The NFL Power Rankings by nature look at what teams have done thus far, but this week we're looking ahead. With six or seven games left on the schedule, there are some matchups that loom larger than others in deciding how the story of the 2019 season will be written.

Some of these matchups will determine playoff seeding (49ers-Saints looks particularly fun). Others will decide the 2020 NFL draft order (see the Dolphins/Bengals/New York duo royal rumble below). And still others involve fringe playoff contenders looking to stay alive. Our power panel -- a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities -- evaluates how teams stack up throughout the season.

Previous rankings: 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | Preseason

1. New England Patriots (8-1)

Week 10 ranking: 2

Most important game left: Dec. 8 vs. Chiefs

A rematch of the AFC Championship Game, but this time at home, should be a playoff-type environment and provide a solid barometer as to how ready the Patriots (8-1) might be to make a return trip to the Super Bowl. Road games against the Eagles (Sunday) and Texans (Dec. 1) easily could have qualified, but Tom Brady-Patrick Mahomes has produced some of the best the NFL has had to offer within the last year. -- Mike Reiss

2. San Francisco 49ers (8-1)

Week 10 ranking: 1

Most important game left: Dec. 8 at Saints

The 49ers have put themselves in position not only to win the NFC West but also to nail down home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Niners also have a big one against Green Bay two weeks before this, but that one is at Levi's Stadium. The Saints game will go a long way in determining the Niners' playoff position and offer an idea of how they stack up against another top team in the conference. -- Nick Wagoner

3. Baltimore Ravens (7-2)

Week 10 ranking: 4

Most important game left: Sunday vs. Texans

A win over the Texans could prove huge for a Ravens team looking to secure a first-round bye for first time since 2011. Baltimore, which is one game ahead of Houston for that No. 2 seed, can extend its lead over the Texans and grab hold of the head-to-head tiebreaker. A loss would bump the Ravens out of that No. 2 spot with six games remaining and give the Texans the inside track to one of those first-round byes. -- Jamison Hensley

4. Seattle Seahawks (8-2)

Week 10 ranking: 6

Most important game left: Dec. 29 vs. 49ers

The Seahawks' remaining six games are against NFC teams, meaning they'll all carry added weight in terms of playoff importance. As it stands now, none looks more important than the regular-season finale. The Seahawks' next four games are against teams currently above .500, so they could be clinging to a wild-card spot heading into Week 17. It's hardly out of the question that the 49ers could slip during a difficult stretch of their own. If so, the rematch at CenturyLink Field could determine the NFC West champion. -- Brady Henderson

5. Green Bay Packers (8-2)

Week 10 ranking: 7

Most important game left: Dec. 23 at Vikings

Yes, the Nov. 24 game at the 49ers might help decide first-round playoff byes, but the Packers likely will be underdogs there, so the NFC North race might be more important if the Packers can't upset the 49ers. With the Vikings only a game behind, a sweep of Minnesota could be key to winning the division. -- Rob Demovsky

6. New Orleans Saints (7-2)

Week 10 ranking: 3

Most important game left: Nov. 24 vs. Panthers

Up until this past Sunday, I would've picked the Week 14 home date with the 49ers -- which still might determine the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the NFC. But the Saints need to take care of their own backyard first after their stunning loss to the Falcons. The Saints must lock down the NFC South title, and that means they can't open the door by slipping up again at home against another division rival in two weeks. It won't be easy with the way league MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey has been playing. But ideally, the Saints can get the division title wrapped up before heading to Carolina for the Week 17 rematch. -- Mike Triplett

7. Minnesota Vikings (7-3)

Week 10 ranking: 9

Most important game left: Dec. 2 at Seahawks

The Vikings took the first step to proving why they belong in the postseason by beating a contender in Dallas. If they want to cement themselves further in the playoff picture, they need to do it again by going to Seattle and coming away with a win. Playoff seeding comes into play between the seven-win Vikings and the Seahawks, who are currently seeded No. 6 and No. 5, respectively. A victory could boost Minnesota's postseason standing even further and earn it a more favorable matchup. -- Courtney Cronin

8. Houston Texans (6-3)

Week 10 ranking: 8

Most important game left: Sunday at Ravens

The Texans have a tough three-game stretch coming up (at Baltimore, vs. Indianapolis and vs. New England), but it begins with a huge game in Baltimore coming off of a bye. Yes, the game against the Colts is huge for the division, but if the Texans want to take a step forward, their focus can't be on just winning the AFC South. Houston has won only one playoff game under Bill O'Brien, and if it wants to go to an AFC Championship Game for the first time in franchise history, it starts with proving it can beat the best teams in the conference. -- Sarah Barshop

