Reuters Sports Schedule at 0001 GMT on Thursday
Reuters sports schedule at 0001 GMT on Thursday:
GOLF
Thomas discusses title defence at Waialae
Justin Thomas, who opened with a 59 at the Sony Open in Honolulu last year en route to capturing his fourth PGA Tour victory, discusses his title defense going into this week's event at Waialae Country Club. (GOLF-SONYOPEN/, expect by 0030 GMT/8:30 PM ET, by Frank Pingue, 400 words)
NBA
Streaking Warriors host Clippers
The reigning champion Golden State Warriors try to pad their lead atop the Western Conference when they host the Los Angeles Clippers in search of their sixth consecutive victory while the Washington Wizard host the Utah Jazz in two of the 10 games on the National Basketball Association's schedule. (BASKETBALL-NBA/HIGHLIGHTS, expect by 0430 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by Field Level
NHL
Wild face Blackhawks, Leafs host Sens
The Minnesota Wild visit the Chicago Blackhawks in a clash of Central Division rivals while the Ottawa Senators visit the Toronto Maple Leafs in the two games on the National Hockey League schedule. (ICEHOCKEY-NHL/HIGHLIGHTS, expect by 0430 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by Field Level Media, 300 words)
NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS
Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0100 GMT/8 PM ET, by Field Level Media, 500 words)
WINTER OLYMPICS
We are moving a series of features and previews ahead of the Feb. 9-25 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Yuki Kadono, Ayumu Hirano
Japanese snowboarder Kadono finished eighth in the slopestyle in Sochi. Kadono and Hirano, who won silver in Sochi, are expected to draw on passionate support from fans making the short trip from Japan. (OLYMPICS-2018-SNO/JAPAN (PIX), moving at 1300 GMT/8:AM ET, by Jack Tarrant, 400 words)
Hanyu takes aim at 66-year-old record as fans cheer him on
Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu hopes to be the first man to win back-to-back gold medals in figure skating since 1952 - the year Britain's Queen Elizabeth came to the throne - and thousands of fans are cheering him on. (OLYMPICS-2018-FIGS/HANYU (PIX), moving at 1300 GMT/8: AM ET, by Elaine Lies, 400 words)
Coaching technology
BIRMINGHAM - U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing Head Freestyle coach Mike Jankowski explains how his team and athletes use technology to improve training and ultimately their medal chances, despite a lack of funding. (OLYMPICS-2018-FSKI/COACHING (TV), moving at 1300 GMT/8:AM ET, by Jack Tarrant, 400 words)
Taiwanese luge athlete Lien Te-an trains under scorching sun
TAIPEI CITY - When Lien Te-an sets off on his luge for practice runs, there is no biting cold or cutting sound of blades scraping the ice. There is only a swoosh before he disappears down a steep mountain road into the shimmering heat of eastern Taiwan's Yilan County. (OLYMPICS-2018-LUGE/TAIWAN (PIX) (TV), moving at 1300 GMT/8:AM ET, 400 words)
TENNIS
Nadal, Halep top seeds for year's first grand slam
MELBOURNE - Draw for the first grand slam of the season with Spain's Rafa Nadal for the men and Simona Halep for the women. Men's champion Roger Federer will be seeded second, while women's champion Serena Williams is absent as she recovers her match fitness after having a baby. (TENNIS-AUSOPEN/DRAW, expect by 0900 GMT/4 AM ET, 500 words)
Previews
Serena absence gives chance for a new superstar to emerge
SINGAPORE - Women's tennis starts its 2018 campaign with the usual early focus on the Australian Open and a huge question mark over who can fill the yawning gap left by the absence of Serena Williams. (TENNIS-AUSOPEN/WOMEN (PIX), expect at 0500 GMT/midnight ET, by John O'Brien, 797 words)
End of the grand slam amateur era half a century on
SYDNEY - If this year's Australian Open draw was starting to look a little threadbare after a rash of withdrawals, spare a thought for the organisers of the 1968 Australian Championships - the last grand slam of the amateur era. (TENNIS-AUSOPEN/1968, expect at 0500 GMT/midnight ET, by Nick Mulvenney, words)
Sydney International (to 13)
Radwanska faces giant-killer Giorgi
SYDNEY - Agnieszka Radwanska will take on qualifier Camila Giorgi in the quarter-finals, while former world number one Angelique Kerber will also be in action against Dominika Cibulkova. (TENNIS-SYDNEY/, expect throughout, 300 words)
Kooyong Classic
MELBOURNE - World number five Dominic Thiem, who lost to Novak Djokovic on Wednesday, is looking to shake off the last of his sickness and jet-lag takes on Lucas Pouille in the round robin stage of the exhibition. (TENNIS-KOOYONG/ (PIX), expect throughout, 300 words)
Hobart International (to 13)
Mertens takes on Niculescu in final re-match
Big-hitting Belarussian teen Aryna Sabalenka will look to continue her strong run against fifth seed Lesia Tsurenko while defending champion Elise Mertens will take on Monica Niculescu in a rematch of last year's final. Former champion Heather Watson will also be in action. (TENNIS-HOBART/WOMEN, expect throughout, 300 words)
Auckland Classic (to 13)
Ferrer takes on Chung for place in semis
Four-time winner David Ferrer will take on Hyeon Chung in the quarter-finals, while 2015 champion Jiri Vesely will clash with fifth seed Roberto Bautista Agut. (TENNIS-AUCKLAND/MEN, expect throughout, 300 words)
SQUASH
LONDON - Squash has routinely failed to make itself appealing to the Olympic movement but is having another push with a range of technical innovations. (SQUASH-TECHNICAL/, moving at 0900 GMT/4:AM ET, by Rod Gilmour, 550 words)
MOTOR RACING/RALLYING
Autosport International show
World rally championship preview
BIRMINGHAM, England - The World Rally Championship presents teams and drivers for the 2018 season, ahead of this month's opening Monte Carlo Rally. (MOTOR-RALLY/ (TV), expect by 1400GMT/9 AM ET, By Jack Tarrant)
We will also have stories and interviews from the world of Formula One, with McLaren executive director Zak Brown and Pirelli's Mario Isola among those attending the show. (MOTOR-F1/, by Alan Baldwin, expect by 1400GMT/9 AM ET, 500 words)
RALLYING
Dakar rally, stage six
Peterhansel leads the way after Loeb retires
Stage six goes from Arequipa in Peru to La Paz, Bolivia. French veteran Stephane Peterhansel, chasing a record 14th overall win in the event, has a commanding lead of more than half an hour in his Peugeot. (MOTOR-RALLY-DAKAR/ (PIX, TV), expect by 1800 GMT/1 PM ET, 300 words)
SOCCER
Premier League
Liverpool bid to take down Man City without Coutinho
The form table suggests Liverpool have realistic hopes of disrupting Manchester City's waltz towards the Premier League title when they meet on Sunday, although they must quickly learn how to cope without Philippe Coutinho. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PREVIEW), moving at 0200 GMT/9: PM ET, 500 words)
We look ahead to the weekend's Premier League fixtures.
Spanish King's Cup
Levante v Espanyol (1830)
Sevilla v Cadiz (1830)
Barcelona v Celta Vigo (2030)
MADRID - Barcelona are expected to bring back Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez for their King's Cup last-16 second leg clash with Celta Vigo after resting the duo for the 1-1 draw last week. (SOCCER-SPAIN/CUP, expect by 2230 GMT/5:30 PM ET, by Richard Martin, 300 words) (Asia desk editor: Peter Rutherford)
