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A18 SPORTS
Thursday 24 OcTOber 2019
Federer eases past

Albot into Swiss

Indoors quarterfinals

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) —
Roger Federer eased to
a 6-0, 6-3 win over 49th-
ranked Radu Albot in the
second round of the Swiss
Indoors on Wednesday.
The top-seeded Federer
had to save two break
points in the first set on his
way to sweeping the first
eight games of the match.
Seeking a 10th title at his
hometown event, Federer
has spent less than two
hours combined on court
for his two match wins so
far this week. Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka
In Friday's quarterfinals, Fe- cheers after winning his first Tiger Woods of the United States watches his tee shot on the 10th hole during the pro-am event of
derer will play fellow Swiss round match against Uruguay's he Zozo Championship PGA Tour at Accordia Golf Narashino C.C. in Inzai, east of Tokyo, Japan,
Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019.
Stan Wawrinka or Francis Pablo Cuevas at the Swiss Associated Press
Indoors tennis tournament at
Tiafoe of the United States, the St. Jakobshalle in Basel,
who both had straight-set Switzerland, on Wednesday, Woods, Spieth, McIlroy
wins Wednesday. Oct. 23, 2019.
Wawrinka beat Pablo Cue- Associated Press lead star field in Japan
vas 6-3, 6-4, and Tiafoe won London next month.
6-4, 6-2 against Dan Evans. Wild-card entry Alex de
In a first-round match, sixth- Minaur advanced to the By JIM ARMSTRONG in 2006 at the Dunlop Phoe- After his win in South Korea,
seeded David Goffin won quarterfinals by beating AP Sports Writer nix, where he lost in a play- Thomas now has two more
6-4, 6-4 against unseed- 31st-ranked American Tay- INZAI CITY, Japan (AP) — off to Padraig Harrington. wins over the last three sea-
ed Marin Cilic, the Basel lor Fritz 6-3, 6-3. The 28th- With a field that includes He won the Dunlop Phoe- sons in Asia than any other
champion in 2016 when ranked Australian next Tiger Woods, Jordan Spi- nix the two previous years. player on tour.
Federer was injured. Gof- plays Jan-Lennard Struff of eth and Rory McIlroy, the "It's going to be a lot of fun "There's something about
fin is currently 10th in the Germany, ensuring at least PGA Tour's first tournament to be back here in front of Asia," Thomas said Wednes-
points race to qualify for one unseeded player will in Japan has plenty of star fans that really understand day.
the eight-man ATP Finals in be in the semifinals.q power. and respect the game of "I seem to do pretty well
The Zozo Championship, golf," Woods said in a pre- over here. I don't really
Salt Lake City to which begins on Thursday, tournament interview. know what it is.
"The game of golf is so It's always a good time of
will be held at the Accor-
host 2023 NBA dia Golf Narashino Country strong here in Japan, and year for me."
Club, about 80 kilometers to have seen it grow like McIlroy, who is playing in
All-Star Game (50 miles) east of Tokyo in it has over 20-some odd Japan for the first time in 11
Inzai City.
years that I've been play-
years, said he wasn't con-
It is part of three tourna- ing is very special." cerned about playing on
JOHN COON said. Salt Lake City previ- ments that make up the The Masters champion is an unfamiliar course.
Associated Press ously hosted the NBA All- PGA Tour's Asia Swing, making his first start in his "That's OK. I mean, I've won
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Star Game at the Delta including the CJ Cup in 23rd season on the PGA majors before by playing
Salt Lake City will host the Center in 1993, when South Korea won last week Tour, needing one victory nine-hole practice rounds,"
2023 NBA All-Star Game. the Western Conference by Justin Thomas and the to reach 82 wins and tie the McIlroy said.
Commissioner Adam Sil- beat the Eastern Con- HSBC Champions in Shang- career record held by Sam "Sometimes when you don't
ver announced the se- ference 135-132 in over- hai next week. Snead. know a course, that's a bet-
lection Wednesday. The time. Utah Jazz Hall of The Japanese tournament, Woods had arthroscopic ter thing. You don't know
game will be played Famers Karl Malone and co-sanctioned with the Ja- surgery on his left knee two where the trouble is and it
Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023 at John Stockton became pan Golf Tour, is a 78-man, months ago — his fifth on doesn't enter your mind."
Vivint Smart Home Are- the first teammates to no-cut field with a $9.75 mil- the same problem spot. There is an agreement in
na. It will be the 30th an- share the All-Star MVP lion purse. He played in the inaugu- place to hold the Zozo
niversary of Utah’s only award. Malone led the The weather could prove ral "The Challenge: Japan Championship until at least
other All-Star Game. West with 28 points, and to be a factor on the week- Skins" game on Monday at 2025.
Silver said Salt Lake City’s Stockton finished with end. the same course and did The tournament sponsor
track record of hosting nine points and 15 assists. Japan is bracing for two not appear to be in any has drawn a great deal of
major sporting events, “It was an electric and more storms heading its discomfort. attention in the relatively
such as the 2002 Winter thrilling experience and way a week after a ty- Jason Day, who beat conservative Japanese
Olympics, and recent one that I will always re- phoon devastated the Woods in the Skins game, is business world.
arena upgrades swayed member,” Jazz owner country's central and north- also part of the field as well Zozo chief executive Yu-
the NBA into selecting Gail Miller said. “Today, ern regions. A forecast for as Japanese star Hideki saku Maezawa, owner of
the city. we are honored to wel- another typhoon has been Matsuyama and Thomas, the online Japanese re-
“Big-time sports and big- come the NBA and the downgraded to a tropical whose win in the CJ Cup tailer, is known for lavish
time events are part of all-star game back to storm. was his 11th PGA Tour event spending on artworks, a
the DNA of this city,” Silver Salt Lake City.” q Woods last played in an of- and his second in South Ko- Stradivarius violin and a fu-
ficial tournament in Japan rea. ture trip to the moon.q