Sports News Roundup: Federer emerges victorious in historic clash with Serena; NHL announces 2019-20 outdoor games

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NFL: League under scrutiny for lack of minority coaches

The National Football League is under the microscope for lack of minority head coaches after a recent slew of firings in the league. Only two African American head coaches and one general manager remain after multiple coaches were axed on Monday following the end of the regular season.

NBA roundup: Spurs maintain home mastery of Celtics

Derrick White and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for 21 points in the third quarter Monday night as the host San Antonio Spurs, after being held to 46 points in the first half, exploded for 46 in the third period to rally past the Boston Celtics 120-111. Aldridge totaled 32 points to go with nine rebounds. The Spurs, who trailed by as many as 12 points as they struggled offensively in the first half, recorded their seventh consecutive home victory over the Celtics.

Federer emerges victorious in historic clash with Serena

Roger Federer emerged triumphant from a historic first meeting with Serena Williams in the Hopman Cup on Tuesday, but tennis was the true winner as two of the game's greats treated fans worldwide to an unforgettable evening. Defending champions Switzerland sealed a 2-1 victory over six-times winners United States that left them bottom of Group B but the result mattered little to over 14,000 fans in Perth and millions around the world who had eagerly awaited the contest.

Kyrgios, Murray power into second round in Brisbane

Nick Kyrgios started his Brisbane Open title defense with a battling 7-6(5) 5-7 7-6(5) victory over American Ryan Harrison in the opening round on Tuesday. Kyrgios' preparations for the season were interrupted by a spider bite that required hospital treatment last month and the Australian stuttered before firing 45 aces to overcome Harrison in a rematch of last year's final.

NHL roundup: Another shutout for Devils rookie Blackwood

Mackenzie Blackwood continued the stellar start to his career Monday afternoon with 25 saves to become the first rookie goaltender in team history to record consecutive shutouts as the New Jersey Devils posted a 4-0 victory over the visiting Vancouver Canucks on Monday afternoon. Brian Boyle and Miles Wood scored little more than six minutes apart in the first period as the Devils won their third straight game. New Jersey heads into a four-game road trip on its first three-game winning streak since starting the season 4-0-0.

NHL announces 2019-20 outdoor games, All-Star Weekend

The NHL announced Tuesday the dates and locations for three outdoor games as well as All-Star Weekend for the 2019-2020 season. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman made the announcements during the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic between the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins in South Bend, Ind. Outdoor action will kick off Oct. 26 when the Calgary Flames meet the Winnipeg Jets in the 2019 Heritage Classic at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, SK. The Heritage Classic returns to the league's regular-season schedule after two years -- 2016 in Winnipeg. It also has been played in Vancouver (2014), Calgary (2011) and Edmonton (2003).

NFL notebook: AB was reportedly benched for Week 17

The reason Antonio Brown didn't play in the Pittsburgh Steelers' de facto elimination game on Sunday wasn't because of knee soreness but rather the result of a tumultuous week during which Brown argued with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and didn't take part in the Saturday walkthrough. This is according to a report by NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala on Monday, which cites multiple sources.

Murray makes winning return in Brisbane after hip injury

Former world number one Andy Murray made a successful return to competitive tennis on Tuesday with a 6-3 6-4 victory over local favorite James Duckworth at the Brisbane International tournament. The 31-year-old Murray ended his season early last year after suffering pain in his hip following surgery earlier in 2018 that ruled him out of three of the four Grand Slam events.

Bowl roundup: Oklahoma State drops No. 23 Missouri

Kolby Peel stopped Missouri quarterback Drew Lock on a fourth-and-1 run for no gain at the Oklahoma State 9-yard line with 1:01 left Monday, preserving the Cowboys' 38-33 win over the 23-ranked Tigers in the Liberty Bowl at Memphis, Tenn. It was the fourth win over a ranked team this year for Oklahoma State (7-6), which led 35-19 in the third quarter but needed a dramatic play from a defense that gave up 637 total yards. Peel provided that play, chasing Lock down on a run around right end and making an ankle tackle.

Doping: WADA 'bitterly disappointed' at Russia's failure to meet deadline

The World Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday said that Russian authorities had failed to provide access to laboratory doping data by their year-end deadline and it will consider sanctions against the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA). RUSADA was stripped of its accreditation in 2015 after a WADA-commissioned report found evidence of widespread state-sponsored doping in Russian athletics. But it was conditionally - and controversially - reinstated in September.

(With inputs from agencies.)