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Sharapova wins 1st claycourt title

AMELIA ISLAND, Florida: Top seed Maria Sharapova won her first claycourt title by defeating Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 (7), 6-3 in the final of the $600,000 WTA Amelia Island tournament on Sunday.

The Australian Open champ Sharapova dispatched Cibulkova in just under two hours for her third title of the year and 19th of her career.

It was the first championship on clay for the 20-year-old Sharapova, who had been 0-3 in previous showings.

Despite being a heavy favorite at the second tier event, Sharapova was challenged on the green clay here by Cibulkova before earning $95,500 for the win.

The Russian beauty was well rested as she walked over in Saturday's semifinals against American Lindsay Davenport, who could not play due to an illness.

The 34th-ranked Slovak was appearing in her maiden WTA Tour final and it was the first career meeting with Sharapova.

Ochoa punishes field

MEXICO CITY: Mexico's Lorena Ochoa fired a final round 4-under 69 for an 11-stroke victory over South Korea's Song-Hee Kim at the LPGA's $1.3 million Corona Championship on Sunday.

Ochoa, who posted three consecutive 7-under-par 66 efforts to start the tournament, entered the final round with a seven-shot cushion before finishing at 25-under 267 at the Tres Marias Residential Golf Club.

She easily claimed the title - her fourth in five tries this year - and the $195,000 in prize money by besting second-place Kim.

With this 21st career victory, Ochoa qualified for the US LPGA's Hall of Fame at age 26.

"It was an amazing week," Ochoa said. "I can say I'm in the Hall of Fame now. It was really special to be here in my home country.

Beckham disappointed after loss

CARSON, California: David Beckham could not hide his disappointment after the Los Angeles Galaxy slipped to a 3-2 home defeat against Toronto FC on Sunday.

The England midfielder played all 90 minutes but could not prevent his team from dropping its first home points of the campaign against the previously winless Canadian side.

"We are disappointed," he said.

"Three games into the season we can't panic too much but it is obviously not the result we wanted.

"As long as I can create chances at some point we are going to score," he said. "Hopefully that will start soon."

The Galaxy play defending MLS Cup champion the Houston Dynamo at the Home Depot Center on April 19.

Inter considering Ronaldinho bid

MILAN: Inter Milan is considering trying to hijack AC Milan's pursuit of Barcelona forward Ronaldinho, Inter president Massimo Moratti said on Sunday.

AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani and Ronaldinho's brother and agent Roberto de Assis have said initial terms have been agreed and the club must now speak with Barcelona.

But Moratti, who had previously played down the Serie A leaders' interest in the Brazilian, has risked the wrath of his city rival by entering the fray.

"We will asses the possibility next week," Moratti told Sky television. "We have good relations with Barcelona and Ronaldinho's agent. We will see."

De Assis has said AC Milan is the only club he has spoken to but Moratti does not think that means the deal is done.

Inter is likely to lose Luis Figo to retirement at the end of the season and another creative player is on their wish list.

Odd prep yields world record

MANCHESTER: Austrian swimmer Markus Rogan has revealed his secret for breaking world records - going on holiday and training like a basketball player.

Rogan said he smashed the world 200m backstroke mark at the world short-course championships on Sunday after a two-week break in Austria with his girlfriend and training sessions with a basketball player.

"The way I train in swimming is touch the wall, feel it and go," he told reporters. "In basketball, you jump up for a rebound, so we did that a lot.

"I didn't believe it made any sense, but my best friend is a basketball player not a swimmer, and my coach wasn't there."

Rogan, double silver medalist at the Athens Olympics, clocked one minute 47.84 seconds to beat the 1:49.05 set by Ryan Lochte of the United States in Shanghai in 2006.

(China Daily 04/15/2008 page22)