Kuznetsova Puts Away Sharapova

Former U.S. Open tennis champion Svetlana Kuznetsova earned her first tournament title in 18 months by beating Maria Sharapova, 6-4, 6-3, Saturday to win the Nasdaq-100 Open at Key Biscayne, Fla.

Seeded 12th, Kuznetsova won the all-Russian final thanks to a superior serve and forehand, repeatedly driving Sharapova into a corner and then smacking a winner into the open court. Kuznetsova calmly closed out the victory with her fourth ace, then sank to her knees with a grin.

“I was not expecting this, but I was doing my best,” Kuznetsova said. “I wanted this trophy badly.”

En route to the title, she saved a match point in the fourth round against Martina Hingis and beat four top-25 players, including top-ranked Amelie Mauresmo in the semifinals. The championship was Kuznetsova’s first since September 2004, when she won her first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open and then won a small event in Indonesia.

The No. 4-seeded Sharapova lost in the final at Key Biscayne for the second year in a row. The defeat ended her 11-match winning streak.

Top-seeded Roger Federer will bid for his second successive Key Biscayne title today against sixth-seeded Ivan Ljubicic.

MOTOR RACING

Franchitti Takes Pole

for Honda Grand Prix

Dario Franchitti won the pole for today’s Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (Fla.) with a lap of 104.054 mph around the 1.8-mile, 14-turn street circuit.

Scott Dixon was second at 103.522 mph and Tony Kanaan, the 2004 series champion, was third at 103.493.

David Starr held the lead through eight restarts over the final 121 laps and won for the fourth time in the Craftsman Truck Series event at Martinsville, Va.

Starr drove the last 185 laps on the same tank of fuel and tires and had little trouble holding off Ted Musgrave in the final eight-lap green-flag run to the finish in the Kroger 250.

Cory McClenathan led top fuel qualifying for the 30th time in his career, completing a quarter-mile run at 4.531 seconds at a top speed of 329.42 mph in the O’Reilly Spring NHRA Nationals at Baytown, Texas.

John Force topped the funny car lineup with his track-record 4.695 and 328.06, Jason Line led the pro stock division at 6.686 and 206.29, and Angelle Sampey topped the pro stock motorcycle order at 7.038 and 190.59.

Jenson Button earned his third career Formula One pole position, recording the fastest time in qualifying for today’s Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne.

It was the first pole for a full Honda team since 1968, although the Japanese motor company has shared many as an engine supplier.

Kawasaki’s James Stewart won his eighth Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series race of the season to tie Ricky Carmichael for the series lead.

Stewart led all 20 laps at Houston’s Reliant Stadium en route to his third consecutive win. Carmichael was second.

A planned five-event program at Irwindale Speedway was canceled after crews were unable to dry the track after a morning rain -- the second cancellation at the track in four weeks. Saturday’s rainout was the 10th in the track’s history.

-- Steven Herbert

MISCELLANY

Nevada Commission

Picks Kizer as Director

The Nevada Athletic Commission, the panel that oversees boxing in the state, has chosen Keith Kizer as its new executive director.

Kizer served as the commission’s legal counsel for eight years. He will replace Marc Ratner, who announced his resignation March 23 to take a post with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Kate Hutchinson set a USC team record in the discus by throwing 184 feet 1 inch in the Cardinal and Gold Invitational at Loker Stadium. Texas A&M;’s Clora Williams won the 400-meter race in 52.21, the fastest time by a college woman this season.

Three-time defending champion California had the fastest time in heats for the Jessop-Whittier Cup for women’s collegiate rowers at the 33rd annual Crew Classic at San Diego. USC won its heat and UCLA was third.

Nick Browder threw four touchdown passes to help the New York Dragons (6-4) to a 48-24 victory over the Grand Rapids Rampage (3-7) in an Arena Football League game at Uniondale, N.Y.

In other Arena games: Clint Dolezel threw five touchdown passes and the Dallas Desperados (8-2) rolled to a 51-30 victory over the Columbus Destroyers (5-5) at Dallas.... Shane Staford threw eight touchdown passes and the Tampa Bay Storm (6-2) scored a 56-41 victory over the expansion Utah Blaze (3-7) at Tampa, Fla.... John Dutton threw nine touchdown passes and the defending ArenaBowl champion Colorado Crush (7-3) cruised to a 77-47 victory over the Nashville Kats (6-4) at Denver.... Chris Jackson caught four touchdown passes and ran for another score and the Georgia Force (6-4) scored a 55-47 victory over the expansion Kansas City Brigade (1-9) at Kansas City, Mo.

Joe Mesi (30-0, 25 knockouts) unanimously outpointed Ronald Bellamy (14-5-4, 9 KOs) at Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, in the heavyweight’s first fight after a two-year forced layoff because of a head injury. The three judges all scored the fight, 80-72, for Mesi.