BASEBALL

Kim returns to Braves

Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is returning to the Atlanta Braves, agreeing on Monday to a US$20 million, one-year contract that addressed a major off-season priority for the team. Kim gets a US$4 million raise. He had declined a US$16 million player option from the US$29 million, two-year contract he agreed to in February with the Tampa Bay Rays, a deal that paid him US$13 million. The Braves announced the new deal with Kim on Monday night. The 30-year-old South Korean batted .234 with five homers and 17 RBIs for the Rays and Braves, who claimed him off waivers on Sept. 1. Kim did not make his season debut until July 4 because of right shoulder surgery late last year.

Photo: AP

HORSE RACING

Protester released on bail

A man who ran on to the track during the Hong Kong Cup to call for government resignations over a deadly fire has been released on bail. The 59-year-old on Sunday invaded Sha Tin Racecourse during the HK$40 million (US$5.14 million) race, but was prevented by staff from getting into the path of the horses thundering past, which could have caused carnage. He was holding a banner calling for Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee and Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang to resign following the Wang Fuk Court blaze that killed at least 160 people last month. Video showed the man being tackled to the ground by staff in the middle of the home straight, including the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s official race starter. He was held down to prevent him being trampled as the seven horses in the field galloped past safely near the inside rail, including winner Romantic Warrior, watched by tens of thousands of spectators at the territory’s most prestigious race. He was arrested on suspicion of “disordering public places,” police said, adding that he had been released on bail pending further investigation.

TENNIS

ATP to launch heat policy

The ATP men’s tennis tour is to introduce a new heat policy from next year after a string of retirements due to soaring temperatures and punishing humidity at the Shanghai Masters earlier this season. The move brings the ATP into line with the women’s WTA tour, which has a long-standing policy, and sports such as Formula One, which has its own measures to protect drivers. The ATP on Monday said it was “strengthening protections for players competing in extreme conditions,” with rules based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature index, which measures air temperature, humidity, wind speed and other factors to estimate heat stress. Under the measures, a player can request a 10-minute cooling break in best-of-three singles matches if the index reaches 30.1°C or higher during the first two sets. Play would be suspended when it exceeds 32.2°C. World No. 2 Jannik Sinner’s Shanghai Masters title defense ended in agony in October when the Italian struggled to walk due to cramp in his right thigh before he retired in the deciding set of his third-round clash with Tallon Griekspoor. At the same event, Novak Djokovic vomited during his encounter with Yannick Hanfmann, while Holger Rune was heard asking an official during a medical timeout in his meeting with Ugo Humbert if players had to “die on court” amid the heat and humidity.