Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Tennis-Alcaraz pulls out of Basel with injury

World number two Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from this month’s Swiss Indoors championships in Basel due to injury, organisers said on Wednesday. Alcaraz’s withdrawal is a blow to his hopes of gaining ground on Novak Djokovic in the ATP rankings, with the top-ranked Serbian next in action at the Paris Masters beginning on Oct. 30.

Basketball-Critics make WNBA title repeat sweeter, says Finals MVP Wilson

WNBA Finals MVP A’ja Wilson said she relished silencing the critics after hoisting the trophy with her Las Vegas Aces team mates for a second straight year following their 70-69 Game 4 win over New York Liberty on Wednesday. The Aces were without two injured starters at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center but found the resolve to become the first team in more than two decades to repeat as champions.

Basketball-Aces overcome Liberty to win second straight WNBA title

The Las Vegas Aces became the first team in more than 20 years to repeat as WNBA champions after holding off the New York Liberty 70-69 in Game 4 of the Finals on Wednesday. A’ja Wilson, named the Most Valuable Player of the Finals, produced 24 points and 16 rebounds to help the Aces recover from a 12-point deficit in Brooklyn.

Soccer-We want what Qatar had, says Saudi vice-minister of World Cup bid

Saudi Arabia’s vice-minister of sport praised Qatar for their hosting of the World Cup last year and said his country wanted to experience it for themselves as they bid to host the tournament in 2034. Saudi Arabia is seeking to host the showpiece after global soccer body FIFA invited bids earlier this month from Asia and Oceania, setting a deadline of Oct. 31.

Motor racing-F1’s US takeover just getting started, says McLaren chief Brown

Formula One’s surging popularity in the U.S. will accelerate further with next month’s Las Vegas Grand Prix and an F1 movie starring Brad Pitt on the way, McLaren boss Zak Brown told Reuters. U.S. interest in the sport has been supercharged in recent years by Netflix’s hit show “Drive to Survive” and the frenzy will shift into high gear when the sport’s top drivers race down the famed Las Vegas Strip the night of Nov. 18.

Cricket-NZ’s Phillips pleased by middle order response to Afghan challenge

New Zealand’s batting display was far from flawless against Afghanistan but Glenn Phillips believes their middle order gave a good account of themselves in Wednesday’s World Cup contest in Chennai. Put into bat, New Zealand were cruising at 109 for one in the 21st over but found themselves under pressure after losing three wickets in nine deliveries.

Tennis-King calls for schedule clarity ahead BJK Cup Finals

Scheduling concerns will keep some of the top women’s players from competing at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November and the tournament’s namesake said on Wednesday that the calendar needs a rethink. The showpiece women’s team event, featuring 12 nations and a prize money purse of $9 million, will take place from Nov. 7-12 in Seville, Spain and begins two days after the conclusion of the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico.

WTA roundup: Marie Bouzkova advances in Nanchang

Third-seeded Marie Bouzkova moved to the quarterfinals of the Jiangxi Open with a 7-5, 6-0 triumph over Russian Amina Anshba on Wednesday in Nanchang, China. Anshba, ranked No. 424 in the world, challenged the Czech in the first set before dropping the decisive game on her own serve. Bouzkova powered through the second set with three service breaks.

Soccer-Hermoso included in Spain squad for first time since kiss scandal

Jenni Hermoso was on Wednesday included in coach Montse Tome’s Spain squad for the first time since the team’s Women’s World Cup victory in August when former Spanish FA (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales kissed her on the lips during the presentation ceremony. Hermoso, who plays for Mexican club Pachuca, is part of the squad for Nations League matches against Switzerland and Italy this month.

ATP roundup: No. 1 seed Holger Rune goes down in Stockholm

Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic saved three of four break points during a dominant second set that lifted him to a 7-6 (3), 6-2 upset of No. 1 Seed Holger Rune of Denmark on Wednesday in the second round of the Nordic Open in Stockholm. Kecmanovic won the last four games of the second set to secure his spot in the quarterfinals. He had lost his past 11 matches against top-10 opponents.

(With inputs from agencies.)