Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Olympics: Games must connect with gamers to keep Olympics relevant - Bach

The International Olympic Committee has to connect with hundreds of millions of gamers worldwide if the Olympic body is to remain relevant with the younger generation, IOC President Thomas Bach said on Friday. Bach also said games simulating sports could at some point in the future become a part of the Olympic programme. Del Potro to miss Australian Open due to knee problems

Argentine tennis player Juan Martin Del Potro will miss the Australian Open later this month because of persistent problems with his injured knee, tournament organizers said on Friday. "Juan Martin del Potro has withdrawn from #AusOpen 2020 as he continues to recover from a knee injury," a short tweet said. "Wishing you all the best with your recovery @delpotrojuan." MLB notebook: Red Sox, Betts avoid arbitration with record deal

Mookie Betts continues to do big things with the Boston Red Sox as the All-Star outfielder avoided arbitration with the club Friday by agreeing to a record $27 million deal for 2020, according to multiple reports. The previous record to avoid arbitration was the $26 million than Nolan Arenado agreed to with the Colorado Rockies last year before he was locked up to an eight-year, $260 million extension during spring training. World Cup veteran McBride named general manager of USMNT

After playing in three World Cups and nearly 100 games on the international level with the United States Men's National Team, Brian McBride is returning as general manager. McBride's appointment Friday will be effective immediately and the 47-year-old will join the team for its January training camp that was moved from Qatar, site of the 2022 World Cup, to Florida because of rising tension in the Middle East. Nadal recovers from upset loss to help Spain move into ATP Cup semi-final

World number one Rafael Nadal recovered from an upset loss against Belgium's David Goffin to win the deciding doubles match and send Spain into the semi-final of the ATP Cup teams event in Sydney in the early hours of Saturday. Nadal partnered with Pablo Carreno Busta to win the high stakes decider 6-7(7) 7-5 10-7 against doubles specialists Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen after Spain and Belgium split the singles results earlier in the evening. MLB notebook: Red Sox, Betts avoid arbitration with record deal

Mookie Betts continues to do big things with the Boston Red Sox as the All-Star outfielder avoided arbitration with the club Friday by agreeing to a record $27 million deal for 2020, according to multiple reports. The previous record to avoid arbitration was the $26 million than Nolan Arenado agreed to with the Colorado Rockies last year before he was locked up to an eight-year, $260 million extension during spring training. Mixed Martial Arts: UFC's White says he wants to hire woman who fought shoplifter

UFC president Dana White plans to fly a former Best Buy employee who thwarted an alleged shoplifting attempt in Hawaii to an upcoming UFC fight in Las Vegas and may even hire the woman, he said on Twitter on Friday. Security footage that went viral showed Summer Tapasa-Sataraka, 24, battling a man trying to leave the store in Aiea with a speaker, using her forearms to block the exit and wrestling the man to the ground before he left empty handed. Olympics: CAS verdict on Russia ban must come soon and be watertight - IOC

A decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over Russia's four-year ban for doping must come as soon as possible and leave no room for interpretation ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Games, the International Olympic Committee said on Friday. IOC President Thomas Bach said the ruling should be watertight so as to leave no room for other legal challenges that would further delay decisions about how Russian athletes will take part in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Rangers great Richter says sport brings focus to climate change's thin ice

With a 15-year career making clutch saves as the legendary goalie for the New York Rangers, Mike Richter knows the importance of keeping your cool. It stands to reason, then, that the 53-year-old Hall of Famer, who won the Stanley Cup title in 1994, has found a welcome second act in combating climate change. Pegula ends Wozniacki's final Auckland hopes

Jessica Pegula ended Caroline Wozniacki's hopes of clinching her first Auckland Classic title when she fought back from a first set rout to beat the Dane 3-6 6-4 6-0 in their semi-final on Saturday. The 25-year-old American will meet either top seed Serena Williams or teenage compatriot Amanda Anisimova in Sunday's final.