Svitolina upsets Stephens for title

SINGAPORE: Elina Svitolina stretched every sinew in a brilliant display of defensive tennis to register the biggest win of her career when she rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Sloane Stephens in an enthralling WTA Finals title decider on Sunday.

Ukrainian Svitolina had arrived here out of form, but the baseliner gathered momentum as the tournament progressed, winning all three pool matches and semi-final before the final.

RICCIARDO TAKES POLE

MEXICO CITY: Daniel Ricciardo dashed Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen’s hopes of becoming Formula One’s youngest ever pole-sitter while championship leader Lewis Hamilton qualified third for Mercedes at the Mexican Grand Prix.

KIPTUM’S RECORD

PARIS: Kenyan distance runner Abraham Kiptum set a new world best time of 58mins 18sec for the half-marathon when he won the Valencia race. The previous best time was set eight years ago by Ethiopia’s Zersenay Tadesse who ran the Lisbon halfmarathon in 58min 23sec in 2010.

SCHAUFFELE WINS

SHANGHAI : Xander Schauffele beat fellow American Tony Finau in a playoff to win the $10 million WGC-HSBC Champions golf. Schauffele mixed six birdies with two bogeys to card four-under 68. Defending champion Justin Rose finished third.