Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. W Series links up with Formula One in the Americas

The all-female W Series will be part of the Formula One support program in its second season with new races at the U.S. and Mexican Grands Prix in October, organizers announced on Thursday. The W Series, conceived as a platform to help women gain experience to help them climb up the motorsport ladder and compete with the men, started last year with six races at European circuits. Barty to soak up pressure of hopeful Australia

Bringing the world number one ranking and Grand Slam success to the Australian Open, home hero Ash Barty will carry a heavy burden of expectation to deliver the goods at Melbourne Park. The stocky 23-year-old's rollicking 2019 season has raised hopes she will end the country's 42-year wait for a homebred winner at a Grand Slam where local entrants have rarely graced the second week over the past two decades. NBA roundup: Magic halt Lakers' 9-game win streak

Markelle Fultz amassed 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and the visiting Orlando Magic ended the Los Angeles Lakers' nine-game winning streak with a 119-118 victory on Wednesday night. The triple-double was the second of Fultz's career. The other came on April 11, 2018, for the Philadelphia 76ers against the Milwaukee Bucks. Executive Kennedy insists Red Sox won 2018 title fairly

Whether the Boston Red Sox's 2018 World Series title was won legitimately is up for debate after Alex Cora was involved in sign-stealing scandals in back-to-back seasons with the 2017 champion Houston Astros and Red Sox. The Red Sox held a press conference on Wednesday -- one day after parting ways with Cora -- and team president Sam Kennedy made it clear he doesn't believe the World Series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers is tainted. Clijsters urges Australian Open organizers to tackle smoke risks

Four-times Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters believes it is impossible to ignore air quality issues heading into next week's Australian Open and urged organizers to make player health a top priority. Australia has been battling its worst bushfire season on record, with fires burning for months killing 29 people, and destroying more than 2,500 homes while razing bushland across an area the size of Bulgaria. Rejuvenated Osaka looking to retain Melbourne title

Japan's Naomi Osaka heads to Melbourne looking to defend her Australian Open title following a tumultuous 2019 which saw her reach world number one, change coach twice and become the second-highest paid female athlete on the planet. Osaka’s victory over Petra Kvitova in Melbourne last year earned her a second consecutive Grand Slam title following her success at the 2018 U.S. Open but she quickly found herself struggling to cope with the pressure of being world No. 1. New decade begins with Serena still chasing Court

As the calendar flipped to 2020, Serena Williams was once again being feted, this time as sportswoman of the decade in the United States. She was an obvious choice, having started 2010 with a blast by winning the Australian Open for a fifth time before going on to pile up 11 more grand slam singles titles before the decade was done. With Cahill back in her corner, Halep chases Melbourne glory

Simona Halep hopes having Darren Cahill back in her corner at the Australian Open will help her land a third Grand Slam title but if the Melbourne Park trophy eludes her once again it will not be down to a lack of fitness or preparation. Halep reached the Melbourne title match in 2018 but lost a three-set thriller to Caroline Wozniacki. It was the Romanian's third defeat in three Grand Slam finals. Wozniacki to head into retirement, loved but legacy unsure

Caroline Wozniacki will, fittingly, take her final bow over the next fortnight at Melbourne Park, the scene of her only Grand Slam victory in a career that earned her praise for her tenacity and approachable character but also saw her acquire detractors. The 29-year-old said last month that the Australian Open would be her final tournament, ending a 14-year professional career that delivered 30 singles titles, 71 weeks as the world number one and elevated Danish tennis to the global stage. Dodgers must move on from Astros cheating scandal: Bryant

Basketball great Kobe Bryant on Wednesday said the Los Angeles Dodgers need to turn the page after Major League Baseball confirmed this week that the Houston Astros cheated during the 2017 season when they beat the Dodgers in the World Series. The former Los Angeles Lakers guard, who regularly attends Dodgers games, said nothing good can come of wondering what might have been if the Astros hadn't relied on stealing pitching signs to give their batters an unfair advantage.