Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Australian Open run was no 'fluke', says Collins

Danielle Collins's fairytale run at the Australian Open was crushed by the resurgent Petra Kvitova in the semi-finals on Thursday but the unseeded American said she would take huge confidence into the rest of the season. Florida-born Collins battled hard in the first set on a stifling day at Rod Laver Arena but ended up steamrolled 7-6(2) 6-0 by eighth seed Kvitova. Norwegian politician Helleland launches bid for WADA presidency

Norwegian politician Linda Helleland launched her campaign to become president of the World Anti-Doping Agency on Thursday, unveiling a platform built to restore athlete and public confidence in the body. As a WADA vice-president, Helleland, who has often sided with athletes' groups over current president Craig Reedie, opposed the reinstatement of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) at a heated meeting in the Seychelles in September. UK rescuers end search for missing plane carrying soccer player Sala

Rescuers ended their search on Thursday for the plane carrying Premier League soccer player Emiliano Sala, which disappeared over the English Channel three days ago, after saying there was little chance anyone aboard the plane had survived. Sala, Cardiff City's new signing, and the plane's pilot, David Ibbotson, have been missing since Monday night. Rescuers have scoured about 1,700 square miles but have found no trace of the aircraft or those on board. Osaka digs deep against Pliskova to set up Kvitova final

U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka staved off a fightback from Karolina Pliskova to reach her maiden Australian Open final with a 6-2 4-6 6-4 win on Thursday setting up a title clash with double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova. Osaka burnished her reputation as one of the cleanest hitters of the ball in women's tennis by smacking winners almost at will from both her forehand and backhand under the roof of the Rod Laver Arena which was closed due to extreme heat. Nadal storms into Melbourne final with Tsitsipas blitz

Rafa Nadal ended Stefanos Tsitsipas's trailblazing run at the Australian Open on Thursday, serving up a semi-final masterclass to blitz the 20-year-old Greek 6-2 6-4 6-0 and reach his fifth final at Melbourne Park. Staging a clinic under the lights at Rod Laver Arena, the Spanish second seed tamed the Tsitsipas serve and racked up 28 sparkling winners against the man who knocked out double defending champion Roger Federer in the fourth round. Osaka says sponsor apologized over controversial commercial

Japanese noodle company Nissin has apologized to Naomi Osaka after controversially depicting her in a commercial which has since been removed, the 21-year-old said on Thursday. The commercial depicted Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother is Japanese, with pale skin and light brown hair, which created public outcry. Steelers, Roethlisberger open contract talks

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger could have a new contract before the start of the 2019 league year in March. Owner Art Rooney II confirmed late Wednesday that the Steelers and Roethlisberger are engaged in negotiations. Montana says comparing QBs from different eras 'almost impossible'

A sixth Super Bowl win for Tom Brady would perhaps end any lingering debate about who is the NFL's greatest ever quarterback but Joe Montana, his rival for that title, said comparing players from different eras is too difficult. Hall of Famer Montana, who was in Toronto this week promoting the online sports streaming service DAZN that will carry the Feb. 3 Super Bowl, said there is just no pure way to compare him and Brady given how much the game has changed since he retired in 1995. Late birdie spree fires Fitzpatrick into lead at Dubai Desert Classic

Matthew Fitzpatrick finished with four straight birdies to take a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on Thursday. The Englishman recovered from a bogey on the sixth hole to post seven-under-par 65, his best opening round score since the 2015 British Masters, where he won the title. Kvitova on the brink of crowning brave comeback

Petra Kvitova stands on the verge of completing one of the bravest comebacks in tennis after ending the fairytale run of unseeded American Danielle Collins to reach her first Australian Open final on Thursday. Two years after missing the tournament while recovering from an attack by a knife-wielding home intruder, the eighth seeded Czech booked her first Grand Slam final since her 2014 Wimbledon triumph with a decisive 7-6(2) 6-0 victory at a scorching Melbourne Park.