Reuters Sports News Summary

The awards are usually announced during the Australia Day holiday on Jan. 26, which comes this year just as the Australian Open, one of the world's big four tennis Grand Slams, begins in Melbourne after a delay caused by the coronavirus.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. 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. NHL roundup: Lightning remain perfect with OT win

Brayden Point tipped in a pass from Victor Hedman in overtime as the Tampa Bay Lightning stayed perfect on the season with a 3-2 win over Columbus in the Blue Jackets' home opener on Thursday. Hedman rushed out of his own end, started a give-and-go pass with Steven Stamkos and slid a pass to Point for the game winner in close at 1:56 into the three-on-three extra session. NBA roundup: Jazz push win streak to seven

Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 36 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Utah Jazz past the New Orleans Pelicans 129-118 Thursday night in Salt Lake City for their seventh consecutive victory. Mitchell made 11 of 19 field-goal attempts and drained 6 of 8 from 3-point range. He displayed a form reminiscent to his explosive first-round playoff series last year, when he averaged 36.3 points vs. the Denver Nuggets. With his fifth 3-pointer of the night, the All-Star guard became the fastest player in NBA history to reach 600 treys, getting there in 240 games. 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. Expected Australian honor for tennis great Court stirs controversy

Australia is to award tennis great Margaret Court the country's highest honor next week, media reported on Friday, a decision that has stoked controversy because of her history of anti-gay views. The awards are usually announced during the Australia Day holiday on Jan. 26, which comes this year just as the Australian Open, one of the world's big four tennis Grand Slams, begins in Melbourne after a delay caused by the coronavirus. 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. Ainslie may look to scratch Sunday race if Challenger Series final spot secured

INEOS Team UK skipper Ben Ainslie said he will have to decide whether to take on Luna Rossa again on Sunday or propose the race be scratched if they have already secured a spot in the Challenger Series final by beating the Italians a day earlier. INEOS have four victories from four starts after the opening weekend and a victory over Luna Rossa on Saturday would earn them a spot in the final, which determines who meets America's Cup defenders Team New Zealand (TNZ). Japan stands firm on Tokyo Olympics schedule, denies report of cancellation

Japan stood firm on Friday on its commitment to host the Tokyo Olympics this year and denied reports of a possible cancellation but the pledge looks unlikely to ease public concern about 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 Olympic organisers have vowed to press ahead with the re-scheduled Games, which are due to open on July 23 after being postponed for a year because of the coronavirus.