MONTREAL — Andy Murray reached the Rogers Cup final and the world’s No. 2 ranking with a 6-4, 7-6 (8) victory Saturday over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 6-4, 7-6 (8).
Murray will play Juan Martin del Potro, who beat Andy Roddick 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, in today’s final.
With his win, Murray will vault past Spain’s Rafael Nadal into a career-high second in the next ATP rankings behind Roger Federer.
“Five years it’s been Rafa and Roger as No. 1 and No. 2,” Murray said. “So yeah, it’s pretty special to get in between them.”
• Dinara Safina needed only 56 minutes to eliminate Flavia Pennetta, reaching the championship match of the Cincinnati Open in Mason, Ohio, with a 6-2, 6-0 win.
Safina reached her eighth final in 14 tournaments this year.
Jelena Jankovic defeated Elena Dementieva 7-6, (2), 0-6, 7-6 (6) in the other semifinal.
Crew wins fifth straight game
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Chad Marshall and Eddie Gaven scored to help the Columbus Crew win its fifth straight MLS game, 2-0 over FC Dallas.
• Maykel Galindo scored off a feed from Chukwudi Chijindu in the 15th minute, and Eduardo Lillingston added a goal late in added time in Chivas USA’s 2-0 road victory over the New York Red Bulls.
• Dwayne De Rosario scored for the fourth straight game to lift host Toronto FC to a 2-0 victory over visiting D.C. United.
• Pat Onstad made six saves for the Houston Dynamo in a 0-0 tie with host Real Salt Lake.
• Steve Zakuani and Fredy Montero scored for Seattle FC in a 2-0 victory over the host Los Angeles Galaxy.
Young leads Silver Stars
SAN ANTONIO — Sophia Young scored 25 points to help the San Antonio Silver Stars set a franchise record for points with a 106-89 WNBA win over the Phoenix Mercury.
Becky Hammon, who recorded a season low seven points in Thursday’s loss, had 21 with six assists.
• Candace Parker scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds to help the visiting Los Angeles Sparks rout the Sacramento Monarchs 78-61.
• Sancho Lyttle scored 20 points to lead host Atlanta to an 88-79 win over the Seattle Storm and move the Dream into sole possession of second place in the Eastern Conference.
• Roneeka Hodges scored 25 points and Erin Thorn added 17 points to help the host Chicago Sky hold off a furious late Minnesota surge to beat the Lynx 79-76.
• Katie Douglas scored 19 points, and the Indiana Fever overcame a 14-point deficit to beat the visiting Detroit Shock 82-59.
Footnotes.
Roy Jones Jr. (54-5, 39 KOs) toyed with Jeff Lacy, stopping him after the 10th round to retain the NABO light heavyweight championship title in Biloxi, Miss.
• Three-time Olympian Troy Dumais captured his 29th national title, winning the senior men’s 3-meter springboard at the U.S. summer national diving championships in Tallahassee, Fla.
The Associated Press
