How Saudi agent Ahmed Almualim defied the odds to take Saud Abdulhamid to Roma

How Saudi agent Ahmed Almualim defied the odds to take Saud Abdulhamid to Roma
Saud Abdulhamid, right, has become one of the standout players for the Green Falcons. (AFP file photo)
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Updated 17 November 2024
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How Saudi agent Ahmed Almualim defied the odds to take Saud Abdulhamid to Roma

How Saudi agent Ahmed Almualim defied the odds to take Saud Abdulhamid to Roma
  • Saudi international’s agent tells Arab News he risked his own money to seal the historic summer transfer
  • Abdulhamid has become one of the standout players for the Green Falcons and will line up for Herve Renard’s team against Indonesia on Tuesday

RIYADH: At the end of August, Saud Abdulhamid became the first Saudi player to join a club from a top European league on a permanent basis. The right back left Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al-Hilal to sign for AS Roma in Italy’s Serie A for a reported fee of $3 million.

Now a Champions League player, he continues to be one of Saudi Arabia’s standout players in a difficult period in which Robert Mancini departed and Herev Renard returned to take charge of the 2026 World Cup campaign.

Thursday’s 0-0 draw with Australia leaves the Green Falcons in third place on six points, behind Australia on goal difference. Hope of automatic qualification remain a strong possibility, but there is little margin for error as Saudi travel to Indonesia for their sixth match in the 10-qualifier group.

Since impressing with Al-Ittihad and then Al-Hilal, the clubs he represented at professional level since 2018, Abdulhamid’s career has been on upward trajectory in recent years.

Football agent Ahmed Almualim, the man behind Abdulhamid’s move to AS Roma, spoke exclusively to Arab News about the financial and professional risks he took to get his client to Italy and the changing landscape of Saudi football.

Ahmed, how did you become an agent, were you always passionate about football or is it business first of all?

I became an agent in 2014. Since I was young, I was always passionate about football. I started my career as a sports journalist when I was very young, aged 19, back in 2009. Before that, I used to write some articles about football, about transfers, on a few blogs. I kept working as a sports journalist until 2014, when I stopped and I started my career as a football agent. It’s more than 10 years now that I’ve been an agent!

Do you have a favorite team in Saudi Arabia?

Yes, it’s not a secret (he laughs). My favorite team in Saudi Arabia is Al-Ahli from Jeddah. I worked as a sports journalist and I used to specifically cover news about Al-Ahli’s transfers. From there, people got to know more about me. I used to go to the stadium when I was young with my friends. Nobody in my family took me, but I went with my friends and neighbours. They all supported Al-Ahli. We were so passionate.

Was it difficult for you to move into this field?

It’s very difficult to work as a football agent because you need certain tools. These tools are the local and the international connections. You need to know people inside clubs, the presidents, the sporting directors, the players. It’s the same for clubs abroad. I work full-time as a football agent and I really enjoy what I’m doing.

Of course, sometimes, in some moments, during some windows, when I have a bad window, I really start thinking: “OK, why do I have to do this job as a full-time job? I can do it as a part-time job like most of the agents in Saudi.” But then I start to motivate myself again and I say: “No, this is my job in football, I’m an agent, a professional one like in Europe, so I have to continue.” And I try to move on.

Did you ever think it was possible to do business with local players moving outside Saudi Arabia?

One of my most important goals when I started was to do business like this, taking players to Europe and opening the borders. And I started this at a lower level. I took a Syrian player, Mahmoud Al-Mawas, to Romania. I had one player in Denmark. Two years ago, I signed a player in Portugal. The most important goal I set for myself was to do something different to what was already on the market.

Saudi players were moving from one domestic club to another, but I wanted to do things differently and not just to transfer a player from Ittihad to Al-Hilal, from Al-Hilal to Al-Ahli, from Al-Ahli to Al-Nassr and so on. I wanted to be the first different agent in this market. I brought many offers from abroad to Saudi national team players but they didn’t want to move on.

How did Roma's interest in Saud Abdulhamid come about?

