FEDERER CLAIMS SHANGHAI MASTERS TITLE OVER NADAL

SHANGHAI» Roger Federer extended his winning streak over Rafael Nadal this year to four matches after beating the top-ranked Spaniard 6-4, 6-3 to win the Shanghai Masters on Sunday.

The Swiss 19-time grand slam winner, who still trails Nadal 23-15 in their overall head-to-head record, didn’t face a break point and started and ended the match with service breaks.

“I don’t know what my expectations were going in,” Federer said. “I thought I might struggle early on because it was a late finish last night.

“I had no nerves before the match, surprisingly. I think I was pretty clear about how I wanted to play the match. I started off very well and relaxed from then on.”

Despite his dominance in 2017, Federer doesn’t rate his chances of catching Nadal in their head-to-head record.

“It’s not going to happen. We don’t have enough years left on the tour. We ranked too good so we play each other only in finals at the moment . ... You can’t win them all against Rafa, to be honest. He’s too good of a player,” Federer said.

Federer took advantage of three of seven break-point opportunities in the match to snap Nadal’s 16-game winning streak, which included his China Open victory last week.

Federer, who has won the last five encounters between the pair dating back to the 2015 Basel final, also beat Nadal in the Australian Open final, a round of 16 match at Indian Wells and the Miami final this year.

“Have been a very difficult match for me,” Nadal said. “He played fast and he played well.”

• Maria Sharapova won her first WTA title since returning from a doping ban after defeating Aryna Sabalenka to win the Tianjin Open.

The Russian, a tournament wild card, overcame Belarusian teenager Sabalenka 7-5, 7-6 (8) despite trailing heavily in both sets.

Sharapova last won a title at the Italian Open in May 2015.

LeBron tests ankle in practice.

CLEVELAND» LeBron James tested his injured left ankle during a portion of practice Sunday, but it’s still not known if he’ll play in Cleveland’s season opener.

James has been slowed since spraining his ankle in practice on Sept. 27. The three-time NBA champion sat out the Cavaliers’ first three preseason games before making his debut last week against Chicago. He played 30 minutes but may have aggravated his ankle while making a spin move in the loss.

Smith next coach of Liberty.

YORK» Katie Smith will be the NEW next coach of the New York Liberty.

Smith has been an assistant with the Liberty since she retired as a WNBA player in 2013. She was promoted to associate head coach in 2016.

She takes over for Bill Laimbeer, who served as Liberty coach from 2013-17. He left to become coach and general manager of the San Antonio Stars.

Hight wins at Texas Motorplex.

TEXAS» Robert Hight drove to ENNIS, the Funny Car victory Sunday at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex.

Hight raced to a 3.877-second pass at 332.34 mph in his Chevrolet Camaro SS to beat reigning world champion and category points leader Ron Capps in the final.

Ex-White Sox pitcher dies.

TENN.» Daniel Webb, a former WAVERLY, relief pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, has died in an ATV accident. He was 28.

Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis says Webb died Saturday night. Davis says Webb’s wife and two other people suffered “significant injuries” in the accident, about 70 miles west of Nashville. Webb was 7-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 94 games for the White Sox from 2013-16. — The Associated Press