Sports News Roundup: Tennis-Djokovic beats Etcheverry in Rome opener, Swiatek surges through; MLB roundup: Jays' Chris Bassitt shuts out Braves and more

Few in the NHL world expected much from a Florida team that only clinched a playoff berth with two days left in the regular season. Tennis-Djokovic beats Etcheverry in Rome opener, Swiatek surges through Holder Novak Djokovic began his hunt for a seventh Italian Open title by battling past the unseeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6(5) 6-2 on Friday while women's champion Iga Swiatek delivered a masterclass to reach the third round.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NFL-Commanders reach agreement to sell franchise to Harris-led group

The Washington Commanders have reached an agreement to sell the storied National Football League (NFL) franchise to a group led by the co-owner of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and NHL's New Jersey Devils, Josh Harris, the two sides said on Friday. Financial terms of the deal, which is subject to league approval, were not disclosed though reports in April said the agreement was for an NFL-record price of $6.05 billion.

Soccer-Messi to start for PSG after in-house suspension

Lionel Messi will start Paris St Germain's Ligue 1 home game against AC Ajaccio on Saturday after returning to training following a club-imposed suspension, coach Christophe Galtier said on Friday. "I spoke with him on Tuesday to see what his mindset was and I found him very determined to play... He will start tomorrow," Galtier told a press conference.

MLB roundup: Jays' Chris Bassitt shuts out Braves

Chris Bassitt pitched his second career shutout as the Toronto Blue Jays blanked the visiting Atlanta Braves 3-0 on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series. George Springer delivered the tiebreaking single in the fifth inning, and Daulton Varsho homered in the eighth for Toronto, which improved to 10-3 at home. The complete-game shutout was the first for Toronto since Mark Buehrle blanked the Washington Nationals on June 3, 2015.

NHL-Panthers move on while Leafs Stanley Cup drought continues

Nick Cousins scored the overtime winner as the Florida Panthers unlikely Stanley Cup run continued with a 3-2 victory that brought the Toronto Maple Leafs season to a predictable end on Friday. Few in the NHL world expected much from a Florida team that only clinched a playoff berth with two days left in the regular season.

Tennis-Djokovic beats Etcheverry in Rome opener, Swiatek surges through

Holder Novak Djokovic began his hunt for a seventh Italian Open title by battling past the unseeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6(5) 6-2 on Friday while women's champion Iga Swiatek delivered a masterclass to reach the third round. Djokovic got off to a shaky start by dropping his serve in the opening game of the second-round match. The Serbian, who pulled out of the Madrid Open last month, wore a compression sleeve on his right arm, sparking concerns about a niggling elbow issue.

Tennis-Swiatek does not want Nadal to suffer in French Open comeback bid

Iga Swiatek said that as a big fan of Rafa Nadal, she would love to see the 14-times champion compete at the French Open, but the world number one did not want the injury-plagued Spaniard to suffer and make himself available for the tournament. Nadal has not played since sustaining a hip injury at the Australian Open in January, and there are doubts about the 36-year-old's participation in Paris after the 22-time major champion pulled out of the ongoing Italian Open.

Basketball-Griner plays in WNBA for first time since Russia detention

Brittney Griner played with her Phoenix Mercury for the first time since 2021 on Friday, taking the court far sooner than she expected for their preseason game against the Los Angeles Sparks, after nearly 10 months of detention in Russia. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was released from a Russian penal colony in a high-profile prisoner exchange with the United States late last year after she was arrested in February 2022 on drug charges.

Tennis-Alcaraz hopes to re-ignite Djokovic rivalry with Rome final meet

Carlos Alcaraz said he hoped to re-ignite his rivalry with world number one Novak Djokovic at the Italian Open, where the pair can meet for the first time this year, if they both reach the final. They have been kept apart by injuries to both and the absence of 22-times Grand Slam champion Djokovic from the U.S. hardcourt swing earlier in the season due to being unvaccinated for COVID-19.

Soccer-Ten Hag confident top players want to join Man Utd

Manchester United can attract more "quality players" after finding it tough to convince some transfer targets last season, manager Erik ten Hag said as he bids to restore the Premier League side to their former glory. Former Ajax Amsterdam manager Ten Hag took charge at Old Trafford last year and overcame a wobbly start to guide the fallen giants of English soccer to the League Cup title in February and end their six-year trophy drought.

NBA-Heat become first eighth seed to reach Conference Finals in 24 years

The Miami Heat became the first eighth seed in nearly a quarter century to reach the conference finals on Friday, downing the New York Knicks 96-92 in Game 6 of their series to advance. Six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler put up 24 points with eight rebounds and four assists to steer the Heat past a Knicks team that was desperate to stay alive in front of a raucous Miami crowd.

(With inputs from agencies.)