Agent to AP: Sharapova 'on track' for Australia

Maria Sharapova expects to be back on the tennis tour at the start of 2009 and defend her Australian Open title after being sidelined since July with an injured right shoulder. Sharapova's agent, Max Eisenbud, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that she is "on track" to return to action at the Jan. 7-10 exhibition in Hong Kong that she usually enters.

The three-time Grand Slam title winner then plans to head to the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 19 in Melbourne.

"She's doing good," Eisenbud said in a telephone interview. "Everything's on track."

Sharapova has not played competitively since pulling out of a tournament in Montreal in late July after winning a nearly three-hour match in which she double-faulted 17 times. The right-hander was examined by a trainer midway through the three-set victory, and she withdrew from the event before her next match.

Medical tests later found a torn rotator cuff tendon in the 21-year-old Russian's shoulder.

Sharapova missed the rest of the just-concluded season, including the Beijing Olympics and the U.S. Open, ending her streak of 23 consecutive major tournaments.

She hadn't missed a major since her Grand Slam debut at the 2003 Australian Open. Sharapova won the singles championships at Wimbledon in 2004, the U.S. Open in 2006 and the Australian Open in 2008.

While she briefly held the No. 1 spot this year, the time away led her to slide in the rankings and she finished the season at No. 9.

Sharapova went 32-4 with three titles in 2008, earning nearly $2 million in tour prize money.

Nadal-less Spain upsets Argentina in Davis Cup

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina – Who needs Rafael Nadal?

Even without the top-ranked player, Spain won its third Davis Cup by beating Argentina on Sunday, thanks to Fernando Verdasco's five-set victory over Jose Acasuso.

Verdasco outlasted Acasuso 6-3, 6-7 (3), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 before a boisterous Argentine crowd at Islas Malvinas Stadium. The fans went quiet as Argentina lost at home for the first time in 10 years in Davis Cup competition.

"It's the most exciting victory of my life," Verdasco said. "Playing for my country, against the best players, it's a dream."

Spain won its first Davis Cup title on the road, adding to victories against Australia in 2000 and the United States in 2004.

Verdasco, replacing David Ferrer in the reverse singles, overcame nine double-faults to beat a shaky Acasuso in 3 hours, 56 minutes. The 48th-ranked Acasuso was a late replacement for the injured Juan Martin del Potro, Argentina's top-ranked player at No. 9.

Argentina entered the heavy favorite after Nadal withdrew last week because of a knee injury.

"Nadal gave us several victories, and thanks to him we are here," Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario said. "But the players who are here are the ones who deserve all the credit now."

After winning match point, Verdasco dropped to the court in celebration and was embraced by his teammates.

"Spectacular," Nadal said on Spanish state television. "Sincerely, this is history."

Nadal said he would've loved to have been in Argentina to celebrate with his teammates.

"Moments like these, sharing them with your teammates are unforgettable," Nadal said. "They played a tremendous tie — it's time for them to enjoy it."

Verdasco recognized the efforts of other players who helped Spain reach the final, including Nadal, Tommy Robredo and Nicolas Almagro.

"We have to thank Rafa, Tommy, Almagro," Verdasco said. "It is thanks to them we are here."

Despite the support of nearly 10,000 fans, Acasuso was not able to keep up with Verdasco, who played well in the doubles win alongside Feliciano Lopez on Saturday. Acasuso served 14 aces, but had 47 unforced errors.

"I was prepared for the match, but Verdasco played very well in the fourth and fifth sets," Acasuso said. "He started serving better and deserves a lot of credit for this win."

Both players struggled on serve, with Verdasco broken five times and Acasuso on nine occasions.

Verdasco broke Acasuso's service in the sixth game, going up 4-2 to easily win the first set.

That silenced the crowd, but Acasuso lifted the fans by winning the second-set tiebreaker after each player broke twice. One of the breaks came when Acasuso served for the set at 5-4.

The Argentine kept pressing in the third set, breaking Verdasco in the first game and twice more. Verdasco stayed in the match with a solid fourth set, breaking Acasuso to lead 4-2 and winning four of the last five games.

