Reuters Sports News Summary

The 28-year-old former world number three stopped playing shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. Tennis-Alcaraz blasts past qualifier Cobolli in French Open first round World number one Carlos Alcaraz issued an early warning to his rivals as the Spaniard began his quest for a second Grand Slam title by easing past Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli 6-0 6-2 7-5 in the French Open first round on Monday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Latvians awake to surprise holiday after epic ice hockey result

Latvians woke up to go to work on Monday morning, only to find they didn't have to. Their parliament had met at midnight to declare a holiday after the national ice hockey team chalked up its best-ever result at the world championship. Latvia, where hockey is the national sport, was co-hosting the men's championship with Finland, and the Latvians' extra-time victory over the U.S. for third place was greeted with wild jubilation. Canada won gold, Germany silver.

MLB roundup: Rays win shootout, take series from Dodgers

Isaac Paredes homered and drove in four runs, and Wander Franco chipped in with two hits and two RBIs to pace the Tampa Bay Rays in an 11-10 shootout victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Rays took two of three in the series but needed a 15-hit attack to hold on in the series finale as they scored in each of the first four innings. Tampa Bay had six players with multiple hits, led by Paredes, who also doubled. Luke Raley went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs.

Badminton-BWF extends ban on 'spin serve' until after Paris Olympics

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has extended the ban on the new "spin serve" until after next year's Paris Olympics and Paralympics, it said on Monday. The BWF this month temporarily banned the serve, which involves a player spinning the shuttle before launching it, after it proved to be tough to return or completely unplayable.

Tennis-Djokovic cruises at French Open, risks controversy with Kosovo message

Novak Djokovic launched his quest for a record 23rd men's Grand Slam singles title with a 6-3 6-2 7-6(1) victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic in the French Open first round before risking controversy by writing a political message on a camera. World number one Carlos Alcaraz also came through with flying colours as the Spaniard crushed Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli 6-0 6-2 7-5 in his first Grand Slam match since winning the U.S. Open title last year.

Tennis-Racist abuse of players is getting worse, says Stephens

Racist behaviour directed at athletes is getting worse and even software designed to protect them from it has little impact, world number 30 Sloane Stephens said on Monday. The American, speaking after her straight-sets victory over Karolina Pliskova in the French Open first round, said she had had to endure it her whole tennis career.

Tennis-Stephens puts down marker on 'favourite court in the world'

Sloane Stephens relished every moment she spent on her favourite court in the world as the she cruised to a 6-0 6-4 first-round victory over former world number one Karolina Pliskova on Monday to put down an early marker at the French Open. The 30-year-old, runner-up in Paris five years ago, gave erratic Pliskova no chance on the main Philippe-Chatrier court, speeding through the first set in 49 minutes before the Czech recovered in the second.

Tennis-'Kosovo is the heart of Serbia', Djokovic writes at French Open

Serbian world number three Novak Djokovic risked stirring up a political controversy at the French Open on Monday after writing a message about Kosovo following his first-round victory. "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence," 22-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic wrote on a camera lens in Serbian.

Soccer-Sheffield Wednesday promoted to Championship with 123rd-minute Windass winner

Sheffield Wednesday added a fairytale ending to their extraordinary League One playoff campaign as Josh Windass scored the winner in stoppage time of extra time to earn them promotion with a 1-0 victory over 10-man Barnsley in the final on Monday.

Wednesday can now look forward to Championship football next season which had seemed wildly out of reach when they trailed Peterborough 4-0 after the first leg of their semi-final before producing the greatest comeback in English Football League playoff history.

Tennis-Too much 'rubbish' being talked about Ukraine on tour, says Svitolina

Discussions about the war in Ukraine on the tennis circuit avoid the important issues and are just empty words that do not support people who are suffering, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina said on Monday. The 28-year-old former world number three stopped playing shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year.

Tennis-Alcaraz blasts past qualifier Cobolli in French Open first round

World number one Carlos Alcaraz issued an early warning to his rivals as the Spaniard began his quest for a second Grand Slam title by easing past Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli 6-0 6-2 7-5 in the French Open first round on Monday. The 20-year-old has already cemented his status as a top contender on the biggest stages and is one of the favourites to take on the mantle of his compatriot and 14-times Roland Garros champion Rafa Nadal, who is absent this year with a hip issue.