Sports News Roundup: Record-busting shoes loom large in marathon debate; NWSL clubs get more money to pay top players

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Record-busting shoes loom large in marathon debate

A shoe debate is raging ahead of Sunday's New York City Marathon after high-tech sneakers played starring roles in two of the biggest distance-running achievements this year. Eliud Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon in Vienna and Brigid Kosgei's record-breaking run at the Chicago Marathon last month brought the Nike Vaporfly shoes into focus, sparking heated debate over whether the hyper-advanced footwear gave an unfair advantage.

Pliskova fights off tenacious Halep to set up Barty showdown

Karolina Pliskova edged a seesaw battle with Simona Halep in their final group match at the WTA Finals on Friday, downing the Romanian 6-0 2-6 6-4 to set up a semi-final with world number one Ashleigh Barty. Pliskova demolished Wimbledon champion Halep in a remarkable 20-minute opening set.

Nadal edges closer to maiden Paris Masters title

Rafael Nadal edged closer to a maiden Paris Masters title as he ended local favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's resilience in a 7-6(4) 6-1 victory to reach the semi-finals on Friday. The 19-times grand slam champion, who will take over from Novak Djokovic as world number one on Monday, faced no break points in a ruthless display to set up a meeting with Canadian Denis Shapovalov.

Curry out for three months after surgery

Golden State Warriors All-Star guard Stephen Curry will be out for at least three months after undergoing successful surgery in Los Angeles on Friday for a broken left hand, the NBA team said. The two-time NBA most valuable player is expected to make a full recovery from the break which occurred when he was driving to the basket in Wednesday's loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Formula One and ESPN sign new deal

ESPN and Formula One signed a new three-year deal to continue to broadcast races in the United States, the all-sport network said on Friday. Formula One said the series had seen double-digit television viewership growth in the United States over the past two seasons since coverage returned to ESPN in 2018.

Protesters greet Breeders' Cup patrons at Santa Anita

Horse racing is animal cruelty and should be banned, protesters who greeted patrons on the first day of the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park said on Friday. "We're going to shut this shit down," Heather Wilson, an animal rights activist with Horseracing Wrongs, told Reuters while standing with two dozen other sign-wielding protesters near the entrance to the race track.

Roundup: MLB transactions

Cincinnati Reds: Picked up the $5.5 million option for 2020 on infielder Freddy Galvis, who established career bests of 23 homers and 70 RBIs while splitting last season between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Reds. Colorado Rockies: Promoted minor league pitching coordinator Darryl Scott to major league bullpen coach.

NWSL clubs get more money to pay top players

Clubs in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) will be allowed to boost salaries and pay premiums to top-end players to help them to attract the world's best talent, the U.S.-based league announced on Friday. The nine clubs will each get an extra $300,000 in allocation money next season to pay top players more than the maximum permitted salary if they meet certain criteria.

Mixed martial arts star McGregor convicted of assault, fined 1,000 euros

Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor was convicted on Friday of assault for punching a man who refused a shot of whiskey from him in a Dublin pub in April and was fined 1,000 euros ($1,117). The 31-year-old twice Ultimate Fighting Championship title-holder, offered a guilty plea and apologised to his victim in Dublin's District Court.

World Series champion Nationals to visit Trump at White House

The Washington Nationals have accepted an invitation to visit U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday to celebrate the franchise's first World Series triumph. The Nationals, who began playing in the U.S. capital in 2005 when the Montreal Expos moved there and changed their name, beat the Houston Astros on Wednesday in the decisive seventh game of Major League Baseball's championship series.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)