The Spaniard dominated the fifth set, winning the first four games and cruising to victory. Argentina last lost at home during Davis Cup competition in 1998 to Slovakia.

Argentina had reached the final twice, losing to the U.S. in 1981 and Russia in 2006.

Acasuso had won his only other match against Verdasco, whose Davis Cup singles record improved to 4-3. Acasuso is 5-3.

The 20-year-old Del Potro, one of the hottest players on tour this year, injured his right thigh in a four-set loss to Lopez on Friday. Verdasco came in for Ferrer after he lost his singles match in three sets to David Nalbandian on Friday.

"When you lose such an important player like Juan Martin, it opens a big hole in the team," Argentina captain Alberto Mancini said. "After that, things got complicated for us."

The title moved Spain from fourth to second in Davis Cup rankings, behind Russia. Argentina would have reached No. 1 with a victory.

The United States won last year's final, beating Russia.

___

Associated Press Sports Writer Paul Logothetis contributed to this report from Madrid.

Lopez upsets del Potro as Spain evens final

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina – Feliciano Lopez upset Juan Martin del Potro 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4), 6-3 Friday, allowing Spain to escape the first day of the Davis Cup final tied 1-1 tie with Argentina.

David Nalbandian brushed aside David Ferrer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in the opening singles, and del Potro was expected to comfortably handle Lopez on his favored hard court.

But Lopez took the two tiebreakers, and del Potro injured his right thigh in the sixth game of the fourth set. After treatment, he lost his serve and Lopez cruised to victory in 3 hours, 19 minutes, hushing the boisterous crowd of about 10,000 at Islas Malvinas Stadium.

"I never felt this happy before in my career," Lopez said. "It's great to win a match like today, in a Davis Cup final, away from home."

Del Potro's injury and his defeat suddenly made Saturday's doubles even more crucial for Argentina, a heavy favorite to win its first Davis Cup, and unbeaten at home for 10 years. Spain is looking to add to its home victories in 2000 and 2004.

David Nalbandian was picked to join Agustin Calleri against the experienced Spanish pair of Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.

The manner of Nalbandian's easy and quick singles win likely persuaded Argentina captain Alberto Mancini to play Nalbandian in doubles. He has a 10-4 record in Davis Cup doubles, and has won with Acasuso and Calleri.

Del Potro is scheduled to open the reverse singles Sunday against Ferrer, depending on the seriousness of his thigh injury.

"The doctor could not make a diagnosis right now," del Potro said. "I don't know what the injury is. Tomorrow we'll find out what happened."

Spain was playing without top-ranked Rafael Nadal, who has knee tendinitis. Captain Sanchez Vicario replaced him with 56th-ranked Marcel Granollers. The Davis Cup final has not featured a No. 1 player since Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in 2001.

Argentina finished second to the United States in 1981 and to Russia in 2006. It chose the blue indoor hard court for the final, trying to curtail the Spaniards' advantage on clay.

After winning the first set, del Potro couldn't break Lopez again in the second as they headed into a tiebreaker. There, Lopez jumped ahead 4-0 and won 7-2.

"I wasn't feeling comfortable in the first set," Lopez said. "But I was able to overcome that moment. I'm glad I was able to do that."

There were no breaks either in the third set, in which Lopez won five straight points in the tiebreaker and clinched the set with one of his 17 aces. In the fourth set, Lopez broke del Potro in the fourth game but del Potro came right back with a break of his own.

Del Potro was trying to reach a crosscourt shot on the baseline when he injured himself. He left the court to be attended by doctors but when he returned he was obviously affected by the injury.

Lopez's win bolstered Spain's hopes of winning its third Davis Cup, and first away from home. After Nadal withdrew this month, Spain's chances were diminished considerably, but it promised to fight for every point.

Ferrer, however, was routed by Nalbandian in under two hours. Nalbandian broke Ferrer in the third game and led all the way.

"I played a great match," Nalbandian said after his 17th win in 21 Davis Cup singles. "I couldn't have played it any better. It was good to win it fast."

Ferrer still leads their head-to-heads at 6-4, but all of Nalbandian's wins have been on hard courts.

"No match against David is easy, but I didn't have good feelings on the court," Ferrer said.

