NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA will expand its Finals next year to a best-of-seven format, the league announced Thursday.
The league currently has a best-of-five semifinals and finals in its playoffs with a best-of-three first round.
“This will give our fans a championship series format that they are accustomed to seeing in other sports,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said before Game 1 of the Finals.
Engelbert said the better seeded teams will host the first, second, fifth and seventh games. The league also will be changing the opening round to give the lower seeded team at least one home game. The higher seeded team will host Game 1, and 3 if it's necessary. Currently the first round has the first two games at the better seeded team. All four of the first round series were sweeps this year.
The commissioner said that with the league using charter flights all season, including the playoffs, it makes it easier to travel back and forth between cities.
Engelbert also said the league's draft lottery will be held on Nov. 17 and that the expansion Golden State Valkyries team will have the No. 5 pick.
Engelbert also addressed the rising number of attacks that players have dealt with on social media, saying that there's no place for it and that the league will work with the players' union to figure out what they can do together to help combat it. Engelbert mentioned technology and help for mental health.
The league was coming off an incredible regular season in terms of attendance and viewership. The league said 2,353,735 fans attended games, the most in 22 years and the teams combined for 154 sellouts — up from 45 last season.
The WNBA averaged 9,807 fans per game in 2024, a hefty increase from last season’s 6,615 per game. The league also said a record 22 regular-season telecasts averaged at least 1 million viewers.
The impact of rookie Clark was a big reason for the increased interest in the league. The Fever set a single-season home attendance record of 340,715 fans, breaking the mark of 250,565 set by the New York Liberty in 2001.
“Culmination in most transformational year in WNBA’s history," Engelbert said. “Put it in perspective with a few stats that bring insight into what happened. WNBA outpaced the industry in live games in 2024. Fans watched 30% more on average of each WNBA game in the regular season. games reached 54 million viewers in regular season.”
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
FILE - WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks at a news conference before Game 1 of basketball's WNBA Finals between the Connecticut Sun and the Washington Mystics, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Washington. The WNBA will expand its Finals next year to a best-of-7 format the league announced on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
SHANGHAI (AP) — Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz advanced to a semifinal matchup at the Shanghai Masters on Friday.
Four-time champion Djokovic fought back from a set down to beat Czech player Jakub Mensik 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.
Mensik, ranked 65th, won a first-set tiebreaker but the 24-time Grand Slam winner hit right back by dominating the second set.
Mensik had 17 aces, but he also made six double-faults and 32 unforced errors. It was their first career meeting.
Fritz earlier reached his fifth Masters semifinal with a straightforward 6-3, 6-4 victory over David Goffin of Belgium.
The 26-year-old American was in control throughout the 82-minute encounter and converted three of his seven break points.
“I feel like sometimes it takes a couple of matches to find my routines, to find what feels good and what is working for me,” Fritz said. “I feel like once I get past the first two rounds, I feel very locked in. I’ve come this far already, so I might as well really dial it in and I’m just enjoying being here.”
Djokovic has won all nine matches he has played against Fritz.
In the other semifinal on Saturday, top-ranked Jannik Sinner will face Tomas Machac, who toppled second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
Second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka served up a master class to beat Magdalena Frech of Poland 6-2, 6-2 and maintain her undefeated record at the Wuhan Open.
The Belarussian fired 42 winners in 16 games, and wrapped up her latest victory in 1 hour, 23 minutes to advance to her eighth semifinal of the year where where she'll meet fourth-ranked Coco Gauff.
Sabalenka, the U.S. Open champion, is now 15-0 in Wuhan after winning the title on her first appearance in 2018 and defending her crown in 2019 before the tournament took a five-year hiatus from the calendar.
Earlier Friday, Gauff's impressive Asian swing showed no signs of ending as she routed Poland’s Magda Linette 6-0, 6-4 for her 50th win of the season.
It was also the 20-year-old American's ninth-straight win in China, a streak which includes victory at the China Open last week, and never looked in doubt as Gauff broke the No. 45-ranked Linette four times and struck 19 winners to Linette’s 13.
“I’m really happy with how I played,” Gauff said. “Obviously a smooth first set. Had chances to maybe close it out in the 5-3 game in the second, but happy I was able to close it out on my serve.”
It was a disappointing end to what was otherwise an impressive week for the 32-year-old Linette who had reached her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal.
The 51st-ranked Wang Xinyu of China, who beat third-ranked Jessica Pegula in the third round, rallied for a tight 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (6) victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Wang will next play compatriot and Paris Olympics gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, who beat sixth-ranked Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Novak Djokovic of Serbia, right, hugs with Jake Mensik of the Czech Republic after winning in their men's singles quarterfinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a forehand return against Jake Mensik of the Czech Republic during the men's singles quarterfinals match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Jake Mensik of the Czech Republic in the men's singles quarterfinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Taylor Fritz of the United States reacts after defeating David Goffin of Belgium in the men's singles quarterfinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Taylor Fritz of the United States celebrates after defeating David Goffin of Belgium in the men's singles quarterfinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Taylor Fritz of the United States plays a backhand return against David Goffin of Belgium during the men's singles quarterfinals match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Taylor Fritz of the United States reacts during the men's singles quarterfinals match against David Goffin of Belgium in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Taylor Fritz of the United States celebrates after defeating David Goffin of Belgium in the men's singles quarterfinals match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
