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SPORTS Saturday 5 OctOber 2019

Dominic Thiem of Austria hits a return shot while competing
against Andy Murray of Britain in their quarterfinal match in the
China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Friday, Oct. 4, 2019.
Associated Press
Andy Murray loses

to Dominic Thiem

at China Open

BEIJING (AP) — Andy Mur- by beating Petra Kvitova In this July 28, 2019, file photo, United States’ Lilly King starts in the women’s 50m breaststroke
ray’s run at the China Open 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. final at the World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
is over. The former No. 1, “From my opinion, that was Associated Press
who had won consecutive one of the highest quality New International Swimming
singles matches for the first matches I played all year,”
time since undergoing hip said Barty, the French League debuts with cash prizes
surgery in January, lost to Open champion. “Petra al-
top-seeded Dominic Thiem ways has a way of bringing By BETH HARRIS comes a format that lieves the pay-for-play
6-2, 7-6 (3) Friday in the out the best in me, she re-
quarterfinals. ally does.” Barty converted AP Sports Writer makes the sport more ex- model is overdue in a
The International Swim-
citing and accessible to sport that typically gets its
Thiem broke the 32-year- three of her six break points
old Murray in the first game while Kvitova, a two-time ming League debuts this viewers and young swim- biggest exposure only in
weekend, with some of mers. “If I was a little kid Olympic years.
of the match, but the British Wimbledon champion,
player made things more was two for seven. the sport’s biggest names and I walked into a swim “I see like a much longer
competing for cash prizes meet and saw a giant career in my swimming,
difficult in the second set, In Saturday’s semifinals,
testing his younger op- Barty will face eighth- in a team format that cul- light show going on and so that’s very exciting,”
minates in a splashy finale only four swimmers I had she said.
ponent’s nerve in finishing seeded Kiki Bertens, who
out the match. Also, Karen defeated Elina Svitolina 7-6 in Las Vegas. to keep track of and a Other ISL stops are in Italy,
Four of the league’s eight Jumbotron, I’d be like, Texas, Hungary, Washing-
Khachanov of Russia beat (6), 6-2. “I think this week I
Italy’s Fabio Fognini 3-6, played some better tennis teams will swim on Sat- ‘That looks like the NBA, ton, D.C., and London.
that looks like the NFL, The top two teams from
urday and Sunday in In-
6-3, 6-1, Alexander Zverev again,” said Bertens, who
downed Sam Querrey, 7 amassed 36 winners to Svi- dianapolis, the first of six that looks like professional the U.S. and Europe af-
sports,’” she said.
ter the six regular-season
meets in the U.S. and Eu-
(7)-6 (3), 6-2, and Stefanos tolina’s 16. “I think then with
Tsitsipas of Greece beat some pressure and playing rope leading to the sea- Swimmers will race for meets advance to the fi-
son finale in December.
team points, with relays nals on Dec. 20-21.
American John Isner 7-6 better all the time, it’s good
(3), 6-3. Top-seeded Ash for me. It says for myself that Americans Katie Ledecky, worth double. Skins sprints The ISL has deals to show
feature three heats, with the meets on live televi-
Caeleb Dressel and Nata-
Barty reached the semifi- I was growing a lot over the lie Coughlin, along with eight swimmers reduced sion in Australia, Europe
nals in the women’s draw last few years.” q
Sweden’s Sarah Sjöström, to four and then a head- and Latin America, with
Chad le Clos of South to-head of the fastest livestreaming in the U.S.
Gymnastics body says risk Africa, Ariarne Titmus of two. Points earned in skins and Canada.
affected Biles dismount grading Australia, Italy’s Federica are worth triple. On Friday, FINA an-
Pellegrini and Laszlo Cseh The top four finishers in nounced its rival Champi-
sion which has frustrated of Hungary are among each race are eligible ons Swim Series will stage
the U.S. gymnast. Biles first those on teams compet- for prize money beyond two meets in China in
landed her double-double ing this weekend. what they receive from January, one less than it
dismount — two flips and Unlike at the Olympics team revenue. The ISL has offered for the first time
two twists — at the U.S. and world champion- committed to a 50-50 split this year.
nationals in August. If she ships, there are no heats. of revenue with the teams The sport’s world govern-
can land it at the world Racing is spread over and swimmers, who re- ing body awards $10,000
championships, it will bear a two-hour session in a ceive base salaries as for first place, $8,000 for
Simone Biles of the U.S. her name in the sport’s 25-meter pool featuring well. “Obviously, we want second, $6,000 for third
attends a news conference Code of Points. Biles has four swimmers per final. to see more money,” King and $5,000 for fourth in
prior to the Gymnastics World Swimmers will compete said. “You have some of four-swimmer finals. FINA
Championships in Stuttgart, expressed frustration that in the usual Olympic dis- the all-time greats in this also pays appearance
Germany, Monday, Oct.1, the dismount was given an
2019. “H’’ difficulty value. That’s tances. Coaches can room who aren’t even fees to invited athletes,
Associated Press one value higher than any bring in reserves or make making the starting salary who have their travel, ho-
STUTTGART, Germany (AP) other women’s beam el- other lineup changes dur- of a Double-A MLB player. tel and meals covered.
— The International Gym- ement in the Code, but ing two 10-minute breaks. It’s cool to see the money King is one of several
nastics Federation says some observers argued the Anyone swimming slower is going up for the people swimmers who compet-
risk played a role in how it extra difficulty was enough than listed times in an who deserve it.” ed in the FINA series and
graded Simone Biles’ new to deserve an even higher event can lose points. Sjöström, the 26-year-old is now swimming in the
beam dismount, a deci- rating. q American Lilly King wel- Swedish sprint star, be- ISL.q