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Kings and Masters surprise finalists of Global Chess League

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Another dramatic day in the final round of the round-robin matches of the Global Chess League saw surprise names emerge as the last teams standing for the grand finale. Triveni Continental Kings and upGrad Mumba Masters will now face off in the summit clash over two legs on Sunday at Le Meridien hotel, Dubai.

With a four-streak winning run in as many matches, including a dominating victory over tournament favourites Ganges Grandmasters, Kings became the first to qualify. SG Alpine Warriors, who were joint favourites with GG, had two matches to get it right; the same as Chingari Gulf Titans. Placed fourth, the Titans narrowly edged out the Warriors 8-7 in the first result of the day that put Mumba Masters in a better position mentally.

The Warriors were their final opponents and their vulnerability, despite Carlsen winning his matches, gave them hope just as the Kings provided inspiration with their 11-6 win over GG. Fortune favoured the brave and though Carlsen drew with Ian Nepomniachtchi, the Masters ran out 18-2 winners for the biggest margin of the tournament.

The Titans then needed to beat bottom-table Balan Alaskan Knights where even one win would have been sufficient. But the infectious underdogs spirit took over the Knights as beat the Titans 12-4 with no camp happier than the Mumba Masters.

“We played like there is no tomorrow. We have not been up to the mark in the past few games, but the team spirit was good and it is what kept us going,” said Vidit Gujrathi of UMM.

Levon Aronian, the icon player for the Kings, was seen smiling from ear to ear. He acknowledged that the tournament is not over yet, but “there can be one little celebration tonight, and then hopefully we can have a bigger one tomorrow.”

His counterpart for the final, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave said: “My team fought well and generally for the most part of the two weeks. Both teams deserve to be in the final.”

 

SG Alpine Warriors vs upGrad Mumba Masters

The women players started the ball rolling for UMM. On board five, Harika Dronavalli dominated Elisabeth Paehtz and then treated a mate in three. On board four, Koneru Humpy was significantly better against Irina Krush and was the first one to win, scoring important four points with Black.

On the prodigy board, Mumba’s Javokhir Sindarov managed to stop Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu – the top-performing player in the league – and hold him to a draw. Carlsen drew with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, despite having a slight advantage. Just as Carlsen was getting up, Dronavalli’s result came through. The world’s top player could not hide his disappointment.

Realising his team’s lost situation, Gukesh resigned to Alexander Grischuk from a weaker position. The last game to finish was on board five where Gujrathi converted his advantage against Arjun Erigaisi.

Triveni Continental Kings vs Ganges Grandmasters

While a draw would have been enough for Grandmasters, Triveni had to win. In the Caro-Kann defence, Aronian gained more initiative and posed serious threats to Anand. Unfazed, the former world champion got his knight and rook to the bottom of the board and found a perpetual check to hold a draw.

Sara Khadem of Iran

However, Sara Kahdem scored a huge victory for Triveni as she defeated Bella Khotenashvili in a sharp game. By this point, Kings were dominating on three of the four remaining boards. Wei Yi struck on board three against Leinier Dominguez. Despite being in a weaker position, Kateryna Lagno managed to draw the game with Hou Yifan.

When Yu Yangyi lost against GG’s Richard Rapport, the Kings were 8-5 ahead and GG had to win on the prodigy board to take the win. However, Jonas Bjerre took the initiative and forced a winning rook endgame against Andrey Esipenko. Praising substitute replacement Khadem for the turn in fortunes, the leader Aronian said: “Sara really changed the atmosphere in the team – she helped team moral and here we are”, said Levon Aronian.

Chingari Gulf Titans vs Balan Alaskan Knights (4:12)

The Chingari Gulf Titans had destiny in their own hands and were playing with white pieces. Icon players Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Ian Nepomniachtchi finished in an even endgame. However, on board two Shakhriyar Mamedyarov had a huge advantage over the 2021 World Rapid Champion, Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

Boards five and six were more in favour of Chingari, but then the tables turned. In a completely dominating position, Mamedyarov made an error and ended up significantly weaker. He left the board in disgust shortly.

While Nihal Sarin and Raunak Sadhwani drew their game, Chingari’s Polina Shuvalova lost to BAK’s Nino Batsiashvili. Approaching the endgame, Shuvalova made a mistake and gave an exchange up to Black, finishing in a completely lost position. Under pressure, the Titans folded up without a fight.

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Jannik Sinner triumphs over adversity to win first Wimbledon Title

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Jannik Sinner made history on Sunday by defeating Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to claim his first Wimbledon title, becoming Italy’s first-ever singles champion at the All England Club. The 23-year-old world No. 1 overcame months of personal and professional challenges to lift his fourth Grand Slam trophy and his first since returning from a doping-related ban.

