Sports News Roundup: Djokovic ends Russian qualifier Karatsev's golden run; Osaka to meet Brady in final as Williams exits in tears and more

Osaka to meet Brady in final as Williams exits in tears Naomi Osaka ended Serena Williams' bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title with an imperious 6-3 6-4 win on Thursday, a victory that booked her spot in her second Australian Open final and left the American great in tears.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Alpine skiing: Shiffrin leads U.S. one-two after first leg of giant slalom

Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin was poised for her second gold of the Alpine skiing world championships after leading U.S. team-mate Nina O'Brien in Thursday's first leg of the women's giant slalom. Italian hopes faded, with reigning overall World Cup champion Federica Brignone skiing out and Tuesday's parallel gold medallist Marta Bassino lagging in 15th after a disappointing run.

Djokovic ends Russian qualifier Karatsev's golden run

Defending champion Novak Djokovic ended the remarkable run of Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev to ease into his ninth Australian Open final with a 6-3 6-4 6-2 win on Thursday. In one of the more improbable semi-final matchups at a Grand Slam, Djokovic was broken twice by the world number 114 Karatsev but ensured there would be no Russian revolution under the lights of Rod Laver Arena.

Osaka to meet Brady in final as Williams exits in tears

Naomi Osaka ended Serena Williams' bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title with an imperious 6-3 6-4 win on Thursday, a victory that booked her spot in her second Australian Open final and left the American great in tears. In a rematch of their tumultuous 2018 U.S. Open decider, Osaka underlined her status as the new queen of women's tennis and soaked up the cheers from the Rod Laver Arena crowd as fans returned to the Grand Slam after a five-day lockdown.

NBA roundup: Damian Lillard scores 43 in Blazers' win

Damian Lillard capped his 43-point night with the decisive three-point play as the visiting Portland Trail Blazers won their sixth consecutive game, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 126-124 on Wednesday. Lillard, who also tied a career high with 16 assists, drove to the basket and for a layup and subsequent foul shot that gave Portland a 126-124 lead with 16 seconds left.

Former Twins IF Brian Dozier announces retirement

Infielder Brian Dozier on Thursday announced his retirement from baseball after nine seasons, the first seven of which were spent in a Minnesota Twins uniform. Dozier, 33, had stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals and New York Mets to conclude his career.

NFL boosts 2021 salary cap minimum to $180M

The floor of the NFL salary cap for 2021 has been set at $180 million, an increase of $5 million from last year's previous agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association. The NFL informed teams in a memo on Thursday morning that the $180 million figure is not the final 2021 cap number, just an adjustment to the floor. The new league year and free agency is slated to begin on March 17.

Medvedev, Tsitsipas set to renew rivalry in Melbourne semis

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev have not seen eye-to-eye since their stormy clash in Miami in 2018 but with the pair set to meet in Friday's Australian Open semi-final it appears there is growing respect between the two. Sparks flew when they met for the first time on the ATP Tour in Miami, with Medvedev confronting the Greek over his on-court conduct.

Former Olympic athlete Hashimoto chosen as head of Tokyo 2020 organisers

Japanese athlete-turned-politician Seiko Hashimoto has been chosen as president of the Tokyo 2020 Organising committee, replacing a man who resigned after setting off a furore with sexist remarks. Hashimoto, who competed in seven Summer and Winter Olympics as a cyclist and a skater, now faces a raft of tough issues at the helm of one of the world's biggest sporting events with less than half a year before its delayed start.

NHL roundup: Panthers rally to beat Hurricanes in OT

Jonathan Huberdeau had two goals -- including the overtime winner -- and an assist as the Florida Panthers rallied to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on Wednesday night in Raleigh, N.C. The Panthers, who came back from a 2-0 deficit, improved to 5-0-1 on the road this season, the best away-from-home start in franchise history.

Kipchoge to compete in Hamburg Marathon before Tokyo Games

Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge will compete at the Hamburg Marathon in April as he steps up preparations for his Olympic title defence, the marathon world record holder said on Thursday. Kipchoge, who set the world record of 2:01:39 in Berlin on Sept. 2018, is vying to become the third man to win successive Olympic titles after his victory in Rio in 2016.