SPORTS digest

Cleveland to refund players for ‘jock tax’

COLUMBUS

Cleveland may end up paying pay back millions in tax refunds after the state’s highest court rejected the city’s appeal over its formula for taxing visiting professional athletes.

The Ohio Supreme Court last week upheld a ruling that said the city’s so-called “jock tax” violates players’ due process rights. Former NFL players Hunter Hillenmeyer and Jeff Saturday sued to have Cleveland tax visiting players based on the number of days they work, not the number of games they play.

A Virginia-based sports accounting firm tells cleveland.com that visiting NFL players could be entitled to receive up to $2.4 million in refunds. Players in other sports could seek additional refunds.

A city spokesman says the city will begin issuing refunds to players.

Djokovic stretches ATP winning streak

LONDON

Right now, Novak Djokovic is about as good as it gets on a tennis court.

The top-ranked Serb put on an impressive display against Kei Nishikori at the ATP finals on Sunday, stretching his winning streak to 15 matches at the season-ending tournament with a 6-1, 6-1 win at the O2 Arena.

“I think I was at my best,” said Djokovic, who has won the last three titles at the ATP finals and four overall.

In the late match, Roger Federer beat Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-2.

Rosberg captures Brazilian GP

SAO PAULO

Nico Rosberg won Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix, leading from start to finish to beat Mercedes teammate and already-crowned season champion Lewis Hamilton.

Rosberg started from pole and won his second consecutive race — his fifth victory of the season — to clinch second place in the season standings with one race to run in Abu Dhabi.

Rosberg and Hamilton spent the entire race 1-2, remaining that way through three pits stops. Hamilton turned some of the fastest laps near the end could not catch his teammate and rival.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel finished third and teammate Kimi Raikkonen was fourth.

Worsham wins Funny Car title

POMONA, CALIF.

Del Worsham raced to his first Funny Car season title and went on to take the event victory Sunday in the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals.

Worsham beat playoff rival Jack Beckman in the semifinals to secure the season title and join Kenny Bernstein and Gary Scelzi as the only driver to win championships in both nitro categories.

Worsham, the 2011 Top Fuel champion, beat Tommy Johnson Jr. in the final round for his fourth victory of the season, 30th in Funny Car and 38th overall.

Andrew Hines won his second consecutive and fifth championship in Pro Stock Motorcycle when his closest rival, Jerry Savoie, lost in the second round.

Shawn Langdon won the Top Fuel event, Allen Johnson topped the Pro Stock field, and Eddie Krawiec won in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Stampeders rout Lions in CFL’s West semifinal

CALGARY, Alberta

Former Eastern Washington star Bo Levi Mitchell threw two touchdown passes to Eric Rogers and the defending Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders beat the B.C. Lions 35-9 on Sunday in the Canadian Football League’s West Division semifinal.

Mitchell was 15 of 24 pass for 199 yards. Keon Raymond returned an interception for a touchdown.

The Stampeders will play at Edmonton next week for a spot in the Grey Cup.

Bowe breaks record

CALGARY, Alberta

American Brittany Bowe broke the world record in the women’s 1,500 meters Sunday, and Russia’s Pavel Kulizhnikov topped the previous mark in the men’s 500 at a World Cup speedskating event.

Associated Press