Sports News Roundup: 'Jumping for joy' Japanese welcome Osaka forcing discussion on racism; Osaka wins U.S. Open to confirm status as new star and more

Osaka, who won her third Grand Slam title with victory over Victoria Azarenka, has used her platform to support the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, wearing a mask bearing the name of a different Black American before each of her seven matches in the championship.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. MLB roundup: Astros rally past Dodgers in ninth

Six consecutive Houston Astros batters reached base to open the ninth inning, starting a five-run uprising that led to a 7-5 victory over the host Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday in the opener of a brief two-game series. Yuli Gurriel drove in three runs for the Astros, who arrived at Dodger Stadium on Saturday afternoon greeted by angry Dodgers fans holding signs and banging trash cans as a reaction to Houston's 2017 cheating scandal. The Astros won the 2017 World Series in seven games over the Dodgers. Serena out of Italian Open with Achilles problem

Serena out of Italian Open with Achilles problem

Serena Williams has pulled out of the Italian Open starting on Monday due to an Achilles injury, the former world number one confirmed on Saturday. Williams' bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title ended with a defeat to Victoria Azarenka at the U.S. Open on Thursday, a match in which she took a medical timeout to have her left ankle re-taped due to the Achilles problem. 

Henderson, Korda share ANA Inspiration lead

Canada's Brooke Henderson reeled off an eagle and six birdies to card a seven-under 65 on Saturday and join Nelly Korda at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final round of the ANA Inspiration. Henderson started the day six shots behind overnight leader Korda but quickly erased the deficit with an eagle at the second followed by birdies at the fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth holes as she tied a Mission Hills record with a 30 on the front nine.

Reza ready to make a stand amid BLM movement

After years of keeping quiet on the matter, Kevin Reza, the only Black rider in the Tour de France peloton this year, says he is ready to make his voice heard amid the Black Lives Matter movement. The 32-year-old, who turned professional in 2011 and rides for French outfit B&B Vital Concept, would like his peers to express support for the BLM movement but with professional cycling being largely an all-white business, Reza is on his own.

'Jumping for joy' Japanese welcome Osaka forcing discussion on racism

As they celebrated Naomi Osaka's victory in the final of the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows on Saturday, Tokyoites were eager to embrace their heroines' stand against racial injustice. Osaka, who won her third Grand Slam title with victory over Victoria Azarenka, has used her platform to support the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, wearing a mask bearing the name of a different Black American before each of her seven matches in the championship.

Capping career comeback, Azarenka not disappointed as U.S. Open runner-up

Having clawed her way back after years of setbacks in her career and personal life, U.S. Open runner up Victoria Azarenka said on Saturday that she wouldn't let her three-set loss to Naomi Osaka in the final keep her down for long. "I'm not necessarily disappointed. It's just painful. It's painful to lose. That is what it is," the twice Australian Open champion said. "Am I going to think about it too long? Not at all. I'm not going to sit here and be miserable."

Champion Osaka harnesses sport's biggest spotlight in fight for racial justice

Naomi Osaka capped a transformative U.S. Open with another Grand Slam title and a challenge to the millions watching across the globe on Saturday to "start talking" about racial justice. Striding into Arthur Ashe Stadium for her first-round match 12 days ago, Osaka put her activism front-and-center from the start, wearing a mask to honor Breonna Taylor, a Black woman killed by police officers who burst into her apartment in March.

Osaka wins U.S. Open to confirm status as new star

Naomi Osaka ended Victoria Azarenka's dream run to claim her second U.S. Open title in three years with a 1-6 6-3 6-3 comeback win on Saturday which cemented her status as the sport's leading light both on and off the court. Unlike the 22-year-old Japanese's first U.S. Open win in 2018 over Serena Williams, which was played in a frothing Arthur Ashe Stadium, Saturday's drama unfolded in a strangely quiet arena as COVID-19 health and safety protocols prevented fans from entering the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

McGregor detained in connection with alleged sexual assault

Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor was taken into custody in Corsica on Saturday amid allegations of attempted sexual assault and indecent exposure. Officials in Corsica, a French island territory in the Mediterranean, confirmed his detainment in a statement to AFP.

Safeway Open set for wild finish with three tied for lead

Brian Stuard birdied his final hole on Saturday to join James Hahn and Australian Cameron Percy at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final round of the PGA Tour's season-opening Safeway Open. Stuard, who began the day five shots off the lead, returned an error-free six-under 66 at the Napa Valley Silverado Resort to move into contention alongside fellow American Hahn, with a bogey-free 67 and Percy with a 68 all on 16-under 200 after three rounds.

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