Phelps Caps Three-Win Day With Win Over Peirsol

Michael Phelps ended his drought against Aaron Peirsol and is ready to start turning his attention toward the U.S. Olympic trials.

Phelps capped a busy afternoon yesterday by beating Peirsol -- the reigning Olympic champion in the event -- in the 100-meter backstroke at the Santa Clara (Calif.) Grand Prix, the first time the six-time Olympic gold medalist has ever defeated Peirsol in a backstroke event.

Phelps, whose five medals were the most by any individual at the meet, competed in three events in less than an hour. He started by winning the 100 freestyle in 49.15 seconds and followed that by capturing the 200 IM in 1:58.13.

Phelps has one final tuneup left before the U.S. Olympic Trials begin in Omaha on June 29.

Australia's Cate Campbell set a U.S. Open record and had the third-fastest time ever in the women's 50 free in 24.13 seconds. American Natalie Coughlin was third.

Campbell, who turns 16 tomorrow, led the entire way.

Erik Vendt set a U.S. Open record in the 1,500 free in 14 minutes 46.78 seconds. Brendan Hansen won the men's 200 breast in a meet-record 2:10.62. Short course world champion Mary Descenza held off Kim Vandenberg to win the women's 200 fly in 207.77 and also set a meet record.

· TENNIS: Rafael Nadal beat defending champion Roger Federer, 7-5, 6-7 (7-3), 6-3, to win the Hamburg Masters and add the only major clay-court title missing from his impressive collection.

Since April 2005, Nadal has lost only twice in 110 matches on clay.

Nadal rallied from deficits in the first two sets, although he lost the tiebreaker in the second. He led 4-1 in the third and held on to raise his record against the top-ranked player to 8-1 on clay and 10-6 overall. Federer entered with a 41-match winning streak in Germany dating to 2003 and a 9-0 career record in finals on German soil. . . .

In Rome, Jelena Jankovic won her second straight Italian Open title with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over French qualifier Alizé Cornet.