Category: 6. Sports

RIGA (Latvia) – It’s hard to believe eight years have passed. Kristaps Porzingis was The Unicorn back then, catching everybody in disbelief at the FIBA EuroBasket 2017, making Latvia one of the most entertaining teams in the entire event.

They eventually lost to Slovenia 103-97 in the Quarter-Finals. While all of Latvia felt heartbroken, the rest of the world understood perfectly what Kristaps meant here.

Witnessing the then 22-year-old go off for 23.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 23.4 efficiency rating per game in the Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul, we all thought we would get to enjoy his domination across all FIBA events in years to come.

We were wrong.

Pick your poison, as injuries happened, bad luck and bad results happened, and life, generally, happened. Instead of years of domination, we had to wait for 2025 to finally get to see KP back in his favorite jersey, with the three stars emblazoned on the chest.

“Once in a lifetime, once in a basketball career you get this kind of opportunity, especially for us as a small country. That’s why there’s no looking back, we have to give 100 percent when we’re out there and enjoy every single second on the floor,” Porzingis said, just days separating him from entering the packed arena in Riga at FIBA EuroBasket 2025.

Big. Just as big as he is in the eyes of his teammates.

“Kristaps is the guy that makes everyone else better,” Dairis Bertans offered.

“It’s super easy to play when he’s on the court, because obviously he takes most of the defense’s attention. For me as a shooter, it’s great – I just have to hit the open shots. Also, on the defensive end, he’s a threat under the basket, rim protector, a lot of times players when they see him under the basket they choose not to go for a layup, so he really helps on the defensive end as well,” he added.

Bertans is not surprised at all that Porzingis became one of the biggest stars in the basketball world.

“When we first played together in 2017, even then, he was already super professional, coming early to the practices, sticking through the routines, you could tell he’s consistent with what he’s been doing and that’s what’s taken him so far.”

While Dairis has already played with the 221 cm (7ft 3in’) center and is completely cool when talking about it, Arturs Zagars’s eyes light up when you ask him about Kristaps.

“When you’re with him on the court as the point guard, players guard you in a different way. He makes everybody’s life much easier,” Zagars said with a smile.

It’s a common theme for Latvia, especially since Luca Banchi took over. Smiles all over the place, players smiling, fans smiling, staff smiling, heck – even their basketball feels like you’re smiling.

“The best vibes. The best vibes,” Porzingis said when asked about the locker room.

“Almost all of us play outside of the country during the year, and then we have the summer when everybody comes home and we just have the best vibes, the best atmosphere, Latvian music playing, having fun, some Latvian inside jokes, stuff like that.”

“In a way, it’s a hard summer, because you work out every day, the coach is yelling, but we also recharge at the same time, being around your boys that you’ve been playing with every summer. It gives us a boost of energy for sure.”

The danger is, what if that good energy becomes explosive? What if the homecourt becomes pressure instead of an advantage? How do you even approach a tournament you’re hosting, with the entire nation hoping you can create history?

“You do what you usually do. Don’t do anything crazy just because it’s a short and intense tournament,” the 30-year-old said.

“You get in the best shape you can, you do all the work necessary, preparing with your team, building chemistry in this short period, and then, just go and leave everything out there. There’s no place better to do it than at home, so that’s going to be an unbelievable experience.”

Kristaps says the EuroBasket is different in terms of intensity, but then laughs as he adds another sentence.

“So is the NBA Finals,” he reminds us of his NBA championship won with the Boston Celtics in 2024, without even mentioning it.

Latvia’s game plan will be somewhat similar to the Celtics’ one, with one key word uniting the two worlds: speed.

“We’re gonna play fast. We need to play fast. We need to play moving the ball, using each other, selflessly, being a team that doesn’t give up in any moment. That’s what we’re going to show our fans.”

Porzingis is coming into the tournament with another address change in the United States. He joined the Atlanta Hawks over the summer, staying in the East, but facing two centers from the West in Group A proceedings in Riga.

He’ll take on Nikola Jokic and Serbia, plus Alperen Sengun and Türkiye.

“Obviously, Serbia is a big, big challenge. Probably number one, or top three, for sure, team of the tournament on paper. That’s gonna be a tough game for us. We got to try to present some challenges to them. Türkiye is also good, they’ve got some NBA guys, but even teams like Czechia and Estonia, they’re dangerous, too. Everybody can surprise you, we just have to be locked in,” he responded to the question about group rivals.

But he also wanted to mention one more team outside of Latvia’s group.

“It would be special if we meet our neighbors somewhere down the line,” he smiled, hoping for a rematch of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 battle for fifth place between Latvia and Lithuania.

