Asian Games set to close

BEIJING — No. 1-ranked Elena Rybakina was ousted from the China Open by No. 118 Alina Charaeva of Armenia in the second round on Saturday. Charaeva held her head in her hands in disbelief after winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. "I was just trying to stay really hard mentally and keep believing that at some point I could turn it around again to my side. And I guess I just never stopped believing,” said Charaeva, only the ninth woman outside the top 100 to beat a No. 1. Rybakina had seven double faults and dropped her serve five times, the last time to fall behind 4-2 in the third set. New US Open champion Rybakina became only the second woman to lose her first match as world No. 1. Naomi Osaka was the other, in 2019. “There was a lot going on after the US Open victory. I didn't get a lot of chances to sleep and recover," Rybakina said. “Congratulations to Alina. She played a very good match.” Coco Gauff, who lost to Rybakina in the US Open semifinals, won her first match since then against Camila Osorio 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2. In the men's tournament, top seed and US Open champion Alexander Zverev beat wild card Shang Juncheng 6-0, 6-3 to set up a quarterfinal against Novak Djokovic. Third-seeded Daniil Medvedev advanced by beating Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-3. In a second-round match, Alex de Minaur beat Quentin Halys 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said on Sunday that a near 20% jump in revenue, strong viewership figures and a slew of world records proved the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games were a success, despite logistical problems plaguing the multi-sport showpiece.

The Philippines has struck four gold, nine silver, and 16 bronze medals throughout the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, and in the process, put together its biggest haul in six decades.

BEIJING — Aryna Sabalenka was swatted aside in straight sets by 34th-ranked Nikola Bartunkova in the third round of the China Open on Sunday, leaving the event without its top two seeds. Czech player Bartunkova, 20, sent down four aces to beat the former world number one 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 35 minutes. "I focused on myself, to be calm," Bartunkova said. "She's a legend... so I'm really happy that I won the match," she said of the four-time Grand Slam champion. Bartunkova next faces Austria's Sinja Kraus in the round of 16. Second-seeded Sabalenka squandered five chances to break serve in the sixth game of the first set, with Bartunkova strong on defence and firing deep. The 28-year-old from Belarus threw on a cap for the eighth game of the first set as the women switched between playing in the shade and the sun, but it did not turn the tide in her favour. A frustrated Sabalenka tossed her racquet at a break down in the fourth game of the second set, and lost on the first match point when she returned into the net. Top seed Elena Rybakina -- who weeks earlier replaced Sabalenka as World No. 1 -- was ousted by Alina Charaeva in the second round on Saturday. Top seed Alexander Zverev was scheduled to play Novak Djokovic later on Sunday in the quarterfinals of the men's 500-level event also taking place. The 39-year-old Serbian great enters the match with an extraordinary unbeaten streak in Beijing, but Zverev -- last month's US Open champion -- is in the running for the top men's ranking. AFP

