Australian Open offers reminders that sports reflect society
January 17, 2023 GMTMELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic is back at the Australian Open, which is newsworthy, yes, mainly because of the reason he was not in the tournament a year ago: He is not vaccinated against COVID-19.
No Chinese tournaments listed yet on WTA’s 2023 schedule
November 15, 2022 GMTST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The WTA Tour released its schedule for 2023 through the U.S. Open in September, with no tournaments slated for China yet.
Cowboy Up: Garcia wins WTA Finals over Sabalenka in Texas
November 8, 2022 GMTFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Caroline Garcia plopped on a cowboy hat to go with the trophy she was holding after telling fans she had enjoyed her first trip to Texas.
There was plenty for the Frenchwoman to like in Cowtown.
Sabalenka stuns Swiatek, faces Garcia for WTA Finals title
November 7, 2022 GMTFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka stood stoically ever so briefly, before crouching for an emphatic fist pump to go with a scream.
Yeah, the seventh-ranked woman in the eight-player WTA Finals couldn't hide the emotion, because she knew exactly what she had done.
Garcia tops Kasatkina for final spot in semis of WTA Finals
November 6, 2022 GMTFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Caroline Garcia spiked a banana on her bench while a first-set lead was slipping away, and Daria Kasatkina later whacked a couple of balls hard into the court with her racket after losing on serve.
Jabeur rallies past Pegula, Sakkari wins again at WTA Finals
November 3, 2022 GMTFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Ons Jabeur wasn't used to the idea of playing so soon after a loss in her WTA Finals debut.
Took her a bit to adjust as well.
The Tunisian rallied for a three-set victory over Jessica Pegula on Wednesday night, keeping alive the U.S.
AP Interview: Tennis tour CEO still wants Peng Shuai inquiry
November 2, 2022 GMTFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The man in charge of women’s professional tennis, Steve Simon, has been sitting close enough to the action at the season-ending WTA Finals this week — from a seat in front of the front row, as courtside as can be — that a player easily could wander over for a mid-match chat.
King gets, disagrees with, Swiatek’s choice to skip BJK Cup
November 1, 2022 GMTFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Billie Jean King gets why No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek decided to skip the Billie Jean King Cup Finals because they are right after — and half a world away from — the WTA Finals.
Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff drawn into same group at WTA Finals
October 29, 2022 GMTFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A season ago, Iga Swiatek only qualified for the WTA Finals with a couple of weeks to spare.
Iga Swiatek out of BJK Cup, saying scheduling is ‘not safe’
October 3, 2022 GMTTop-ranked Iga Swiatek will not play in the Billie Jean King Cup and complained Monday about that event being scheduled to start immediately after the WTA Finals.
Samsonova beats Zheng to win 3rd WTA title in 2 months
September 25, 2022 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Liudmila Samsonova of Russia extended a remarkable summer run by clinching her third title in two months after beating rising Chinese player Zheng Qinwen 7-5, 7-5 at the Toray Pan Pacific Open on Sunday.
Tennis tour moves year-end championships from China to Texas
September 6, 2022 GMTST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The women’s professional tennis tour will hold its season-ending 2022 WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, moving the event out of China for the second year in a row.
ATP men’s tennis tour cancels 4 China tournaments in 2022
July 21, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — The ATP men's tennis tour is canceling all four of its tournaments held in China this year, citing COVID-19 restrictions.
Sue Barker steps down from TV role | Wimbledon updates
July 10, 2022 GMTWIMBLEDON, England (AP) — The Latest from Wimbledon (all times local):
Activist removed from Wimbledon for Peng Shuai protest
July 10, 2022 GMTWIMBLEDON, England (AP) — An activist who shouted “Where is Peng Shuai?” and held up a sign with the same message was removed from Centre Court during the Wimbledon men's final on Sunday.
Activists with Peng Shuai T-shirts searched at Wimbledon
July 4, 2022 GMTWIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Four activists wearing “Where is Peng Shuai?” T-shirts were stopped by security at Wimbledon on Monday and had their bags searched.
Peng is a retired professional tennis player from China who last year accused a former high-ranking member of the country’s ruling Communist Party of sexual assault.
WTA women’s tennis tour gets 1st title sponsor since 2010
March 3, 2022 GMTST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The WTA Tour has agreed to a multi-year, multimillion-dollar title sponsorship deal with Hologic, a medical technology company.
The agreement, announced Thursday, gives the women’s professional tennis tour its first title sponsor since a deal with Sony Ericsson ended in 2010.
Russia’s Olympic doping case helps China skirt dicey topics
February 15, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Little more than a week ago, the questions from non-Chinese reporters at daily Olympics briefings were about sensitive things involving China — tennis player Peng Shuai, the government's treatment of Uyghur Muslims in the northwest, the efficiency of the anti-COVID “closed-loop system.”
Winter Olympians champion climate, peace amid muted activism
February 15, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — After a morning training session at the Winter Olympics’ Big Air Shougang venue, British snowboarder Katie Ormerod stopped by the press zone to do a quick interview. The topic wasn’t how much air time she got or the tricks she was trying to pull off.
Journalist who spoke to Peng Shuai says doubts remain
February 8, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — One of the journalists who conducted the first sit-down interview with Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai said Tuesday that the carefully controlled conversation did not answer questions about whether she can speak her mind or move freely.