“That would be really cool, it’s always a big rivalry. They have great fans, great basketball heritage. We’re coming up, we’re trying to creep up on them, so it would be really cool to play them.”

FIBA

WASHINGTON – Tommy Fleetwood, chasing an elusive first PGA Tour title and a US$10 million (S$12.8 million) top prize, bounced back from a late double-bogey to remain tied for the lead at the Tour Championship on Aug 23, alongside Patrick Cantlay.

England’s Fleetwood, a seven-time DP World Tour winner who has yet to lift a US trophy, carded a three-under 67, erasing a double-bogey at No. 15 with birdies at the next two for a 16-under total of 194.

Cantlay, the 2021 Tour Championship winner who claimed the most recent of his eight US tour titles in 2022, roared up the leaderboard to join him with a six-under 64 – grabbing four of his six birdies in the last five holes.

They were two shots clear of Russell Henley, who started the third day tied for the lead and carded a one-under 69 for 196 at rainy East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia.

US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley posted the best round of the day, firing an eagle and six birdies in a seven-under 63 that left him alone in fourth on 197 – one stroke clear of world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (66).

Fleetwood, who suffered his latest PGA Tour near miss at the St Jude Championship earlier in August and was tied for fourth at the BMW Championship on Aug 17, got off to a sluggish start.

But after a bogey at the fourth, he rolled in a 14-foot birdie at the fifth to launch a run of four straight birdies that included a 44-footer at the seventh.

The streak came to an end with a bogey at the par-three ninth, where Fleetwood missed the green and was unable to get up and down.

He remained in control after a birdie at No. 13, but his tee shot at the par-three 15th found the water and he dropped two strokes to fall one behind Cantlay.

Fleetwood responded with a 12-foot birdie at No. 16 and a nine-foot birdie at No. 17, but he could not take advantage of the par-five 18th, settling for par after landing in a greenside bunker.

“It was never really a round that flowed for me, but it was difficult,” Fleetwood said. “It was damp conditions. (It) wasn’t cold by any means, but obviously different air and windier, and I just found it a bit more difficult today.”

“But the one thing I was really happy with was my putter,” he added.

“I felt like when I was on the green, talk about flow, things were going really well. Felt like I was reading them great and in a really good rhythm, so that was good.”

Fleetwood put the miscue at the 15th hole down to “one bad swing” and he was pleased with how he responded.

“I still had three holes to play and still 21 holes of the tournament, and I still felt in a very good frame of mind,” he said.

Cantlay was three adrift to start the day and got things going with a birdie at the par-three second.

He birdied the third, then parred his way to No. 14, where he drained a 15-foot birdie putt.

After a six-foot birdie putt at the 16th, he rolled in a 23-foot birdie at 17th that gave him the solo lead and his birdie at the last ensured he maintained a share of the top spot.

Henley had an up-and-down day with four birdies and three bogeys. But he kept his nose in front of Bradley – whose latest sparkling effort will stoke speculation he could name himself a playing captain for the Ryder Cup matchplay showdown with Europe in September.

“This might be my best round of the year,” Bradley said.

Scheffler, whose five victories in 2025 include Major titles at the PGA Championship and British Open, could not say the same.

“Felt like another frustrating day,” he said after fighting his way back from a bogey-bogey start. “Proud of the turnaround but, man, I wish I could have gotten a little bit more out of the round.” AFP

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Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score 100 competitive goals for four different clubs on Saturday, though Al-Nassr lost to Al-Ahli in a penalty shootout after the Saudi Super Cup final ended 2-2.

The first half strike at Hong Kong Stadium took the 40-year-old to his century for the Saudi Arabian club, which he joined in Dec.2022.

It adds to his 450 goals for Real Madrid, 145 for Manchester United and 101 for Juventus and moves Ronaldo ahead of the three players who had scored 100 times for three clubs: Isidro Langara, who played in Spain from 1930 to 1948, as well as Brazilian stars Romario and Neymar.

Ronaldo, who has yet to win a major trophy in Saudi Arabia, is also the leading international goalscorer with 138 goals for Portugal.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner put Al-Nassr ahead after 41 minutes with a penalty, though Franck Kessie quickly equalized for Al-Ahli.

With seven minutes remaining, Marcelo Brozovic restored Al-Nassr’s lead but there was still time for Brazilian defender Ibanez to head home a corner and take the game into a penalty shootout.

Ronaldo scored once more from the spot but his teammate Abdullah Al-Khaibari did not and Al-Ahli won 5-3 to lift the first trophy of the Saudi Arabian season.

