Alexander Zverev soared to the Paris Masters title following a commanding 6-2 6-2 victory over home favourite Ugo Humbert in the final.

The German took just 75 minutes to seal his seventh career ATP Masters triumph, and second silverware of the season.

Humbert received a raucous reception as he aimed to become the first Frenchman to win this event since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2008.

However, the crowd were silenced when Zverev broke in the third and fifth games on his way to taking the opening set.

The Italian Open champion also dominated the second set, dropping just five points on serve as he wrapped up a comfortable victory.

"I knew I had to play like this to win today," Zverev said. "Ugo is an incredible player, but here in Paris, he plays even better than he usually does, and I knew that.

"Once the crowd gets involved, it's going to be difficult. So, I had to take that away early, and I did, so I'm happy about that."

Zverev was also delighted to triumph in Paris, and demonstrate the strides he has made since suffering a horrifying ankle injury during his 2022 French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal.

"It was not 100% guaranteed that I would be back at this level," he added. "So, to win this title here in Paris means the world to me, and I'm sure it means everything to those in my box, because they have done so much for me."

Data Debrief: Zverev surpasses Medvedev and matches Sinner

Runner-up to Daniil Medvedev in 2020, Zverev went one better at the Accor Arena four years later, and will be seeded second at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals.

The second German to win this event after Boris Becker, he surpassed Medvedev (six) with his seventh ATP Masters crown the outright most of any player born since the format's inception in 1990.

Zverev also matched world number one Jannik Sinner for the joint-most match wins in ATP Masters events this season with 28.

Ange Postecoglou saluted an "outstanding effort" by Tottenham after they came from behind to beat Aston Villa 4-1.

Spurs scored four second-half goals as they got back to winning ways in the Premier League, following last weekend's 1-0 defeat at lowly Crystal Palace.

Postecoglou's side notched up an impressive 2-1 victory over Manchester City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, but fell behind against Villa to Morgan Rogers' first-half effort.

Nevertheless, the hosts responded well after the break. Dominic Solanke scored twice, while Brennan Johnson and James Maddison were also on target in what was eventually a commanding victory.

And Postecoglou by the positive manner in which his players have responded to their setback at Selhurst Park.

"Seven days is a long time in football," he said. "Seven days ago, I was a grumpy old so and so. We have to stay true to the course we're on. We made sure not to feel sorry for ourselves and get back to the team we want to be.

"The first half was a bit of an arm wrestle. [Villa] have a consistent level of performance. We have other gears in us, which we showed in the second half. After the performance in midweek, I thought it was an outstanding effort.

"I felt the momentum was going our way, we knew we would finish strong and if we upped it a couple of gears like we can, we knew we would be hard to stop."

The head coach also paid tribute to Solanke, who became the first Spurs player to score at least four goals in his first eight Premier League appearances for the club since Rafael van der Vaart in 2010-11.

"The amount of work the guy did for us over the week - goals are great, but his capacity to do everything he can for the team in every area - I can't speak highly enough of him," Postecoglou added.

"We stuck with it," Solanke told Sky Sports. "A few times this season, we've gone a goal down. Against Palace, we didn't react in the right way, but today we did.

"We always believe we can score many goals. It all came together today in the second half. We had to adapt to the way they were playing. At half-time, we had time to regroup and discuss what we had to do.

"We've had some great games, but haven't managed to do it the whole season, but we think we're capable of it."

For most children in and around St Ann, golf is more than just a game. Instead it is viewed as a lifeline, a discipline, and an opportunity.

At the heart of this transformative journey stands Bill Williams, a man deeply committed to changing the lives of young Jamaicans through the Sandals Foundation Care for Kids Junior Golf Programme.

Williams, the lead professional golfer at the Sandals Golf and Country Club, has for years been dedicated to empowering boys who are at risk of straying down troubled paths, introducing them to the game of golf, not just as a sport but as a means of character building and personal development.

“I love kids. There’s a duty in me to take care of kids. I always tell myself, if you can grow kids, you grow the country, and you’re growing something good. The guys tell me they love it because I take them off the streets and... them things,” Williams said in a recent interview.

