Sports News Roundup: Tennis-Wimbledon champion Djokovic hopes to play in Australian Open next year; U.S. probing PGA Tour as it fights off rival LIV Golf and more

Rallying from a set down, Djokovic exhibited ice-cool nerves in sweltering conditions to win 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) for his fourth consecutive trophy at the grasscourt major to close in on Rafa Nadal's record 22 Grand Slam titles. NFL-Condoleezza Rice added to Broncos ownership group Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has joined the ownership group of the National Football League's Denver Broncos, the team said on Monday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Tennis-Wimbledon champion Djokovic hopes to play in Australian Open next year

Novak Djokovic is hoping to be allowed to play at the Australian Open next year despite being kicked out of the country over his vaccination status in January, the Serbian told state television RTS on Monday. Djokovic won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles in 2021 but was unable to defend his Melbourne Park crown due to his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

U.S. probing PGA Tour as it fights off rival LIV Golf

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether the PGA Tour broke antitrust law in fighting off the rival LIV Golf circuit, backed by Saudi Arabia. The PGA Tour confirmed the probe, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Tennis-Ice-cool Djokovic tames fiery Kyrgios to continue Wimbledon love story

Novak Djokovic stayed serene amid a frenzied atmosphere to tame fiery Australian Nick Kyrgios in an engrossing final on Sunday, lifting a seventh Wimbledon trophy and taking his Grand Slam title count to 21. Rallying from a set down, Djokovic exhibited ice-cool nerves in sweltering conditions to win 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) for his fourth consecutive trophy at the grasscourt major to close in on Rafa Nadal's record 22 Grand Slam titles.

NFL-Condoleezza Rice added to Broncos ownership group

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has joined the ownership group of the National Football League's Denver Broncos, the team said on Monday. The Walton-Penner family ownership group, which last month entered an agreement to purchase the Broncos, announced the addition of Rice, who became the second female secretary of state in 2005 under Republican President George W. Bush.

Golf-Royal & Ancient shuns LIV frontmen as Open anniversary party gets started

The guardians of The Open will accept LIV Invitational Series rebels teeing it up at the championship this week but the message from the Royal & Ancient (R&A) is clear to all -- do not mess with our 150th anniversary celebrations. It appeared on Monday that golfers got the memo as questions about the big-money Saudi-backed venture that has split the sport were batted aside.

Baseball-Dodger Stadium workers vote to authorize strike ahead of All-Star game

Concession workers at Dodger Stadium have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike just over a week before the venue is set to host Major League Baseball's All-Star Game. More than 1,500 workers for concessions giant Compass Group and Levy Restaurants voted 99% in support of the authorization and union leaders said a strike could be called at any moment.

Athletics-Jacobs returns to 100m limelight against hungry Americans on home soil

A reigning Olympic champion rediscovering his form, a defending world champion with a point to prove and the fastest man in 2022 will headline a packed 100 metres field when the World Championships get underway at Hayward Field in Eugene on Friday. Olympic gold medallist Lamont Marcell Jacobs returns to the 100m big stage after muscle injuries ruled him out of several Diamond League meets and the Italian has been far from his best this season.

Soccer-Fulham sign midfielder Pereira from Manchester United

Fulham have signed Brazilian midfielder Andreas Pereira from Manchester United on a four-year contract, the newly-promoted Premier League club said on Monday. British media reported that Fulham paid an initial fee in the region of nine million pounds ($10.71 million) for the 26-year-old, who had a year left on his United deal.

Athletics-Farah says he was the victim of child trafficking

Multiple Olympic and world champion Mo Farah was brought to Britain from Djibouti at the age of nine and was forced to do housework and childcare in exchange for food, he told the BBC. The 39-year-old Briton, who was born in Somalia, added his name had been changed to Mohamed Farah from Hussein Abdi Kahin in the fake travel documents used to fly him to Britain by a woman he had never met before.

Athletics-Coe hoping Eugene World Championships can help finally crack America

The 18th edition of the World Athletics Championships begins in Eugene, Oregon on Friday and though it is, remarkably, the first time the event has been held in the United States, the sport's leaders are banking on it causing a stir in the host country. One of the great anomalies of athletics is that the United States has been its dominant superpower for more than a century but has never really taken the sport to its heart in terms of live attendances or TV audiences or media coverage.