Times wires
Sunday, March 6, 2011
TENNIS
Roddick lifts United states to Davis Cup win
SANTIAGO, Chile — Andy Roddick showed why he's the go-to guy when the United States needs to close out a Davis Cup tie.
Roddick defeated Paul Capdeville 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, 6-3 Sunday, giving the United States an insurmountable 3-1 lead in its 4-1 victory over Chile in the first-round Davis Cup World Group series.
Roddick improved to 12-0 in matches that can clinch a Cup matchup for the United States and is 33-11 overall in 24 ties since 2001.
"It's always sweet, and every time you clinch one, you think it's the sweetest," Roddick said.
The Americans advanced to the quarterfinals and will play at home in July against Rafael Nadal and Spain, 4-1 winners over Belgium.
Serve record: The International Tennis Federation confirmed that Ivo Karlovic of Croatia broke the world record for the fastest serve, hitting one 156 mph Saturday in a Davis Cup doubles match vs. Germany, breaking Roddick's record of 155 mph. At 6 feet 10, Karlovic is the tallest player on tour.
Skiing
Vonn triples up over the weekend
Having skipped the second half of last month's world championships to recover from a concussion, Olympic downhill champion Lindsey Vonn clinched her third discipline title in three days with a super-G win in Tarvisio, Italy.
"I knew that if I could get my head to be free of any symptoms that I could ski the way I know that I can ski," Vonn said. "It was just a matter of being able to focus and concentrate that was slowing me down."
Vonn took the super-combined and downhill titles the past two days and has moved within 96 points of German rival Maria Riesch in the overall standings with six races left.
ET CETERA
ARENA FOOTBALL: The Storm got down to its 24-player roster, releasing quarterback Jevan Snead and seven others. Former Bucs receiver Frank Murphy was put on the physically unable to perform list.
BOWLING: Jason Couch defeated Hall of Famer Parker Bohn 219-175 in the final of the Mark Roth Plastic Ball Championship in Cheektowaga, N.Y. Couch, who is from Clermont in Lake County, earned his first PBA Tour title in four years and the 16th of his career. Couch missed the 2007-08 season due to knee surgery.
Boxing: IBF and WBO champ Wladimir Klitschko and WBA holder David Haye agreed to a heavyweight title bout this summer. The fight should take place June 25 or July 2 at a venue in Germany that is yet to be confirmed. Haye pulled out of a fight with Klitschko in 2009 with a back injury, and talks have collapsed several times since.
College baseball: Florida (10-1), ranked No. 1 by Baseball America, scored three times in the sixth to beat Miami 5-3 and complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Hurricanes for only the second time in school history (2006). Former Plant High standout Preston Tucker homered to back former Alonso star Tommy Toledo, who retired all eight batters he faced for his first win.
SOCCER: FC Tampa Bay and the University of Tampa played to a 1-1 tie Saturday at Pepin Stadium. Tampa's Kemal Malcolm scored, but UT alum Pascal Millien got the equalizer for FC Tampa Bay, playing the first of five preseason games.
Track: France's Teddy Tamgho broke his indoor triple jump world record at the European championships in Paris. He leaped 58 feet, 9½ inches, bettering his mark at the last month by a quarter-inch.
Times wires