“I’ve been doing this programme since 2002; that’s when I started. I went into my village where I live in Exchange and I see kids... and I bring them over and [guide] them,” he added.

Williams sees golf as more than a series of strokes and strategies. For him, it is a way to teach young men about patience, discipline, and respect—qualities that they can carry well beyond the green.

Bill Williams (centre) shares a photo opportunity with members of Team 13 during the Sandals US Travel Advisors Tournament.

The success stories he tells are numerous, as many of the boys who once faced uncertain futures have gone on to compete at the national level, among them are Zandre Roye, Romaine Evans, and Oshae Haye, just to name a few.

“I turn out some very good kids out of this thing here. And they are all over the world, global now. There [are] so many kids because I used to do this for eight years on my own before Sandals Foundation came on board. And even though they leave the programme at the age of 18, they still come back here, and I still try to offer advice because there is always room for improvements,” Williams shared.

Williams is especially enthusiastic about the future of the programme, as funds raised through the three Sandals Travel Advisors Golf Tournaments—Latin America, Canada, and the United States—the programme is set for significant expansion.

This funding will allow Williams and his team to reach more young men across the island, providing resources to further develop their skills and broaden their opportunities. The latest United States Travel Advisors tournament raised US$800 (about $127,000 Jamaican) for the programme.

“This is a very important tournament every year for us to get a little extra for the foundation because the kids [have] got to play tournaments and we use the money to fund them. We help who cannot really afford to go to school—we do help with that too. So, I think this programme will go much further and impact more youths,” Williams ended.

Dominic Solanke scored twice as Tottenham got back to winning ways in the Premier League, coming from behind to beat Aston Villa 4-1.

Spurs bounced back from last weekend's 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, with four second-half goals turning the contest completely on its head at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Villa had broken the deadlock just after the half-hour mark when Morgan Rogers prodded home after Guglielmo Vicario parried John McGinn's deflected corner straight into his path.

However, Brennan Johnson levelled within four minutes of the restart, the Wales international turning in Heung-min Son's inviting cross at the far post.

The hosts then completed the turnaround in the final quarter of an hour, with Solanke rounding off two neat moves in the space of four minutes.

Substitute James Maddison put some gloss on the scoreline when he curled home a delightful stoppage-time free-kick, as Villa's seven-match unbeaten streak came to an abrupt end.

Data Debrief: Spurs come from behind once more

Tottenham fell behind as they conceded the opening goal of a Premier League home game for the 12th time in 2024, more than any other side.

However, they hit back as Solanke's brace made him the first Spurs player to score at least four goals across his first eight Premier League appearances for the club since Rafael van der Vaart in 2010-11.

The former Bournemouth forward has now scored more Premier League goals against Unai Emery's Villa than any other player, doing so four times in as many appearances against them.

Spurs have now won eight home Premier League games in 2024 after conceding the opening goal, matching Newcastle United in 2002 for the joint-most by a single team in a calendar year.

Atletico Madrid returned to winning ways in LaLiga as Giuliano Simeone and Alexander Sorloth earned them a 2-0 triumph over Las Palmas on Sunday. 

Atletico's sixth win of the season moved them up to third in LaLiga after 12 games, while Las Palmas remain inside the bottom three in the Spanish top-flight. 

Diego Simeone's side started strongly at the Metropolitano Stadium, with Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez going closest to netting the first goal. 

But their dominant opening was rewarded in the 37th minute when Simeone was sent through by Nahuel Molina, with the Argentine slotting past Jasper Cillessen for his first LaLiga goal. 

The hosts threatened to extend their advantage before the break, but Samuel Lino and Pablo Barrios saw their efforts unable to trouble Cillessen.

Simeone's side continued to dominate proceedings, finally getting the goal their display merited seven minutes from time, with Sorloth beating the offside trap before curling the ball home to seal the victory.

Data Debrief: Like father, like son

Simeone followed in his father's footsteps against Las Palmas, netting his first goal for Atletico in his eighth LaLiga match, almost 20 years after his father and manager, Diego, scored his maiden goal for the club in his ninth game in the competition against Real Madrid. 

But Sorloth also impressed. Since his arrival in LaLiga in the 2021-22 season, only Karim Benzema (46), Vinicius Junior (47) and Robert Lewandowski (56) have scored more goals than the Norwegian (43, level with Iago Aspas). 

