Sports News Roundup: Golf-Asian Tour hoping rest of the world is not forgotten in new landscape; Tennis-Swiatek sets up Muchova showdown for French Open crown and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Golf-Asian Tour hoping rest of the world is not forgotten in new landscape

The Asian Tour is determined that the rest of the world outside of the United States and Europe is not forgotten when the dust settles on the merger between LIV Golf and the PGA and DP World Tours. Tuesday's announcement that the world's two biggest tours and the Saudi-backed circuit had ended two years of bitter conflict was accompanied by a statement that the new combined entity would "unify the game of golf, on a global basis". Commissioner Cho Minn Thant welcomed the deal on Wednesday and said it vindicated the Asian Tour's decision to throw in their lot with LIV Golf last year to bankroll an expanded and more lucrative schedule.

Tennis-Swiatek sets up Muchova showdown for French Open crown

Defending champion Iga Swiatek was pushed hard by Beatriz Haddad Maia at the French Open on Thursday, but the top seed soaked up the pressure to overcome the Brazilian 6-2 7-6(7) and reach a third final in four years at Roland Garros. She will play on Saturday the unseeded Karolina Muchova, who saved a match point before overcoming second seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6(5) 6-7(5) 7-5 to end the Belarusian's hopes of becoming world number one.

Soccer-Over one million tickets sold for Women's World Cup - FIFA

This year's Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is on track to become the most attended standalone women's sporting event ever with over one million tickets sold, FIFA said on Thursday. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the ninth edition of the Women's World Cup, which starts on July 20, has sold 1,032,884 tickets, surpassing the previous tournament in France in 2019.

Golf-Ohanian and Williams sisters taking up golf with TGL ownership

In a week that has seen a reshaping of golf's landscape a new player emerged on Thursday with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Serena and Venus Williams securing the first franchise in the TGL, the tech-forward team golf league developed by Tiger Woods. The announcement of a merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf into one unified commercial entity on Tuesday shook golf and Ohanian and his tennis Hall of Fame wife Serena believe the TGL and their Los Angeles Golf Club team could also attract younger fans.

Boxing-Don King says Broner's resilience reminds him of Ali

Legendary boxing promoter Don King said former four-division champion Adrien Broner's desire to return to the pinnacle of the sport reminds him of the fire that burned inside all-time great Muhammad Ali. Broner, 33, has vowed to win a title again, and to do so, he will first need a convincing victory over Bill Hutchinson when they square off in a 10-round welterweight fight in Miami on Friday that will be streamed on FITE.

NBA-Heat running out of time to find answer to Jokic

The dominance of Denver center Nikola Jokic through the first three games of the NBA Finals has dampened Miami's title hopes and the Heat must find a way to nullify the towering Serb if they are to avoid falling behind 3-1 in the championship series. Jokic had 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists in the Nuggets' 109-94 victory on Wednesday that put them 2-1 up in the best-of-seven series. That effort saw him become the first player to log at least 30 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in a Finals game.

Saudi Arabia's golf coup highlights Biden's human rights bind

When Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) signed a deal this week to merge with North America's top body in charge of professional golf, it signaled for some the completion of a U.S.-aided rehabilitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, five years after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi that U.S. spy agencies believe he authorized. The deal - a three-way merger of U.S.-based PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the rival PIF-backed LIV circuit - was announced just as Washington's top diplomat Antony Blinken landed in the kingdom.

Tennis-Haddad Maia takes positives from best Grand Slam run

Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia was in good spirits despite her 6-2 7-6(7) semi-final loss to Iga Swiatek at the French Open on Thursday following the best two weeks of her career. The 27-year-old, who had never advanced past a Grand Slam second round, became the first Brazilian woman in 55 years to reach a major semi-final after beating world number seven Ons Jabeur in the quarter-finals.

Motor racing-Ferrari take first pole in 50 years as Le Mans turns 100

Ferrari swept the front row in qualifying for the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans sportscar race on Thursday, with the number 50 car taking the Italian marque's first pole at the Sarthe circuit in 50 years. Italian Antonio Fuoco was at the wheel of the 499P car he shares with Spaniard Miguel Molina and Denmark's Nicklas Nielsen as Ferrari ended champions Toyota's run of six successive Le Mans poles.

Golf-McIlroy welcomes return to action but LIV still very much in mind

Rory McIlroy made a pact with Justin Rose to not discuss this week's shock news until after their first round of the Canadian Open on Thursday but the plan quickly fell apart. McIlroy and Rose were among the early starters at Oakdale Country Club where play began two days after the announcement of a partnership between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which controls LIV Golf, shook the golf world.

(With inputs from agencies.)