Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Djokovic suffers 'weird' loss to qualifier at Indian Wells
Novak Djokovic produced a puzzling performance as the former world number one lost to Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel in the second round at the BNP Paribas Open in California on Sunday. On his return from right elbow surgery, Djokovic looked a pale shadow of his former self as he went down 7-6(3) 4-6 6-1 to make a quick exit from a tournament he has won five times.
Woods produces old magic at 17th hole, but falls short of win
Tiger Woods fell short of an 80th PGA Tour title on Sunday but still gave adoring fans a thrill late in the final round at the Valspar Championship. With victory apparently out of his grasp, Woods stroked a 43-foot birdie putt that broke perfectly into the middle of the 17th hole and took him to the last with a chance of a playoff.
Tennis: Nishikori withdraws from Indian Wells through illness
Japan's Kei Nishikori said on Sunday he had withdrawn from the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells through illness. "I have been sick for over a week and tried everything I could to get better," the world number 25 was quoted as saying on the tournament's Twitter account.
Casey wins Valspar as Woods finishes one stroke behind
Englishman Paul Casey surged to victory at the Valspar Championship in Florida on Sunday as Tiger Woods came tantalisingly close to ending his five-year drought. Woods, who finished one stroke behind Casey, lamented a "couple of putts here and there" that could have led to his 80th PGA Tour victory.
Rallying: Ogier wins in Mexico to retake championship lead
Sebastien Ogier regained the lead in the world rally championship on Sunday with victory in Mexico for the M-Sport Ford team. The five-times world champion finished one minute 13.6 seconds ahead of Spain's Hyundai driver Dani Sordo with Britain's Kris Meeke, last year's winner in the Guanajuato-based event, third for Citroen.
Athletics: U.S. student Norman breaks world indoor 400m record
American Michael Norman broke the world indoor 400 meters record when he clocked 44.52 second at the U.S. collegiate championships in College Station, Texas on Saturday. The University of Southern California sprinter, running just his third indoor 400m final, took 0.05 seconds off the previous record of Kerron Clement at the 2005 U.S. collegiate championships.
Casey savours extra special victory, beating Tiger at Valspar
Paul Casey was always going to savour his second win on the PGA Tour, but beating Tiger Woods made Sunday's victory at the Valspar Championship even more special. Casey charged from five strokes behind in the final round to overhaul Woods and Patrick Reed by one shot in a compelling finale at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor.
Cycling: Solar pips Yates to Paris-Nice overall victory
Spain´s Marc Soler was rewarded for his long-rage attack in the final stage as he beat Britain's Simon Yates by four seconds to win the Paris-Nice race on Sunday. The Movistar rider jumped away from the group of favorites with more than 50 kilometers left in the 110-km mountainous ride around Nice to take third place in the eighth stage won by fellow Spaniard David de la Cruz of Team Sky.
Top seed Halep survives, Anisimova earns fourth round spot
Top seed Simona Halep narrowly avoided an upset in the BNP Paribas Open third round on Sunday, digging deep for a 1-6 7-6(3) 6-2 win over world No. 165 Caroline Dolehide, while 16-year-old Amanda Anisimova also advanced to the fourth round. Romanian Halep was outplayed by American Dolehide in the first set at Indian Wells but slowly exerted her authority and, after surviving a second-set tiebreak, gradually wore down the tiring teen to secure victory.
Wallace trumps Johnston in play-off to win Indian Open title
Briton Matt Wallace beat compatriot Andrew Johnston in the first hole of their play-off to win his second European Tour title at the Indian Open on Sunday. Wallace, who shared the lead along with local hope Shubhankar Sharma after the penultimate round, carded a four-under 68 at the DLF Golf and Country Club to move atop the leaderboard on 11-under.
