Sports News Roundup: Tennis-Top seed Sabalenka knocks Rybakina out of WTA Finals; Soccer-Mainz terminate El Ghazi's contract over posts on Israel-Hamas conflict and more

Djokovic was rock solid as he avenged his defeat by the tenacious youngster in last year's showpiece to win 7-5 6-7(3) 6-4 and set up a semi-final against Russian fifth seed Rublev, who beat Australian De Minaur 4-6 6-3 6-1. Soccer-Mainz terminate El Ghazi's contract over posts on Israel-Hamas conflict Mainz 05 have terminated Anwar El Ghazi's contract following the forward's social media posts in connection with the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Bundesliga club said on Friday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Baseball-Dodgers' Kershaw has shoulder surgery, hopeful about return

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw underwent surgery on his left throwing shoulder and said on Friday he hoped to return to the mound next summer. Kershaw, 35, said he had the procedure to repair the "gleno-humeral ligaments and capsule" of his troublesome left shoulder.

Tennis-Top seed Sabalenka knocks Rybakina out of WTA Finals

Aryna Sabalenka outlasted Elena Rybakina 6-2 3-6 6-3 to reach the WTA Finals last four in a win-or-bust group match on Friday that was halted on Thursday due to stormy weather in Cancun. Under bright sunshine but still unrelenting winds, world number one Sabalenka unleashed an ace out wide on match point to send fourth seed Rybakina packing from the year-end tournament.

Motor racing-Verstappen on pole after 'insane' Sao Paulo qualifying

Red Bull's triple Formula One world champion Max Verstappen beat the weather as well as his rivals to secure pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in a qualifying session halted by what he called "insane" conditions at Interlagos on Friday. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc joined Verstappen on the front row with the Aston Martins of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso third and fourth.

Tennis-Djokovic edges Rune, Tsitsipas marches into Paris semi-finals

World number one Novak Djokovic stayed on course for a seventh Paris Masters title by beating Holger Rune in the quarter-finals on Friday, with the Dane still qualifying for a spot at the ATP Tour Finals after Andrey Rublev beat Alex de Minaur. Djokovic was rock solid as he avenged his defeat by the tenacious youngster in last year's showpiece to win 7-5 6-7(3) 6-4 and set up a semi-final against Russian fifth seed Rublev, who beat Australian De Minaur 4-6 6-3 6-1.

Soccer-Mainz terminate El Ghazi's contract over posts on Israel-Hamas conflict

Mainz 05 have terminated Anwar El Ghazi's contract following the forward's social media posts in connection with the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Bundesliga club said on Friday. The Dutchman was suspended in October following an earlier comment about the conflict but had been cleared to return to training on Monday after showing remorse, the club had said.

Games-May gets landmark Pan Am Games medal but US misses Olympic spot

Bill May became the first male to win a medal in artistic swimming at the Pan American Games on Friday, but the 44-year-old American trailblazer will have to wait a bit longer to see if he can make the same history at the Paris Olympics. With only the winner of the team gold securing a quota spot for the Paris Games, the United States came up just short with Mexico taking top spot on the podium with an aggregate score of 786.2546 (combining marks for the technical, free and acrobatic swims), just .6638 ahead of the Americans.

Athletics-Olympic bronze medallist Levy fails doping test

Hurdler Ronald Levy has been informed by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission that he failed an out-of-competition test taken last month, the Olympic bronze medallist said on Friday. Levy, who finished third in the 110 metres hurdles at the Tokyo Games, said on Instagram that he did not knowingly breach any rules and was awaiting the results of his "B-sample" test.

Games-Mexico takes soccer gold with 1-0 win over Chile

Mexico claimed gold in the women's football final at the Pan Am Games on Friday after beating hosts Chile 1-0. With their two specialist goalkeepers, Christiane Endler and Antonia Canales, leaving the team to return to their clubs, Chile had to rely on striker Maria Jose Urrutia in net.

Ratcliffe to invest extra $300 million on top of 25% stake in Manchester United -source

Ineos Chief Executive Jim Ratcliffe is looking to invest $300 million in Manchester United's infrastructure, in addition to his $1.5 billion plus offer to buy a 25% stake in the soccer club, according to a person familiar with the matter. The investment, intended for upgrading the club's ageing infrastructure, will be financed by the billionaire personally and not add to the Premier league club's existing borrowings, the source said.

Olympics-Chiefs QB Mahomes says he 'definitely' wants to play flag football at 2028 Games

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he is eager to suit up for Team USA when flag football makes its Olympic debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. "I definitely want to but I've seen some of those guys play the flag football and they are a little faster than I am," Mahomes told reporters on Friday in Munich, where the Chiefs are set to play the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.