I was not at all surprised that Alex Eala lost to Tatiana Prozorova at Singapore, and to Wang Xiyu at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan. I simply applied “Murphy’s Law” that states: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." And it did. Twice. While Eala was basking in the limelight and made to carry a big weight of the game on her shoulders at the WTA loved it, Prozorova was getting ready to upset her. And the Russian’s preparation may have included studying the numerous reels of Eala’s best plays, studying how she can beat the Filipina. For her part, Eala may have had no time to study Prozorova, or maybe somebody in her camp must have thought that since the Russian was ranked below the top 100 in the WTA rankings, Prozorova could be treated as a “gift” opponent. And the same scenario can apply when Eala faced Wang in Japan. Eala’s events to endear the fans also may have robbed her of precious time to get focused and put in more work in the gym and practice. Then there’s Eala’s need to compete in doubles events, just like in the 2026 Asian Games. Prozorova also fell victim to the need to compete in doubles, sustaining an injury that saw her exit Singapore for good. And the truth is - the tennis players ranked below the top 20 have more time to study the top 20 players. On the other hand, the top 20 players do not have time to identify the possible threats below the top 20 who can emerge as spoilers, like Prozorova. Eala herself was a spoiler before she made waves at Miami 2025, having been ranked at No. 140 in the WTA listing at that time. Now, Eala has entered the “danger” zone, where she now becomes a “target” of aspiring players below the top 20 or 100.  The top 10 players are also more aware of Eala’s prowess. Eala now has to face top 10 players more often, which is more challenging compared to facing unheralded opposition. That won’t be easy if you look at the records of Coco Gauff, Mira Andreeva, Linda Noskoiva, and Iva Jovic against top 10 players. Gauff has a 38-42 record against top 10 players, and holds a commanding 6-0 record against Andreeva. However, Gauff’s record against Swiatek is 5-11. Noskova’s record against the top 10 is 14-23, and is 1-6 against Swiatek and 0-3 against Elena Rybakina, the current No. 1. Andreeva is 11-14 against the top 10, while Eala is 9-4, and holds a 2-1 record against Swiatek, 2-0 versus Elina Svitolina, and 1-0 over Rybakina. Meanwhile, Jovic is 2-9 against the top 10. So, what can we expect from Eala from here? My answer: A more unpredictable path to reach the top 10, and that includes wins against top 20 and unheralded opponents, and losses against the top 20 and unheralded rivals. Also expect a higher level of burnout that also happens to the best, such as Swiatek whose fans at one point asked for more respect for her in the past months after the Polish sustained high-profile losses. The same should go for Eala. She still deserves respect. Because the truth is, Eala has faced higher level of competition this year, which is more taxing. And the sad fact is the lower-tier players always have the chance to beat top-tier players because the former have more time to rest and have time to study the moves of the top 20 players. Hence, let us rally behind Eala to keep swinging that racket, the same way Andreeva, Gauff, Noskova, and Jovic do. In fact, the five of them are already in the “danger zone.” But has Gauff slowed down because she is 5-11 against Swiatek? No.  Did Andreeva consider lying low because Gauff beat her six times? No.  Noskova bravely faced the top 10 even if that meant losing more matches to them. And will she buckle down? Not at all. And do you think Jovic is going to give up because she is 2-9 against the top 10? Definitely not. How about Eala? She will surely keep on fighting. Gauff, Andreeva, Noskova, Jovic, and our very own Eala demonstrate they have the fighting spirit that comes with entering the danger zone. They all deserve our respect.

The Detroit Pistons officially announced the contract extension involving All-NBA center Jalen Duren on Saturday.

PORTO, Portugal — Portugal playmaker Bruno Fernandes said Cristiano Ronaldo remains the country's greatest footballing icon despite walking out on the squad this week after finding out he would not start a match. The 41-year-old superstar said Wednesday he had left the team after coach Jorge Jesus said Ronaldo would not start against Denmark in the Nations League, a match Portugal won 4-2 without him. Former Real Madrid and Manchester United attacker Ronaldo's future with the national team, for whom he is the leading goalscorer and most capped player, is in doubt after his walk out. "Regarding Cristiano, I had a conversation with him, and what I told him, and what I repeat here, is this -- the most important thing is that, regardless of what happens, Cristiano Ronaldo will never cease to be the greatest symbol of our national team, of our football, and of the country, for what he has done not only in Portugal but throughout the world," Fernandes told reporters Saturday. Manchester United midfielder Fernandes called for unity after a tumultuous few days in which Portugal fans' opinions have been split over Ronaldo's decision. "He has a reserved place not only among the best of all time, but also in the hearts of all Portuguese people, and the most important thing is that we stop dividing things," said Fernandes. "There are no divisions in the national team, it is one and will remain so, despite any noise that may come from outside... "We are outside of this controversy, but what I ask is that the country does not divide itself, does not make choices, that it respects all sides, but, at the same time, Cris is and will be the biggest icon of our national team, he deserves everyone's respect, regardless of who likes him more or (who likes him) less." Portugal beat Norway and Denmark away from home without Ronaldo starting and face Norway again on Sunday. Coach Jesus said Ronaldo was a "symbol of Portugal" and said there would be time to speak about him after Sunday's game in Porto. "I'm going to focus on the team, on the opponent which is Norway, one of the five best teams in Europe. That's the problem right now," said the 72-year-old coach.

