Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Siegemund, Zvonareva claim U.S. Open women’s doubles title

Germany’s Laura Siegemund and Russian Vera Zvonareva captured the U.S. Open women’s doubles crown with a 6-4 6-4 win over third seeds Nicole Melichar of the United States and China’s Yifan Xu on Friday. The unseeded German-Russian duo, who had never competed together before the U.S. Open, broke their opponents three times and won 79% of their first-serve points during the 80-minute clash on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court. Zverev rallies by Carreno Busta to reach U.S. Open final

German fifth seed Alexander Zverev overcame a listless start to secure a thrilling 3-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 6-3 U.S. Open semi-final win over Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta on Friday to reach his first Grand Slam final. Zverev, with his back against the wall, raised his game just in time to deny the Spanish 20th seed the upset and, in doing so, secured his first career victory from two sets down on his second match point. NFL monitoring air quality, could postpone 49ers, Rams openers

Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury is ready to adjust if the NFL moves the Week 1 game from Santa Clara due to the raging fires and poor air quality in northern California. The NFC champion San Francisco 49ers are scheduled to kick off the 2020 season at Levi’s Stadium. But air quality ratings could trigger postponement or a change of venue. Azarenka and Osaka have unfinished business at U.S. Open final

Victoria Azarenka and Naomi Osaka were set for a title clash two weeks back before the Japanese withdrew due to injury but the former world number ones will have another chance to establish supremacy during Saturday’s U.S. Open women’s singles final. A left hamstring injury forced the 22-year-old Osaka to pull out from the final of the Western & Southern Open, which was played at the Grand Slam venue at Flushing Meadows this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rockets forward House ejected from NBA ‘bubble’ for unauthorized guest

The National Basketball Association (NBA) removed Houston Rockets forward Danuel House from its Orlando, Florida, campus for violating health and safety protocols after he brought a guest inside the so-called “bubble”, the league said on Friday. The league, whose season was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak, resumed play in July in a fully quarantined setting at Walt Disney World. NFL moves forward after booing fans overshadow ‘unity’ message

The absence of spectators at all but one NFL game this weekend due to the COVID-19 outbreak could spare the league further embarrassment after Thursday’s season opener was overshadowed by fans who booed during a moment of silence for social justice. The incident, which followed an offseason during which social justice issues rose to the forefront, occurred as the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and visiting Houston Texans locked arms prior to kickoff. Premier League, NFL and cricket wrestle with BLM response

The English Premier League, the most popular domestic TV product in world sport, kicks off on Saturday having decided to replace the Black Lives Matter logo on players’ shirts with a “No Room for Racism” patch. The move is indicative of the delicate position many sports teams and organisations find themselves in as they seek to show support for victims of injustice and send a strong anti-racism message while fearing a backlash from those opposed to aligning with movements that some say have wider political aims. Colombian Martinez wins stage 13 of the Tour de France

Colombian Dani Martinez won the 13th stage of the Tour de France, a 191.5-km trek from Chatel-Guyon on Friday. Explainer: How the Tokyo Games might look in 2021

Japan’s Olympic Minister insists the rearranged Tokyo2020 Games must be held “at any cost”, while the International Olympic Committee says only that it is committed to delivering a safe event. But with less than a year before the July 23-Aug. 8 Games are due to start, the hugest of question marks remains over whether they can ever take place. Fans barred from Tour de France stage finishes

No spectators will be allowed at any of the finishes of the Tour de France’s stages as the race heads through regions labelled as coronavirus “red zones”, organisers said on Friday. “The system will sensibly be the same as on Paris-Nice,” Yann Le Moenner, the director general of Tour owners Amaury Sport Organisation, told Reuters.