Portugal, Italy retain top spots in Nations LeagueAFP – PARIS

Portugal and Italy kept hold of first place in their UEFA Nations League groups on Sunday with goalless draws against France and Poland on a night of little drama, while England saw off Belgium to take the initiative in their pool.

There was not much to talk about at the Stade de France as a star-studded line up of players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann failed to muster much of a spectacle in the League A, Group 3 match.

The 1,000 fans gathered in the cavernous stadium just outside Paris to watch France host the reigning European champions were treated to just four shots on target as two rugged defences cancelled out each team’s attacks.

Pepe headed home what he thought was a 74th-minute opener when he got on the end of Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick but was flagged offside.

Ronaldo, chasing his 102nd international goal, was denied by a flying save from Hugo Lloris in added time.

Mbappe fluffed France’s

best when Rui Patricio antici-pated his gentle chip when one-on-one with the Portu-guese stopper.

Both sides are on seven points, four ahead of Croatia, whose 2-1 home win over Sweden earlier on Sunday was the group’s more entertaining

match, with a calamitous late lapse from Pontus Jansson allowing the 2018 World Cup finalists to snatch the points in a soaking Zagreb.

Defender Jansson dawdled under a high ball into the penalty area with six minutes remaining and allowed Ivan

Perisic to nip in behind. The Inter Milan winger then squared the ball for Andrej Kramaric to tap in from close range.

Sweden are stuck on no points after losing all three of their matches.

Italy stretched their

unbeaten streak to 18 matches and held onto top spot in League A, Group 1 with their stalemate in Gdansk.

New Juventus signing Fed-erico Chiesa missed the chance to win the match for the dom-inant ‘Azzurri’ from close range in the 11th minute.

Roberto Mancini’s side are one point ahead of the Neth-erlands, who also drew 0-0 with Bosnia and Herzegovina, ahead of their meeting in Bergamo tomorrow.

England manager Gareth Southgate said his side showed what they were made of after coming from behind to beat Belgium 2-1 and move top of League A, Group 2 earlier on Sunday.

The Three Lions are on seven points, one ahead of the world’s top-ranked side after Marcus Rashford’s spot-kick and Mason Mount’s deflected winner 25 minutes from time cancelled out Romelu Lukaku’s early penalty.

“We are not going to face a more difficult game defen-sively,” said Southgate.

“That is the beauty of the Nations League, you get games against this level of opponent.

AFP – LONDON

English Football League chairman Rick Parry has praised Liverpool and Manchester United for “showing leadership” after they came up with a radical plan to overhaul the Premier League that he believes will benefit the whole game.

The controversial “Project Big Picture” includes proposals to reduce the Premier League from 20 to 18 teams and abolish the League Cup and Community Shield.

The club finishing 16th in the Premier League would join the Championship play-offs while there would be greater voting rights for the nine longest-serving Premier League clubs.

Under the plan, EFL clubs would receive an immediate £250m ($325m) rescue package and a 25 percent future annual share of Premier League revenue.

Parry insists the proposals -- which would be the biggest shake-up of English football in a generation -- offer the best chance of securing the future of clubs outside the top flight but they have been deeply divisive.

The Premier League said the plans would have a “damaging impact on the whole game” while the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport criticised “backroom deals”.

But Parry, a former chief exec-utive of Liverpool and the Premier

League, was fulsome in his praise for Liverpool and United, England’s two most successful clubs.

“It is two of our great clubs showing leadership when it is needed, exercising great responsibility, and from the EFL point of view it is making our clubs sus-tainable and bridging the gap between the top of the Championship and the bottom of the Premier League,” he said.

“The cherry on the icing on the cake is the prospect of a £250m rescue fund immediately, which does of course help, but the principal part of the story is the biggest reset since the formation of the Premier League which, all being well, will

set up the pyramid for the next 25 years.

“The proposal is designed for the greater good of English football.”

Parry said the Premier League has had plenty of opportunity to come up with plans of their own.

“They could have come up with a plan like this at any time,” he added.

“How long has it taken to get a short-term rescue package even to the starting gate? Months.”

“The message from Liverpool and Manchester United and their own-ership is they actually genuinely do care about the pyramid,” Parry added.

“This hasn’t been rushed together, this isn’t a Covid plan, it

has been years in the thinking and months in the making.”

TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER 2020

The more things change the more they stay the same for clay king NadalI played an amazing level of tennis, no? For two sets and a half I played great. I can’t say another thing. It is impossible to have this score against him (Djokovic) without playing great.

Sport | 10French Open champion Rafael Nadal

Sport

The controversial plan includes proposals to reduce the Premier League from 20 to 18 teams and abolish the League Cup and Community Shield. The club finishing 16th in the Premier League would join the Championship play-offs while there would be greater voting rights for the nine longest-serving Premier League clubs.

NBA FINALS: (Game 6) Los Angeles Lakers 106, Miami Heat 93 (LeBron James 28 pts, Bam Adebayo 25) * Lakers win NBA title 4-2

Action during the international friendly between Qatar and Ghana, played at the Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey, yesterday. Ghana beat the Asian Champions 5-1 to earn Charles Akonnor's first win as Black Stars coach. Captain Andre Ayew scored a brace while Tariqe Fosu, Samuel Owusu and Caleb Ekuban also scored for the African heavyweights. Almoez Ali (right) was the lone scorer for Qatar.

PL reform plan under fire from UK Prime Minister

AFP – LONDON

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured) has expressed his deep concern over a radical plan by Liverpool and Manchester United to revamp English football, saying it “undermines trust in football governance”.

The controversial “Project Big Picture” would deliver a much-needed cash injection for struggling English Football League (EFL) clubs, but it has proved divisive as it concentrates power in the hands of a smaller number of teams.

The Premier League said the plans would have a “damaging impact on the

whole game” and now Johnson has weighed in.

“It is exactly this type of backroom dealing that undermines trust in football governance,” the prime minister’s official spokesman said yesterday.

“In terms of support for EFL clubs, we have been given

assurances by both the Premier League and the

EFL that they have no intention to let any club go bust due to Covid and we know that they have the means to prevent this from happening within their existing mechanisms.