9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)

Week 10 ranking: 5

Most important game left: Dec. 1 vs. Raiders

The following game against the Patriots once loomed large, but after losing four of their past six games, the more reasonable goal for the Chiefs is to hold on to their lead in the AFC West. The match against the Raiders could well determine which team wins the division. -- Adam Teicher

10. Dallas Cowboys (5-4)

Week 10 ranking: 11

Most important game left: Dec. 22 at Eagles

This is likely going to be for the division title and a spot in the playoffs -- if the Cowboys can grab wins before they get there. The Cowboys' best and presumably only path to the postseason is by winning the NFC East. There simply are too many teams with better records at the moment to consider a wild-card spot. Philadelphia has a much easier schedule, so the Cowboys have to be in a position to make the Dec. 22 meeting matter. If this game ends up for the division, we truly can say Jason Garrett will be coaching for his job. -- Todd Archer

11. Los Angeles Rams (5-4)

Week 10 ranking: 10

Most important game left: Sunday vs. Bears

A season after a making a Super Bowl run, the Rams' season hangs in the balance coming off a loss to the Steelers. The Rams still have a chance to make the playoffs, but it is shrinking at an alarming rate with a 5-4 record while being in a division that has been dominated by the 49ers. The Rams must find a way to regroup on offense and get past the Bears; otherwise, their season could be lost. -- Lindsey Thiry

12. Philadelphia Eagles (5-4)

Week 10 ranking: 14

Most important game left: Dec. 22 vs. Cowboys

The Eagles and Cowboys are tied atop the NFC East at 5-4, and there's a real possibility this game will decide the division. The Cowboys currently have the advantage in the head-to-head and divisional-record tiebreakers, making it all the more important that Philadelphia takes care of business at home against the Cowboys. -- Tim McManus

13. Buffalo Bills (6-3)

Week 10 ranking: 13

Most important game left: Dec. 15 at Steelers

The Steelers have been resurgent over the past few weeks, winning four of five games to vault into AFC wild-card contention. With the Colts, Raiders and Titans all jockeying with Buffalo and Pittsburgh for the conference's two wild-card spots, this late-season matchup will go a long way toward deciding who gets it -- and establishing a tiebreaker. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

14. Indianapolis Colts (5-4)

Week 10 ranking: 12

Most important game left: Nov. 21 at Texans

Losses to Pittsburgh and Miami in back-to-back weeks prevented the Colts from being able to head into Houston in first place in the AFC South. A victory over the Texans -- combined with a win over Jacksonville in Week 11 -- would put the Colts in a solid position in the division, because they would have swept the season series against Houston, which is likely their biggest competition to win the division and get an automatic playoff spot. -- Mike Wells

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4)

Week 10 ranking: 17

Most important game left: Dec. 29 at Ravens

Seemingly out of the playoff race before it started with an abysmal start to the season, the Steelers are right back in the thick of things with four divisional games coming up. The most important one of them is the last, a regular-season finale in Baltimore against a team they nearly beat in overtime with Devlin Hodges at quarterback. If the Steelers continue their hot streak, it could wind up being for the AFC North title. -- Brooke Pryor

16. Carolina Panthers (5-4)

Week 10 ranking: 15

Most important game left: Nov. 24 at Saints

Three of the Panthers' next four games should be winnable, with two games against Atlanta and one against Washington surrounding the Saints game. With an upset of New Orleans and wins in the other three tilts, the Panthers would be 9-4 with two of their final three at home. It looks like it will take 10 or 11 wins to make the playoffs in the NFC, so Carolina will need to pull an upset somewhere. -- David Newton

17. Oakland Raiders (5-4)

Week 10 ranking: 16

Most important game left: Dec. 1 at Chiefs

If they handle their business over the next two weeks -- at home against the winless Bengals and at the 2-7 Jets -- the Raiders will go to Kansas City with a 7-4 record and first place in the AFC West on the line. Pretty heady stuff for a team that gave up 278 passing yards and four TDs to Patrick Mahomes in the second quarter of the Chiefs' 28-10 win in Oakland on Sept. 15, right? Especially since Arrowhead Stadium has been such a house of horrors for Raiders QB Derek Carr, who is 0-5 in Kansas City with three TD passes and five INTs. -- Paul Gutierrez

