Haas Victorious in Straight Sets

Tommy Haas didn’t give himself much time to celebrate his second consecutive tournament title and ninth of his career.

After defeating Robin Soderling, 6-3, 6-2, Sunday in the Regions Morgan Keegan championships at Memphis, Tenn., Haas got ready to go to Las Vegas for his next event, which starts today.

“So you don’t have too much time to let it sink in. Obviously, I’m feeling very happy, and I’m really proud of myself. But you know, you look ahead again and try to do something again that you want to achieve,” Haas said.

“I’d like to just continue the way I’m playing. Being focused, working hard the way I have and just enjoying it. And the most important is just to be injury-free.”

Injuries helped drop Haas out of the top 10 after being No. 2 in the world in May 2002.

He has stayed healthy this year and is 17-3 in match play, tied with Ivan Ljubicic for best on the ATP Tour. His losses have been to world No. 1 Roger Federer -- twice -- and a five-setter to Richard Gasquet in a Davis Cup tie with France earlier this month.

Radek Stepanek beat Christophe Rochus, 6-0, 6-3, at the ABN Amro tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands, for the first ATP tour title of his 10-year pro career.

Stepanek needed only 45 minutes for the victory, recording 17 aces. Said Rochus: “I like to play long rallies, but he didn’t allow me.”

Lourdes Dominguez Lino upset top-seeded Flavia Pennetta, 7-6 (3), 6-4, to win the Copa Colsanitas women’s tournament at Bogota, Colombia.

Pennetta led 6-5 in the first set, but the sixth-seeded Dominguez rallied and won the tiebreaker, then cruised to victory in the second set at the Club Campestre El Rancho.

Andre Agassi will skip the clay-court season this year in a bid to be fit for Wimbledon.

Agassi, 35, has struggled with injuries recent seasons including a nagging back problem that requires cortisone injections.

“I won’t be playing any clay-court tennis, which is sort of a preservation plan,” Agassi told reporters at the Dubai Open, where he faces Greg Rusedski today.

“The clay has been pretty tough on my body over the last few years, and the last two years specifically, it’s unfortunately been the reason I wasn’t ready for Wimbledon,” Agassi added.

PRO FOOTBALL

Texans Might Trade Their No. 1 Draft Pick

USC Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush might not land with the Houston Texans after all. Texan General Manager Charley Casserly said that the Texans have been talking to teams about possibly trading the first pick in the 2006 draft.

The Texans, who finished 2-14 last season, have multiple needs that might be filled with one major move.

“There’s clearly players at the top of this draft that are marquee players,” Casserly said. “Players that are impact players, players that are going to go to the Pro Bowl, players that are going to sell tickets. We’re going to get offers for this pick. We’ve already had discussions with teams. I think there’s value in our pick.

“Whether it’s Reggie Bush, Vince Young or Matt Leinart, those three players are going to produce trade offers.

“We are definitely going to have some choices when it comes to draft day.”

The New England Patriots released veteran cornerback Duane Starks after his season ended in injury.

Starks was put on injured reserve Nov. 10 because of a shoulder injury. He was released Saturday. The Patriots acquired the 31-year-old Starks in an off-season trade with Arizona.

He intercepted 25 passes in his first seven seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and Cardinals but had no interceptions in seven games with the Patriots.

TRACK AND FIELD

Trammell Does Well at Indoor Championships

Terrence Trammell came within 0.01 of a second of becoming the first man to win both the 60-meter dash and the 60 hurdles at the national indoor championships. Instead, he settled for making the world championships roster in two events.

Trammell won his third U.S. indoor title in the 60 hurdles with a time of 7.46 seconds at the U.S. indoor track and field championships at Boston. Dominique Arnold finished second in 7.51.

Twenty minutes after winning the hurdles title, Trammell finished second in the 60 in 6.53. Leonard Scott won his first national title in 6.52.

The top two finishers in each event -- excluding Friday’s weight throws -- qualify for the 2006 world championships in Moscow in March.

Lisa Barber won the women’s 60 in 7.06. Sanya Richards celebrated her 21st birthday by winning the first U.S. indoor title of her career in the 400 in 51.28.

Milton Campbell won the 400 in 46.17. Tiombe Hurd won her fourth U.S. indoor title in the women’s triple jump.

ARENA FOOTBALL

Wood Helps Dragons Defeat Predators, 55-35

Rookie Juston Wood threw a touchdown pass in relief of injured starter Aaron Garcia to help the New York Dragons beat the Orlando Predators, 55-35, at Uniondale, N.Y.

Garcia’s right leg was broken in the third quarter when he was sacked by Henry Taylor.

John Dutton threw six touchdown passes -- four to Damian Harrell -- to lead the ArenaBowl champion Colorado Crush to a 48-38 victory over the Philadelphia Soul at Philadelphia.

Former Avenger Tony Graziani completed 20 of 35 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns for the Soul.

Matt D’Orazio threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Cornelius White to give the Chicago Rush a 54-48 overtime victory over the San Jose SaberCats at Rosemont, Ill.

SOCCER

Manchester United Wins League Cup Over Wigan

Wayne Rooney scored twice as Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic, 4-0, at Cardiff, Wales, to post the biggest League Cup final victory in the competition’s 45-year history.

It was United’s first triumph in the competition since 1992 and first trophy since the team’s takeover by U.S. businessman Malcolm Glazer in June.

Gonzalo Pineda scored the lone goal on a solo effort in the 15th minute and Chivas beat America, 1-0, to win Mexico’s “El Superclassico” national derby at Mexico City.

MISCELLANY

Puckett Beats Kraus to Win Ski Event

Casey Puckett, a four-time Winter Olympian, won the men’s skiing title by beating Tomas Kraus in the finals at the King of the Mountain Professional Skiing & Snowboarding World Championships at Squaw Valley, Calif. Puckett, of Aspen, Colo., had notched wins over Isidor Gruner of Austria and Jake Fiala of Frisco, Colo. Kraus reached the finals by topping Daron Rahlves, who had just returned from Turin. Graham Watanabe of Salt Lake City won in men’s snowboarding; Doresia Krings of Austria won women’s snowboarding; Ophelie David of France won women’s skiing.

Pro football Hall of Famer Carl Eller was arrested and charged with driving under the influence early Sunday morning at Minneapolis, according to the state patrol.

A trooper stopped the former Minnesota Viking star in suburban Golden Valley after clocking Eller going 97 mph in a 55-mph zone. Field sobriety tests indicated that the 64-year-old Eller was driving while impaired, so he was taken to Minneapolis police’s chemical testing facility, Walerius said.

Eller refused blood alcohol tests there and was held in the Hennepin County jail until he was bailed out in the afternoon.

Warren Johnson raced to his record 96th NHRA pro stock victory, beating Greg Anderson with a quarter-mile run of 6.770 seconds at 206.13 mph at Chandler, Ariz. Anderson’s car lost traction halfway through the run. Rod Fuller won the top-fuel event, and Tommy Johnson Jr. topped the funny-car field at Firebird International Raceway.