Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Djokovic embracing the pressure as he extends winning streak

Novak Djokovic showed a bit more passion than might have been expected in his first-round win over Damir Dzumhur on Monday but the world number one brushed aside any question that he was feeling the pressure as overwhelming U.S. Open favourite. The Serbian lost his way a bit in the second set but rallied for a straightforward victory on Arthur Ashe Stadium that extended his extraordinary winning streak to 24 matches this year. Mum’s the word as Serena, Clijsters, Azarenka take the stage at US Open

A trio of mothers kick off their campaigns at Flushing Meadows on Tuesday with former champions Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters in action on day two along with twice runner-up Victoria Azarenka. Six-times U.S. Open winner Williams resumes her quest for a 24th major title with her first career meeting against compatriot Kristie Ahn, the world number 96, in the second match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Legendary U.S. college basketball coach John Thompson dead at 78: media reports

Former Georgetown coach John Thompson passed away at the age of 78, ESPN and other media outlets reported on Monday. Johnson, also known as “Big John,” was a legendary figure in U.S. college basketball and the first Black head coach to win a major collegiate championship when he led the Georgetown Hoyas to victory in the 1984 NCAA National Championship. Tennis: Players frustrated to be in ‘bubble within a bubble’ after positive COVID-19 test

A number of competitors at the U.S. Open have expressed their frustration after they were moved into a so-called “bubble within a bubble” as they had been in contact with Frenchman Benoit Paire, who tested positive for COVID-19. Tournament organisers quietly removed Paire from the draw on Sunday, with the Frenchman later confirming on social media that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Grand Slam bubble bursts for US teen Gauff

A U.S. Open expected to produce surprises in the unnerving calm of a fanless Flushing Meadows delivered on day one as American teen sensation Coco Gauff was eliminated from the first round of a Grand Slam for the first time. Gauff, whose run to the third round ignited last year’s tournament, bowed out 6-3 5-7 6-4 to Anastasija Sevastova at an empty Louis Armstrong Stadium on Monday. Fight for trophies and equality linked at U.S. Open

The Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home to the U.S. Open for the next fortnight, is hallowed ground both for sport and activism, its centerpiece Arthur Ashe Stadium a monument to grand slam winners and champions of social and racial justice alike. Stadium and arena naming rights can be sold for hundreds of millions of dollars these days but the United States Tennis Association (USTA) instead chose to honor its heroes. Reds manager Bell, others suspended for incident with Cubs

Major League Baseball disciplined three members of the Cincinnati Reds and one from the Chicago Cubs in response to a benches-clearing incident between the teams in the fourth inning of the second game of a doubleheader Saturday night. Reds manager David Bell was given a one-game suspension and fined an undisclosed amount for the actions of his team and for what MLB termed “excessive arguing” in the inning. MLB postpones two Mariners-A’s games after positive COVID-19 test

The first two games of the Oakland Athletics series against the Seattle Mariners have been postponed after a member of the A’s organization tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, Major League Baseball (MLB) said on Monday. The games were scheduled to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday in Seattle and will likely need to be made up with double headers. The final game of the three-game series on Thursday remained on the schedule. US Open without fans an ‘advantage’ against Opelka, says Goffin

Some players at the U.S. Open have bemoaned the lack of fans at locked-down Flushing Meadows but Belgium’s David Goffin says the empty stands were to his advantage against home hope Reilly Opelka on Monday. Seventh seed Goffin beat Opelka 7-6(2) 3-6 6-1 6-4 at Court 17 where a healthy crowd of home fans would normally be right behind the towering American. Osaka allays injury fears in three-set opening win over Doi

Naomi Osaka showed no signs of discomfort from the injury that forced her to miss a final on Saturday but the former champion still had to dig deep to beat fellow Japanese Misaki Doi 6-2 5-7 6-2 to kick off her U.S. Open campaign. A left hamstring injury forced Osaka to withdraw from the Western & Southern Open final against Victoria Azarenka but the fourth seed’s movement did not seem to be affected against Doi on Monday.