REUTERS SPORTS SCHEDULE AT 2 p.m. GMT/9 a.m. ET
Here are the top sports stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 2 p.m. GMT/9 a.m. ET. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect https://www.reutersconnect.com/planning.
TOP STORIES
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/TENNIS-AUSOPEN
Positive COVID-19 tests linked to Australian Open downgraded to eight
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - The number of positive COVID-19 tests linked to the Australian Open has been downgraded to eight after authorities reclassified one of the results as a previous infection, health officials said on Wednesday.
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/OLYMPICS-VACCINE
Israel to vaccinate all athletes for Tokyo Games by May
(Reuters) - Israel intends to have all its athletes due to compete at the Tokyo Olympics vaccinated against COVID-19 by May, its National Olympic Committee said on Wednesday, amid global debate over whether athletes should be given priority access in the rollout.
SOCCER-ENGLAND-TOT-LIV/PREVIEW
Liverpool must be a team nobody wants to play, says Klopp
(Reuters) - Liverpool may have their backs against the wall in the Premier League but the negative coverage of the team will only spur them on to bounce back in the title race, manager Juergen Klopp said on Wednesday.
UPCOMING
SOCCER
SOCCER-ENGLAND-BUR-AVA/REPORT (PIX)
Soccer - England - Premier League - Burnley v Aston Villa.
27 Jan 13:00 ET / 18:00 GMT
SOCCER-ENGLAND-CHE-WLV/REPORT (PIX)
Soccer - England - Premier League - Chelsea v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Chelsea play Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League.
27 Jan 13:00 ET / 18:00 GMT
SOCCER-ENGLAND-BRH-FUL/REPORT (PIX)
Soccer - England - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Fulham.
27 Jan 14:30 ET / 19:30 GMT
SOCCER-ITALY-JUV-SPA/REPORT (PIX)
Soccer - Italy - Coppa Italia - Juventus v SPAL
Juventus host SPAL in the Coppa Italia quarter-final. We will wrap up the earlier game between Atalanta and Lazio.
27 Jan 14:45 ET / 19:45 GMT
SOCCER-SPAIN-RAY-FCB/REPORT (PIX)
Soccer - Spain - Copa del Rey - Rayo Vallecano v Barcelona Barcelona visit Rayo Vallecano, who play in Spain's second division, in the Copa del Rey.
27 Jan 15:00 ET / 20:00 GMT
SOCCER-ENGLAND-EVE-LEI/REPORT (PIX)
Soccer - England - Premier League - Everton v Leicester City
Everton play Leicester City in the Premier League.
27 Jan 15:15 ET / 20:15 GMT
SOCCER-ENGLAND-MUN-SHU/REPORT (PIX)
Soccer - England - Premier League - Manchester United v Sheffield United
Manchester United face Sheffield United in the Premier League.
27 Jan 15:15 ET / 20:15 GMT
SOCCER-LIBERTADORES-PAL-STS/PREVIEW (PIX) (TV)
Soccer - Preview of Copa Libertadores final between Palmeiras and Santos
A preview of the final, with a focus on Patrick de Paula, the Palmeiras midfielder with links to Scottish club Celtic.
28 Jan
SOCCER-SPAIN/PREVIEW
Soccer - Spain - La Liga weekend preview
A preview of the weekend's action in La Liga.
28 Jan 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT
SOCCER-ITALY/PREVIEW
Soccer - Italy - Serie A preview
Preview of the weekend's Serie A matches
28 Jan 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT
BASKETBALL
BASKETBALL-NBA-CHA-IND/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - Charlotte Hornets v Indiana Pacers
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina.
28 Jan 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT
BASKETBALL-NBA-CLE-DET/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - Cleveland Cavaliers v Detroit Pistons
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, Ohio.
28 Jan 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT
BASKETBALL-NBA-ORL-SAC/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - Orlando Magic v Sacramento Kings
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Amway Center, Orlando, Florida.
28 Jan 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT
BASKETBALL-NBA-ATL-BKN/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - Atlanta Hawks v Brooklyn Nets
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia.
28 Jan 19:30 ET / 00:30 GMT
BASKETBALL-NBA-PHI-LAL/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - Philadelphia 76ers v Los Angeles Lakers
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
28 Jan 19:30 ET / 00:30 GMT
BASKETBALL-NBA-TOR-MIL/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - Toronto Raptors v Milwaukee Bucks
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida.
28 Jan 19:30 ET / 00:30 GMT
BASKETBALL-NBA-MIA-DEN/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - Miami Heat v Denver Nuggets
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, Florida.
28 Jan 19:30 ET / 00:30 GMT
BASKETBALL-NBA-SAS-BOS/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - San Antonio Spurs v Boston Celtics
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas.
28 Jan 20:30 ET / 01:30 GMT
BASKETBALL-NBA-NOP-WAS/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - New Orleans Pelicans v Washington Wizards
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.
28 Jan 21:00 ET / 02:00 GMT
BASKETBALL-NBA-UTA-DAL/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - Utah Jazz v Dallas Mavericks
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah.
28 Jan 21:00 ET / 02:00 GMT
BASKETBALL-NBA-PHX-OKC/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - Phoenix Suns v Oklahoma City Thunder
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - PHX Arena, Phoenix, Arizona.
28 Jan 21:00 ET / 02:00 GMT
BASKETBALL-NBA-GSW-MIN/ (PIX)
Basketball - NBA - Golden State Warriors v Minnesota Timberwolves
2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Chase Center, San Francisco, California
28 Jan 22:00 ET / 03:00 GMT
ICEHOCKEY
ICEHOCKEY-NHL-NSH-CHI/ (PIX)
Hockey - NHL - Nashville Predators v Chicago Blackhawks
2020-21 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee.
28 Jan 19:30 ET / 00:30 GMT
ICEHOCKEY-NHL-VAN-OTT/ (PIX)
Hockey - NHL - Vancouver Canucks v Ottawa Senators
2020-21 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia.
28 Jan 20:00 ET / 01:00 GMT
TENNIS
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/TENNIS-AUSOPEN (PIX) (TV)
Tennis players approach end of quarantine in Adelaide ahead of Australian Open
Tennis players approach the end of a mandated 14-day quarantine in Adelaide ahead of the Australian Open, as the coronavirus continues to complicate Tennis Australia's plans for upcoming major play.
28 Jan
OLYMPICS
OLYMPICS-2020/ATHLETES (PIX) (TV)
Olympics-Athletes speak about struggle of preparing for Games amid uncertainty, pandemic
For athletes preparing for the Tokyo 2020 Games, it is hard enough to train during a pandemic but the additional uncertainty over the Olympics has only added to their anxiety.
28 Jan 02:00 ET / 07:00 GMT
OLYMPICS-2020/TOKYO (TV)
Olympics-Tokyo 2020 officials speak to media after video call with IOC's Bach
Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto and President Yoshiro Mori speak to the media after a video call with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach as the Games organisers plan for the rearranged Olympics.
28 Jan 03:30 ET / 08:30 GMT
