Thursday is quarter-finals day at the WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as the remaining eight players battle to advance to the final four.
With all matches taking place on Centre Court, the schedule begins with 2013 champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic taking on Latvia's former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko.
That is followed by a clash between two giant killers from the second round as Swiss qualifier Jil Teichmann, fresh from eliminating 10th seed Elina Svitolina, faces Russia's Veronika Kudermetova, who defeated defending champion Garbine Muguruza on Wednesday.
The evening session begins with the blockbuster match of the round when two-time champion Simona Halep and Tunisian eighth seed Ons Jabeur go head-to-head. The last time these two met in Dubai, in 2020, Halep edged an epic clash in the second round on her way to winning the title.
The day concludes with a match between two qualifiers as former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova plays Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska.
Halep impresses to beat Jabeur
Simona Halep is through to her third Dubai semi-final after producing an impressive performance to eliminate Tunisian eighth seed Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-3.
Halep, making her way back from a year disrupted by injury, was in fine form and will now be favourite to win her third title in Dubai.
The former world No 1 led for the entire first set, even as breaks were exchanged, and broke for a third time to take the lead. Jabeur wrestled momentum away from the Romanian at the start of the second set to lead 2-0 but Halep swiftly turned the match back in her favour after winning four straight games.
Halep maintained her advantage and closed out the victory on her second match point. The two-time Grand Slam champion will face Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko in the semi-finals.
Kudermetova battles into last four
Russia's Veronika Kudermetova continued her fine form in Dubai after beating qualifier Jil Teichmann 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals.
Kudermetova, the world No 31, looked to be cruising when she broke twice to race through the first set and broke again to lead 2-1 in the second. However, Teichmann dug deep to turn the set around, winning three games in a row, and claimed the all-important break in the 12th game to level the match.
Kudermetova resumed control at the start of the deciding set with an immediate break, before Teichmann once again fought back to level at 2-2. The Swiss then faltered on serve to hand Kudermetova a 5-4 lead and the Russian closed out the win on her second match point.
Kudermetova will face the winner of the day's last match between Marketa Vondrousova and Dayana Yastremska.
Ostapenko wins epic to reach semi-finals
Jelena Ostapenko booked her place in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semi-finals after coming through an epic clash against Petra Kvitova 7-5, 5-7, 7-6.
Ostapenko twice fought back as Kvitova served for the match in the second and third sets and saved a match point in a marathon tiebreak before claiming a closely-fought victory after two hours and 39 minutes.
The Latvian world No 21 enjoyed a fast start to lead 4-1 but Kvitova took charge of the first set, winning four games in a row, and the Czech had the chance to serve out the set at 5-4. Ostapenko halted Kvitova's momentum to break back and level at 5-5 but it proved brief respite as the 2013 champion won the next two games to take the lead.
Kvitova increased her advantage by earning a break in the first game of the second set, but Ostapenko fought back right at the death, breaking the Czech when she was serving at 5-4 and winning three games in succession to take the match to a decider.
Both players exchanged early breaks in the third and most of the set stayed on serve, until Kvitova earned another break and another chance to serve for the match. Once again, Ostapenko came roaring back to level at 5-5 and after two services holds, a tiebreak settled this marathon clash.
Just like the match that preceded it, the tiebreak was a closely-contested, back-and-forth battle. Kvitova established a 4-2 lead, before Ostapenko came back at 5-5 and it was the Latvian who had the first two match points, at 6-5 and 7-6.
Ostapenko finally closed out the victory 11-9 with a stunning winner down the line.
The former French Open champion will take on either former world No 1 Simona Halep in the semi-finals.
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Info
What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
PAKISTAN SQUAD
Abid Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (test captain), Babar Azam (T20 captain), Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Kashif Bhatti, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
HOW DO SIM CARD SCAMS WORK?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200
Winner: Miqyaas, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Untold Secret, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Shanty Star, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Alkaamel, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Speedy Move, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Quartier Francois, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
RESULTS
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Samau Xmnsor, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Ottoman, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Sharkh, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 85,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Yaraa, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Maaly Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Jinjal, Fabrice Veron, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Al Sail, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
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
Chelsea 2 Burnley 3
Chelsea Morata (69'), Luiz (88')
Burnley Vokes (24', 43'), Ward (39')
Red cards Cahill, Fabregas (Chelsea)
MATCH INFO
Osasuna 1 Real Madrid 4
Osasuna: García (14')
Real Madrid: Isco (33'), Ramos (38'), Vázquez (84'), Jovic (90' 2)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
