The stage is set at the quaint and charming neighbourhood of Porte d’Auteuil in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, where the French Open is scheduled to begin on Sunday.
The women’s and men’s singles draws were unveiled on Thursday – with a little help from Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele – and it’s time to take a closer look at the biggest storylines heading into Roland Garros.
Swiatek handed daunting draw
Defending champion Iga Swiatek finds herself in unfamiliar territory entering this French Open – for the first time since March 2022, she is ranked outside the world’s top two.
Unsuccessful title defences in Madrid and Rome proved costly for Swiatek, who has slipped in the rankings this week and is seeded No 5 in Paris.
All eyes were firmly fixed on Swiatek’s name during the draw ceremony to see where she would land.
She ended up in a stacked second quarter that includes former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko, who is 6-0 head-to-head against Swiatek, former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina, in-form Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, and freshly-crowned Rome champion and last year’s French Open finalist Jasmine Paolini.
Should Swiatek emerge safely out of her quarter of the draw, she could square off in the semi-finals against world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka or Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who clinched a historic gold for China on the clay courts of Roland Garros at the Paris 2024 Games less than a year ago.
Swiatek opens her French Open defence against world No 41 Rebecca Sramkova and could get Emma Raducanu in the second round and Marta Kostyuk in the third round.
While her path seems daunting, it would be a mistake to forget just how dominant the 23-year-old has been on clay, and at Roland Garros specifically.
Swiatek has won four of the last five editions of the tournament, and is 35-2 overall on Parisian clay (not including the Olympics, where she took bronze last summer).
She has lost just eight sets in total through 37 matches at the French Open and her career record on the red dirt is a remarkable 98-14. That is an 87.5 per cent success rate on clay, at tour level.
As Sabalenka’s coach Anton Dubrov recently told The National: “Numbers show that Iga is dominating on the clay. The results of the previous years show that we cannot say anything that Iga is not great.”
Her tough draw means she’ll have extra motivation to be locked in from the get-go. Write her off at your own peril...
Can anyone stop Sinner and Alcaraz?
Before the clay season began, it would have been fair to say that the men’s tournament at Roland Garros felt as open as ever.
Carlos Alcaraz was having an up-and-down season, Jannik Sinner was serving a three-month ban, Novak Djokovic went winless between the Australian Open and Miami, and the first two Masters 1000 events of the year witnessed first-time 1000 champions in the form of Jack Draper and Jakub Mensik.
But now that we’re just two days away from its kick off, it feels like a final between the top two seeds, Sinner and Alcaraz, is almost a forgone conclusion.
Alcaraz arrives in the French capital having won Masters 1000 crowns on clay in Monte Carlo and Rome, along with a runner-up showing in Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Sinner returned from his suspension in Rome and extended his winning streak to 26 matches – which included a 6-0, 6-1 demolition of Madrid champion Casper Ruud in the quarters – before he fell to Alcaraz in the final.
The pair split the four majors between them last season. Sinner successfully defended his Australian Open crown in January, and Alcaraz is favoured to retain his Roland Garros title, given his 15-1 run on clay in the build-up.
Is there anyone that can spoil this narrative?
We’d be remiss to ignore a three-time Roland Garros champion in the mix; one who has not given up on trying to claim an all-time record 25th grand slam trophy.
Just like people were holding their breath, waiting to see where Swiatek would fall in the draw, many were anxious to see where Djokovic, seeded No 6 in Paris, would land.
The Serb is in the second quarter of the draw, which is home to last year’s runner-up Alexander Zverev, former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev, and in-form Argentine Francisco Cerundolo. Should Djokovic make it through his quarter, he could potentially take on Sinner in the semi-finals.
After losing back-to-back openers on clay in Monte Carlo and Madrid, Djokovic withdrew from Rome. But he has picked up some momentum in Geneva this week, where he celebrated his 38th birthday on Thursday by punching his ticket to the semi-finals.
The good news for Djokovic is that he was handed a relatively favourable draw in Paris, which could help him build up his form heading into the second week.
Others out to upset the order are: two-time Roland Garros finalist Ruud, fifth-seeded Draper, who made the final in Madrid, eighth-seeded Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who reached the Monte Carlo final and made semis in Madrid and Rome, and 18th-seeded Cerundolo, who owns a whopping 19 victories on clay in 2025.
Sabalenka wary of chasing pack
If there is one player who is undoubtedly thinking about capitalising on Swiatek’s current woes it would be Sabalenka.
