Tsonga tops Nadal to reach semifinals
Tennis: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga qualified for the semifinals in the ATP World Tour Finals at the expense of Rafael Nadal, beating the second-ranked Spaniard 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-3 on Thursday in a decisive round-robin match in London.
Tsonga improved to 2-1 in group play while Nadal fell to 1-2, meaning the sixth-seeded Frenchman will join Roger Federer in the last four from Group B.
Federer beat Mardy Fish 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 earlier to finish the group stage 3-0.
Green, Jones share lead at World Cup
Golf: Australia’s Richard Green and Brendon Jones shot an 11-under 61 in better-ball play to take a two-stroke lead in the World Cup in Haikou, China.
Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, the last two U.S. Open winners, were second along with Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher and Martin Laird.
Americans Gary Woodland and Matt Kuchar were another stroke back along with the Netherlands’ Robert-Jan Derksen and Joost Luiten. The 28 teams will play alternate-shot rounds today and Sunday and another better-ball round Saturday on Mission Hill’s Blackstone Course.
• Bowditch, Joon-woo lead after one round at Australian PGA: Australia’s Steven Bowditch and South Korea’s Choi Joon-woo shot 6-under 66s to share the first-round lead in the Australian PGA in Coolum, Australia.
American Bubba Watson was a stroke back along with Australians Aaron Baddeley, Andre Stolz and Aaron Townsend.
British Open champion Darren Clarke and Rickie Fowler were in a group at 69.
• O’Hara, Kruger top South African Open leaderboard: Scotland’s Steven O’Hara and local favorite Jbe Kruger shot 7-under 65s to top the leaderboard after the first round of the South African Open.
Two-time champion Retief Goosen was a stroke back along with fellow South Africans Tyrone Mordt, David Hewan and Merrick Bremner. Defending champion Ernie Els opened with a 69 at Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate in Johannesburg. He has won the event five times.
No. 4 UConn runs win streak to 16 games
Men’s basketball: Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb each scored 23 points to help No. 4 Connecticut run its winning streak to 16 games with a 73-63 victory over UNC Asheville in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
Napier made four 3-pointers, including a late 4-point play, and also had seven assists and three steals for the defending national champion Huskies (5-0).
Connecticut shot 52 percent (25 of 47) from the field and 40.9 percent (9 of 22) from 3-point range to easily overcome 19 turnovers.
The Huskies will face Central Florida in the second round.
Matt Dickey led Asheville (2-3) with 18 points, and Jeremy Atkinson added 18.
Also at the tournament, Michael Snaer had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Florida State (5-0) took advantage of Massachusetts’ dismal shooting in a 73-53 win.
Luke Loucks added 12 points, and Bernard James had nine points and five blocks for the Seminoles.
Raphiael Putney scored 11 points for Massachusetts (4-1). The Minutemen were 19 of 68 from the field and 2 for 23 from 3-point range.
F1 drivers not worried about safety in Brazil
Auto racing: Formula One drivers are not worried about their safety heading into Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix, despite Jenson Button’s confrontation last year with armed men outside the Interlagos track in South America’s biggest city.
Teams say the attack on Button has not prompted significant changes to increase the safety of their drivers in Brazil this year.
Button, his father and his physiotherapist had left the track after qualifying when a group of armed men attempted to attack their armored Mercedes. They escaped thanks to evasive maneuvers by the car’s driver.
• F1 officials in Texas willing to pay fee: Organizers for the proposed 2012 Formula One race in Austin, Texas say they have agreed to pay the sanctioning fee to secure a spot on next year’s F1 calendar.
Circuit of the Americas spokesman Jeff Hahn said a check for the sanctioning fee was ready but wouldn’t be sent until organizers receive a signed contract from F1. Hahn wouldn’t disclose the amount of the fee.
Last week, F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin would be canceled by the end of this week without a signed contract and proof of financing.
Female football coach loses in championship
High school football: The only female high school football coach in the nation’s capital will have to settle for a winning season instead of a championship season.
Natalie Randolph’s Coolidge High School lost to Dunbar 33-21 in the Turkey Bowl city championship game.
Randolph is believed to be the only female head coach of a high school varsity football team in the country. She is in her second season at the school.
The Colts went 4-7 last year; this year they went 8-3.