“We would strongly urge the Premier League and the EFL to continue to work constructively to come up with a deal that provides a comprehensive package of scores for the whole football family.”

At present the Premier League operates on the basis of one club, one vote and 14 votes are required to implement significant changes.

Under the new proposals only six of the nine longest-serving clubs would need to vote for major changes.

All Premier League clubs would be able to sell eight matches a season to fans outside Britain from their own channels, potentially a big money-spinner for the major sides.

The ‘Big Six’ of Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham would also have the freedom created by an 18-team top division to play more lucrative European and friendly matches.

Liverpool’s Keita contracts coronavirus

AP – CONAKRY, GUINEA

The Guinea national team has cancelled a friendly against Gambia after a coronavirus outbreak in its squad, and Liverpool’s Naby Keita is reportedly one of the players who tested positive.

Today’s game in Faro, Por-tugal was off after the virus cases and a series of injuries left Guinea’s squad with just nine fully fit players and only one goalkeeper among them, the Guinea Football Federation said. Reports said midfielder Keita was one of five players to have contracted the virus, although that has not been confirmed by the Guinea fed-eration or Liverpool. The fed-eration said only that “several players” tested positive.

If Keita does have the virus, he would be the fourth player at the English Premier League champion after forward Sadio Mane and mid-fielders Thiago Alcantara and Xherdan Shaqiri also tested positive in recent weeks.

‘Project Big Picture’ rattles English football

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Ghana win Qatar friendly in Turkey S Korea to welcome fansat limited capacity againREUTERS – SEOUL

K-League fans will again be allowed back into stadiums, which will have a reduced capacity of 25% from this week, the league said yesterday after South Korea’s government eased its restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The country is allowing nightspots to re-open and spec-tators to attend sports events after new coronavirus cases edged lower in recent weeks, with daily infections falling into the double-digit range in the past two weeks.

The Korean top-flight season began on May 8 in empty stadiums before a limited number of fans were allowed to attend K-League games from Aug. 1.

However, a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases forced the government to enforce stricter rules and again bar fans from attending matches.

Fans will now again be allowed to attend games, starting with Gangwon’s match against Incheon on Friday.

Stadiums can be filled to a maximum of 30% of capacity to comply with the authorities’ social distancing guidelines but the league opted to limit attendance to 25%.

Portugal’s forward Ronaldo (second left) vies with France’s midfielder Paul Pogba (centre)

during their Nations League match played at the Stade de

France in Saint-Denis, Paris, on Sunday.

11TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER 2020 SPORT

Hamilton warns he will keep racing until he turns greyAFP — NÜRBURGRING

Lewis Hamilton (pictured) issued a clear warning to his rivals after his record-equalling 91st career win at the Eifel Grand Prix when he said he wants to keep chasing records until he turns grey.

The runaway series leader and six-time world champion equalled Michael Schumacher’s total of wins and moved closer to levelling him on seven drivers’ titles with his victory at the Nurburgring on Sunday.

It was his first win at the circuit for Mercedes and the team’s first triumph at the his-toric venue since J u a n -Manuel Fan-gio’s victory in 1954.

“ O f course, I can set goals and I will con-t i n u e t o charge o n

and see what is possible,” said Hamilton.

“I love the sport - the smell of it, the whole aura and atmos-phere it creates - and it is going to be difficult to let it go.

“While I am older now than these guys, I feel as young as them in spirit. That will change when I start seeking grey hairs, but for now I am good.”

Hamilton achieved his landmark win after 260 races while Schumacher, whose 21-year-old racer son Mick gave him one of his father’s helmets to mark his achievement, raced in 246.

The German won his 91st race 14 years ago at the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix.

Hamilton, who grew up watching Schumacher win

races during his and Fer-rari’s domination, can move one clear of that total if he wins the inaugural Formula

One race at the Portimao circuit in Portugal on

October 25.“I could never

fathom equalling his records and it is beyond my wildest dreams to be here now - I feel humbled by the moment,” s a i d Hamilton.

“Michael is, and always will

be, a legend of the sport,” the superstar added.

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Brawn hopes 2026 engine rules will bring Honda back to F1REUTERS — LONDON

Formula One managing director Ross Brawn said yesterday he wanted departing Honda to help shape future engine rules that might encourage the Japanese manu-facturer to return.

Honda announced this month that it will quit Formula One as an engine provider at the end of 2021 to focus on zero-emission technology.

The company, current sup-plier to Red Bull’s two teams, left as a constructor in 2008 when it sold its team to then-boss Brawn who went on to win both the 2009 titles with Britain’s Jenson Button and Mercedes engines.

The Brawn GP team then became the Mercedes factory team in 2010 and has domi-nated Formula One since the 1.6

litre V6 turbo hybrid era started in 2014. “It is unfortunate Honda are leaving Formula One at the end of 2021,” Brawn wrote in his regular column on the www.formula1.com website.

“I’m optimistic when their situation changes and when F1 evolves, we can engage them again as Honda have always been important and welcome members of the F1 community in the past and hopefully for the future.

“I hope a new power unit formula which will be intro-duced no later than 2026 will encourage them to come back again,” added the Briton.

He said Formula One will also be encouraging Honda to be part of new working groups set up by the governing FIA that will recommend what sort of power unit the sport should adopt in future.

Kim keeps Inbee at bay to win maiden major title

Sei Young Kim of Korea

poses with the trophy after winning the 2020 KPMG

Women’s PGA Championship.

REUTERS — NEW YORK

With a string of near-misses at the majors and Olympic champion Park Inbee breathing down her neck, it was a relieved Kim Sei-young who tapped in the winning putt to claim the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship yesterday.

Kim’s triumph at Aronimink Golf Course after a scintillating final round 63 put paid to her status as the most prolific winner on the LPGA Tour among active players never to have won a major title.

“I’m so excited. I’m really hiding my tears at the moment. It was amazing that I really won it. So I’m very happy and excited that I got it done,” the 27-year-old

South Korean said, beaming next to the winner’s trophy.

