Reuters Sports News Round Up: Davis Cup, Ryder Cup; A-League; Usain Bolt, NFL

Tennis: Organizers hope revamped Davis Cup can match Ryder Cup

The new-look Davis Cup, masterminded by Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique, has the potential to rival golf's Ryder Cup as a sporting spectacle, the tennis competition's organizers say. Under changes to the year-long format, the 118-year-old national team tournament will become a week-long, season-ending event with the first two editions happening in Madrid in 2019 and 2020.

Soccer: Bolt deal talk dominates the first weekend of A-League

Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt managed to upstage the first weekend of Australia's A-League season without kicking a ball after his agent said he had been offered a professional contract by the Central Coast Mariners. The 32-year-old Jamaican has been on trial with the Gosford-based club since August as he attempts to make an audacious switch to a second professional sport after one of the most decorated careers in track and field.

NFL roundup: Panthers drop champion Eagles to 3-4

Cam Newton threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Greg Olsen with 1:22 remaining as the Carolina Panthers completed the biggest comeback in franchise history to defeat the host Philadelphia Eagles 21-17 on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers (4-2) were dominated for the first three quarters before scoring three touchdowns in a 9 1/2-minute span after punting on all their other possessions. They overcame a 17-0 deficit in the fourth quarter after never previously escaping more than a 10-point, fourth-quarter hole.

Tennis: Pliskova stuns Wozniacki in Singapore, Svitolina downs Kvitova

Big-serving Karolina Pliskova used her most potent weapon to damaging effect as she overwhelmed defending champion Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-4 in their opening round robin match of the WTA Finals at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Sunday. In the earlier White Group encounter at the eight-woman event, Elina Svitolina tore up the form book with a brilliant display of serving and retrieving to register a 6-3 6-3 victory over Petra Kvitova.

Raikkonen victory keeps Hamilton waiting for the fifth F1 title

Britain's Lewis Hamilton was kept waiting for his fifth Formula One world championship on Sunday after the Mercedes driver finished third in a U.S. Grand Prix won by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. The victory was the Finn's first since March 2013. Red Bull's Dutch youngster Max Verstappen finished second after starting 18th.

NASCAR notebook: Larson falls short

With a handful of laps left in a pitched battle between Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson joined the party. Larson needed a victory Sunday in the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway to advance to the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Late in the race, he began making dramatic gains on Busch, who was running second, and Elliott, who held the lead.

NFL notebook: Jags' QB job is open

The Jacksonville Jaguars benched quarterback Blake Bortles early in the second half of their 20-7 loss to the Houston Texans, putting in backup Cody Kessler. Bortles' second lost fumble of the game set up a Texans touchdown two plays later to give Houston a 20-0 lead with 10:50 left in the third quarter. When the Jaguars got the ball back, Kessler came out while Bortles remained on the sideline.

ATP roundup: Tsitsipas first Greek to win a tour-level title

No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas won his first ATP title on Sunday, beating Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Intrum Stockholm Open in Sweden. It was the third final of the year for the 20-year-old Tsitsipas, who became the first Greek player to win an ATP title.

Panthers' Reid confronts Eagles' Jenkins over protests, a coalition

Carolina's Eric Reid had to be restrained by teammates after confronting Malcolm Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles prior to their NFL game on Sunday and later accused him of selling out the players' movement protesting social injustice. Reid's former teammate at the San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick was the first player to refuse to stand during the playing of the national anthem before games, a protest he said was aimed at bringing attention to racism and police brutality.

Dodgers power past Brewers to return to World Series

MILWAUKEE -- Los Angeles Dodgers centre fielder Cody Bellinger acknowledged feeling "ice cold" late Saturday night. He was referring to the champagne that had doused his uniform, not the struggles that threatened to sink his National League Championship Series.