Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Sharapova accepts underdog tag ahead of Wozniacki clash

Maria Sharapova has blasted her way to the third round at the Australian Open but she has accepted an underdog status ahead of her clash with defending champion Caroline Wozniacki on Friday. Sharapova has struggled for form and fitness since her return from a 15-month doping ban in 2017, while Wozniacki arrives as third seed after clinching her maiden Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park last year.

Heat fine Waiters after profanity-laced complaints

The Miami Heat fined reserve guard Dion Waiters an undisclosed amount Thursday for his profanity-filled complaints about playing time earlier this week. Coming back from left ankle surgery that sidelined him for nearly a year, the 27-year-old Waiters has played in only five of Miami's first 42 games this season.

Olympics: Japan's Olympic Committee head to miss meeting - IOC

Japan's Olympic Committee chief Tsunekazu Takeda, investigated in France for suspected corruption linked to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, will not attend an International Olympic Committee (IOC) marketing meeting this weekend, the IOC said on Thursday. The IOC said Takeda, an IOC member and head of the Olympic body's marketing commission, would not be traveling to Lausanne, Switzerland for a meeting of his own commission.

Gladys Knight to perform anthem at Super Bowl

Legendary singer Gladys Knight will perform the national anthem before Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, the NFL and CBS announced Thursday. "I am proud to use my voice to unite and represent our country in my hometown of Atlanta," the 74-year-old Knight said.

Rallying: Qatari Al-Attiyah wins his third Dakar, Toyota's first

Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah became a three times Dakar Rally winner on Thursday, taking no risks on the last stage to Lima and finishing with a 46-minute lead, while Australian Toby Price took the motorcycle crown. The triumph, in a grueling endurance event now run entirely in Peru and featuring cars, bikes and trucks, was a first for Japanese constructor Toyota.

Take five: Conference championship keys

The bright side of a lackluster divisional round is a star-studded conference championship weekend, bringing us rematches of two of the regular season's best games. We'll start at Arrowhead with the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs, who might have won Round 1 in Foxborough if it had lasted much longer.

Serena juggles business, motherhood before beating Bouchard

Serena Williams was responding to emails about her clothing line and reorganizing her schedule to spend time with her one-year-old daughter shortly before beating Eugenie Bouchard 6-2 6-2 in the Australian Open second round on Thursday. Williams, dubbed the Australian Open favorite by Bouchard shortly after the match, is vying for a record-equaling 24th Grand Slam singles title, and will play 18-year-old Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska in the third round.

NBA chief Silver says takes threats to Kanter seriously

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he supported Turkish player Enes Kanter's decision to skip New York Knicks' game against Washington Wizards in London on Thursday because of fears over his safety. The 26-year-old center has been an outspoken critic of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his human rights record and was indicted by a Turkish court last year on charges of belonging to an armed terrorist group, which he denies.

Rallying: The Dakar, a world of sand and solitude

The Dakar Rally is a race like no other, a two-week long endurance challenge across Peru and some of the harshest terrain and conditions on Earth. This year’s event, finishing in Lima on Thursday, spanned thousands of kilometers with motorcycles, cars and trucks racing across vast deserts and towering dunes, from the Andes to the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

Irving apologized to LeBron for ‘being that young player’

Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving called former teammate LeBron James to apologize for "being that young player" when both were in Cleveland. Irving, fresh off a 27-point, 18-assist performance in Wednesday night's staple victory over the Toronto Raptors, told reporters he delivered his mea culpa to James last Saturday after the Celtics' frustrating loss in Orlando that resulted in Irving airing his displeasure with coach Brad Stevens and teammate Gordon Hayward.