Another victory for Federer

Roger Federer won his first Madrid Masters and 10th title of the season Sunday with a 7-5, 6-1, 6-0 victory over Fernando Gonzalez at Spain.

Federer became the first player in the Open era to win 10 titles in three straight years. The top-ranked Swiss player moved ahead of Pete Sampras with his 12th Masters series title -- second only to Andre Agassi’s 17.

“I am the best right now,” Federer said. “In history we’ll never know, unless I break all records, but that’s still a long way to go.”

Federer didn’t drop a set in Madrid while winning his 19th straight match and third straight final. Earlier this month, Federer won the Japan Open after winning his third consecutive U.S. Open title.

“I’ve really come a long way in the last four years, and I really hope I stay healthy and improve,” Federer said of his 43-13 record in finals. “I like it.”

Federer relied on a powerful backhand to break the 10th-seeded Gonzalez six times -- including in five straight games over the second and third sets.

Maria Sharapova became the first Russian to win the Zurich Open in Switzerland, defeating Daniela Hantuchova, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, in the final.

Sharapova, who won her third WTA title this season, still has a chance to finish the year as the top-ranked player. She’d need to win next week in Linz, Austria, and at the season-ending WTA Championships in Madrid.

Amelie Mauresmo, who withdrew from the Zurich Open because of a shoulder injury, and second-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne, who hasn’t played since mid-September because of a knee problem, still lead the U.S. Open champion in the rankings.

Former top-10 player Mark Philippoussis continued his comeback with a 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over Amer Delic in the final of a USTA Challenger tournament at Calabasas.

MOTOR RACING

Alonso wins F1 title in

Schumacher’s last race

Fernando Alonso won his second straight Formula One championship by finishing runner-up to Felipe Massa in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Sao Paulo, in a race that marked the end of Michael Schumacher’s mighty career.

Schumacher, a seven-time Formula One champion, needed to win his final race before retirement to keep alive his remote chance of another title. But the German punctured a tire less than 10 laps into the race, dropped out of contention early and finished fourth.

Alonso began the race needing to finish eighth or better to secure the championship. Last year, he became F1’s youngest champion by finishing third.

Schumacher’s trouble made things easier for Alonso, who started in fourth place but moved up to second halfway through the 71-lap race.

Schumacher jumped from 10th to seventh on the first lap, but a flat left-rear tire on the ninth lap ended his chances. He had just passed sixth-placed Giancarlo Fisichella on the first turn when the tire blew, forcing him to slowly return to the pits.

The 37-year-old driver had a final word for his fans.

“They give me a lot of support, and so I can give them the performance, especially in moments when it was difficult,” he said. “Over these long years it was immensely important and for me I can only give a very big thank you to all those fans.”

Matt Kobyluck won the $303,000 Grand National Division race of NASCAR’s Toyota All-Star Showdown on Saturday night at Irwindale Speedway.

Eric Holmes’ chances of passing him on the final lap ended when his Chevrolet spun after being struck from behind by the Chevrolet driven by Sean Caisse.

-- Steven Herbert

PRO BASKETBALL

Williams’ comeback

slowed by release

Jay Williams’ quest to return to the NBA about three years after a horrible motorcycle accident was put on hold when the New Jersey Nets waived the point guard less than two weeks before the start of the season.

“It’s heartbreaking doing it regardless, and then to do it with a guy like him,” Nets Coach Lawrence Frank said.

A former national player of the year at Duke, Williams averaged 3.8 points and 13.2 minutes in five exhibition games.

“I think he’s an NBA player,” Frank said. “Our situation here right now is we have 15 guaranteed contracts. He just needs an opportunity to keep on playing.”

A teary-eyed Sacramento Kings Coach Eric Musselman apologized for his arrest a day earlier on a drunk-driving charge. His players and bosses were by his side in support. “First let me say that I’m sorry,” Musselman said. “I’m embarrassed and ashamed.” Kings owners Gavin and Joe Maloof said no disciplinary action would be taken against Musselman.

MISCELLANY

Ohio State’s Matta to get

contract extension

Thad Matta, beginning his third year as Ohio State’s basketball coach, agreed to a contract extension.

The agreement will not become official until it is approved by the board of trustees, the school said. Matta has an eight-year deal worth more than $11 million.

The U.S. national rowing teams swept the championship eights for the first time since 2002 at the 42nd annual Head of the Charles regatta at Cambridge, Mass.

The men’s team finished the three-mile course in 14 minutes 9.673 seconds to beat the University of Washington by 11 seconds.

The women’s team finished in 15:36.733 to win for the second consecutive year and fourth time in six years. The Canadian national team finished second, 18 seconds behind the U.S.

Robert Cheruiyot held off fellow Kenyan Daniel Njenga to win the Chicago Marathon, despite slipping and banging his head near the finish line and later being removed from the course on a golf cart.

Cheruiyot, winner of this year’s Boston Marathon, stayed down for several minutes after hitting his head.

He was treated for internal and external bleeding in his head and was expected to spend the night at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Ethiopia’s Berhane Adere won the women’s race.