Reuters Sports News Summary

Real Madrid had claimed 400 million euros ($440 million) from Mubadala because it said the Abu Dhabi sovereign investor failed to honour a sponsorship deal under which it would acquire rights to name the Santiago Bernabeu stadium for 20 years. 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.

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.

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.

Real Madrid lose $440 million sponsorship battle with Abu Dhabi fund

Spanish soccer's Real Madrid have lost a $440 million court battle with Abu Dhabi sovereign investor Mubadala over the proposed sponsorship of its stadium in Madrid, sources with knowledge of the case told Reuters. Real Madrid had claimed 400 million euros ($440 million) from Mubadala because it said the Abu Dhabi sovereign investor failed to honour a sponsorship deal under which it would acquire rights to name the Santiago Bernabeu stadium for 20 years.

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.

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.

Tennis-Alcaraz powers to victory over Ramos-Vinolas on Rome debut

World number two Carlos Alcaraz marked his Italian Open debut by shaking off a sluggish start to emerge with an efficient 6-4 6-1 second-round win over unseeded Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas on a rain-affected Saturday in Rome. Barcelona and Madrid champion Alcaraz, who is chasing his fifth title of 2023 and fourth on clay ahead of Roland Garros, overcame an early loss of serve amid heavy conditions at the Foro Italico to level up the opening set at 2-2.