Briefs | Federer sounds upbeat after consecutive losses
Tennis
Federer drops to 10-1 against Gonzalez: Not to worry, Roger Federer said. The Swiss superstar’s game is intact even though he has lost consecutive matches for the first time since 2003.
The latest setback was to Fernando Gonzalez of Chile, a 4-6, 7-6 (7-1), 7-5 decision Monday at the Masters Cup in Shanghai, China. Federer, the defending champion, entered the match with a 15-0 record in round-robin play at the eight-player, season-ending tournament. He is 10-1 against Gonzalez.
“Some players or people might think, ‘Now he’s more vulnerable,’ ” Federer said. “I disagree, obviously.”
Federer lost his previous match to David Nalbandian at the Paris Masters.
Golf
Timberlake will become 14th celebrity to host a PGA Tour event: Justin Timberlake is getting his own event.
The musician and actor will host the PGA Tour stop in Las Vegas, which will be renamed the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. It starts Oct. 16 at TPC Summerlin.
Timberlake, 26, becomes the 14th celebrity to host a PGA Tour event, joining notables such as Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.
The five-year agreement begins next year.
Pak is youngest Hall inductee: South Korean Se Ri Pak, 30, became the youngest player inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Fla.
Joining Pak (in via the LPGA points system) in this year’s class are Curtis Strange (PGA Tour ballot), Hubert Green (veterans category), Kel Nagle (veterans), Joe Carr (lifetime achievement) and golf-course architect Charles Blair Macdonald (lifetime achievement).
NHL
Honor humbles Messier: Center Mark Messier entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto with center Ron Francis, defensemen Scott Stevens and Al MacInnis and former executive Jim Gregory.
“When people go through this Hall 75 years from now, our plaques will be up there,” Messier said. “That’s pretty humbling.”
Auto racing
Briscoe to replace Hornish: Ryan Briscoe, 26, replaced Sam Hornish Jr. after the three-time IndyCar Series champion moved to Roger Penske’s NASCAR team.
Soccer
Arsenal leads league: Arsenal won 3-1 at Reading to move into first place in the English Premier League, ahead of Manchester United on goals scored. Arsenal and Man U each has 30 points.
Despite playing one fewer match, the Gunners have outscored Man U 27-23.
Olympics
China profiles reporters: The Chinese government has created profiles on about 28,000 foreign journalists coming to report on next summer’s Beijing Olympics and is gathering information on thousands more to put into a database, a top official said. The official said the database would be a reference for interview subjects, designed to protect them from being tricked or blackmailed by “fake reporters.”
Cycling
Report says Rasmussen shouldn’t have been allowed to compete: Michael Rasmussen, the Danish cyclist kicked out of this year’s Tour de France, should not have been allowed by his Rabobank team to start the race, a report commissioned by the team said.
The report criticized the team for not acting earlier on indications Rasmussen lied about his whereabouts before the race and missed doping tests.
Horse racing
Santa Anita to be closed on Wednesdays: Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., will operate Thursday through Monday during its winter-spring season that begins Dec. 26 in an effort to encourage higher on-track attendance.
Santa Anita has traditionally run Wednesdays through Sundays.
Seattle Times news services