The Pakistan 12 & Under Tennis Team has departed for Singapore to participate in the finals of the ATF 12 & Under Team Competition, scheduled to be held from August 25 to 30.
Pakistan secured their place in the final after clinching the ATF 12 & under Regional Qualifying Event of South Asia in Sri Lanka in May this year, said a press release.
The participating nations in the tournament include Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China, Korea, and Chinese Taipei.
The Pakistan team comprises Shayan Afridi, Rashid Bachani, Muhammad Ibraheem Hussain Gill, Muhammad Nameer Shamsi (captain).
Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, President PTF, extended his best wishes to the squad and expressed confidence in the team’s abilities. Our side is strong, and I am hopeful they will deliver excellent results in the tournament, he said.
Col. (R) Zia-ud-din Tufail, Secretary General PTF, also said we look forward to the players best performance in this important competition.

Frisco (USA): The South Korean superstar and MLS record signing Son Heung-Min opened his Los Angeles FC account with an unstoppable direct free kick as the Black & Gold salvaged a 1-1 draw at FC Dallas on Sunday (IST).

One of the most talented and popular Asian players in football history, Son joined LAFC earlier this month for a record USD 26 million transfer fee after an iconic 10-year run with Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League.

After drawing a late penalty to secure a debut draw at the Chicago Fire in Matchday 28, the Tottenham Hotspur legend continued to make waves, earning his first start and providing his first assist to secure a 2-0 win at the New England Revolution last Saturday. Son’s jaw-dropping first goal on Sunday was the cherry on top of a stellar opening MLS road trip, reports MLS.

“It’s been only… a little bit more than two weeks, but I’m enjoying every moment. I’m glad I scored the first goal for the MLS and also for LAFC, but for me, the most important thing is to get us three points. I’m really, really disappointed for that,” Son told MLS Season Pass postgame.

LAFC’s unbeaten record since Son’s arrival has propelled the Black & Gold into a top-four spot in the Western Conference on 41 points, positioning them to secure home-field advantage in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

“He’s a competitor, and he’s a winner, and on top of that, he has qualities that not a lot of players have in this league. So it’s a much-needed breath of fresh air and sense of motivation or wind in our sails that we definitely can feel, and you know, it’s pushing us,” head coach Steve Cherundolo said.

“We’ve had three tough road games. It’s not easy places to play. A lot of travel, some weather, and you come away with five points. But you also put yourselves in position to win these games too, so from my perspective, it’s been a very positive road trip,” he added.

The team’s strong form and Son’s spectacular first goal only add to the anticipation for his home debut next weekend, a Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire clash with in-state rival San Diego FC (MLS Season Pass).

Son will make his home debut next weekend against in-state rival San Diego FC. “Now, we have a full week to recover and then prepare well for the important game,” said Son.

“I can’t wait to play a home game because it’s my first home game for the LAFC, and also against good opponents. So, yeah, we have to prepare well and recover well to get three points,” he said.

Raducanu rocketed to fame by creating one of the biggest shocks in British sporting history, but found the aftermath – in terms of the transition to becoming a full-time WTA Tour player and the stratospheric scrutiny – extremely difficult.

After being ruled out of the 2023 tournament through injury, she made her return last year but rued being under-prepared after losing again in the first round.

Raducanu fought back tears after her loss to fellow Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin, saying she felt “sad” and “down”.

This year, she has returned to New York riding a wave of optimism.

Looking more carefree and content, she has played some of her best tennis since the US Open triumph and is close to climbing back into the world’s top 30.

“I feel relaxed, I feel happy, I feel in a way like the same off court in terms of just enjoying my tennis, enjoying practicing, enjoying competing, and the process of getting better,” said the former world number 10.

“I think I feel the same [as 2021] in that sense.”

LAHORE:

The main event of the Pakistan Open MMA Champion, Pakistan Combat Night 2025, will take place on Sunday under overcast weather conditions at the DHA Phase 6 Sports Complex in Lahore.

The event features international fighters, including Egypt’s Adham, also known as The Warrior, who will take on Pakistan’s Rizwan Ali at the mega event.

There are two events to have their finales on Sunday, the Pakistan Open MMA Championship and Road to BRAVE 100.
The winners of the Pakistan MMA Open represent Pakistan at the IMMAF World Championships in Georgia later this year.