Seven-times major champion Park had beaten Kim for the 2015 title at Westchester Country Club and was only three strokes behind her compatriot going into the final round.

A five-under round might get the job done, she thought.

Park duly delivered with a 65 but it was not enough as overnight leader Kim rose to the challenge with her seven-under-par 63.

“Obviously Sei-young was just much better than anyone else out there today,” said Park, who had been chasing a fourth win in the event.

“It was just so hard to believe that she never won a major

before because it felt like she won a few,” she said of Kim, who has claimed at least one Tour win each season since 2015.

Kim, who was in a tie for second at the 2018 Evian Championship, one of the five women’s majors, admitted to struggling with nerves before teeing off on Sunday and kept her eyes averted from the leader-board during her round.

“I won’t lie, I did feel the pressure starting last night,” she said. “I actually arrived about 30 minutes later than I nor-mally do at the golf course.

“I did not look at the scoreboard once. I knew In-bee was going to play great. But I had to just focus on playing my own game, one shot at a time.”

Laird wins play-off for PGA Shriners crownAFP — LOS ANGELES

Britain’s Martin Laird sank a 22-foot birdie putt on the second play-off hole to win his first US PGA title in seven years at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

The 37-year-old Scotsman made a bogey on the 72nd hole to fall into a play-off with Americans Matthew Wolff and Austin Cook, but responded by curling in the clutch putt at the par-3 17th hole to capture the title. “It has been a while,” Laird said.

“I’ve been working hard. I feel like my game is as good as it has been. Obviously I’m really going to enjoy this one.”

World number 351 Laird, who has battled through a knee injury to continue his career, took his fourth US PGA title after wins at the 2009 Shriners, Bay Hill in 2011 and the 2013 Texas Open.

Martin Laird poses with the trophy after winning the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open golf tournament.

Laird, Cook and Wolff all finished 72 holes on 23-under 261 at TPC of Summerlin in sub-urban Las Vegas to set up the event’s third playoff in four years, which began with all three parring the 18th hole.

On the second extra hole, Wolff came up short from 38 feet and Cook went long from 25, setting the stage for Laird to become the first winner playing on a sponsor exemption since Wolff last year at Minneapolis.

US Open runner-up Wolff, 21, missed a chance to become the youngest multiple winner on the PGA Tour since Sergio

Garcia in 2001. Clinging to a one-stroke lead in the final round, Laird sent his tee shot right of the cart path at the par-3 17th, trees blocking him from the green and water lurking beyond it.

Laird made birdie putts from 12 feet at the sixth and 15 feet at the seventh and answered a bogey at the par-3 eighth with an eagle at the par-5 ninth, holing out from 20 feet out of a buried greenside bunker lie.

“A shot I’ll always remember,” Laird said. “It was pretty special.”

Qatar SC complete hat-trick of Amir Cup titles Table Tennis: Tokic stars in 3-1 victory over Al Sadd in final

THE PENINSULA — DOHA

Qatar SC yesterday completed a hat-trick of Amir Cup Table Tennis Championship titles after they beat Al Sadd in the final at Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium Indoor Hall.

Qatar SC won 3-1 after losing the first match of the title-decider as they lifted the trophy for the fourth time in history.

Khalil Al Mohannadi, Pres-ident of the Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA), crowned the winners in the presence of Sheh Sahim bin Abdulaziz, Vice President of Qatar SC.

Khaled Al Kuwari received the League Shield as well and the junior title Al Sadd won for the 2019-2020 season.

H E Sheikh Saud bin Ali Al Thani, First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) watched the match.

Qatar SC yesterday

succeeded in achieving the title for the third time in a row having won it in 2002, 2018 and 2019. Qatar SC have also won the championship on four

occasions. On the other hand, Al Sadd failed to reclaim the title missing from its trophy cabinet since the 2014-2015 season when they beat Al Arabi in the

final. Yesterday’s final was a repeat of the 2017-18 title clash which also won by Qatar SC.

Al Sadd have won the pres-tigious championship five times

(1997, 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2015) besides remaining runners-up six times.

In the final, Al Sadd drew first blood as their Chinese

player Chen Hao defeated Qatar SC’s Ahmed Khalil Al Mohannadi (11-6, 11-8, 11-6).

Qatar SC regrouped through Slovenian player Bojan Tokic who beat Al Sadd’s Walid Nasser (11 -1, 11-4, 11-2) as both teams drew level at 1-1.

In the third match, Qatar SC maintained superiority after Mohammed Abdel Wahab beat Al Sadd’s Ahmed Muthanna (11-6, 11-9, 7-11 and 11-7).

In the fourth match, Qatar SC’s Tokic beat Hao (11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-9) to seal title for his side.

The two teams qualified for yesterday’s final after Qatar SC ranked top in Group A with six points. Under the leadership of its coach Walid Samir, Qatar SC succeeded beating Al Arabi in the semi-final 3-1.

Al Sadd occupied the top spot in Group B with 8 points. Al Sadd beat Al Khor in the semi-finals with a scoreline of 3-0.

Qatar SC players and officials pose with the Amir Cup Table Tennis Championship trophy after winning the final against Al Sadd, yesterday.

De Villiers shines as RCB thrash KKR in IPLAFP — DUBAI

AB de Villiers hit a power-packed 73 to help Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) outplay Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 82 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) yesterday.

The South African great smashed six sixes in his 33-ball blitz and put on an unbeaten century partnership with skipper Virat Kohli, who scored 33, as Bangalore posted 194 for two in Sharjah.

Proteas quick Chris Morris and spinner Wash-ington Sundar claimed two wickets each to keep down Kolkata to 112 for nine in 20 overs.

But the evening belonged to the 36-year-old De Villiers who scored his third IPL half-century of the season to go past 3000 runs in the Twenty20 tournament.

He took the attack to the opposition bowlers with Kohli playing second fiddle at the other end as the duo scored 83 runs from the final 30 deliveries of the innings.

Opener Aaron Finch, who made 47, and Devdutt Padikkal, who hit 32, set the platform for Bangalore’s total with a 67-run stand.

