Sports Briefs

GOLF

Nordqvist becomes year’s first title defender in LPGA

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. - Anna Nordqvist successfully defended her ShopRite LPGA Classic title Sunday, closing with a 7-under 64 in breezy conditions for a one-stroke victory.

The 28-year-old Swede became the oldest tour winner this year and the first to successfully defend a title since Park In-bee won the KPMG Women’s PGA for the third straight time last year.

Nordqvist finished at 17-under 196 on Stockton Seaview’s Donald Ross-designed Bay Course to tie the tournament record that Annika Sorenstam set in 1998 and matched in 2005. The 6-foot former Arizona State player earned $225,000 for her sixth tour title. She opened with rounds of 64 and 68.

Nordqvist birdied three of the first four holes and added birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 to make the turn in 5-under 32. She also birdied the par-4 12th and 16th.

Japan’s Haru Nomura, a two-time winner this year, was second after a 66. She birdied the final hole.

France’s Karine Icher, the second-round leader after matching the course record with a 62, had a 69 to finish third at 14 under. She’s winless on the tour.

Christina Kim was fourth at 13 under after a 65. She finished second last week in Michigan, five strokes behind winner Ariya Jutanugarn.

TENNIS

Djokovic makes history
with French Open victory

PARIS - Novak Djokovic became the first man in nearly a half-century to win four consecutive majors championships and finally earned an elusive French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, beating Andy Murray 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday.

This was the top-seeded Djokovic’s 12th appearance at Roland Garros, and his fourth final, and after being stymied over and over in years past, he managed to cast aside a shaky opening set to dominate No. 2 Murray the rest of the way, buoyed by a supportive crowd that repeatedly chanted his nickname, “No-le!”

When his victory was over, Djokovic took a racket to etch a heart in the red clay that had given him such heartache in the past and dropped down on his back.

Since losing the 2015 final in Paris, Djokovic has won 28 Grand Slam matches in a row, from Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last year, to the Australian Open in January, and now, at long last, the French Open.

On Sunday - the weather overcast but dry, unlike so much of the rainy past two weeks - the first choruses of “No-le! No-le!” accompanied Djokovic’s entrance to the court. They returned when an announcer introduced Djokovic during the warmup period. And again when he skipped from sideline to baseline to receive in the opening game - and, louder still, when Djokovic broke two-time major champion Murray to start.

AP