Sports News Roundup:Sailing: America's Cup to start March 10 as COVID-19 curbs eased; Jessica Pegula reaches Qatar semis with upset and more

Sailing: America's Cup to start March 10 as COVID-19 curbs eased The 36th America's Cup will begin with the first two races next Wednesday, organisers confirmed on Friday, after the New Zealand government announced the strict coronavirus lockdown in host city Auckland would be eased on Sunday morning.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NBA roundup: Nets' James Harden stars in return to Houston

James Harden recorded his eighth triple-double of the season in his return to Houston, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a 132-114 win and handing the Rockets their 13th straight loss. Harden finished with team-highs in points (29) and assists (14) while adding 10 rebounds and three steals. Two nights after becoming the first player to record a 30-point, 10-rebound, and 15-assist triple-double without a turnover, Harden committed eight giveaways against Houston.

Sailing: America's Cup to start March 10 as COVID-19 curbs eased

The 36th America's Cup will begin with the first two races next Wednesday, organizers confirmed on Friday after the New Zealand government announced the strict coronavirus lockdown in host city Auckland would be eased on Sunday morning. The first four races in the contest for the oldest trophy in international sport were scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Auckland but postponed after the New Zealand government announced the seven-day lockdown on the city last weekend.

Brady rookie card sells for a record $1.32 million

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady added another record to his long resume when a card from his rookie season fetched $1.32 million at an online auction, the highest price paid for an NFL card, the auction house said. The autographed 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Ticket, one of only 100 such cards in the world, was purchased by James Park, a long-time Brady fan.

Report: Tiger Woods told cops he didn’t remember driving

Tiger Woods told responding deputies to his single-vehicle crash last week that he did not know how the accident happened and didn't remember driving, USA Today reported Thursday. USA Today cited a copy of the search warrant affidavit that was used by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to obtain the black box in the SUV Woods was driving.

Paire spits on court, tanks and crashes out of Argentina Open

Frenchman Benoit Paire crashed out of the Argentina Open after tanking his final service game and being docked a point for spitting on the court in a 4-6 6-3 6-1 defeat to Francisco Cerundolo. World number 29 Paire, seeded third in the tournament, lost his temper over a line call when 2-0 down in the second set after a Cerundolo serve down the middle was judged an ace.

WTA roundup: Jessica Pegula reaches Qatar semis with upset

American Jessica Pegula rolled to a 6-3, 6-1 upset of second-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic on Thursday to reach the semifinals of the Qatar Total Open at Doha. Pegula had 20 winners against just seven unforced errors in the 60-minute victory. Pegula will next face fourth-seeded Petra Kvitova after the Czech knocked off Estonia's Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

Murray sees silver lining in Rotterdam exit

Andy Murray admits he came up short in the big moments in his 7-5 6-2 second-round defeat by Andrey Rublev in Rotterdam, but the former world number one departs with encouraging signs for his future as he continues his recovery from injuries. Murray, a three-time Grand Slam winner who claimed his first tour-level victory since August in the first round against Robin Haase, held his own against Rublev in a tight first set that lasted 62 minutes before the Russian raced away with the second.

Few pro athletes suffer heart disease after mild COVID: study by North American sports leagues

There are few cases of inflammatory heart disease among professional athletes who suffer mild cases of COVID-19, according to a study authored by medical experts from Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other major North American sports leagues. Medical personnel from MLB and the NBA, along with the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) pooled data from athletes from May through October 2020, as professional sports in North America slowly returned to action after coronavirus-linked lockdowns.

Spring training roundup: Pete Alonso's slam powers Mets past Nats

Pete Alonso hit a grand slam in the fifth inning and the New York Mets went on to an 8-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday at Port. St. Lucie, Fla. Brandon Nimmo, and Jake Hager also hit home runs for the Mets while New York starter David Peterson threw two scoreless innings.

Thomas Davis, Greg Olsen to retire as Panthers

The Carolina Panthers will host a joint retirement ceremony next week for two former stalwarts of the team. Tight end Greg Olsen and linebacker Thomas Davis will retire as Panthers on March 11.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)