Sports News Roundup: Most Australian Open participants clear quarantine; Blazers win on last-second Damian Lillard trey and more

Luna Rossa stormed into the final of the Challenger Series after completing a 4-0 sweep of the American team and will take on Ben Ainslie's INEOS Team UK to determine who will face defenders Team New Zealand (TNZ) for the America's Cup. I would quarantine again for the Olympics, says Osaka Naomi Osaka said she would be willing to undergo two more weeks of quarantine to play at the Tokyo Olympics later this year, if it helped ensure the safety of the people of her home country.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Most Australian Open participants clear quarantine

The Australian Open quarantine facilities are still holding 15 people, including one player and two others who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in their lockdown, Melbourne health authorities said on Sunday. The vast majority of the more than 1,000 players and their entourages undergoing 14 days of isolation in Melbourne and Adelaide were released by midnight on Saturday and have started preparing for the Grand Slam.

NBA roundup: Blazers win on last-second Damian Lillard trey

Damian Lillard made a 3-pointer as time expired to give the Portland Trail Blazers a 123-122 win over the host Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. Teammates mobbed Lillard after his step-back shot over the outstretched arms of Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen. Lillard finished with 44 points on 15-for-26 shooting, including 8-for-17 from beyond the arc.

Luna Rossa's Spithill calls for improvements ahead of INEOS showdown

Luna Rossa helmsman Jimmy Spithill was encouraged by the Italian team's dominant display against American Magic in the Challenger Series semi-finals but said they would need to make further improvements ahead of next month's showdown with INEOS Team UK. Luna Rossa stormed into the final of the Challenger Series after completing a 4-0 sweep of the American team and will take on Ben Ainslie's INEOS Team UK to determine who will face defenders Team New Zealand (TNZ) for the America's Cup.

I would quarantine again for the Olympics, says Osaka

Naomi Osaka said she would be willing to undergo two more weeks of quarantine to play at the Tokyo Olympics later this year, if it helped ensure the safety of the people of her home country. Two days after completing 14 days of isolation in Adelaide ahead of the Australian Open, the U.S. Open champion said she would be prepared to do it all again to play in the Olympics on home soil.

Swiatek ready to embrace spotlight again after 'comfortable' quarantine

Some of the world's top tennis players criticised Australia's strict hotel quarantine rules ahead of the Australian Open but for French Open champion Iga Swiatek it was almost a source of relief, allowing her to escape the limelight that followed her Roland Garros triumph last year. The 19-year-old went from being a largely unknown teenager ranked 54th in the world to acquiring celebrity status when she won the French Open title and she had to quickly adapt to her new-found fame back in Poland with sponsorship deals and a deluge of media requests.

Surging Sabres edge Devils in shootout

Linus Ullmark made 31 saves and was perfect in the shootout as the host Buffalo Sabres extended their point streak to five games with a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Captain Jack Eichel scored the lone goal of the shootout and Taylor Hall recorded two assists against his former team. Buffalo improved to 3-0-2 since losing three of four to open the season.

Kvitova hopes Tokyo defies pandemic to host 'fifth Grand Slam'

World number nine Petra Kvitova considers Olympics as the "fifth Grand Slam" and hopes the Tokyo edition goes ahead as scheduled this year, defying the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid speculation that the Games could be cancelled due to the pandemic, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday that Japan remained determined to stage the Olympics, which had to be rescheduled last year.

Ostapenko battles back to go through in Gippsland Trophy

Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko fought back from a set down to reach the second round of the Gippsland Trophy as a raft of Australian Open warm-up tournaments got underway at Melbourne Park on Sunday. The 23-year-old Latvian initially struggled with her serve and posted six double faults in the opening set of her first match since October against experienced Italian Sara Errani.

Unusual circumstances, but time to talk tennis for Nadal

Rafa Nadal brushed aside questions about the Australian Open quarantine on Sunday and said it was time to get down to the business of playing tennis and entertaining fans around the world. The 34-year-old, who secured his 20th Grand Slam title at last year's delayed French Open, completed his two weeks of isolation in Adelaide on Friday before playing an exhibition match and then heading to Melbourne.

We'll never ask for athletes to be vaccinated first, says Italian Olympic Committee

The president of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) said on Saturday that it will never ask for its athletes to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before others in the country ahead of the Tokyo Summer Games. Hungary and Serbia began inoculating their Olympic athletes on Friday, while Israel's Olympic Committee said it had already vaccinated half its Olympic delegation and would complete the process by the end of May.