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A22 HEALTH
Wednesday 30 OctOber 2019
Barty upset by

alternate Bertens

at WTA Finals

SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Bertens will meet Bencic.
World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty With little notice she'd be
was upset by late substitute playing, Bertens earned her
Kiki Bertens 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 at first career victory over Bar-
the WTA Finals on Tuesday. ty in five matches played.
Bertens arrived at the elite Barty, winner of the first set,
tournament as an alter- led by a break twice in the
nate, and has suddenly second at 2-1 and 3-2.
jumped into title conten- "When you give a player of
tion with the other seven Kiki's caliber a chance to
players in the draw. She get back into the match
took the place of Naomi not once but twice, she's
Osaka, who withdrew from going to make you pay,"
the finals on Tuesday with a Barty said. "That's probably Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands hits a return shot to Ashleigh Barty of Australia during their WTA Fi-
right shoulder injury ahead the most disappointing nals Tennis Tournament in Shenzhen, China's Guangdong province, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019.
of her second round-robin thing. Twice in the second Associated Press
match. set I was up a break and
The second singles of the wasn't able to consolidate." getting a bit better. I was cially secured the year-end Group on Monday.
day went in Belinda Ben- Bertens came close to starting to feel the court. I No. 1 ranking. She's the first Bencic, in her WTA Finals
cic's favor when she out- beating Barty in the Beijing could play a little bit more Australian woman to earn debut, decisively broke Kvi-
lasted Petra Kvitova 6-3, semifinals this month, losing aggressive, come to the that distinction. tova in the ninth game of
1-6, 6-4. in a third-set tiebreaker. net. Only Karolina Pliskova and the third set.
The Bencic win means all The Dutchwoman arrived in "Yeah, I played pretty well Osaka had an opportu- "You go into a match
four players in the Red Shenzhen straight from los- in the end." nity to prevent Barty from against Kvitova and you
Group are still in conten- ing to Aryna Sabalenka in Bertens broke serve on a finishing the season as the never have anything in
tion for semifinals action. the Zhuhai, China, final on fourth break point in the year-end No. 1. They both your hands," Bencic said. "I
The standings have Bencic Sunday. opening game of the third had to win the title here don't think we played our
and Barty at 1-1, Kvitova at "In the beginning I was a set and raced to 4-0. with a perfect record in the best but I found my game
0-2, and Bertens at 1-0 go- little bit struggling," Bertens Last year, she reached the round-robin. the last few games.
ing into the last round-rob- said. "As the match was semifinals in her WTA Finals Pliskova lost to Elena Svito- "I knew if I didn't win I'm
in matches. On Thursday, continuing, I felt better and debut. lina in her opening round- eliminated. but I didn't think
Barty will play Kvitova, and better. The movement was Despite the loss, Barty offi- robin match in the Purple about that."q
Yankees pitching coach Rothschild fired after 9 seasons

By RONALD BLUM to manage Philadelphia, He spent 11 years in the
AP Baseball Writer creating the possibility minor leagues as a pitcher
Larry Rothschild has been Rothschild could work un- for Cincinnati and Detroit,
fired as the Yankees' pitch- der him again. and he had a 5.40 ERA and
ing coach after nine sea- "I thought he did a great no decisions in seven big
sons. job with the years we were league relief appearances
New York announced his together," Girardi said. "I with the Tigers in 1981 and
departure Monday, nine thought that the game has '82.
days after the team was evolved a lot. Larry contin- New York won the AL East
eliminated by Houston in ued to evolve with how the for the first time since 2012
the AL Championship Se- game has evolved." this season and finished
ries. The Yankees decided Girardi will be discussing with 103 wins.
it was time for a new voice coaches with Phillies gen- "Larry is someone I leaned
in the role, a person famil- eral manager Matt Klentak. on extensively over these
iar the decision told The "Obviously Matt and I have past two years. I'm truly
Associated Press, speaking a couple positions that we grateful that I had someone
on condition of anonymity need to fill, and we're go- as established and loyal as
because details of Roth- ing to talk about every Larry as I made my transi-
schild's departure were not name that is out there and tion to the dugout," Boone
announced. In this Sept. 10, 2019, file photo New York Yankees pitching get who we think the best said in a statement. "Seeing
Sam Briend of data-driven coach Larry Rothschild watches against the Detroit Tigers in the person for Philadelphia," Gi- him work day after day, I
Driveline Baseball in Kent, first inning of a baseball game in Detroit. rardi said. have a deep appreciation
Washington, was hired in Associated Press Now 65, Rothschild was for how devoted he was to
June as the Yankees' direc- Tampa Bay's first manager his craft and how tirelessly
tor of pitching, an indica- to work for then-Yankees pitching coach. Rothschild from 1998 to April 2001 and he dove into his responsibili-
tion New York may further manager Joe Girardi, who stayed on when Aaron was pitching coach of Cin- ties. His distinguished career
increase its use of analytics. had been a catcher for the Boone replaced Girardi cinnati from 1992-93, Flor- clearly reflects how highly
Rothschild replaced Dave Cubs during Rothschild's ahead of the 2018 season. ida from 1995-97 and the he is regarded amongst his
Eiland in November 2011 first season as Chicago's Girardi was hired last week Cubs from 2002-10. peers in baseball."q