On the other hand, the winners of the Road to Brave 100 will qualify for BRAVE CF 100, which is a global flagship event of BRAVE Combat Federation, held in Bahrain under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Pakistan Open qualifiers

In the Pakistan Open MMA Championship, the quarterfinals took place on Friday, and the semifinals were decided on Saturday at the Brave Gym in an atmosphere that can only be described as communal, high-energy, and safe, despite the intense bouts in the cage.

The first fight on Friday was between Tayab of Punjab and Bismillah Khan of Balochistan, which the former won on a unanimous decision by the three judges present at the side of the cage.

“It is all very statndard, and the fighters are giving there all, so you ca see everyone is enjoying,” the Brave Gym caretaker Zubair told The Express Tribune, who was disciplining the crowd from using gym equipment, but elaborated that his main job is to make sure that the fighters are safe and he guides them properly, none of the fighters are allowed to train during the breaks and he keeps them in line too.

There were fighters from all over Pakistan who were featured in the preliminaries of the event. There were 14 fights decided on the penultimate day of the event.

The cards for the final day will start with a Strawweight fight between Tayab and Islamabad’s Abdul Mannan vying for the belt.
In the flyweight division, the all-Islamabad final will feature Muhibullah and Mohiz Satti, whereas in the Bantamweight Asghar Kahn, the defending champion, will be challenged by Siddiullah, who is coming into it after fighting the quarterfinals and semifinals.
Ayyan Hussain, the champion of the featherweight category, will meet Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tanzil, who defeated Hussain Malik in the semifinal on Saturday.

Shahab Ali and Jibran will fight for the title in the lightweight final, and Asif Khan will face Sajid Qutoshi in the welterweight final.
The middleweight final will be between Muhammad Hassan and Muhammad Sami, whereas Roman Khan and Asmatullah will be vying for the light heavyweight final.

Women’s finals of Pak Open
The women’s card will also be lit up by champion Bano Butt taking on Saira Kahn in the atomweight final, Maham Baig will play Arusha Saeed in the flyweight final, Bushra will be up against Shagufta Asif in the bantamweight final, whereas Marwa Kashani will be fighting with Imama Siddiqui in the featherweight final.

After receiving criticism for having selected a squad excluding Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for the Asia Cup, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has clarified his stand on the snub, confirming that he has no role behind it.

The Pakistan Cricket Team had announced their final squad for the UAE tri-series and the Asia Cup before any other team, and they had received widespread criticism over the non-selection of players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

Neither of these cricketers had featured in international T20I cricket since 2024 for Pakistan after their humiliating exit from the ICC T20 World Cup of 2024. They have been further snubbed from the Pakistan national team due to their disastrous strike rate in international cricket.

PCB Chief claims ‘no role’ in Babar Azam’s snub from Asia Cup

Babar was not included in the final 17-member squad of the Asia Cup, since Fakhar Zaman returned to the side post his injury. Amid the speculation, Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chief, has clarified that this decision was purely on the word of selectors and he had no role to play in it.

“First of all, I don’t have even 1% role in putting players into the team or taking them out,” Naqvi told reporters on Saturday.

“We have a selection committee and then an advisory body; they all sit together. The process goes through a lot — discussions that last 8–10 hours, sometimes for 2–3 days.”

“Definitely, if a team is being selected, it’s in good hands, all professionals are there. I’ve only told them one thing — whatever decision they take, it should be on merit, and I will support that,” Naqvi added.

“More competition in cricket and the best of the best can come forward,” Naqvi claims, PCB’s latest goals

The Asia Cup 2025 squad for the Pakistan team has seen two new additions as per Mike Hesson’s plans. First of all, it includes several players who are not only specialist batters but can contribute occasionally with the ball as well, since that has emerged as a huge demand for the shortest format of the game.

On the other hand, they have also emphasized players with a greater ability to hit the ball to the fence; the likes of Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, and Sahibzada Farhan all have greater strike rates in the format as compared to players like Babar Azam or Rizwan.

Naqvi underlined the long-term vision, adding, “With whatever lot was available, I polished it and carried it forward. Now our effort is to bring in as many new players as possible so that there is more competition in cricket and the best of the best can come forward.”

Mike Hesson cited BBL as an opportunity for Babar Azam to reclaim form

During the press release following Pakistan’s announcement of the Asia Cup squad, the head coach, Mike Hesson, elaborated that Babar Azam has been asked to improve in some areas, which include batting against spin and his strike rate.

“At the moment, the players that we have, they have performed exceptionally well,” Hesson had said. “But certainly a player like Babar has an opportunity to play in the BBL and start to show that he’s improving in those areas in T20s. He’s too good a player for us not to consider.”

Salman Ali Agha has been named the new skipper of the Pakistan side for the Asia Cup.

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