Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

New U.S. women's basketball coach not tinkering with winning formula

Newly-appointed U.S. women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley said on Friday she knows better than to mess with a winning formula that has resulted in a run of six consecutive Olympic gold medals. The University of South Carolina women's coach, a three-time Olympic gold medallist player with the U.S. team who was enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, said she will not bring in a new coaching philosophy.

Boxing: Mayweather wants McGregor fight in June

Floyd Mayweather has declared himself "out of retirement" to fight Conor McGregor and demanded the Irish mixed martial arts champion commit to a crossover bout in June. "I'm not ducking or dodging anyone," American Mayweather told British media.

Baseball: Cruz missile lifts Dominican Republic to 7-5 win over U.S.

Nelson Cruz smashed a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift Dominican Republic to a 7-5 victory over the United States in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in Miami on Saturday. Cruz sent the pro-Dominican crowd of more than 37,000 at Marlins Park into a frenzy when he sent a line drive off left-hander Andrew Miller rocketing into the bleachers to give the Dominicans their first lead of the game.

Hadwin on verge of first victory with four shot cushion

Canadian Adam Hadwin has already broken 60 on the PGA Tour, and now he stands on the verge of his first victory after taking a four-stroke third-round lead at the Valspar Championship in Florida on Saturday. Hadwin sank two monster putts on the back nine to vault clear of the field with a bogey-free four-under-par 67 on the Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead course at Palm Harbor.

Kerber quickly takes opening match

Angelique Kerber, who will reclaim the world number one ranking on Monday, breezed to a 6-2 6-1 second-round victory over fellow German Andrea Petkovic at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday. Second-seed Kerber broke Petkovic to open the match and needed only 58 minutes to claim the victory in glaring sunshine in the California desert.

Pospisil sends Murray packing at Indian Wells

World number one Andy Murray was sent packing from the second round of the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday after losing 6-4 7-6(5) to Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil. Pospisil delivered the knockout punch in style, whipping a crosscourt winner on his fourth match point in front of the near capacity crowd at Indian Wells that included former boxing champion Mike Tyson.

Spurs' Aldridge out indefinitely with heart arrhythmia

Key forward LaMarcus Aldridge of the San Antonio Spurs is out indefinitely because of a minor heart arrhythmia, the team announced on Saturday. "All parties have concluded that at the current time it is best for Aldridge to refrain from play until further tests and examinations are completed," the Spurs said in a press release.

NFL denies misuse of painkillers described in court filings

NFL teams violated federal laws governing prescription drugs, according to a Washington Post story based on sealed court documents contained in a federal lawsuit filed by former players against the league and reviewed by the newspaper. The documents showed that the league disregarded guidance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on how to store, track, transport and distribute controlled substances, the Post said.

Five world athletics championships facing bribery probe: source

French prosecutors investigating whether bribery was involved in the award of the 2021 world athletics championships to the U.S. city of Eugene are also looking into several other host city decisions, a source close to the case said on Friday. The inquiry, one of a group of French probes into cash-for-votes allegations surrounding the award of sporting events around the world, is looking at decisions by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to give their blue riband event to Doha (2019), London (2017), Beijing (2015) and Moscow (2013), the source told Reuters.

Pliskova rallies past Puig to avoid Indian Wells upset

Karolina Pliskova roared back from a set down to outlast Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig 1-6 6-4 6-4 as the Czech third seed avoided a major upset at the BNP Paribas Open in California on Friday. Pliskova, after falling behind 3-0 in the third set, fought through a long sixth game to help turn the tide and won six of the last seven games to advance to the third round.