Sports News Roundup: NBA-Protesters show support for Irving's vaccine stance ahead of Nets game; NFL roundup: Joe Burrow, Bengals end Ravens’ 5-game winning streak and more

The best-of-seven championship will renew a rivalry between the old foes given the teams met in the National League Division Series five times from 1997-2005 over a nine-year span before the Astros moved to the American League. Motor racing-Verstappen holds off Hamilton to double his F1 lead Red Bull's Max Verstappen doubled his lead in the Formula One world championship to 12 points after holding off charging title rival Lewis Hamilton to win the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin on Sunday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NBA-Protesters show support for Irving's vaccine stance ahead of Nets game

Protesters scaled barricades and pushed toward the doors of the Brooklyn Nets' home arena on Sunday in support of NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving, who cannot join the team as he has chosen not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Videos that surfaced online showed protesters outside the arena ahead of the Nets' first home game of the 2021-22 NBA season chanting "Let Kyrie play" while some held "Stand with Kyrie" signs.

NFL roundup: Joe Burrow, Bengals end Ravens’ 5-game winning streak

Joe Burrow threw for a career-high 416 yards and three touchdowns and Ja'Marr Chase had 201 yards receiving as the Cincinnati Bengals throttled the host Baltimore Ravens, 41-17, to move into first place in the AFC North. Chase and the Cincinnati offense sparkled while the defense did enough to contain Lamar Jackson, who had never lost to the Bengals.

Tennis-Sinner boosts ATP Finals chance with Antwerp title

Jannik Sinner moved up in the leaderboard in the race to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals after the 20-year-old Italian won the European Open title in Antwerp on Sunday. Sinner defeated second seed Diego Schwartzman 6-2 6-2 in Belgium to lift his fifth ATP Tour title and climbed to 10th in the race to qualify for the Finals in Turin.

NHL roundup: Islanders' Ilya Sorokin posts second straight shutout

Josh Bailey scored once and added an assist, while goaltender Ilya Sorokin collected his second consecutive shutout as visiting New York claimed a victory over slumping Vegas. Mathew Barzal also scored for the Islanders, who have won two straight. Sorokin made 42 saves to earn his fifth career shutout. He is the first goalie in franchise history to record shutouts on back-to-back nights, with both coming on the road.

Motor racing-Team by team analysis of the U.S. Grand Prix

Team by team analysis of Sunday's U.S. Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas (teams listed in current championship order): MERCEDES (Lewis Hamilton 2, Valtteri Bottas 6)

Soccer-Salah hat-trick as Liverpool put five past United to increase pressure on Solskjaer

Mohamed Salah hit a hat-trick as Liverpool humiliated Manchester United, romping to a stunning 5-0 victory at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday that leaves Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's future in serious doubt. United were 4-0 down at halftime for the first time in the Premier League after 45 minutes of shambolic defending and the sense of chaos was added to when substitute Paul Pogba was sent off on the hour mark after entering play after the break.

Baseball-Astros and Braves ready to renew rivalry in World Series

The Houston Astros, unfazed by a cheating scandal that led to their 2017 World Series championship, will return to baseball's biggest stage for the third time in five years this week and are slight favourites to beat the Atlanta Braves. The best-of-seven championship will renew a rivalry between the old foes given the teams met in the National League Division Series five times from 1997-2005 over a nine-year span before the Astros moved to the American League.

Motor racing-Verstappen holds off Hamilton to double his F1 lead

Red Bull's Max Verstappen doubled his lead in the Formula One world championship to 12 points after holding off charging title rival Lewis Hamilton to win the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin on Sunday. Mercedes' seven-times world champion Hamilton slashed the Dutch driver's lead with a late attack on fresher tyres but finished 1.333 seconds behind, with a bonus point for fastest lap at the Circuit of the Americas.

Tennis-Raducanu's search for new coach continues

U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu said on Sunday she is "optimistic" about finding a new coach before the Australian Open starts in January and will be relying on her own instincts at next week's Transylvania Open in Romania. Raducanu, who stunned the sporting world when she won the Flushing Meadows title in September as a qualifier, announced after the Grand Slam that she would no longer be working with former Davis Cup player Andrew Richardson.

Tennis-Unvaccinated players can compete at Australian Open after quarantine - report

Unvaccinated athletes will be able to take part in next year's Australian Open after undergoing 14 days of quarantine, the WTA Tour has told its players, according to an email leaked to U.S. media. The email, obtained by freelance tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg, contradicts a statement made last week by Australia's immigration minister that players would need to be double vaccinated to get a visa to compete at the Grand Slam.

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