Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Serena pulls out of Miami Open following oral surgery
Serena Williams said on Sunday she will not compete at this week's Miami Open as the 23-times Grand Slam champion is recovering from oral surgery. The 39-year-old Florida resident has won the Miami Open a record eight times and joins several other big names in missing the event including Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer.
Golf: Australian late bloomer Jones can contend at Masters - coach
Honda Classic winner Matt Jones had to wait seven years and the arrival of middle age to capture his second PGA Tour title but his coach Gary Barter is confident the Australian's best golf is still ahead of him. Jones's five-stroke win at PGA National in Florida on Sunday booked the 40-year-old a ticket to next month's Masters, the first major of the year.
Spring training roundup: Gerrit Cole leads Yankees past Blue Jays
Gerrit Cole was sharp, striking out eight through five innings, and Luke Voit and Clint Frazier each had a double and a single to pace the New York Yankees to an 8-3 victory over the host Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday at Dunedin, Fla. Thairo Estrada cracked a three-run, third-inning home run and added a stolen base for the Yankees.
Badminton: Lee, Okuhara bag singles titles at All England Open
Malaysian shuttler Lee Zii Jia defeated defending champion Viktor Axelsen to win the men's singles crown at the All England Open on Sunday while Japan's Nozomi Okuhara won the women's title for a second time. Sixth seed Lee took control in the third game to beat the Dane 30-29 20-22 21-9 at the Birmingham event.
Bears sign LB Attaochu to two-year contract
The Chicago Bears announced Sunday that they have signed veteran outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu to a two-year deal. The 28-year-old Attaochu spent the past two seasons with the Denver Broncos. He had 31 tackles and five sacks in 13 games (five starts) last season.
Joey Votto back with Reds after COVID-19 battle
Cincinnati Reds star Joey Votto returned to the team on Sunday after a battle with COVID-19, but it remains unclear when he will be ready to play. Votto, 37, left the team after a positive test on March 10 and has been in self-isolation. The first baseman was cleared by Major League Baseball but will remain on the injured list until he's fit to play.
Japan may grant special entry to some foreign volunteers for Olympics: report
Japan has decided to bar international spectators from the Tokyo Olympics, but is considering granting special entry permission to some 500 foreign volunteers, Japanese media said on Monday. Volunteers are the unsung backbone of any Olympics, and more than 110,000 have put their lives on hold waiting for word from Olympics organisers about their roles this summer.
Surfing: Salvadoran killed by lightning while training for Olympic qualifier
El Salvadoran surfer Katherine Diaz has been killed after being struck by lightning while training for a qualifying tournament for the Tokyo Olympics. The 22-year-old was struck just after entering the water on Friday at El Tunco Beach, about 10 miles (16km) south of capital San Salvador, local media reported.
NBA roundup: Chris Paul collects 10,000th career assist in Suns' win
Chris Paul recorded a triple-double en route to his 10,000th career assist and the Phoenix Suns took advantage of the absence of LeBron James to record a front-running 111-94 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. The win not only pushed the Suns one game ahead of the defending NBA champions in the Pacific Division, but also clinched the three-game season series. Phoenix had won at Los Angeles 114-104 earlier this month.
Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer upset with 'blatant sexism' of NCAA
Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer blasted the NCAA on Saturday, citing "blatant sexism" toward women's basketball players and preferential treatment for men's players in their respective NCAA Tournaments. VanDerVeer, the all-time leader in women's Division I victories with 1,119, called it "disheartening" that COVID-19 testing protocols and weight-training facilities are at a higher level for men as opposed to women.
