Reuters Sports News Summary

The reward for the most successful regular season in team history raised expectations for the Rangers, who will begin their quest for a Stanley Cup on Sunday when they host the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Donovan Mitchell helps Cavaliers outclass Magic in opener

Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, Jarrett Allen posted a 16-point, 18-rebound double-double, and the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers led wire-to-wire to take Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at home against the Orlando Magic, 97-83, on Saturday. Cleveland scored Game 1's first six points and jumped to an 11-point lead early, with Evan Mobley scoring eight of his 16 points on the day less than six minutes in. The Cavaliers never looked back after their initial start, pushing their advantage to as many as 20 points.

Tennis-Swiatek's Stuttgart hat-trick bid ended by Rybakina, Kostyuk into final

World number one Iga Swiatek's bid to win a third successive Stuttgart Open title came to an end in an enthralling 6-3 4-6 6-3 semi-final loss to Elena Rybakina on Saturday. Rybakina ended Swiatek's perfect record in Stuttgart by handing the Pole her first defeat in 11 matches at the tournament and the Kazakhstani fourth seed will meet Marta Kostyuk in the final.

Dak Prescott addresses contract talks, lawsuit

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott addressed his contract situation, the notion of playing for another team as well as the lawsuit he filed regarding an alleged extortion claim in comments made at a charity event. "I'm not going to say I fear being here or not. I don't fear either situation, to be candid with you," Prescott said Friday from the Children's Cancer Fund Gala, per The Athletic. "I love this game and love to play and love to better myself as a player and my teammates around me. Right now it's with the Dallas Cowboys, it's where I want to be, and that's where I am, and that's the focus. And after the season we'll see where we're at and if the future holds that. And if not, we'll go from there."

Marlins rally past Cubs on Bryan De La Cruz HR in 9th

Bryan De La Cruz hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the ninth inning as the visiting Miami Marlins rallied past the Chicago Cubs 3-2 on Saturday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader. Luis Arraez went 3-for-5 with a double, while Jesus Sanchez and Nick Gordon added two hits apiece for Miami. Arraez singled with one out in the ninth to bring up De La Cruz, who clubbed a sinker from Cubs closer Adbert Alzolay 397 feet into the left field bleachers to put the Marlins ahead.

Olympics-WADA says 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive before Tokyo Games but it accepted contamination finding

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed reports on Saturday that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned drug before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but it accepted the country's findings that this was due to substance contamination.

Multiple media reports said the swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), which is found in heart medication, months before the COVID-delayed Games began in the Japanese capital in July 2021.

Dave McCarty, World Series winner with Red Sox, dies at 54

Dave McCarty, a first baseman and outfielder on the Boston Red Sox 2004 team that won the World Series, died Friday in Oakland, Calif. He was 54. The Red Sox announced his death and said it was caused by a "cardiac event."

Tennis-Tsitsipas overcomes Lajovic and faces Ruud in Barcelona final

Stefanos Tsitsipas secured a hard-fought 5-7 6-4 6-2 win over Serbia's Dusan Lajovic in the Barcelona Open on Saturday and will face Norwegian third seed Casper Ruud in another final.

Fifth seed Tsitsipas is chasing his second title of the season after he dismantled Ruud 6-1 6-4 to win the Monte Carlo Masters last week for the third time in four years.

Heat look to set tone in opener of series vs. Celtics

The eighth-seeded Miami Heat will be in a familiar position when they go on the road to open their Eastern Conference first-round series against the top-seeded Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon. Miami also was the No. 8 seed last season, when it battled its way to NBA Finals. The Heat's path included a seven-game series victory over Boston in the conference finals before they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals.

Twins RHP Daniel Duarte to have season-ending elbow surgery

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Daniel Duarte will undergo season-ending elbow surgery on May 8, the team said Saturday. It has not been determined whether he will have Tommy John surgery or internal brace surgery. The type of procedure will impact his return date in 2025.

Rangers try to meet high expectations, open series with Capitals

The New York Rangers seized control of the Metropolitan Division in the opening weeks of the regular season and eventually emerged from a crowded field to claim the Presidents' Trophy. The reward for the most successful regular season in team history raised expectations for the Rangers, who will begin their quest for a Stanley Cup on Sunday when they host the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)