REUTERS SPORTS SCHEDULE AT 6:30 p.m. GMT/2:30 p.m. ET

Here are the top sports stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 6:30 p.m. GMT/2:30 p.m. ET. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect https://www.reutersconnect.com/planning. TOP STORIES

US-GYMNASTICS-WORLD/ U.S. women romp to fifth straight world title, Biles rewrites history

The United States women cruised to their fifth consecutive team title at the gymnastics world championships in Stuttgart on Tuesday, with Simone Biles becoming the event’s most decorated woman. US-CHINA-BASKETBALL-NBA-SILVER/

China TV drops NBA exhibition games; league defends free speech TOKYO/BEIJING - Chinese state television said on Tuesday it would not air NBA exhibition games played in the country this week, heaping pressure on the U.S. basketball league after a tweet by a Houston Rockets executive backing protests in Hong Kong.

RUGBY UNION WORLDCUP ZAF CAN/ Springboks overwhelm Canada to storm into World Cup quarter-finals

KOBE - Third-string scrumhalf Cobus Reinach scored a hat-trick of tries in 11 minutes as South Africa celebrated their 500th test by storming into the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a 66-7 victory over Canada on Tuesday. UPCOMING

MOTOR RACING MOTOR-F1-JAPAN/

Motor racing-Japanese Grand Prix preview and statistics We preview Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, a race which could see Mercedes win the constructors' championship for the sixth year in a row.

9 Oct 00:00 ET / 04:00 GMT MOTOR-F1-JAPAN/REDBULL (TV)

Motor racing - Red Bull drivers speak to media in Tokyo ahead of Japanese Grand Prix. Red Bull Formula One drivers Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon speak to media ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

9 Oct 00:30 ET / 04:30 GMT TENNIS

TENNIS-SHANGHAI/ (PIX) (TV) Tennis - ATP 1000 - Shanghai Masters

Action from day four of the Shanghai Masters. 9 Oct 00:00 ET / 04:00 GMT

RUGBY RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-SOC-RUS/ (PIX) (TV)

Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup - Scotland v Russia Scotland play Russia in their Rugby World Cup Pool A game in Shizouka.

9 Oct 03:15 ET / 07:15 GMT RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-WAL-FJI/ (PIX) (TV)

Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup - Wales v Fiji Wales play Fiji in their Rugby World Cup Pool D game in Oita.

9 Oct 05:45 ET / 09:45 GMT RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-ARG-USA/ (PIX) (TV)

Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup - Argentina v United States Argentina play the United States in their Rugby World Cup Pool C game in Kumagaya.

9 Oct 00:45 ET / 04:45 GMT OLYMPICS

OLYMPICS-2020/SURFING (PIX) (TV) Olympics-“Old sports need to adapt” – surfing chief ahead of Olympics debut

As "cool" sports such as surfing, skateboarding and climbing prepare to make their Olympic debut in Tokyo, the president of surfing's governing body has told Reuters that more traditional sports must adapt or face being dropped from the Games. 9 Oct 04:00 ET / 08:00 GMT

GYMNASTICS GYMNASTICS-WORLD/ (PIX) (TV)

2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships Stuttgart hosts the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Day six of the championship features the men's team final.

9 Oct 08:30 ET / 12:30 GMT NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

FOOTBALL-NFL-NEP-NYG Unbeaten Patriots plot for Giants - Field Level Media

When New England Patriots (5-0) head coach Bill Belichick goes head to head with rookie quarterbacks, he’s almost impossible to beat. That matchup is ahead Thursday against Daniel Jones and the NY Giants. 20:30 ET / 00:30 GMT