Brief Scores

RCB: 194/2 in 20 overs (AB de Villiers 73*, Aaron Finch 47, Virat Kohli 33*, Devdutt Padikkal 32) beat KKR: 112/9 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 34, Chris Morris 2/17, Washington Sundar 2/20) by 82 runs

AB de Villiers in action yesterday. PIC: RCB TWITTER

REUTERS - PARIS

Little more than a month ago when Novak Djokovic strutted on to Arthur Ashe Stadium to play Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta in the US Open fourth round, the smart money was on the Serbian one day topping the list of men’s Grand Slam title winners.

With Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer -- the two men above him in the GOAT (greatest of all time) race -- absent from New York, the door seemed ajar for Djokovic to really start breathing down their necks.

A month on, however, after being thrashed by a rampant Nadal in the French Open final, the Serbian remains on 17 Grand Slam titles, three behind the duo.

Sunday’s defeat against a phenomenal Nadal will not hurt quite as much as what hap-pened in New York when Djokovic was defaulted after hitting a female line judge in the throat with a ball knocked away in frustration.

He was a huge favourite to win a fourth US Open title and with doubts over Nadal’s post-COVID-19 shutdown form, it was not difficult to imagine him

drawing level with the Spaniard on 19 Grand Slams at the French Open.

All that is now irrelevant and the question is whether or not the 33-year-old has slipped too far behind.

While Federer’s prospects of adding to his haul are dimin-ishing with every passing year, the 34-year-old Nadal, on the evidence of the past fortnight, looks as good as ever.

Nadal was sanguine when asked about drawing level with Federer for the first time in his career.

“We keep playing. I don’t know what can happen in the future. I am just excited and of course is something that means a lot to me,” he told reporters.

“At the same time to share this record between us, that we had an amazing rivalry for such a long time, is something in

some way beautiful I really believe.”

Despite a deflating few weeks for Djokovic, he will not be about to give up the chase. After all in 2009 he only had one major to his name while Nadal was on six and Federer owned 15.

Since then he has been the most prolific collector of Grand Slam titles and the nagging sense that he lacks the adulation

heaped on Nadal and Federer will fuel his hunger to catch them.

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander believes Djokovic, who could have trumped Nadal and Federer by becoming the first man in the professional era to win each of the Grand Slams at least twice had he won on Sunday, can do it.

But he makes Nadal the favourite.

“Today tells us that Rafa Nadal most probably has the best chance to go down as the greatest male tennis player of all-time,” the Swede told Eurosport.

“Of course it will hurt Djok-ovic’s confidence not having won at the US Open and then this defeat. But now he goes into training for the Australian Open where he becomes clear favourite -- and he knows if he wins three majors next year, which we predict every year he will do, then he is up at 20.

“Novak’s body and his game is more modern and I think he can stay longer. The question is whether he is as emotionally involved as he has been over the last two years. That’s the question I’d love to have answered in Australia.”

10 TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER 2020SPORT

Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in the final of the French Open in Paris on Sunday.

The more things change the more they stay the same for clay king NadalREUTERS - PARIS

Rafael Nadal is a creature of habit and there were suggestions that various new things at this year’s French Open could unsettle the Spaniard in his bid for a 13th Roland Garros title.

The way in which he crushed Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday, however, proved that it would take more than a new stadium, different balls and unfa-miliar weather conditions to throw the claycourt king off his stride.

As usual, the Spaniard put his water bottles on his left side, labels facing the correct way, before starting his demo-lition job to humble Djokovic 6-0 6-2 7-5 and match Roger Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam men’s singles titles.

While the closed roof should have given Djokovic an advantage, and heavier balls and chilly weather were detrimental to his devastating top spin - his biggest weapon - Nadal delivered one of his best performances at Roland Garros.

“The personal satisfaction is big because under the circumstances that we played this Roland Garros, even if I played an amazing match this afternoon, the con-ditions are a little bit not the conditions that I will choose, never, to play an event like this,” Nadal, who now leads Djokovic 5-4 in their Grand Slam final confronta-tions, told a news conference.

“I was able to adapt well. I was able to, as I said the first day, to be positive in every circumstances that I was facing during the whole event, trying to accept all the challenges in terms of sometimes the feeling on the ball haven’t been great because of the cold and everything.

“I think is one of the Roland Garros that have a better personal value for myself.”

In addition to the unusual conditions, Nadal was also facing a player who appeared at his peak, having suffered his only defeat of the year when he was defaulted at the US Open.

But the Mallorcan raised his level to its maximum when it mattered after entering the tournament on the back of a quarter-final defeat at the Italian Open.

“For me, honestly, one month and a half ago if you tell me you’re going to have this trophy with you again, I will say, This year will probably be too dif-ficult,” Nadal said.

“I played an amazing level of tennis, no? For two sets and a half I played great. I can’t say another thing. It is impossible to have this score against him without playing great.

“I played a very good final. I played at my highest level when I needed to play at my highest level, so it is something I am very proud of,” he said.

Age is just a number for Nadal, Federer & DjokovicAFP - PARIS

Rafael Nadal’s 13th French Open was hailed as “one of sport’s greatest achieve-ments” by close friend and rival Roger Federer, but for tennis’s flagging chasing pack, it was another dagger in the heart of their ambitions.

Nadal, who has now gone level with Federer on 20 career Grand Slams, has won six since turning 30.

World number one Novak Djokovic has captured five of his 17 since leaving his 20s while even Federer, now 39, claimed four after his 30th birthday.

They are statistics which illustrate even more starkly how big the gap remains between the sport’s ‘Big Three’ and the rest.

Nadal’s staggering 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 win over Djokovic in the Roland Garros final allowed him to join the Serb in winning majors in three different decades.

The 34-year-old Spaniard insists that he won’t become obsessed with ending his career as the all-time greatest Slam winner.

“I would love to finish my career being the player with more Grand Slams,” he said after winning his 100th match at Roland Garros against just two losses in 15 years.

“But I’m not going to be thinking all the time Novak has this one, Roger is winning the other one. You can’t be always unhappy because your neighbour has a bigger house than you or a bigger boat or has a better phone.

“In terms of these records, of course I care. For me it means a lot to share this number with Roger. But let’s see what’s going on when we finish our careers. We keep playing. I don’t know what can happen in the future.”

