UPI NewsTrack Sports

Favre's a winner in his return to Green Bay

GREEN BAY, Wis., Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Brett Favre threw four touchdown passes Sunday, leading the Minnesota Vikings to a 38-26 win and a season-sweep over his former team, the Green Bay Packers.

In his return to the city where he played 16 seasons, Favre, booed by many hard-core Packers fans when he entered Lambeau Field in a Vikings uniform, completed 17-of-28 passes for 244 yards.

It was the 21st time he threw four or more scoring passes in one game, equaling former Dolphin great Dan Marino.

Adrian Peterson scored once on 25 carries for 97 yards.

Rookie Percy Harvin, one of four receivers with a touchdown catch, also had a key 48-yard kickoff return, while the defense made six sacks for the Vikings (7-1), who beat the Packers 30-23 Oct. 5 at Minneapolis.

Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers went 26-for-41 for 287 yards with three touchdowns but could not bring the Packers back from a 24-3 third-quarter deficit.

Fisher takes World Match Play title

CASARES, Spain, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- England's Ross Fisher beat Anthony Kim 4-and-3 Sunday and won the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain.

"I am absolutely ecstatic," Fisher said.

Fisher has won three times on the European Tour.

The Englishman sank a 35-foot eagle putt on the 22nd hole of the scheduled 36-hole match at the Finca Cortesin Golf Club to take a three-stroke lead.

Kim, of the United States, cut his deficit to two on the 24th but did not get closer after that.

Fisher ended the match with a par on the 33rd hole.

"My caddie did a great job with his words of encouragement," Fisher said. "Fortunately the putter got a little bit hot too. I am thrilled."

Robert Allenby eagled the first hole of a playoff to top Angel Cabrera in the tournament's consolation match.

McMurray wins shortened Talladega race

TALLADEGA, Ala., Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Veteran NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray was a surprise winner Sunday at the crash-marred Sprint Cup Amp Energy 500 at Talladega, Ala.

McMurray, driving a Ford, snapped an 86-race winless drought and avoided a multicar crash that forced the race to end under a caution flag.

It was his first victory since July 2008 at Daytona.

Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, Greg Biffle and Jeff Burton completed the top-five finishers.

The late crash saw Mark Martin's car sliding upside down on the track one lap away from the checkered flag. In a separate crash, Ryan Newman's Chevrolet turned upside down on the Chevy driven by Kevin Harvick, hit the outside wall and then slid down the track and barrel-rolled on the infield grass.

Newman was not injured but he had to be cut out of his car.

Reigning points champion Jimmie Johnson finished eighth but padded his lead to 187 over Martin and 204 ahead of Jeff Gordon.

Serena Williams withdraws from Fed Cup

DOHA, Qatar, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Serena Williams has withdrawn from the U.S. Fed Cup tennis final against the Italian team next week at Reggio Calabria, Italy.

Her withdrawal was announced by the United States Tennis Association.

Williams made her decision late Saturday before her season-ending match against her older sister, Venus, at the Sony Ericsson Championships at Doha, Qatar. Serena beat Venus 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).Sunday for the 35th title of her WTA career.

"I think I'm just going to be wiped out by the end of this," Serena said after beating the injured Caroline Wozniacki to advance to the final.

Williams' decision means Vania King, No. 78 in the latest women's world rankings, gets a chance to better her 4-5 career Fed Cup record.

Team USA captain Mary Joe Fernandez will use King, Melanie Oudin, Alexa Glatch and Liezel Huber in the Nov. 7-8 match-up against Roberta Vinci, Francesca Schiavone, Flavia Pennetta and Sara Errani.

Although Italy has never beaten the U.S. in Fed Cup competition, Vinci has lost just one of 15 career cup singles matches.