IN BRIEF

TENNIS

Injured Serena Williams tumbles in Sony final

Rising from her chair following the final changeover, Serena Williams glanced at her skirt and brushed away some lint, trying to look good in defeat.

It wasn't easy. A sore leg and erratic strokes were too much to overcome, and the top-ranked Williams was upset 6-3, 6-1 Saturday by 19-year-old Victoria Azarenka in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla.

Williams said her left thigh began bothering her in the quarterfinals, and she also was bothered by a sprained ankle.

The loss ended Williams' reign in Key Biscayne. She was bidding for a record sixth women's title and her third in a row.

Today, Novak Djokovic will bid for his second Key Biscayne men's title against Andy Murray, the event's first British finalist.

PRO FOOTBALL

Broncos owner gives reason for Cutler trade

Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen sent a letter to season-ticket holders explaining why the organization had to trade Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears.

Bowlen preached a message of team unity in the e-mail, reiterating that he and new coach Josh McDaniels had reached out many times to Cutler, who didn't respond to their overtures to repair the strained relationship.

Bowlen, who remained largely silent during the six-week rift that ended with Thursday's blockbuster trade, wrote: "It has never been about one player, and it never will be." He added that anybody who puts himself above the team gets a ticket out of town.

Also: The St. Louis Rams signed Kyle Boller to be the backup to starting quarterback Marc Bulger.

Boller, 27, spent last season, his sixth with the Baltimore Ravens, on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

GOLF

McPherson closing in on first LPGA victory

Kristy McPherson's first LPGA Tour victory might just come in a major.

McPherson shot a 2-under-par 70 in hot, calm conditions in Rancho Mirage, Calif., to take sole possession of the lead in the Kraft Nabisco Championship at 8-under 208. Fellow American and 2007 U.S. Open winner Cristie Kerr (70) was one shot back at Mission Hills.

The 27-year-old McPherson, with six career top-10 finishes but no victories, is playing in the Kraft Nabisco for the first time.

Defending champion Lorena Ochoa needed a birdie on 18 to shoot her best round of the tournament, a 72. She was tied for 15th at 2 over.

Michelle Wie had another bad day with her second straight 9-over 81. She was last among the 70 weekend qualifiers at 17 over.

Also: Bo Van Pelt moved to 11 under par to take a one-shot lead through eight holes of his third round at the Houston Open in Humble, Texas, just before play was suspended because of darkness.

Fred Couples, Paul Casey, Colt Knost and Tommy Armour III were at 10 under when the horns sounded.

England's Paul Broadhurst shot a 4-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Estoril Open in Cascais, Portugal.

Broadhurst, trying to win the tournament for the third time in five years, had a 7-under 206 total. Dutchman Maarten Lafeber (64), Wales' Jamie Donaldson (67) and England's David Lynn (65) were tied for second.

LOCAL COLLEGES

UNLV baseball ends nine-game losing skid

Marc Baca threw four scoreless innings of relief as the UNLV baseball team snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 7-5 Mountain West Conference victory over Utah at Wilson Stadium.

J.J. Sferra doubled to extend his hitting streak to 21 games for the Rebels (14-16 overall, 3-5 MWC).

Also: The UNLV softball team dropped its Mountain West opener to San Diego State 2-1 at Eller Media Stadium.

Marissa Nichols' first-inning home run accounted for the only run for the Rebels (23-10). Stephanie Bergante took the loss.

The UNLV women's tennis team remained tied with Brigham Young for first place in the Mountain West with a 7-0 neutral-site shutout of Wyoming in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The Rebels (14-6, 5-0 MWC) dropped only one set in singles play.

The UNLV men's tennis team fell 6-1 to Brigham Young in a neutral-site Mountain West match in Salt Lake City.

The victory for the Rebels (12-11, 1-4) was by Elliot Wronski at No. 1 singles.

College of Southern Nevada split a Scenic West Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader with College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, losing 4-3 in the opener but winning the second game 7-5 in 10 innings.

Marvin Campbell delivered a two-run double in the top of the 10th of the second game for the Coyotes (27-13 overall, 19-5 SWAC).

College of Southern Nevada softball dropped two Scenic West games to host Salt Lake Community College, 18-0 and 5-4.

The Coyotes (22-15 overall, 17-3 SWAC) had the third game of a scheduled tripleheader canceled.

MISCELLANEOUS

Bradley captures WBO light welterweight title

Timothy Bradley got up from a first-round knockdown to score a unanimous decision over Kendall Holt and unify two titles in the light welterweight division in a fight held in Montreal.

Bradley (24-0) added Holt's WBO title to his own WBC belt in the unification bout between two Americans. Holt dropped to 25-3.

Also: The United States women routed Japan 8-0 in the World Hockey Championships in Hameenlinna, Finland.