Djokovic joins Nadal in ATP final

They're still in their 20s, yet their rivalry is already one of the most heralded in men's tennis history.Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic has become a classic.The pair met for the first time at tour level seven years ago and, when they go head-to-head in the final of the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals on Monday, it will be for the 39th time.The Spaniard and the Serb have been dominant this season, with Nadal replacing Djokovic for the No. 1 ranking last month on the back of a stunning comeb

More SportsNov. 11, 2013

Barcelona loses Messi but cruises to win at Betis

Barcelona lost Lionel Messi to another leg injury but still had more than enough firepower to win 4-1 at struggling Real Betis and capitalize on a stumble by title rival Atletico Madrid on Sunday.Things looked grim for the defending champions when Messi suffered his third leg injury of the season and asked to be substituted in the 21st minute, as Barcelona came under pressure.But Cesc Fabregas stepped in by scoring two goals and making another in a convincing victory before he was replaced late

SoccerNov. 11, 2013

Lee Seung-hoon sets nat'l record, wins bronze at Speed Skating World Cup

South Korean speed skater Lee Seung-hoon set the national record en route to a third-place finish in the men's 5,000 meters at the Speed Skating World Cup in Canada on Sunday.Lee finished third in 6:07.04, 2.58 seconds behind the champ Sven Kramer of the Netherlands, in the opening leg of the International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup series in Calgary.Another Dutchman, Jorrit Bergsma, took second place in 6:06.93.Lee improved his own South Korean record by a whopping 7.63 seconds. He'd establi

More SportsNov. 11, 2013

16 players declare free agency

The top domestic baseball league said Saturday 16 players have declared free agency this offseason.The Korea Baseball Organization announced that out of 21 players eligible for free agency, all but five have chosen to exercise their rights.Two key members of the Samsung Lions, the three-time reigning KBO champions, are among the free agents. Outfielder Park Han-yi, the 2013 Korean Series MVP, and left-handed pitcher Jang Won-sam, who had a 2.25 ERA in two Korean Series starts, will look to cash

BaseballNov. 10, 2013

Taiwan’s Teresa Lu wins Mizuno Classic

SHIMA, Japan (AP) ― Taiwan’s Teresa Lu won the Mizuno Classic on Sunday, birdieing the last two holes and six of the final eight for an 8-under 64 and a two-stroke victory.The 25-year-old Lu, a regular on the Japan LPGA Tour after giving up her LPGA Tour membership in 2010, finished at 14-under 202 at Kintetsu Kashikojima. She earned $180,000 for her first tour title.South Korea’s Chella Choi, tied with Lu with two holes to play, had a 66 to finish second.Japanese players took the next five spot

GolfNov. 10, 2013

Gay, Baird lead at Sea Island

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Georgia (AP) ― Heavy fog allowed Brian Gay a quick nap, and he no longer felt so sluggish after traveling halfway around the world from Shanghai to Sea Island for the McGladrey Classic on Thursday. Gay had enough energy to make eight birdies on his way to a 7-under 63, giving him a share of the lead with Briny Baird among early starters. The opening round could not be completed because of a fog delay lasting nearly two hours. Once the sun burned off the fog, the Seaside course

GolfNov. 8, 2013

Rival coach resigns in player gender identity scandal

A head coach of a local women's football club has resigned after controversially joining fellow coaches in demanding a star player on a rival squad take a gender verification test.Lee Sung-gyun, bench boss for Suwon FMC in the WK-League, offered to step down late Thursday, after he'd organized a meeting among six coaches in which they raised questions about the gender identity of Park Eun-seon, striker on the seventh WK-League club, Seoul City Hall Amazones.The coaches had agreed to boycott comp

SoccerNov. 8, 2013

FC Seoul eyeing continental trophy in China

The reigning South Korean football champion FC Seoul will be eyeing a prestigious continental trophy in China on the weekend as they take on Guangzhou Evergrande in the second leg of the AFC Champions League final.The match will be held at Tianhe Stadium in Guangzhou on Saturday at 8 p.m. local time, or 9 p.m. in Korea.The two clubs played to a 2-2 draw in the opening leg at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Oct. 26, as FC Seoul's Montenegrin striker Dejan Damjanovic scored a late equalizer for the dra

SoccerNov. 8, 2013

Lewis back to defend title at Mizuno Classic

SHIMA, Japan (AP) ― Stacy Lewis is rested and ready to defend her title at the Mizuno Classic, the LPGA’s last stop on a five-event Asian swing.Lewis, who overcame a seven-stroke deficit to win last year’s tournament, is coming off a three-week break from the tour and has big plans to add to her career titles.“I’m not playing all the Asia tournaments just because I want to be fresh when I am playing and I want to play good and have a chance to win,” said the No. 3-ranked Lewis, who leads the LPG

GolfNov. 7, 2013

K League postpones decision on split system

The nation’s top professional soccer league said Thursday it has postponed a decision on whether to maintain the current competition format for next season.Following its board meeting, the K League, which operates the top division K League Classic, said it will wait until later this month to determine whether the split system will be retained for 2014.Under the system this year, the league’s 14 clubs were “split” into two tiers based on their records after 26 games. They are then to play 12 more

SoccerNov. 7, 2013

Olympic torch blasts into space ahead of Games

A rocket carrying the Olympic flame successfully blasted off Thursday from earth ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Games.NASA Live TV showed the rocket, emblazoned with the pale blue Sochi 2014 logo, launching from the Russian-operated Baikonur cosmodrome on a clear morning in Kazakhstan.The torch will make its way to the International Space Station before being taken into space itself _ for its first spacewalk.Russia's Mikhail Tyurin, NASA's Rick Mastracchio and Koichi Wakata of Japan beamed at th

More SportsNov. 7, 2013

Messi, Higuain and Eto'o shine in Champions League

Lionel Messi returned to form with two goals as Barcelona secured its spot in the knockout stage of the Champions League. Fellow Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain also had a brace for Napoli. And Samuel Eto'o scored for his fourth different team.On a night of standout individual performances Wednesday, Schalke goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand had a game he'll want to forget. His failed clearance led to Eto'o's opening goal in Chelsea's 3-0 win, which put Jose Mourinho's side atop Group E.Barcelona mad

SoccerNov. 7, 2013

Nadal clinches year-end No. 1 at ATP Finals

This time last year, as the world's best tennis players faced each other in London at the season-ending finale, Rafael Nadal couldn't even practice.Trying not to look too far ahead, the Spaniard was at home in Spain, just thinking about his badly injured knee. Nadal didn't know if he would play competitive tennis again. “The thoughts about the future? Just focus on recover, focus on try to find a solution for my knee, and that's it. Working every day, trying to do different things to try to be b

More SportsNov. 7, 2013