Murray ousts Federer, will face Djokovic
Tennis: Two-time defending champion Andy Murray beat Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4 in the Shanghai Masters on Saturday, setting up a rematch of the U.S. Open final against Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic reached his 10th final of the season when he beat fourth-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-4 in the first semi.
Murray broke Federer in the fifth game of the first set. He had a chance for another break in the first game of the second, but the top-ranked Swiss star managed to hold serve before a brief rain delay interrupted the match.
Murray broke again to go up 3-2 in the second, and the U.S. Open champion had to endure one more rain delay before serving out the match.
The players left the court for about 30 minutes at 5-4, while organizers closed the eight-petal magnolia-shaped roof. When play resumed, Murray only needed five points to complete the victory.
Djokovic is looking for his fifth title of the year.
It was Djokovic’s tour- leading 69th victory of the year.
• Chang outlasts Stosur to reach Osaka final: Chang Kai-chen of Taiwan beat top-seeded Sam Stosur of Australia 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3) to advance to the final of the Japan Open in Osaka.
The 134th-ranked Chang broke Stosur twice in the opening set. She eliminated three seeded players on the way to her first career WTA Tour final.
The 21-year-old Chang will face Britain’s Heather Watson today after she defeated local favorite Misaki Doi of Japan 7-6 (2), 7-5 in the other semifinal.
Funk holds Greater Hickory Classic lead
Golf: Fred Funk took a one-stroke lead over Larry Mize in the Greater Hickory Classic in Conover, N.C., shooting his second straight bogey-free 6-under-par 66.
The winner at The Woodlands in Texas in May for his seventh Champions Tour title, Funk has gone 42 holes without a bogey since the 13th hole last Sunday in the final round of the SAS Championship in Cary, N.C.
He also extended his run of bogey-free holes at Rock Barn to 66, beginning with the seventh hole of the second round of last year’s tournament.
Funk had six birdies, but spent most of the day tied with Mize for the lead until draining a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 18.
• Choi protects lead at LPGA Malaysia: Defending champion Na-yeon Choi of South Korea posted a 3-under 68 to maintain a two-shot lead after the rain-interrupted third round of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.
Choi birdied the first hole before rain halted play for more than four hours. She finished with four birdies and a bogey on the 10th hole for a 13-under total of 200.
• Mallinger leads Frys.com Open: Mallinger remained in position for his first PGA Tour victory, shooting a 1-under 70 in the Frys.com Open in San Martin, Calif., to take a two-stroke lead into the final round.
The 33-year-old Mallinger had a 15-under 198 total at CordeValle after opening with a 66 and matching the course record with a 62 on Friday. He has finished second twice in his seven-year career on the tour, losing in a playoff to Bo Van Pelt in Milwaukee in 2009.
Nets win in debut as Brooklyn team
NBA: Brook Lopez scored 19 points and the visiting Brooklyn Nets made their debut with a 108-105 overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Nets had closed the book on New Jersey after spending 35 years in Piscataway, East Rutherford and the team’s last home at the Prudential Center in Newark.
Only these Nets wore black uniforms with white stripes down the sides and “Brooklyn” emblazoned on the front.
Oh, they also had Joe Johnson and Deron Williams in the backcourt. Johnson, acquired from Atlanta in the offseason, scored 13 points in his debut. Williams had 14.
Jacobs wins Ironman world championship
Miscellany: Australia’s Pete Jacobs won the Ironman world championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, beating Germany’s Andreas Raelert by more than 4 minutes.
The 31-year-old Jacobs, second last year, finished the 2.4-mile ocean swim in Kailua Bay, 112-mile bike ride through the Kohala Coast and 26.2-mile run through Kailua Village and out onto Queen Kaahumanu Highway in 8 hours, 18 minutes, 37 seconds.
• Martin wins Beijing race; Cummings takes stage: Tony Martin of Germany successfully defended his Tour of Beijing title while Steven Cummings of Britain beat Ryder Hesjedal in a two-man sprint to claim the fifth and final stage.
In the overall standings, Martin was 40 seconds ahead of Francesco Gavazzi of Astana. Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky was another 6 seconds back.
• Donaire stops Nishioka; Rios rocks Alvarado: Nonito Donaire stopped Toshiaki Nishioka at 1:54 of the ninth round, defending his WBO 122-pound title with a dominant performance in his 29th straight victory in Carson, Calif.
Brandon Rios also stopped Mike Alvarado in the seventh round of a sensational 140-pound bout in the co-main event at a sold-out Home Depot Center. Both fighters were previously unbeaten.
• Senegal-Ivory Coast qualifier suspended after riot: Ivory Coast soccer players and supporters were escorted by police out of Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium after Senegal fans rioted with their team losing the African Cup of Nations qualifying match that was suspended.
The violence erupted after Didier Drogba scored his second goal from the penalty spot for Ivory Coast, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead in the second-leg match and 6-2 aggregate advantage.
Boisterous, La Cloche win Belmont stakes
Horse Racing: Boisterous and La Cloche won $150,000 turf stakes at Belmont Park in New York.
Boisterous scored a repeat win in the Knickerbocker, beating See Tobe by two lengths with Jose Lezcano up for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. La Cloche, seventh at the top of the stretch, rallied to beat Embarr by 1 1/4 lengths in the Athenia for fillies and mares.
• First Acquital wins at Meadowlands: First Acquital took the lead in midstretch and drew off to beat Be My Candy by two lengths in the $30,000 allowance feature at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.
• Lucky Primo wins at Santa Anita: Lucky Primo beat Got Even by a half-length in the $175,000 Lava Man California Cup Classic at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.
Ridden by Tyler Baze, Lucky Primo ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.05 and paid $11.80, $7.80 and $4.60 for his first win on dirt.