Federer, who missed the US Open and Roland Garros to recover from knee surgery, believes that he and Nadal have “pushed each other to become better players”.

Nadal is the oldest Roland Garros champion since Andres Gimeno in 1972.

Djokovic, at 33, is the youngest of the three giants of the sport.

Despite his loss on Sunday, which cost him the chance to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four majors twice, he believes the 20-Slam mark can be bettered.

“If I thought it was too late I would have ended my career today,” the world number one told Serbian media after his seventh loss in eight meetings with Nadal in Paris.

“Myself, Nadal, Federer have been written off many times but we keep coming back and proving that we are still the best in the world. My goals remain the same - the historic number one ranking and Grand Slam titles.”

Djokovic started his 289th week as world number one yesterday with Federer’s all-time high of 310 comfortably in his sights.

The iron-grip on the Slams of Nadal, Djokovic and Federer is another source of frustration for the young pre-tenders who have constantly come up short.

From Federer’s first Slam triumph at Wimbledon in 2003, 57 of the 69 majors have been won by the ‘Big Three’.

Only six finals have failed to feature at least one of them.

The most recent even carries an asterik as Dominic Thiem’s win over Alexander Zverev at the US Open last month came after Nadal and Federer opted not to play and Djokovic was defaulted.

Until Sunday, that was Djokovic’s only loss of 2020 compared to 37 wins.

Nadal feared French Open title would be beyond himAFP - PARIS

Rafael Nadal admitted on Sunday that the prospect of winning a 13th French Open and taking his Grand Slam total to a record-equalling 20 had seemed even beyond his powers of endurance in the run-up to the tournament.

The 34-year-old Spaniard demolished Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 to go level with Roger Fed-erer’s all-time men’s record of majors.

It was his 100th match win at Roland Garros against just two defeats since his 2005 debut as he became the oldest champion in Paris since Andres Gimeno in 1972.

However, world number two Nadal had arrived in the French capital having played just one tournament since February as the corona-virus-enforced lockdown also prompted him to skip the US Open where he had been the defending champion.

“Honestly, for me, one month and a half ago if you tell me you’re going to have this trophy with you again, I will say, ‘this year will probably be too difficult’.

“Doubts are part of life. For me doubts are good because it means that you don’t consider yourself too good. Of course, the year has been a tough year for everyone.

“But in the sport, life can change quickly.” Nadal has been acutely aware of the chal-

lenges posed by the pandemic, claiming on Sunday that his victory was tempered by the crisis which had also seen crowds limited to just 1,000 people a day at Roland Garros.

“It’s an important day for me, but I’m not stupid. It is still a very sad situation worldwide. If you ask me what’s my feeling, of course I am super happy.

“On the other hand, I am not that happy as

usual because the situation is tough for most of the people around the world.”

The health situation may also see him yet call time on his season which would mean missing out on the chance to win a first ATP Finals, one of the titles still missing from his career tally of 86.

“I can’t tell you if I’m going to keep playing or not keep playing for the next couple of months. I didn’t decide, so I am not sure if I am going to keep going on the normal calendar or if I stop playing until next year,” said Nadal.

“I need to calm down the situation and analyse the future, because we are facing a tough situation, as everybody knows.

“In terms of Australia, 14 days of quarantine before the tournament starts. It is the moment to be smart and make the right decisions.”

On Sunday, Nadal finished the one-sided affair with just 14 unforced errors to Djokovic’s 52 as he defeated the Serb for a third time in the Paris final and seventh time overall in eight meetings at the tournament.

Djokovic, courtesy of his 2015 quarter-final win, remains just one of two men to have defeated Nadal at Roland Garros since 2005.

“For two sets and a half I played great. It’s impossible to have this score against him without playing great,” said Nadal.

“Yeah, I played a very good final. I played at my highest level when I needed to play at my highest level, so something that I am very proud,” he said.

“The personal satisfaction is big because under the circumstances that we played this Roland Garros, even if I played an amazing match this afternoon, the conditions are not the condi-tions that I will choose, never, to play an event like this.”

Spain’s Rafael Nadal poses yesterday with the trophy after winning the French Open on Sunday.

RAFAEL NADAL FACTBOX Turned Pro: 2001 Age: 34 (1986.06.03) Height: 6'1" (185cm) Titles won: 86 Win-loss ratio: 999-201 Career prize money: $122,905,214 Coach: Carlos Moya

Djokovic stalls in GOAT race but don’t count him outSerbia’s Novak Djokovic

reacts at the end of the final against Spain’s Rafael Nadal at the 2020 French Open in

Paris on Sunday.

He (Rafael Nadal) keeps

going. No holding him

back, it seems like. It’s

amazing. I mean, I

admire all his

achievements, especially

the one here. There’s not

much you can say. All

the superlatives that you

can use, he deserves

them.

Novak Djokovic, who had won his last five Grand Slam finals.

09TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER 2020 SPORT

Ooredoo Cup: In-form Qatar SC eye maximum points against Al KhorTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

After defeating Al Sadd last week, Qatar SC will take on Al Khor seeking maximum points in their third Group A clash at the 2020-21 Ooredoo Cup at the Al Arabi Stadium today.

Qatar SC defeated Al Sadd by a 3-2 margin in Round 2 after The Kings battled back brilliantly from a two-goal deficit.

Qatar SC, who had played out a 1-1 draw with Al Wakrah in Round 1, are leading the group with four points. Both

teams have the same number of points and goal difference (+1), but Qatar SC are placed ahead having scored more number of goals (4 as against Al Wakrah’s 3).

Al Khor had started off their campaign in grand style by beating Al Sailiya 5-1, but they suffered a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Al Wakrah in Round 2.

The Knights have the same number of points (three) as Al Sailiya, but are placed ahead on better goal difference.

Meanwhile, Al Sailiya face Al Sadd in today’s other Group A match at the Al Duhail Stadium.

Al Sailiya are fourth in the group as the Peregrines have the same number of points as Al Khor, but are placed behind

on goal difference (-2 as against Al Khor’s +3). Al Sailiya, who had lost 1-5 to Al Khor in Round 1, defeated reigning QNB Stars League champions Al Duhail 3-1 in Round 2.