18. Tennessee Titans (5-5)

Week 10 ranking: 20

Most important game left: Dec. 1 at Colts

Having lost to the Colts at home, it will be imperative for the Titans to win in Indianapolis. They have to overcome some bad history against the Colts -- who have won 14 of the past 16 games in this series -- and stay on pace for a wild-card spot. If the tiebreakers come down to division or conference record, another loss to Indianapolis likely would knock the Titans out of the playoffs. The Texans appear to be the front-runners for the AFC South, and the Titans have two remaining games versus Houston in December. The race for the division is going to go down to the wire. -- Turron Davenport

19. Los Angeles Chargers (4-6)

Week 10 ranking: 19

Most important game left: Nov. 18 vs. Chiefs

At 4-6, the most important game for the Chargers is the next one, a Monday Night Football tilt against the AFC West rival Chiefs. With Kansas City losing over the weekend against the Titans, the Chargers still sit two games back in the division with six left to play. So even though it has been up-and-down year for the Bolts, they could catapult themselves back into the playoff conversation with a win over the Chiefs. -- Eric D. Williams

20. Chicago Bears (4-5)

Week 10 ranking: 21

Most important game left: Sunday at Rams

Basically, the Bears have to win Sunday night to keep their dim playoff hopes alive. At 4-5, the Bears are 3.5 games behind Green Bay and 2.5 behind Minnesota in the NFC North. Chicago's best chance at qualifying for the postseason is probably a wild-card berth, but it's a crowded picture in the NFC. The Rams are one of the teams ahead of the Bears, but Los Angeles has lost four of its past six. Despite all of the Bears' struggles, the Rams game is winnable -- and vitally important to Chicago. -- Jeff Dickerson

21. Detroit Lions (3-5-1)

Week 10 ranking: 18

Most important game left: Sunday vs. Cowboys

It's cliché to say the next game is the most important because it's the next one, but based on what's happening with the Lions, it really is. Detroit has lost five of six games. Its defense doesn't appear to be improving, and its offense might or might not have Matthew Stafford. The Lions get the Cowboys at home, and if they can't beat Dallas, their season will be all but over considering the state of the NFC and that of the NFC North. -- Michael Rothstein

22. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5)

Week 10 ranking: 22

Most important game left: Sunday at Colts

That's the date of Nick Foles' return, and the Jaguars pretty much have to go 5-2 over the final seven games to have a realistic shot at the playoffs. Dropping the first one after the bye would leave the Jaguars two games below .500 and essentially eliminate any margin of error. The Colts have not played well over the past two games, and they are coming off a home loss to Miami, so the Jaguars could get the second part of their season rolling by beating a reeling team. -- Mike DiRocco

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6)

Week 10 ranking: 25

Most important game left: Sunday vs. Saints

When you start 3-6, every game becomes must-win. Just ask the 1994 Patriots, 1995 Lions and 2012 Redskins, who all overcame 3-6 starts to finish 10-6 and reach the playoffs. The 1996 Jaguars also did it with one loss in their final eight games to finish 9-7. Granted, the mistakes the Bucs make don't warrant playoff conversation, but sometimes hope is the only thing keeping a struggling team running. This week's home game against the Saints -- which comes on the heels of the Bucs' first win in over a month -- could do wonders for the psyche of a young secondary that finally made a late stop. -- Jenna Laine

24. Arizona Cardinals (3-6-1)

Week 10 ranking: 23

Most important game left: Dec. 8 vs. Steelers

This is the Cardinals' next-best chance at getting another win. Arizona has been beating teams it should, and while the Steelers topped the Rams last week, Pittsburgh is playing with a backup quarterback. If the Cardinals can't win that contest, their next -- and possibly last -- chance to get a victory would come the week after against Cleveland. -- Josh Weinfuss

25. Cleveland Browns (3-6)

Week 10 ranking: 26

Most important game left: Thursday vs. Steelers

The Browns saved their season with a late, game-winning TD drive on Sunday. Now, they have a chance to generate momentum for the first time all year with a divisional rival coming to town. Beat the Steelers and all of a sudden Cleveland's playoff outlook begins to change, especially considering that the Browns own the NFL's easiest remaining schedule. -- Jake Trotter

