Reuters Sports News Summary

The 36-year-old Briton made his last ever appearance at the Miami Open on Sunday, losing 5-7 7-5 7-6(5) in the third round to Czech Tomas Machac. Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry to team up at Zurich Classic Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Shane Lowry of Ireland are entering next month's Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the PGA Tour's only team competition.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Rugby-Hot Hurricanes remain unbeaten in Super Rugby, Reds stunned in Perth

The table-topping Wellington Hurricanes maintained their 100% start to the Super Rugby Pacific season in emphatic style in round five but the Queensland Reds, second at the start of the weekend, were stunned by the previously winless Western Force. The Hurricanes welcomed back All Blacks centre Jordie Barrett from suspension in Friday evening's round-opener and rolled over crisis club Melbourne Rebels 54-28 in Palmerston North.

Tennis-Zverev dumps Eubanks out to reach last 16 at Miami Open

German fourth seed Alexander Zverev showed his quality to escape a tight first set en route to a 7-6(4) 6-3 win over Christopher Eubanks at the Miami Open on Monday to set up a fourth-round clash with Russia's Karen Khachanov. Zverev limited his unforced errors, converted his two break point opportunities and saved four of the five break points he faced before closing out the one hour and 44-minute contest with a forehand volley into the open court.

Baseball-Ohtani says interpreter stole money, denies knowledge of gambling debts

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani said on Monday he was the victim of theft by his former interpreter and that he had never bet on baseball or knowingly paid a bookmaker in his first public remarks since the gambling scandal broke last week.

Ohtani's statement was the Japanese ballplayer's first remarks since the allegations of "massive theft" against Ippei Mizuhara surfaced, leading to the interpreter's firing by the team.

NFL grants international market access to four new teams

The Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants are going global. The four teams are entering the NFL's Global Markets Program for the first time, with three of them including Germany among their target countries.

Spring training roundup: Yankees blank Mets to close spring

Clarke Schmidt allowed only one hit over five sharp innings as the host New York Yankees posted a two-hit shutout of the New York Mets, winning 3-0 to close their spring training schedule Monday in Tampa, Fla. Schmidt (1-0) struck out six batters and gave up two walks and a hit batter, and relievers Clay Holmes, Caleb Ferguson and Luke Weaver held the Mets to one hit, two hit batters and no walks over the next four innings.

Tennis-Gauff toppled by Garcia, Rybakina into Miami Open quarter-finals

Caroline Garcia on Monday pulled off a gritty 6-3 1-6 6-2 upset of third seed Coco Gauff to book her first trip to the Miami Open quarter-finals while fourth seed Elena Rybakina powered past Madison Keys 6-3 7-5. Frenchwoman Garcia's serve was clicking early and she never faced a break point in the opening set before Gauff raised her level to even the affair at a set apiece.

Golf-Woods and McIlroy's virtual golf league to launch Jan. 7

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's simulator golf league will launch in January 2025, one year after it was initially set to begin until a roof collapse at the Florida-based facility housing the league caused a delay, organisers of the TGL said on Monday. The TGL, which features six teams of four PGA Tour players competing in a fast-paced form of team golf, will debut Jan. 7 in primetime on ESPN inside a new steel-supported structure that was unveiled along with Monday's announcement.

Tennis-Murray out for long spell with ankle injury

Andy Murray will be sidelined for an "extended period" after suffering a severe ankle injury during his exit from the Miami Open, he announced on Monday. The 36-year-old Briton made his last ever appearance at the Miami Open on Sunday, losing 5-7 7-5 7-6(5) in the third round to Czech Tomas Machac.

Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry to team up at Zurich Classic

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Shane Lowry of Ireland are entering next month's Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the PGA Tour's only team competition. McIlroy has never played the tournament at TPC Louisiana, which has been a team event since 2017.

Dani Alves, convicted over rape, leaves Spanish prison after posting bail

Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves was released from a Barcelona prison on Monday after posting bail of 1 million euro ($1.09 million) bail over his conviction for the rape of a woman in a nightclub's restroom in 2022. Last Wednesday, a local court ruled that Alves could be conditionally freed on bail while he appeals his rape conviction. He has served about a quarter of his four-and-a-half-year prison sentence.