Iga Swiatek among top players withdrawing from National Bank Open in Toronto

ALMATY, Kazakhstan – Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo lost to Russian-Armenian player Karen Khachanov in three sets at the Almaty Open men’s final on Sunday.

Khachanov won his seventh ATP Tour title 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.

The 28-year-old Khachanov has won both of his matches with the 23-year-old Diallo.

Khachanov also beat Diallo 6-4, 6-4 in the Round of 64 at this year’s National Bank Open.

Diallo had seven aces to Khachanov’s six and the Russian-Armenian had a double fault.

Khachanov converted 6 of 19 break points, while Diallo managed to convert 3 of 6.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2024.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — New Zealand won the Women’s T20 World Cup for the first time, beating South Africa by 32 runs on Sunday after a standout performance from Amelia Kerr with bat and ball.

South Africa’s chase was held to 126-9 in 20 overs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in reply to New Zealand’s 158-5 in the final of the 18-day tournament.

South Africa was also seeking to become a first-time champion.

After South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and opted to bowl, Kerr top scored for New Zealand with a 38-ball 43. Brooke Halliday hit 38 runs in 28 deliveries and opener Suzie Bates scored 32 in 31. Nonkululeko Mlaba took 2-31 in four overs for South Africa.

South Africa made a strong start to its chase, reaching 51-1 in 6.5 overs but never really threatened afterward, reaching the halfway stage of its innings at 64-3.

Wolvaardt top scored for South Africa with a 27-ball 33.

Kerr took 3-24 in her four overs, including Wolvaardt’s wicket.

Both teams fielded an unchanged side from their semifinal wins where South Africa stunned defending champions Australia in the first semi by eight wickets on Thursday, while New Zealand beat West Indies in the second semifinal by eight runs on Friday.

This was South Africa’s second straight final appearance in the tournament. Losing to Australia by 19 runs, it had finished runners-up in its home tournament in 2023, its best result in the tournament.

New Zealand, meanwhile, reached the tournament final for the first time since 2010. In the first two editions – 2009 and 2010 – it had lost to England by six wickets in London, and to Australia by three runs in Barbados.

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AP cricket:

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SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday canceled his trip to Russia for a BRICS summit after an accident at home that left him with a cut in the neck, his office said.

The 78-year-old leader was scheduled to attend a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies in the city of Kazan from Tuesday to Thursday this week.

Hospital Sirio Libanês in Sao Paulo said in a statement that the leftist leader was instructed not to take long distance trips, but can keep his other activities. Doctors Roberto Kalil and Ana Heleno Germoglio said they will regularly check on Lula’s recovery.

Brazil’s presidency said in a separate statement that Lula will take part in the summit by videoconference and will continue his work in capital Brasilia this week. It did not disclose details about what caused the president’s injury.

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