Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Red-hot Medvedev sets up Coric clash in St Petersburg final
U.S. Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev swatted aside Belarussian qualifier Egor Gerasimov 7-5 7-5 in the St Petersburg Open semi-finals on Saturday to reach his fifth consecutive final on the ATP Tour. The 23-year-old converted three out of five break points to win the 90-minute contest and stay on course for his third title of the season following victories in Sofia and Cincinnati.
Glitches slow Fortnite Champion Series Finals
The Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) Finals got off to a stuttering start Friday. The top trios in Europe began Fortnite action for the day. However, matchmaking problems halted the first heat after two matches. Epic Games rescheduled the rest of Heat 1 for Saturday afternoon. The same issue delayed the Brazil, North America East and North America West regions by one hour on Friday.
New England Patriots release Antonio Brown, who faces rape allegation
NFL star wide receiver Antonio Brown, who has been accused of rape by his former personal trainer, was released on Friday by the New England Patriots, the team said less than two weeks after signing the prolific pass-catcher to a contract. Brown, 31, has denied the sexual assault allegations lodged against him in a civil lawsuit last week.
WTA roundup: Osaka into third Pan Pacific final
Top seed Naomi Osaka won two matches on Saturday to reach the final of the Toray Pan Pacific Open for the third time in Osaka, Japan. Due to bad weather on Friday, Osaka first had to beat Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 6-4 to set up a semifinal showdown with ninth-seeded Belgian Elise Mertens. The Japanese star then cruised in the semifinal, beating Mertens 6-4, 6-1.
MLB roundup: Braves wrap up NL East title
Mike Foltynewicz pitched eight shutout innings, and the Atlanta Braves earned a 6-0 win over the visiting San Francisco Giants to clinch a second straight National League East title. The Braves notched their 19th division championship, tying them with the New York Yankees for the most in the majors since the divisional era started in 1969. The Yankees won their 19th title on Thursday. The victory also ensures the Braves of home-field advantage for the NL Division Series.
Gamble defers dental school to fight for women's hockey
Anissa Gamble is not a household name in ice hockey but is so passionate about forming a sustainable professional women's league that she put dental school on hold in a bid to pave the way for the next generation of girls. The 26-year-old Canadian had no choice but to abandon her childhood dream of making a living as a hockey player but hopes it will one day be an option for other girls and so decided to participate in this weekend's Dream Gap Tour in Toronto.
Women's tour punctuates year of change in pro hockey
A coalition of top women's hockey talent is hosting its first public competition in Toronto on Saturday, months after pledging not to join any professional North American league until an economically viable option emerged. Citing unsustainable salaries and poor resources, over 200 players formed the Professional Women's Hockey Players' Association (PWHPA) in May, aiming to reshape the trajectory of the sport.
Weary Thomas pulls out of time trial at worlds
Geraint Thomas has withdrawn from the individual time trial at UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire after failing to get back to full fitness for the event following the Tour de France. Welshman Thomas, the 2018 Tour winner, had targeted the time trial as a late-season goal after finishing runner-up at this year's Tour to Ineos team mate Egan Bernal.
Federer keeps Team Europe ahead in Laver Cup with win over Kyrgios
Roger Federer maintained his 100% Laver Cup record against Nick Kyrgios on Saturday with a thrilling 6-7(5) 7-5 10-7 victory over the Australian to give Team Europe a 5-3 lead. Playing in front of 17,000 fans in Geneva, home favorite Federer beat Kyrgios for the third time in as many editions of the competition to take Europe closer to the 13-point victory target ahead of the night session that features Rafa Nadal.
Leclerc stuns with pole hat-trick in Singapore
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc put in a dazzling lap under the Singapore spotlights to seize his third pole position in a row on Saturday, with Mercedes' world champion Lewis Hamilton alongside. The 21-year-old Monegasque, who started the last two races in Belgium and Italy from the front and went on to win both, lit up the timing screens with a time of one minute, 36.217 seconds.
