Nadal dominates Federer on clay

Roger Federer seems no closer to figuring out how to beat Rafael Nadal on clay.

The top-ranked Swiss standout lost his fifth straight match to Nadal on clay Sunday at the Monte Carlo Masters, 6-4, 6-4, and the second-ranked Spaniard extended his winning streak on the surface to 67 matches at Monaco.

Nadal won the title at Monte Carlo for the third straight year. The two-time defending French Open champion is 14-0 in clay-court finals, and 4-0 against Federer.

But despite his latest setback, the 10-time Grand Slam champion believes he’s still on the right track to win the only major tournament that eludes him.

“I feel this match gave me some information,” Federer said. “I’m absolutely in the mix with him on clay. I feel like I’m in good shape for the rest of clay-court season, and it’s going to come down to the French Open to see who wins.”

With Serena Williams (knee injury) sidelined, Fed Cup teammate Vania King showed she can do more than sing.

King, an 18-year-old from Long Beach praised for her rendition of the national anthem to start the weekend, replaced Williams and secured the U.S. victory over Belgium with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 win over Kirsten Flipkens to give the team an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five match.

The U.S. will play Russia in the semifinals July 14-15 at a U.S. site to be determined.

Russia advanced by beating Spain, 5-0. France beat Japan, 5-0, and will next face Italy, which beat China, 5-0.

AUTO RACING

Bourdais prevails, retakes points lead

Sebastien Bourdais raced to his second straight Grand Prix of Houston victory and grabbed the inside track for his fourth consecutive Champ Car title.

The Frenchman earned his 25th win in the 62nd start of his career, continuing his unprecedented dominance of the circuit. Bourdais finished his second win of the season in style, turning his fastest lap (58.018 seconds) on his 93rd and final trip around the 1.69-mile circuit.

Bourdais (73 points) overtook Will Power (70), who finished 11th, in the standings.

Graham Rahal, 18, finished second to become the youngest driver in series history to earn a podium finish. Robert Doornbos, another rookie, was third.

MARATHON

Hall makes U.S. history in marathon debut

Ryan Hall confirmed in the London Marathon that he could be the young distance runner the United States has been waiting for, finishing seventh, 43 seconds behind winner Martin Lel of Kenya, but making the fastest marathon debut by a U.S. runner in 2 hours 8 minutes 24 seconds.

That was 17 seconds faster than the debut mark set by Alberto Salazar in 1980 and tied by Alan Culpepper in 2002. Hall, 24, from Big Bear, is the second-fastest U.S. marathoner behind Khalid Khannouchi.

-- Philip Hersh

MISCELLANY

May-Treanor, Walsh get first title of season

Top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won their first beach volleyball title of the season with a 21-14, 21-19 victory over second-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs in the women’s final of the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open.

Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers won the men’s title, defeating Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, 21-14, 21-16.

Janez Brajkovic of Slovenia won cycling’s Tour de Georgia by 12 seconds over Christian Vande Velde in Atlanta.

Chelsea was held to a 0-0 tie at Newcastle and missed a chance to close the gap on Premier League leader Manchester United. Chelsea, trying to win its third straight league title, has 79 points, three behind United.