ISTANBUL (AP) — France midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi moved to Fenerbahce from Lazio as he tries to reclaim a place in the national team squad ahead of the World Cup.
Fenerbahce is chasing its first Turkish league title for 12 years and said late Thursday the 26-year-old Guendouzi signed a 4 1/2-year contract.
The fee for the former Arsenal and Marseille player was not stated though was reportedly 28 million euros ($32.6 million).
Fenerbahce, which started the season with José Mourinho as coach before firing him in August, is still unbeaten in the Turkish league but trails fierce rival and defending champion Galatasaray by three points.
The team now led by former Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco is 12th in the 36-team Europa League standings with two rounds left this month. Guendouzi will be eligible for the knockout phase starting in February if Fenerbahce advances.
Guendouzi was in the France squad that reached the final at the last World Cup in Qatar but was not selected for the 2024 European Championship. He also did not play in France’s World Cup qualifying group during the first half of this season.
France was drawn into a World Cup group with Senegal, Norway and the winner of a playoff bracket featuring Iraq, Bolivia and Suriname.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Fiorentina's Robin Gosens, center, tries to block a shot from Lazio's Matteo Guendouzi, left, during the Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Fiorentina, in Rome, Italy, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka has captured her second consecutive Brisbane International title, and 22nd overall, with a straight sets victory over Marta Kostyuk on Sunday.
It was the third year in a row Sabalanka appeared in the final and the Belorussian player looked in comfortable surroundings as she closed out a 6-4, 6-3 victory in just 1 hour and 17 minutes at Pat Rafter Arena.
The Brisbane International is a tuneup event for this year’s Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18.
Kostyuk went hard early by attacking Sabalenka’s second serve, clawing back an early break with sublime drop shots that briefly rattled the world's top-ranked player.
However, the Belorussian’s relentless intensity and match-smarts proved decisive as she exploited the oppressive Brisbane humidity with punishing baseline rallies to clinch the opening set in 40 minutes.
As Kostyuk wilted under the physical strain, Sabalenka accelerated in the second set.
With a mix of raking groundstrokes and deceptive drop shots, she forced a mounting error count from the Ukrainian to close out the match without dropping a set all week.
After sealing the victory, Sabalenka looked down the court at Kostyuk and kissed both biceps - a likely nod to previous comments by the Ukranian that she possessed higher testosterone levels than other players.
Kostyuk has said the comments made in an interview last year had been taken out of context, but further the tensions between the pair since the Ukranian's refusal to shake Sabalenka's hand after a match at the French Open in 2023.
The exchange resulted in a frosty post-match presentation. During the trophy ceremony, Kostyuk spoke passionately about her homeland but notably declined to mention Sabalenka by name.
“I want to say a few words about Ukraine,” Kostyuk said. “I play every day with a pain in my heart. There are thousands of people who are without light and warm water right now, it’s minus 20 degrees outside right now, so it’s very, very painful to live this reality every day.
"I was incredibly moved and happy to see so many Ukrainian fans and flags here this week … Slava Ukraini.”
Sabalenka, meanwhile, congratulated Kostyuk, stating she hoped they would meet in another final soon. She also took a cheeky dig at her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis during her victory speech.
“Hopefully soon I will call you somehow else,” Sabalenka said looking at Frangulis in the player's box. “That just put extra pressure, right?”
Later, Daniil Medvedev won his 22nd title after easing past Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 7-6 (1).
The former No. 1-ranked Russian player completed victory over his American opponent with a dominating tiebreaker in the second set, claiming the first five points to take the match in one hour and 34 minutes.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus poses with the winners trophy after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, right, hugs her support team after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine reacts after missing a shot during the women's final match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a shot during the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus waves to the crowd after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
