Gael Monfils upsets Roger Federer to reach final in Paris

Gael Monfils saved five match points to beat top-seeded Roger Federer, 7-6 (7), 6-7 (1), 7-6 (4), and reach the Paris Masters final against Robin Soderling.

Soderling saved three match points before overcoming Michael Llodra, 6-7 (0), 7-5, 7-6 (6).

Monfils faced five match points in the 12th game of the final set before forcing the tiebreaker with an ace.

Federer shanked a forehand to give Monfils two match points, and the Frenchman converted the first with a service winner. He had been 0-5 against Federer.

“He’s someone I admire a lot,” Monfils said about Federer. “He’s a legend of tennis, the legend, and beating him is a beautiful victory. I will remember it for my whole life.”

GOLF: Thatcher leads at Disney

Roland Thatcher remains on track in an improbable bid to keep his U.S. PGA Tour card, shooting a two-under-par 70 at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic to take a four-stroke lead over Chris Stroud into the final round at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Thatcher, who gave up three shots in the last four holes, began the week 179th on the money list and needs to win or finish alone in second at the season’s final tournament to vault into the top 125 — the cutoff for full status — to retain his card. Nos. 126-150 get partial status.

Thatcher was such a longshot at Disney he already signed up for the second stage of qualifying school near Houston next week.

Suzann Pettersen moved into position for her first U.S. LPGA Tour victory of the year, shooting a three-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational at Guadalajara.

Ai Miyazato (68), Stacy Lewis (69), In-Kyung Kim (68) and Karine Icher (68) were tied for second, and second-round leader Paula Creamer (72) was another stroke back.

Ochoa, playing her first LPGA Tour event since retiring in April, shot a 69 on her home course, leaving her 10 shots back in a tie for 24th.

Adam Scott shot a two-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Singapore Open, a tournament he has won twice. Phil Mickelson fell off the pace with a 75 that left him 12 strokes behind

ETC: Schild wins World Cup slalom

Marlies Schild of Austria won the first women’s World Cup slalom of the season, edging Olympic champion Maria Riesch of Germany by .03 of a second in a race north of the Arctic Circle at Levi, Finland. Lindsey Vonn looked set to challenge for the podium after a fast start to her second leg, but the American nearly lost her balance halfway down the course and finished sixth. “I just made a really, really big mistake, unfortunately,” she said. “I was going a little bit too straight and I was trying a little bit too hard. Sometimes you make mistakes when you are risking.”

Three-time European champion Carolina Kostner skated with elegance and ease to lead after the short program at Skate America at Portland, Ore. The Italian won the NHK Trophy in Tokyo last month, but she was battling a knee injury that limited her. She was challenged by 16-year-old Kanako Murakami of Japan, who was clearly the fan favorite at the Rose Garden and finished second. Sweden’s Joshi Helgesson was third at 51.17.

David Haye stopped Audley Harrison in the third round to retain his WBA heavyweight title at Manchester, England. Haye proved too strong for 39-year-old Harrison, knocking him down in the third round and causing referee Luis Pabon to stop the first all-British heavyweight title bout in 13 years to prevent further punishment.

Unusual Suspect edged early leader Temple City by a head in the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup, claiming his first Grade I victory and passing the $1-million mark in career earnings. Ridden by Corey Nakatani for trainer Barry Abrams, the 6-year-old Unusual Suspect ran second to Temple City for much of the 1 1/2 -mile race at Hollywood Park, but shot past him in the final yards to win in 2:25.83.

The Denver Broncos have stripped star linebacker D.J. Williams of his captaincy for the season and won’t start him Sunday against Kansas City after his arrest on suspicion of drunk driving.

The NHL says it has suspended Minnesota Wild defenseman Brent Burns for two games for careless use of his stick against Panthers forward Steve Bernier at the end of Friday night’s game at Florida. Burns will lose $38,172 in salary and will be forced to sit out games against Tampa Bay on Sunday and the Ducks on Wednesday.

Two-time Olympic speedskating champion Shani Davis won his second straight World Cup race, edging rival Simon Kuipers of the Netherlands in the 1,500 meters at Heerenveen, Netherlands.

U.S. midfielder Stuart Holden scored his first Bolton goal to clinch a 3-2 victory over Wolverhampton in the Premier League. Compatriot Brad Friedel gave up two goals in four minutes as Aston Villa threw away a two-goal lead for a 2-2 draw with Manchester United.

Russia defeated the United States in four sets to reach the final of the women’s world volleyball championship at Tokyo.

The ball Babe Ruth hit for his 702nd home run fetched $264,500 during an auction at the Louisville Slugger Museum in Louisville, Ky. Ruth hit the home run in 1934 and later signed the ball.