Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NBA roundup: LeBron James pours in 47 points on 38th birthday

LeBron James celebrated his 38th birthday by scoring a season-high 47 points to help the visiting Los Angeles Lakers erase a 15-point deficit and beat the Atlanta Hawks 130-121 on Friday. James made a season-high 18 field goals and was 4-for-6 on 3-point attempts. He added 10 rebounds and nine assists to fall just short of his first triple-double of the season. James had a 3-pointer and a three-point play in the fourth quarter after the Hawks cut the lead to one point.

Tennis-Jabeur predicts 'special' 2023 as she targets Grand Slam title

Ons Jabeur missed two opportunities to become the first Arab player to capture a Grand Slam singles title this year, but the Tunisian said on Saturday that 2023 can be special for her as she chases her dream. Jabeur, whose sublime skills and endearing personality won her fans around the world in 2022, was beaten by Elena Rybakina in the Wimbledon final before another heartbreaking loss to the top-ranked Iga Swiatek in the U.S. Open final.

NHL roundup: Hurricanes earn team-record 10th straight win

Stefan Noesen, Andrei Svechnikov and Teuvo Teravainen scored on power plays as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Florida Panthers 4-0 on Friday night in Raleigh, N.C., for their franchise-record 10th victory in a row. Carolina also extended its team-record points streak to 16 games. Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta made 19 saves to record his second consecutive shutout.

Tennis-Norrie stuns Nadal as Britain lead Spain 2-0 in United Cup

Rafa Nadal's preparations for his Australian Open title defence got off to a wobbly start as Cameron Norrie handed him a 3-6 6-3 6-4 defeat in the United Cup on Saturday as Britain took a 2-0 lead over Spain in the mixed team tournament. The 22-times Grand Slam champion, who lifted the trophy in Melbourne Park this year and added another French Open title in an otherwise injury-ravaged season, eased through the first set but gifted Norrie a way back into the contest in the next.

Rallying-Audi's Ekstroem leads the way in Dakar prologue

Audi's Mattias Ekstroem took an early advantage in the Dakar Rally by winning the flat 13km prologue to the event that starts from the shores of the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

The prologue influences the starting order for the first stage, with the top 10 finishers choosing their preferred positions on the road.

Tennis-Returning Zverev says he is weeks from peak match fitness

Alexander Zverev on Saturday marked his return to competitive action for the first time since June following ankle surgery but said after his 6-4 6-2 loss to the Czech Republic's Jiri Lehecka in the United Cup that he was some way from peak match fitness. Zverev, 25, had surgery to repair damaged ankle ligaments following an injury he sustained during his French Open semi-final against Rafa Nadal.

Tennis-Nadal says retirement not on his mind after losing season-opener

Rafa Nadal brushed off talk of retiring anytime soon after the 22-times Grand Slam champion was stunned by Cameron Norrie in the United Cup mixed team tournament on Saturday, saying he still enjoyed competing at the highest level. Nadal's preparations for his Australian Open title defence got off to a shaky start as Norrie beat him 3-6 6-3 6-4 to seal his first victory over the 36-year-old Spaniard in their fifth career meeting.

Soccer-Ronaldo joins Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr until 2025

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has joined Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on a 2-1/2 year contract, the club announced on Friday, after leaving Manchester United to become a free agent. Ronaldo departed Old Trafford last month following an explosive television interview in which the 37-year-old forward said he felt betrayed by the club and did not respect their Dutch manager Erik ten Hag.

The 'King' and the Queen: Bewitched by Pele, Elizabeth II made him a Knight

In 2022, Britain lost its queen and Brazil its soccer 'king' - two giant figures of the 20th century who crossed paths at least twice over the years. Former Pele team mate Gerson recalled one of those times in an interview with Reuters this week. The year was 1968, and Elizabeth was guest of honor at a soccer match at Rio de Janeiro's monumental Maracana stadium during an official visit to Brazil. After the game, she presented Pele with a trophy.

NBA-LeBron celebrates 38th birthday with season-high 47 points in Lakers win over Hawks

LeBron James showed no signs of slowing down in his 20th year in the NBA as the Los Angeles Lakers star celebrated his 38th birthday on Friday with an inspiring 47-point performance in a 130-121 win over the Atlanta Hawks. With the Lakers down 15 points at one stage, the visiting side rallied to mount a comeback at the State Farm Arena as James nearly notched up a triple-double, finishing with 10 rebounds and nine assists to go with his season-high 47 points.