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TENNIS KVITOVA BREAKS THROUGH FOR FIRST TOURNAMENT
WUHAN, China — Petra Kvitova overpowered Dominika Cibulkova 6-1, 6-1 Saturday to win the Wuhan Open for her first title of the year.
The 14th-seeded Kvitova, who won the inaugural tournament in 2014, hit nine aces and converted six of seven break points to post her fifth win over a top-20 player this week. Kvitova, who ousted top-ranked Angelique Kerber in the third round won 17 of the first 18 points.
With the win, the Czech will move up to No. 11 in the rankings.
BERDYCH BACK IN SHENZHEN OPEN FINAL
SHENZHEN, China — Defending champion Tomas Berdych fired nine aces and defeated Thomaz Bellucci 6-2, 7-5 in the Shenzhen Open semifinals on Saturday.
The top-seeded Czech converted four of 10 break chances in beating his Brazilian opponent.
Berdych faces Richard Gasquet in Sunday’s final. Third-seeded Gasquet was leading 6-2, 4-1 in the other semi when Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia retired with a groin injury.
BOXING SCOTTISH WELTERWEIGHT TOWELL DIES OF INJURIES
GLASGOW, Scotland — A Scottish boxer has died after suffering severe bleeding and swelling to his brain after a televised fight.
Mike Towell, who was 25, had to be carried from the ring on a stretcher after a fifth-round loss to Dale Evans in Glasgow on Thursday.
Towell had been undefeated going into the fight — an eliminator for the British welterweight title — with 11 wins and one draw on his professional record. Towell died Friday night, 12 hours after he was taken off life support.
MOTORSPORTS EARNHARDT ‘NOT READY’ TO MAKE HIS RETURN
DOVER, Del. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he’s recovering from his concussion and feeling better, but is “not ready” to return to racing. Earnhardt has used a race simulator to aid in his rehabilitation, which helped him work on his motor skills.
Earnhardt has been sidelined since July. He isn’t sure when he’ll be cleared to race, but hopes to be ready for the 2017 Daytona 500.
Without a ride, Earnhardt instead took a temporary spot as NASCAR’s most popular crew member.
OLYMPICS PARIS MAKES PUSH FOR 2024 SUMMER GAMES
PARIS — IOC President Thomas Bach met with French athletes and Paris leaders of their 2024 bid at the start of a two-day visit in the French capital.
Bach, who will meet French President Francois Hollande at the Elysée Palace on Sunday then attend a soccer game involving refugees, was invited by the bid committee.
Paris is competing against Budapest and Los Angeles. The International Olympic Committee will choose the host in September 2017. Next week, Bach will meet Italian officials, who still hope the Rome bid can be revived despite city council opposition.
CYCLING COLOMBIAN CHAVES TOPS IN IL LOMBARDIA
BERGAMO, Italy — Esteban Chaves became the first Colombian to win Il Lombardia in snatching victory from Diego Rosa of Italy by less than a bike wheel on Saturday.
Rosa looked set for a surprise victory after launching his sprint with 250 metres to go, but Chaves came from behind to claim his first Monument win, crossing the line to a huge sigh of disappointment from the Italian fans.