Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Kyrie Irving’s vaccination stance looms large over NBA season

The 75th season of the NBA tips off on Tuesday with fans focused on Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving, whose refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine in defiance of New York City’s mandate led the Nets to announce he would not suit up for the championship contender. The loaded Nets roster includes Kevin Durant and James Harden but the team will be at a disadvantage without sharp-shooting point guard Irving, a seven-time All-Star who won a title with Cleveland in 2016.

Tennis-Badosa outworks Azarenka to win Indian Wells title

Paula Badosa survived a stiff challenge from Victoria Azarenka to produce a gutsy 7-6(5) 2-6 7-6(2) win in an epic Indian Wells championship match on Sunday. Azarenka was two points from winning the tournament for a third time and serving at 5-4 in the decider when her game began to unravel behind a series of uncharacteristic errors.

NFL roundup: Cowboys escape with OT win over Patriots

Dak Prescott found CeeDee Lamb for a 35-yard touchdown pass with 3:52 left in overtime as the Dallas Cowboys held off the host New England Patriots 35-29 on Sunday for their fifth straight win. Prescott finished 36 of 51 for 445 yards, three touchdowns and an interception for Dallas (5-1), which hasn’t lost since a 31-29 setback at Tampa Bay on opening night. Lamb hauled in nine catches for 149 yards and two TDs and Ezekiel Elliot rushed for 69 yards on 17 carries.

WNBA-Sky beat Mercury to claim first championship

The Chicago Sky came from behind to beat the Phoenix Mercury 80-74 and win the best-of-five finals series 3-1 on Sunday, earning the franchise its first championship. The Mercury looked poised to force a Game Five when they took a 14-point lead late in the third quarter but the Sky came roaring back, tying the game at 72 in the fourth quarter on a wide open three pointer by Candace Parker.

Cricket-Afghanistan seek members’ support ahead of crucial ICC meeting

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has requested the support of other full members of the International Cricket Council ahead of next month’s crucial meeting where the game’s future in the South Asian country is likely to be decided. The strife-torn nation’s remarkable rise has been cricket’s biggest fairytale story in recent times but Afghanistan risk isolation following the country’s Taliban takeover in August.

Olympics-Protests or not, Beijing Games are about unity, says IOC’s Samaranch

Next year’s Beijing Games has triggered protests over China’s human rights record but the International Olympic Committee’s point man for the event, Juan Antonio Samaranch, said the multi-sport extravaganza is about bringing young people together. Samaranch, the IOC’s head of the coordination commission for the Beijing Olympics starting on Feb. 4, said the Games were only about unity.

Tennis-Norrie makes light of missing shoes after Indian Wells triumph

Cameron Norrie said playing Sunday’s Indian Wells final in a brand new pair of shoes was not ideal, but the Briton was able to see the funny side of things after getting past Nikoloz Basilashvili 3-6 6-4 6-1. Norrie, who became the first British man to win the Masters 1000 tournament, discovered shortly before the biggest match of his career that three pairs of well-worn shoes he had left on his locker overnight had disappeared.

Golf-Fitzpatrick wins Andalucia Masters for seventh European Tour crown

Matt Fitzpatrick won the Andalucia Masters on Sunday to claim his seventh European Tour title after the Englishman shot an error-free round of 69 on the final day to finish at six-under overall and win by three strokes. Down by three shots at the start of the day, Fitzpatrick made 15 consecutive pars followed by birdies on the 16th and 17th to rise up the leaderboard as others struggled on the Valderrama course where only 14 players finished under par.

Tennis-British breakthrough as Norrie wins Indian Wells title

Cameron Norrie battled back to defeat Nikoloz Basilashvili 3-6 6-4 6-1 in the Indian Wells final on Sunday, becoming the first British man to win the Masters 1000 tournament. It appeared an upset was in the works when the hard-hitting Basilashvili quickly took the first set but Norrie regrouped in the second, breaking the Georgian at love to force a decider.

Tennis-Badosa says nothing is impossible after Indian Wells success

Paula Badosa said she never lost belief in a roller-coaster year as she celebrated capturing the biggest title of her career with a 7-6(5) 2-6 7-6(2) victory over Victoria Azarenka at Indian Wells on Sunday. The 23-year-old has had to overcame injuries and mental health struggles in recent seasons and endured a tough start to 2021 after she became the only Australian Open player to test positive for COVID-19 in the leadup to the Grand Slam.

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