It’s a story with two chapters. The first one was written in May, when I received a communication from one of the head scouters asking about the player and the conditions for a potential transfer. It started from there. And the second episode started when Florent Ghisolfi became the sporting director of AS Roma. Previously, he was the sporting director of Nice and there he also showed interest in Saud. He knew Saud was in his last year of contract at Hilal. So when he was appointed this season as a sport director of AS Roma, he reconnected with us and showed his interest again.

Do you think that this would have been possible without the Saudi Pro League expanding to the level it has?

People now know the Saudi league more and more. And I think also the players. More and more international players are involved in the league. This gave Saudi a push and a dose of belief that the whole product can be trusted. So, yes, the development of the Saudi league definitely helped. Without the current vibe, it would have been really difficult for such a transfer to take place.

How does it make you feel knowing you orchestrated Abdulhamid’s historic move?

I believe this transfer helped the image of the whole footballing country. It will help other Saudi players to get a chance in Europe, maybe. I believe this move has opened the door for Saudi players in years to come. I’m really proud we did it. It was one of the targets I had set for myself and I’m happy I delivered.

Many people were against this transfer. People who didn’t look at the bigger picture. As an agent, I dropped my interest just to support Saud, in the interests of Saudi Arabian football. I sacrificed a lot of money for this deal to happen.

Can you tell us something about this transfer that an agent would normally try to keep as a secret?

Tough one. OK, let me tell you that right before he signed for Roma, Saud was close to joining Rennes in France. They had a very strong interest in him. He chose to go to Rome because of the challenge. Rennes’ interest was kept secret, it wasn’t mentioned anywhere.

How has Saud settled in Rome?

He’s happy in Rome and everything is in progress for him. He got some minutes. He’s an international player. He featured for the national team on plenty of occasions. He played in the biggest tournament there is, the World Cup. He also played in the Asian Champions League. It wasn’t that big a deal for him to adapt. He was prepared mentally for it to happen. He’s really aware of the challenges that are in store for him. He lives a normal life. He got a house. It was normal for him to start on the bench, we were speaking to the coach and the sporting director and they explained everything. He needs to know the culture of the league, Italian football is difficult. It’s different to any other European country.

Is the development of the SPL helping you as an agent?

It has helped me. And that’s because now it’s so easy to be connected to international agents. They want to do business in Saudi Arabia. From that point, we can cooperate. I can help the international agents to place their players in the Saudi market. And they help me connect to the European clubs. By doing so, I can place the players I already work with in Europe.

From an agent’s perspective, how did Ronaldo signing for Al-Nassr change the landscape of the Saudi League?

In the beginning, I thought it was just a rumor. When I saw he had arrived in Riyadh, I started believing everything was possible in Saudi, starting at that point. It was a big, big, big thing, a massive event. Nobody could believe it. And Ronaldo became the icon of the Saudi league. Because of Ronaldo, many world class players started joining the league. He showed them that it’s a good championship. And this league can grow further and improve in the next few years.

Do you, as an agent, feel that you’re playing a part in this football revolution?

Now, after I did the deal for Saud to AS Roma, I see myself as a small part of this revolution in Saudi sport. I am privileged to have been able to send the best Saudi player to one of Europe’s most historic clubs.

Do you think big stars in Europe might start looking for local agents in Saudi Arabia, were you approached by any big names?

Yes, there are many stars in Europe who got in touch. They showed interest to join the league. They saw how strong it is and how it’s improving. It’s better and better every year.

Of course, the financial aspect plays a big role in the players’ wishes to join. Many top players, including from the Premier League and LaLiga, have contacted me to see how they can come to the Saudi championship.

Many deals that seem done then collapse. What is the most frequent cause?

One of the craziest reasons is that some clubs refuse to pay the agents. They agree about terms with other clubs, they accept the salaries that the players want, but then they don’t take the agents seriously. That’s wrong, because agents are an important part of any deal. It’s not just happened to me, but to many agents, many times, to find themselves in such situations.

What do you do for your players apart from representing them in negotiations?

I try to hire specialists to take care of them. For example, one to take care of nutrition. We need to find the right way to develop their body structures. I have my people working in communications, so players receive professional guidance in this area as well. It’s important that they are aware of how they should handle their media duties. We have a team working together, in my company everyone is a specialist in what they need to do.

