Sports News Roundup: Pliskova points to ring rust as Czech exits in third round; Empty stadium better than one filled with silent fans, says Lyles

Pliskova points to ring rust as Czech exits in third round Karolina Pliskova said she never got into her comfort zone on Saturday as the sixth seed exited the Australian Open following a 7-5 7-5 third-round defeat by Czech compatriot Karolina Muchova at Rod Laver Arena.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Pliskova points to ring rust as Czech exits in third round

Karolina Pliskova said she never got into her comfort zone on Saturday as the sixth seed exited the Australian Open following a 7-5 7-5 third-round defeat by Czech compatriot Karolina Muchova at Rod Laver Arena. Pliskova's frustrations boiled over in the first set as she received a code violation for racket abuse and was then handed a point deduction for smashing another racket in the tunnel between sets.

Athletics: Empty stadium better than one filled with silent fans, says Lyles

It would be better to compete in an empty stadium at the Tokyo Olympics than one where spectators would be forced to sit in silence, American 200 meters world champion Noah Lyles said on Friday. Lyles, who will compete indoors for the first time in three years on Saturday running the 60m and 200m at the New Balance Grand Prix in Staten Island, said he will be at the delayed Games in Tokyo this year. Tokyo Olympics chief quits, apologises again over sexist remarks

Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori resigned on Friday and apologised again for sexist remarks that sparked a global outcry, leaving the troubled Olympics searching for a chief five months from the opening ceremony. The resignation of the 83-year-old former prime minister further erodes confidence in organisers' ability to pull off the postponed Summer Games during a coronavirus pandemic. Australian Open day six

Highlights of day six of the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park on Saturday. Times local (GMT +11): 1112 PLAY UNDERWAY AT EMPTY STADIUMS Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act a game-changer, says Tygart

After several doping scandals the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act will offer hope that broadcasters and sponsors will get a drug-free competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) chief Travis Tygart said on Friday. Part of a Hudson Institute panel discussing how the Rodchenkov Act can help clean up doping fraud in international sports, Tygart praised the legislation signed into law on Dec. 4 by then U.S. President Donald Trump as a "game-changer". Tennis: Medvedev wins five-setter to join Russian charge

Daniil Medvedev was forced to dig deep to fight off a charging Filip Krajinovic on Saturday but came through 6-3 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-0 to extend his winning streak to 17 matches and join the Russian charge into the fourth round of the Australian Open. Medvedev, who had lost the only previous encounter between the two players at Indian Wells in 2019, breezed through the first two sets but looked seriously rattled when Krajinovic won the third and went up a break in the fourth.

NFL: Doyle resigns from Jags coaching staff after hiring criticized The Jacksonville Jaguars said on Friday Chris Doyle had resigned as their director of sports performance after the NFL franchise was criticized for hiring the former Iowa strength coach, who left the Hawkeyes amid allegations of racism and bullying. Jacksonville head coach Urban Meyer, hired by the team in January, said on Thursday Doyle would be part of his coaching staff but that decision prompted a backlash from some fans and NFL analysts.

Twins Maurkice and Mike Pouncey retire from NFL Twins Maurkice Pouncey and Mike Pouncey are retiring from the NFL. The announcement was made on Friday by Ramon Foster, a former Pittsburgh Steelers teammate of Maurkice Pouncey.

Play on: Australian Open continues under lockdown The sixth day of the Australian Open is usually one of the best attended of the Grand Slam fortnight but there was an eerie quiet around the Melbourne Park precinct as play got underway on Saturday. A snap five-day lockdown to try to contain an outbreak of COVID-19 came into effect just before midnight on Friday, restricting Victoria's six million residents to their homes and shutting fans out of the tennis.

Tennis: No longer the young American, Pegula keen to make up for lost time Jessica Pegula considered giving up tennis after being sidelined through injury for long spells earlier in her career and the American said she is determined to make every second count at the Australian Open after reaching the fourth round on Saturday. Pegula, who is making her main draw debut at Melbourne Park, advanced with a 6-2 6-1 victory over France's Kristina Mladenovic on Saturday, setting up a meeting with fifth seed Elina Svitolina.

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