Sports in Brief: Italian Open titles go to Serena, Nadal

Serena Williams won her fourth consecutive title of the year in dominating fashion Sunday, beating third-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, 6-1, 6-3, in the Italian Open final in Rome.

Rafael Nadal of Spain controlled the men's final from the start in defeating Swiss star Roger Federer, 6-1, 6-3, for his seventh Italian Open title. The meeting was the 30th between the tennis greats.

HOCKEY: Sweden became the first home team in 27 years to win the world championship, beating Switzerland, 5-1, in Stockholm for its ninth title. Switzerland earned its first medal in 60 years.

Vancouver Canucks star Henrik Sedin had two goals and an assist, and Buffalo Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth made 26 saves to help Sweden become the first team to win the title on home ice since the Soviet Union in 1986. Flyers defenseman Erik Gustafsson also scored for Sweden.

In the third-place game, the United States beat Finland, 3-2, in a shootout for its first medal in nine years. Montreal's Alex Galchenyuk scored consecutive goals in the shootout for the Americans, and Nashville's Craig Smith and Colorado's Paul Stastny had first-period goals.

BOXING: West Philadelphia's Stephen Fulton Jr. won the 114-pound title in the National Golden Gloves Tournament in Salt Lake City. Fulton decisioned Chicago's Cristian Williams on Saturday.

SOCCER: Arsenal qualified for the Champions League for the 16th straight season after edging Tottenham Hotspur for fourth place in the English Premier League with Laurent Koscielny's 52d-minute goal sealing a 1-0 win for the Gunners at Newcastle .

Chelsea finished third - and claimed the last Champions League spot - by beating Everton, 2-1, thanks to Fernando Torres' winner in Rafa Benitez's last game in charge of the Europa League champions.

In his 1,500th and final game as manager of Manchester United, Alex Ferguson watched his team blow a three-goal lead vs. West Bromwich Albion for the first 5-5 tie ever in the Premier League.

Tim Cahill scored on a header off a crossing pass in second-half stoppage time, lifting the New York Red Bulls to a 1-0 Major League Soccer victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in Harrison, N.J.

- Staff and wire reports