Did you ever advise a player to do something even if it was outside your financial interests?

I lost a lot of money after Saud’s move to AS Roma. I did it because I thought he should go to Europe. I believed he could develop more if he went there. That’s my principle, I say the truth whatever it costs me financially. I don’t like to control players.


Patriotic fervor the spur for Ukrainian boxing legend Usyk

Patriotic fervor the spur for Ukrainian boxing legend Usyk
Updated 20 sec ago
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Patriotic fervor the spur for Ukrainian boxing legend Usyk

Patriotic fervor the spur for Ukrainian boxing legend Usyk
  • “It is crucial to show that Ukraine is not Russia,” said Usyk, who hs been providing financial support to his country's army and civilians
  • Usyk remains unbeaten as a professional with 23 victories, including 14 stoppages

PARIS: Ukraine’s boxing icon Oleksandr Usyk told AFP he will stay in the sport “a little longer” so he can provide “financial support to our army and civilians” and achieve his sporting goal of once again being undisputed heavyweight world champion.
The 38-year-old, who holds all the belts except the IBF version which belongs to Daniel Dubois, has been galvanized by the war ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February 2022, wreaking death and destruction on his compatriots and his homeland.
His exploits — two memorable victories over British opponent Tyson Fury plus others over Anthony Joshua and Dubois — have helped keep his beleaguered country very much in people’s minds.
In a wide-ranging interview, Usyk said his father, who fought in the Soviet Army, was the seminal influence on his career.
He says he has been inspired by “both the heroes of the past and the modern Ukrainian heroes who are now defending our homeland in the armed forces.”
“Representing Ukraine on the global sports stage, spreading the truth about the war, and providing financial support to our army and civilians — this is also a powerful motivation for me to stay in professional boxing a little longer,” he said.
“I feel great, I’m ready for any opponent and would love to take another shot at becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion again.”
Usyk says Fury is the toughest opponent he has faced “for the moment” and added that he expects the unpredictable Briton to return to boxing, although perhaps “in a different role.”
Usyk can thank his late father, also called Oleksandr, for his extraordinary resilience in brutal bouts with Fury and twice with Joshua. He remains unbeaten as a professional with 23 victories, including 14 stoppages.
Usyk senior was wounded twice fighting for the Soviet Army during their 10-year occupation of Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989.
“My father was a tough man, indeed,” said Usyk.
“He taught me iron discipline, but he also taught me to believe in myself.
“He was the first to tell me that I would become a champion — when no-one else believed it, and everyone looked at him as if he were crazy.”

His father — who Usyk recalled would have nightmares and call out the names of comrades who had died in Afghanistan — lived just long enough to see his son be crowned Olympic heavyweight champion in London in 2012.
“I inherited my fighting spirit from him, though I would never compare myself to the true warriors who are now defending Ukraine on the front lines,” he said.
“They are the real fighters, the real heroes.”
The admiration works both ways as some of those wounded in the conflict — including soldiers who had lost limbs — traveled to watch his rematch with Joshua in September 2022.
Usyk has in the past cried when talking about his father and placing the Olympic gold medal in his lifeless hand — he died just prior to his triumphant return from London.
However, after beating Fury on points in last December’s rematch in Riyadh, he dedicated his victory to his mother and “all Ukrainian mothers.”
“In Ukraine, there is probably no one who hasn’t lost someone because of the war,” he said.
“As a father, I wholeheartedly understand the pain of mothers who lose their children.
“This should not be happening in the modern world.
“That is why we must do everything possible not only to end the war but also to ensure that it never happens again.”
Usyk held up a sabre which belonged to 17th century Ukrainian leader Ivan Mazepa after his most recent win, against Fury in Riyadh in December.
“It is crucial to show that Ukraine is not Russia,” he explained. “That it is a nation with a 300-year history of resisting the Russian Empire, no matter what name it has taken in different historical periods.”
Usyk was dissuaded from taking up arms at the outset of the war, but he has been generous in dispensing his fortune.
He contributed the majority of the funds to rebuild the house of Oleksiy Dzhunkivskyi, a good friend and former teammate who was shot dead by Russian forces in Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv.
“Over the past three years, my foundation has raised millions of euros from various donors to support the military, reconstruction efforts, and humanitarian projects,” he said.
Usyk said an overall assessment of his career cannot be made until he hangs up his gloves.
“I believe it’s too soon to sum up my overall achievements,” he said.
 