26. Denver Broncos (3-6)

Week 10 ranking: 24

Most important game left: Dec. 15 at Chiefs

This is the game in which the Broncos definitively will know where their season stands. The Broncos will know how Brandon Allen looks in the offense; rookie Drew Lock will either be on the roster or remain on injured reserve; and Denver will either be flirting with .500 or looking at a top-five pick going into its fourth road game in five weeks. This is also a measuring stick after the 30-6 thrashing that the Chiefs gave the Broncos in October, along with considering the Broncos' traditional late-season woes in Arrowhead Stadium, where the Broncos are 2-14 all time in December visits. -- Jeff Legwold

27. Atlanta Falcons (2-7)

Week 10 ranking: 28

Most important game left: Nov. 28 vs. Saints

As bad as the Falcons' season has gone, things won't appear nearly as bad on paper if they can sweep their division rivals. The Falcons made it look easy in New Orleans and frustrated Drew Brees. They have to bring the same type of intensity on Thanksgiving night. -- Vaughn McClure

28. Miami Dolphins (2-7)

Week 10 ranking: 30

Most important game left: Dec. 22 vs. Bengals

The Dolphins are on a two-game winning streak and could play themselves out of what was setting up as the battle for the No. 1 pick. But as it stands, Cincinnati remains the biggest competition for Miami to land its choice of quarterback in the 2020 draft. The 0-9 Bengals have a two-game draft advantage over the Dolphins, but there could be a scenario going into Week 16 that the winner here gets the top pick. -- Cameron Wolfe

29. New York Jets (2-7)

Week 10 ranking: 31

Most important game left: Dec. 8 vs. Dolphins

File this one under "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice ..." The Jets can't afford to be fooled twice by the Dolphins, who beat them in Week 9. It was the low point for the Adam Gase regime. Fortunately for the Jets, they get a chance for payback -- at home. More than that, the Jets can use the game as a progress meter. If the team truly is making strides over the second half of the season -- the only thing to sell to an angry fan base -- it will take care of business. On a personal level, it would be embarrassing for Gase to go 0-2 against his former team. -- Rich Cimini

30. New York Giants (2-8)

Week 10 ranking: 27

Most important game left: Dec. 15 vs. Dolphins

If the Giants lose this one, watch out. Everyone is going to be gone. This would be the ultimate embarrassment for the Giants and co-owner John Mara. Hey, it might be mid-November, but this is what the Giants' season has become: trying to salvage some respectability; avoiding further embarrassment; and developing Daniel Jones. -- Jordan Raanan

31. Washington Redskins (1-8)

Week 10 ranking: 29

Most important game left: Sunday vs. Jets

When you're 1-8, there aren't a lot of significant games remaining, and this could just as easily be Dec. 22 versus the Giants. The Redskins have lost eight in a row at home and need to give their fans something to feel good about. If you can't beat poor teams, then it's difficult to sell belief that you're close to anything besides a massive rebuild. It's a chance for rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins to build some confidence. But if the Redskins lose these games, they will help themselves in April; don't be surprised if Redskins fans root for that to happen. -- John Keim

32. Cincinnati Bengals (0-9)

Week 10 ranking: 32

Most important game left: Dec. 22 at Dolphins

This one is a no-brainer. Right now, the Bengals are two games ahead of Miami in the race for the No. 1 pick. However, if the winless Bengals get a win over the Jets in Week 13, there could be a one-game difference between the Dolphins and Cincinnati ahead of the penultimate regular-season game. Even though Miami is on a two-game win streak, this one is still big. -- Ben Baby

The Houston Astros used a center-field camera to help steal signs during their 2017 championship season, a former Astros pitcher told The Athletic, a practice that would have run afoul of rules against using technology for an advantage and has prompted an investigation.

Mike Fiers, who now pitches for the Oakland Athletics, told the website that he warned teammates with the Detroit Tigers and A's that Astros hitters had used a video feed piped into a monitor near the dugout to decode signs and relay them to hitters during games.

"I just want the game to be cleaned up a little bit because there are guys who are losing their jobs because they're going in there not knowing," Fiers said in the story. "Young guys getting hit around in the first couple of innings starting a game, and then they get sent down. It's [B.S.] on that end. It's ruining jobs for younger guys. The guys who know are more prepared. But most people don't. That's why I told my team. We had a lot of young guys with Detroit [in 2018] trying to make a name and establish themselves. I wanted to help them out and say, 'Hey, this stuff really does go on. Just be prepared.'"

Later Tuesday, the Astros released a statement.

"Regarding the story posted by The Athletic earlier today, the Houston Astros organization has begun an investigation in cooperation with Major League Baseball," it said. "It would not be appropriate to comment further on this matter at this time."

