Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Auger-Aliassime pulls out of Next Gen ATP Finals with ankle injury
Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime said on Thursday that he has been forced to withdraw from the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan next month after injuring his ankle and would look to return in time for the Davis Cup Finals. The 19-year-old withdrew from this week's Vienna Open after injuring his left ankle during a practice session on Tuesday.
McGregor announces UFC return on Jan 18 in Las Vegas
Irish mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor plans to return to the UFC octagon in Las Vegas on Jan. 18, he told a media conference in Moscow on Thursday, against an opponent he declined to name. McGregor said he wants three fights in 2020, including rematches with Nate Diaz and Khabib Nurmagomedov, who defeated the Irishman in a lightweight title bout last year, the Irishman's most recent MMA fight.
Home talents vie with Woods for Zozo spotlight
The only thing Japanese fans want to see more than a Tiger Woods victory at the Zozo Championship this week is a win by a home grown talent. Their two favorite sons, Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Ishikawa, were well placed after the first round at Narashino Country Club on Thursday.
NBA roundup: Irving scores 50 in Nets' OT loss to Wolves
Karl-Anthony Towns collected 36 points and 14 rebounds as the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a 50-point performance from Kyrie Irving in a 127-126 overtime victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday in the season opener for both teams. Irving had the ball in his hands on the final possession, but the six-time All-Star lost his footing off the dribble and forced a shot that caromed off the rim as time expired.
NFL notebook: Brady unsure about future status
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady acknowledged publicly for the first time that he is uncertain about his future as he enters the final year of his contract. "One day I'll wake up and feel like that will be enough. When that day comes, that day comes. I don't know if it will be after this year. I don't know if it will be five years from now," the 42-year-old Brady said Wednesday on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show."
Woodland out to beat Woods and force way into Presidents Cup
Gary Woodland can kill two birds with one stone by beating Tiger Woods at the Zozo Championship. A victory not only would add a prestigious title to Woodland's resume but would also almost certainly impress Woods enough to earn a spot on the American's Presidents Cup team.
Spieth and McIlroy wary of using hemp and CBD products
Jordan Spieth thinks hemp oils and creams can help professional golfers with their aches and pains but is concerned that lack of regulation of the products could lead to a player failing a drug test. Spieth and Rory McIlroy, both recent world number one players, are both mindful that hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) products might contain small amounts of THC, the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis and a banned substance on tour.
How Ruud: Kyrgios slams Norwegian over comments on behavior
Nick Kyrgios, who has been placed on probation by the governing body of men's tennis over his behavior, hit out at Norwegian player Casper Ruud on Twitter on Thursday. The Australian was responding to comments made by Ruud in an interview with Swedish tennis website Tennisportalen http://tennisportalen.se/reportage-norske-sensationen-casper-ruud about their match at Rome in May where Kyrgios was disqualified after hurling a chair on to the court.
Top seed Bertens cruises into WTA Elite Trophy semis
Kiki Bertens topped her round robin group in convincing fashion with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Dayana Yastremska to become the first player to qualify for the semi-finals of the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai, China on Thursday. Both players had already beaten Croatia's Donna Vekic earlier this week, which made the final round robin match a virtual quarter-final where the Dutch top seed got the better of the 19-year-old Ukrainian.
Tokyo mulls starting Olympic marathon at 3 a.m. to counter IOC plan to move race to Hokkaido: Kyodo
Tokyo, host of the 2020 Olympic Games, is considering proposing to start the marathon and race walking events as early as 3:00 a.m. to counter an IOC decision to move the races to Sapporo due to worries about heat, Kyodo news agency said on Thursday. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) this month announced a plan to move the marathon and race walking to Sapporo, on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, from originally planned courses in the capital.
