Thursday Sports in Brief

Fri, Feb 12, 2021
By The Associated Press

TENNIS

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - The Australian Open will be allowed to continue but without crowds for at least five days after the Victoria state government imposed a snap lockdown starting Saturday in response to a COVID-19 outbreak at a quarantine hotel.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews on Friday announced a five-day, state-wide lockdown starting a minute before midnight local time, imposing new restrictions that prevent residents from leaving their homes except for work, to shop for essential supplies, care or caregiving, and limited exercise.

Andrews said the Feb. 8-21 Australian Open could continue "because these people are at their workplace."

"It will be happening, but there'll be no one there watching it," he said.

AUTO RACING

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - What should have been a tune-up for the Daytona 500 might have cost Hendrick Motorsports the front row for NASCAR's version of the Super Bowl.

Alex Bowman and William Byron were slated to lead the Daytona 500 field to green but that's in danger following Thursday night's qualifying races. Bowman had an engine problem in the first 150-mile race and, if his motor needs to be changed, he'll forfeit Sunday's pole.

Byron was collected in a crash in the second Duel and it ruined his Chevrolet. He needs to move to a backup car for the 500 and the swap sends him to the back of the field.

Aric Almirola won the first race. After a rain delay pushed the second Duel into a Friday morning finish, Austin Dillon used a cross-over move on Bubba Wallace to beat Wallace to the checkered flag.

Almirola in a Ford is slated to start behind Byron but will slide up to the front row when Byron falls to the back. Dillon in a Chevrolet will wait to see if Hendrick changes Bowman's engine this weekend.

Austin Cindric and Kaz Grala both earned their first berths into the Daytona 500 by claiming the two available transfer positions in the Duels. Ty Dillon, Timmy Hill, Garrett Smithley and Noah Gragson all failed to advance.

GOLF

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) - Patrick Cantlay looked just as good at Pebble Beach as the last round he played 18 days ago.

Jordan Spieth looked as good as his last tournament, too.

Coming off a 61 in the California desert followed by a two-week break, Cantlay opened with seven birdies in eight holes and closed with two straight birdies for a 10-under 62. That tied the course record at Pebble Beach last matched 24 years ago by David Duval, and it gave Cantlay a two-shot lead in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Henrik Norlander and 19-year-old Akshay Bhatia were at 64. Bhatia hit all 18 of the small greens at Pebble Beach, the first player to do that at Pebble since Ryan Palmer in 2008.

Spieth, who tied for fourth last week in the Phoenix Open for his best finish since May 2019 at the PGA Championship, finished with three birdies over his last five holes for a 65.

OLYMPICS

TOKYO (AP) - Yoshiro Mori resigned Friday as the president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee following sexist comments implying women talk too much.

The board was expected to pick his successor later in the day. Mori was appointed in 2014, just months after Tokyo won the bid to host the Olympics.

Mori's departure comes after more than a week of non-stop criticism about his remarks earlier this month. He initially apologized but refused to step away, which was followed by relentless pressure from television pundits, sponsors, and an on-line petition that drew 150,000 signatures.

The Olympics are to open July 23, with 11,000 athletes and 4,400 more in the Paralympics a month later.

HOCKEY

The NHL is adding game-day rapid tests for players, team personnel and on-ice officials as part of a series of expanded safety protocols in its latest bid to stem potential COVID-19 outbreaks.

Rapid tests will be initially made available to the league's 24 U.S.-based teams and provide results within a half-hour to augment daily PCR testing already in place, which is similar to the protocols the NBA introduced this season. PCR tests are considered to be more accurate, but there's a 12-24 hour turnaround on results.

The league says it is working with its seven Canadian-based teams to have a similar rapid-testing system in place based on availability.

Other expanded safety protocols include having all team meetings conducted virtually, removing the plexiglass surrounding the penalty box area, and recommending players not leave their homes except to attend practices, games or for essential activities. The directive also recommends other household members stay at home, and consider using grocery delivery services.

In addition, teams are asked to provide players and staff KN95 facemasks, which are considered more effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19.

The NHL is also launching a player tracking system to assist in contract tracing, and intends to use genomic sequencing on a case by case basis to determine specific strains of the coronavirus when there is a cluster of positive tests.

The added measures were approved by the league and NHL Players' Association's medical advisors, and will remain in place until at least the end of the month.

GLENDALE. Ariz. (AP) - The Arizona Coyotes fired assistant general manager Steve Sullivan. The team said it would not seek a replacement for Sullivan and offered no other details.

PRO BASKETBALL

The Toronto Raptors aren't going back to Toronto this season.

Ongoing challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic and how that affects the process of crossing the border between the U.S. and Canada will keep the Raptors in their adopted Tampa, Florida, home for the remainder of the regular season, the team said.

NEW YORK (AP) - Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young was fined $20,000 by the NBA for directing inappropriate language toward a game official.

The incident occurred Wednesday night after Young was knocked down setting a screen on the final play in the Hawks' 118-117 loss at Dallas.

BASEBALL

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles Dodgers finalized a three-year contract with NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer.

The pitcher was introduced during an on-field news conference at Dodger Stadium.

The 30-year-old right-hander was 5-4 with a 1.73 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 11 starts for Cincinnati during the pandemic-shortened season last year.

A free agent, Bauer announced his decision to sign with his hometown team last Friday in a two-minute video posted to his social media accounts.

NEW YORK (AP) - The major league season is scheduled to start April 1 with the New York Yankees hosting Toronto and Detroit hosting Cleveland, part of an opening-day schedule of 15 games.

Major League Baseball announced its initial 2021 schedule last July 9 and updated it Thursday with game times. The schedule envisions every team playing its first game on the same day for the first time since 1968.

WNBA

NEW YORK (AP) - Amanda Zahui B. is changing coasts after signing with the Los Angeles Sparks. The free agent forward averaged 9.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks for the New York Liberty last season.

While Zahui B. signed with the Sparks, the team lost free agent Riquna Williams to the Las Vegas Aces.

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