Three-times Grand Slam champion Elena Rybakina crashed out of the China Open with a shock 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 defeat by unseeded Alina Charaeva in the second round on Saturday, marking a disappointing start to her reign as world number one.

PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers' public address announcer ended a brief retirement over the summer in large part to get behind the mic and do what he did for the first time ahead of the team's annual scrimmage. Matt Cord introduced LeBron James in the Sixers' starting lineup. "At 6-9, from St. Vincent-St. Mary’s, No. 23, LeBron James! James!' Close to 10,000 fans who plunked down $10 a ticket on Saturday to essentially witness a glorified practice at the Sixers’ home arena went wild for James' debut. No, James didn't wear No. 23. He historically wore No. 6 over his career in practice gear but with that number retired in Philadelphia because of Julius Erving, James went with No. 9. No, the dunks and 3s and assists didn't count in any official capacity. And no, James wasn't even introduced last. That honor remained reserved for Joel Embiid. What the new 41-year-old on the block did do was give — along with Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe — a sneak preview that maybe, just maybe, the long underperforming Sixers might finally rise to the moment this season and meet their championship expectations. “It was a great first step in a direction we're trying to go,” James said. “It was great to hear some cheers from our fans.” Sixers fans that crammed aisles and stairways trying to catch a first glimpse or a snapshot of James were shooed back to their seats. Vendors hawked James merchandise outside the arena and told fans they could own the first pieces of his merchandise. Sixers fans that inched near the court screamed and outright begged James to stop and turnaround and pose for pictures. They also crammed into team stores buying No. 23 jerseys. The Sixers started the scrimmage early with what they hope is a familiar sight: Maxey in transition hit James for an alley-oop dunk. James hung and swung on the rim for a few seconds. James made a nifty behind-the-back pass to Edgecombe (who missed a corner 3) and even squared up and buried a long 3 from about Caitlin Clark range. James did it all — he even bounced Maxey's baby daughter, Marvel, on his knee for a moment on the bench. No word yet on James' hourly babysitting rate. Not a bad first week in Philadelphia for the NBA’s career scoring leader. “Everybody's been super welcoming,” James said. “I've been able to implement some things with my voice and just my command of how I play the game and my experience playing the game. I'm still getting more and more comfortable off the floor, with travel and without my family and things of that nature. That's going to be a little bit of a challenge, but everything's been good so far. Great first week." The Sixers traditionally hold the scrimmage in Delaware on the home court of their G League team. The Sixers donated 5,000 tickets to local community groups and Sixers Youth Foundation grantee partners and more than $80,000 was raised for the Sixers Youth Foundation. The $10 tickets were a deal. They are hovering around $1,000 a ticket for the 100 level on the secondary market for the Sixers' Oct. 22 home opener against Cleveland. James was expected to play Monday in the first of four preseason games and mark the start of his record 24th NBA season. “It’d be good to get out there with some of our guys to just get a rhythm," James said. “At the same time, also not overdo it. We're putting a lot into our practices right now. We're fine-tuning what we want to do once the game comes. I think there will be opportunities once we get out there in the preseason." Philadelphia opens the season Oct. 20 in New York against the NBA champion Knicks. James and the rest of the Sixers were encouraged that the oft-injured Embiid has been a full participant in camp and seems to be in leaner, lighter shape. Embiid pulled off a driving left-handed dunk in the scrimmage and later joked; it was “probably the last dunk of my career.” Jerseys flew off the racks, Sixers flew through the air, and excitement swirled around the team and for all that James brings to the city. “They've welcomed me with open arms,” James said, “and I'm getting more and more comfortable every day.”

