Sports News Roundup: USWNT falls to France in friendly to open 2019; Kvitova hammers Anisimova to reach quarter-finals

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Top seed Halep marches on with clinical win over Venus

Top seed Simona Halep had the odds stacked against her ahead of the Australian Open but the Romanian proved her title credentials with a breezy 6-2 6-3 third round win over multiple Grand Slam winner Venus Willliams on Saturday. The reward for the 27-year-old French Open champion is probably the toughest challenge in the women's draw at Melbourne Park, a fourth round date with the younger Williams sister, Serena.

USWNT falls to France in friendly to open 2019

The start of the FIFA Women's World Cup is 139 days away, but host France made a statement with a 3-1 win over the U.S. National Team in a friendly Saturday in Le Havre, France. The top-ranked Americans and defending World Cup champions were 25-0-3 since July 2017, including 18-0-2 in 2018. Barty reaches Melbourne quarters with win over Sharapova

Ashleigh Barty rallied from a set down to beat former world number one Maria Sharapova 4-6 6-1 6-4 at Melbourne Park on Sunday, becoming the first Australian woman in a decade to reach the quarter-finals at her home Grand Slam. The 22-year-old, roared on by a raucous home crowd that included Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and men's great Rod Laver, converted her fourth match point with an ace to seal the victory in two hours and 22 minutes.

Red Sox 'crystal clear' they want to keep Betts

Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy said he hopes superstar Mookie Betts will never wear another uniform. "He's the exact type of player you want to have on your team," Kennedy said Saturday at the team's Winter Weekend at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. "Not just from what he does on the field, but off the field. He's such a great person and we'd love to have him be a Red Sox for his entire career." Reports: Ravens, Harbaugh finalizing extension

The Baltimore Ravens are finalizing an extension with head coach John Harbaugh, according to multiple reports Saturday, a month after the team announced its plans to retain him and work on a new deal. Harbaugh was set to enter the final year of his contract, but the Ravens announced Dec. 21 that they planned to keep him and begin discussing an extension. Prior to that announcement, many had speculated about Harbaugh's job security, and some had speculated in the weeks since that another team might pursue him via trade.

Mickelson's key putts earn him two stroke lead over Hadwin

Phil Mickelson recaptured the lead with back-to-back birdies midway through the back nine and went on to a grab a two-stroke advantage over Adam Hadwin in the third round of the Desert Classic in southern California on Saturday. Mickelson, bidding for a wire-to-wire victory, had trailed the fast-starting Hadwin until a 35-foot birdie putt at the 13th brought him level with the Canadian. NFL notebook: Ravens, Harbaugh reportedly near extension

The Baltimore Ravens are finalizing an extension with head coach John Harbaugh, according to multiple reports Saturday, a month after the team announced its plans to retain him and work on a new deal. Harbaugh was set to enter the final year of his contract, but the Ravens announced Dec. 21 that they planned to keep him and begin discussing an extension. Prior to that announcement, many had speculated about Harbaugh's job security, and some had speculated in the weeks since that another team might pursue him via trade.

NBA notebook: Pelicans' Davis (finger) out two weeks

New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis sprained his left index finger in Friday's 128-112 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and will miss up to two weeks, the team announced on Saturday. Davis injured the finger swiping at the ball as Portland's Zach Collins held it on the wing. He immediately grabbed at his hand after making contact with Collins' arm. He left with just over a minute to play, having tried to return with his fingers taped together.

Soccer: Ibrahimovic taking it one year at a time with Galaxy

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said on Saturday he plans to take it one season at a time with LA Galaxy, who re-signed the Swedish striker to a one-year deal last month. Ibrahimovic, who joined Galaxy in March after leaving Premier League side Manchester United, enjoyed an impressive debut in North America and was named MLS Newcomer of the Year.

Kvitova hammers Anisimova to reach quarter-finals

Twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova steamrolled American teenager Amanda Anisimova 6-2 6-1 to sail into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open after a year in the Grand Slam wilderness. The eighth-seed dominated Anisimova's serve in the early match at Rod Laver Arena and smacked 18 winners to end the 17-year-old's fairytale run at Melbourne Park after less than an hour.