Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Hamilton expects FIA response to shirt protest

Six-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton expects the governing FIA to set out new rules on protest gestures after he wore a T-shirt declaring “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor”. The Mercedes driver, who can equal retired Ferrari great Michael Schumacher’s all-time record 91 wins at this weekend’s Russian Grand Prix, wore the shirt before and after the race at the Mugello circuit in Italy this month. Nadal faces tough path to French final, Wawrinka takes on Murray in round one

Rafael Nadal, who is seeking a record-extending 13th French Open title, was handed a relatively tough path to this year’s final at Roland Garros when the draw was made on Thursday. The Spaniard will take on Bulgaria’s Egor Gerasimov in the first round and faces a potential last-eight clash with U.S. Open runner-up Alexander Zverev, who has never made it past the quarter-finals at the claycourt Grand Slam. Hong Kong Open cancelled due to COVID-19

The Hong Kong Open, scheduled to be held next month, was scrapped on Thursday for a second straight year because organisers decided they could not stage the event amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The women’s tournament was cancelled last year due to pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong which also affected soccer fixtures and a golf tournament. Florida prosecutors drop solicitation charges against owner of NFL’s Patriots

Florida prosecutors on Thursday dropped charges against Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots football team, that he sought to pay for sex at a Jupiter massage spa, court papers showed. The 79-year-old owner of the six-time Super Bowl champions was among dozens of men accused of soliciting prostitution inside Orchids of Asia Spa in February 2019. He has pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor charges and issued a public apology for his actions. MLB roundup: Rays capture first division title since 2010

Randy Arozarena hit a tiebreaking two-run homer with one out in the sixth inning and added another homer in the ninth and the Tampa Bay Rays clinched the American League East Division title with an 8-5 victory over the host New York Mets Wednesday night. The Rays won their third division title and first since 2010. They took over first place in the division for good on Aug. 22 and are closing in on clinching the top seed in the American League playoffs. The Rays celebrated on the field with confetti near their dugout on the third base side. Mahomes, Jackson headline Monday Night Football MVP clash

The stage is set for a clash of the MVP quarterbacks on National Football League’s (NFL) Monday Night Football, as the Kansas City Chiefs head on the road to face the Baltimore Ravens in the Week 3 primetime showdown. The Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and the NFL’s reigning MVP Lamar Jackson of the Ravens represent the league’s fiercest rivalry in the making, as the leading figures in a growing cohort of young quarterback talent. Castroneves takes over McLaren ride for injured Askew

Three-times Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will fill in for Oliver Askew at Arrow McLaren SP in the IndyCar Harvest Grand Prix doubleheader next month after the young American was ruled unfit to race, the team said on Thursday. Askew was involved in an ugly crash during last month’s Indy 500 when his car slammed into the wall at the entry to the pit lane, destroying his car. Dygert out after horror crash, Van der Breggen wins TT gold

American race favourite Chloe Dygert suffered a serious leg injury after a horror crash in the individual time trial at the UCI Road World Championships as Dutchwoman Anna van der Breggen claimed gold on Thursday. The 23-year-old defending champion Dygert was setting a searing pace on the 31.7km circuit at Imola and looked certain for another gold before losing control. Kobe Bryant autograph on last game court piece hits auction block

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant’s autograph, on a hardwood section of the court where he played his last game, is on the auction block online and expected to fetch at least $500,000 next week. The four-panel floor piece, measuring 4 feet by 8 feet (1.2 by 2.4 meters), is emblazoned with a huge “8,” one of two numbers Bryant wore during a sensational 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. It graced one end of the National Basketball Association court for the game on April 13, 2016, balancing a section with his other jersey number “24” at the other end. French Open allowed only 1,000 people a day, prime minister says

The French Open will be able to welcome only 1,000 people a day, including players, staff and organisers, down from the 5,000 spectators it had hoped for, Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday. “We will apply at Roland Garros the same rules as elsewhere. We will go from 5,000 to 1,000,” he said, clarifying that those figures included players, staff and organisers.