Williams ends title drought

Serena Williams won her first title in 11 months, defeating Patty Schnyder, 7-5, 6-3, Sunday in the Bangalore Open final in India.

Williams dominated the final with powerful serves and groundstrokes. Schnyder committed several unforced errors in trying to hit deep and keep Williams at the baseline.

“It’s good to be a champ here; it always feels good to win,” said Williams, who won her 29th title and first since last April at Miami. “I did not want to make too many errors. That was my game plan, but I did not stick to it.”

The 11th-ranked Williams was warned for a court violation after she cursed and smashed her racket when she faced two break points in the fifth game of the first set.

“I’m passionate about what I do. I got too passionate, my grip was wet and that’s what happened,” said Williams, who managed to hold her serve.

Serving for the match in the 12th game, Williams saved two break points and won on the first match point.

Sam Querrey won the Tennis Channel Open for his first ATP title, rallying to beat qualifier Kevin Anderson, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, in a showdown between towering first-time finalists in Las Vegas.

Querrey, 20, coming off a wrist injury that sidelined him early this year, is 6 feet 6 -- an inch shorter than Anderson, 21.

Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra won the doubles title, beating top-seeded brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, 10-8, in a tiebreaker after winning the first set and losing the second, both by 6-4 scores.

In the women’s Challenger event final, fifth-seeded Camille Pin beat Asia Muhammed, 6-4, 6-1.

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WINTER SPORTS

Miller sits out slalom

but keeps overall lead

Bode Miller sat out the slalom and Manfred Moelgg of Italy won the World Cup event in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.

Miller, the overall World Cup leader, retained his lead despite skipping the race. His closest rivals missed an opportunity to gain ground when Didier Cuche of Switzerland did not race and Benjamin Raich of Austria failed to finish the first run after missing a gate.

Miller decided not to start after watching Raich ski out, according to the USA Ski Team website. Earlier, organizers said Miller did not race because of minor back pain.

Moelgg won in a combined time of 1 minute 42.29 seconds, edging Ivica Kostelic of Croatia by 0.41. Marcel Hirscher of Austria finished third.

Miller leads with 1,387 points with four races remaining at the World Cup finals next week in Bormio, Italy. Cuche remains a contender for the overall title with 1,218 points.

Ted Ligety was seventh.

Maria Riesch of Germany won the World Cup super-combi title and closed in on Lindsey Vonn in the race for the overall title in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

Riesch finished second, 0.2 of a second behind Anja Paerson. The Swede won the combined downhill and slalom in 2:30.60.

American Vonn was third, another 0.06 back.

Vonn needed to win to capture the super-combi title.

Julia Mancuso and Stacey Cook ran into trouble near the bottom. Cook finished 23rd and Mancuso, on her 24th birthday, finished 25th.

Vonn, with 1,263 points in the overall standings, leads Riesch by 157 points.

Bill Demong set an American milestone in finishing third overall in the Nordic combined World Cup after placing 21st in the season finale in Oslo.

No American had previously finished higher than fourth overall.

Petter Tande of Norway won the event.

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MISCELLANY

Steelers’ Harrison

arrested in assault

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was charged with assaulting his girlfriend in Ohio Township, Pa.

Harrison, 29, was arrested Saturday after hitting Beth Tibbott, 29, at her home, according to a police affidavit.

Harrison, of Franklin Park, was arraigned on charges of simple assault and criminal mischief. He was released on his own recognizance pending a hearing Thursday.

The couple had been arguing just before 1 p.m. when Tibbott locked herself in a bedroom, the police said.

While Tibbott was trying to call 911, Harrison broke down the door, took her cellphone and broke it in half, according to police. Tibbott said Harrison then hit her across the face with an open hand and knocked off her glasses.

Harrison drove from the house in a Hummer and was pulled over minutes later by Franklin Park police.

Bryan Clay won gold in the heptathlon at the World Indoor Track and Field Championships in Valencia, Spain, and Yelena Soboleva of Russia broke her world record in the 1,500 meters.

Soboleva finished in 3:57.71 seconds, shaving 0.34 of a second off her mark.

Clay clinched the gold after Olympic champion Roman Sebrle withdrew because of injury. Clay opened with a win in the 60 and won three more events, scoring a personal-best 6,371 points for his second world title.

The U.S. won five gold medals and 13 overall. Russia also had five golds, with 12 overall.

Four-time winner Jeff King surged ahead of defending champion Lance Mackey in the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, taking the lead at the checkpoint in Kaltag, Alaska.