PARIS // All the complaints about lousy weather, windy courts and rotten schedules were forgotten as the sun finally shone on birthday boy Rafael Nadal's pursuit of a record eighth French Open title.
Nadal spent the first week labelling Paris "too cold", the Philippe Chatrier Court "too windy" and the playing schedule "a joke" after three wobbly performances, but he was all smiles as the mercury finally crept over the 20°C mark for the first time in this year's event.
The Spaniard, bidding to become the first player to win the same major eight times, moved closer to a possible semi-final blockbuster against Novak Djokovic with a 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 win over Japan's Kei Nishikori.
After the fans serenaded Nadal, who turned 27, with a rendition of happy birthday, he smiled sheepishly as organisers wheeled out a giant four-tier cake decorated with rackets, golden tennis balls and an array of sparklers.
Djokovic was in sparkling form during the final three sets of his clash with Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Kohlschreiber earned the distinction of becoming the first player to win a set off Djokovic at the tournament, but that was as much as the German could get.
Djokovic, who left Roland Garros in tears two days ago after learning about the death of his first coach, Jelena Gencic, kept his emotions in check for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win.
Describing Gencic as his "second mother", Djokovic said her passing strengthened his resolve to win the only grand slam title missing from his collection.
"I feel in her honour that I need to go all the way. It gives me that inner strength to push even harder," the world No 1 said. "It was tough for me today against an opponent who has the qualities to play well on clay. After the first set, I played well. I'm satisfied."
Djokovic ended Nadal's eight-year reign on Monte Carlo clay last month.
After a sputtering first set, Djokovic then found his range and despite his best efforts and a few exquisite drop shots, Kohlschreiber could not disrupt the six-time grand slam champion.
* Agencies
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Company%20profile
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GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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
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.
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
More coverage from the Future Forum
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2014
Number of employees: 36
Sector: Logistics
Raised: $2.5 million
Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Ammar 808:
Maghreb United
Sofyann Ben Youssef
Glitterbeat
Saturday's results
West Ham 2-3 Tottenham
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves
Brighton 0-2 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Everton 0-2 Norwich City
Watford 0-3 Burnley
Manchester City v Chelsea, 9.30pm
New schools in Dubai
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
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
