Reuters Sports News Summary

The second seed did not play a match in Spain's ATP Cup campaign last week with a back problem and following his opening win in Melbourne he had said the injury was still bothering him.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Dodgers, Walker Buehler avoid arbitration with 2-year, $8M deal

The Los Angeles Dodgers and pitcher Walker Buehler avoided arbitration by agreeing to a two-year, $8 million deal plus incentives, multiple outlets reported on Thursday. An arbitration hearing had been scheduled for Thursday for the 26-year-old right-hander, who can earn more than $12 million if he starts at least 28 games and wins the 2021 National League Cy Young Award. Tokyo 2020's Mori to quit, sources say, as he vows to end controversy

The president of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics organising committee, Yoshiro Mori, will resign over a sexist remark that sparked an outcry, two sources said on Thursday, while the former prime minister said he could not let the controversy drag on. Mori's resignation would be bound to raise new doubts over the viability of holding the postponed Games this year. Home favourite Kyrgios has work cut out with Thiem test in Melbourne

Nick Kyrgios will attempt to reach the fourth round of his home Australian Open for only the second time since 2015 on Friday, but standing in his way is Austrian third seed Dominic Thiem. Kyrgios first reached the fourth round in Melbourne when he was 19, as part of a storming run to the quarter-finals, but the former junior world number one has never made it to the second week of a major since. Report: Cubs agree to deal with OF Jake Marisnick

The Chicago Cubs reached an agreement Thursday with outfielder Jake Marisnick on a one-year, $1.5 million deal, MLB.com reported. The contract, pending the results of a physical, would pay Marisnick a guaranteed $1 million in 2021 with a $4 million mutual option (or $500,000 buyout) for the 2022 campaign. Blue Jackets activate G Elvis Merzlikins

The Columbus Blue Jackets activated goaltender Elvis Merzlikins off injured reserve and recalled defenseman Andrew Peeke from the taxi squad, the team announced Thursday. Merzlikins had missed the Blue Jackets' last three games since sustaining an upper-body injury in practice on Feb. 3. Australian Open day four

Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin was unable to bear the pressure of defending her maiden Grand Slam title as the American bowed out in the second round in tears on Thursday following a 6-3 6-2 loss to Estonia's Kaia Kanepi. Kenin, who was also runner-up at the French Open last year, crumbled in 64 minutes and the 22-year-old admitted the burden of expectation took its toll. Tennis: Feisty Italian affair ends in heated row

Fabio Fognini and Salvatore Caruso had to be separated by the court supervisor after the first all-Italian Australian Open men's singles match of the open era ended in uproar on Thursday. They battled it out over nearly four hours on the John Cain Arena court and played a thrilling final set tiebreak before 16th seed Fognini emerged a 4-6 6-2 2-6 6-3 7-6(12) winner. Sailing: Billionaires square up in battle to challenge for America's Cup

As Britain and Italy go head-to-head for the right to challenge New Zealand for the America's Cup, the teams' billionaire backers will have their colours emblazoned across the hulls and sails of their futuristic "foiling" yachts. Behind the bold graphics are hundreds of millions which have been sunk into the America's Cup campaigns of Jim Ratcliffe, founder and chairman of chemicals company INEOS, and Patrizio Bertelli, chief executive of luxury goods group Prada. Dominant Nadal reaches third round with easy victory

Rafa Nadal dispelled any remaining doubts over his fitness with a commanding 6-1 6-4 6-2 win against American qualifier Michael Mmoh on Thursday to march into the Australian Open third round and stay on track for a record 21st Grand Slam title. The second seed did not play a match in Spain's ATP Cup campaign last week with a back problem and following his opening win in Melbourne he had said the injury was still bothering him. Birthday boy Medvedev extends winning streak to 16 matches

Daniil Medvedev continued his impressive run of form as he celebrated his 25th birthday with a clinical 6-2 7-5 6-1 victory over Roberto Carballes Baena to reach the third round of Australian Open on Thursday. The fourth seed lost his cool when the Spaniard broke his serve in the second set but recovered his composure to prevail after 104 minutes on the John Cain Arena court and extend his winning streak to 16 matches.