Atletico have now won nine of their last 11 matches against Las Palmas in LaLiga (L1), keeping a clean sheet in nine of those games. 

Atletico Madrid returned to winning ways in LaLiga as Giuliano Simeone and Alexander Sorloth earned them a 2-0 triumph over Las Palmas on Sunday. 

Atletico's sixth win of the season moved them up to third in LaLiga after 12 games, while Las Palmas remain inside the bottom three in the Spanish top-flight. 

Diego Simeone's side started strongly at the Metropolitano Stadium, with Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez going closest to netting the first goal. 

But their dominant opening was rewarded in the 37th minute when Simeone was sent through by Nahuel Molina, with the Argentine slotting past Jasper Cillessen for his first LaLiga goal. 

The hosts threatened to extend their advantage before the break, but Samuel Lino and Pablo Barrios saw their efforts unable to trouble Cillessen.

Simeone's side continued to dominate proceedings, finally getting the goal their display merited seven minutes from time, with Sorloth beating the offside trap before curling the ball home to seal the victory.

Data Debrief: Like father, like son

Simeone followed in his father's footsteps against with his goal against Las Palmas, netting his first strike for Atletico in his eighth LaLiga match, almost 20 years after his father and manager, Diego, scored his last goal for the club against Real Madrid. 

But Sorloth also impressed. Since his arrival in LaLiga in the 2021-22 season, only Karim Benzema (46), Vinicius Junior (47) and Robert Lewandowski (56) have scored more goals than the Norwegian (43, level with Iago Aspas). 

Atletico have now won nine of their last 11 matches against Las Palmas in LaLiga (L1), keeping a clean sheet in nine of those games. 

Diana Shnaider knows she will have a target on her back next year after capping her breakout season by beating Katie Boulter in Sunday’s Hong Kong Open final.

Top seed Shnaider cruised to a 6-1 6-2 victory over second seed Boulter in 72 minutes, claiming her fourth WTA Tour title of the year.

Only Iga Swiatek (five) and Aryna Sabalenka (four) have matched that number, but the Russian knows being in that company will take away her element of surprise next season.

"It's nice to be in that company," Shnaider said after her win. "I will definitely push harder to be on the same stage as them, to win more tournaments and at even higher categories. 

“That's the future. This year I did an amazing job. Next year, everyone will be getting ready, knowing my game, 'Oh she's tough,' stuff like that. 

“But it's important for me to play against the best in the world. Even if there are a lot of losses, I'll be as positive as possible, just keep building my game, my mentality, my physical strength. 

“There are a lot of things I can improve and achieve to be, say, a Top 10 player. It's not a rush, I'll have to be patient."

Shnaider also revealed four was her lucky number, having ended a year that saw her rise from world number 97 to 14 with that number of trophies.

"Well, I was born second of April and I just love those combinations with two and four. Obviously it’s the season of 2024," she said. "There are crazy circumstances, like the Hua Hin title I won was happening for the fourth year.

"Then I won Bad Homburg and that was happening for the fourth year. The number just keeps following me. I guess it's like a lucky charm for me."

Trinidad & Tobago is set to create history next month when it plays home to the first-ever Special Olympics Regional Beach Games.

The Games is scheduled to run from November 8 to 10 and is being facilitated by Special Olympics T&T (SOTT), with the Digicel Foundation as one of the event’s main sponsors.

This new regional event will bring together 130 athletes, 70 coaches, and delegates from Special Olympics programmes across the Caribbean and North America to compete in a variety of beach sports, including Aquathlon, Beach Bocce, Beach Soccer, Beach Volleyball and Open Water Swimming, at venues in both Trinidad and Tobago. 

Digicel Foundation Chief Executive Officer Penny Gomez said the company was pleased to be associated with such an important event.

“The dedication and commitment demonstrated by our special athletes and coaches is nothing short of inspiring.

“It’s a great honour for T&T to have been selected to host the inaugural Special Olympics Regional Beach Games, and this recognition of our very own SOTT is very well-deserved,” Gomez said.