Allegations of cheating by the Astros have chased the organization for years, going back to its World Series victory in 2017 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Opponents playing at Houston's Minute Maid Park are on constant lookout for signs of subterfuge, sources from multiple teams told ESPN. Before the World Series this year, members of the Washington Nationals organization received warnings from others around the game to beware of everything from flashing lights to whistling to a person relaying signs from the train that runs above left field, sources told ESPN.

The line between truth and fiction with the Astros has long been blurry, as the organization's reputation and success have made it a target for accusations of fanciful, complicated and unconfirmed methods of cheating. Fiers joining three unnamed sources in alleging the use of the video feed is the strongest indication yet that Houston went beyond the accepted sign-stealing practice of not using technology to aid it.

"That's not playing the game the right way," Fiers said in the story. "They were advanced and willing to go above and beyond to win."

Fiers, a nine-year veteran, was non-tendered by the Astros after the 2017 season, when they won the World Series.

Fiers told The Athletic that he has a strained relationship with the Astros and that he informed his subsequent teams about Houston's sign-stealing practice.

MLB declined comment through a spokesman, referring to its statement given to The Athletic, which said the league issued a revised policy before the 2019 season that included new rules to preclude the use of video in stealing signs.

The league has looked into the Astros multiple times in recent years, with the first known incident in August 2018, when the A's alleged that Astros players were clapping in the dugout before pitches to relay stolen signs. During the playoffs that year, Kyle McLaughlin, whose LinkedIn profile today lists him as a member of the Astros' baseball operations staff, was removed by security during Houston's series against both the Cleveland Indians and the Boston Red Sox after pointing a phone toward the teams' dugouts from a nearby camera well. Luhnow later said they were simply trying to ensure their opponents weren't using technology to steal signs.

After Game 1 of the American League Championship Series this season, the New York Yankees alleged that a whistling noise had emanated from the Astros' dugout, prompting fears they were stealing signs. It was similar to the allegations from multiple players in past years who told ESPN that players in the Astros' dugout would bang on a trash can with a bat to signal what type of pitch was coming to the plate, which The Athletic's story corroborated. The Astros denied the Yankees' accusations about whistling.

MLB has not publicly addressed any wrongdoing found in past investigations into the Astros. The league currently is looking into the team after assistant general manager Brandon Taubman taunted female reporters in the aftermath of their victory against the Yankees. The team denied a Sports Illustrated report on Taubman's actions, issuing a statement accusing the publication of fabricating the story. The Astros later fired Taubman, retracted the statement and apologized to the reporter.

Following the whistling allegations during the ALCS, Luhnow told reporters: "We've never done anything that's been deemed to be incorrect. Last year, we were trying to prevent other teams from doing things. It was dumb and we shouldn't have done it because it made us look guilty. We haven't done anything wrong."

Former world number four and Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulková has announced her retirement from tennis.

The 30-year-old won eight WTA titles - including the prestigious WTA Finals in 2016 - and in 2014 became the first Slovak to reach a Grand Slam final, losing to Li Na in Melbourne.

Her last match was a French Open first-round loss to Aryna Sabalenka in May.

"It was strange because I knew and no-one around me except my team knew it would be my last tournament," she said.

"At that point, I was 100% sure. I wasn't doubting or thinking 'maybe yes or no.' I knew I wanted to do it like this, for this to be my last tournament. I went home and was happy with my decision."

Cibulková reached three Wimbledon quarter-finals, one US Open quarter-final and a French Open semi-final.

Paul Coll survives while Zahed Salem takes out Miguel Rodriguez
By ALEX WAN – Squash Mad Asian Bureau Editor

Zahed Salem produced the upset of the day here at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Centre in Doha, Qatar when he took out the flashy Columbian Miguel Rodriguez. But it was Paul Coll and Omar Mosaad who stole the show today after their monumental 118-minute battle that had the crowd on the edge of their seats for most of the time.

The first two games alone took just shy of 50-minutes, split one a piece between them. It must be said the quality of the squash was very high, with both players pushing each other to the limits. It was Omar who drew first blood, nicking the first and had the opportunity to go 2-up when he was 10-9 up in the second. He had another two opportunities, but was never able to convert, while Paul coolly slammed into the nick his first opportunity to draw level.

The third and fourth games were much shorted in comparison, but was played at a high quality and pace. After Paul took the third, many would’ve written off Omar, but he proved them wrong by taking the fourth – with a margin too.

