lifting of US footballer Folarin Balogun’s suspension during the 2026 World Cup following an intervention by US President Donald Trump, and FIFA’s decision to award a so-called “Peace Prize” to Trump. The Norwegian federation is also seeking a comprehensive review of reforms previously promised by Infantino. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has suggested Klaveness could eventually challenge Infantino for the presidency, potentially making her the first woman to lead FIFA. However, Klaveness has rejected speculation about her own candidacy, saying the focus should remain on football governance rather than individuals. The challenge from Norway comes as Infantino prepares for a closely watched election campaign, with growing questions over his leadership and FIFA’s future direction.