Novak Djokovic beats Sebastian Korda, advances to semifinals in push for 7th Miami Open title

Novak Djokovic beats Sebastian Korda, advances to semifinals in push for 7th Miami Open title
Updated 13 min 10 sec ago
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Novak Djokovic beats Sebastian Korda, advances to semifinals in push for 7th Miami Open title

Novak Djokovic beats Sebastian Korda, advances to semifinals in push for 7th Miami Open title
  • Djokovic is 12-1 against the 33-year-old Dimitrov, who reached the tournament finals in 2024
  • In the first women’s semifinal, No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka routed sixth-seeded Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2 in 71 minutes to advance to her first Miami Open final

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida: Novak Djokovic is finding a higher gear in South Florida after a sluggish start to 2025.

Djokovic, gunning for his seventh Miami Open title, dispatched American Sebastian Korda 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) Thursday in one hour, 24 minutes in a quarterfinal match that was postponed from Wednesday night because the women’s quarterfinal between Jessica Pegula and Emma Raducanu ran past 11 p.m. and would have begun at about midnight — against new ATP rules.

Djokovic advanced to Friday’s semifinals and will face Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov. Djokovic is 12-1 against the 33-year-old Dimitrov, who reached the tournament finals in 2024.

Djokovic, who won all six of his titles at the tournament’s previous venue at Key Biscayne, is going for his 100th professional title.

“I’m getting great support,” Djokovic said. “I feel I have a really good chance to go all the way here. ...I’m playing the best I have in some time.”

With the Hard Rock Stadium fans cheering the 37-year-old and chanting his name despite him facing an American opponent, Djokovic rallied in the second set from 4-1 and 5-2 down to win in a tiebreaker.

He served an ace on match point and finished with an 83 first-service percentage against the 24th-seeded Korda. The 37-year-old Serbian let out a yell after the victory and strummed his racket like a violin.

“One word — serve,″ Djokovic said when asked the key to his second-set surge. “I was serving very well — best serving performance in a long time.”

The men’s leader in Grand Slam titles at 24 has been out of form this year, starting with an injury retirement at the Australian Open in January. Earlier this month, Djokovic lost his first match at Indian Wells to Botic van de Zandschulp.

Korda, son of Grand slam champion Petr Korda who grew up at the Bradenton, Florida, tennis academies, had beaten a top-10 opponent in Stefanos Tsitsipas earlier in the tournament and played at a flawless level to build a 4-1 second-set lead before Djokovic found his game.

In the first women’s semifinal, No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka routed sixth-seeded Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2 in 71 minutes to advance to her first Miami Open final.

Paulini, the 2024 French Open finalist, spent some of the afternoon smirking at Sabalenka’s deft shot-making, saying at one juncture “What a day.’’

Sabalenka, of Belarus, was efficient in converting four of her five break points and pounded 31 winners to just 12 unforced errors.

When Paolini tried to mount a comeback in the second set, closing to 4-2 and up a double-break point at 15-40, Sabalenka hit three open-court winners and an ace to close the game.

Paolini, in her best showing at the Miami Open, couldn’t match Sabalenka’s brilliance. The Belarusian hasn’t dropped a set so far.

“I think I was so focused and everything went smoothly,’’ Sabalenka said.

Sabalenka will face the winner of Thursday night’s semifinal between Jessica Pegula and lexandra Eala of the Philippines.

Asked if she would watch the match or go out in Miami, where she now lives, Sabalenka said, “I usually go for dinner, but other than that, it’s always tennis on my TV, actually. I’m actually enjoying, like, watching tennis lately. That’s crazy. I’m getting old.’’

In the day’s first men’s quarterfinal, unseeded teenager Jakub Mensik beat 17th-seeded Arthur Fils 7-6 (7-5), 6-1. The 19-year-old Mensik advanced to his first semifinal at an ATP 1000-point level event.