On the other hand, Al Sadd are yet to open their account, the same as Al Duhail.

The Al Sadd vs Al Duhail game in Round 1 was postponed owing to both teams’ campaigns

in the 2020 AFC Champions League. Al Sadd, who will miss many of their players who are on national duty, are on a high after lifting the 2019-20 season Ooredoo Cup by beating Al Arabi 4-0 in the final on Saturday.

In today’s first Group A match, Al Wakrah will visit Al Duhail, hoping to continue their fine run.

Round 3 (Group A) Today

5:30pm: Al Wakrah vs Al Duhail at Al Duhail Stadium

7:45pm: Al Sailiya vs Al Sadd at Al Duhail Stadium

7:45pm: Qatar SC vs Al Khor at Al Arabi Stadium

Tomorrow (Group B)5:30pm: Al Ahli vs Umm Salal

at Al Arabi Stadium 7:45pm: Al Arabi vs Al Rayyan

at Al Arabi Stadium 7:45pm: Al Gharafa vs Al Kharaitiyat

at Al Duhail Stadium

OOREDOO CUP FIXTURES

Qatar SC players celebrate a goal against Al Sadd during their Round 2 fixture last week.

Rays edge Astros to win opener in play-off seriesAFP — LOS ANGELES

Mike Zunino drove in the winning run and Diego Castillo thwarted two comeback bids as the Tampa Bay Rays edged Houston 2-1 in the Major League Baseball play-offs.

The Rays, bolstered by pitching depth and defensive work, captured the opener in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series.

“We take pride in our pitching and our defense and it was good for us to show that tonight,” Zunino said.

The Astros are in their fourth consecutive ALCS while the Rays are playing for a World Series berth for only the second time in club history.

Houston opened the scoring on Jose Altuve’s solo homer in the first inning but Tampa Bay equalised on Randy Arozarena’s solo homer in the fourth inning.

The Rays plated the deciding run in the fifth when Willy Adames walked, advanced to second and third on ground outs and scored on Zunino’s s ingle to centerfield.

“With a guy in scoring position, I was just trying to get something up high in the zone,” Zunino said.

“I was lucky enough to get some contact on it.”

Rays starting pitcher Blake Snell, a 27-year-old US left-hander, allowed one run on

six hits with two walks and two strikeouts over five innings.

“They made me work a lot,” Snell said.

“They made it really tough. The bullpen held it down like always bit a lot more work to be done.”

John Curtiss and Ryan Thompson each pitched an inning of shutout relief and Castillo closed down the Astros in tricky situations in the eighth and ninth innings, delivering Tampa Bay’s 60th consecutive victory when leading after seven innings.

The Astros tagged Rays relief pitcher Aaron Loup to start the eighth. Houston’s Michael Brantley was hit by a pitch, took second on a wild pitch and, after a one-out Carlos Correa walk, took third on a bases-loading single by Kyle Tucker.

That prompted Tampa Bay to bring in Dominican right-hander Castillo, whose first pitch -- a 97 mph sinker -- enticed Yuli Gurriel to hit into an inning-ending double play

to second baseman Brandon Lowe, halting the Astros threat and keeping the Rays ahead.

“It hurts to lose these one-run games,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said.

“You don’t have any chance if you don’t get any opportunities. We had a heck of a lot of chances tonight and they just got away.”

In the bottom of the eighth, Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz opened with a single and Manuel Margot walked with two outs, but Kevin Kiermaier popped up to end the threat, the Rays falling to 1-for-8 at the plate with runners in scoring position.

“There’s no margin for error and our guys take that approach every time they take the field,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

In the ninth, Castillo sur-rendered a one-out single to Josh Reddick and George Springer advanced the runner into scoring position on a ground out only to have Cas-tillo strike out Altuve to end the game.

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino runs to first base on an RBI single against the Houston Astros.

Mike Zunino drove in the winning run and Diego Castillo

thwarted two comeback bids as the Tampa Bay Rays edged

Houston 2-1 in the Major League Baseball play-offs.

The Rays, bolstered by pitching depth and defensive work,

captured the opener in the best-of-seven American League

Championship Series.

Falcons fire coach Quinn, GM Dimitroff after 0-5 startREUTERS — ATLANTA

The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff on Sunday night, hours after the team lost at home 23-16 to Carolina for its first 0-5 start since 1997.

Team president and CEO Rich McKay takes over day-to-day football operations and will assist owner Arthur Blank in a search for a new GM and coach. According to a release by the team, Dimitroff’s duties will be handled by various members of the Falcons staff for the rest of 2020.

“Decisions like these are very difficult, but the previous two seasons and start to this one have been especially hard for me because of the deep love, admiration and respect I and my family have for Dan, Thomas and their families,” Blank said in the statement.

“For many years, they have represented me, our team, organization and Atlanta with class, commitment and all the passion you would want in the leaders of the team.

“Our finish in 2019 earned an opportunity to show that momentum could be continued and built upon, but that has clearly not happened. And overall, the last three-plus seasons have fallen short of my commitment to Atlanta and to our fans everywhere. I want them all to know that my com-mitment to winning has not

wavered and I will continue to provide every resource possible to that end.”

Last month, the Falcons blew fourth-quarter leads of 15 and 16 points in consecutive losses to the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears, respec-tively. Those collapses rekindled Falcons fans’ painful memories of the infamous breakdown in Super Bowl LI, where Atlanta squandered a 28-3 lead in a 34-28 overtime loss to the New England Patriots.

Quinn, 50, is 43-42 overall since taking over the Falcons for the 2015 season, but just 14-23 since the start of the 2018 campaign. He survived a rocky 1-7 start last season by leading Atlanta to a 6-2 finish.

Quinn is the second NFL head coach to lose his job this season. The Houston Texans parted ways with Bill O’Brien earlier this month.

Dimitroff was named GM of the Falcons in January 2008 after five seasons as New Eng-land’s director of college scouting. Since his arrival, Atlanta is 109-88 in the regular season, has made the play-offs six times, has three NFC South titles and made the Super Bowl once.

