MOURINHO UNSURE IF CHELSEA SLUMP OVER

Jose Mourinho admitted on Friday ( Saturday in Manila) he could not say if Chelsea had finally turned the corner after a disastrous start to their Premier League title defense. Mourinho’s side have recorded back- to- back clean sheets after the international break, beating Aston Villa in the league before securing an away point at Dinamo Kiev in the Champions League. Despite that Villa win Chelsea are struggling in a lowly 12th position.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST AT WOMEN’S TOUR FINALE

Simona Halep and Garbine Muguruza go into the WTA Finals as narrow favorites but the season climax is shaping as a survival of the fittest after a rash of injuries in recent weeks. With 21- time Grand Slam- winner Serena Williams opting to rest, the tournament has been thrown wide open with injuries especially likely to be the wildcard in Singapore. The WTA Finals features the top eight singles players competing for the Billie Jean King trophy and the top eight doubles teams gunning for the Martina Navratilova trophy.

HENIN, SAFIN, SUKOVA NOMINATED FOR HALL OF FAME

Former world number ones Justine Henin and Marat Safin and long-time doubles standout Helena Sukova were among five nominees to the International Tennis Hall of Fame announced on Friday (Saturday in Manila). The only other nominations for the Class of 2016 were posthumous nods for Yvon Petra, a 1940s French standout, and 1930s British champion Margaret Scriven.

STEGMAIER LEADS SUSPENDED SHRINERS OPEN

Brett Stegmaier was clinging to a one-shot lead with three holes to play on Friday (Saturday in Manila) when darkness stopped the second round of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Stegmaier, a 32-year-old making just his fifth career start on the US PGA Tour, was six-under for the day and 11-under for the tournament—one stroke in front of the trio sharing the clubhouse lead on 132. American Tyler Aldridge was the first player in at 10-under after a second-round 68. He was joined by fellow Americans Chad Campbell (67) and Morgan Hoffmann (66).

MEDVEDEVA SEIZES SKATE AMERICA LEAD

Evgenia Medvedeva made an impressive entrance to the senior Grand Prix circuit on Friday (Saturday in Manila), seizing the lead after the ladies’ short programme at Skate America. The 15-year-old Russian, last season’s world junior champion, earned 70.92 points with a demanding program designed to maximize scoring.