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A18 SPORTS
Thursday 10 OcTOber 2019
Continued from Previous Page port of how the commis-
NBA Commissioner Adam sioner is handling the situa-
Silver met with players from tion.
both the Nets and Lakers "And it wasn't easy for him
on Wednesday in Shang- to say," Popovich said. "He
hai, telling them that the said that in an environment
league's intention remains fraught with possible eco-
to play the games as nomic peril. But he sided
scheduled. with the principles that we
Chinese smartphone mak- all hold dearly, or most of us
er Vivo has joined the list did until the last three years.
of companies that have So I'm thrilled with what he
suspended — for now, at said." Other NBA coaches
least — ties with the NBA, have not been so willing to
and that only adds to the discuss the situation. Phila-
uncertainty over whether delphia's Brett Brown said
the China games will be he did not wish to get into
played. Vivo was a pre- specifics of the China-NBA
senting sponsor of the Lak- rift, though he said he has
ers-Nets games, and on been to that country many
Wednesday there was no times and is always blown
reference to the game in away by how popular the
Shanghai on the list of up- game is there.
coming events scheduled A worker takes down a billboard advertising an NBA preseason basketball game on Thursday "Just massive amounts
at Mercedes-Benz Arena. between the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets in Shanghai, China, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019. of basketball courts and
Other firms such as ap- Associated Press you're looking out and
parel company Li-Ning an- there's no available court,"
nounced similar moves ear- and at the same time stand zhou Loong Lions — two of last night's 76ers game, Brown said. "It's just people
lier this week, as the rift was by our principles." fans were removed by are- Wells Fargo Center secu- playing on a court. I took
just beginning. All around China, stores na security for holding signs rity responded to a situ- a (lower-level) Australian
Silver said Tuesday in To- that sell NBA merchandise and chanting in support ation that was disrupting team to China and the
kyo that he supports Mo- were removing Rockets-re- of Hong Kong. The signs the live event experience story comes there was 400
rey's right to free speech. lated apparel from shelves read "Free Hong Kong" and for our guests," the arena's million viewers watching
Several Chinese compa- and many murals featuring "Free HK." The sentiment statement said. "After three not the true national team.
nies have suspended their the Rockets — even ones was not different from Mo- separate warnings, the two You're just reminded of the
partnership with the NBA in with Yao Ming, the Chi- rey's since-deleted tweet individuals were escorted popularity of the sport."
recent days, and Chinese nese great who played for last week of an image that out of the arena without The NBA is not the first ma-
state broadcaster CCTV Houston during his NBA ca- read, "Fight For Freedom. incident. The security team jor corporation to deal
said it will not broadcast reer — were being painted Stand With Hong Kong." employed respectful and with criticism from China
the Lakers-Nets games. over. The 76ers and Wells Fargo standard operating proce- over political differences.
"I'm sympathetic to our Effects were even felt in at Center, the team's home dures." Mercedes-Benz, Delta Air
interests here and to our least one NBA arena Tues- arena, released statements Meanwhile, Silver's senti- Lines, hotel operator Mar-
partners who are upset," day night. Wednesday confirming ments were also a talk- riott, fashion brand Zara
Silver said. "I don't think it's In Philadelphia, where the that the fan removal took ing point in Miami, where and others also have found
inconsistent on one hand 76ers were playing a Chi- place and explaining why. San Antonio coach Gregg themselves in conflicts with
to be sympathetic to them nese team — the Guang- "During the second quarter Popovich spoke out in sup- China in recent years.q

Djokovic beats Shapovalov to reach 3rd round in Shanghai

SHANGHAI (AP) — Novak can perform at my best," time, but I prefer not to say on his racket when hitting a
Djokovic opened his title Djokovic said. what I did differently." forehand and watched it
defense at the Shanghai Dominic Thiem kept his mo- Fifth-seeded Alexander sail into the fourth row of the
Masters by beating De- mentum going as well after Zverev also advanced to crowd. However, it landed
nis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-3 on winning last week's China the Round of 16 with a 7-6 in an empty seat and was
Wednesday to reach the Open, beating Pablo Car- (13), 7-6 (3) win over French quickly passed back down
third round. reno Busta 7-6 (3), 6-3. qualifier Jeremy Chardy. to the apologetic German.
Djokovic, who had a bye Thiem had lost in the sec- Zverev, who served 21 Chardy has now lost 11 con-
into the second round, im- ond round in Shanghai the aces, saved three set points secutive matches against
proved his career record last four years in a row. in the first-set tiebreaker. He top 10 opponents dating
against the Canadian to Sixth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsi- won that tiebreaker on his back to when he defeated
3-0 and has now won 22 pas also advanced, beat- sixth set point. then fourth-ranked Grigor
straight sets in Asia — dat- ing Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 "It was a great tiebreaker Dimitrov of Bulgaria at the
ing back to his title run in (3), 7-6 (3) for the Greek's obviously," Zverev said. "We 2018 Miami Masters.
Shanghai last year and also first win in six attempts over both served incredibly well The 16th-seeded John Isner
including last week's Japan his Canadian opponent. and didn't hit a lot of sec- was the only one of three
Open. Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece The pair have met three ond serves. ... Against Jer- Americans to advance,
"Because of the history that shouts after defeating Felix times this season, with the emy I always knew it was beating Lucas Pouille of
I had in this tournament Auger-Aliassime of Canada other three matches on the going to be tough espe- France 7-5, 6-3.
and in general in the Asian in the men's singles match at ITF Junior Circuit. cially on a surface like that, Taylor Fritz fell to seventh-
swing and lots of success the Shanghai Masters tennis "Great. Very nice," said Ts- which is lightning fast. I think seeded Karen Khachanov
tournament at Qizhong For-
and lots of matches won est Sports City Tennis Center in itsipas, when asked how it it's the fastest surface on of Russia 6-2, 6-4, and Reilly
in my career, I actually Shanghai, China, Wednesday, felt to finally beat the 19th- tour." His biggest problem Opelka lost to eighth-seed-
feel less pressure because Oct. 9, 2019. ranked Auger-Aliassime. in the second tiebreaker ed Robert Bautista Agut of
I'm more confident that I Associated Press "I did things differently this came when he lost his grip Spain 6-4, 7-5.q