(This version CORRECTS UPDATES with quotes, details; corrects Nalbandian's doubles record)

Injured Nadal to miss Davis Cup final

BARCELONA, Spain – Rafael Nadal will miss Spain's Davis Cup final against Argentina because of a knee injury.

The top-ranked Nadal said Monday he was still struggling with tendinitis in his right knee following a week of treatment.

"The knee said no," the 22-year-old said.

Spain team doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro said Nadal would need three to six weeks to recover.

"These are very difficult moments, but I have done all that I could to be ready for the final," he said. "It was a huge objective, and I'm used to playing with pain, but this is a distinct, new pain that I couldn't control."

Nadal's absence deals a big blow to Spain's bid for a third Davis Cup title since 2000. Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario has until Tuesday to name his team.

Spain plays Argentina on indoor hard court at Mar del Plata from Nov. 21-23.

"We're sorry for him, but it's good news. Spain is one thing with Nadal, and another thing without him," Argentine captain Alberto Mancini told Buenos Aires-based radio station Continental.

Nadal was a key player when Spain beat the United States 4-1 in the semifinals, winning both his singles matches.

Sanchez Vicario most likely will replace Nadal with Tommy Robredo, clay-court specialist Nicolas Almagro or Marcel Granollers. David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco are expected to be back on the team.

Nadal this year won a fourth straight French Open and his first Wimbledon title. He withdrew from the Paris Masters last month with an injury to the same knee after losing the first set of his quarterfinal against Nikolai Davydenko. He then pulled out of this week's season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, China.

Nadal also won the Olympic gold medal in a year when he supplanted Roger Federer at No. 1.

"I don't know if the injury (resulted) from my fight to be No. 1 because in reality, I didn't play in any extra tournaments, I only played what I had to for the ranking and I don't think you can reproach me for that," Nadal said. "I didn't do anything crazy to be No. 1."

Ruiz-Cotorro said the injury was not career threatening, but that it was "totally impossible" for Nadal to be ready in time for the final.

"Rafa comes in off a very tough year and his body has been warning him for weeks. It's an acute injury that needs time to recuperate," Ruiz-Cotorro said. "If he played in Argentina, it could become worse."

Robredo helped Spain to a 5-0 rout of Peru in a first-round match in February, but has reached the quarterfinals of only one of nine tournaments since winning at Bastad in July. The 21st-ranked Robredo has been a Spain regular since 2004.

The 19th-ranked Almagro made his debut against Peru, winning both singles matches, while 56th-ranked Granollers has never been selected.

"Spain has top-level players capable of achieving victory," said Nadal, who didn't rule out traveling to South America to support his teammates.

Agustin Calleri and Jose Acasuso will join David Nalbandian and Juan Martin Del Potro for the Argentine team.

Venus Williams wins season-ending WTA Championship

DOHA, Qatar – Venus Williams rallied to win the WTA's Sony Ericsson Championships for the first time, defeating Vera Zvonareva 6-7 (5), 6-0, 6-2 Sunday at the season-ending event.

The Wimbledon champion took command in the last two sets with powerful serving, smashes and aggressive groundstrokes against her Russian opponent.

"I'm so excited," Williams said. "That was a hard-fought match, every point, right down to the end."

Williams won $1.34 million at the event, which for the first time offered the same prize money as the men at the ATP's season-ending Masters Cup.

The first lady of Qatar, a conservative Muslim sheikdom, presented the trophy to Williams, shaking her hand and kissing her on both cheeks. Sheika Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned wore a traditional black head scarf and robe.

"Thanks to your Royal Highness for coming. Wow!" Williams said.

Such a public appearance by a ruler's wife is unusual in the region. Mozah might be one of several wives; many emirs and kings in the Gulf have multiple wives — up to the four permitted by Islam.

Billie Jean King sat with Mozah and other dignitaries during the match and joined Williams on the court for the awards ceremony. The trophy is named for King.

Williams' ranking will improve to No. 6 from No. 8, while the ninth-ranked Zvonareva also will move up two spots. The two were the lowest-ranked players at the event, which featured the top eight players in the world.

"I know I can go higher" in the rankings, said the 28-year-old Williams, a former No. 1 who defeated top-ranked Jelena Jankovic in the semifinals.

