Nadal, Djokovic will battle for title

LONDON — Defending champion Novak Djokovic set up an enticing final against Rafael Nadal with a clinical 6-3, 6-3 win over Stanislas Wawrinka at the ATP World Tour Finals on Sunday.

Unbeaten in his round robin matches this week, the second-seeded Djokovic extended his winning streak to 21 matches since losing in the U.S. Open to Nadal, who he will meet in Monday’s final.

Nadal ended Roger Federer’s hopes of finishing a disappointing season on a high note in the other semifinal, defeating the six-time champion 7-5, 6-3.

Nadal leads Djokovic 22-16 in their head-to-head record, but the Serbian won their latest encounter last month in Beijing after losing his top ranking to the Spaniard.

Nadal claimed his first win over Federer on an indoor hard court. Nadal, who extended his winning record over Federer to 22-10, has now beaten the Swiss great on every surface. Federer had won their four previous matches at the ATP Finals, dropping only one set.

“The most important thing for me is (that indoor) is the toughest surface for me to play,” Nadal said. “The most difficult for me was to be able to win four matches against top-eight players. It’s a very good way to finish the year.”

Federer’s season was very different. Hampered by a back injury, he won only one title in 2013 and was hoping to secure a big trophy before the year-end break.

He played aggressively early on but faded after losing the first set, making too many mistakes to threaten the Spaniard.

“I struggled to stay consistent enough throughout the match, and that’s why he deserved to win,” Federer said. “This game is a game of making or missing your opportunities. Today was a little bit more of that, again.”

Golf

ANTALAYA, Turkey — France’s Victor Dubuisson won the inaugural Turkish Airlines Open for his first European Tour title, beating Wales’ Jamie Donaldson by two strokes.

Dubuisson closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 24-under 264. Donaldson had a hole-in-one at the 16th in a 63.

Tiger Woods and Justin Rose tied for third, four shots back. Woods, who won’t play again until the World Challenge on Dec. 5 in Thousand Oaks, Calif., shot 67. Rose had a 65.

GOLD COAST, Australia — Masters champion Adam Scott won the storm-delayed Australian PGA in his first home event since winning at Augusta National, beating American Rickie Fowler by four strokes.

Scott finished with a 4-under 67 at Royal Pines for a 14-under 270 total. Fowler shot 68.

Scott and Fowler marked their balls on the 12th fairway after a severe storm warning suspended play with Scott holding a one-shot lead. When Scott returned, his iron shot from the fairway nearly holed out for an albatross and he made the 1-foot eagle putt.

soccer

SANDY, Utah — Robbie Findley scored one goal and set up another as Real Salt Lake downed the Portland Timbers 4-2 in the first leg of the Major League Soccer Western Conference finals on Sunday.

Chris Schuler, Devon Sandoval and Javier Morales also scored for Salt Lake, which will take a two-goal advantage into the second leg of the series on Nov. 24th. Salt Lake scored three goals in a 15- minute stretch starting with Schuler’s strike in the 35th that leveled it at 1-1.

AUTO RACING

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Jimmie Johnson has taken control of the championship battle following a disastrous performance by Matt Kenseth at Phoenix International Raceway.

Johnson widened his lead in the Sprint Cup standings to 28 points over Kenseth heading into next Sunday’s season finale at Homestead by finishing third in a workmanlike performance for the five-time champion.

Kenseth had a horrific race Sunday as his title hopes were derailed by an ill-handing Toyota. He was struggling early, complained to crew chief Jason Ratcliff he didn’t even know what to tell him to fix, and wound up 23rd.

Kevin Harvick won the race for the second year in a row after Carl Edwards ran out of gas headed to the white flag. Harvick sailed by on the last lap for his fourth win of the year.