QTerminals Qatar Classic gets underway

Doha: Egypt’s World No.14 Mohamad Zakaria earned the biggest win of his career to date after taking out World No.4 Joel Makin on a day which saw eight of the top 16 seeds exit the Platinum-level QTerminals Qatar Classic in round one at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex on Sunday.Zakaria had lost out to No.3 seed Makin in the third round of the CIB Egyptian Open earlier this month but dominated proceedings today at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, winning 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 in 67 minutes to score his first win over a player inside the world’s top four.“I’m over the moon, as soon as I lost the match against him in Giza, I started training with [former World No.1] Jonathon Power for this match,” said 18-year-old Zakaria afterwards.“The plan we had worked so well, I was more attacking, more positive, and I brought the game to him. I was so happy with my short game and I did very well today.”Zakaria will go up against Englishman Jonah Bryant in the last 16, with Bryant beating Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller.Qatar’s Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) beat compatriot Ali Al Darwish 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 to move into the next round.Egypt’s Youssef Ibrahim is also through after upsetting World No.6 Marwan ElShorbagy, winning 16-14, 11-7, 12-10.No.4 seed ElShorbagy held a 9-8 lead in the third game, but two strokes against the Englishman quickly handed the momentum back to Ibrahim, with the second stroke being given against ElShorbagy due to dissent. Ibrahim then converted to set up a second round match with ElShorbagy’s fellow Englishman, Curtis Malik.“I’m very pleased with the way everything went, the first game was very important for both of us,” Ibrahim said.“It’s a very tricky court, but we both managed to perform our best, especially in the first game. It was a mental battle with Marwan and I’m very happy with the way I handled the big points, I didn’t make many errors. I didn’t want to have too many interactions with the referee and I think that’s what made the difference.”Two former champions in Karim Gawad and Mohamed ElShorbagy saw their events come to an end against lower-ranked opposition. Gawad fell to India’s Abhay Singh, while ElShorbagy lost out to Spain’s Iker Pajares.In the women’s event, Malaysia’s Aira Azman got the better of No.5 seed Satomi Watanabe, while No.8 seed Georgina Kennedy saw her tournament come to an end against France’s Melissa Alves.Azman came back from two games down against Watanabe to claim her first win over the World No.6 to reach the last 16 of the Qatar Classic for the first time.“I’m very happy with the way I played today, I always seem to go 2-0 down and then get ready to play the next three [games],” said Azman, who will play Zeina Mickawy next.USA’s World No.4 Olivia Weaver was the other seed to bow out of the tournament after she withdrew from her match against Egypt’s Farida Mohamed due to a reoccurrence of the adductor injury that saw her pull out of the London Classic earlier this month.Defending champion Nour El Sherbini began her tournament with a comfortable 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 win against fellow Egyptian Sana Ibrahim. The eight-time World Champion will play World No.52 Nour Heikal next.“I’m happy to be back, it’s one of the best tournaments, if not the best,” said El Sherbini afterwards.“Coming back to a tournament you won last year, you feel the memories. I love this court and I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen this week.“I didn’t have the best start to the new season, so I went home, regrouped, and I wanted to get off to a good start here. Sana is an amazing player, it was a tricky first round and she has good hands. I wanted to be more aggressive and play my game more.”

Qatar’s Cherif & Ahmed win Rio for third Beach Pro Tour gold of the year

Rio de Janeiro: Qatar’s Cherif Younousse & Ahmed Tijan, seeded third in the men’s main draw, topped the podium at the Rio de Janeiro Elite on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour on Sunday.It was their third gold on the Tour this season, after the Xiamen Challenge in May and the Gstaad Elite in July. Overall, it was Cherif & Ahmed’s fifth gold and ninth medal since the Tour was launched in 2022.The silver went to seventh-seeded Noslen Diaz & Jorge Alayo. The Cuban Olympians have now collected six medals on the Beach Pro Tour. This was their second podium in 2025, after the Quintana Roo Elite in March, where they triumphed with gold.Second-seeded Stefan Boermans & Yorick de Groot of the Netherlands settled for bronze, their fourth consecutive Elite-level bronze, after Gstaad, Hamburg and Joao Pessoa. Overall, it was the team’s 12th podium finish on the Beach Pro Tour.

Team Qatar reach Elite16 Quarterfinals in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro: Team Qatar’s beach volleyball duo, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, advanced to the quarterfinals of the Elite16 Beach Volleyball World Tour, currently being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.The Qatari pair secured their place in the last eight after defeating Latvia’s Martins Plavins and Kristians Fokerots 2–1 (15–21, 21–17, 15–12) in the Round of 12. Earlier, they had overcome the Czech duo of Tadeas Trousil and Jiri Sedlak in the Round of 18 with a straight-sets victory (21–14, 21–18).In the group stage, Younousse and Tijan opened their campaign with a 2–0 win over the Dutch team of Ruben Penninga and Matthew Immers (29–27, 21–14). They later fell in a tight three-set battle against the French pair Theo Rotar and Arnaud Gauthier-Rat (1–2).Currently ranked ninth in the world, the Qatari duo are aiming to further improve their standing through this high-profile international event, which brings together the world’s best teams under the FIVB’s Elite16 series.

