C’s announce four-game preseason slate
The Celtics will open the 2019-20 preseason Oct. 6 against the Charlotte Hornets at the Garden, as part of the team’s four-game exhibition slate.
The Celtics also will travel to Orlando to face the Magic on Oct. 11, before concluding the preseason slate with a home-and-home series against the Cavaliers — Oct. 13 at the Garden, and Oct. 15 in Cleveland.
All four Celtics preseason games will be televised live on NBC Sports Boston and aired on 98.5 FM.
The NBA’s 2019-20 regular season schedule will be announced Monday at 3 p.m., with tickets for all Celtics home games going on sale one hour later.
Isles arena OK’d
The New York state board responsible for economic development has approved a $1.3 billion project to build a 19,000-seat arena for the New York Islanders hockey team at Belmont Park.
Newsday reported the six members of the Empire State Development board voted Thursday in favor of the complex that will include shops, restaurants and a hotel.
The project on stateowned property would allow the National Hockey League team to move from Brooklyn to Elmont, in Nassau County, while creating thousands of new jobs.
However, some residents of surrounding communities are worried about increased traffic and noise.
Serena in semis
Serena Williams advanced to the Rogers Cup semifinals in Toronto, beating soon-to-be-top-ranked Naomi Osaka 6-3, 6-4.
Williams will face Czech qualifier Marie Bouzkova today. Bouzkova led fourthseeded Simona Halep 6-4 when the Wimbledon champion retired because of a left Achilles problem.
Bianca Andreescu became the first Canadian Rogers Cup semifinalist since 1979, overcoming a groin injury to beat third-seeded Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 2-6, 6-4.
Andreescu will face American Sofia Kenin, who beat sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina 7-6 (2), 6-4.
In Montreal, top-seeded Rafael Nadal rallied to reach the Rogers Cup semifinals, beating No. 7 Fabio Fognini 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Nadal will face No. 10 Roberto Bautista Agut or No. 16 Gael Monfils. Their quarterfinal was postponed until today because of inclement weather with Monfils leading 30-0 in the first game.
Daniil Medvedev and Karen Khachanov also won to set up an all-Russian semifinal.
The eighth-seeded Medvedev beat second-seeded Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-1, and the sixth-seeded Khachanov topped third-seeded Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-3.
Beaty sues KU
A federal judge ruled former Kansas football coach David Beaty’s lawsuit against the school will proceed.
Federal Judge Kathryn Vratil declined a motion from the university to dismiss the lawsuit Thursday.
Beaty sued Kansas in March. He alleges breach of contract and claims he’s owed $3 million. Beaty was fired in November after posting a 6-42 record in nearly four seasons . ...
Brad Keselowski won the pole for tomorrow’s NASCAR Cup race at Michigan International Speedway . ...
McLaren will return to full-time IndyCar competition next season for the first time since 1979 in a partnership with existing team Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.