Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. No driver, no problem for Ariya at U.S. Women's Open

A year after narrowly averting what arguably would have been the biggest ever collapse in major golf, defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn arrives at this week's U.S. Women's Open seeking to spark her game back to life. Though she has not missed a cut this year, and is a healthy 19th on the LPGA Tour money list, 2019 so far has not quite produced the stuff expected of a player widely considered to have the ability to be the woman to beat for years to come. Andreescu keeps Canadian hopes alive

Bianca Andreescu salvaged Canada's French Open hopes as she came through a tough opening test against Marie Bouzkova on her Roland Garros main draw debut on Tuesday. The 18-year-old, who blasted into the public eye by winning the Indian Wells title in March as a qualifier, won 5-7 6-4 6-4. Ukrainian Ploskina fined and banned for life for match-fixing

Ukrainian Helen Ploskina, ranked 821 in the world in women's singles, has been banned for life and fined $20,000 for match-fixing offences, the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) said in a statement on Tuesday. The 22-year-old's offences took place in October 2016, it added. U.S. Women's Open winner will earn $1 million

Female golfers will play for a $1 million first prize at this week's U.S. Women's Open, a first even if prize money continues to lag well behind the riches on offer in the men's game. The United States Golf Association (USGA) announced the amount at the Country Club of Charleston on Tuesday, revealing a total purse of $5.5 million, up $500,000 from last year. Osaka flirts with early exit as top players struggle at French Open

Naomi Osaka's quest for a third consecutive Grand Slam title almost came to an abrupt end on Tuesday as a number of top players struggled to book their spots in the second round of the French Open. On a windy and chilly day at Roland Garros, world number one Osaka, who won the U.S. and the Australian Opens, lost the opening set to love against Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova before rallying back for a 0-6 7-6(4) 6-1 victory. Minor hiccup as defending champion Halep advances in Paris

Simona Halep dealt with the emotions and pressure of being the defending champion as she overcame a second-set blip to kick off her French Open campaign with a 6-2 3-6 6-1 win over Australian Ajla Tomljanovic on Tuesday. The Romanian third seed played some neat and tidy tennis in the opening set, lost the plot in the second and then wrapped up the victory to set up a second-round meeting with Magda Linette of Poland. Karlovic becomes oldest man to win match at Roland Garros for 46 years

Croatia's Ivo Karlovic became the oldest man to win a match at the French Open for 46 years on Tuesday as he beat Spain's fellow veteran Feliciano Lopez in a first-round duel. Karlovic, who turned 40 in February, won 7-6(4) 7-5 6-7(7) 7-5 in a match featuring players with a combined age of 77 -- the oldest in a Grand Slam in the professional era. Durant's legacy secure even if Warriors win without him say pundits

The Golden State Warriors have not missed a beat since Kevin Durant's injury but suggestions that his legacy will be tarnished if they win this year's NBA championship without him are absurd, television pundits said on Tuesday. Durant was the best player in the post-season when he went down with a calf injury but the two-time defending champion Warriors have played much looser without him over a 6-0 run to reach the NBA Finals, where they face the Toronto Raptors. Healthy Woods will likely break my majors record-Nicklaus

Jack Nicklaus reckons his record of 18 major championships will probably be broken by Tiger Woods as long as the former world number one stays healthy through the later stages of his career. Nicklaus, who is hosting this week's Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village in Ohio, said on Tuesday that Woods, who won his 15th major at last month's Masters, will likely have to manage the aches and pain that affect athletes in their 40s. Azarenka hands former French Open champion Ostapenko another first-round exit

Jelena Ostapenko suffered her second successive first-round loss at the French Open since winning the 2017 title as she was beaten by former world number one Victoria Azarenka on Tuesday. Considering the caliber of her opponent, a 6-4 7-6(4) loss was not as demoralizing as last year's defeat by Ukraine's Kateryna Kozlova.