Sports Round-up: Osaka plans, Tootoo retires, Koepka leads, WADA

The rising star of women's tennis will not be changing her quirky personality in media appearances that have endeared her to so many.

 

Tennis: Osaka plans to stay 'weird' in ever-changing career

Naomi Osaka has witnessed a huge change in her career after claiming a maiden Grand Slam title in 2018, but the rising star of women's tennis will not be changing her quirky personality in media appearances that have endeared her to so many. The 21-year-old Japanese stunned Serena Williams to capture an emotional U.S. Open triumph last month before her humble yet idiosyncratic character garnered even more admirers in a slew of high-profile television interviews following that win.

NFL notebook: With RB Fournette out, Jaguars acquire Hyde

With starting running back Leonard Fournette ruled out for his third straight game and limited to just 20 carries this season, the Jacksonville Jaguars have acquired Carlos Hyde from the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round draft pick. Fournette suffered a hamstring injury in the season opener against the New York Giants and missed the next two games. He aggravated it in Week 4 when he returned to play against the New York Jets. Fournette's backup, T.J. Yeldon, also has been fighting injuries and the Jaguars lost Corey Grant with a foot injury.

Motorcycling: Dovizioso on pole in Japan, Marquez to start sixth

Italian Andrea Dovizioso piled the pressure on championship leader Marc Marquez by qualifying in pole position for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix while the Spaniard will start in sixth. Honda's Marquez can win a fifth MotoGP title with a win at Motegi but Dovizioso, his closest rival in the championship race, showed he was not willing to give up without a fight as he set the fastest qualifying time of 1:44:590 seconds.

NHL veteran Tootoo retires after 13 seasons

After 13 seasons in the NHL, forward Jordin Tootoo has decided to retire, making the announcement on Friday. After sitting out the 2017-18 season on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury, he did not play after the Chicago Blackhawks assigned him to Rockford of the American Hockey League on Nov. 30.

NBA roundup: Butler jeered, cheered in Wolves win

Jimmy Butler scored 33 points on 10-of-12 shooting during his first home contest of the season to help the Minnesota Timberwolves post a 131-123 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night in Minneapolis. Butler was heartily booed in pregame introductions, stemming from his trade request and vow not to re-sign with the Timberwolves. He hit all 12 of his free throws -- later receiving "M-V'-P" chants while he was at the line -- and also contributed seven rebounds and four steals in 36 minutes.

NHL roundup: Panthers top Caps in shootout

Jonathan Huberdeau scored the deciding goal in the fourth round of a shootout as the visiting Florida Panthers defeated the Washington Capitals 6-5 on Friday night. Aleksander Barkov and Vincent Trocheck also scored for Florida in the shootout. The game would have gone down as a Panthers loss had Trocheck missed in the third round, but instead, it was the first win of the season for Florida.

MLB notebook: Red Sox's Sale to start World Series opener

Boston ace Chris Sale will start the opening game of the World Series on Tuesday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Friday during a radio interview. The left-hander was scratched from his second start in the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros due to a stomach illness. The sale last pitched in Saturday's Game 1 loss to Houston.

Wozniacki seeks repeat at wide-open WTA Finals

The women's tennis season concludes at the WTA Finals in Singapore next week and, like a majority of tournaments during the 2018 campaign, picking a winner from a wide-open field seems a near impossible task. With Serena Williams battling to regain fitness and top form following a difficult childbirth in 2017, the Grand Slams went to four different women for the second consecutive year.

Golf: Koepka leads in Korea, closes in on No.1 ranking

Brooks Koepka moved into position to claim his first win on his first start of the new PGA Tour season after the American shot a five-under-par 67 in the third round of the $9.5 million CJ Cup in South Korea on Saturday to open up a four-stroke lead. Koepka, who won two of last season's four majors and was named the U.S. tour's player of the year, is on 13-under 203 for the tournament, with compatriot Scott Piercy (72) and England's Ian Poulter (68) tied for second on nine-under.

WADA not fit for purpose and should be replaced: Thompson

The World Anti-Doping Agency is not fit for purpose and should be replaced, Britain's double Olympic decathlon champion Daley Thompson has said following its decision last month to lift a ban on Russia's anti-doping body. RUSADA's 22-month suspension was removed by WADA subject to various conditions but drew widespread criticism from some athletes and anti-doping agencies.

(With inputs from agencies.)