Sports News Roundup: Olympics-Ice hockey-Fans lose but China boosted by NHL Beijing pull out; Beijing Games had 72 COVID cases, none athletes, among early arrivals and more

Beijing and the surrounding province of Hebei, both prone to smog in winter months, will take emergency action to curb heavy pollution, but will at the same time aim to minimise the impact on the economy, Liu said. Tennis-Collins wins gruelling Mertens clash to reach quarter-finals Danielle Collins won a battle of attrition in scorching heat to overhaul Elise Mertens 4-6 6-4 6-4 and book her second quarter-final at the Australian Open on Monday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Olympics-Ice hockey-Fans lose but China boosted by NHL Beijing pull out

Fans may be disappointed by the National Hockey League pulling out of the Olympics but the decision was no doubt welcomed by Chinese officials who were braced for humiliating thrashings by their sporting and geopolitical rivals. Such were fears the Chinese men's team might be so outclassed it would prove an embarrassment to the sport and the hosts that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) considered pulling China from the event in favor of Norway.

Beijing Games had 72 COVID cases, none athletes, among early arrivals

Beijing Olympics organisers said on Sunday they had confirmed 72 cases of COVID-19 among 2,586 Games-related personnel entering China from Jan. 4 to Jan. 22, with no cases among 171 athletes and team officials arriving in that period. Final preparations are taking place for the Winter Games amid a global surge in cases of the highly infectious Omicron coronavirus variant. The Games are set to take place from Feb. 4 to Feb. 20 inside a "closed-loop" bubble that separates all event personnel from the public.

NFL-Brady retirement talk shifts into high gear after Buccaneers loss

The Tom Brady 'will he, won't he?' retirement debate shifted into high gear on Sunday as NFL fans wondered if the future Hall of Fame quarterback had played his last game after Tampa Bay's 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in a NFC divisional playoff. Even in the days leading up to the meeting in Tampa it seemed everyone was trying to read the tea leaves about Brady's future.

Olympics-Alpine skiing-Shiffrin and company head into the unknown

When the stars of Alpine skiing such as American Mikaela Shiffrin arrive in China's Yanquing mountain area for the Winter Olympics there will be one question on their minds -- 'What kind, of course, will we be competing on?' Twice Olympic champion Shiffrin and Marco Odermatt of Switzerland, the overall leader in the men's World Cup, know where their competition will come from but have little clue about what kind of racing to expect.

China warns of air pollution risks during Beijing Winter Games

Weather conditions ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics at the start of February are "very unfavorable" when it comes to air quality, China's environment ministry spokesman Liu Youbin warned on Monday. Beijing and the surrounding province of Hebei, both prone to smog in winter months, will take emergency action to curb heavy pollution, but will at the same time aim to minimize the impact on the economy, Liu said.

Tennis-Collins wins gruelling Mertens clash to reach quarter-finals

Danielle Collins won a battle of attrition in scorching heat to overhaul Elise Mertens 4-6 6-4 6-4 and book her second quarter-final at the Australian Open on Monday. In a grueling clash of former semi-finalists, the American 27th seed snatched the win with a barrage of power hitting as Mertens served to stay in the match.

Olympics-Figure skating-Hanyu-Chen rivalry to light up Beijing

A rivalry that fizzled out in Pyeongchang four years ago may produce fireworks at the Beijing Games when double Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu battles American Nathan Chen in his quest for more figure skating glory. The Japanese "Ice Prince" Hanyu will attempt to match Gillis Grafstrom’s 94-year record of three consecutive Olympic golds in the men’s singles event, four years after joining U.S. icon Dick Button as a back-to-back winner.

Uyghurs in Turkey call for boycott of Beijing Games

Dozens of people from China's Uyghur Muslim ethnic group protested in Istanbul on Sunday, calling for a boycott of next month's Winter Olympics in Beijing over China's treatment of the minority. The protesters gathered outside the city's Turkish Olympic Committee building, waving the blue-and-white flags of the independence movement of East Turkestan, a group Beijing says threatens the stability of its far western region of Xinjiang.

Soccer-Liverpool edge closer to City, Chelsea back to winning ways

Liverpool took advantage of Manchester City's dropped points with a 3-1 victory at Crystal Palace on Sunday, taking a small bite out of City's commanding lead of the Premier League. It was far from vintage form for Liverpool who led 2-0 after a dominant first half but needed a late penalty by Fabinho to quell a stirring Palace fightback at Selhurst Park.

Tennis-Australian Open day eight

Highlights of the eighth day of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Monday, all times local (GMT +11): 1405 COLLINS FIGHTS BACK TO DOWN MERTENS

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