Novak Djokovic wins opening match at ATP finals

Playing in his opening match in the ATP finals at London, Novak Djokovic dived right in.

The top-ranked Serb twice landed hard on the court Monday at the O2 Arena, but it didn’t stop him from beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 7-6 (4), 6-3, and setting up a Wednesday showdown with Group A rival Andy Murray.

“All those balls were out of my reach, so I tried to dive,” Djokovic said. “I don’t usually dive that much. I don’t usually spend that much [time at] the net as well.”

Djokovic and Murray have played a few epic matches against each other this year, including a five-set Murray win in the U.S. Open final.

“When I’m playing Andy, I need to be ready for long rallies and a physically demanding match,” Djokovic said. “So I’m going to have a day tomorrow to recover and get ready for the next challenge.”

The ATP finals are the season-ending tournament for the top eight players in the world. Fourth-ranked Rafael Nadal, however, pulled out because of injury.

Group B, which includes six-time champion Roger Federer, will play Tuesday at the O2 Arena.

The third-ranked Murray needed a wake-up call in the early match before beating Tomas Berdych, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

ETC.

Dodgers hire Corrales as assistant to GM

When part-owner and Chief Executive Stan Kasten first observed the Dodgers organization and stated that he thought the front office was thin in places, little did anyone realize how much he meant thin in management.

On Monday the Dodgers added yet another to General Manager Ned Colletti’s stable of baseball minds, hiring veteran Pat Corrales as a special assistant.

Corrales is a former major league manager, coach and player, and has spent 53 years in baseball.

He has previously worked with Kasten as a coach with the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals.

—Steve Dilbeck

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Havre de Grace sold for $10 million at the Fasig-Tipton November sale in Lexington, Ky., the highest sale price for a horse since 2008.

The 2011 horse of the year was bought by Mandy Pope of Whisper Hill Farm. The 5-year-old mare was from Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farm.

She is one of only a handful of horses to ever sell for $10 million or more. The record for a horse at public auction was set in 2006 when the Green Monkey sold for $16 million.

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The U.S. women’s soccer team will play three exhibitions against China in an eight-day span next month, with new Coach Tom Sermanni watching as an observer.

The Americans said they will play China at Detroit’s Ford Field on Dec. 8, at Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium on Dec. 12 and at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla., on Dec. 15.

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ESPN radio announcer Jim Durham, who called NBA games for the network, has died. He was 65.

ESPN said Monday that Durham died over the weekend at his home in Tomball, Texas. A cause of death was not announced.