Moya, Verdasco advance at Mexican Open
ACAPULCO, Mexico, March 7 (UPI) -- Spaniards Carlos Moya and Fernando Verdasco will play for the championship of the Mexican Open at Acapulco.
Moya, the top-seed, beat No. 7 Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) in the semifinals Saturday. Moya, who won the tournament in 2002, advanced to his fourth final of the season. He is 17-3 this year.
Verdasco, the world's 103rd-ranked player, reached his first ATP tour final, defeating Argentine Guillermo Canas 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Verdasco had eliminated fifth-seed Felix Mantilla in the second round and No. 2 Nicolas Massu in the quarterfinals.
On the women's side, Czech qualifier Iveta Benesova will face Flavia Pennetta of Italy for the championship.
The claycourt tournament's men's winner receives $120,500 and the women's champion takes home $27,000.
Spadea ousts Roddick in Franklin Classic
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 7 (UPI) -- Vince Spadea came from behind to upset top-seeded Andy Roddick and reach the final of the Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The fourth-seeded Spadea rallied for a 6-7, (5-7), 6-3, 6-4 triumph over his fellow American Saturday night.
Spadea will try for his first ATP career title, going against Germany's Nicolas Kiefer, who advanced with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 win over Romania's Victor Hanescu.
The win was the biggest for Spadea since he upset another U.S. star, Andre Agassi, at the 1999 Australian Open.
"Looking back, I haven't been back since 1999, so it's a great relief now to be able to know I'm still there and contending for titles when I play well and have my mind into it," he said. "I can't cherish it yet, I have to focus on tomorrow (Sunday)."
NBA referee Henderson to return
NEW YORK, March 7 (UPI) -- After a series of meetings in New York, suspended NBA referee Michael Henderson will return to the court.
"He's anxious to get back to work," said National Basketball Referees Association spokesman Lamell McMorris after meetings with Henderson and league officials.
Participants in the meetings discussed what McMorris characterized as "serious defects" in a system that "must be addressed with a sense of urgency to prevent a Michael Henderson scenario from re-occurring."
Henderson, in his third year as a referee, was publicly reprimanded and suspended with pay eight days ago after missing a call that directly led to the Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Denver Nuggets. McMorris called his removal "unprecedented."
The NBRA blasted the suspension and staged a protest a week ago when 28 of 30 referees working games wore their shirts inside out with Henderson's No. 62 written on the back.
NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik said the officials who staged the protest would be disciplined.
Myskina wins Qatar Women's Open
DOHA, Qatar, March 7 (UPI) -- Anastasia Myskina defended her title at the Qatar Women's Open on Saturday, outlasting fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
After ousting second-seed Jennifer Capriati in the semifinals, Myskina topped a Russian opponent in the final for the second straight year. She defeated Elena Likhovtseva for one of her four titles in 2003.
It was still a successful week for Kuznetsova, the teenager who upset top seed and world No. 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne in the semifinals. Henin-Hardenne suffered her first loss of 2004 after winning 17 straight matches.
Federer, Lopez reach finals at Dubai.
