Sports News Roundup: Tennis-After falling short, Zverev tips hat to 'mentally best' Djokovic; MLB roundup: Shohei Ohtani's win streak ends in ugly loss to Astros and more

Juve's hopes of getting a result in one of their trickiest away games of the season was complicated by problems caused by the international break. Tennis-One last hurdle for Djokovic to complete calendar Grand Slam After clearing 27 hurdles, Novak Djokovic has just one more to get over to complete his quest for a record 21st major title that will earn him entry into tennis's most exclusive club and he said on Friday he will play the U.S. Open final as if it is the last match of his career.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Tennis-After falling short, Zverev tips hat to 'mentally best' Djokovic

German Alexander Zverev said he was satisfied with the fight he displayed during his five-set loss to Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open, wishing he had been facing anyone but the Serbian world number one at critical game points on Friday. It was another disappointment for Zverev at Flushing Meadows after coming within two points of winning the hardcourt major a year ago against Dominic Thiem.

MLB roundup: Shohei Ohtani's win streak ends in ugly loss to Astros

Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa recorded three-hit games as the Houston Astros roughed up Los Angeles Angels ace right-hander Shohei Ohtani in their 10-5 home victory on Friday. The Astros saddled Ohtani (9-2), the American League Most Valuable Player frontrunner, with his first loss since May 28, a span of 13 starts and eight consecutive winning decisions. Houston erased a two-run deficit by plating three runs in the third inning before chasing Ohtani with a six-run fourth that featured 11 batters coming to the plate.

Rallying - Toyota's Rovanpera leads in Greece after day one

Toyota's Kalle Rovanpera led after the first day of Greece's Acropolis Rally on Friday with championship-leading team mate Sebastien Ogier third. Hyundai's Estonian Ott Tanek was second, 3.7 seconds behind the Finn, with Frenchman Ogier two tenths further behind in a close battle between the three drivers over the day's five rock-strewn gravel stages.

Soccer - Napoli in optimal condition against depleted Juventus - Spalletti

Napoli are looking forward to facing Juventus on Saturday, coach Luciano Spalletti said, with his side in near-top condition and their opponents missing several key players involved in international games. Juve's hopes of getting a result in one of their trickiest away games of the season was complicated by problems caused by the international break.

Tennis-One last hurdle for Djokovic to complete calendar Grand Slam

After clearing 27 hurdles, Novak Djokovic has just one more to get over to complete his quest for a record 21st major title that will earn him entry into tennis's most exclusive club and he said on Friday he will play the U.S. Open final as if it is the last match of his career. It takes 28 wins (seven for each at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open) to compete a calendar-year Slam and a victory over second seed Daniil Medvedev on Sunday will earn Djokovic a place at the table alongside the only two men to accomplish the feat - deceased Don Budge and Rod Laver, who was courtside on Friday to watch the Serb move to the brink of history.

Tennis-Smooth sailing so far but storm warnings for U.S. Open teens

It's been smooth sailing into Saturday's U.S. Open women's final for teen sensations Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez, but even before one of them has had a chance to hoist the trophy there are warnings of stormy waters ahead. The toast of the tennis world for their mind-boggling success on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts, 18-year-old Briton Raducanu and 19-year-old Canadian Fernandez have set the sport alight with their fearless play and joie-de-vivre.

Tennis-Djokovic wins US Open semi-final, keeps quest for calendar Grand Slam on track

World number one Novak Djokovic is a match away from one of the highest achievements across sports, with a calendar Grand Slam on the line after he overcame German Alexander Zverev 4-6 6-2 6-4 4-6 6-2 in the U.S. Open semi-final Friday. Djokovic moved within one win of reaching a men's record 21 Grand Slam titles and avenged his loss to Zverev at the Tokyo Olympics in front of a roaring crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, with Rod Laver sitting in the front row, 52 years after he achieved the feat, the last man to do so.

Soccer-Premier League clubs can play South American players after ban threat averted

Premier League clubs that had prevented players from Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Paraguay from travelling to participate in World Cup matches will be allowed to play them this weekend after a threat of a five-day ban was averted. Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City were among clubs who did not release players for the current international break as they would have been travelling to countries on the UK's COVID-19 red list.

Amazon in talks to acquire rights of NFL's 'Sunday Ticket' package - CNBC

Amazon.com Inc is in talks to acquire the rights of the National Football League's (NFL) "Sunday Ticket" package and is seen as the frontrunner by others involved in talks with the league, CNBC reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The NFL is expected to ask between $2 billion and $2.5 billion per year for the package and wants to wrap up discussions before the season ends in February, the report https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/10/amazon-likely-front-runner-for-multi-year-nfl-sunday-ticket-deal-sources.html said on Friday.

Brazil's Pele conscious, recovering satisfactorily after operation

Former Brazilian soccer great Pele remains in an intensive care unit and is recovering satisfactorily almost a week after surgery to remove a tumor from his colon, his doctors said on Friday. Pele "is conscious, conversing actively and is maintaining normal vital signs," a statement from the Alberto Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo said.