Sports News Roundup: Tennis-Barty and Osaka exits open door for dark horses at French Open; MLB roundup: Dodgers score 11 in first, rout Cardinals and more

The report said there will be 10 mental health experts who will work under a sports psychologist lead and a doctor for team members at the Games, which are scheduled to begin on July 23. Golf-England's Reid, amateur Ganne tied for the lead at US Women's Open England's Mel Reid, and 17-year-old high school student Megha Ganne kept their putters hot amid chilly conditions to card matching 67 and sit tied for the lead after the first round of the U.S. Women's Open on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Tennis-Barty and Osaka exits open door for dark horses at French Open

The women's draw at the French Open was blown wide open on Thursday after world number one and top seed Ash Barty followed second seed Naomi Osaka in bowing out of the claycourt Grand Slam despite neither player actually losing a match. While an injury ended 2019 champion Barty's campaign in the second round, four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka pulled out after a first-round win following a row over her decision to boycott post-match media duties.

Golf-Amateur Ganne holds her nerve to tie for U.S. Women's Open lead

High school student Megha Ganne showed remarkable composure in compiling a four-under-par 67 at the U.S. Women's Open on Thursday to sit tied for the lead after the first round of the major. The 17-year-old amateur, who mixed six birdies with a pair of bogeys behind some outstanding putting, is making her second appearance at the tournament and said she felt more at ease this time around.

MLB roundup: Dodgers score 11 in first, rout Cardinals

Cody Bellinger had a grand slam and six RBIs during an 11-run first inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers rolled to a 14-3 victory at home Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers sent 14 batters to the plate in the inning and didn't make their first out until No. 9 hitter Walker Buehler struck out. Los Angeles had scored six times by then.

Tennis-Federer happy to find higher gear against Cilic

With so few matches in the tank over the past 17 months, Roger Federer knew the first big test of where his game was at would likely come against Marin Cilic on Thursday. The 39-year-old Swiss had made his first-round win over Denis Istomin look like an exhibition match as he enjoyed a comortable return to the Grand Slam area for the first time since losing in the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2020.

Golf-Mel Reid credits Brooks Koepka after sparkling opening round

Mel Reid said advice she received this week from four-time major champion Brooks Koepka about competing on golf's biggest stages played a key role in her preparation heading into the U.S. Women's Open. Englishwoman Reid fired a four-under 67 in cold and windy conditions at The Olympic Club on Thursday to take a one-stroke clubhouse lead to get her bid for her first major title off to a sparkling start.

Japan Olympic Committee board member blasts Tokyo Games organisers

A Japanese Olympic Committee board member on Friday blasted organisers of the Tokyo Games for ignoring public concerns about holding the global sporting showpiece amid a pandemic, as Japan's top medical adviser urged new steps to reduce the risk. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) appeared to think it could steamroll over the wishes of the Japanese public, who, surveys show, overwhelmingly want the games cancelled or postponed, the JOC's Kaori Yamaguchi said in an opinion piece carried by Japan's Kyodo news agency.

Tennis-Djokovic strolls into third round with clinical victory

World number one Novak Djokovic put on a clinical display to stroll past Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas 6-3 6-2 6-4 on Thursday and reach the third round of the French Open. The 2016 champion arrived in Paris having won the Belgrade Open at home last week and a run to the title round at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome, where he lost to Rafa Nadal, before that.

Olympics-Britain to have mental health support for athletes, staff at Tokyo

Britain will have a team of mental health specialists at the Tokyo Olympics to offer support to their athletes and staff, The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mental-health-specialists-will-monitor-team-gb-athletes-in-tokyo-zrckf3hvw newspaper reported on Friday. The report said there will be 10 mental health experts who will work under a sports psychologist lead and a doctor for team members at the Games, which are scheduled to begin on July 23.

Golf-England's Reid, amateur Ganne tied for lead at US Women's Open

England's Mel Reid and 17-year-old high school student Megha Ganne kept their putters hot amid chilly conditions to card matching 67 and sit tied for the lead after the first round of the U.S. Women's Open on Thursday. Reid, who went out as part of the morning wave amid dense coastal fog, carded five birdies and a bogey to take a one-stroke clubhouse lead at four-under early on at the major.

Tennis-Ruthless Nadal demolishes Gasquet to reach French Open third round

Claycourt machine Rafa Nadal celebrated his 35th birthday by handing his longtime pal Richard Gasquet a 6-0 7-5 6-2 masterclass as he stormed into the third round of the French Open on Thursday. Thirteen-time Roland Garros champion Nadal showed no mercy as he demolished the Frenchman for the 17th time in as many professional encounters.

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