IRAN, IRAQ WIN, ENTER ASIAN CUP KNOCKOUT PHASE

ABUDHABI: Iran sank Vietnam and Iraq beat Yemen as they powered into the Asian Cup round of 16 on Saturday ahead of their highly anticipated group decider next week. Sardar Azmoun struck both goals in Iran’s 2-0 win in Abu Dhabi, while teenager Mohanad Ali’s early solo strike kick-started Iraq’s 3-0 victory in Sharjah.

Later in the day, Saudi Arabia too advanced to the next round after beating Lebanon 2-0. Iran and Iraq will meet in Dubai on Wednesday to decide who tops Group D in a repeat of their combustible quarter-final of 2015, which Iraq won on penalties.

KVITOVA DIGS DEEP TO CLAIM SYDNEY FINAL

SYDNEY: Petra Kvitova outlasted Ashleigh Barty in a final-set tiebreak to win the Sydney International for the second time on Saturday.

The Czech 2015 champion and fifth seed fought back from dropping the opening set and an early break in the final set to beat the top-ranked Aussie, 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) in two hours 19 minutes.

It was a gutsy performance from the two-time Wimbledon champion who only finished her semi-final against Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the early hours of Saturday. “I left everything out there. I was cramping in the end. It wasn’t the best,” Kvitova said.

KENIN WINS FIRST WTA TITLE AT HOBART

HOBART: Composed American Sofia Kenin broke through to clinch her first WTA title Saturday with a straight sets win over Slovak Anna Karolina Schmiedlova at the Hobart International. The unseeded 20-year-old put in a dominant performance to win 6-3 6-0.

SANDGREN DOWNS NORRIE FOR VICTORY

AUCKLAND: American Tennys Sandgren brushed aside Britain’s Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-2 to win his first ATP title at the ASB Classic in Auckland on Saturday. Sandgren, the world number 63, took one hour and 18 minutes to see off his opponent, who is ranked 30 places below him.