Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Friday 9 March 2018

Billie Jean King, founder of the Women's Tennis Association
(WTA) and former World No. 1 professional tennis player, listens
to questions at an event organized by the WTA to launch the
last edition of the WTA Finals in Singapore, before it moves to
Shenzhen in 2019, as well as to commemorate International
Women's Day on Thursday, March 8, 2018, in Singapore.
Associated Press
King would like men to play

3 setters at major tournaments

By ANNABELLE LIANG at the four Grand Slam
Associated Press tournaments, but play
SINGAPORE (AP) — Billie best-of-three elsewhere.
Jean King would like to see Women have played best-
men playing best-of-three- of-five matches in the past,
set matches at Grand Slam but that has been rare.
tournaments. "Everyone keeps saying we
The tennis great, who don't want to. We're very
fought for equal rights and willing. All the women are
equal prize money in her willing to play three or five
playing days, said Thurs- sets," said King, comparing
day that men and wom- the argument about prize
United States midfielder Carli Lloyd, center, hoists the championship trophy with teammates after en should play the same money to music concerts.
defeating England, 1-0, to win the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament Wednesday, amount of sets at major "It doesn't matter if (the art-
March 7, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. tournaments like they do ists) play for one hour or six
Associated Press on the ATP and WTA tours. hours. They get paid the
U.S. claims SheBelieves Cup "Personally, I don't want the same amount."
King said team tennis,
men playing five sets any-
more. I think it takes too where men's and women's
with 1-0 win over England much out of them," King events are played con-
said at a WTA Finals event secutively with cumulative
timed to coincide with In- scoring, is a better way.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — of the Marjory Stoneman All three were on the 2015 ternational Women's Day. The season-ending WTA
The U.S. women's national Douglas High School shoot- World Cup-winning team. "Like one time the players Finals will move to Shen-
team beat England 1-0 on ing. The team invited the The United States played played in the Australian zhen, China, in 2019. Once
Wednesday night to win family of victim Alyssa Al- to a 1-1 draw with sixth- Open final. It took six hours. there, the prize money will
the SheBelieves Cup tour- hadeff, as well as her club ranked France at Red Bull They could hardly walk off be increased to $14 million,
nament. and school teams. The Stadium on Sunday after a the court. I guarantee you double the current purse
In the earlier game at Or- guests all received spe- 1-0 victory over No. 2 Ger- that it took a year off their and more than the $8 mil-
lando City Stadium, sixth- cial jerseys with Alhadeff's many in the tournament careers." lion in total prize money at
ranked France topped No. name and number on opener in Columbus, Ohio, Men play best-of-five sets the ATP Finals in London.q
2 Germany 3-0. them. on Thursday.
The United States finished Carli Lloyd started the England won its opener
atop the table at 2-0-1 game for her 250th ap- over France 4-1 before
while England was second pearance for the national playing to a 2-2 draw with
at 1-1-1, ahead of defend- team, moving her up to Germany. U.S. England is
ing champion France (1-1- sixth on the career list. coached by former Man-
1) on goal differential. Ger- The Americans were with- chester United defender
many finished last at 0-2-1. out several key players for Phil Neville after the dismiss-
The top-ranked U.S. team the three-city tournament, al of coach Mark Sampson
beat third-ranked England including veteran defend- last year. All four teams
on an own goal that came er Becky Sauerbrunn, who are preparing for next
off of a cross from Megan is recovering from a foot year's World Cup in France.
Rapinoe in the 60th minute. injury, and midfielder To- France already qualified
Before the match at Or- bin Heath, who had ankle for the tournament as hosts,
lando City Stadium, there surgery. Defender Julie while the defending cham-
was a moving moment of Ertz was rested for the final pion United States will at-
silence for the 17 victims match by coach Jill Ellis. tempt to qualify this fall.q