Coco Gauff defeats Badosa to book a final spot in the China Open.
World no. 4, Coco Gauff advanced to the final of the China Open on Saturday, overcoming Paula Badosa 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 after trailing in the first set for the third consecutive match. Gauff struggled with her serve, recording 11 double faults, which Badosa capitalized on to break early and take the first set. The Spaniard continued strong, breaking Gauff in the second set, but missed several break points that allowed Gauff to rally back. After leveling the match, Gauff found her rhythm and surged ahead in the final set, ultimately breaking Badosa to secure her victory. Gauff, ranked sixth, will face Karolína Muchová in the final, who defeated Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-4 in the other semifinal, as Gauff seeks her second WTA-1000 title.
THE CLIMB🏔️@CocoGauff books her spot into the final in Beijing after defeating Badsoa in a three set battle. #ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/dXCTDivWT1
— wta (@WTA) October 5, 2024
Spanish forward, Jesé Rodríguez joins Malaysian side, Johor Darul.
Jesé Rodríguez has had a tumultuous career since leaving Real Madrid, recently signing with Malaysian club Johor Darul after a brief stint in Brazil with Coritiba. The 31-year-old forward, who has been without a club since January, aims to regain match fitness. Despite being highly regarded early in his career, injuries hampered his progress, limiting his role at Real Madrid, where he competed for minutes against stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Jesé’s move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2016 for €25 million did not pan out, as he made only 12 appearances under Unai Emery. Over the years, he has played for nine clubs, with only Madrid and Las Palmas seeing him exceed 20 competitive matches. At Johor Darul, he will join fellow Spaniards including Óscar Arribas and Jordi Amat.
🔵🇲🇾 Former Real Madrid striker Jesé Rodríguez signs for Malaysian club Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C.
31 year old striker has agreed terms and the deal has been completed. pic.twitter.com/5V681hDSbO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 5, 2024
Alex Pereira knocks out Rountree to retain his Light Heavyweight Belt.
At UFC 307, Alex Pereira delivered a devastating knockout of Khalil Rountree Jr., solidifying his dominance as light heavyweight champion. Rountree proved to be Pereira’s toughest challenge yet, initially leading on the judges’ scorecards 29-28 entering the fourth round. The fight saw Rountree land significant strikes, including a knockdown in the second round, but as the bout progressed, Pereira’s strategy began to pay off. In the fourth round, Pereira methodically wore Rountree down, landing a series of powerful punches that opened cuts around Rountree’s eye. With Rountree visibly exhausted, Pereira unleashed a final combination, dropping Rountree to the canvas at 4:32, securing his third title defense. Pereira’s striking superiority was evident, out landing Rountree 63-15 in the fourth round and 127-61 overall, making him the fifth fighter to achieve three pay-per-view knockouts in a calendar year.
ALEX PEREIRA KNOCKS OUT KHALIL ROUNTREE JR. IN THE 4TH ROUND TO KEEP HIS LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BELT 😤 pic.twitter.com/ZOsDAT2eCQ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 6, 2024
Valverde and Vinícius score bangers as Real Madrid defeats Villareal.
Real Madrid secured a 2-0 victory over Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium on Saturday, featuring stunning goals from Federico Valverde and Vinícius Jr. Valverde opened the scoring with a deflected long-range shot that found the bottom corner. Despite creating several chances, including threats from Vinícius and Kylian Mbappé, Madrid struggled to extend their lead. Villarreal pressed for an equalizer and thought they earned a penalty after Aurelien Tchouameni fouled Thierno Barry, but a marginal offside call negated the opportunity. Vinícius sealed the win with a powerful shot into the top corner, thrilling the home crowd. However, the night ended on a worrying note as Dani Carvajal was stretchered off in tears due to a potentially serious injury. Real Madrid remains second in the table, tied on points with Barcelona.
FT: Real Madrid 2-0 Villarreal.
REAL MADRID JOIN BARÇA IN 1ST SPOT, BUT BARÇA CAN GO 3 POINTS CLEAR TOMORROW AGAIN! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/eWzHLGLuPA
— 𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 (@TheEuropeanLad) October 5, 2024
Bukayo Saka steers Arsenal to a viral comeback win over Southampton.
Arsenal rallied to a 3-1 victory over Southampton at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, showcasing a thrilling second half led by Bukayo Saka. Southampton surprised the hosts by taking the lead through Cameron Archer in the 55th minute after a swift counter-attack. However, Saka quickly responded, setting up Kai Havertz for an equalizer just four minutes later, making him the first Arsenal player since Robin van Persie to score in seven consecutive home games. After tactical changes from coach Mikel Arteta, substitute Gabriel Martinelli scored to give Arsenal the lead in the 64th minute, converting Saka’s excellent cross. Saka capped off his outstanding performance with a goal in the 88th minute. Following this win, Arsenal sits third in the Premier League with 17 points, tied with Manchester City and one behind leaders Liverpool.
Coming from behind to win together! 👊 pic.twitter.com/GH714YM6N8
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 5, 2024