Sports News Roundup: Djokovic breaks down in tears after hosting Belgrade exhibition; England's Rashford steps up campaign over free meals and more

The news came a day after Lakers backup center Dwight Howard told CNN that now is not the time to resume basketball in light of the protests that broke out across the nation and the world following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police last month.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Djokovic breaks down in tears after hosting Belgrade exhibition

An emotional Novak Djokovic could not hold back the tears while hosting a charity event at his tennis complex by the Danube River on Sunday. Although the world number one missed out on Sunday's Adria Tour final, in which Dominic Thiem beat Serbian Filip Krajinovic 4-3 2-4 4-2, the event brought back a flood of memories for the 17-time Grand Slam champion who staged the exhibition while international tennis remains suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

England's Rashford steps up campaign over free meals for children

Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford has stepped up his campaign for the government to fund free meals for struggling children through the summer school lockdown, support he himself had to rely on as a boy. The 22-year-old soccer star has taken a prominent role during the pandemic to raise awareness and funds for those families who are "existing on a knife's edge" and struggling to feed their children.

Report: Lakers players say they're unified on social justice, resumption of play

Though several NBA players on Friday reportedly voiced their opposition to resuming the season as a protest against racism and social injustice, ESPN reported that the Los Angeles Lakers' players remain undivided on the resumption of the season. The news came a day after Lakers backup center Dwight Howard told CNN that now is not the time to resume basketball in light of the protests that broke out across the nation and the world following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police last month.

Lakers' Howard: 'No basketball' until reform

The Los Angeles Lakers have their eye on an NBA championship when the season resumes next month, but center Dwight Howard said the team will have to do it without him. Howard told CNN on Saturday that given the unrest following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police last month that now is not the time for games. Floyd, like Howard, was African American, and Howard said the black community must put itself first now.

Popovich blasts Goodell for folding to Trump on anthem protests

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich sharply ripped NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for folding under pressure from president Donald Trump in the past when it came to national anthem protests. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling for the anthem in 2016 and Trump repeatedly took aim at the NFL and the protest situation during the 2017 season.

U.S. Open will go ahead without fans amid COVID-19-reports

The United States Tennis Association will hold the U.S. Open this year without fans amid the COVID-19 outbreak even though some top players have expressed concerns about attending the tournament due to the virus, according to multiple reports. Forbes, which cited unnamed sources, said the men's ATP Tour and the WTA, which runs the women's circuit, are both expected to approve a plan for the Aug. 31-Sept. 13 event in New York and that a formal announcement is due soon.

NBA players, staff to have COVID-19 tests every other day

NBA teams will be tested every other day for the coronavirus beginning June 23 as the league prepares to resume the season, according to multiple reports. The league reportedly sent a memo to teams on Saturday, informing them that players and essential team personnel who will be involved in the restarted season will take both a COVID-19 test and an antibody test that day.

On this day: Born June 16, 1970: Phil Mickelson, golfer

Throughout a good part of his career Phil Mickelson was the best golfer never to win a major but as "Lefty" turns 50 he has become golf's nearly man. As in nearly won the U.S. Open (runner-up six times). Nearly won the career slam. Nearly climbed to number one in the world rankings.

Berger wins playoff at Colonial in PGA Tour's return from COVID-19

Daniel Berger emerged from a tightly-bunched leaderboard to win the PGA Tour's first tournament back after a three-month COVID-19 break with a playoff victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas on Sunday. Berger, who needed a birdie on the final hole of his regulation round to make the playoff, sealed the win on the first extra hole with a rock-solid par moments before fellow American Collin Morikawa watched his putt from in close cruelly lip out.

Hamlin nabs another victory in dominating fashion at Homestead

It took him more than seven hours to get it, but Denny Hamlin became the NASCAR Cup Series' first three-race winner of the 2020 season when he drove to a dominating victory in Sunday's Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hamlin won the first two stages and led the most laps by far in getting the victory in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. The victory was his third at the 1.5-mile Homestead oval. It was his 40th in 518 Cup starts.

(With inputs from agencies.)