Special Olympics T&T (SOTT) is the only Special Olympics programme that currently includes the Beach Games as an annual multi-sport event and has done so since 2016.

The Milwaukee Bucks are struggling to sustain their performance levels over a full game amid their five-game losing streak, says coach Doc Rivers.

The Bucks have failed to win since triumphing in their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, going down 114-113 to the perfect Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.

They raced into a 38-30 first-quarter lead at Fiserv Forum before tailing off badly, prompting Rivers to question their fitness.

“We don’t sustain the game,” Rivers said. “We haven’t been able to sustain 48 minutes.

“We’ve got to figure that out. That’s on us. We have not found the correct rotation yet.”

Damian Lillard was unfortunate to be on the losing team after scoring 41 points with nine assists and shooting 10 of 15 from 3-point range, and he pointed out that several opponents had benefitted from having strong bench options against them.

“I think every team that’s hurt us, they’ve had somebody come in off the bench and have an impact on the game,” Lillard said. 

“They had a guy come in and knock down three 3s when they were bleeding and we had them down and our energy was right. He comes in and, ‘Bang, bang, bang.’"

However, Giannis Antetokounmpo – who had 34 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists – believes the Bucks’ results will soon turn, claiming their displays have improved.

“It doesn’t mean we’re going to go to a five-game winning streak or a 10-game winning streak,” Antetokounmpo said. 

“But I know that we’re playing better. We trust one another better. The ball is moving. There’s a lot of good things that we can do. That’s all we can control.”

Ademola Lookman scored a first-half brace as Atalanta stunned Serie A leaders Napoli with a 3-0 away win on Sunday, moving up to second in the table.

Lookman – who this week finished 14th in the voting for the Ballon d’Or – opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a volley from close range after being teed up by Charles De Ketelaere.

He then doubled La Dea’s lead after the half-hour mark with a long-range strike from another De Ketelaere pass, after Scott McTominay had rattled the post for Napoli.

Substitute Mateo Retegui added the third in stoppage time, sweeping home from Raoul Bellanova’s cross as Gian Piero Gasperini’s men extended their winning run to five league games.

Atalanta, provisionally second on 22 points, have cut the gap to their opponents at the summit to three points. 

They are one point above third-placed Inter – who have a game in hand – and Juventus in fourth.

Data Debrief: Lookman deals Conte reality check

Napoli entered Sunday’s game with the only 100% home record in Serie A this season, having won five of five on their own turf under new boss Conte.

However, they were given a harsh reality check by a potential Scudetto rival as the former Chelsea and Tottenham coach lost a home Serie A match by a three-goal margin for the first time since 2009, when he oversaw Atalanta’s 5-2 defeat to Juventus.

Lookman was the architect, and he has now been involved in more goals across all competitions in 2024 than any other Serie A player (28 – 17 goals, 11 assists).

 

Lando Norris seized pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix by topping a chaotic, postponed qualifying on Sunday, while Max Verstappen will start 17th.

Qualifying was pushed back after heavy rain and thunderstorms prevented it from taking place on Saturday, with the race’s start time also brought forward by 90 minutes.

Five red flags punctuated a chaotic session as Williams pair Franco Colapinto and Alex Albon, Aston Martin duo Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz all crashed.

Norris was almost knocked out in the first session, but he recovered to beat Mercedes’ George Russell to pole, with RB’s Yuki Tsunoda third and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon fourth.

Norris said after the race: “There was a lot going on. I was struggling a lot at the start of the session, I worked on it a lot in the session. 

“A little surprised to be on pole but a good result for us.”

Verstappen, meanwhile, finished 12th but will start in 17th after taking a five-place grid penalty for the race, his fourth penalty in the last two races.

The three-time world champion was left seething about a delay in throwing the red flag following Stroll’s crash in the second session, which he believed allowed other drivers to demote him out of the top 10 before he was prevented from attempting another lap.

He could vault up the grid if some of the damaged cars are unable to start the race, though, while his long-time rival Lewis Hamilton also struggled as he qualified 16th.

India were whitewashed in a three-match home Test series for the very first time as New Zealand sealed a 25-run victory in the final match at Wankhede on Sunday.