Sinner’s victory marks a remarkable comeback after a turbulent start to the year. Though he won the Australian Open in January, his career was briefly clouded by controversy when he tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol. Tennis authorities later cleared Sinner of fault, stating the substance entered his system via a massage cream applied by a member of his support team. Despite the ruling, he served a voluntary three-month suspension imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), returning to competition in May.

“Very emotional, even if I don’t cry,” Sinner told reporters after his win. “Only me and the people who are close to me know what we have been through on and off the court. It has been everything except easy.”

Sunday’s victory was especially sweet as it came just weeks after Sinner lost a heart-wrenching French Open final to Alcaraz, where he had three match points. The Wimbledon win also snapped a five-match losing streak against the Spaniard.

Sinner credited his team, including Australian coach Darren Cahill, for helping him regain focus and confidence.

“We’ve tried to push every practice session, even if I was struggling at times mentally,” he said. “I feel like when I play the match, I can switch off and just play. That helped me a lot.”

Cahill praised Sinner’s resilience, noting the Italian’s mental strength in overcoming the Roland Garros disappointment.

“You could see from his first match here that he wasn’t carrying any baggage from Paris. That’s not easy to do,” said Cahill. “For him to wipe that away and bring this mentality is 100% credit to him.”

Sinner himself reflected on the lessons learned in Paris, saying the loss made him more determined.

“I always tried to be honest with myself and to accept it,” he said. “If you lose a Grand Slam final that way, it’s much better than when someone just outplays you.”

With his Wimbledon win, Sinner cements his place among tennis’s elite, proving that mental fortitude can be just as crucial as physical talent in the journey to greatness.

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Italy poised for historic T20 World Cup debut after victory over Scotland

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For decades, the blue of Italy has been synonymous with soccer. But as the once-mighty Azzurri football team teeters on the brink of missing a third successive FIFA World Cup, it is another, far less storied national side that is offering the country a shot at global glory.

Italy’s cricketers are now within touching distance of a historic first appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, following a 12-run victory over Scotland on Wednesday in the European regional qualifiers.

The win, achieved in Voorburg, propels Italy to the summit of the standings with one crucial fixture remaining. Victory over the Netherlands on Friday would see them qualify automatically for the 2026 tournament. Even a narrow loss may suffice, should Jersey and Scotland fail to produce the kind of crushing wins required to overhaul Italy’s superior net run rate (1.722, compared to Jersey’s 0.430 and Scotland’s -0.150).

At the centre of this unlikely charge is Joe Burns, the former Australian Test opener who has found new purpose, and a new passport, in leading the Italian side. “It’s a very surreal feeling,” said Burns, whose 23 Tests for Australia included Ashes appearances. 

“To come and beat Scotland, who are an exceptional team, is a wonderful reward for the sacrifices made by our players, our staff and the federation.

“This is hopefully the beginning of something special for Italian cricket. The group is very emotional right now, we know what’s at stake.”

With their final fixture scheduled after Scotland and Jersey conclude their clash earlier on Friday, Italy will take the field knowing precisely what is required.

Scotland, long considered Europe’s most capable challengers outside England, were left to rue a stuttering display with both bat and ball. Captain Richie Berrington admitted his side had been outmanoeuvred. “We stayed in the fight but couldn’t quite execute at the end,” he said. 

“Full credit to Italy, they out-skilled us with the ball in those conditions.

All eyes will now turn to Voorburg, where Italy’s date with destiny awaits, and history is within their reach.

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UFC returns to Abu Dhabi with high-stakes middleweight showdown on July 26

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), is set to make a thrilling return to the UAE capital on Saturday, July 26, with a blockbuster middleweight clash headlining the action at Etihad Arena.

Top-ranked contender and fan favourite Robert Whittaker, currently No.5 in the middleweight division, will square off against rising star Reinier de Ridder in what promises to be an electrifying battle.

In a poetic twist, Whittaker returns to Abu Dhabi exactly five years after his victory at the final Fight Island event on July 26, 2020. That win over Darren Till, played out in a silent, pandemic-era arena, became a defining chapter in Whittaker’s storied career. This time, the stage is set for redemption and roar, as he steps back into the Octagon in front of a packed house.

Will the former champion recreate history, or will de Ridder seize his moment on the big stage?

Also on the fight card is a high-intensity light heavyweight bout featuring Türkiye’s Ibo Aslan taking on the USA’s Billy Elekana, a showdown guaranteed to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Abu Dhabi continues to strengthen its global reputation as a world-class destination for combat sports, and this event is shaping up to be another unmissable chapter in the UFC legacy.

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