Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NBA-Protesters show support for Irving’s vaccine stance ahead of Nets game

Protesters scaled barricades and pushed toward the doors of the Brooklyn Nets’ home arena on Sunday in support of NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving, who cannot join the team as he has chosen not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Videos that surfaced online showed protesters outside the arena ahead of the Nets’ first home game of the 2021-22 NBA season chanting “Let Kyrie play” while some held “Stand with Kyrie” signs.

Athletics-Ethiopia’s Gidey breaks half marathon world record

Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey smashed the women’s half marathon world record on Sunday, finishing in one hour, two minutes and 52 seconds at the Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso EDP. The 23-year-old Gidey, who is also the world 5,000 metres (14:06.62) and 10,000 metres (29:01.03) record-holder, shaved more than a minute off the previous half marathon mark of 1:04:02 set by Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich this year.

NBA roundup: Bulls off to first 3-0 start since 2016

An overwhelming defensive effort powered the host Chicago Bulls to their first 3-0 start in five years after a 97-82 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. The Bulls held the Pistons to just 15 points in the second quarter, then 11 in the third, to build a commanding lead despite enduring their own shooting woes.

ATP roundup: Jannik Sinner, Aslan Karatsev win titles

No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner of Italy did not lose a set all week, capping his march to the European Open title Sunday with a 6-2, 6-2 victory against No. 2 seed Diego Schwartzman of Argentina in Antwerp, Belgium. Sinner, 20, became the youngest player to win five ATP Tour-level trophies since 19-year-old Novak Djokovic won his fifth title in 2007. Sinner saved both break points he faced, lost only two first-serve points (21 of 23) and broke Schwartzman four times in the 76-minute triumph.

NHL roundup: Blues blast Kings behind David Perron’s hat trick

David Perron scored his sixth career hat trick and added an assist as the St. Louis Blues won their home opener 7-3 over the Los Angeles Kings. Ivan Barbashev, Jake Neighbours, Ryan O’Reilly and James Neal also scored for the Blues, who have started the season 4-0 while outscoring their opponents 22-11. St. Louis has scored five or more goals in three of their four victories.

Soccer-Salah hat-trick as Liverpool put five past United to increase pressure on Solskjaer

Mohamed Salah hit a hat-trick as Liverpool humiliated Manchester United, romping to a stunning 5-0 victory at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday that leaves Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s future in serious doubt. United were 4-0 down at halftime for the first time in the Premier League after 45 minutes of shambolic defending and the sense of chaos was added to when substitute Paul Pogba was sent off on the hour mark after entering play after the break.

Baseball-Astros and Braves ready to renew rivalry in World Series

The Houston Astros, unfazed by a cheating scandal that led to their 2017 World Series championship, will return to baseball’s biggest stage for the third time in five years this week and are slight favourites to beat the Atlanta Braves. The best-of-seven championship will renew a rivalry between the old foes given the teams met in the National League Division Series five times from 1997-2005 over a nine-year span before the Astros moved to the American League.

Motor racing-Verstappen holds off Hamilton to double his F1 lead

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen doubled his lead in the Formula One world championship to 12 points after holding off charging title rival Lewis Hamilton to win the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin on Sunday. Mercedes’ seven-times world champion Hamilton slashed the Dutch driver’s lead with a late attack on fresher tyres but finished 1.333 seconds behind, with a bonus point for fastest lap at the Circuit of the Americas.

Tennis-Raducanu’s search for new coach continues

U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu said on Sunday she is “optimistic” about finding a new coach before the Australian Open starts in January and will be relying on her own instincts at next week’s Transylvania Open in Romania. Raducanu, who stunned the sporting world when she won the Flushing Meadows title in September as a qualifier, announced after the Grand Slam that she would no longer be working with former Davis Cup player Andrew Richardson.

Tennis-Unvaccinated can play at Australian Open after quarantine – report

Unvaccinated athletes will be able to take part in next year’s Australian Open after undergoing 14 days of quarantine, the WTA Tour has told its players, according to an e-mail leaked to U.S. media. The e-mail, obtained by freelance tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg, contradicts a statement made last week by Australia’s immigration minister that players would need to be double vaccinated to get a visa to compete at the Grand Slam.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)