Sports News Roundup: Fans new and old in high spirits as Ryder Cup tees off; Veronika Kudermetova jolts Iga Swiatek in Tokyo and more

Speaking to Reuters at the Italian Golf Federation (FIG) box at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club on the first day of the Ryder Cup on Friday, president Franco Chimenti said hosting the tournament would help the venue become legendary for fans around the world.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

WTA roundup: Veronika Kudermetova jolts Iga Swiatek in Tokyo

No. 8 seed Veronika Kudermetova of Russia recorded a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory over top-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland on Friday to advance to the semifinals at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. Kudermetova, who is ranked 19th in the world, took advantage of 50 unforced errors by Swiatek to win the match in two hours, 21 minutes. She next will face face countrywoman Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who notched a 6-2, 7-5 win over fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in 89 minutes.

Paralympics-Russian athletes to compete as neutrals at Paris Paralympics - IPC

Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete as neutrals at next year's Paris Paralympics after the International Paralympic Committee voted against maintaining a full ban of the two countries, imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The IPC members at their assembly in Bahrain first narrowly voted against a complete ban of the Russian Paralympic Committee (74-65) and then voted 90-56 in favour of a motion to partially suspend Russia for two years, subject to reassessment at a next general assembly.

Boxing-Fury to fight Usyk in Saudi for undisputed heavyweight title

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will fight for the world's undisputed heavyweight championship in Saudi Arabia at a date to be decided, organisers said on Friday. Britain's Fury is the WBC world champion while Ukrainian Usyk holds the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts.

ATP roundup: No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas ousted in Beijing

The top three seeds cruised through their opening-round matches on Friday at the China Open in Beijing, but Nicolas Jarry of Chile upset No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece 6-4, 6-4. Advancing easily were top seed Carlos Alcaraz, a 6-4, 6-3 winner over Yannick Hanfmann of Germany; second-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia, who took out Tommy Paul 6-2, 6-1; and third-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark, a 6-4, 6-4 victor over Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime.

NFL-The 'Taylor Swift effect' brings spending boost to football

The "Swift Effect" will be in full force when the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs travel to New York on Sunday, as a connection between pop music phenomenon Taylor Swift and NFL tight end Travis Kelce has sent fans into a frenzy. The rumored relationship marks a collision between two of the most powerful forces in American pop culture, the juggernaut Swift in the middle of her record-breaking "Eras Tour", and the National Football League.

Games-Divided again, South Korea beat North Korea in Asian Games basketball

Having played in a unified team at the Asian Games in Jakarta five years ago, North and South Korea's women basketballers battled each other in Hangzhou on Friday in a full-blooded contest that the South won 81-62. In 2018, North Korea contributed three players to the 12-member roster coached by South Korean Lee Moon-Kyoo: Ro Suk-Yong, Kim Hye-yon and Jang Mi-gyong.

Olympics-No restrictions on hijab in Paris 2024 Games' athletes village-IOC

Athletes can wear a hijab in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games athletes' village without any restriction, the International Olympic Committee said on Friday, days after France's sports minister banned it for the host country's athletes. The Olympic body also said it needed to better understand the situation in France and had been in contact with the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF).

Soccer-Milan on top but Juventus Scudetto favourites, says Pioli

AC Milan joined rivals Inter Milan at the top of Serie A in midweek, but Juventus are favourites to win this season's Scudetto, according to Milan manager Stefano Pioli. After their embarrassing 5-1 defeat in the derby, Milan's 3-1 win at Cagliari on Wednesday combined with Inter's first loss of the season, 2-1 at home to Sassuolo, sees the two rival clubs level on 15 points at the Serie A summit.

Golf-Fans new and old in high spirits as Ryder Cup tees off

Fans from across Europe and the United States travelled to Rome in high spirits for the 44th Ryder Cup, enjoying warm weather and bringing a blaze of colour to the Eternal City as the action got underway on Friday. U.S. supporters could be seen in stars-and-striped trousers and hats with American eagles sticking out from the top, while their European counterparts created a sea of blue of yellow as they wandered around the fans village at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.

Golf-Ryder Cup will boost Italian golf says federation head

Rome's hosting of the Ryder Cup for the first time this week should provide a boost to the golf movement in Italy, the president of the country's federation said on Friday, as the tournament bathed in the world's sporting spotlight. Speaking to Reuters at the Italian Golf Federation (FIG) box at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club on the first day of the Ryder Cup on Friday, president Franco Chimenti said hosting the tournament would help the venue become legendary for fans around the world.

(With inputs from agencies.)