Mensik, of the Czech Republic, squeaked out the tiebreaker and then stormed to a 4-0 lead in the second set to knock out the 20-year-old Frenchman. The 54th-ranked Mensik hit 13 aces and a crosscourt forehand winner that ended the match in 75 minutes.

Mensik will face the winner of Thursday night’s Taylor Fritz-Matteo Berrettini quarterfinal.


Scottie Scheffler 2 back of a 4-way tie for the lead at Houston Open

Scottie Scheffler 2 back of a 4-way tie for the lead at Houston Open
Updated 17 min 26 sec ago
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Scottie Scheffler 2 back of a 4-way tie for the lead at Houston Open

Scottie Scheffler 2 back of a 4-way tie for the lead at Houston Open
  • The world’s No. 1 player played bogey-free and made a pair of long birdies on the back nine that added to a 67, leaving him two shots behind
  • Pendrith had the lead to himself until he found a bunker left of the green on the 18th and missed a 10-foot par putt

HOUSTON: Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy wanted a final tunup before the Masters and spent parts of the Thursday at the Houston Open under an umbrella in wind and rain that prevented anyone from getting too far away.

Keith Mitchell made a late eagle and Ryan Gerard let a good start slip away by finishing with two bogeys. They both wound up at 5-under 65, tied for the lead with Alejandro Tosti and Taylor Pendrith when play was suspended by darkness.

Scheffler didn’t dazzle. He just didn’t do much wrong, one of his best attributes. The world’s No. 1 player played bogey-free and made a pair of long birdies on the back nine that added to a 67, leaving him two shots behind.

“Conditions were pretty tough out there today with the rain and the wind, so overall nice to keep a clean card,” Scheffler said.

McIlroy, coming off his second victory of the year at The Players Championship two weeks ago, played in the morning and that was no picnic. The rain was steady as he stood on the 10th tee and it eventually stopped long enough for him to enjoy the end of his round.

He had two birdies (both on par 5s), two bogeys and 14 pars for a 70 that he described as “a little pedestrian.”

“Couldn’t really find the middle of the club face for the first few holes,” McIlroy said. “Once it brightened up and as the conditions got a little better, I felt like I drove it pretty well.”

Tosti contended late in the Houston Open last year. He also played bogey-free, and he made birdie on all three of the par 5s at Memorial Park. Mitchell got his mistakes out of the way early — two bogeys in four holes, and finished strong.

Pendrith had the lead to himself until he found a bunker left of the green on the 18th and missed a 10-foot par putt. Jackson Suber was poised to join the group at 65 until a four-putt double bogey on the 18th. The first putt was 70 feet. The last three putts were from 5 feet.

And then there was Gerard, who was motoring along at 7 under with two holes to play, starting with the par-5 eighth. But his tee shot was so far right he had to take a penalty drop, and his wedge from 124 yards went 50 feet long. He managed to two-putt for a bogey.

On the par-3 ninth, he went into a back lip of the bunker and had to play away from the flag because of water on the other side, leading to another bogey.

The 65 was a solid start. The finish stung.

“I’d be lying to you if I wasn’t a little bit upset,” Gerard said. “But you kind of just got to take a step back. If they said after the morning wave you’d be T-1, everyone in the field would sign up for that starting their round, especially when it was rainy and kind of windy and off and on from different directions. The grind was real out there.”

And it was wet for so much of the day, leading to preferred lies from the short grass. The issue for Gerard was staying dry.

“I’m weird — I don’t like holding the umbrella because I feel like my arms get fatigued and I stand over a shot and I feel like I hit it weird,” he said. “So I wear the rain jacket and try and not get the grips wet. If I can do that and just pick quality targets and try and just make solid swings to the targets, whatever happens from there is kind of up to the skid or the rain or the water droplets or whatever it could be.”

Suber wound up with eight players at 66, a group that included Rasmus Hojgaard, who at one point was tied for the lead until a double bogey. He played in the same group as his Danish twin, Nicolai Hojgaard, who had a 69.

Michael Kim and Ben Griffin opened with a 70. Both are just outside the top 50 in the world and are trying to move inside that number to get into the Masters. The cutoff for the top 50 is after the Houston Open. 


