Federer, Djokovic in final
Roger Federer will play Novak Djokovic in the Italian Open final on Sunday at Rome with a chance to win one of only two Masters series titles the Swiss star has never taken. In the semifinals, Federer beat Swiss countryman Stan Wawrinka, 6-4, 6-2, and topranked Djokovic delivered his best performance of the week, downing David Ferrer, 6-4, 6-4.
In women’s play, Maria Sharapova reached the final by overpowering qualifier Daria Gavrilova, 7-5, 6-3. Sharapova will play for her third Rome title against Carla Suarez Navarro, who rallied past second-seeded Simona Halep, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.
In cycling, France’s Julian Alaphilippe took the overall lead in the Tour of California with a victory in the mountainous seventh stage. The 22-year-old Alaphilippe, riding for Etixx-Quick Step, bolted to the front with 21⁄2 miles left and completed the 80mile leg from Ontario to Mt. Baldy ski resort in 3 hours 42 minutes 13 seconds. Slovakia’s Peter Sagan of Tinkoff-Saxo, 28 seconds ahead in the overall standings after winning the individual time trial Friday, finished sixth in the seventh stage, 47 seconds behind. He dropped two seconds behind Alaphilippe in the overall standings with one stage left.
In NCAA softball, UCLA defeated Texas, 4-1, and will play Sunday. In the losers’ bracket, San Diego State eliminated Cal State Northridge, 5-4, with a run in the bottom of the sixth.
In NCAA men’s golf, UCLA and USC advanced to the national finals. Junior Lorens Chan led the Bruins to their 13th straight NCAA championship berth and a one-under par team score at the Noblesville (Ind.) Regional at the Sagamore Golf Club. The third-seeded Bruins finished 54 holes in fourth place at five-over 869, two strokes above the cut line. Topseeded Illinois and Southern Methodist tied for first at two-under 860. Junior Bobby Gojuangco shot a 67 to lead the 14th-seeded Trojans to their ninth consecutive trip to the NCAA finals as they took third place at the NCAA Bremerton (Wash.) Regional. USC finished with a combined 17-under 847, closing with a 10-under final round. Pepperdine finished 11th at 880 and did not advance. Alabama Birmingham won the regional at 843. The NCAA championships start May 28 at Bradenton, Fla.
In the Pac-12 track and field championships, USC’s Adoree Jackson took first in the men’s long jump with a leap of 25 feet 3 1 ⁄2 inches. UCLA’s Nick Scarvelis took his second straight shotput title with a throw of 64-5 1 ⁄4, and the Bruins’ Zibby Boyer won the jump-off in women’s high jump to break a threeway tie. After day one of competition, Oregon led the men’s and women’s standings.
In college baseball, starter James Kaprielian and closer David Berg combined to throw what may be the first no-hitter in UCLA history, a 1-0 victory over Arizona in 10 innings Friday night. UCLA said it was the first no-hitter for the Bruins since the school began keeping baseball records in 1946. Kaprielian struck out 11 and walked four in nine innings. Berg (6-1) retired the Wildcats in order in the 10th. Kevin Kramer’s sacrifice fly drove in the game’s only run in the bottom of the 10th.
Four final-period goals propelled defending champion Russia past the United States, 4-0, in the semifinals of the world hockey championships and set up a final with Canada at Prague. Canada scored a 2-0 shutout over the host Czech Republic.
The world’s top two-ranked skippers, No. 1 Ian Williams of Great Britain and No. 2 Taylor Canfield of the U.S., have advanced to the semifinals of the 51st Congressional Cup international sailboat match race at Long Beach. They are joined by No. 5 Bjorn Hansen of Sweden and No. 13 Phil Robertson of New Zealand. The semifinals and finals will be Sunday off the Belmont Pier, starting at 11 a.m.
Cyclist Alberto Contador’s dislocated shoulder stood up to the mountain test that ended at Campitello Matese, Italy, as he retained the overall lead through eight stages in the Giro d’Italia.
In NCAA men’s tennis quarterfinals, seventhseeded USC lost to second-seeded Baylor, 4-2, at Waco, Texas.
In NCAA women’s tennis, top-seeded USC will play eighth-seeded Baylor, and seventh-seeded UCLA will face second-seeded North Carolina on Sunday in quarterfinals at Waco. In college football, redshirt junior Greyson Lambert became the third consecutive incumbent starting quarterback to leave Virginia since 2012.