WINTER SPORTS

Ted Ligety became the first man in 45 years to win three gold medals at a skiing world championships by blowing away the field in winning his favored giant slalom Friday in Schladming, Austria. The American can match French great Jean-Claude Killy, who earned four golds in 1968, if he wins Sunday’s slalom. Ligety, who also took the super-G and super-combined titles, built on his big first-run lead of 1.31 seconds with a fast start but cautious finish in the second. Marcel Hirscher of Austria was 0.81 behind in second, and Manfred Moelgg of Italy took third, trailing Ligety by 1.75. Ligety is the first American to win two world GS titles, and has equaled Bode Miller’s American record of four golds at the worlds . . . Martin Dukurs won his fourth straight skeleton overall title with his eighth World Cup victory of the season at Rzahanaya Polyana, Russia. The Latvian slider edged world champion Alexander Tretjakov by 0.17 seconds in the first heat on the Sochi Olympics track to claim his 25th career Cup victory.

TENNIS

With victory, Serena returns to No. 1