TAEKWONDO gold medalist Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape has been named the flag bearer for Team Philippines during the parade of athletes at the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games closing ceremony on Sunday. Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino praised the selection ahead of the event scheduled for 5 p.m. (Manila time) at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium. “He’s deserving of that honor,” Tolentino said on Saturday. “It will be a recognition not only for Jeus but also for taekwondo, which finally won its first Asian Games gold medal since 1994, when the sport became a medal event in the games.” Yape secured the top spot in mixed virtual taekwondo—an open-gender event combining combat sports with virtual reality and motion-tracking technology—on Friday. His victory highlighted a record 1-3-1 gold-silver-bronze haul for the Filipino jins. He also earned a bronze medal in men’s individual poomsae. Joining Yape in the closing ceremony are fellow taekwondo medalists Juliana Mykhail Candelaria, Tachiana Keizha Mangin, and Kurt Barbosa, alongside boxing silver medalist Carlo Paalam. Paris Olympics boxing bronze medalist Aira Villegas and world junior weightlifting champion Albert Ian de los Santos previously served as the country’s flag-bearers during the opening ceremony on September 19. Meanwhile, the future is bright for Alas Pilipinas women’s beach volleyball after collegiate players Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara brought the Philippines to the Asian Games podium for the first time. Progella and Pagara turned heartbreak into history, rallying from a semifinal loss to capture a historic Asian Games bronze medal—they fought back to stun China’s Cao Shuting and Dong Jie, 13-21, 23-21, 15-13, on Friday at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court. Alas Pilipinas beach volley coach, Brazilian Joao Luciano Kioday, relished the rise of Philippine beach volleyball, with the pair from University of Santo Tomas proving that the program is in good hands after giving the country its best Asian Games finish in beach volleyball since the sport was introduced at the 1994 Hiroshima Games. “I think results are always a reference, right? So I think we’ve improved a lot with the beach volleyball that we deserve a spot on the mix, right? I know Philippine is a country very passionate for the indoor volleyball,” Kioday said.  “A lot of things going on about the indoor volleyball that I think they deserve it what they have it. But don’t forget beach volleyball also deserve it,” Kioday added. “This is for the PSC, POC, PNVF. So we do have a lot of possibilities. I always told them when I have a chance,” he said. “The potential we can have it, so I think this is the time we take the flow and use this medal in a good way, not just for one team, but for the whole program.”

ALEXANDRIA Luz Enriquez spearheaded the Philippine fight in the 20th Asian Games jiu jitsu competitions, taking a silver medal in the women’s -63kg on the final day of the continental meet in Japan on Saturday. With world champions Annie Ramirez and Kimberly Custodio suffering early exits, Enriquez rose as the gold medal contender for the Filipinos by reaching the final. Unfortunately, Enriquez bowed to Orapa Senatham of Thailand in a tightly-contested bout at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall Mat 2. Despite a 0 scorecard, the Thai won over the Filipino as she scored an advantage for a near-pass or near-sweep. Senatham almost held Enriquez down, but she rolled over and scrambled out before getting a point. In jiu-jitsu, a player must hold their opponent down for at least three seconds to earn a point from the judges. Enriquez started her campaign with wins over Palestinian Dania Obaid and Kazakh Marian Zhuravleva in the round of 16 and quarterfinals, respectively. The 27-year-old then defeated Mongolian Narakhishig Baasanjargal in the semifinals to enter the gold medal round. A gold medalist at the Asian Beach Games, Enriquez increased the Philippine jiujitsu team’s medal haul this Asian Games to two after Kaila Napolis’ bronze on Friday. Napolis defeated Mongolian Tsagaanbileg Altangerel, 2-0, in the women’s 52kg division battle for third place. Meanwhile, another Filipino bet Andea Lois Lao finished just outside the podium after a 0-2 loss to Baasanjargal. Other Philippine jiujitsu artists Vito Luis Luzuriaga and David Miranda suffered early exits on Saturday, falling to Mongolian counterparts. Luzuriaga yielded to Altangerel Bayarkhuu in the men’s 85kg round of 32, while Miranda bowed to Batbayar Batsukh also in the round of 32 in the same weight division.