Djokovic tops Federer in ATP finals
LONDON — Even when Roger Federer had the lead, Novak Djokovic had the answers.
The top-ranked Serb recovered from early breaks in both sets and beat Federer 7-6 (6), 7-5 Monday in the championship match at the ATP finals.
Federer broke Djokovic’s serve to take a quick 2-0 lead in the first set, and then again to open to the second, but both times the world’s No. 1 player rebounded to get back into the match.
The crowd at the O2 Arena was decidedly in Federer’s favor, but they cheered loudly throughout the match as both made spectacular shots, including a match-ending backhand passing winner from Djokovic.
Sundin, Sakic, Oates,
Bure enter hockey Hall
TORONTO — The Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed four new members.
Mats Sundin, Joe Sakic, Pavel Bure and Adam Oates were inducted in the player category.
The former star NHL forwards were presented with their Hall of Fame member rings at a news conference Monday morning.
A formal induction ceremony was held in the evening.
Buffalo Sabres play-by-play voice Rick Jeanneret and Globe and Mail columnist Roy MacGregor were also honored.
Jeanneret received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster, and MacGregor received the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award for excellence in hockey journalism.
Rose teams with Hanson
to win Skills Challenge
PALM BEACH, Fla. — Justin Rose of Britain and Peter Hanson of Sweden won the Tyco Golf Skills Challenge at the Breakers on Monday.
Rose and Hanson — teammates on this year’s Ryder Cup-winning European team — beat recent U.S. Ryder Cup rivals Dustin Johnson and Keegan Bradley in the Reverse Scramble finale on a breezy day to secure the title.
The Reverse Scramble went to two tee-offs before being decided in a chip-off. Hanson chipped to within 2 feet, 10 inches of the hole, beating out Bradley’s chip that was 3 feet, 6 inches away.
The other teams that took part in the event were Zach Johnson and Kyle Stanley, and Mark O’Meara and Mark Calcavecchia. The six skills were: long drive, mid-iron, bunker shot, chip shot, trouble shot, and short iron.
Hanson and Rose, making their inaugural appearance at this event, only won one of the six skills: the bunker shot. They earned $285,000 in the made-for-TV event that will air on NBC on Dec. 29-30. Johnson and Bradley won $223,000 for taking second place.
Bradley and Johnson won the long drive with Bradley’s 270 yard shot and they also captured n the mid-iron and chip shot competition. The veteran pairing of Calcavecchia and O’Meara won the trouble shot and short iron.
In the Reverse Scramble semifinals, Rose and Hanson beat out O’Meara and Calcavecchia, while Johnson and Bradley moved into the final over Zach Johnson and Kyle Stanley.
O’Meara and Calcavecchia came in third to win $158,000. Johnson and Stanley finished fourth to earn $134,000.
Bynum’s return to practice pushed to December
PHILADELPHIA — Andrew Bynum’s debut with the Philadelphia 76ers may not come until 2013.
Bynum, Philadelphia’s 7-foot center, will miss at least five more weeks because of a bone bruise in his right knee and could be held out until early January.
When Bynum was hurt in mid-September, the team initially hoped its newly-acquired star would be ready for the season opener Oct. 31. Late last month, though, the Sixers said he was out indefinitely.
Philadelphia said Monday that the new goal was for Bynum to resume “normal basketball activity” around Dec. 10. He would then need 1-4 weeks of conditioning and practice before he can play in his first game for the 76ers.
RHP Ervin Santana feeling
like rookie with Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ervin Santana feels like a rookie again, getting a fresh start with the Kansas City Royals.
Good thing, too.
Just about all his new teammates aren’t much older than rookies, anyway.
The 29-year-old right-hander took a physical with his new team, and toured Kauffman Stadium on a brisk Monday afternoon, after a trade earlier this month sent him from the Los Angeles Angels to the Royals for a minor league pitcher and some cash to help cover his contract.
After 2-game snub, Altidore returns to US team
CHICAGO (AP) — Jozy Altidore is getting another chance, and so is Timmy Chandler.
A month after coach Jurgen Klinsmann dropped Altidore from the roster for a pair of critical World Cup qualifiers, the forward was among the 20 players selected for Wednesday’s exhibition at Russia. Altidore is one of the Americans’ top scoring threats, but Klinsmann had been unhappy with his performance over the past year in games and practices.
Altidore, who turned 23 last week, has 12 goals in 15 games this season for AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands and is second in the Dutch league with nine. He also has 13 goals in 51 international appearances.
But he was ineffective in home-and-home World Cup qualifiers against Jamaica in September and has not scored for the U.S. since an exhibition at Slovenia last November. He arrived late at the May-June camp when his club cited FIFA regulations and blocked him from reporting on time.
By wire sources
