While You Were Asleep: Alcaraz retires due to injury, Zouma apologies for kicking cat, Guardiola says ‘I am Jealous’ of Haaland

Carlos Alcaraz had to withdraw from the Paris Masters clash against Holger Rune on Friday due to an injury, paving the way for the 19-year-old Rune to advance to the semifinals. Alcaraz, the world’s number one, had secured the first set 6-3, but Rune had a lead of 3-1 in the second set tie-break when Alcaraz retired due to an abdominal strain. Alcaraz expressed his physical limitations, stating, “I cannot stretch. I couldn’t serve well, I couldn’t hit the forehand well,” and chose to retire to address the injury. He remains hopeful of recovering before the ATP finals in Turin on November 13, pending test results.

In the upcoming match, Rune is set to face Félix Auger-Aliassime, creating a matchup between two of the most in-form players on the tour. Auger-Aliassime, 22, extended his winning streak to 16 games with a victory over Frances Tiafoe and is on track to secure his fourth ATP title.

On a different note, West Ham defender Kurt Zouma has been ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service after an incident involving kicking a cat. Zouma expressed remorse, acknowledging the difficulty his actions caused for his family and the public. The 28-year-old also faced a fine from West Ham. The incident, captured on video in February, showed Zouma kicking and slapping a cat, and he publicly apologized for his actions.

In football commentary, Zlatan Ibrahimovic suggested that Pep Guardiola’s ego could impact Erling Haaland’s development at Manchester City. Guardiola dismissed the claim, responding with sarcasm and stating that his ego at the club is beyond that of any player. Despite the banter, Haaland has been in top form, scoring 22 goals in 15 games for Manchester City this season in the Premier League. As the team sits second in the table with 29 points, City is set to face Fulham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.