Tennis great Sampras announces retirement
FLUSHING, N.Y., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Pete Sampras announced his retirement Monday at the U.S. Open in New York, the place where he won his first and last Grand Slam titles.
Sampras made it official at a news conference before the evening session of the U.S. Open and was honored later in an emotional ceremony between the night matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"I am 100 percent retired," the 32-year-old Sampras said. "I knew once Wimbledon came and went it was time for me to stop."
The serve-and-volleying Sampras, whose 14 Grand Slam crowns are two more than anyone else, has not played competitively since defeating longtime rival Andre Agassi in four sets to win last year's U.S. Open and end a title drought of more than two years.
Sampras broke on the scene here in 1990 as a 19-year-old, also beating Agassi in the final.
He won Wimbledon seven times, the U.S. Open five times and the Australian Open twice. Sampras is third on the all-time list with 64 titles and was the only man to finish the season ranked No. 1 six straight years.
U.S. Open stars move to Round Two
FLUSHING, N.Y., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Top seed Kim Clijsters overcame a shaky start Monday to move into the second round of the U.S. Open with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over American wild card Amber Liu.
Hoping to give her No. 1 ranking legitimacy by capturing her first career major title, Clijsters was down a break early in the first set to Liu, the reigning NCAA champion. But the 20-year-old Belgian took control and prevailed in just over an hour.
With defending champion Serena Williams sidelined following knee surgery, Clijsters took over the top ranking earlier this month and is the first woman to do so without a Grand Slam crown.
Former champion Lindsay Davenport also had a routine first-round victory as she battles a painful foot injury. The third-seeded American kicked around Belgian Els Callens in a 6-1, 6-0 rout.
On the men's side, French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain got past towering qualifier Jan Vacek of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Clijsters' boyfriend, 2001 champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, joined her in the second round as the sixth seed dumped Victor Hanescu of Romania, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, to complete the evening session.
Also advancing to the second round were fifth seed Amelie Mauresmo of France, ninth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and No. 13 Vera Zvonareva of Russia. But eighth-seeded American Chanda Rubin lost, 6-4, 6-4, to Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela.
Canada falls to Team USA at FIBA tourney
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Team USA romped to a 111-71 victory Monday over Canada in the second round of the FIBA tournament in Puerto Rico.
With team USA trailing 28-19 in the first quarter, Ray Allen and Elton Brand led a second-quarter surge and Allen Iverson put on a shooting clinic to power Team USA over its northern neighbor.
Iverson made an American-record seven 3-pointers without a miss in the third period, bringing a louder roar each time from the adoring Roberto Clemente Coliseum crowd. He closed the quarter by throwing in a 35-footer at the horn and finished with 28 points, finishing off the Canadians.
Already in the midst of eight games in eight days, Canada's upcoming schedule dictated its strategy against the United States. Despite opening a nine-point lead late in the first quarter, it sat Dallas Mavericks All-Star guard Steve Nash for the rest of the contest. Canada coach Jay Triano said the decision not to play Nash was part of their strategy to qualify for the Olympics next year.
Argentina tuned up for Tuesday's showdown with the United States with a 76-74 victory over Brazil (2-2) in a meeting of heated South American rivals.
Hornish joins Penske replacing de Ferran
READING, Pa. Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Sam Hornish Jr., twice the Indy Racing League champion, joined the Penske team Monday, replacing retiring Indy 500 winner Gil de Ferran.
Hornish had told his Panther Racing team last week that he would be leaving at the end of the season. He will start with Penske team next season.
Team owner Roger Penske has had some of the greatest names in racing drive for him, beginning with Mark Donohue in the 1960s. Since 2000, de Ferran and two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves have driven for Penske.
Next year, Hornish will be Castroneves' teammate.
"We are very pleased that Sam has chosen to become a part of Marlboro Team Penske," Penske said. "Sam is a great fit for the team, both on and off the track, and we are confident we will achieve great success together."
Penske Racing has 118 wins, including a record 13 Indy 500 victories, 11 national championships and 142 pole positions.
