Sports News Roundup: Messi tops wealth league ahead of Ronaldo; Billionaire Steve Cohen agrees to buy the New York Mets and more

Australia lights Olympic cauldron 20 years after Sydney Games Australia ignited the 2000 Sydney Olympic cauldron on Tuesday on the 20th anniversary of the Games' opening ceremony as athletes and organisers looked back in pride at the nation's success in hosting the multi-sport event.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Messi tops wealth league ahead of Ronaldo

Lionel Messi was denied a potentially money-spinning move away from Barcelona this month after a contract-dispute but the Argentine maestro remains the world's richest soccer player. According to a list compiled by Forbes, Messi's total earnings this year are $126 million -- $92 million from his salary and $34 million in endorsements.

Tokyo Games to decide COVID-19 'counter-measures' by end of the year: IOC's Coates

Organizers are plowing ahead with the postponed Tokyo Olympics and will decide by the end of the year what "counter-measures" are required to hold them safely in the time of COVID-19, IOC Vice President John Coates said on Tuesday. Australian Coates heads up the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Coordination Commission for the Tokyo Games, which were delayed until 2021 because of the pandemic.

LPGA Tour's BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea canceled: Yonhap

The LPGA Tour has canceled its event in South Korea, the $2 million BMW Ladies Championship, due to travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday. The event had been scheduled to take place from Oct. 22-25 in Busan. Local favorite Jang Ha-na sealed victory in a playoff in the tournament's inaugural edition in 2019.

Billionaire Steve Cohen agrees to buy the New York Mets

Billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen has signed an agreement with Sterling Partners to buy the New York Mets baseball team, the two sides said in a statement on Monday. "I am excited to have reached an agreement with the Wilpon and Katz families to purchase the New York Mets," Cohen said in the brief statement.

Johnson takes PGA Tour Player of the Year honors

After three tournament wins and a FedExCup title, Dustin Johnson added more hardware to his trophy case on Monday when he was named PGA Tour Player of the Year for a second time. Johnson missed the start of the season while recovering from a knee injury and also had to sit out the COVID-19 shutdown like everyone else. But he then had a blazing end to the campaign with two wins and two runner-up finishes in his last four starts that pushed him back to the top of the world rankings.

Badminton: Thomas and Uber Cup postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19

This year's Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Denmark have been postponed until 2021 after the withdrawal of several teams amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said on Tuesday. South Korea and Indonesia pulled out of the biennial championship on Saturday, joining Australia, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Champions Osaka, Thiem make the most of U.S. Open adversities

Circumstances at this year's U.S. Open were extraordinary due to the COVID-19 pandemic but rather than getting deterred, champion Naomi Osaka and Dominic Thiem overcame them to fulfill their destinies. Debate raged for months after the United States Tennis Association announced in June that the hardcourt Grand Slam would go ahead in New York, which was once the global epicenter of the novel coronavirus pandemic, albeit without any fans in attendance.

Australia lights Olympic cauldron 20 years after Sydney Games

Australia ignited the 2000 Sydney Olympic cauldron on Tuesday on the 20th anniversary of the Games' opening ceremony as athletes and organizers looked back in pride at the nation's success in hosting the multi-sport event. Cathy Freeman, who lit the cauldron at Stadium Australia 20 years ago and won the 400 meters gold, was unable to attend the morning ceremony at Sydney's Olympic Park due to coronavirus restrictions.

Murray, Bouchard, and Pironkova receive French Open wildcard entries

Andy Murray, Eugenie Bouchard, and Tsvetana Pironkova have received wildcard entries to the French Open which begins later this month, tournament organizers announced on Monday. Briton Murray, a former world number one and finalist at Roland Garros in 2016, was also handed a wildcard entry into the U.S. Open last month where he reached the second round in his first Grand Slam after hip surgery last year.

Eric Reid labels league social justice effort 'half-hearted'

Pro Bowl safety Eric Reid, who was among the first players to join quarterback Colin Kaepernick in taking a knee to protest police brutality, on Monday said NFL efforts to address social justice issues were "half-hearted at best." The opening weekend of the NFL season saw players stage pre-game protests from coast-to-coast taking a knee during the playing of the U.S. national anthem once again putting a spotlight on racism and inequality.

(With inputs from agencies.)