Financial gain: Saudi Arabia's banking transformation is delivering a wealth of benefits, to the Kingdom and beyond    Four given jail terms for Amsterdam violence against football fans    South Korea becomes 'super-aged' society, new data shows    Trump criticizes Biden for commuting death sentences    Russian ballistic missile attack hits Kryvyi Rih on Christmas Eve    Individual investment portfolios in Saudi stock market grows 12% to 12.7 million during 3Q 2024    Saudi Ambassador to Ukraine presents credentials to President Zelenskyy    Cabinet underscores Saudi Arabia's significant progress in all fields    Viewing and printing vehicle data is now possible through Absher    Saudi Awwal Bank inaugurates Prince Faisal bin Mishaal Centre for Native Plant Conservation and Propagation in partnership with Environmental Awareness Society    Five things everyone should know about smoking    Emir of Madinah launches first phase of Madinah Gate project worth SR600 million    Saudi Arabia starts Gulf Cup 26 campaign with a disappointing loss to Bahrain    Gulf Cup: Hervé Renard calls for Saudi players to show pride    Oman optimistic about Al-Yahyaei's return for crucial Gulf Cup clash with Qatar    Qatar coach Garcia promises surprises as they seek first Gulf Cup 26 win    Abdullah Kamel unveils plans to launch halal certificate similar to ISO Value of global halal market exceeds $2 trillion    Do cigarettes belong in a museum    Marianne Jean-Baptiste on Oscars buzz for playing 'difficult' woman    My kids saw my pain on set, says Angelina Jolie    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Champs cruise at Oz Open
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 19 - 01 - 2016

[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="28659,28658"]
MELBOURNE — Defending champions Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams raced into the Australian Open second round Monday as the year's first Grand Slam was rocked by claims of widespread match-fixing in tennis.
Former winners Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova also progressed smoothly on a day of high temperatures at Melbourne Park, where one ballboy felt faint and had to be helped from the court.
Djokovic's main opponent was the 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) heat as, cooling himself with ice vests on the change-overs, the top seed dispatched Korean rising star Chung Hyeon 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
"You try to stay composed, not get carried away by heat, get distracted," said the Serb, who was forced out of the 2009 quarterfinals as he struggled with the heat.
"Of course, there were some long rallies, long exchanges that got both of us a little bit short on air. But I think physically I was really good on the court."
Serena also made a positive return to competitive tennis, four months after a heartbreaking defeat in the US Open semifinals ended her bid for a rare calendar-year Grand Slam.
Showing no discomfort from the swollen knee which forced her out of this month's Hopman Cup mixed-team tournament, Serena toughed it out 6-4, 7-5 against Italy's Camila Giorgi.
"I haven't played a competitive match in a really long time so it was good for me to come out here and get through it," Serena said. "I was able to stay in it and stay calm and that is what matters most."
Serena, 34, is seeking an Open-era record-equaling 22nd Grand Slam title, while Djokovic can become only the second man to win six Australian Open crowns after Roy Emerson.
Federer was also untroubled in his 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 win over Georgia's Nicoloz Basilashvili as he continued his quest for a record-extending 18th Grand Slam title.
Sharapova, the women's winner in 2008, beat Japan's Nao Hibino 6-1, 6-3 in just 73 minutes in her first match of the year after a forearm injury forced her out of the Brisbane International.
"I'm feeling really good, which is a positive. I'm just happy to finish off today and be able to get ready for the next one," said the Russian.
Kei Nishikori, Tomas Berdych and Australia's Nick Kyrgios also went through without significant problems, while Caroline Wozniacki was the biggest casualty on day one.
The former world number one, who joined fellow seeds Sloane Stephens, Sara Errani and Ivo Karlovic on the sidelines, was stunned in three sets by Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva.
Canada's Eugenie Bouchard safely reached the second round, and Spain's Carla Suarez earned applause when she helped a ballboy from the court as he swooned in high temperatures.
However, the day was overshadowed by a report which said top-50 players, including Grand Slam champions, had repeatedly been suspected of match-fixing without facing action.


Clic here to read the story from its source.