The Belarusian recently admitted that she feels she has unfinished business in Paris, where she suffered some tough losses, against Mirra Andreeva in the 2024 quarter-finals and Karolina Muchova in the 2023 semi-finals.
Sabalenka’s clay preparations for Roland Garros included a title run in Madrid, a final showing in Stuttgart and a quarter-final exit in Rome.
She has made six finals from nine tournament appearances so far this season and as a three-time major champion, is the likeliest to dethrone Swiatek at the French Open – but it’s not going to be easy.
Sabalenka shares a quarter with Zheng, who beat the world No 1 in Rome last week.
Zheng was having a sub-par campaign before she caught fire in Rome, where she lost a three-hour 33-minute semi-final to Coco Gauff.
Second-seeded Gauff, a former runner-up in Paris, is another serious contender this upcoming fortnight, having made back-to-back finals in Madrid and Rome in the build-up.
Fourth-seeded Paolini has some unforgettable memories from last year at Roland Garros, where she made the French Open finals and won Olympic gold in doubles alongside her fellow Italian Sara Errani.
She won singles and doubles in Rome last week and is firmly back on the list of favourites for success at Porte d’Auteuil.
Also don’t sleep on last year’s semi-finalist Andreeva, who has won two WTA 1000 tournaments this season and lost to Gauff in the quarter-finals at both Madrid and Rome this month.
Svitolina has amassed a 12-2 record on clay in the last five weeks – including a title in Rouen – and will be hungry to improve on her four previous quarter-final appearances at the French Open.
Blockbuster openers
It’s not a grand slam if there aren’t some unmissable first round matches in both the men’s and women’s draws. Here are some notable openers to look out for:
Paula Badosa (10) v Naomi Osaka
Elena Rybakina (12) v Belinda Bencic
Zheng Qinwen (8) v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Magdalena Frech (25) v Ons Jabeur
Carlos Alcaraz (2) v Kei Nishikori
Alexander Zverev (3) v Learner Tien
Daniil Medvedev (11) v Cameron Norrie
Roberto Bautista Agut v Holger Rune (10)
Tomas Martin Etcheverry v Stefanos Tsitsipas (20)
Hubert Hurkacz (30) v Joao Fonseca
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
T20 World Cup Qualifier
Final: Netherlands beat PNG by seven wickets
Qualified teams
1. Netherlands
2. PNG
3. Ireland
4. Namibia
5. Scotland
6. Oman
T20 World Cup 2020, Australia
Group A: Sri Lanka, PNG, Ireland, Oman
Group B: Bangladesh, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland
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Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Why are you, you?
Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
From this question, a new destiny.
For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
To return the many to the one.
A great story unites us all,
beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
We reflect all cultures, all ways.
We are a twenty first century wonder.
Universal ideals, visions of art and truth.
Now is the turning point of cultures and hopes.
Come with questions, leave with visions.
We are the link between the past and the future.
Here, through art, new possibilities are born. And
new answers are given wings.
Why are you, you?
Because we are mirrors of each other.
Because together we create new worlds.
Together we are more powerful than we know.
We connect, we inspire, we multiply illuminations
with the unique light of art.
Ben Okri,
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
ABU%20DHABI%20CARD
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Uefa Nations League
League A:
Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands
League B:
Austria, Wales, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey
League C:
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Norway, Montenegro, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania
League D:
Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Malta, Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino, Gibraltar
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
The Written World: How Literature Shaped History
Martin Puchner
Granta
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Where to apply
Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020.
Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.
The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020.
SPECS
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Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
More from Armen Sarkissian
Manchester United v Club America
When: Thursday, 9pm Arizona time (Friday UAE, 8am)
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Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Brave CF 27 fight card
Welterweight:
Abdoul Abdouraguimov (champion, FRA) v Jarrah Al Selawe (JOR)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (TUN) v Alex Martinez (CAN)
Welterweight:
Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA) v Khamzat Chimaev (SWE)
Middleweight:
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Rustam Chsiev (RUS)
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) v Christofer Silva (BRA)
Super lightweight:
Alex Nacfur (BRA) v Dwight Brooks (USA)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) v Tariq Ismail (CAN)
Chris Corton (PHI) v Zia Mashwani (PAK)
Featherweight:
Sulaiman (KUW) v Abdullatip (RUS)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) v Mohammad Al Katib (JOR)
