Sports News Roundup: Woods accepts special exemption into U.S. Open; Rublev eases past Fritz to reach Madrid Open final and more

Having successfully defended his Indian Wells title in March and reached the Miami Open quarter-finals, Alcaraz injured his right forearm during a practice session in Monaco and he continues to struggle with the problem that has derailed the start of his claycourt season. Athletics-Steeplechaser Coburn to miss US Olympic trials after breaking ankle Emma Coburn will miss the U.S. trials for the Paris Olympics after breaking her ankle at the Shanghai Diamond League meet last week, the Rio steeplechase bronze medallist said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Golf-Woods accepts special exemption into U.S. Open

Tiger Woods has accepted a special exemption into next month's U.S. Open at North Carolina's Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, the USGA said on Thursday. Woods, who counts three U.S. Open titles among his 15 major championships, most recently competed at the Masters in April where he finished last among the 60 players who made the cut at Augusta National Golf Club.

Tennis-Rublev eases past Fritz to reach Madrid Open final

Andrey Rublev reached his first Madrid Open final with a 6-4 6-3 win over American Taylor Fritz on Friday, as the Russian seventh seed continued his return to form at the claycourt tournament. Rublev, the highest seed left in the tournament at the semi-final stage, survived an early wobble to see off the 12th seed, and was all smiles after his straight-sets win, and will now be favourite to claim his second title of the year.

MLB roundup: Mike Yastrzemski homers as Giants beat Red Sox

Mike Yastrzemski hit a solo home run and the visiting San Francisco Giants avoided a series sweep by beating the Boston Red Sox 3-1 on Thursday in the final game of a three-game set. Yastrzemski's home run was his third of the season and came hours after he was visited in the clubhouse by his grandfather and Red Sox legend, Carl Yastrzemski. It was Mike Yastrzemski's second career home run in six games at Fenway Park after his grandfather hit 237 of his 452 home runs at Fenway.

Olympics-IOC hints at lack of solidarity in athletics prize money decision

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has suggested that instead of offering prize money for Olympic gold medallists in Paris, World Athletics should focus its funding on supporting athletes at the other end of the spectrum.

Athletics broke with a 128-year tradition in April by announcing it would become the first sport to offer $50,000 in prize money for its Olympic champions, starting in Paris this year.

Motor racing-Future is with Red Bull says Verstappen, but never say never

Formula One triple world champion Max Verstappen said on Thursday Red Bull was his home but then closed his meeting with the media at the Miami Grand Prix by teasing that you never know what life holds. With Red Bull's top rated designer Adrian Newey having announced earlier this week he was leaving, Verstappen seemed to put an end to mounting speculation he too was listening to offers, declaring his future was with the energy drink outfit.

Tennis-Alcaraz withdraws from Italian Open due to injury

World number three Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out of the Italian Open as he continues to recover from an arm injury, the twice Grand Slam champion said on Friday. Having successfully defended his Indian Wells title in March and reached the Miami Open quarter-finals, Alcaraz injured his right forearm during a practice session in Monaco and he continues to struggle with the problem that has derailed the start of his claycourt season.

Athletics-Steeplechaser Coburn to miss US Olympic trials after breaking ankle

Emma Coburn will miss the U.S. trials for the Paris Olympics after breaking her ankle at the Shanghai Diamond League meet last week, the Rio steeplechase bronze medallist said on Thursday. The three-time Olympian initially thought she had just sprained her ankle on the water jump during the race on April 27, but said images showed the injury was far more severe as she had suffered torn ligaments, damaged cartilage and a fracture.

Biden to honor Olympian Katie Ledecky, actor Michelle Yeoh with Medal of Freedom

A winner of seven Olympic gold medals, a leader of the Mississippi civil rights struggle and a pioneer of television's tabloid talk show genre are part of this year's class of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients. U.S. President Joe Biden will extend the highest U.S. civilian award to 19 people, including Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky, the assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Evers and television host Phil Donahue.

Tennis-Medvedev joins growing injury list ahead of French Open

World number four Daniil Medvedev faces an anxious wait to know the full extent of an injury that forced him out of the Madrid quarter-finals on Thursday, as the Russian joined a group of top players struggling with fitness issues before the French Open. The 28-year-old had treatment on the upper part of his right leg while leading Czech Jiri Lehecka 3-2 in the first set and again two games later. He went on to lose the set 6-4 before telling the umpire he could not continue.

Olympics-British Triathlon confident France will deliver safe Seine for Games

British Triathlon has a been-there, done-that attitude when it comes to water quality issues in the leadup to big competitions and trusts French authorities to deliver a safe Olympics amid concerns about pollution levels in the River Seine. The triathlon and open-water swimming competitions at the Paris Olympics take place in the Seine and Games organisers have come under fire for refusing to organise a plan B if heavy rain makes the river, which relies on a newly built storage basin to help reduce the risks of pollution, unsuitable for swimming.

(With inputs from agencies.)