Reuters Sports News Summary

The team defeated Colombia 4-0 in Monday's friendly in Orlando, Florida, their first match of 2021, with midfielder Sam Mewis earning her first career hat trick and veteran forwards Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd returning to action for the first time since March's SheBelieves Cup. Tokyo 2020 chief expects vaccine rollout to aid Games Six months from the start of the rearranged Olympics, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto is cautiously hopeful that successful rollouts of COVID-19 vaccines can help lead to the safe and successful staging of the world's largest sporting event.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Andonovski praises 'incredible' mindset on ever-evolving U.S. women's team

U.S. women's national soccer team head coach Vlatko Andonovski said the four-time World Cup-winning team is in a constant state of evolution, with the COVID-19-delayed Tokyo Games on the horizon at long last. The team defeated Colombia 4-0 in Monday's friendly in Orlando, Florida, their first match of 2021, with midfielder Sam Mewis earning her first career hat trick and veteran forwards Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd returning to action for the first time since March's SheBelieves Cup. Tokyo 2020 chief expects vaccine rollout to aid Games

Six months from the start of the rearranged Olympics, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto is cautiously hopeful that successful rollouts of COVID-19 vaccines can help lead to the safe and successful staging of the world's largest sporting event. Last year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japanese government made the unprecedented decision to postpone the Games for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic. No. 1 Ashleigh Barty to make return at Adelaide event

World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty will end a nearly year-long layoff during a pre-Australian Open exhibition event in Adelaide later this month, organizers announced Thursday. Dubbed "A Day at the Drive," the star-studded eight-player field also includes Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Dominic Thiem and Jannik Sinner. Japan PM says determined to realise Olympics, will cooperate with Tokyo and IOC

Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday that he was determined to realise the Tokyo Olympics. His comments came after a media report said the government concluded the Games would have to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, citing one unidentified source from the ruling coalition. NBA roundup: Cavs ruin debut of Nets' Big Three

Collin Sexton hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in the first overtime and scored 15 of his career-high 42 points in the second overtime as the host Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Brooklyn Nets for a 147-135 victory on Wednesday night. Sexton surpassed his previous career high of 41 set March 4, 2020, against Boston by scoring 31 points after halftime. He shot 16 of 29 from the field overall after missing the previous five games with an ankle injury. Australia rugby great Pocock says sport must step up to tackle climate change

David Pocock never shirked a challenge as Australia's rugby union team captain and he has been equally fearless when it comes to making a stand on environmental issues. Now the 32-year-old is calling on fellow athletes to use their profile to help bring sport up to speed in the increasingly urgent race to prevent catastrophic climate change. Tough draw for Djokovic's Serbia in ATP Cup

Reigning champions Serbia, led by world number one Novak Djokovic, will play Germany and Canada in the group stage of the ATP Cup in Melbourne next week after the draw was made on Friday. The men's team competition made its debut in cities around Australia last year but will be truncated and played only at Melbourne Park from Feb. 1-5 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Adelaide quarantine no different to Melbourne, says Thiem

World number three Dominic Thiem said there is no great advantage for players self-isolating in Adelaide compared to conditions in Melbourne where the vast majority are serving the 14-day quarantine requirement ahead of the Australian Open. Tennis Australia Chief Executive Craig Tiley said earlier in the week that the top players were sent to Adelaide to ensure organisers did not exceed the limit set by the authorities for people quarantining in Melbourne. NHL roundup: Canucks blow 4 leads, top Habs in shootout

Bo Horvat scored twice in a three-point game and netted the shootout winner as the Vancouver Canucks claimed their home opener by a 6-5 count over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. Braden Holtby made 31 saves for the Canucks, who snapped a three-game losing streak with a win that saw them blow four separate leads, then tie the game late before prevailing. Brock Boeser added two goals and an assist for Vancouver, Tyler Motte contributed a goal and J.T. Miller collected three assists. Japan doubles down on Tokyo Olympics, denies report of cancellation

Japan doubled down on its commitment to host the Tokyo Olympics this year and flatly denied reports on Friday of a cancellation, in a move that is unlikely to temper public fears of holding the event during a global pandemic. Though much of Japan is under a state of emergency due to a third wave of COVID-19 infections, Tokyo organisers have consistently vowed to press ahead with the Games scheduled to open on July 23 after having been postponed in March last year.