Top shot

Serena wins year's first title in India

BANGALORE, India: Serena Williams won the $600,000 WTA Bangalore Open on Sunday, giving the world No 11 her first title of the year on her maiden visit to India.

Williams defeated Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 7-5, 6-3 in a final lasting an hour and 25 minutes to pocket the winner's purse of $95,000 and 275 points with her 29th career title.

The 12th-ranked Schnyder, who tasted defeat after winning three of her last four matches against Williams, took home $51,000 and 190 points from India's richest tennis event.

"It was so nice being in India and winning the title made it even better," said the third-seeded American, who had beaten elder sister Venus in the semifinals on Saturday.

"A week back I was not even sure I would be able to play, so to win my first title of the year makes it a very special visit."

Brazilian referee admits miscounting yellow cards

RIO DE JANEIRO: A Brazilian referee admitted he allowed a player to stay on the pitch despite showing him two yellow cards in the match between Corinthians and Guaratingueta on Sunday.

It was a day of confusion, goals and red cards, with three players sent off in the first half of Palmeiras's 5-2 win over Bragantino and a controversial penalty giving Santos a 3-2 win over Noroeste, which had its coach and two players dismissed.

Television pictures showed that Guaratingueta midfielder Magal was booked twice during the first half of the 2-0 defeat by Corinthians in the Paulista championship.

"I realized I had made a mistake at halftime," referee Jose Henrique de Carvalho told the Sportv cable television channel.

"I wrote down the number five instead of number eight, I made a mistake and I'm unhappy.

"I apologize to Corinthians and to their fans."

Spaniard Camacho quits as Benfica coach

LISBON, Portugal: Spaniard Jose Antonio Camacho has resigned as Benfica coach, the Lisbon club's president Luis Filipe Vieira said on Sunday.

Camacho's assistant Fernando Chalana will take charge of the team for the UEFA Cup last-16 second leg game against Getafe on Wednesday, Benfica said on its website (slbenfica.pt). Benfica lost the first leg at home 2-1.

It was held to a 2-2 draw by bottom-of-the-table Uniao Leiria on Sunday, a result which left it 14 points behind Portuguese Premier League leader Porto with eight games remaining this season.

"I think it is best (my resignation) for the team," the former Spanish national coach told a news conference. "I hope that the players improve with another coach."

Camacho, who led Benfica to second place in the standings in a previous spell in Lisbon in 2004, was appointed coach in August after Fernando Santos was sacked.

Stoner takes MotoGP season opener in Qatar

DOHA: World champion Casey Stoner won the Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix in Doha on Sunday, the first race of the season and the first ever to be held at night under floodlights.

The Australian, riding a Ducati, crossed the line first at the Losail International Circuit ahead of Spanish polesitter and debutant Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha, with Honda's Dani Pedrosa in third.

Stoner, who was fourth on the grid, took the lead on the straight on lap eight and did not look back as he raced to victory in 42 minutes 36.587 seconds.

Lorenzo finished over five seconds in arrears with Pedrosa almost five seconds further back in third.

"This is an amazing win for me," Stoner told reporters. "I am very happy to start the new season in this fashion. We didn't have a great time in the pre-season. But I enjoyed tonight's race. It was crazy in the first few laps."

(China Daily 03/11/2008 page22)