Among the players drafted on Dimitroff’s watch are cor-nerstones players in quar-terback Matt Ryan, wide receiver Julio Jones, offensive lineman Jake Matthews and linebacker Deion Jones.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn (left) walks off the field after the Falcons were defeated by the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday.

NHL: Sabres agree to sign Taylor Hall to one-year, $8m dealAP — NEW YORK

Taylor Hall is betting on himself in a surprising desti-nation.

Hall agreed to sign an $8m, one-year deal with the Buffalo Sabres, the team announced on Sunday night.

Hall joins his fourth NHL organisation since being the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft. He’s reunited with Sabres coach Ralph Krueger, for whom he played the 2013 lockout-shortened season with the Edmonton Oilers.

Buffalo is Hall’s third team in two years after the New Jersey Devils traded him to the Arizona Coyotes in the middle of last season. The 28-year-old has played in just five career play-off games.

The 2018 Hart Trophy winner as the NHL MVP, Hall was regarded to be the top forward available on the free agent market once it opened on Friday.

He has topped 20 goals five times, including posting career bests with 39 goals and 93 points in 2017-18 with the Devils.

Hall has averaged 1.05 points per game over the past three seasons, which ranks 17th among NHL players.

The Coyotes acquired Hall in December in bid to use the remainder of the season to convince the pending free-agent to stay in Arizona.

In Buffalo, he joins a team in need of a major boost coming off a season in which the Sabres extended their fran-chise-worst playoff drought to a ninth year. It’s the NHL’s longest active streak and one short of matching the league record.

The Sabres lacked sec-ondary scoring behind the top line centered by captain Jack Eichel, who led the team with a career-best 38 goals in 78 games. Forward Jeff Skinner particularly experienced a dip in production playing on the second line. A year after scoring a career-best 40 goals, Skinner managed just 14 last season.

Sam Reinhart and rookie Victor Olofsson, Eichel’s line-mates for much of the season, were Buffalo’s only two players to top 20 goals.

In Hall’s one season playing under Krueger, he had 16 goals and 34 assists for 50 points in 45 games.

Tokyo to host gymnastics contest ahead of Olympics

AFP — TOKYO

Tokyo will host a one-off international gymnastics tour-nament next month, organ-isers said yesterday, in what could serve as a practice run ahead of the postponed Olympics.

Thirty-two gymnasts from China, Russia, the United States and Japan will face off at the November 8 event -- the first major multinational sporting contest Japan has held since the coronavirus pan-demic hit earlier this year.

The competition, which has been under discussion for months, will have strict anti-infection measures in place.

It is still unclear exactly how the Tokyo Olympics, which were forced back a year by the Covid-19 crisis to July and August 2021, will go ahead.

Before travelling to Japan, the gymnasts’ health will be monitored with repeated Covid tests, which will con-tinue on a daily basis after they arrive.

AFP – ORLANDO

The Los Angeles Lakers, fuelled by superstar LeBron James’s triple-double, dominated the Miami Heat 106-93 on Sunday to win a record-equalling 17th NBA championship but their first in a decade.

James added another chapter to an epic career, delivering 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists as he captured his fourth NBA title with a third team.

He earned NBA Finals Most Valuable Player honors for a fourth time, and said the accomplishment had a special flavor with the Lakers.

“This is a historic franchise and to be a part of this is something that I’ll be able to talk about and my grandkids and kids will be able to talk about -- their pawpaw played for the Los Angeles Lakers,” James said.

“It’s like playing for the Yankees and winning or playing for the Cowboys and winning a Super Bowl, or the Patriots. It’s like playing for the Red Sox.” James said the magnitude of what he was trying to accomplish with the Lakers kept his mind focused in the NBA’s quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida.

“To be able to win with a historical franchise is something that, no matter if your mind wavers away, you can always remember what you’re doing it for,” said James, recalling that he told Lakers president Jeanie Buss when he arrived in Los Angeles in 2018 that he “wanted to put this franchise back where it belongs.”

Anthony Davis, playing in his first title series after years of frustration in New Orleans, added 19 points and 15 rebounds as the Lakers completed a four-games-to-two triumph more than eight months after the helicopter crash that killed team legend Kobe Bryant, who had led the Lakers to their last title in 2010.

The series in the NBA’s quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida, capped not

only an emotional season for the Lakers with the loss of talisman Bryant but a season of uncertainty and upheaval for the NBA as players grappled with the coronavirus pandemic and the demands for social and racial justice sweeping across the United States.

The Lakers out-hustled, out-muscled and out-played Miami, making sure it wouldn’t come down to any last-gasp effort as it did when Los Angeles were denied in game five on Friday.

Los Angeles had blew Game 6 open by halftime, their 36 second-quarter points equalling the Heat’s entire first half total as the Lakers took a 64-36 lead into the break with four players already scoring in double figures.

Rajon Rondo was a perfect six-for-six from the floor in the first half as the Lakers built the second-largest halftime lead in NBA Finals history.

Rondo, who won a title with the Celtics in 2008, scored 19 points off the bench. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 17, Danny Green scored 11 and the Lakers pulled level with the Boston Celtics for most titles all-time.

The Heat, who had stunned the Lakers on Friday on the back of Jimmy Butler’s gritty triple-double, couldn’t produce another miracle in the face of Los Angeles’ stifling defense.

Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 25 points and 10 rebounds and Butler and Jae Crowder added 12 apiece, but Miami

simply had no answer for the knockout blow Los Angeles delivered in the first half.

James played his 260th playoff game -- surpassing Derek Fisher for the most all time.

He had signalled the Lakers’ deter-mination with nine first-quarter points.

The Lakers were devastating in transition, none more so than James, who went coast-to-coast for a basket at the rim with 6:21 left in the opening period that boosted the Lakers’ lead to 18-3 and brought the bench to its feet.

Miami got an emotional lift with the return of high-scoring guard Goran Dragic with 1:09 remaining in the first quarter.

Dragic had been sidelined since suf-fering a torn plantar fascia in his left foot in game one, but he finished the night with just five points on two-of-eight shooting.

