Sports News Roundup: Federer pain-free and on track for Australian Open; Clippers officially hire Lue as head coach and more

The eight-time All-Star will kick off the Dodgers' efforts in the best-of-seven series as the starting pitcher in Game 1 on Tuesday, capping a season that once appeared in doubt due to the COVID-19 pandemic and enduring amid a super-sized, 16-team playoff field.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 21-10-2020 10:36 IST | Created: 21-10-2020 10:31 IST
Sports News Roundup: Federer pain-free and on track for Australian Open; Clippers officially hire Lue as head coach and more
Representative image Image Credit: ANI

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Saints to allow fans at home games

After talk of finding a new city for their home games to have fans in attendance this season, the New Orleans Saints can stay put at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and gradually build up their spectator counts. Thanks to an agreement between the team and New Orleans' mayor, LaToya Cantrell, doors will open to 3,000 fans on Sunday when the Saints host the Carolina Panthers.

ATP roundup: de Minaur rallies to advance in Antwerp

Eighth-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia rallied to defeat Richard Gasquet of France on Tuesday in the second round of the European Open in Antwerp, Belgium. de Minaur won 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in two hours, 18 minutes. Gasquet was serving for the match, 5-4, in the second set but couldn't put away de Minaur.

Kobe's 2008 MVP jersey to be displayed at Smithsonian museum

NBA great Kobe Bryant's jersey from the 2008 season when he won his sole regular season Most Valuable Player award will be displayed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington. Bryant, a Los Angeles Lakers icon and five-times NBA champion, was killed in a helicopter crash at the age of 41 in January along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.

Southern Miss coach Walden tests positive for COVID-19

Southern Miss interim coach Scotty Walden tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, the school announced. Walden's status for Saturday's road game at Liberty remains unclear.

Clippers officially hire Lue as head coach

Five days after reports emerged that Tyronn Lue was finalizing a deal to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, the team confirmed the move Tuesday. While the Clippers didn't announce the terms of the contract, multiple media outlets reported last week that the sides were hammering out a five-year deal. The team will introduce Lue at a news conference Wednesday morning.

Federer pain-free and on track for Australian Open

Roger Federer is practising pain-free after undergoing two knee surgeries this year and says he expects to return to the circuit at the Australian Open in January. The 39-year-old Swiss reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park at the start of the year but missed the rest of the season after undergoing a second arthroscopic procedure on his right knee.

NFL reports 19 positive cases, up four from previous week

The number of positive COVID-19 cases in the NFL increased slightly from the previous week, according to numbers released Tuesday by the league and the NFL Players Association. Testing for Oct. 11-17 resulted in 19 new cases, up from 15 the previous week. There were eight positives among players and 11 confirmed positives among other personnel, per the report.

Challenging year has not diminished World Series crown, says Kershaw

Three-time Cy Young Award-winner Clayton Kershaw said a chaotic year punctuated by a protracted post-season did little to diminish the luster of a World Series crown, as his Los Angeles Dodgers prepare to take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the Fall Classic. The eight-time All-Star will kick off the Dodgers' efforts in the best-of-seven series as the starting pitcher in Game 1 on Tuesday, capping a season that once appeared in doubt due to the COVID-19 pandemic and enduring amid a super-sized, 16-team playoff field.

No roars will leave players in dark at Masters, says Woods

From the weather to a lack of bustling crowds, much will be different about a Masters forced from April to November by the COVID-19 pandemic, but for Tiger Woods the most unsettling thing will be the absence of that familiar Augusta National soundtrack. With no phones allowed on course and only a few manually operated scoreboards to provide updates, it is the roars echoing through the Georgia pines that have delivered the news at Augusta National during Masters week.With no fans allowed on site golfers will be operating in the dark.

Dodgers beat Rays 8-3 to draw first blood in World Series

Mookie Betts hit a home run, stole two bases and scored twice as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-3 to win the first game of the World Series in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday. The favored Dodgers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when center fielder Cody Bellinger laced a home run over the right field fence.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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