TENNIS: Serena wins but finishes third
Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-3 yesterday in Istanbul to win the WTA Championships for the third time and finish the year with another title, but not the top ranking.
Williams ended the year with a 59-4 record. Since her first-round loss at the French Open, she is 31-1, winning Wimbledon, the Olympic gold medal and the U.S. Open.
The 31-year-old Williams became the oldest player to capture the year-end championships. She won seven titles this year. But she will finish the year ranked No. 3, behind No. 1 Victoria Azarenka and No. 2 Sharapova, because she did not play as well in the first half of the year. Azarenka lost to Sharapova in the semifinals.
* David Ferrer won the Valencia Open for the third time, beating Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
* Roger Federer pulled out of the Paris Masters to rest for the ATP World Tour Finals in London. The indoor Paris tournament starts today.
RACING: Johnson rolls at Martinsville
Jimmie Johnson raced to his seventh career Martinsville Speedway victory to take the season points lead with three events left, holding off Kyle Busch on a restart with five laps to go. The five-time series champion moved two points ahead of Brad Keselowski, who finished sixth for his highest career finish at the track.
* Randy Bernard stepped down as CEO of IndyCar, bringing an end to a three-year reign that was disrupted this season by several attempts by team owners to have him ousted as head of the series.
NBA: Harden joins his new team, the Rockets
James Harden plans to sign a long-term extension with the Houston Rockets before the regular season begins. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year joined his new team after he was traded to the Rockets from Oklahoma City late Saturday. The Thunder acquired guards Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick. It also sent center Cole Aldrich and forwards Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward to Houston.
* The Dallas Mavericks waived forward/center Melvin Ely and forward Chris Douglas-Roberts,
SOCCER: Chelsea thrown for loss
Chelsea accused referee Mark Clattenburg of using “inappropriate language” at two players during its Premier League match against Manchester United, and lodged an official complaint with the Football Association. Clattenburg sent off two Chelsea players in the 3-2 loss to United at Stamford Bridge and allowed a contentious late winning goal to striker Javier Hernandez, who appeared to be offside when he scored.