QOC celebrates International Day for Universal Access to Information

Doha: The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) marked the International Day for Universal Access to Information, observed annually on September 28, reaffirming its commitment to transparency, freedom of information, and fostering a culture of digital protection among its employees and partners.This celebration underscores QOC’s leading role in adopting international best practices that guarantee access to information for all segments of society. It also reflects Qatar’s position as a pioneering sports and institutional hub in good governance, knowledge management, and national capacity-building.Over the past years, QOC has launched several initiatives aimed at raising awareness about the importance of information sharing. These include strengthening knowledge management systems in line with the international ISO 30401 standard, implementing effective digital archiving and document management policies, and offering specialized training programs on cybersecurity. Together, these measures ensure a responsible and sustainable work environment.QOC also places great emphasis on issuing regular reports on its strategy and sustainability efforts while making key data on its activities and projects available through official channels. This approach provides the public and stakeholders with direct, reliable access to the committee’s achievements and ongoing work.On this occasion, Eng. Fahad Ebrahim Al-Muhana, Director of Strategy and Sustainability at QOC, stated:"Our celebration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information reflects the QOC’s commitment to transparency and integrity, while empowering our national workforce with the tools of modern knowledge. We believe that reliable information is the foundation of sustainable development and strengthens institutional decision-making that serves both sport and society."“We will continue to adopt best global practices in knowledge management and data protection, in line with the Committee’s strategic vision and directions aimed at building a modern and secure institutional environment that can keep pace with global changes and strengthen Qatar’s position on the international sports map.” He added. This occasion highlights QOC’s institutional direction toward building a strong administrative culture founded on openness, transparency, and inclusivity. It also supports Qatar’s National Vision 2030 by contributing to human, social, and institutional development.Through these efforts, QOC continues to play a central role in promoting sport as a positive force for spreading knowledge, strengthening accountability, and expanding access to information for the benefit of current and future generations.It's worth mentioning that QOC has received international certification in the Knowledge Management System ISO 30401 this year.  This milestone makes QOC the first institution in Qatar and the first sports organization in the Middle East to receive this prestigious international recognition.

Team Qatar defeat Czech Republic in Rio de Janeiro Elite

Rio de Janeiro: Team Qatar’s beach volleyball stars Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan delivered a stellar performance in Rio de Janeiro, defeating their Czech opponents in straight sets at the prestigious Elite16 Beach Volleyball World Tour.The Qatari duo showcased their trademark power and precision to seal the win 21–14, 21–18, booking their place in the next round where they will face Latvia.The victory marked their second triumph of the tournament, following an opening 2–0 win over Dutch pair Ruben Penninga and Matthew Immers (29–27, 21–14). Despite a narrow 1–2 setback against France’s Theo Rotar and Arnaud Gauthier in their second outing, Cherif and Tijan remain firmly in contention and determined to push deeper into the tournament.Currently ranked ninth in the world with 5,720 points, the Qatari duo are using this elite competition to strengthen their global standing and sharpen their form ahead of upcoming international challenges.Bringing together the world’s top-ranked players, the Elite16 series is regarded as one of the premier stages in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour calendar, offering a showcase of high-intensity matches and world-class talent.

QTerminals Qatar Classic 2025 to begin on Sunday

Doha: The QTerminals Qatar Classic 2025 stands as a pinnacle event in the global squash calendar, marking the 22nd edition of this prestigious PSA Platinum tournament.Starting from today until October 4 at the state-of-the-art Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, the tournament draws 64 elite players—32 men and 32 women—vying for supremacy in a high-stakes battle of skill, endurance, and strategy. As the inaugural Platinum event of the PSA 2025/26 Tour, it underscores Qatar's rising stature as a hub for world-class sports, blending cutting-edge facilities with Qatari hospitality.The tournament features full-size draws of 64 players in both the men’s and women’s events, attracting many of the world’s top-ranked squash athletesAmong the headline stars are Mostafa Asal and Hania El Hammamy, each entering as the top seeds in their respective categories.Asal, the reigning men’s World Champion, will be looking to capture his first Qatar Classic title, while El Hammamy seeks to win for the second time after her 2023 victory.Diego Elias, last year’s champion, returns as men’s No.2 seed, aiming to defend his crown.On the women’s side, world No.3 Nour El Sherbini will try to reverse recent finals results and secure the title.The prize money is set at $231,500 for both the men’s and women’s draws, underlining the event’s prestige and its push for equality.