With everything to play for, both players gave their all in the fifth. However, given the amount of time the pair had been on court, there were many parts of the game which turned out scrappy. It didn’t help that there were many interruptions due to the fact that the decisions were pushed to the video referee. It was even more unfortunate that the match ended on a questionable no let decision against Omar.

“Very, very relieved. That was pretty scrappy squash at the end there. It was very tough mentally and the ball was very soft. I just had to keep it mentally at the end there and push through and I’m glad I came through on the other side. I always thought I should have closed it out earlier. But it got a bit scrappy and I lost my squash a little.

“I’m going to go see Derek (PSA physio) now and get a good physio, get a lot of food and maybe go out to the pool. Just sort of recover as well as I can. Physically I was doing alright out there. It’s just mentally, it was quite tiring”, Paul said on what he would do to recover for tomorrow’s quarter final against surprise package Zahed Salem.

While Omar might have lost out on this big match, but it was pure joy to see the Hammer of Thor being able to put up a performance as great as tonight.

“Today was a really important match for me. Paul is such a strong guy and to play with him, you need very good tactics. I’m really happy with my performance tonight. I trained really hard and well in the summer. But I didn’t get the chance to play well in the first few tournaments, especially in Egypt where I played Ali (Farag) in the first round. I’m looking forward to go back to training and hopefully play well at the Tournament of Champions next (in New York)”, Omar said after the match.

Zahed Salem, the world number 16 had already produced his best ever showing at the World Champs by being in the last 16, but he bettered that today to make his first ever quarter finals.

The 27-year old from Alexandria didn’t have it easy at all as he had to produce a classy comeback from 0-1 and 2-7 down in the second game. After losing out in the first game, Zahed looked even more down in the start if the second, as he quickly found himself 2-7 down. Miguel was playing with such fluidity and sending Zahed twisting to all four corners.

It was from 2-7 that Zahed played with more discipline and keeping things tight. He slowly inched his way back onto the score board and got himself in front to 9-8 and 10-8. He hit a tin on the forehand drop for Miguel to close in, who then returned the favour on the backhand side and the games were tied at one-each.

Zahed came back for the third a different player as his confidence seem to have grown so much. He was always in control and there wasn’t much doubt who would walk out the winner. He duly finished off the match in style with a forehand slam into the nick.

“I’m very happy to get into the quarters. It’s my first time at the world Champs and beating Miguel, a top eight player, it’s never easy. It means a lot for me to be through here.

“Miguel was incredible in the first two games. When I was 2-7 down in the second, I thought I should just enjoy my squash and that helped me to get back. I managed to get my concentration back. After I won the second, I managed to play to my game plan of keeping things at the sides. In the first two games, I wasn’t comfortable and confident to play to the plan”, a visibly happy Zahed told the press after.

“I was 10-5 match ball up and it’s just one point away from the quarter finals of the World Champs, so there was a lot of things going on in my mind. I started remembering when we played at the Grasshopper Cup, where I was 2-1 up and 10-7 match ball and I lost in five. I was thinking of that a lot, so I am very lucky to have won this 11-9”, Zahed shared when asked what was going through his mind after being match ball up.

The Shorbagy brothers both won this evening to set up their mouth-watering last eight clash. Marwan, the younger of the pair had taken out Mohamed Abouelghar in the shortest match of the day – 30 minutes. The pair, who both contested in the 2012 World Junior final on this very court, did not provide the fireworks many was hoping for. Marwan was simply very on point this evening and that did not allow Mohamed much room to employ his shot-making squash.

In the final match of the evening, Mohamed ElShorbagy ended Asian interest when he took out India’s Saurav Ghosal in straight games. The top seed was in control for most of the first two games, but was forced to save two match balls in the third to win 14-12 and wrap the match up in three.

“The thing with playing my brother is that I need to stay emotionally calm. It’s very hard for both of us emotionally when we face each other. With regards to squash and tactics, we know each other inside out. So it’s really down to who manages to stay emotionally calmer”, Mohamed ElShorbagy shared when he was asked what he thought about his quarter final clash with younger brother Marwan.

