Back in Form, Roddick Wins First Title of Year

Andy Roddick got down and placed his lips on a tennis court pockmarked by his aces.

No better moment for his first such kiss.

The 23-year-old won his first championship in more than a year Sunday, beating Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-3, 6-4, at the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Mason, Ohio, to complete a comeback from injury and futility.

Just when he started playing well again last month, he strained his side, sidelining him for two weeks. With the U.S. Open approaching, he might have become a contender again.

“I’m going to play well,” he said. “That much I know. Right now, I like my chances as much as anybody not named Roger” Federer.

History is on his side too.

The last time he won the Cincinnati Masters was 2003, when the momentum swept him to his only U.S. Open title.

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Ana Ivanovic advanced to the final of the Rogers Cup with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Dinara Safina in Montreal, completing a match suspended by rain on Saturday night with Ivanovic leading, 6-1, 3-4.

Ivanovic will meet Martina Hingis in the final, postponed until today because of weather.

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Defending champion Kim Clijsters officially pulled out of the U.S. Open because of a left wrist injury suffered Wednesday during a fall at the Montreal tournament.

SWIMMING

Phelps, Hansen Set World Records

Michael Phelps and Brendan Hansen ended their racing at the Pan Pacific Championships in style, with Phelps winning the 200-meter individual medley in world-record time for his fifth gold medal and Hansen lowering his world record in the 200-meter breaststroke for the second time in two weeks in Victoria, Canada.

Phelps powered past American teammate Ryan Lochte on the final lap, touching in 1 minute, 55.84 seconds, bettering his old mark of 1:55.94, set in 2003.

Hansen led all the way in beating Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan and touched in 2:08.50 -- slicing 0.24 seconds off the mark he set Aug. 5 at the U.S. championships.

Whitney Myers upset Katie Hoff in 2:10.11 in the 200 individual medley, denying Hoff a third individual gold medal.

PRO FOOTBALL

Bengals’ Palmer Thinks He’s Close

Quarterback Carson Palmer said that he expects to play in the Cincinnati Bengals’ preseason game next Monday against Green Bay, provided he doesn’t have any swelling this week in his surgically rebuilt left knee.

Coach Marvin Lewis has said Palmer needs to play the last two preseason games to be ready for the regular-season opener.

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Buffalo Bills receiver Peerless Price missed practice, two days after being held without a catch for the second consecutive preseason game.

Coach Dick Jauron will address the situation today. Bills spokesman Scott Berchtold said that Price was “absent.”

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The New York Jets acquired running back Kevan Barlow from the San Francisco 49ers for an undisclosed draft pick in 2007, shoring up a position hurt by the absence of Curtis Martin (knee).

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Aaron Brooks threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Doug Gabriel on Oakland’s opening drive to help the Raiders improve to 3-0 in preseason under Coach Art Shell with a 23-7 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Oakland.

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Peyton Manning was six of nine for 140 yards and one touchdown in his lone quarter but the Seattle Seahawks dominated afterward in a 30-17 victory over the Colts at Indianapolis.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Quarterback Switch Roils Arizona State

In an abrupt change, Arizona State Coach Dirk Koetter decided to make sophomore Rudy Carpenter the starting quarterback.

Senior Sam Keller, named the starter on Friday, was excused from practice Sunday and is considering transferring.

According to the East Valley Tribune, several players met with Koetter after the first decision and said they believed the job should go to Carpenter.

Keller started the first seven games last season before suffering a hand injury.

LITTLE LEAGUE

Two Hospitalized Because of Injuries

Lemont, Ill., outfielder Austin Mastela was taken to a hospital with bleeding and swelling near his ear after being hit by a pitch during the second inning of a 1-0 victory over Staten Island in a Little League World Series game at South Williamsport, Pa.

Two innings later, Staten Island shortstop Chris Goetz was also hospitalized after injuring his right leg during a play at home plate.

Both players had been treated and released, a nursing supervisor said.

In other games, Columbus, Ga., beat Phoenix, 4-1, and Mexico defeated Russia, 11-1.

TRACK AND FIELD

Felix Impresses With 200 Victory

Allyson Felix clocked 22.19 seconds into a crosswind in the second-fastest 200 meters of the year, but Russia still beat the United States, 349 to 312 1/2 , in the four-team Birmingham International meet in England.... Shawn Crawford won the 100 meters at the Herculis meet in 10.14 seconds in Monte Carlo, and European champion Francis Obikwelu finished sixth.

PASSINGS

Cushing, Squaw Valley Founder, Was 92

Alexander C. Cushing, the founder and chairman of Squaw Valley ski resort in 1949, died at his summer home in Newport, R.I., the resort announced. He was 92.