Sports News Roundup: Osaka stays on track in title defence and potential Barty clash; East German soccer star 'Dixie' Doerner dies aged 70 and more

The twice World Cup winners and current Copa America champions have qualified for the finals in Qatar and sit second in the 10-team South American group. Tennis-'We're not getting tested': Zverev says more players probably have COVID-19 Alexander Zverev believes there are probably more players at the Australian Open who have COVID-19 but they are not being tested, the third seed said on Wednesday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Tennis-Osaka stays on track in title defence and potential Barty clash

Defending champion Naomi Osaka was pleased that she found a way out of a second-set blip to beat American Madison Brengle 6-0 6-4 and reach the Australian Open third round, staying on course for a potential fourth-round clash with top-ranked Ash Barty. The Japanese 24-year-old, who also won the Melbourne Park title in 2019, will next meet 60th-ranked American Amanda Anisimova with a mouthwatering clash against Australian Barty potentially waiting in the round of 16.

East German soccer star 'Dixie' Doerner dies aged 70

Hans-Juergen "Dixie" Doerner, a footballer dubbed the Franz Beckenbauer of former Communist East Germany, has died aged 70, his old club Dynamo Dresden said on Wednesday. "With 'Dixie' Doerner, we have not only lost the greatest player in the club's history - we also lost a person who conquered all of our hearts," Holger Scholze, Dynamo Dresden president, said in a statement.

Djokovic holds 80% of Danish biotech developing COVID treatment - CEO

Tennis champion Novak Djokovic has an 80% stake of Danish biotech firm QuantBioRes, which is aiming to develop a medical treatment to counter COVID-19, the company's chief executive told Reuters on Wednesday. CEO Ivan Loncarevic, who described himself as an entrepreneur, said the investment was made in June 2020 but declined to say how much it was.

Bernhard Langer named Champions Tour Player of the Year

Bernhard Langer is the winner of the 2020-21 Jack Nicklaus Award as the Champions Tour's Player of the Year. The 64-year-old German posted 24 top-10 finishes, including two wins, en route to winning the Charles Schwab Cup for the sixth time and leading the tour in prize money ($3.25 million) for the eighth time.

Soccer-Argentina rest Messi for World Cup qualifiers

Argentina have left Lionel Messi out of their squad for World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia as the Paris St Germain forward continues his recovery from COVID-19 infection. The twice World Cup winners and current Copa America champions have qualified for the finals in Qatar and sit second in the 10-team South American group.

Tennis-'We're not getting tested': Zverev says more players probably have COVID-19

Alexander Zverev believes there are probably more players at the Australian Open who have COVID-19 but they are not being tested, the third seed said on Wednesday. Frenchman Ugo Humbert said earlier on Wednesday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, a day after his first round defeat by compatriot Richard Gasquet, forcing him to isolate for a week in Australia.

Olympics-Climate change will limit choice for Winter Games hosts, says study

Of the 21 cities to host the Winter Olympics, only Sapporo, Japan would be able to provide fair and safe conditions to stage them again by the end of the century if greenhouse gases are not dramatically reduced, said a University of Waterloo study released on Tuesday. An international team of researchers, led by the University of Waterloo, reviewed historical climate data from the 1920s along with future climate change trends.

Cricket-Bavuma, Van der Dussen tons help S Africa beat India in first ODI

Captain Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen scored centuries and shared a partnership of 204 as hosts South Africa beat India by 31 runs in the first one-day international on Wednesday. The home side elected to bat and posted 296 for four in their 50 overs, with Bavuma's 110 from 143 balls the anchor to go with an unbeaten 129 not out off 96 from Van der Dussen, who scored his maiden ODI ton.

University of Michigan agrees to $490 million sexual-abuse settlement

The University of Michigan said it would pay $490 million to 1,050 people to resolve claims of sexual assault against a former sports doctor, in a settlement spanning decades and involving mostly male athletes as victims. The university said the deal, the culmination of two years of negotiations with attorneys for the victims, would settle all claims of abuse by the late Dr. Robert Anderson, pending approval by the school's Board of Regents and the courts.

Tennis-Medvedev faces tricky Kyrgios challenge at Australian Open

U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev will face the mercurial Nick Kyrgios in a tricky second-round clash at the Australian Open on Thursday as the Russian looks to make the most of world number one Novak Djokovic's absence and collect a second major title. Medvedev secured a routine win against Henri Laaksonen in his opener but would expect a tougher examination against Aussie Kyrgios, who dazzled the John Cain Arena with some outrageous shot-making in the straight-sets victory over Liam Broady.