2019 PSA Men’s World Championships, Khalifa Tennis and Squash Club, Doha, Qatar.
Third round (lower half).

[14] Zahed Salem (Egy) 3-1 [8] Miguel Rodriguez (Col) 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (74m)
[9] Marwan ElShorbagy (Egy) 3-0 [7] Mohamed Abouelghar (Egy) 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 (30m)
[4] Paul Coll (Nzl) 3-2 [12] Omar Mossad (Egy) 9-11, 14-12, 11-9, 6-11, 16-14 (118m)
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (Egy) [10] Saurav Ghosal (Ind) 11-6, 11-8, 14-12 (50m)

Pictures courtesy of Qatar Squash

Shortly after the dawning of a new millennium, Home­­stead-Miami Speedway became the home of the NASCAR Cup Series finale. On Nov. 17, that era will end.

What a grand run the 1.5-mile speedway nestled atop the Florida Keys has had in crowning the champions of America’s most popular motorsports empire.

The brainchild of South Florida racing promoter Ralph Sanchez, the race track came to be in hopes of helping the region recover from the lashing it received from Hurricane Andrew, which devastated the area where the track is located. Ground was broken on Aug. 24, 1993, a year to the day from Andrew’s landfall.

From that beginning, Homestead-Miami Speedway has played a huge role in NASCAR’s heyday — and in its revitalization. The South Florida market, with its vibrant nightlife, tropical atmosphere and race-crazy population, was highly prized by those in power in Daytona Beach, just 305 miles up I-95, and it was much more hip and trendy than Atlanta Motor Speedway, which had hosted the season-ending events for the Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series in the years prior.

Homestead-Miami Speedway opened in 1995, playing host to the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ season finale for the first time. The 1.5-mile oval was not the banked oval it is today: It was a smaller copy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with barely banked turns and four distinct corners. The heavier stock cars had trouble negotiating the layout and the average speeds were much slower than those the Indy cars produced at the track.

As much as the racing in NASCAR’s top series has changed since the first race was run there in 1995, the track has changed as well. From the nearly square Indy copy that was narrow and hard to negotiate to a wider track that still had the same problems, the racing surface was renovated in 1997 to a more conventional oval configuration, though with the same lack of banking. Finally, in 2003, $8.2 million went into designing the current layout, a progressively banked (18-20 degrees) oval that produces thrilling racing and memorable moments.

That will not change. The dates will, and the fact that ISM Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., near Phoenix, will be the new site for championship weekend.

“We know from experience that ISM Raceway puts on exciting races,” said NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton. “With ISC’s investment on the new ISM Raceway, they have created not only a very fan-friendly, but one of the most beautiful stadiums in sports around the country.

“With those facts and others, the decision was made that in 2020 we will end our season here at ISM Raceway and our NASCAR Cup Series champion will be crowned here at ISM.”

Homestead-Miami Speedway, which has hosted the season finale since 2002, will now host the series on March 22.

“Ralph Sanchez’s vision for our track more than 25 years ago was to host spring racing and be a major part of South Florida’s March calendar,” Matthew Becherer, former president of Homestead-Miami Speedway who is now V.P. of Consumer Sales for International Speedway Corp. “Miami has historically hosted many popular events during March, including the Miami Open, the Florida Derby, Ultra and the Calle Ocho Music Festival, among others, and this move will integrate us into this impressive mix. A March race weekend affords us many unique opportunities to entertain the South Florida community as we host NASCAR races for many years to come.”

Warm weather aside, it will be a change from the past 18 seasons.

This year’s race will be the final one as the home of the winner-take-all finale for all three national series at Homestead, and it has been a rousing series of events, to be sure.

The first one took place in 2015 when Kyle Busch won both the race and the title. Despite his gaudy record of races won, it remains Busch’s only Cup Series title.

Jimmie Johnson won his seventh title at Homestead in 2016 with his lone victory in the season finale for Hendrick Motorsports. Martin Truex Jr.’s clinching of a title for furniture maven Barney Visser came the following season and last year saw Joey Logano raise the Cup.

The most memorable Cup Series finale at Homestead has to be the 2011 race, when Tony Stewart outslugged Carl Edwards in an epic, race-long battle. Stewart had to win the race to win the title and he did, but Edwards was a tough out. The now-retired Missouri driver led 119 laps on the night to the Hoosier driver’s 65, but the 32 laps that Stewart led at the end of the race — including the all-important final one — gave him his third and final NASCAR title.

Stewart was relentless over the final segment, steadily pulling away from Edwards as the laps wound down; and when he crossed the finish line under the checkered flag, the two were tied in the standings.

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LEXINGTON, Ohio – The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will continue its tradition of showcasing one of the most diverse schedules in all of racing next season.

