National Sports

ADELAIDE, Australia — Tennis players competing in the Australian Open qualifying tournament finally got some relief Wednesday from the tiny, noxious smoke particles that made many feel like their throats were on fire.

Mandy Marchak is headed to Buckingham Palace. The 35-year-old rugby international from Winnipeg, who now calls Victoria home, is representing Canada at Thursday's draw for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

ALTENBERG, Germany — Brian McKeever overcame slushy conditions to won a gold medal Wednesday at a Para-Nordic World Cup stop. The 40-year-old from Canmore, Alta.

TORONTO — A beer league hockey player who suffered a head injury almost eight years ago should get more than $700,000 from the player who crashed into him, an Ontario court has ruled.

LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights have fired head coach Gerard Gallant. Former San Jose Sharks coach Peter DeBoer will replace Gallant. The move comes after the Knights' 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres last night. More coming. The Associated Press

TORONTO — Canada will host the Dominican Republic in a FIBA AmeriCup basketball qualifying game on Feb. 21 in Oshawa, Ont. The game is the first step in earning a spot in the FIBA AmeriCup, a tournament featuring teams from the Americas zone.

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps have parted ways with former captain Jon Erice. The Spanish midfielder arrived in Vancouver last January from Spanish club Albacete Balompie. He had two assists in 21 starts.

TORONTO — The Toronto Wolfpack unveiled their new uniforms Wednesday ahead of their pre-season debut Sunday. The transatlantic rugby league team, which started play in England's third tier in 2017, visit Castleford Tigers on Sunday.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Second-seeded Denis Shapovalov beat fellow Canadian Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 7-6 (2) on Wednesday in a second-round match at the ASB Classic. Shapovalov, the top-ranked Canadian at a career-high No.

ADELAIDE, Australia — Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime snapped a three-match losing streak with an 6-3, 7-6 (0) win over Australian James Duckworth in the second round of the Adelaide International on Wednesday.