Sunday, February 24, 2008
Maria Sharapova defeated Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-4, 6-3, yesterday to extend her unbeaten run to 13 matches and set up an all-Russian final at the Qatar Open in Doha.
Sharapova, who avenged her loss to Radwanska at the U.S. Open, will play Vera Zvonareva in the final today. Zvonareva rallied to defeat Li Na, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
"It wasn't an easy match as she got a lot of balls back, but I was able to dig in and get winners myself," Sharapova said.
The winner will receive $441,000, the richest paycheck on the WTA Tour outside the Grand Slams. . . .
Radek Stepanek advanced to the final of the SAP Open in San Jose, using a mix of deep groundstrokes and crafty drop shots to beat American Robby Ginepri, 6-7 (7-5), 6-4, 6-1.
Stepanek will play top-seeded Andy Roddick, a 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 winner over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. Roddick had previously squeezed past Mardy Fish in a tight three-set quarterfinal Friday, 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 7-5.
Ginepri couldn't conjure up the same combination that he used to beat fellow American James Blake a night earlier.
Ginepri was frustrated by the patient Czech who often used deep slice backhands to pin Ginepri to the baseline.
In the final set, Ginepri put up little fight and Stepanek grew more confident as the American appeared to tire and fade. On the final point, a ball struck by Stepanek ticked the net and floated into the court as Ginepri hung his head and walk up to shake hands.
The match began evenly, with no breaks of serve in the first set. Ginepri found himself down 1-4 in the tiebreaker, but Stepanek played a few loose points, lost focus and Ginepri regained control and won the set. . . .
Top-seeded David Nalbandian and Jose Acasuso won semifinal matches, setting up an all-Argentine championship in Buenos Aires.
Nalbandian routed fourth-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina, 6-1, 6-2. Acasuso, unseeded, rallied past eighth-seeded Filippo Volandri of Italy, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Neither Nalbandian nor Acasuso has won the only ATP stop in their home country. Acasuso reached the 2001 final, losing to Gustavo Kuerten. Nalbandian had never passed the quarterfinals until this week.
"Playing here is different when you are out in front of the [home] public," Nalbandian said. "The people are watching and pulling for you."
¿ HORSE RACING: Richard Migliore won the George Woolf Memorial Award, given to a jockey whose career and personal character honor thoroughbred racing.
The award was decided in voting by the nation's jockeys for the 58th year.
Migilore, 43, began riding full-time in Southern California two years ago. He has won more than 4,000 races.
The award will be presented March 30 at Santa Anita, where Woolf starred as a rider.
¿ COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Alabama safety Rashad Johnson was charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly knocking down a security guard at an off-campus bar early yesterday morning, Tuscaloosa police said.
Johnson was arrested at 2:55 a.m. at the Legacy bar on the strip near Alabama's campus, police spokesman Robert Fourt said in a statement. Johnson, 22, was released on $500 bond shortly after being booked on the misdemeanor charge.
-- From News Services
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