Serena Williams defeats Johanna Larsson to win Swedish Open title

Serena Williams won her 53rd WTA title by beating Johanna Larsson, 6-4, 6-1, in the final of the Swedish Open on Sunday at Bastad.

The 24-year-old Swede broke to lead 3-1 in the first set before Williams fought back to 3-3. Larsson advanced to 4-3 before caving in to the American’s strong serve and losing the next three games.

Williams dominated the second set, breaking Larsson’s serve twice.

Williams also defeated 76th-ranked Larsson in their only previous match in the Fed Cup earlier this year.

Fabio Fognini saved three match points before beating Argentine qualifier Federico Delbonis, 4-6, 7-6 (8), 6-2, to win the German Tennis Championships at Hamburg for his second title in two weeks.

Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic won the Claro Open Colombia at Bogota, spoiling hometown favorite Alejandro Falla’s bid for his first ATP Tour title. The 34-year-old Karlovic beat Falla, 6-3, 7-6 (4), on the hard court for his fifth title.

ETC.

Logano edges Hornish

Joey Logano held off Sam Hornish Jr. to win the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.

Logano, the lone Sprint Cup regular in the race, earned his second Nationwide win of the year and No. 20 for his career. He also won at Dover, Del., in June.

Hornish held on for second, giving car owner Roger Penske the top two spots. Austin Dillon finished third, earning a $100,000 bonus.

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Defending pro stock champion Allen Johnson won the Mile-High NHRA Nationals for the fifth time, holding off V. Gaines in the final round at Morrison, Colo.

Spencer Massey won the top-fuel division, Cruz Pedregon topped the funny car field, and Shawn Gann won in pro stock motorcycle.

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Restricted free-agent forward Jordan Nolan has agreed to terms on a two-year deal with the Kings, the team announced. With the agreement, Nolan will avoid arbitration, which had been scheduled for Aug. 1.

Nolan, 24, who was part of the Kings’ 2012 Stanley Cup championship team, had six points (two goals and four assists) in 44 games last season. He also appeared in seven postseason games.

Selected 186th overall by the Kings in the 2009 draft, Nolan has 10 points in 70 games with the Kings.

With Nolan returning, forwards Trevor Lewis and Kyle Clifford remain the Kings’ restricted free agents. Lewis has an arbitration meeting scheduled for Aug. 2.

The team’s acquisition of tough guy Daniel Carcillo from the Chicago Blackhawks casts doubt on whether the Kings are planning to keep Clifford, who hasn’t filed for arbitration.

—Austin Knoblauch

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Woody Austin won the Sanderson Farms Classic for his first PGA Tour victory since 2007, beating Cameron Beckman and Daniel Summerhays with an eight-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff at Madison, Miss.

The 49-year-old Austin is the eighth-oldest winner in PGA Tour history and the oldest since Fred Funk at 50 in 2007.

Austin came into the final round two shots behind Summerhays and Nicholas Thompson but made up ground with a five-under-par 67 to finish at 20-under 268.

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Spain’s Beatriz Recari outdueled Paula Creamer in a head-to-head battle to win the Marathon Classic at Sylvania, Ohio, for her second LPGA Tour victory of the year and third overall.

Recari and Creamer started the day tied for first, three shots ahead of their nearest pursuers.

The 26-year-old Recari closed with a five-under 66 to finish at 17-under 267. Creamer finished with a 67.

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Three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings has withdrawn from the FIVB Grand Slam at the World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach because of an abdominal strain but will still compete in the World Series Cup with new partner Whitney Plavlik.

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The U.S. women’s water polo team opened the FINA World Championships with a 12-8 victory over the defending gold medalist, Greece, at Barcelona, Spain.