Off the wire

TENNIS Serena’s streak ends

Serena Williams’ long winning streak has come to an end in an upset 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 loss to Ana Ivanovic in the fourth round of the Australian Open. Williams hadn’t lost a match since August, one of only four defeats in 2013, and came into the fourth round with 25 consecutive victories. It was her 70th match at Melbourne Park, a record in the Open era, and she set the mark for most match victories ever at the Australian Open with her third round victory. Ivanovic hadn’t taken a set off Williams in their previous four matches. The other quarterfinal will feature two women who’ll turn 32 next month, with two-time finalist finalist Li Na beating No. 22 Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-0 and No. 28 Flavia Pennetta upsetting No. 9 Angelique Kerber 6-1, 4-6, 7-5. Also, top-seeded Rafael Nadal trounced No. 25 Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-2, 6-3. Nadal next plays No. 16 Kei Nishikori of Japan, who ended the U.S. run in the men’s draw with a comfortable victory over Donald Young. There were other lopsided matches in Rod Laver Arena, with two-time women’s defending champion Victoria Azarenka routing Yvonne Muesburger 6-1, 6-1 to set up an Australian Open rematch with Sloane Stephens. Third-seeded Maria Sharapova opened the day session with a consecutive-sets victory over No. 25 Alize Cornet and Roger Federer dispatched Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.

GOLF Reed shoots third 63

Another perfect day in the Coachella Valley. Another 9-under 63 for Patrick Reed in the Humana Challenge at La Quinta, Calif. Reed broke the PGA Tour record for relation to par in the first three rounds of a tournament, finishing at 27-under Saturday to take a seven-stroke lead into today’s final round. Hebirdied his final hole on PGA West’s Jack Nicklaus Private Course, hitting a wedge to 2 feet on the par-4 9th. He also had an eagle, seven more birdies and a bogey. Reed broke the tour mark of 25-under set by Gay Brewer in the 1967 Pensacola Open and matched by Ernie Els in the 2003 Tournament of Champions, Steve Stricker in the 2010 John Deere Classic and Pat Perez in the 2009 event in La Quinta. Bryce Molder (Conway) had an eagle and seven birdies for a 9-under 63 (204). Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) had nine birdies and two bogeys for a 7-under 65 (206). David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) had three birdies for a 3-under 69 (206). John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) had five birdies and three bogeys for a 2-under 70 (210) but failed to make the cut. Scott Gardiner (Farmington) had a birdie, a bogey and a double bogey for a 2-over 74 (213). He also was cut.

Phil Mickelson surged up the leaderboard with a 9-under 63 to put himself in second place after the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, while Rory McIlroy was hit with a two-shot penalty for a rules infraction that dropped him into a tie for fourth.Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. McIlroy thought he was alone in second place a stroke behind Lee after finishing his round, but tournament officials ruled that he had taken a drop incorrectly on the second hole and adjusted his score to a double-bogey 7. That gave him a 70 for the round to sit one stroke behind Mickelson and Gaganjeet Bhullar of India (66).

FOOTBALL Titans hire LB coach

The Tennessee Titans have hired UCLA defensive coordinator Lou Spanos as Ken Whisenhunt’s new linebackers coach. The Titans announced the hiring Saturday. Spanos has worked in the NFL for 17 of his 19 years as a coach, including 15 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also spent two seasons coaching linebackers for the Washington Redskins.

Clemson Coach Dabo Swinney received a new, eight-year contract and a raise that increased his totalpay for next season to $3.15 million. The agreement had been in the works since the end of the season. The school announced the reworked contract that ties Swinney to the Tigers through 2021. Swinney’s previous deal paid him a total of $2.55 million and was good through 2017. Clemson had its second consecutive 11-2 season, finishing up with a 40-35 victory over Ohio State in the Orange Bowl.

LSU fullback J.C. Copeland ran for two 1-yard touchdowns, Stanford’s Anthony Wilkerson ran for 67 yards and a touchdown and Team National used a second-half surge to beat Team American 31-17 in the third annual NFLPA Collegiate Bowl at Carson, Calif. Copeland, who never had a multi-touchdown game in 42 career games at LSU, was named MVP. Hawaii quarterback Sean Schroeder completed 13 of 17 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown to lead the American. The game was tied at 14-14 at halftime, but the National scored on their first three possessions of the second half to cruise to victory.

MOTOR SPORTS Tinkering with Chase?

A 16-driver championship field that would be whittled down to create a winner-take-all season finale is among radical changes reportedly being considered by NASCAR. NASCAR Chairman Brian France has repeatedly said he wants to place a greater emphasis on winning, and he’s never ruled out tinkering with the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship format in an effort to create the “Game 7 moments” he covets. The Charlotte Observer first reported Friday night the possible changes NASCAR is considering. The Observer cited anonymous sources in outlining a 16-driver Chase field that would kick out the four lowest ranked drivers after three races. The points would be reset, three more drivers would be kicked out after three more races and the finale would be a winner-take-all for the four remaining drivers.

FOOTBALL Hocker’s FGs lift East to victory

Jimmy Garoppolo threw a short second-quarter touchdown pass and Nevin Lawson returned a fourth-quarter fumble 5 yards for another TD to lead the East to a 23-13 victory in the 89th East-West Shrine game Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Coastal Carolina’s Matt Hazel scored on the 1-yard scoring pass from Garoppolo, the Eastern Illinois standout who completed 9 of 14 passes for 100 yards.

Arkansas’ Zach Hocker kicked three field goals for the East, including a 56-yarder that snapped a 13-13 tie early in the fourth quarter.

Nevin, a cornerback from Utah State, scooped up a fumble forced by Western Kentucky’s Andrew Jackson to put the East up 23-13 with 9:38 to go.

Heisman Trophy finalist Jordan Lynch of Northern Illinois started at quarterback for the East and threw a pair of first-quarter interceptions while also failing to get his team into the end zone after Ball State’s Keith Wenning lost a fumble for the West on the second play of the game.