Tennis roundup
Sharapova fends off Davenport in Pan Pacific Open final TOKYO (AP) – Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova defeated Lindsay Davenport in a third-set tiebreaker Sunday to win the $1.3 million Pan Pacific Open, preventing Davenport from becoming the first person to win the tournament five times.
Sharapova captured her first Pan Pacific title with a 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (5) win on carpet at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. The victory moves her up to No. 3 in the world, behind No. 1 Davenport and No. 2 Serena Williams.
Sharapova withstood 13 aces by Davenport and closed out the match with a forehand return down the line.
“I’m very happy to have won,” Sharapova said. “Lindsay played an amazing match and it all came down to the tiebreaker, so it obviously was a very tough match.”
Davenport, who lost to U.S. compatriot Serena Williams in the final of the Australian Open a week ago, is one of only two players to win the tournament four times. Martina Hingis is the other.
Volvo Women’s Open
PATTAYA, Thailand – Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez claimed her first title in nearly five years by beating Anna Lena Groenefeld of Germany 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to win the Volvo Women’s Open.
Martinez, who’s 32, needed 2 hours, 6 minutes to beat the 19-year-old Groenefeld for her 33rd career title. Her last singles championship came at the German Open in May 2000.
ATP Millennium
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – Xavier Malisse of Belgium won his first ATP Tour title with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory over Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic at the Millennium Tennis Championships.
Milan Indoors
MILAN, Italy – Fifth-seeded Robin Soderling of Sweden edged Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5) to win the Milan Indoors for his second career ATP Tour title.
Soderling finished the victory on his third match point.
His other tour championship came at Lyon, France, last year.
“I’m in form. My serve is good. I hope this is my year,” said Soderling, who’s ranked 37th.