Djokovic races past Alcaraz into semis

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic will be bidding for a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title when he takes on home favorite Jannik Sinner in Sunday’s final after both won their semifinal matches at Turin, Italy.

Djokovic took less than 90 minutes to beat Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 6-2 in a match between the top two ranked players on Saturday night, after Sinner had earlier dispatched Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-1.

The 36-year-old Djokovic is currently tied with Roger Federer on six titles at the seasonending tournament for the year’s top eight players, while Sinner is the first Italian to reach the final.

GOLF

Aberg leading RSM Classic by 1

Ludvig Aberg ran off four birdies and an eagle over a five-hole stretch on the back nine Saturday, not so much to pull away but just to keep pace. He had a 9-under 61 for a one-shot lead at the RSM Classic at St. Simons Island, Ga.

Mackenzie Hughes narrowly missed a putt for 59. Eric Cole flirted briefly with a sub-60 round at Sea Island. A half-dozen players had at least a share of the lead at some point.

Aberg, the rising Swedish star who only turned pro in June after finishing at Texas Tech, wound up ahead of the pack as he goes for his first PGA Tour victory.

“Stayed patient and luckily it paid off today,” Aberg said. “You get a lot of wedges on the back nine, and then 15’s a reachable par 5.

“I felt like I was striking the ball well. I was hitting the fairways, apart from 14, But other than that, I felt I was striking the ball well and kind of took advantage of a little bit easier conditions today.”

He was at 20-under 192, one shot ahead of Cole (61) and two clear of Hughes (60).

The RSM Classic is the final event of the PGA Tour season, with the top 125 securing full cards for 2024. Ryan Moore came in at No. 128 — that after a tie for fifth in the Bermuda Championship last week — and shot 62. He was seven shots behind, probably too far behind to catch Aberg, but in good shape to keep his card.

Lee, Hataoka share lead at LPGA finale:

Alison Lee birdied four of her last five holes Friday for an 8-under 64 that gave her a share of the lead with Nasa Hataoka in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship at Naples, Fla.

Hataoka atoned for missing a short par putt by closing with a pair of birdies, finishing with a 25-footer on the last hole for a 67 in a wide-open chase for the $2 million prize.

Lee and Hataoka were at 14-under 128.

Women’s PGA champion Ruoning Yin of China had a 66 and was part of the group one shot behind that included Minjee Lee (67) and Amy Yang (63). Xiyu Lin was another shot behind.

Wallace birdies to lead at Dubai: Matt Wallace made nine consecutive birdies Saturday, all of them on the back nine for a 12-under 60 in the DP World Tour Championship at Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Wallace had a chance at the only the second 59 in European tour history. He had 202 yards to the green on the par-5 18th on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. But he hit into a bunker, and hit out for a tap-in birdie.