Sports News Roundup: Players Association seeking 'certainty'; McIlroy on postponing Ryder Cup


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 27-05-2020 10:36 IST | Created: 27-05-2020 10:28 IST
Sports News Roundup: Players Association seeking 'certainty'; McIlroy on postponing Ryder Cup
Image Credit: Storyblocks

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Players Association seeking 'certainty' before return

National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts told ESPN on Tuesday that players are seeking a "level of certainty" regarding their return from the hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic. On hold since March 11, Roberts said "it's time" for players to get back on the court.

Postponing Ryder Cup to 2021 would be right call, says McIlroy

World number one Rory McIlroy believes the Ryder Cup is unlikely to take place this year and postponing the biennial match play event to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic would be the right call to make. The golf calendar has been decimated by the coronavirus outbreak, with three of the sport's four majors rescheduled and the British Open cancelled.

NHL restart plan makes dollars and sense

There remain as many questions as answers as the NHL unveiled its return-to-play plan Tuesday, but give the league credit: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a road map is in place. Sure, we don't know whether the league will actually resume action paused on March 12, but the hope that 24 teams will begin training camps sometime in July, play games in two hub cities and hand out the Stanley Cup is trying to make the best of a horrible situation.

Dolphins owner says 2020 season will 'definitely' happen

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said on Tuesday he believes the NFL's 2020 season will take place as scheduled later this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic and that his team's plan is to have fans in attendance. Speaking in an interview with CNBC, the 80-year-old real estate developer said the league wants to have fans in place but that plan is subject to change before the regular season begins on Sept. 10.

League says players should expect daily COVID-19 testing if play resumes

National Hockey League (NHL) players can expect daily COVID-19 testing if a proposed 24-team playoff competition is able to go forward this year, league officials said. The NHL, on hold since March due to the global coronavirus outbreak, outlined a roadmap for a return to competition on Tuesday, with plans to hold games in two hub cities without fans but stopped short of suggesting a potential start date.

League proposes steep cuts to players' salaries for return of games: ESPN

A proposal from Major League Baseball (MLB) to bring back live games would see players' salaries slashed, with higher-earning players taking a bigger hit, ESPN reported on Tuesday, MLB and its players' association are in negotiations to resume games without fans at stadiums after the novel coronavirus outbreak put the 2020 season on hold.

World TeamTennis to allow up to 500 fans at matches

World TeamTennis, an innovative mixed-gender professional tennis league, will start from July 5 at the Greenbrier, West Virginia, and up to 500 fans will be allowed to attend matches during its three-week season, tournament organizers said on Tuesday. WTT said it would adhere to all health and safety protocols required by authorities to ensure the well-being of its players, coaches, and essential staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Elliott ends Busch's Truck Series dominance

In the closing laps of Tuesday night's North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., Chase Elliott held off a determined charge from Kyle Busch in the closing laps to earn the victory and a $100,000 bounty offered to any full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver who could beat Busch. Not bad for a guy who hadn't competed in a NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race since 2017.

Cilic and Coric to join Djokovic's Balkan tour

Croatians Marin Cilic and Borna Coric will join world number one Novak Djokovic's tennis tournament to be played across the Balkans June 13-July 5, the Serb said on Tuesday. Their inclusion will complete a formidable field also featuring Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, and Grigor Dimitrov, with the first of four legs set to take place in Belgrade on June 13 and 14.

The new normal: A guide to playing tennis

Some countries are again allowing non-contact sports like tennis, as long as players and venues stick to strict guidelines aimed at minimizing health risks. Here's what it's like to play at a London club under Britain's Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) guidelines:

(With inputs from agencies.)

Give Feedback