TENNIS
Johnson wins 1st title
Steve Johnson of the United States won his first ATP title with a 7-6 (5), 7-5 victory over Pablo Cuevas in the final of the grass-court Nottingham Open on Saturday at Nottingham, England. The 26-year-old Californian capitalized on two of his three break chances, all of which came in the second set after the first set went with serve. Johnson broke for 2-1, but his Uruguayan opponent broke back for 4-4 and held on until the 11th game before being broken a second time. Johnson, seeded sixth, sealed the victory in the following game on his second match point. The tournament in central England is a warmup for Wimbledon, where Johnson opens against Malek Jaziri of Tunisia on Monday.
Cibulkova wins again
Dominika Cibulkova won her second title of the year when she defeated Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-3 Saturday in the Eastbourne International final at Eastbourne, England. The 12th-seeded Slovak was playing in her fourth final of the year after winning Katowice and finishing as runner-up in Acapulco and Madrid. The 10th-seeded Pliskova was seeking her second grass-court title in three weeks after winning in Nottingham.
HORSE RACING
Mo Tom wins Derby
Even-money favorite Mo Tom got an unimpeded trip with jockey Javier Castellano and rallied from ninth to win Saturday's $500,000 Ohio Derby by 3 lengths at ThistleDown outside Cleveland. Mo Tom, trained by Tom Amoss, was coming off troubled runs in the Risen Star (third) and Louisiana Derby (fourth) at Fair Grounds in New Orleans and an eighth-place finish in the May 7 Kentucky Derby. He opened his 3-year-old season with a victory in the Grade III Lecomte Stakes in New Orleans. The winner hit the wire in 1:51.82.
Nelson edges Indian
Lord Nelson wore down Subtle Indian to win the Grade I $300,000 Triple Bend Stakes by a half length Saturday at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Jockey Rafael Bejarano kept Lord Nelson in contention while Subtle Indian, the Count Fleet Stakes winner at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs on April 14, set opening fractions of :22.58 and :45.52. Final time for the 7-furlongs was 1:21.04 on a fast track.
Sarah Sis scores
Sarah Sis, the 2015 Honeybee Stakes winner at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, scored a wire-to-wire victory Saturday in the Grade III $100,000 Chicago Handicap at Arlington International Racecourse outside Chicago. Sarah Sis, ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr. and trained by Ingrid Mason, won for the first time since October to end a four-race losing streak. Sarah Sis, the 9-5 favorite in the nine-horse field, ran 7 furlongs in 1:23.16 and won for the seventh time in 18 career starts.
Melatonin takes Gold Cup
Melatonin, the second-place finisher in the Grade II Oaklawn Handicap on April 16 in Hot Springs, won Saturday's Grade I $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita by 1½ lengths over long shot Win the Space in Arcadia, Calif. The victory was the second in a Grade I race for Melatonin this year, the other coming in 4¼-length victory in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 12. Melatonin, ridden by Joe Talamo and trained by David Hofmans, ran the 1¼ miles in 1:59.79.
BOXING
Thurman wins decision
Keith Thurman defended his WBA welterweight title Saturday night with a 12-round unanimous decision over Shawn Porter in a fierce bout at Barclays Center in New York. In a fight chock full of action from the outset, both fighters landed precise combinations and also missed wildly. Thurman won on all three cards 115-113. The AP also scored the fight 115-113 for Thurman. Both exhausted men had welts by their eyes at the end, and they each held up their arms in triumph at the final bell. But Thurman (27-0, 22 knockouts) landed the more powerful punches and Porter (26-2-1) came up just short.
Joshua KOs Breazeale
Anthony Joshua defended his IBF heavyweight title by knocking out Dominic Breazeale in the seventh round Saturday at the O2 Arena in London, ending his American challenger's unbeaten record. It was only the second time in the 26-year-old Joshua's career than he has required more than three rounds to see off an opponent. A devastating left-right combination sent Breazeale to the canvas early in the seventh round. When Breazeale returned to his feet, a further barrage dropped him again.
MOTOR SPORTS
Edwards takes pole
Carl Edwards won the pole for today's road course race at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Edwards ran a lap at 95.777 mph around the 10-turn, 1.99-mile track in Saturday's qualifying session to put his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the top starting spot. AJ Allmendinger qualified second with a lap at 95.676 mph in his JTG Daugherty Chevrolet. Martin Truex Jr. qualified third in a Toyota for Furniture Row Racing, while Kurt Busch was fourth for Stewart-Haas Racing. Kyle Larson completed the top five, as Chevy drivers took three of the top five spots. Dylan Lupton, 23, made it in the field and will make his first Sprint Cup start today.
OLYMPICS
Exemptions sought
The Russian sports minister says "up to 67 athletes" have applied to track and field's world governing body to be exempted from the ban on the Russian team at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. The IAAF last week upheld its overall ban on the Russian team -- imposed in November over widespread doping -- but allowed an exemption for athletes who can show they have been subject to reliable drug-testing outside their home country. Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Russia's Match TV on Saturday that the 67 athletes would submit "individual applications" to the IAAF but were also prepared to file lawsuits at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. He did not name any of the athletes who wanted to apply. The IAAF is unlikely to approve most of the 67 athletes, since it has previously indicated the exemption is aimed at a small minority of athletes based abroad. Those who appear to fit the IAAF criteria include 800-meter runner Yulia Stepanova, who fled Russia after testifying on doping matters citing fears for her safety, and the U.S.-based long jumper Darya Klishina.
Sports on 06/26/2016