INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Daniela Hantuchova won her second Pacific Life Open championship in five years Saturday — and just her second tour title ever.
Hantuchova, the 2002 champion at Indian Wells, defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-4 in the final this time to end her long winless streak.
No. 18 Hantuchova, who upset Martina Hingis in the championship match for her only previous title, this time used steady, accurate groundstrokes and timely net play for the victory over No. 4 Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S. Open champion.
The 23-year-old from Slovakia dictated the rhythm of the match against Kuznetsova, a 21-year-old from Russia who has won eight tour titles. Hantuchova made the most of her trips to the net, winning 11 of her 12.
On the men's side, Rafael Nadal beat Andy Roddick 6-4, 6-3 in one semifinal, and Novak Djokovic defeated Andy Murray 6-2, 6-3 in the other.
People are also reading…
The second-ranked Nadal consistently won points by keeping the ball deep to Roddick's backhand for several exchanges, then driving forehand winners past the American.
Murray, who tweaked his left ankle, cut his right knee and banged up his right hip when he took a tumble during a match the previous night, obviously was slowed in the matchup of 19-year-olds.
● Kim Clijsters, playing her final season before retiring from the women's tennis tour, will miss this year's French Open to prepare for her marriage in July.
boxing
Holyfield wins in Texas
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Evander Holyfield's bid to become the first five-time heavyweight champion gained momentum Saturday night when the 44-year-old stopped Vinny Maddalone in a bloody, one-sided bout.
At the urging of Maddalone's trainer, Al Certo, referee Ruben Carrion stopped the fight at 2:48 of the third round, with Maddalone bleeding profusely from the forehead and Holyfield blasting away. Holyfield improved his record to 41-8-2.
● In Las Vegas, Daniel Ponce De Leon of Mexico retained his WBO 122-pound title with a unanimous decision over Gerry Penalosa on Saturday night.
Two judges scored it 119-109 for De Leon and the third had it 120-108. The heavily pro-De Leon crowd at Mandalay Bay jeered the decision.
Horse Racing
Merv's Cobalt Blue wins
ARCADIA, Calif. — Cobalt Blue may be the horse that gets entertainer Merv Griffin to the Kentucky Derby.
Cobalt Blue won the San Felipe Stakes by two lengths at Santa Anita on Saturday and moved onto the Derby trail with his third victory in four career starts. Griffin bought the chestnut colt for $325,000, and Cobalt Blue delivered again in his first race longer than 6 1/2 furlongs.
With Victor Espinoza aboard for the first time, Cobalt Blue covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.46 and returned $6.40, $3.40 and $2.60. Air Commander, trained by three-time Derby winner and UA alum Bob Baffert, was second.
miscellaneous
Mexico eliminated
MEXICO CITY — The Mexican women's soccer squad defeated Japan 2-1 Saturday, but Japan advanced to a berth in the World Cup this September in China because it won the first leg of the two-match playoff 2-0.
● Wilford "Crazy Ray" Jones, the boisterous Dallas Cowboys fan who energized crowds for decades with his cowboy getup and sideline cheerleading, died Saturday. He was 76.
● In Auburn Hills, Mich., Minnesota won the NCAA wrestling title Saturday, finishing 9 1/2 points ahead of Iowa State.
5 takeaways from Arizona football’s 52-31 victory over West Virginia | Michael Lev
