Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Federer brushes De Minaur aside to claim record tenth Basel title
Roger Federer clinched a record-extending 10th Swiss Indoors championship title in his hometown of Basel with a crushing 6-2 6-2 victory over Australia's Alex de Minaur on Sunday. The 38-year-old Swiss has now won 103 singles titles in his career and the record win in Basel - where he once acted as a ball boy - was the second time he had won a tournament 10 times after achieving the feat in Halle in June.
Carolina's soccer-hungry fans bask in NWSL glow
North Carolina's drum-beating, flag-waving NWSL fans became the first to watch their team claim a championship on their home turf on Sunday, as the city aimed to build on its reputation as a soccer hotbed. The 10,000 capacity stadium is far smaller than last year's National Women's Soccer League championship venue, Portland's Providence Park, which had more than 20,000 attendees for the match between its hometown Thorns and the Courage.
NBA roundup: Grizz sink Nets on Crowder's buzzer-beater
Jae Crowder drained a 3-pointer as time expired in overtime to lift the host Memphis Grizzlies to a 134-133 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Brooklyn appeared poised to record its second win in three outings after Memphis rookie Ja Morant failed to connect with Kyle Anderson on an inbounds pass with 8.1 seconds left.
Courage NWSL title caps explosive year in women's soccer
The North Carolina Courage thrashed the Chicago Red Stars for a second consecutive NWSL championship on Sunday, capping a significant year of change for women's soccer in the United States. Interest in the sport has increased thanks to the U.S. national team's record-extending fourth World Cup victory, a lawsuit against the governing body for gender discrimination and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on the horizon.
Woods wins in Japan, ties Snead for PGA Tour record with 82nd victory
Tiger Woods won the Zozo Championship by three strokes on Monday, matching Sam Snead's record of 82 PGA Tour victories before saying he hoped to be playing at the highest level at the same ripe old age as the man whose mark he now shares. Snead was 52 when he clinched his final tour victory in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1965, while Woods has matched the mark at age 43, and seems destined to break it and then some as long as his fragile body holds up.
NHL roundup: Bruins top Rangers with Bergeron's hat trick
Patrice Bergeron netted a hat trick, and Brad Marchand added two goals and three assists as the Boston Bruins won 7-4 on Sunday in the New York Rangers' 2,000th regular-season NHL game at the current Madison Square Garden, which opened in 1968. David Pastrnak had a five-game goal streak snapped but contributed five assists as Boston's top line accounted for 13 points. Charlie Coyle and Zdeno Chara also had goals for the Bruins, who have at least a point in seven straight games (5-0-2). Goaltender Jaroslav Halak made 25 saves.
NFL roundup: Coleman, 49ers run over Panthers
Tevin Coleman scored three of San Francisco's five rushing touchdowns and added a fourth on a 10-yard reception Sunday afternoon as the 49ers remained unbeaten with a 51-13 shellacking of the visiting Carolina Panthers. Coming off a 9-0 shutout of the Washington Redskins, the 49ers' defense sacked Kyle Allen seven times and forced three interceptions while limiting the Carolina offense to 230 total yards. Allen entered with no interceptions while going 4-0 in four starts this season.
Astros owner apologizes for questioning reporter's professionalism
Houston Astros owner Jim Crane has apologized to a reporter for the team initially questioning her account of an incident this month where a team official made inappropriate comments to her and two other female reporters. Assistant general manager Brandon Taubman was later fired for taunting the women during a clubhouse celebration by flaunting Houston's acquisition of closer Roberto Osuna, who was suspended in 2018 over allegations he assaulted the mother of his child.
Barty takes opening WTA Finals win to seal top spot in rankings
World number one Ashleigh Barty battled back against Switzerland's Belinda Bencic to make a winning start to the 2019 WTA Finals on Sunday as the Australian notched up a 5-7 6-1 6-2 victory. Barty lost the opening set in the pair's first-ever meeting but conceded just three games in the remaining two sets in Shenzhen to seal a win guaranteeing that she will end the year as the WTA's top-ranked player, as well as putting her on top of the Red Group in the competition's round robin format.
Bregman, Astros break out to seize World Series momentum
Through the first two games of the World Series the Houston Astros looked nothing like the team that won 107 games this season but, with their 8-1 route of the Washington Nationals in Game Four, the team has returned to form. No one personifies the team, which evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2 on Saturday, better than third baseman Alex Bregman.
