Sports News Roundup: Luka Doncic-led Mavs blow out Warriors; Gator crashes Toronto FC training session in Florida and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NBA roundup: Luka Doncic-led Mavs blow out Warriors

Luka Doncic outscored Stephen Curry for the first time in five career head-to-heads and Dallas ran off a franchise-record 28 consecutive points bridging the first and second quarters as the Mavericks pounded the Golden State Warriors 133-103 on Tuesday in San Francisco. Doncic had a game-high 39 points and five other players scored in double figures for the Mavericks, who earned their fourth win in five games.

Tennis: Yastremska's application to lift provisional doping ban denied

Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska's second appeal for her provisional doping suspension to be lifted has been denied by the chair of the independent tribunal convened to hear her case, the International Tennis Federation said in a statement https://antidoping.itftennis.com/news/318940.aspx.

Yastremska, 20, was suspended in January after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found a banned substance in an out-of-competition urine sample she submitted.

Soccer: Gator crashes Toronto FC training session in Florida

Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit Toronto FC held a training session near Orlando, Florida, this week that was closed to the public - but nobody informed a huge alligator that invaded the pitch at the ChampionsGate Resort. In a video https://twitter.com/TorontoFC/status/1386840412711686150 the club posted on Twitter, several Toronto players are seen running toward the alligator to get a better view before a resort staffer in a golf cart chases the animal away.

NFL-Coaches making do with less on draft night after COVID-19 disruptions

The National Football League (NFL) Draft kicks off Thursday after a scouting season unlike any before it, with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing teams to make do with less information about their potential target players. With the annual NFL Scouting Combine called off, league hopefuls were under extra pressure to impress during the roughly month-long pro-day circuit from March 5, after a chaotic college football season left some with fewer opportunities to play.

Mets' Jerry Blevins announces retirement

Left-handed reliever Jerry Blevins announced his retirement after 13 major league seasons spent primarily with the New York Mets and Oakland Athletics. Blevins, 37, who shared his decision via Twitter on Tuesday, was working out at the Mets' alternate training site but hadn't pitched in the majors since 2019.

Table Tennis: China to hold Olympic simulation event next month

The Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) will stage an Olympic simulation event in May to help its players prepare for this year's Tokyo Games, local media reported. Thirty-six men's and women's singles players, and 16 mixed doubles pairs will feature at the WTT (World Table Tennis) Grand Smashes Trials and Olympic Simulation, to be held in Xinxiang in northern Henan province from May 3-7 ahead of the Olympics which begin in July.

Exclusive: NFL looks to score touchdown with Olympic flag football

The National Football League is throwing its muscle and capital behind a push to get flag football onto the 2028 Los Angles Olympics programme as it looks to grow its global footprint. When it comes to football nothing happens without the NFL's involvement or approval, says the American Flag Football League (AFFL) founder Jeff Lewis, and that will be the case with efforts to secure flag a spot on the 2028 Summer Games roster.

Olympics: Athlete vaccinations no burden on Australian public system - AOC chief

The Australian Olympic Committee will start vaccinating Tokyo-bound athletes against COVID-19 next week using a private contractor to avoid burdening the public health system, chief executive Matt Carroll said on Wednesday. The Australian government on Tuesday approved the vaccination of more than 2,000 athletes, coaches, and officials nominated by the AOC and Paralympics Australia before they travel to Japan for the Olympics and Paralympics.

Golf: Tavatanakit hopes to impress in Singapore as LPGA Tour returns to Asia

World number one Ko Jin-young two-times champion Inbee Park and holder Park Sung-Hyun head the field at the HSBC Women's World Championship starting on Thursday as the LPGA Tour returns to Asia for the first time in 18 months amid the COVID-19 crisis. The 13th edition of the tournament, which has been dubbed "Asia's major", will take place at Singapore's Sentosa Golf Club with 69 players from 18 nations, including 22 different major winners, competing for a share of $1.6 million on offer.

Mayweather exhibition match against YouTuber Logan Paul back on, set for June 6

An exhibition match between undefeated former world champion Floyd Mayweather and YouTube star-turned-amateur boxer Logan Paul is back on. The pair will face off June 6 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Mayweather announced on his Instagram page on Tuesday, after the match was postponed from its original February date.

(With inputs from agencies.)