Sports News Roundup: Play ball! 'Summer Camp' opens as league return to action; NFL to trim preseason to two games and more

Djokovic, wife Jelena test negative for COVID-19 Novak Djokovic and his wife Jelena have tested negative for COVID-19, nine days after returning a positive test, the world number one tennis player's media team said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

MLB: Play ball! 'Summer Camp' opens as league returns to action

Major League Baseball training camps reopened on Wednesday, marking a critical step toward bringing back America's pastime amid the COVID-19 outbreak. MLB and its players' association agreed to a shortened, 60-game 2020 campaign last week with no fans in attendance and each team's first game on July 23 or July 24, after weeks of negotiations cast doubt on whether the season would open at all.

NFL to trim preseason to two games - reports

The NFL will trim its postseason slate from four games to two, multiple media outlets reported on Wednesday. Weeks 1 and 4 are expected to be dropped by the league, which is expected to announce the move on Thursday.

Motor racing: Hamilton expects drivers to stand united against racism

Six-times world champion Lewis Hamilton expects Formula One drivers to be united against racism at Sunday's season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, and that could mean taking a knee before the start. There has been plenty of speculation about how the Mercedes driver might signal his support for the Black Lives Matter movement and those campaigning against racial injustice and inequality.

Wimbledon says thanks to NHS with strawberries

Strawberries that would have been chomped on by tennis fans during the Wimbledon fortnight are being sent to London's NHS and frontline staff as a mark of thanks for their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic. Ordinarily the championships would have been in full flow this week, but the grasscourts remain vacant and the strawberry and cream stalls empty.

Alpine skiing: World Championships in Italy confirmed for 2021

The Alpine skiing World Championships in Cortina d'Ampezzo will take place in February 2021 as originally scheduled, the International Ski Federation (FIS) said on Thursday. In May the Italian winter sports federation (FISI) had asked to postpone the event by a year due to uncertainties linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and its negative impact on the country.

Up to 60% of usual capacity will be allowed to attend 2020 French Open, say organisers

Up to 60% of the usual capacity will be allowed inside the Roland Garros grounds for the 2020 edition of the French Open amid the COVID-19 crisis, organisers said on Thursday. French federation president Bernard Giudicelli told a news conference that on the main courts, a maximum of four people could sit together with an empty seat between groups.

Djokovic, wife Jelena test negative for COVID-19

Novak Djokovic and his wife Jelena have tested negative for COVID-19, nine days after returning a positive test, the world number one tennis player's media team said on Thursday. Djokovic, along with Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki, tested positive after playing in the Adria Tour, an exhibition tournament organised by the 17-times Grand Slam champion.

Report: Investment firms lobby sponsors to cut ties with Redskins

A group of investment firms and shareholders is lobbying Nike, FedEx and PepsiCo to end their sponsorship agreements with the Washington Redskins unless the team changes its nickname, Adweek reported Wednesday. The Redskins nickname has survived multiple challenges over the years, with many Native American groups labeling the name racist.

Athletics: Russia misses deadline to pay doping fine

Russia's suspended athletics federation said on Thursday it had missed a July 1 deadline to pay millions of dollars to World Athletics, putting on hold the chances of its track and field athletes being able to compete internationally as neutrals. World Athletics, the sport's global governing body, in March handed the federation a $10 million fine for breaching anti-doping rules.

NHL: League leaning towards Edmonton, Toronto as 'hub cities' - reports

The National Hockey League (NHL) is eyeing Edmonton and Toronto as its "hub cities" as part of a return-to-play plan, ESPN and TSN reported on Wednesday. The NHL has been working toward resuming its season after it was halted in mid-March due to the coronavirus outbreak, with plans for an expanded 24-team playoff format later this summer.