Federer dominates to win Masters Cup
Top-ranked Roger Federer won his fourth Masters Cup title in five years Sunday at Shanghai, China, overwhelming No. 6 David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
It was the third consecutive dominating performance by Federer, who won his 53rd career title – including eight this year – and ran his record against Ferrer to 8-0.
“It was a nice victory, especially proving it to myself and the world, that I can do it over and over again,” said Federer, who collected $1.2 million and a new car for the win. “This is the year-end tournament that only the best can make it to. For me to win is a fantastic experience.”
The Spaniard was no match for Federer’s blend of spins, power and volleying skills, managing only 10 winners to 38 unforced errors as he was forced to try to do too much with Federer getting everything back. Federer had 30 winners and 29 unforced errors.
Baseball
United States beats Cuba to win World Cup
The United States won baseball’s World Cup for the first time since 1974, ending Cuba’s streak of nine straight titles with a 6-3 victory at Taipei, Taiwan, as Jayson Nix (Colorado Rockies) and Jason Jaramillo (Philadelphia Phillies) drove in two runs each.
Miscellany
Abdul-Jabbar leads college Hall class
Eighteen years after he retired from the NBA, 38 since he made his last sky hook for UCLA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was still the center of attention at his induction to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City, Mo.
“I’m very honored to be up here with these gentlemen who are tonight’s inductees,” Abdul-Jabbar said prior to the induction ceremony. “It’s a great honor.”
Abdul-Jabbar entered the hall with former players Austin Carr, Dick Groat and Dick Barnett, along with coaches Norm Stewart, Lefty Driesell, Vic Bubas and Guy Lewis. Phog Allen, Henry Iba, Adolph Rupp and John McClendon also were honored as founding fathers.
•Denny Morrison won the 1,000 meters in the Essent ISU World Cup at Calgary, Alberta, finishing in 1 minute, 7.25 seconds.
Canadian teammate Jeremy Wotherspoon was on world-record pace heading into the bell lap at the Olympic Oval, but faded to finish second in 1:07.31.
•At Philadelphia, Kristin Price won the Philadelphia Marathon in 2 hours, 42 minutes, 5 seconds to qualify for the U.S. Olympic women’s marathon trials.
Kenya’s Timothy Psitet took the men’s title in 2:25:01. •At College Park, Md., undefeated North Carolina won its fifth NCAA title in women’s field hockey with a 3-0 victory over Penn State.
•At Berlin, swimmers Thiago Pereira of Brazil and Stefan Nystrand of Sweden broke world records at the short-course Arena World Cup.
Pereira swam the men’s 200-meter medley in 1 minute, 53.14 seconds.
Nystrand finished the men’s 50 freestyle in 20.93 – 0.05 faster than the mark Roland Schoeman set in 2006.
Associated Press