Update on the latest sports
TENNIS-AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Australian Open quarterfinals underway
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Play is underway as the quarterfinals resume at the Australian Open, with the first match pitting top-seeded Ash Barty against No. 25 Karolina Muchova.
They’ll be followed by an all-American matchup between Jennifer Brady and unseeded Jessica Pegula.
Then come the last two men’s quarterfinals. Andrey Rublev faces fellow Russian Daniil Medvedev, and in the night session, Rafael Nadal plays Stefanos Tsitsipas. Nadal is trying to reach a Grand Slam semifinal for the 35th time.
NBA-NEWS
More Spurs games canceled amid outbreak
UNDATED (AP) — The NBA says the San Antonio Spurs are dealing with a coronavirus outbreak among four players, putting their schedule on hold until the middle of next week at the earliest.
The league has postponed five more games: the next three for the Spurs as well as the next two for the Charlotte Hornets while contact tracing is completed.
In NBA news:
— Wednesday’s NBA game between the Mavericks and Pistons has been postponed as the state of Texas deals with with icy conditions for travel and widespread power outages.
— Knicks center Mitchell Robinson will be out until after next month’s All-Star break after having surgery Tuesday to repair a broken right hand. Robinson was hurt last Friday in Washington when he banged his hand trying to block a shot. Robinson shot an NBA-record 74.2% from the field last season and was leading the league at 66% when he was hurt.
— Timberwolves point guard D’Angelo Russell will undergo arthroscopic surgery Wednesday on his left knee and be sidelined for four to six weeks. Russell missed the last three games due to soreness in his left leg and was diagnosed with a loose body in his knee. He is averaging 19.3 points and 5.1 assists this season on 42.6% shooting.
— The mayor of Atlanta is raising concerns about the notion of fans coming to the city for the NBA All-Star Game and skills competitions on March 7. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says, “People should not travel to Atlanta to party.”
— The Bucks will start having a limited number of spectators at their home games beginning tonight against the Raptors. They’ll have 250 spectators Tuesday, 500 for Thursday’s game with Toronto and 750 for Friday’s game with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Members of the general public will be allowed to attend games starting Sunday when the Bucks face the Kings.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Baylor to resume slate next Tuesday
UNDATED (AP) — Second-ranked Baylor is set to resume its schedule next Tuesday following a six-game hiatus that started because of COVID-19 protocols.
The Bears are scheduled to play Iowa State at home after the Big 12 announced the postponement of Saturday’s home game against Oklahoma State. The conference didn’t specify whether the Oklahoma State postponement was over COVID-19 issues or the wintry weather affecting Texas.
Baylor hasn’t played since matching the best start in school history at 17-0 with an 83-69 win over No. 12 Texas on Feb. 2.
In other COVID-related men’s basketball news:
— The Boston College-Georgia Tech game scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed. The Atlantic Coast Conference said the postponement was due to the continued quarantines and contact tracing within the Boston College program.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-NHL
More Flyers practice
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers returned to practice in limited quantities after a weeklong shutdown because of the virus.
The Flyers had 16 players on the ice for practice. General manager Chuck Fletcher expects eight more to be cleared for practice Wednesday.
Philadelphia has seven players on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list.
MLB-PHILLIES-HERRERA
Herrera gets an invite to spring training
UNDATED (AP) — Former All-Star center fielder Odubel (oh-DOO’-bul) Herrera was among 31 non-roster players the Philadelphia Phillies have invited to spring training.
Herrera, hasn’t played for the Phillies since 2019 when he was suspended under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. The charges against Herrera were dismissed but he was removed from the team’s 40-man roster last year and wasn’t part of the 60-player pool for the shortened season.
Catcher Jeff Mathis signed a minor league deal with the Phils on Tuesday and will join the major league camp. Mathis batted .161 in 24 games for Texas last season.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— The Athletics finalized their one-year, $3.5 million package with Mike Fiers (FY’-urz) after he passed his physical. Fiers earned a team-high six wins for Oakland last season after going 15-4 with a no-hitter and a 21-start unbeaten stretch in 2019.
— The Braves beat Dansby Swanson in salary arbitration, and the shortstop will earn $6 million rather than his request for $6.7 million. The 27-year-old Swanson hit .274 with 10 homers and 35 RBIs last season in an NL-high 237 at-bats.
— The Red Sox have signed Japanese right-hander Hirokazu Sawamura to a two-year contract. Sawamura joins the Red Sox after a 10-year stint in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league. He went 48-52 with 75 saves, four shutouts, a 2.77 ERA and 790 strikeouts in 352 appearances, including 88 starts.
— The Mets have sent right-hander Corey Oswalt to the minors and released reliever Brad Brach (brahk). Oswalt cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Triple-A Syracuse. Brach was designated for assignment last week and is guaranteed a salary of just over $2 million this year.
— The Indians have signed veteran reliever Blake Parker to a minor league contract with an invitation to training camp. The 35-year-old Parker spent the past two seasons with the Phillies and was 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA in 14 games for Philly last year.
— Bullpen coach Matt Wise will serve as the Los Angeles Angels’ interim pitching coach. He replaces Mickey Callaway, who is being investigated by Major League Baseball over allegations of inappropriate behavior toward several women who work in sports media.
NFL-DOLPHINS-SANDERS
Dolphins kicker signs extension
UNDATED (AP) — Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders has signed a $22 million contract extension through 2026. The deal includes $10 million guaranteed.
Sanders is the Dolphins’ leader in career field goal percentage. He was chosen All-Pro after tying the franchise’s single-season points record with 144 in 2020.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
— A person familiar with the situation says the Panthers are releasing two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kawann Short. Short has played in just five games over the last two seasons due to separate shoulder injuries that twice landed him on injured reserve.
NFL-CHIEFS-BRITT REID
Girl hurt in crash involving Chiefs coach Britt Reid awake
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The family of a 5-year-old girl left in a coma following a crash involving Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid says the girl is now awake. The news was delivered Monday in a post on the GoFundMe page for Ariel Young. The girl has been hospitalized since the Feb. 4 crash.
Reid is head coach Andy Reid’s son. Britt Reid was initially placed on administrative leave following the multi-vehicle crash. He’s no longer employed by the team.
