Croatia Wins First Davis Cup

Croatia won its first Davis Cup title Sunday, with Mario Ancic beating Michal Mertinak of Slovakia, 7-6 (1), 6-3, 6-4, in the decisive fifth match at Bratislava, Slovakia.

Dominik Hrbaty had pulled Slovakia even at 2-2 by defeating an ailing Ivan Ljubicic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Ancic then downed Mertinak to clinch the best-of-five series between two first-time finalists.

“I felt everything was under my control,” Ancic said. “It’s an unforgettable match and an unforgettable day. This has been a spectacular year for me.”

Croatia’s Nikki Pilic became the first captain to win the trophy for different nations. He led Germany to Davis Cup titles in 1988, 1989 and 1993.

“There is no comparison,” Pilic said at the victory ceremony. “Today I won with my people.”

Croatia became the 12th champion in the competition’s 105-year history. This was Croatia’s biggest team success since the country became independent in 1991 in the violent breakup of Yugoslavia. The soccer team’s third-place finish at the 1998 World Cup had been considered Croatia’s sports highlight.

Paul Haarhuis won the Champions Masters indoor tennis title, beating defending champion Jim Courier, 6-3, 7-6 (2), at London.

WINTER SPORTS

Italy’s Rocca Holds On to Win Opening Slalom

Giorgio Rocca of Italy skied a clean second run in icy and snowy conditions at Beaver Creek, Colo., to win the World Cup season’s first slalom, and Ted Ligety of the United States finished a career-best third.

Rocca completed two runs on the Birds of Prey course in 1 minute 51.72 seconds.

Stephane Tissot of France, 20th after the first run, had the fastest second run and finished second in 1:52.58.

Alexandra Meissnitzer led a 1-2-3 Austrian sweep in the season’s first World Cup super giant slalom, and the United States placed five skiers in the top 14 at Lake Louise, Canada.

She won in 1 minute 21.73 seconds, with Andrea Fischbacher one-tenth of a second back at 1:21.83. Michaela Dorfmeister, in her final race on a hill where she enjoyed great success, was third at 1:22.56.

Lindsey Kildow of the United States, winner of Saturday’s downhill, was sixth at 1:23.09.

Dutch speedskater Carl Verheijen set a world record at 10,000 meters, edging Chad Hedrick of the United States at a World Cup meet in Heerenveen, Netherlands.

Verheijen finished in 12 minutes 57.92 seconds to beat Jochem Uytdehaage’s record by 0.10 seconds.

Hannu Manninen of Finland edged Todd Lodwick of the United States by 0.4 seconds to win a World Cup Nordic combined sprint at Lillehammer, Norway.

Manninen covered the 7.5 kilometers on Lillehammer’s Olympic trails in 19 minutes 47.5 seconds.

GOLF

Japan’s Miyazato Tops LPGA Tour Qualifying

Ai Miyazato completed a record-setting victory in the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament at Daytona Beach, Fla., to earn a card for next year and give the tour yet another young player worth watching.

The 20-year-old Japanese closed with an even-par 72 for a 17-under 343 total, 12 shots ahead of Libby Smith (69) and Lee Ann Walker-Cooper (71). It was the largest margin of victory in LPGA Q-school since it began in 1973.

Miyazato was among 24 players who earned their cards, a group that included 17-year-old Morgan Pressel, who shot 70 and tied for sixth at three under.

Former Kentucky star John Holmes shot a six-under 66 for a share of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament lead with D.A. Points with one round left in the tense six-round event at Winter Garden, Fla.

The 23-year-old Holmes, who turned pro after helping the United States win the Walker Cup in August, matched Points (67) at 21-under 339 on Orange County National’s Panther Lake and Crooked Cat course.

The top 30 and ties today will earn PGA Tour cards for next season, and the next number nearest 50 will receive full status on the Nationwide Tour.

Jim Furyk won the Nedbank Challenge in a four-way playoff, making a nine-foot birdie chip on the second extra hole at Sun City, South Africa.

Furyk, who earned $1.2 million, closed with an even-par 72 to match Adam Scott (73), 2004 winner Retief Goosen (72) and Darren Clarke (69) at six-under 282. Ernie Els, returning from a 4 1/2 -month layoff because of a knee injury, was two over after a 75.

HORSE RACING

Apprentice Antongeorgi Wins in His First Race

Riding for the first time, apprentice jockey William Antongeorgi III, 18, won the fourth race at Hollywood Park with 2-1 shot Five O’Clock.

Antongeorgi, who was born in New York and moved to California eight years ago, was able to go wire to wire despite the fact that his right foot came out of the stirrups shortly after the start of the seven-furlong contest and remained that way the entire trip.

“It felt great,” said Antongeorgi, whose father was a jockey and mother rode show jumpers. “I wish I could have done it with more style, but that’s the way it goes.”

House Of Fortune, the 19-10 second choice, ended a 10-race losing streak with a wire-to-wire win in the $99,300 Cat’s Cradle Handicap at Hollywood Park.

The 4-year-old Free House filly won by 1 3/4 lengths over 17-10 favorite Western Hemisphere. She ran the 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:27.24 under jockey Patrick Valenzuela.

Five races later, Proud Tower Too, a 7-1 shot, held off 10-1 shot Jack’s Wild to win the $101,000 On Trust Handicap. It was the first stakes win at a major track for jockey David Cohen.

-- Bob Mieszerski

SOCCER

Real Madrid Fires Coach Luxemburgo

Vanderlei Luxemburgo was fired as coach of Real Madrid, one of the world’s most glamorous teams but mired in fourth place in the Spanish league.

The dismissal came less than two weeks after the team’s board gave Luxemburgo a vote of confidence. He had been in charge of the team for nearly a year, and the poor play led to protests by fans at recent games.

Juan Ramon Lopez Caro, coach of reserve team Real Madrid Castilla in the Spanish second division, will run the team for now.

MISCELLANY

Rogge to Investigate Reports of Beatings

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge plans to investigate reports that China’s child gymnasts and swimmers are being beaten by their coaches.

Rogge was responding to a BBC report in which four-time Olympic rowing gold medalist Matthew Pinsent visited a school in Beijing -- host of the 2008 Olympics -- and saw child athletes being beaten.

Stephen Kiogora of Kenya won the inaugural New Las Vegas Marathon, and Adriana Fernandez of Mexico won a sprint finish in the women’s race.

Kiogora pulled away from Titus Munji of Kenya during the 23rd mile of the 26.2-mile race and finished in 2 hours 11 minutes 58 seconds for his first marathon win. He also collected $100,000.

In the women’s race, Fernandez held off Galina Bogomolova of Russia, after briefly falling behind, to win in 2:31:54. Fernandez earned $50,000.