Sports
Mark Selby: Four-time world champion defeats Noppon Saengkham to win China Open
Mark Selby claimed his fourth China Open title with a 10-6 victory over Noppon Saengkham in Taiyuan.
Four-time world champion Selby, 43, has now won 26 ranking events and this success lifts him up from ninth to fifth in the world rankings.
“I’m happy to be standing here as champion, I played some good stuff all week, somewhere near close to my best,” said Selby.
The Englishman, who was appearing in first ranking final in China for eight years, had trailed 4-2 early in the contest despite compiling a wonderful 138 break in the third frame.
However, he took the final two frames of the first session to draw level at 4-4 and when play resumed he knocked in breaks of 58, 90, 69 and 53 to reel off the next four and establish a healthy advantage.
Thailand’s Saengkham, who had already dispatched Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan, and Shaun Murphy en-route to only his second ranking final, responded with a 71.
Selby, who has come into the season with a new cue for the first time in 20 years, laid two excellent snookers as he recovered to take the 14th frame.
And while his opponent rallied again to win the next, he sealed his win in the 16th frame with another half century to take the top prize of £250,000, with Saengkham having to settle for the £100,000 on offer to the runner-up.
Saengkham’s performance at the tournament helps him climb 18 places in the world rankings to 27th.
“Mark was strong and controlled the game well, his safety game was so good,” said Saengkham.
“When I was 4-2 up he was under pressure but in the evening the game changed and it looked like Mark was controlling everything. I will keep trying hard and hopefully one day I will be the champion.”
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Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo retirement hint: Real Madrid, Man Utd and Al-Nassr legend could be in final year as player
Cristiano Ronaldo says this season is likely to be his last as a player after a glittering career.
The 41-year-old married his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, on Tuesday and is contemplating a future orientated around his family.
A five-time Ballon d’Or and five-time Champions League winner, Ronaldo has won league titles in England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia and is the all-time top goalscorer in men’s international football.
The Portugal captain has spent almost four years at Saudi Pro League champions Al-Nassr, where he has one year remaining on his contract.
“This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” Ronaldo told Vogue in an interview about his wedding.
“I have my future all mapped out. I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard. Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one.
“Have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which I really like, and continue to enjoy what I’ve earned – what we’ve earned.
“Because after all it’s been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice.”
Ronaldo is 24 goals away from scoring 1,000 senior career goals.
His long-time rival Lionel Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or accolade a record eight times, recently also said he was unsure how much longer he would continue playing football.
The players’ respective World Cup campaigns could hardly have looked more different as Messi scored eight goals and led Argentina all the way to the final, while Ronaldo’s Portugal bowed out in the round of 16.
Asked in July whether his sixth World Cup would be his last, Ronaldo said he would decide “with a calm head” in a conversation with his family.
Al-Nassr opened their Saudi Pro League title defence against Al Fateh on Saturday and Ronaldo did not play, but he watched the champions win from the stands with his family.
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Sports
The Hundred final highlights: Trent Rockets vs SunRisers Leeds
Trent Rockets win their first Hundred title in the women’s competitionafter bowling out Sunrisers Leeds for 91 to win by eight-wickets in the final at Lord’s.
READ MORE: Rockets crush Sunrisers for first women’s Hundred title
Available to UK users only.
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Sports
Arsenal 3-0 Man City: How the players rated after Gunners comfortably win Community Shield
David Raya: A good save from Phil Foden and an excellent take from a corner in the first half. The Arsenal keeper is so good on the ball and played one memorable pass to Christos Tzolis to spark a counter-attack. 7
Ben White: It goes under the radar how valuable a fit Ben White is to Arsenal. He’s an experienced member of this team and dealt with the threat of Jeremy Doku while providing back up to Noni Madueke in attack. He produced a massive block to deny Doku when the winger was well placed to shoot in the second half. 7
Cristhian Mosquera: A good recovery run and pass back to Raya when under pressure from Erling Haaland. Looked comfortable all game. 7
Gabriel Magalhaes: Produced a big block as Doku tried to cross the ball. Gabriel celebrated it towards the winger and with the rest of the Arsenal back four. Kept Haaland extremely quiet. 8
Riccardo Calafiori (off 60, Hincapie): The Italy international scored the opener with the first meaningful attack of the match. The left-back is so important to how Arsenal attack and his ability to roam all over the pitch makes him so unpredictable. Could be set for a huge season. 8
Myles Lewis-Skelly (off 75, Zubimendi): Continued his excellent pre-season form as he slid Calafiori through to score the opening goal and set the tone for the match. Broke up play and produced a mature performance to make any thought of him leaving the club more difficult. 8
Bruno Guimaraes (off 46, Rice): Looked like he is exactly the plug and play option that Arsenal wanted. The Brazilian was always available to take the ball and looked play forward quickly when he got it. Taken off at half-time. 7
Martin Odegaard (off 84, Eze): The Arsenal captain has shown that he is back to full fitness this pre-season and displayed in this game why he is so important to Arsenal. It felt like Odegaard played a lot more forward passes during this match than he tried last season and it was his curling ball that led to Arsenal’s second goal. Scored Arsenal’s third with a clever finish. 9
Noni Madueke (off 60, Saka): Some bright moments and his pace offers Arsenal a constant threat down the wing but still occasions when he could have done better with his final ball. 6
Christos Tzolis: A great start in his first competitive game for Arsenal. The winger recorded two assists in this comfortable win and looks a bright addition to the Gunners attack. 8
Kai Havertz (off 75, Gyokores): Led the line and provided Arsenal their focal point. The Gunners look better with him in attack and the German scored the second of the game. 7
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