Chelsea to face Barcelona in Women’s Champions League semis after Man City fightback

Chelsea to face Barcelona in Women’s Champions League semis after Man City fightback
Updated 28 March 2025
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Chelsea to face Barcelona in Women’s Champions League semis after Man City fightback

Chelsea to face Barcelona in Women’s Champions League semis after Man City fightback

LONDON: Chelsea’s women overturned a two-goal first leg deficit to beat Manchester City 3-0 and set up a Champions League semifinal meeting with holders Barcelona on Thursday.
Earlier, Barca mauled Wolfsburg 6-1 in Catalonia to complete a 10-2 aggregate thrashing.
In the final of four meetings between City and Chelsea in the past 12 days, the English champions wasted little time in gaining revenge for a rare defeat in last week’s first leg.
The Blues had turned the tie around before half-time as Sandy Baltimore blasted into the top corner before Nathalie Bjorn headed in from a corner to level the tie at 2-2 on aggregate.
Lauren James then pounced on a sloppy City pass to tee up Mayra Ramirez for the winning goal.
Chelsea remain on course for a quadruple in Sonia Bompastor’s first season in charge.
They beat City 2-1 in the League Cup final earlier this month to begin the quartet of meetings, are into the semifinals of the FA Cup and have an eight-point lead at the top of the Women’s Super League.
However, they face the most daunting challenge in women’s football next month in trying to dethrone Barcelona.
Chelsea’s quest to win the Champions League for the first time has come undone against the Spanish champions in three of the past four seasons.
Pere Romeu’s side have gone on to win the tournament on all three occasions and set a record by reaching a seventh consecutive semifinal.
After a shock first ever women’s El Clasico defeat by Real Madrid on Sunday, Barca showed no mercy against the side they beat to win the 2023 final.
Salma Paralluelo’s quickfire double built on Barca’s 4-1 first leg lead before Esmee Brugts smashed home the third from outside the box.
Substitute Claudia Pina continued the rout after the hour mark as she beat Anneke Borbe too easily at her near post.
Lineth Beerensteyn pulled one back for the visitors after Barca stopper Cata Coll was lured out of her goal but could not clear the ball effectively.
Pina scored a fine second with a free-kick which flew in off the post, with Mapi Leon following suit from even longer range to wrap up Barcelona’s rout in stoppage time.
Arsenal will face eight-time winners Lyon in the other semifinal for a place in the final in Lisbon on May 24.


Sabalenka blasts past Paolini into Miami final

Sabalenka blasts past Paolini into Miami final
Updated 28 March 2025
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Sabalenka blasts past Paolini into Miami final

Sabalenka blasts past Paolini into Miami final

MIAMI GARDENS: World number one Aryna Sabalenka blasted her way into the final of the Miami Open with a convincing 6-2 6-2 demolition of Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.
Sabalenka needed just 71 minutes to wrap-up her win against the sixth seed and she will now face the winner of Thursday’s other semifinal between American Jessica Pegula and wildcard Alexandra Eala.
The win earns the Belarusian, who was beaten in the Indian Wells final earlier this month by Mirra Andreeva, a place in the Miami final for the first time in her career.
“I’m super happy with the level I played today. Of course super happy to be in my first Miami Open final,” said Sabalenka.
Sabalenka was never behind against Paolini, and the match was only tied twice — at 1-1 in each set. She served six aces and broke the Italian’s serve four times,
“I definitely would say that this was one of the best matches in the season so far. I don’t know. I was just so focused on myself, on the things I had to do today.
“It felt like everything was just, like, going smoothly my way,” she said.
Sabalenka will be keen to banish the memory of defeat in the Indian Wells final and in the Australian Open final where she lost to Madison Keys.
“The lessons (of those defeats) was I believe focus on myself, not on what’s going on the other side,” she said.
“I think in those finals I was more focusing on my opponents than on myself. I think I just have to bring the same attitude, the same mindset that I had today, I think I have to bring it in the finals,” she said.
“I really feel this time I’m going to do better than I did in the last two finals,” added the 26-year-old.
She is only the sixth woman to reach the finals of both stops on the American ‘Sunshine Swing’ in the same season.