TENNIS

Four-time champion Novak Djokovic looked closer to his best level, reaching the Paris Masters quarterfinals on Thursday with a 7-6 (7), 6-1 win against Kyle Edmund.

After needing seven set points to clinch the first set, the top-ranked Djokovic reeled off six straight games in the second, finishing it off by breaking Edmund to love with a two-handed backhand winner into the left corner.

He next faces seventh-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas, who had 11 aces in a 6-3, 6-4 win against Alex de Minaur and holds a 2-1 record against Djokovic – including earlier this month in the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters.

Rafael Nadal beat Stan Wawrinka for the 19th time in 22 meetings, winning 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

Nadal next faces 2008 champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as he chases a first Paris title, which would guarantee him the year-end No.1 ranking for the fifth time.

WTA FINALS: Top-ranked Ash Barty reached the semifinals in her debut appearance at the WTA Finals, beating Petra Kvitova 6-4, 6-2 at Shenzhen, China, to finish with a 2-1 record in the Red Group.

Barty, the first Australian woman to earn year-end No. 1 ranking, won her first Grand Slam trophy at the French Open in June and then reached the top of the rankings.

Belinda Bencic joined Barty in the semifinals after Kiki Bertens retired in their match with Bencic leading 7-5, 1-0.

GOLF

WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP: Li Haotong gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about with an 8-under 64 for a one-shot lead in the HSBC Champions at Shanghai.

Li practically grew up with this World Golf Championship, posing with Phil Mickelson as a junior 10 years ago and threatening to win in 2015 at age 20. He finished his round with an 8-foot par save to lead Victor Perez of France.

Defending champion Xander Schauffele turned a birdie chance into a three-putt bogey late in his round and had to settle for a 66, joining a group that included Adam Scott and Sungjae Im.

Rory McIlroy opened with a 67.

Mickelson, in danger of falling out of the top 50 for the first time in 26 years, shot 71.

LPGA: Defending champion Nelly Korda and Mi Jung Hur each shot 6-under 66 to share the first-round lead at the Swinging Skirts at Taipei, Taiwan.

Korda, who earned her first U.S. LPGA Tour victory here last year, had three bogeys but made up for it with seven birdies and an eagle.

Despite strong gusts at Miramar Golf Country Club, 28 players managed to shoot under par.

Minjee Lee of Australia, who was the runner-up a year ago, was a stroke off the pace after a 67.

PGA: Scottie Scheffler closed with a bogey for a 9-under 62 and a one-stroke lead after the first round of the inaugural Bermuda Championship.

Scheffler played his opening nine at Port Royal Golf Club in 6-under 29, making an eagle on the par-5 17th. He added birdies on Nos. 2, 4, 6 and 7 before dropping the stroke on the par-4 ninth.

Wes Roach was second. He eagled the par-5 seventh, but also finished with a bogey on No. 9.

COLLEGES

SOFTBALL: Two Rutgers softball coaches, a husband and wife, have been accused of fostering a climate of fear, intimidation and abuse on the team.

The university president said Thursday he wants an independent investigation of allegations made against softball head coach Kristen Butler and her husband, Marcus Smith, a volunteer assistant. Smith has since left the program.

President Robert Barchi said in a statement that “nothing is more important than the health and safety of our students.”

FOOTBALL: The Hula Bowl is returning after a 12-year absence.

The postseason all-star game in Hawaii is a showcase for college players who aspire to play pro football. It started in 1946 and was last played in 2008.

Game organizers and CBS Sports announced a television deal.

Former Jets and Bills coach Rex Ryan and former Falcons coach Mike Smith will lead the teams of college seniors. Rosters will include players from Australia and Japan, along with those from across the U.S.

The game is scheduled for Jan. 26, with kickoff at 10:30 p.m.

HOCKEY

NHL: The general manager of the Winnipeg Jets said defenseman Dustin Byfuglien has had ankle surgery and the team was not “directly involved” in the decision.

Kevin Cheveldayoff also declined to discuss the team’s relationship with Byfulgien other than to call it “complicated.” He did not answer if Byfuglien might return to the team this season.

OLYMPICS

ROWING:  Three-time Olympic rowing champion Pete Reed, 38, says he has become partially paralyzed from a stroke.

Reed won a gold medal for Britain at each of the last three Olympics before retiring last year. He says on Instagram he is paralyzed from the chest down after suffering a stroke in the middle of his spine last month. Reed says the extent of the damage is still not clear.

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