Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Doping: No time for WADA 'victory lap', warn anti-doping bodies

National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADO) applauded the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Thursday for getting access to Russian laboratory data but warned that it should not yet be doing a "victory lap". WADA said last week that after much feet dragging by Russian authorities, it had extracted doping data from a discredited Moscow laboratory, a condition of its controversial decision in September to restore the accreditation of Russia's anti-doping agency (RUSADA). 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 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. From the playground to sell-out stadiums, Netball enjoying boom in England

The sight of playground netball matches taking place in schools the length and breadth of the country is as much part of the English sporting fabric as village green cricket and Sunday morning football. Tens of thousands of young girls play it at some stage during their education but until relatively recently it barely registered in the psyche of the nation's sports fans. 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. 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. Alpine skiing: Shiffrin says Federer taught her to savor success

The world's best all-around skier Mikaela Shiffrin says tennis great Roger Federer helped her learn to enjoy her remarkable success by advising her to take time to savor every victory. The American has been in superb form this season, winning 11 World Cup races to bring her career total to 54 as she marches towards an all-but-inevitable third straight overall World Cup title. Ravens announce four-year extension for Harbaugh

The Baltimore Ravens announced a four-year extension with head coach John Harbaugh on Thursday, putting him under contract through 2022. "I'm very excited with this contract, the opportunity to continue our work here, and I'm humbled by it," Harbaugh said Thursday in a statement released by the team. " 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.