Zvonareva became increasingly frustrated and collapsed to the ground in tears when Williams broke her in the final set to go up 3-1. Williams, who lost in their first meeting at the 2003 French Open, now holds a 6-1 record against her.

"She stayed aggressive," said Zvonareva, who last qualified for the championships in 2004. "In the second and third, she was dictating."

Zvonareva surged to a 5-2 lead in the first set, and led 5-3, 40-0. But she was unable to convert four set points in that game, and Williams won it on her second break point.

In the tiebreaker, Zvonareva fell behind 1-5, but rallied to win it when her backhand slice clipped the net cord and dropped over.

Williams dominated the second set, not allowing Zvonareva to win a game.

Zvonareva broke Williams with a drop shot to trail 2-1 in the third set. She held serve at love to come within 4-2, her first hold since the first set. But Williams won the next two games to capture the title.

Williams qualified for the championships for the eighth time since 1998. She had reached the semifinals twice and withdrew five times because of injuries and illness.

"It was missing, this one," Williams said of the WTA Championships title. She has won 39 tour singles titles, including five Wimbledon and two U.S. Open crowns.

Williams' career earnings rose to $21.9 million.

In doubles, Cara Black and Liezel Huber defeated Kveta Peschke and Rennae Stubbs 6-1, 7-5.

Nadal has knee tendinitis, doubtful for Davis Cup

MADRID, Spain – Rafael Nadal has tendinitis in his right knee and could be in doubt for Spain's Davis Cup final against Argentina.

Medical tests Tuesday confirmed the tendinitis, and Spain team doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro said the top-ranked player would undergo treatment through Saturday.

Nadal will have more tests Monday to assess the injury. Spain plays Argentina in the final on indoor hard court at Mar del Plata from Nov. 21-23.

Spanish Davis Cup captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario will not pick Nadal if he is unfit, Nadal's uncle and coach Toni said Tuesday.

On Monday, Nadal pulled out of the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai citing fatigue after a season in which he's played in 111 matches.

Nadal, winner of a fourth straight French Open title and his first Wimbledon championship, withdrew from the Paris Masters on Friday with a knee problem after losing the first set of his quarterfinal match against Nikolai Davydenko.

Nadal also won the Olympic gold medal in a year when he supplanted Roger Federer at No. 1. Without Nadal, Spain would be regarded as an underdog to win its third Davis Cup trophy in eight years.

Spain beat the United States 4-1 in the semifinals, with Nadal and David Ferrer playing singles and Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco the doubles.

Nalbandian reaches Paris Masters final

PARIS – Defending champion David Nalbandian beat Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 Saturday to set up a Paris Masters final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Tsonga defeated 11th-seeded James Blake 6-4, 6-3 and could become the first Frenchman to win this event since Sebastien Grosjean in 2001.

"I have never played against him," Nalbandian said. "He's a good player, young and powerful. So it will be tough, but I have to keep believing in my game."

Nalbandian, an Argentine seeded eighth, and Tsonga, seeded 13th, are on course for berths in the season-ending Masters Cup in China. The winner of Sunday's final will go to Shanghai with Juan Martin del Potro, who clinched a spot because of Blake's loss.

Nalbandian will be aiming for his 10th career title Sunday. Tsonga, the Australian Open runner-up, won his only title in September in Thailand.

Davydenko is a former Paris Masters champion. In the seventh game of the deciding set, the sixth-seeded Russian dropped serve and Nalbandian held for a 5-3 lead. Nalbandian won on his second match point when Davydenko's return sailed long.

"Maybe I didn't play perfect like yesterday or the day before," the Nalbandian said. "In the second and third set he started serving better, and the rallies were very good. He hit a lot of lines."

Davydenko lost the first set in 28 minutes but picked up his game in the second set, improving his serve and pinning Nalbandian to the baseline with his forehand.

"When he's in shape, he's tough," Nalbandian said. "He's fast, so it's not easy to get him out of the court with angled shots."

Nalbandian found himself under pressure on serve, down 6-5 down in the 12th game. He double-faulted and lost the second set when he hit the ball into the net after Davydenko had returned his weak second serve.