Ons Jabeur and 10 Arab sportswomen to watch in 2022


Reem Abulleil
  • English
  • Arabic

Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) – Tennis

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The Tunisian continues her historic rise up the WTA rankings and kicks off her 2022 campaign at No 10 in the world.

The 27-year-old enjoyed a history-making 2021, becoming the first Arab player – man or woman – to make it to the top 10 in tennis, peaking at No 7 in November.

She became the first Arab to win a WTA title when she triumphed in Birmingham last June, and followed that up by becoming the first Arab woman to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.

“As you know I’m someone that likes challenges and especially likes to say the goals out loud. I want to keep breaking records, I want to keep making history and giving even more the example for the athletes out there,” Jabeur told reporters in Abu Dhabi last month.

“I want to continue my journey and be able to win more titles, prove myself that I deserve the spot in the top 10. I’m very ambitious for next year, I’m going to expand more the team, I’ll let you know when everything is confirmed and it’s going to be a great season hopefully.”

Hamda Al Qubaisi (UAE) – Motorsport

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Having already secured six victories in the F4 UAE championship, the Emirati teenager made history in 2021, by becoming the first woman to step on the podium in the Italian F4 Championship, when she finished third at Misano last June.

“What an amazing feeling! I got my first podium, and it was quite unexpected. Obviously, I knew I had the pace and I could reach the top three, but it is a dream come true for me,” Al Qubaisi said after the race.

The 19-year-old from Abu Dhabi, following in the footsteps of her father Khaled and her older sister Amna, has made a lasting impression on racing in Italy for Prema Powerteam and will be eyeing further success this year in Formula 4 and the Formula Regional Asian Championship.

Farah Jefry (Saudi Arabia) – Football

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Jefry and her Jeddah Eagles side have just been crowned Western Region champions in the Saudi Women’s Football League.

In the league’s inaugural edition, the Saudi teenager finished as top-scorer aged just 17.

Now 18, the midfielder recently turned up in a photo on Zinedine Zidane’s Instagram, who met with Jefry and Emirati footballer Nouf Al Anzi as part of a campaign for their shared sponsor, Adidas.

“Thank you for sharing your passion for football with me. Keep going on your journey,” Zidane wrote in the caption.

Jefry is the first woman from Saudi Arabia to be named as an ambassador for Adidas and she is thrilled to play a part in promoting women’s sport in the country.

“I am happy with the development of women’s football in Saudi Arabia, and I aspire to do more with the hope that the spotlight will be on more female talents,” she said.

Hana Goda (Egypt) – Table tennis

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In December 2019, at just 12 years of age, Goda became the first African to be ranked No 1 in the ITTF Under 15 girls’ cadet category.

Last September, age 13, the Egyptian prodigy defeated Africa's most successful female player Dina Meshref 4-2 in the semi-finals to become the youngest finalist in the history of the African Table Tennis Championships.

At the ITTF World Youth Championships last month, Goda won gold in the U15 girls’ doubles event and took silver in the singles, to finish her landmark 2021 on a high note.

Now 14, Goda is ranked No 4 in the world youth rankings, among players aged 19 and under.

An Olympic champion in the making, Goda’s journey is already a remarkable one and she already has her sights set on making more history in 2022.

Maha Haddioui (Morocco) – Golf

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The 33-year-old Moroccan is the first Arab to earn playing privileges on the Ladies European Tour and just wrapped up her 11th full season competing on the circuit.

In 2021, Haddioui qualified for her second consecutive Olympic Games, where she stunned with an ace on the seventh hole in Round 2 before concluding her Tokyo campaign in 43rd place.

The Agadir resident’s 2021 season was highlighted by an 11th-place finish at the Czech Ladies Open and more recently an eighth-place finish at the Aramco Team Series event in Jeddah.

Nour El Tayeb (Egypt) – Squash

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Back from maternity leave, the former world No 3 made a winning return to the PSA tour a few weeks ago, defeating compatriot Hana Ramadan to reach the quarter-finals of the CIB Squash Open Black Ball, just five months after giving birth to her baby daughter Farida.

El Tayeb, who slipped to No 9 in the rankings, will be looking to climb her way back up and challenge fellow Egyptians Nour El Sherbini and Nouran Gohar at the top.

Can the 28-year-old recapture her best form and make it to the highest level as a new mom? It will be interesting to find out.

Mayar Sherif (Egypt) – Tennis

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The first Egyptian to win a WTA 125 title, the first Egyptian woman to win a match at a Grand Slam, the first Egyptian to reach a WTA final, the first Egyptian woman to crack the top 100 … Sherif’s extensive list of firsts achieved in 2021 earned her a nomination for the tour’s Newcomer of the Year award.

The Cairene finished her season ranked a career-high 61 in the world and will be searching for new heights as a new campaign gets underway this month in Australia.

Manon Ouaiss (Lebanon) – Alpine skiing

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The 21-year-old Lebanese has qualified for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, where she is set to compete in the slalom and giant slalom events.

Currently training at her base near Les 3 Vallées in France, Ouaiss enjoyed a strong 2020-21 campaign with four victories in slalom and giant slalom in Cedars and great showings at FIS events in Montenegro.

Farida Osman (Egypt) – Swimming

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Egypt’s most successful swimmer rebounded from a difficult Tokyo 2020 Olympics with some strong performances at the World Championships in Abu Dhabi last month, reaching the final in the 100m butterfly and the semi-finals in the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly events.

The African record-holder, three-time Olympian, and two-time World Championship bronze medallist is looking to hit some best times in this upcoming season, with an eye on the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka in May.

Layla Al Khatib (UAE) – Swimming

At the tender age of 15, Al Khatib has already represented the UAE at a World Championship, thanks to the wildcard she received to compete in Abu Dhabi last month.

The teenage backstroker recently picked up two gold medals and a bronze at the Arab Swimming Age Group Championships in the UAE and is looking to take another step forward in her young career in 2022.

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

MATCH INFO

Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13', Kroos 28')
Barcelona 1 (Mingueza 60')

Red card: Casemiro (Real Madrid)

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Dr Graham's three goals

Short term

Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines


Intermediate term

Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations


Long term

A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness  

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Other ways to buy used products in the UAE

UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.

Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.

Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.

For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.

Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.

At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs

Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed

Power: 271 and 409 horsepower

Torque: 385 and 650Nm

Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000

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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals

Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent   

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Fund-raising tips for start-ups

Develop an innovative business concept

Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors

Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19

Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.) 

Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
FIXTURES

Thursday
Dibba v Al Dhafra, Fujairah Stadium (5pm)
Al Wahda v Hatta, Al Nahyan Stadium (8pm)

Friday
Al Nasr v Ajman, Zabeel Stadium (5pm)
Al Jazria v Al Wasl, Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium (8pm)

Saturday
Emirates v Al Ain, Emirates Club Stadium (5pm)
Sharjah v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, Sharjah Stadium (8pm)

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Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

PROFILE OF STARZPLAY

Date started: 2014

Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand

Number of employees: 125

Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
yallacompare profile

Date of launch: 2014

Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer

Based: Media City, Dubai 

Sector: Financial services

Size: 120 employees

Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)

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Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

ENGLAND SQUAD

Joe Root (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Updated: January 02, 2022, 5:09 AM`