Butler connected on just one basket in the opening quarter.

“Obviously nobody likes to lose,” Butler said.

James said one of the great satisfac-tions of the victory was helping Davis gain a title.

“I know what it feels like to have seven years where you feel like you can’t get over the hump,” said James, who had his arms around Davis on

the sideline as the final seconds ticked off the

clock. “To be able to get

him and we push him and let him know how great he is .... that’s what it’s all about.”

seven years where you feel like youcan’t get over the hump,” said James,who had his arms around Davis on

the sideline as the final seconds ticked off the

clock.“To be able to get

him and we push himand let him know how great he is .... that’swhat it’s all about.”

08TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER 2020Sport

Lakers capture 17th NBA title

0808TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER 2020

RECENT NBA CHAMPIONS2020-Los Angeles Lakers

2019-Toronto Raptors2018-Golden State Warriors2017-Golden State Warriors

2016-Cleveland Cavaliers2015-Golden State Warriors

2014-San Antonio Spurs2013-Miami Heat2012-Miami Heat

2011-Dallas Mavericks2010-Los Angeles Lakers2009-Los Angeles Lakers

2008-Boston Celtics2007-San Antonio Spurs

2006-Miami Heat2005-San Antonio Spurs

2004-Detroit Pistons2003-San Antonio Spurs2002-Los Angeles Lakers2001-Los Angeles Lakers2000-Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron wins fourth Finals MVP awardREUTERS – ORLANDO

LeBron James became the first player to win NBA Finals MVP honours with three different teams on Sunday, and for LA Lakers coach Frank Vogel the Ohio native has cemented his status as the best player “the basketball universe has ever seen”.

James’s fourth NBA championship, which came after he led the Lakers to a 106-93 win over the Miami Heat in Game Six, also saw him take home his fourth Finals MVP award.

He trails only Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan, who won six to go with his six NBA championships.

The 35-year-old James, who also won the award during two championship runs with Miami and one with Cleveland, averaged 29.8 points per game on 59% shooting in the Finals while leading a defensive effort that handcuffed the Heat offense in Game Six.

While many still consider Jordan as the sport’s best player of all time, Vogel put James above him.

“He’s the greatest player the basketball universe has ever seen,” Vogel told reporters.

“And if you think you know, you don’t know, okay, until you’re around him every day, you’re coaching him, you’re seeing his mind, you’re seeing his adjustments, seeing the way he leads the group.”

Lakers team mate Kyle Kuzma said James was a driving force on the court and off it.

“He’s one of the greatest leaders in sports, not just the NBA,” said Kuzma.

“He’s always rallying the troops, talking in group chats and making sure everybody’s fine. Holds everybody to a high standard. Makes everybody accountable.

“Everything you want in a leader.” James had said bringing the Larry O’Brien

trophy back to Los Angeles for the first time since 2010 was his sole focus when he joined in the summer of 2018 after the franchise had fallen on hard times.

“It means a lot to represent this fran-chise,” said James.

“I told (Lakers president) Jeanie (Buss) when I came here that I was going to put this franchise back in the position where it belongs.

“We just want our respect. Rob (Pelinka) wants his respect, coach (Frank) Vogel wants his respect, our organisation wants its respect, Lakers nation wants its respect,” he said.

“And I want my respect too.”

NBA FINALS MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS

2020 - LeBron James, LA Lakers2019 - Kawhi Leonard, Toronto2018 - Kevin Durant, Golden State2017 - Kevin Durant, Golden State2016 - LeBron James, Cleveland2015 - Andre Iguodala, Golden State2014 - Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio2013 - LeBron James, Miami2012 - LeBron James, Miami2011 - Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas2010 - Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers2009 - Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers2008 - Paul Pierce, Boston2007 - Tony Parker, San Antonio2006 - Dwyane Wade, Miami2005 - Tim Duncan, San Antonio2004 - Chauncey Billups, Detroit2003 - Tim Duncan, San Antonio2002 - Shaquille O'Neal, LA Lakers2001 - Shaquille O'Neal, LA Lakers2000 - Shaquille O'Neal, LA Lakers1999 - Tim Duncan, San Antonio1998 - Michael Jordan, Chicago1997 - Michael Jordan, Chicago1996 - Michael Jordan, Chicago1995 - Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston1994 - Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston1993 - Michael Jordan, Chicago1992 - Michael Jordan, Chicago1991 - Michael Jordan, Chicago1990 - Isiah Thomas, Detroit

The 35-year-old James, who also won the

award during two championship runs with

Miami and one with Cleveland, averaged 29.8

points per game on 59% shooting in the

Finals while leading a defensive effort that

handcuffed the Heat offense in Game Six.

Lakers honour ‘big brother’ Bryant with championship

REUTERS – LOS ANGELES

The Los Angeles Lakers dedicated their NBA Finals victory to the late Kobe Bryant, whose death in a helicopter crash in January united and motivated the team in a year full of challenges.

Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others died in the crash near Los Angeles, sending shockwaves through the NBA world and beyond.

Bryant won five championships in 20 seasons with the Lakers and is considered one of the sport’s all-time greats.

“Ever since the tragedy, we wanted to do it for him, and we didn’t want to let him down,” Anthony Davis, who was Bryant’s team-mate on the 2012 Olympic team, said after Sunday’s Game Six victory over the Miami Heat.

“He was a big brother to all of us and we did this for him.”

"Go Lakers! Wish Kobe

and Gigi were here to see

this. Congratulations

Uncle P! Congratulations

@lakers Kobe was right,

RP!. Stay the course -

block out the noise

Vanessa Bryant, widow of Lakers great, late Kobe Bryant.

Ever since the tragedy,

we wanted to do it for

him (Bryant), and we

didn’t want to let him

down. He was a big

brother to all of us and

we did this for him.

Anthony Davis, Kobe Bryant’s team-mate on the 2012 Olympic team.

Lakers fans celebrate in front of the Staples Center.

The Los Angeles Lakers players and officials celebrate with

the trophy after winning the 2020 NBA Championship

over the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at

AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on

Sunday.