UCLA’s Kohlloeffel Wins NCAA Men’s Tennis Title

UCLA junior Benjamin Kohlloeffel defeated Virginia sophomore Somdev Devvarman, 6-1, 6-4, Monday at Stanford’s Taube Tennis Center to become the Bruins’ first NCAA singles champion in men’s tennis since the school’s current coach, Billy Martin, did it in 1975.

“You almost never have, like, a perfect match, but today I felt so good out there,” Kohlloeffel said.

The left-hander never trailed, taking a 3-0 lead to open each set. Kohlloeffel broke Devvarman in the fourth and sixth games of the first set and went ahead 4-1 in the second.

Kohlloeffel finished with victories in 27 of his last 28 matches, including his last 13 in a row to become the second player to have won the NCAA title and the ITA Indoor Championships in the same season. Sargis Sargsian also won both titles while at Arizona State in 1995.

*

USC sophomore Lindsey Nelson lost to California sophomore Suzi Babos, 6-4, 6-1, in the first battle of unseeded players in the 25-year history of the NCAA women’s singles championship match at Stanford’s Taube Tennis Center.

Nelson overcame injury and illness this season to become the second player in USC history to advance to the women’s final, following in the footsteps of 1983 champion Beth Herr. But she could not overcome the left-handed Babos’ serve.

“I’m certainly not disappointed in her, only for her,” USC Coach Richard Gallien said.

Nelson recovered from a sprained right ankle that caused her to miss the winter season and a bout of pneumonia that kept her out of action for four weeks in March.

Babos (32-13) became the first Cal player to win the title.

-- Lauren Peterson

**

MOTOR RACING

Hornish Doubles Career Earnings With Win

Sam Hornish Jr. more than doubled his career winnings, and runner-up Marco Andretti took home more money than either his father or grandfather ever won in the Indianapolis 500.

Hornish beat the 19-year-old Andretti by less than seven-hundredths of a second Sunday -- the second-closest margin in Indy history -- and that blink-of-an-eye difference was worth $1,744,855 to Hornish from a record purse of $10.5 million.

“It’s unbelievable,” an emotional Hornish said Monday night at the annual victory dinner. “The past two days have been the best days of my life. I can’t think of anything better than to be here, especially to go out there and race with 32 of the best race-car drivers in the world.”

Marco Andretti won $698,505, the second-highest for a non-winner, and became the fourth member of his family to be selected rookie of the year. The most Andretti’s father, Michael Andretti, won in one race was $607,753 as the runner-up in 1991; the most his grandfather, Mario, won was $368,063 for finishing ninth in 1987. His uncle, Jeff Andretti, had his best payday with $167,490 as a rookie in 1991.

**

SOCCER

Italy’s Zambrotta Will Play in World Cup

Defender Gianluca Zambrotta’s left thigh injury from a World Cup training match was not serious, doctors said, and he will be able to play in the World Cup. Italy’s first match at the World Cup is against Ghana on June 12.

Ghana beat Jamaica, 4-1, in a friendly match at Leicester, England. Ghana is in Group E at the World Cup with the U.S., Italy and the Czech Republic.

Brazil striker Ronaldo wants to play in the United States later in his career.

“Right now I have a contract with Real Madrid, and I’m only thinking about the World Cup, but without a doubt, the American market is one of my goals for the future,” Ronaldo said.

**

MISCELLANY

Virginia Wins NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Title

Virginia completed an undefeated season with its fourth NCAA men’s lacrosse title, beating unseeded Massachusetts, 15-7, behind five goals each from Matt Poskay and Matt Ward.

Wearing shoulder pads, shorts and a blue practice jersey with his new No. 27, suspended Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams appeared to be in great shape during his first practice with the Toronto Argonauts at Mississauga, Canada.

Williams was suspended by the NFL for the 2006 season after a fourth positive drug test. But the Dolphins gave him permission to play this year in the CFL. Sunday, he signed with Toronto.

“I made it. I survived, so I guess I’m OK,” Williams said.

“From my perspective, it’s the same practice that I’ve had since I was a kid. It’s football practice.”

Jockey Edgar Prado plans to visit Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro today for the first time since the horse’s devastating injury at the Preakness.

Barbaro continued to rest peacefully at the University of Pennsylvania’s George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals.

Surgeon Dean Richardson expects this week to remove Barbaro’s cast long enough to examine the colt’s shattered right hind leg, which is being held together with a plate and 27 screws.

**

T.J. Simers has the day off.