Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Spring training roundup: Syndergaard tops Cole in pitchers' duel

Noah Syndergaard threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings Wednesday, surrendering just two hits and striking out five to lead the New York Mets to a 2-1 win over the visiting Houston Astros at Port St. Lucie, Fla. It was billed as pitchers' duel, with Syndergaard taking on Houston ace Gerrit Cole, and the game was scoreless through three innings. Tennis: Blistered Halep beaten by Vondrousova at Indian Wells

World number two Simona Halep was run ragged and ultimately dumped out of the BNP Paribas Open by Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova 6-2 3-6 6-2 in the fourth round at Indian Wells on Tuesday. Halep, who received medical treatment for blisters on her foot during the match, won less than half of her first-service points and hit just six winners to go with 36 unforced errors. NBA roundup: Thunder rally past Nets

Paul George and Russell Westbrook combined for 56 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the visiting Brooklyn Nets 108-96 on Wednesday night. Oklahoma City trailed by as much as 17 early in the second quarter and 10 early in the second half. It was the second time this season the Thunder came from a double-digit deficit in the second half to beat the Nets and the 14th game this season that Oklahoma City won after trailing by at least 10. Motor racing: F1 mourns sudden death of race director Whiting

Formula One race director Charlie Whiting, a popular and key figure in the sport, has died three days before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the governing FIA said in a statement on Thursday. He was 66. The Briton, who started his career working for the Hesketh team in 1977, died in Melbourne of a pulmonary embolism, it said. Tennis: Hurkacz stuns Nishikori to progress at Indian Wells

Pole Hubert Hurkacz fired 10 aces en route to a 4-6 6-4 6-3 upset win over world number seven Kei Nishikori of Japan to reach the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday. The 67th-ranked Hurkacz needed just over two hours to complete the comeback win over the 2014 U.S. Open finalist under sunny skies in the Southern California desert city of Indian Wells. Hurricane of change is blowing through anti-doping: Tygart

A hurricane of change is blowing through the world anti-doping system in the wake of the Russian scandal to the benefit of clean athletes, the United States' top anti-doping official said on Wednesday. Recent involvement by law-and-order forces, including a police raid on the Nordic skiing championship in Austria, was another cause of optimism, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief executive Travis Tygart told Reuters in an interview. Horseracing: Frost riding the risk as she gears up to conquer Cheltenham

British jump jockey Bryony Frost is gearing up for what could be the most exciting week of her career at this week's Cheltenham Festival but the 23-year-old is well aware that she is always potentially one fall away from ending it - or worse. Frost already has a CV littered with injuries, including one horrific experience in July where she fractured multiple bones in her back. Yet like her bone-smashed family before her, she treats such setbacks as a mere occupational hazard. Canada creates investigative unit to protect athletes from predators

Canada's Minister for Science and Sport announced on Wednesday the formation of an investigative unit to combat harassment, abuse and discrimination in sport, among other measures. An investigation by national broadcaster CBC last month found widespread abuse across Canada's amateur sport system. Soccer: 2020 Copa America to be held in Argentina and Colombia

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) has rejected a proposal from the United States and awarded the 2020 Copa America tournament to Argentina and Colombia. CONMEBOL officials meeting in Miami on Wednesday said the joint bid was accepted as a way of "bringing South American football to the fans" and would be subject to a more detailed presentation by both countries. NFL transactions notebook: NT Mebane agrees to deal with Chargers

Nose tackle Brandon Mebane remained with the Los Angeles Chargers after agreeing to a two-year deal on Wednesday, according to the team. Mebane had 40 tackles and one sack in 12 games last season, his third with the franchise. He has 17.5 career sacks in 12 NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks (2007-15) and Chargers.