Williams sisters win, will face off

Serena Williams was calm in a return more dramatic than some might have expected even after a long layoff.

Williams needed to rally to win in her comeback following a six-month layoff, beating unseeded American Bernarda Pera 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the first round of the Top Seed Open in Lexington, Ky.

Williams advanced to a second-round showdown against older sister Venus, who dispatched Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 6-2. The two will meet for the 31st time in a match that figures to be emotionally and physically challenging for both of them. Up-and-coming Coco

Gauff, 16, moved on to the next round by beating Caroline Dolehide 7-5, 7-5. Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, lost to Leylah Fernandez 3-6, 3-6.

The LPGA Tour confirmed the Buick LPGA Shanghai has been canceled. ... Massachusetts is the latest Football Bowl Subdivision school to cancel its fall season.

Los Alamitos Race Course had its first horse death since the California Horse Racing Board took the racetrack off probation July 20. Secret Tonight, a 3-year-old quarterhorse gelding, stumbled after the end of his race Saturday and suffered an unspecified life-ending injury.

There have been 23 racing or training deaths since the season started Dec. 27.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported 15 additional cases of COVID-19 at SoFi Stadium in the last week, raising the total cases among workers to 75.

The Tennessee Titans placed linebacker Vic Beasley on the non-football injury list days after he finally reported for training camp. Beasley must pass a physical before he can rejoin practices.