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UCLA women win NCAA tennis title

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From Times Staff and Wire Reports

The UCLA women’s tennis team finally got to contribute to the school’s record haul of NCAA titles. The Bruins beat California, 4-0, Tuesday at Tulsa, Okla., for championship No. 102.

Riza Zalameda rallied to win the final two sets over Susie Babos, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, clinching the title.

“This is just our year. Our year to win it,” Coach Stella Sampras Webster said. “I think we were the favorite to win. It took a lot of hard work and some luck and we were able to pull it off. It’s great to get that win, that championship.”

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Former No. 1 Lindsay Davenport has pulled out of the French Open, the only Grand Slam event singles title that she hasn’t won.

Tournament organizers said that the 31-year-old Californian withdrew for “personal reasons,” without elaborating.

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James Blake gave the U.S. a split of its two singles matches against Argentina at the World Team Cup at Duesseldorf, Germany. Blake beat Guillermo Canas, 7-6 (4), 6-4. Argentina rebounded with Juan Ignacio Chela defeating Wayne Odesnik, 7-5, 6-1, in the Red Group.

The deciding doubles match is today.

PRO FOOTBALL

Ryan signs $72-million deal with Falcons

Matt Ryan signed a $72-million, six-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons, ending concerns that prolonged negotiations could threaten his chance to become the starting quarterback as a rookie.

Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick out of Boston College, is guaranteed $34.75 million. His guaranteed money is $4.75 million more than that given to No. 1 pick Jake Long.

Ryan ranked third in the nation with 4,507 yards passing in 2007 and was the first quarterback selected in the draft.

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The Oakland Raiders released safety Stuart Schweigert and linebacker Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, who was signed as a free agent earlier this off-season.

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The Dallas Cowboys signed running back Marion Barber and cornerback Terence Newman to long-term extensions.

Newman’s deal is a six-year extension worth more than $50 million.

Barber received a $45-million, seven-year contract.

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Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis publicly apologized to team owner Dan Snyder, Coach Jim Zorn and his teammates for the “minor mistake” of not attending a practice May 4. The second-round draft pick from USC said he overslept after switching hotel rooms the night before.

“It was something that was irresponsible of me, and I just now want to move on,” Davis said.

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The NFL awarded the 2012 Super Bowl to Indianapolis, marking just the fourth time the game will be played in a cold-weather city.

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he has heard from AEG representatives about that group’s desire to stage next spring’s draft at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, next to Staples Center.

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The NFL’s two-year agreement with Radio City Music Hall expired after last month’s draft, leaving open the possibility of the league moving the event from New York for the first time since 1965.

-- Sam Farmer

MISCELLANY

FC Dallas fires Morrow as coach

Two days after being routed, 5-1, by the Galaxy, FC Dallas fired Steve Morrow as coach.

Marco Ferruzzi, an assistant coach with Dallas for the last four years, will take charge of the team on an interim basis.

-- Grahame L. Jones

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Russia’s Tatyana Lysenko, the world-record holder in the women’s hammer throw, was banned for two years by track and field’s governing body for a doping violation during an out-of-competition test in Moscow in May 2007.

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