Reuters Sports News Summary

Organisers had said in September that there would not be any international spectators at the Games, under COVID-19 prevention policies that have all but shut China's borders to international travellers. 'Our champion': deported Djokovic welcomed home after Australian fiasco Novak Djokovic returned to a rapturous welcome in Serbia on Monday after Australia deported the world men's tennis No. 1 for being unvaccinated against COVID-19, a stance jeopardising his quest for a record 21st Grand Slam title.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Tennis-Djokovic has to comply with rules to go to Spain, PM says

World men's tennis No. 1 Novak Djokovic will have to comply with Spanish health rules to be able to travel to Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday. Answering a question on whether Djokovic would be allowed to enter Spain to compete after Australia deported him for being unvaccinated against COVID-19, Sanchez said: "Any sportsperson who wishes to compete in our country must comply with the health rules of Spain".

NBA roundup: Full-strength Jazz take down Nuggets

Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points, Rudy Gobert returned to action with 18 points and 19 rebounds, and the visiting Utah Jazz beat the Denver Nuggets 125-102 on Sunday night. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 21 points for Utah, while Jordan Clarkson had 16, Royce O'Neale finished with 11 and Eric Paschall scored 10.

Olympics-Ice hockey players hustle to Beijing after NHL pullout

Brian O'Neill treasured the chance to represent the United States at the 2018 Winter Games but the 33-year-old Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) forward never thought he would be back in his country's uniform for the Beijing Olympics this year. Then COVID-19 intervened, obliterating the National Hockey League's (NHL) schedule and leading it to pull its international pool of talent from the men's Olympic ice hockey tournament.

NFL roundup: Defending champion Bucs take down Eagles

Tom Brady threw for two touchdowns as the second-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened defense of their Super Bowl crown Sunday with a smooth 31-15 victory over the seventh-seeded Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC wild-card playoff game in Tampa, Fla. Brady completed 29 of 37 passes for 271 yards in an efficient performance, enabling Tampa Bay to stay home next weekend for a conference semifinal. Mike Evans caught nine passes for 117 yards and a score.

Beijing Olympics tickets will not be publicly sold due to COVID-19

Tickets for the Winter Olympics set to begin on Feb. 4 will be distributed to "targeted" groups of people and will not be sold to the general public, the organising committee said on Monday, in the latest setback to the Games inflicted by COVID-19. Organisers had said in September that there would not be any international spectators at the Games, under COVID-19 prevention policies that have all but shut China's borders to international travellers.

'Our champion': deported Djokovic welcomed home after Australian fiasco

Novak Djokovic returned to a rapturous welcome in Serbia on Monday after Australia deported the world men's tennis No. 1 for being unvaccinated against COVID-19, a stance jeopardising his quest for a record 21st Grand Slam title. Most Australians had wanted him gone, but Serbian fans cheered and waved national flags as Djokovic touched down at Belgrade airport then headed to his own apartment.

Yao Ming says he and Peng Shuai 'chatted merrily' at event last month

Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming said on Monday that tennis star Peng Shuai, who became the subject of concern after she accused a former senior politician of sexually assaulting her, was in good spirits when they appeared at an event last month. "She seemed well. We chatted merrily," Yao said when asked in Beijing on Monday about his impressions of Peng at a cross-country skiing event they both attended last month in Shanghai.

Tennis-Zverev digs deep to outlast fellow German Altmaier

Alexander Zverev took time to warm up and had to dig deep against fellow German Daniel Altmaier in his first match of the Australian Open on Monday as the world number three kick-started his bid to add a maiden Grand Slam title to his Olympic gold. The 24-year-old Zverev defeated the 87th-ranked Altmaier 7-6(3) 6-1 7-6(1) under the lights at the Rod Laver Arena to set up a second round meeting against Australian John Millman.

Olympics-Russia should win about 30 medals in Beijing, ROC chief says

Russian athletes competing at next month's Winter Olympics in Beijing are expected to win about 30 medals, the head of the Russian Olympic Committee said on Monday. "We have a method to determine the number of medals we might win. Unfortunately there is large margin of error because of COVID-19..." RIA news agency quoted Stanislav Pozdnyakov, president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), as saying.

Tennis-Raducanu faces big test against Stephens on Australian Open debut

Britain's Emma Raducanu claimed a Grand Slam trophy even before she played a major champion but the 19-year-old could face a daunting task on her Australian Open debut when she meets former U.S. Open winner Sloane Stephens on Tuesday. Raducanu became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam in the Open era when she defeated Leylah Fernandez in New York last September but the teenager has struggled to replicate the same form since, with early losses at Indian Wells and Linz.