Two- and four-wheel motorsports action will be featured at the North Central Ohio facility during its 59th season of racing.

As announced previously, to accommodate broadcast and cable television coverage of the upcoming Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the NASCAR Xfinity Series the Mid-Ohio 170 moves earlier to May 29-30. The ARCA Menards Series returns to Mid-Ohio for the first time since 1965 as Friday’s headlining race of this stock racing weekend.

Then, Ohio’s largest motorsports event, the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, headlined by the NTT IndyCar Series, shifts to a later summer date, Aug. 14-16, to wrap up the schedule with the stars and cars of the NTT IndyCar Series.

The Acura Sports Car Challenge, featuring the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, leads off the schedule on May 1-3 for the third straight season. A celebration of automobile history in motion occurs June 26-28 for the Vintage Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio. The longest continuously running event at Mid-Ohio also adds the Trans-Am Series to the weekend next year.

Then, shifting from four-wheel to two-wheel action, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days will be up next, July 10-12. American Motorcycle Ass’n’s annual motorcycle gathering again brings diverse activities for enthusiasts spread across all 330 acres of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course facility.

“It’s going to be another great season racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2020. The schedule offers new features and look out for some shifting of event dates with the Summer Olympics happening next summer,” said Craig Rust, president of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. “We appreciate the season long support we get from our season pass holders and are glad to offer them their 2020 passes at last season’s pricing.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Metro Fair Board has voted to terminate its contract with Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville operators Tony and Claire Formosa.

The news was first reported by Fox 17 Nashville.

Board members voted to terminate the contract as the result of a breach of contract. The Formosas, who own Formosa Productions and have operated the track since 2010, have 90 days to vacate the property and take any equipment that they own with them.

In April the Tennessean reported that Formosa Productions had breached its contract with the city, citing late rent payments and failure to pay the Metro Fair Board a commission from the previous season.

At the time, Nashville Fairgrounds Director Laura Womack said Formosa Productions owed more than $30,000 in concessions commissions. In addition, they had violated track rental curfew and failed to pay rent on time.

In 2017, Speedway Motorsports Inc., operated by O. Bruton Smith and his family, made an offer to take over the speedway. However, city officials opted to offer the contract to Formosa Productions.

Since then, Formosa Productions formed an alliance with Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in an effort to bring NASCAR events to the Nashville track. It is unknown how the termination of the contract will affect the agreement between the two parties.

The last event held at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville under the eye of Formosa Productions was the All American 400, held Nov. 3 and won by Mason Mingus.

HOLLY, Mich. – After a successful decade of competition for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series presented by Engine Pro, the winged asphalt sprint car sanctioning body will add a new endeavor for 2020.

Must See Racing officials announced Tuesday the creation of the Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series, a feeder series designed to both foster talent for the MSR national tour and provide an affordable, entry-level winged sprint car series for veterans and rookies alike.

The Midwest Lights Series will replace the discontinued Lorain County Speedway Crate Sprint Car division, which utilized the 602 Chevrolet crate engine package, and will operate independently of the MSR national tour.

As a division of Must See Racing LLC, the Midwest Lights Series will have its own schedule, rulebook, officials and purse structure.

The standard Must See Racing objectives of safety, offering a level and competitive playing field and team cost containment will serve as the foundation for the Midwest Lights Series in 2020.

The Midwest Lights Series hopes to attract new teams at the entry level, provide management and event platforms for young drivers to begin their careers, provide value to assist teams in obtaining equipment and a trade-up asset base, build a pipeline for teams and talent to advance to the MSR national tour and provide qualifying facilities a budget-appropriate sprint car series.

A recent rules meeting was held for prospective Midwest Lights teams, some of whom participated on the MSR national tour this season, with a proposed six-race schedule outlined for 2020.

A finalized schedule, with dates and venues, will be announced later on.

“We could not be more excited to expand our footprint in winged pavement sprint car racing with the creation of the new Midwest Lights Series for 2020,” said Must See Racing President Jim Hanks. “We’ve enjoyed an infusion of new talent and younger drivers, as well as veterans, that has boosted the Must See Racing ranks this season, many of whom were looking for a place to race after the loss of the Lorain Crate Sprint class during the middle of the year. We’re delighted to be able to offer them a place to continue competing for the upcoming season, as well as to create a ladder system for our national tour.

“Our hope is to build a strong foundation with the Midwest Lights in 2020, so that we can grow both the Midwest Lights Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series for years to come.”