Sports Roundup: Osaka wins in Rome; Nike controversy; US defeats NZ; Warriors win

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

No. 1 Osaka pulls off two wins on a busy day in Rome

Top seed and world No. 1 Naomi Osaka won twice Thursday, defeating Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova and Romania's Mihaela Buzarnescu in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome. Osaka won both matches 6-3, 6-3. Bucks, Raptors both looking to improve in Game 2

Friday night in Game 2 after shaking off their rust. The Raptors led most of the way Wednesday in the opener of the best-of-seven series, but the better-rested Bucks won 108-100 by outscoring Toronto 32-17 in the fourth quarter -- 10-0 in the final 3:31.

Blues focus on the task at hand ahead of Game 4

The sting of their Game 3 overtime loss will once again test the mettle of the St. Louis Blues. Fortunately for them, the Blues have overcome enough adversity already this season to have a chance. As the Blues look to rebound from a 5-4 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday when they continue the series Friday in St. Louis, it's with the confidence that they regrouped from being the league's last-place team when they awoke on Jan. 3 to reach the Western Conference finals -- a journey that includes a head coach firing and reliance upon a rookie goalie to turn the corner.

British runner Pavey says Nike froze sponsorship when pregnant

British distance runner Jo Pavey has become the latest female athlete to complain that Nike halted her sponsorship payments when she was pregnant, Sky News reported on Thursday. The five-time Olympian said the athletic apparel company froze her payments when she revealed that she was expecting her first child Jacob, who was born in 2009.

Soccer: U.S. women thrash New Zealand 5-0 in World Cup warmup

Carli Lloyd scored a brace of goals as the United States women thrashed New Zealand 5-0 in a friendly in St Louis on Thursday to extend their winning run to five games ahead of their World Cup title defence in France. The U.S. was on the back foot for much of the first half but hit New Zealand with a two-goal burst before the break and piled on the punishment after.

NFL notebook: Cardinals CB Peterson banned 6 games (PEDs)

Eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals has been suspended for the first six games of 2019 for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy. Details of the violation have not been released, but ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Peterson has dropped his appeal. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the length of the suspension -- compared to the typical four-game punishment for a PED violation -- is because the violation involved a masking agent. NBA notebook: Durant to miss at least one more week

Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant is not yet ready to resume on-court work and will be re-evaluated in a week, the team announced Thursday, shortly before hosting Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. That timeline would put Durant, who is recovering from a right calf strain, out through at least Game 5, which is set -- if necessary -- for Wednesday in Oakland, Calif. Game 6 is tentatively scheduled for May 24 in Portland.

Federer fights off match points to advance in Rome

Third-seeded Roger Federer saved two match points in a third-set tiebreaker against Croatia's Borna Coric to advance to the quarterfinals of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome on Thursday. The top three men's seeds -- Serbian Novak Djokovic, Spaniard Rafael Nadal and Federer of Switzerland -- each swept two matches Thursday after play was backed up because of rain on Wednesday.

Koepka makes flying start with 63 to lead PGA Championship

Defending champion Brooks Koepka made a flying start at the PGA Championship with a dominant display that appeared set to give him a big lead until inspired New Zealander Danny Lee made a late charge in the first round on Thursday. Koepka made the gargantuan, rain-softened Bethpage Black layout look easy with a seven-under 63 that matched the second lowest round in any major championship.

Warriors survive Blazers to take 2-0 series lead

Draymond Green lobbed to Kevon Looney for a go-ahead hoop with 52.9 seconds remaining, then converted a Stephen Curry assist into a layup of his own 40 seconds later, allowing the Golden State Warriors to outlast the Portland Trail Blazers for a 114-111 win Thursday night and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals. The best-of-seven moves to Portland for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday, respectively. Warriors standout Kevin Durant, who missed the first two games with a strained right calf, already has been ruled out of both Portland games and Wednesday's Game 5 back in Oakland, if it's necessary.

(With inputs from agencies.)