Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
NHL finds no evidence to back sexual abuse claims against Tampa Bay’s Cole
The National Hockey League (NHL) on Saturday said it had found no evidence substantiating allegations of sexual abuse and grooming by Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ian Cole and that it considers the case closed. On Oct. 7, a person going by the name of Emily Smith on Twitter posted that Cole had groomed and had a sexual relationship with her while she was a minor in high school and he was in the NHL.
Tennis-Swiatek rallies past Pegula to reach San Diego final
World number one Iga Swiatek emerged red hot from a rain delay on Saturday to beat American Jessica Pegula 4-6 6-2 6-2 and reach the San Diego Open final. Swiatek awaits either American Danielle Collins or Croatia’s Donna Vekic for the title on Sunday.
Motorcycling-Riders seek more safety at Australian race after wallaby near-miss
MotoGP riders have called for more safety from animals entering the track at Australia’s Phillip Island circuit in a meeting with officials, after Spaniard Aleix Espargaro narrowly avoided a collision with a wallaby during free practice. A video posted on MotoGP’s official Twitter handle on Friday showed the wallaby, which looks like a kangaroo but is smaller, hop across the track as Espargaro approached at speed and the Aprilia rider said after Saturday’s qualifying that the matter was discussed in a safety committee meeting.
NBA-Hall of Famer Mutombo being treated for brain tumor
Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Dikembe Mutombo is having treatment for a brain tumor, the NBA said on Saturday. The former center played 18 seasons in the NBA with six teams, gaining a reputation as one of the league’s greatest shot blockers which earned him the Defensive Player of the Year award four times in his career.
ATP roundup: Andrey Rublev punches ticket to Gijon Open final
Top-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev knocked off Dominic Thiem of Austria 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday in a semifinal match at the Gijon Open in Gijon, Spain. Rublev won 29 of 39 first-serve points (74.4 percent) and tallied three aces to get past Thiem, who was playing on a protected ranking. Rublev cruised through both sets and never trailed during the match.
Rugby-New Zealand trounce Wales to lock up spot in the last eight
Reigning champions and tournament hosts New Zealand overwhelmed Wales 56-12 at the women’s Rugby World Cup on Sunday to lock up the top spot in Pool A and a place in the quarter-finals along with England and Canada. Prolific winger Portia Woodman and 18-year-old centre Sylvia Brunt both crossed twice as the five-time world champions ran in 10 tries in a bonus point win to delight the crowd at the Waitakere Stadium in the suburbs of Auckland.
Motorcycling-Rins triumphs in Australia as Bagnaia takes championship lead
Suzuki’s Alex Rins won a classic Australian MotoGP Grand Prix at Phillip Island on Sunday as Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia roared to the top of the world championship standings with a third-placed finish after defending champion Fabio Quartararo crashed out. Rins took the lead from Bagnaia in the final lap and crossed the finish line ahead of six-times MotoGP champion Marc Marquez who grabbed his 100th podium as premier class motorcycle racing returned to the seaside circuit for the first time since 2019.
Soccer-Man United’s Greenwood charged with attempted rape, assault
British prosecutors said on Saturday that Manchester United soccer player Mason Greenwood had been charged with attempted rape, controlling behaviour and assault. The 21-year-old was arrested in January after social media images and videos were posted by a woman reporting incidents of physical violence.
Rugby-Forward power gets Canada past fast-starting Italy
Hooker Emily Tuttosi scored two tries as Canada secured a spot in the women’s World Cup quarter-finals with a 22-12 victory over Italy in an entertaining Pool B clash at Waitakere Stadium in the Auckland suburbs on Sunday. Winger Paige Farries scored a superb early try to cancel out an even better solo effort from Italy’s Vittoria Minuzzi, and Tuttosi crossed on the back of a rolling maul to give Canada a 12-5 half time lead.
Soccer-Kane punishes Everton again as Spurs keep up impressive start
Harry Kane maintained his incredible strike rate against Everton with a penalty in his 400th Tottenham Hotspur appearance paving the way for a 2-0 Premier league win over Everton on Saturday. Spurs were struggling to break down a resolute Everton team who had the better chances in the first half, but the prolific Kane once again made the difference.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)