Having given themselves hope of avoiding a 3-0 defeat on day two, India found themselves chasing 145 for victory on a difficult pitch after Ravindra Jadeja had Ajaz Patel (8) caught by Akash Deep.

However, Rishabh Pant’s fine 64 off 57 balls was not enough for the hosts as the wickets tumbled around him, Patel scalping six in the second India innings to take his tally for the match to 11.

India lost four within the first eight overs with Patel taking two, sending stumps flying to account for Shubman Gill then having Sarfaraz Khan caught for one run apiece. 

The Mumbai-born seamer finally got Pant’s all-important wicket 22 overs in following a successful review from Tom Latham, and India never looked likely to complete the chase from there.

Glenn Phillips got in on the act with two wickets in two balls to dismiss Ravinchandran Ashwin (8) and Akash (0) before Patel finished things off when his spin ball beat the attempted sweep of Washington Sundar (12).

Data Debrief: Black Caps make history

This is the first time India have lost a Test series 3-0 on home soil in their history, and the first time they have lost three red-ball matches in any single home series since 1983.

They were last blanked on their own turf in the format in a two-match series versus South Africa in 2000.

It is also the first time New Zealand have ever won three Tests in a single series, while Patel now has 25 wickets in two Tests at the Wankhede Stadium – the most by any visiting bowler at a single venue versus India.

Borussia Dortmund's 2-1 comeback win over RB Leipzig to snap a three-game losing run was a reward for their hard work, coach Nuri Sahin said.

Dortmund, who face Sturm Graz in the Champions League next week, were without nine injured players but dug deep to score twice after visitors Leipzig took the lead.

They came into Saturday's Bundesliga match against second-placed Leipzig having lost three straight games across all competitions, and fell behind to Benjamin Sesko's thumping strike.

But goals from Maximilian Beier and Serhou Guirassy completed the turnaround and saw Sahin continue his strong home form, having won each of his first five league matches in charge at Signal Iduna Park.

"An important win, and in my opinion a deserved win," Sahin told reporters. 

"We started well and the goal did not knock us down. We were rewarded with a goal before half-time and then again after the break. Sometimes you suffer, but with suffering you learn. We are now on a better track and won't veer away."

Sahin had been under mounting pressure following a loss in the Champions League to Real Madrid after leading 2-0, and defeats by Augsburg in the Bundesliga last week and Tuesday's DFB-Cup exit to Wolfsburg.

"On Tuesday I also saw a team that gave everything but were not rewarded in the end. Today we were," Sahin said.

"The boys applied what we planned. The belief in this team is the same even if we had lost seven in a row."

Michel believes Girona's LaLiga match against Leganes should not have been played following flash floods that have devastated parts of eastern Spain.

Girona won a thrilling contest 4-3 on Saturday.

However, the match came after several days of flooding that has left over 200 people dead, with dozens unaccounted for.

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick and Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone earlier criticised the decision to hold most of the LaLiga matches this weekend, a sentiment echoed by Michel.

"We shouldn't celebrate anything since this match shouldn't have been played," the Girona boss said.

"Taking three points after the physical and mental toll of playing in different competitions and travelling, the team gives everything, and that's very positive."

Girona's Miguel Gutierrez, who opened the scoring, marked the goal by holding up a shirt that read: 'This is for you, Henry. Go Valencia'.

"The first shirt I lifted was for my friend Enrique, whose mother is missing. She was swept away by the current, and they’re still trying to find her," he said.

The 23-year-old said the past few days had been emotional.

"I believe the match takes a backseat. Aside from Madrid, the city I've spent the most time in where I have the most friends and connections is Valencia," Gutierrez said.

"I can assure you that I’ve seen videos and been on video calls with friends and it’s a complete disaster, an absolute nightmare." 

Focusing on the match, Michel acknowledged the defensive performance was not good enough from his team, who conceded only eight shots, though five of those were on target, with Leganes scoring three goals from an expected goals (xG) of just 0.4.

"We competed well; the first half was very good, but we conceded two goals from situations we could have defended better," he said.

"Even though I wanted to make changes to bring in the young players at 4-2, the 4-3 score complicated things. It was a tough situation for them. As coaches, we want to control the game more, but it turned out this way."

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