Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. 76ers C Joel Embiid to make long-awaited return after surgery Former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid has been cleared to play Friday night in the Philadelphia 76ers' final exhibition game, a home contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 31-year-old center last played Feb. 22 and appeared in only 19 games last season and 39 in 2023-24, primarily due to knee injuries. ATP roundup: Holger Rune rallies to advance to semis in Stockholm Top-seeded Holger Rune overcame an error-filled start Friday to defeat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-4 and advance to the semifinals of the Nordic Open in Stockholm. Rune, of Denmark, is seeking his second Stockholm championship to follow his 2022 title. He hit 83% of his first serves (40 of 48) and rode 12 aces to the win over the Argentine. Rune survived a third-set medical timeout to have his left thigh wrapped. Kings captain Anze Kopitar (foot) out week-to-week Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar is out week-to-week with a foot injury, the team announced Friday. The news rules out Kopitar for Los Angeles' home matchup with the unbeaten Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. Beginning Tuesday, the Kings (1-3-1) play five road games in eight nights against the St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks. Olympics-IOC regrets Indonesian decision to block entry for Israeli gymnasts The International Olympic Committee said on Friday it regretted Indonesia's decision to ban Israeli athletes from competing at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, despite intense efforts by the Olympic body to find a solution. Israel confirmed this week it would not be taking part in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta after its athletes were denied visas, with the Israel Gymnastics Federation calling the decision shocking and heartbreaking. Motor racing-Verstappen takes U.S. Grand Prix sprint pole in Austin Red Bull's Max Verstappen beat McLaren's title contenders Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri with a final flying lap to take pole position for the U.S. Grand Prix sprint race on Friday. The four-times world champion went round the Circuit of the Americas with a best effort of one minute 32.143 seconds after Norris, who set the pace in the first two phases and also the weekend's sole practice session, had put his car on provisional pole. NHL roundup: Nick Schmaltz's hat trick lifts Mammoth past Sharks Nick Schmaltz recorded his second career hat trick and added an assist to lead the Utah Mammoth to a 6-3 win over the San Jose Sharks in Salt Lake City on Friday night. Schmaltz scored twice in the first period, then completed his hat trick 54 seconds into the third period with a one-time shot from in front for a 4-2 lead. Tennis-'History has been made': Monaco chief hails Vacherot's Shanghai win Monaco Tennis Federation president Melanie-Antoinette de Massy hailed Valentin Vacherot's Shanghai Masters victory on Sunday as a historic milestone for the principality, marking the federation's first-ever Masters 1000 singles title. Vacherot completed a fairytale run at the tournament on Sunday, rallying from a set down to defeat his cousin, Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, in the final and secure his first ATP title. Celtics star Jaylen Brown (hamstring) ailing as season approaches Boston Celtics star forward Jaylen Brown is considered day-to-day with a left hamstring injury that he sustained in Wednesday's preseason finale against the Toronto Raptors. Brown didn't participate in live portions of Friday's practice and coach Joe Mazzulla didn't answer a question pertaining to whether Brown will play in next Wednesday's season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers. 2025-26 NBA Power Rankings: Thunder repeat talk more than noise Even before the first bogus "back spasms" show up on an injury report, it's already the Year of Barely-Walking Wounded in the NBA. Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard and Fred VanVleet are missing more than the season-opener next week. They're done for the year. Status of Cardinals' Kyler Murray unclear, Marvin Harrison Jr. to play Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was listed as questionable Friday, while receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is good to go for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon didn't offer much insight during his Friday press conference, but he did indicate that Murray (foot) could remain uncertain for the game throughout the weekend. Murray was limited in practice Friday for the third straight day.

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