Mike Lowe of the Portland Press Herald has been named Maine Sportswriter of the Year for the second year in a row by the National Sports Media Association.

Lowe, who recently marked his 35th anniversary with the Press Herald, was selected for the honor through a nomination and balloting process among NSMA members. He covers the New England Patriots, University of Maine football and high school sports.

TENNIS

DUBAI CHAMPIONSHIPS: Roger Federer squandered three match points in a shock 3-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5) second-round loss to Russian qualifier Evgeny Donskoy at Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday.

Federer, who won his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, failed to take advantage of three match points in the second-set tiebreaker, losing two of the three opportunities on unforced errors.

Federer netted a forehand on Donskoy’s one set point in that second-set tiebreaker to extend the match to a third set.

Earlier, top-seeded Andy Murray reached the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

MEXICAN OPEN: American Sam Querrey beat fifth-seed David Goffin 6-2, 6-3 of Belgium in Acapulco to reach the quarterfinals, serving seven aces to win in just over an hour.

Also, Australian Nick Kyrgios had a 6-2, 6-4 victory over American Donald Young, and third-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia beat countryman Borna Couric, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.

Top two seeds Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal played later Wednesday night.

• On the women’s side, Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig, the fourth seed, beat Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova, 6-4, 6-4.

GOLF

RULES: Golf’s two governing bodies released a draft of modern rules Wednesday aimed at bringing common sense to what can be a complicated sport.

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club and the U.S. Golf Association spent more than five years trying to simplify the Rules of Golf without stripping the game of its traditions and fundamentals of fair play. The result figures to be the most comprehensive overhaul since the first set of rules was published in 1744.

The proposal, which now faces six months of public feedback, reduces the number of rules from 34 to 24.

In many cases, penalties have been rescinded. Players no longer will be assessed a one-shot penalty if their golf ball accidentally moves, if their club touches the ground while in a hazard or even if a putt strikes a flagstick that is not being tended.

SOCCER

SHEBELIEVES CUP: Lynn Williams scored her second career goal and the U.S. women kicked off their 2017 slate with a 1-0 victory over Germany in a matchup of the world’s top two teams at Chester, Pennsylvania.

Alyssa Naeher made an early diving save and earned the shutout for the top-ranked Americans. The four-team round-robin tournament also includes England and France.

In the 56th minute, Christen Press struck the crossbar and after Tobin Heath’s follow was blocked, Williams pounced on the ball in the box to score.

OLYMPICS

2024 GAMES: Budapest’s assembly approved a motion to withdraw the city’s bid to host in the 2024 Olympics.

Wednesday’s decision leaves Los Angeles and Paris as the only remaining candidates. The International Olympic Committee will choose the host city in September.

Copy the Story Link