Sports News Roundup: Djokovic back in Australia ahead of Open; Nets sink Cavs for 9th straight win and more

The Argentine forward, seven-times Ballon D'Or winner, scored two goals to lead his country to victory over France on penalties in the World Cup final nine days ago. Cricket-Warner crushes South Africa with majestic 200 in milestone test An emotional and exhausted David Warner retired hurt after a majestic 200 as Australia dominated on day two of the second test on Tuesday against South Africa, who wilted under a scorching Melbourne sun.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-Liverpool's Klopp hails 'unstoppable' Nunez despite lack of goals

Darwin Nunez was not on the scoresheet in Liverpool's 3-1 win over Aston Villa on Monday but manager Juergen Klopp said he was delighted with the Uruguayan's all-round play and is confident the goals will come. Nunez missed several chances against Villa but his tireless running and chance creation saw him named Man of the Match, with his late cutback allowing teenager Stefan Bajcetic to score his first senior goal.

Iranian woman competes at chess tournament without hijab- media reports

An Iranian chess player has taken part in an international tournament without a hijab, according to media reports, the latest of several Iranian sportswomen to appear at competitions without one since anti-government protests began. Iran has been swept by demonstrations against the country's clerical leadership since mid-September, when 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini died in the custody of morality police who detained her for "inappropriate attire".

Soccer-Argentina's Otamendi focused on Benfica

Argentina centre back Nicolas Otamendi has arrived in Portugal to return to training with Benfica after helping his team win the World Cup in Qatar. Otamendi, 34, has been linked with a move away from the Portuguese club.

Tennis-Djokovic back in Australia ahead of Open - report

Novak Djokovic has arrived in Australia nearly a year after he was deported from the country, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Tuesday, ahead of his bid for a 10th men's singles title at next month's Australian Open. Djokovic landed in Adelaide where he is due to play in the Adelaide International beginning on Sunday, the report said.

Soccer-Quitting Juventus top job wasn't easy, Andrea Agnelli says

Outgoing Juventus Chairman Andrea Agnelli on Tuesday defended his tenure at the helm of the Serie A club and said the decision to step down had been a hard one to take. "On top of loving Juventus, in recent years I have given my best to achieving results on and off the pitch," Agnelli told shareholders gathered in Turin's Juventus Stadium.

NBA roundup: Nets sink Cavs for 9th straight win

Kyrie Irving scored 15 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter as the Brooklyn Nets survived a shaky finish and extended their winning streak to a season-high nine games with a 125-117 victory over the host Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. On the 11th anniversary of his NBA debut with Cleveland, Irving made 11 of 19 shots and hit seven 3-pointers as Brooklyn took a pair of 19-point leads before withstanding Cleveland's late comeback try that featured several big shots by Darius Garland, who led all scorers with 46 points. While Garland made 14 of 20 shots and finished with his fourth 40-point game of his career, Donovan Mitchell was held to 15 points.

NFL-Cardinals defensive end Watt calls time on career

Three-times Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt announced his retirement from the National Football League (NFL) on Tuesday, saying on social media that he had played his last home game. All but assured a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Watt is widely considered among the greatest-ever defensive players and was set to become a free agent after his contract with the Arizona Cardinals expired in 2023.

Soccer-Messi to return to PSG in early January, says Galtier

Lionel Messi will return to Paris St Germain at the beginning of January, the Ligue 1 club's manager Christophe Galtier said on Tuesday. The Argentine forward, seven-times Ballon D'Or winner, scored two goals to lead his country to victory over France on penalties in the World Cup final nine days ago.

Cricket-Warner crushes South Africa with majestic 200 in milestone test

An emotional and exhausted David Warner retired hurt after a majestic 200 as Australia dominated on day two of the second test on Tuesday against South Africa, who wilted under a scorching Melbourne sun. Australia were 386 for three at stumps, in reply to the Proteas' first innings 189 - a lead of 197 runs and with the three-match series at their mercy after a six-wicket win in the Brisbane opener.

Alpine skiing-Shiffrin claims 78th World Cup win, closes on record

American Mikaela Shiffrin claimed her 78th World Cup victory in the giant slalom in Semmering, Austria on Tuesday, taking her to within four wins of compatriot Lindsey Vonn's women's record of 82. Shiffrin clocked a combined time of two minutes 7.18 seconds to beat Slovakia's Petra Vlhova by 0.13 and Italian Marta Bassino by 0.31.