Karlovic heroics earn Croatia last-eight berth. Read more.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Canada's Milos Raonic was replaced for a key Davis Cup singles match against France on Sunday because of a knee injury. His spot was taken by Frank Dancevic, who faces Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Canada trails 2-1 in the World Group series and needs to win both singles to advance. The winner will play the United States in the quarterfinals in April. The loser goes to a September playoff to try to keep its spot in the elite 16-team group for 2013.

Tennis Canada says Raonic, ranked No. 29, experienced knee pain following Saturday's doubles loss. The lineup change was made about an hour before play was to begin. The second singles features Canada's Vasek Pospisil against Julien Benneteau....

Injured Milos Raonic out of Davis Cup. Read more.

Lakers survive road trip finale as Kobe Bryant seals it in final seconds. Read more.

JOHANNESBURG -- South Africa will stage a new World Golf Championships tournament beginning in 2013.

The $8.5 million Tournament of Hope, the fifth WGC event, will be held Nov. 28-Dec. 1 next year and is likely to clash with Tiger Woods' Chevron Challenge.

The organizing International Federation of PGA Tours said Sunday the tournament would be co-sanctioned by South Africa's Sunshine Tour and prize money would count on the European Tour's money list....

South Africa to stage new WGC event. Read more.

PARIS -- Martina Navratilova expects a compelling rivalry to develop between Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka and Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova.

Speaking ahead of an exhibition match at the Open GDF tournament in Paris on Sunday, Navratilova said Azarenka and Kvitova have all the right attributes.

"I think we definitely have the possibility of a great rivalry between Azarenka and Kvitova," the tennis great said. "They are very talented players. They have really intense personalities. They're very professional about how they go about it. If they stay healthy, that's the rivalry to come."...

Martina Navratilova talks next rivalry. Read more.

Evans the hero as GB scrape past Slovakia in Davis Cup. Read more.

Kerber overcomes nerves to win maiden WTA title. Read more.

PATTAYA, Thailand -- Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova won her second straight Pattaya Open title Sunday, defeating Russia's Maria Kirilenko 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3.

This was Hantuchova's fifth career title and her first since winning in Thailand a year ago.

"Even after I lost the first set, I kept fighting and never looked back," said Hantuchova, who successfully defended a title for the first time. "This is special for me."...

Daniela Hantuchova wins Pattaya again. Read more.

FRIBOURG, Switzerland -- The United States completed its 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the first round of the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning the closing singles matches.

Harrison made his Davis Cup debut, defeating Michael Lammer 7-6 (0), 7-6 (4) to extend the Americans' lead to 4-0. Isner, who stunned Roger Federer in four sets Friday, then beat Marco Chiudinelli 6-3, 6-4 to give the U.S. its first sweep since a 2004 first-round series against Austria.

"It was really exciting to be out there," Harrison said. "To be part of this week was a huge experience."...

U.S. caps 5-0 rout of Switzerland. Read more.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Rafael Cabrera-Bello held off a strong field Sunday to capture the Dubai Desert Classic, shooting a 4-under 68 to beat Lee Westwood and Stephen Gallacher by a stroke for his second European Tour victory.

Westwood and Gallacher could have forced a playoff in the wind, but both players missed birdie putts on the 18th. That brought a groan from the packed gallery, but a broad smile from the No. 119-ranked Spaniard, who got on the phone to share news of his victory with his parents and girlfriend in the Canary Islands.

The win moves Cabrera-Bello -- whose only other victory came at the Austrian Open in 2009 -- into the top 60 and onto the elite list of golfers who will play in the Match Play Championship in Arizona that begins Feb. 23....

Rafael Cabrera-Bello wins at Dubai. Read more.

Jessica Korda wins Australian in playoff. Read more.

WIENER NEUSTADT, Austria -- Jurgen Melzer eased past Alex Bogomolov Jr. of Russia 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 Sunday to help Austria reach the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup for the first time since 1995.

Melzer's victory gave Austria an insurmountable 3-1 lead and set up a quarterfinal against defending champion Spain in April. Russia's Igor Kunitsyn defeated Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (4) in the meaningless final singles match, leaving Austria with a 3-2 victory

Two-time champion Russia lost its opening series for a second straight year....

Austria beats Russia in Davis Cup. Read more.

National team hope that Lin will play for Taiwan. Read more.

Mamat celebrates win in tears. Read more.

Azkals far from ready for AFC Cup. Read more.

IRIGA CITY, Camarines Sur, Philippines – Jeson Patrombon, the future in Philippine tennis, has arrived.

Patrombon, the host team’s youngest member at 18 years old but owns the highest world singles rankings at No. 874, made shortwork of Pacific Oceania’s Aymeric Mara, 6-0, 6-1, yesterday to sweep his singles matches in their Asia Oceania Zone Group II Davis Cup tie at the University of St. Anthony Forum here.

With the tie already secured following a 6-7 (3), 7-5, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) win by Johnny Arcilla and Ruben Gonzales over Cyrile Jacobe and Fil-Guamanian Daniel Llarenas Saturday, Patrombon didn’t soften up and quickly and mercilessly disposed of the taller Mara, who is five months younger than the Filipino, in just 55 minutes....

Patrombon seals Phl Cuppers' 5-0 sweep of Pacific Oceania. Read more.

MANILA, Philippines - The AirAsia Philippine Patriots firmed up their grip on the lead in the third AirAsia ASEAN Basketball League as they outlasted Jobstreet.com Singapore Slingers, 80-75, yesterday at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The Patriots blew a nine-point lead at the start of the payoff period but regained their bearings with Nakiea Miller and Anthony Johnson hitting clutch baskets in a 10-3 blast that gave them a fresh 78-70 cushion with 1:30 left.

It was the fourth straight victory and 5-1 overall for the team co-owned by Mikee Romero and Tony Boy Cojuangco, enjoying a one-game lead ahead of,Westports Malaysia Dragons and San Miguel Beermen. The Slingers absorbed their second straight loss for 4-3....

Patriots trip Slingers, solidify lead. Read more.

Miguel Cotto is no Manny Pacquiao, and Timothy Bradley is not Floyd Mayweather. Once again, boxing fans are disappointed that the only megabuck fight they’re anticipating isn’t taking place. Now the question is, will it ever happen at all?

The Star contacted various boxing experts in the Philippines and in the US for their opinions on whether or not a Pacquiao-Mayweather match-up would stll happen, and if fans would still appreciate it.

“There is just too much money to be made for this fight not to happen,” declares Atty. Ed Tolentino, ABS-CBN Sports commentator for “Top Rank Boxing”. “We are talking here of enough dollars that would make Bill Gates wet his pants in envy. Both fighters are nearing the end of their careers and for sure both of them are looking for a hell of a retirement gratuity. Long after their careers have ended, people will not be talking about the eight world titles Pacquiao won or how Mayweather won titles from light welterweight to super welterweight, but how they dodged each other.”...

Experts on Pacman-M'weather: Great but too late. Read more.

MANILA, Philippines — Tim Bradley usually punishes himself in training for a fight for eight weeks.

But on June 9 in Las Vegas, Bradley won’t simply be in an ordinary fight as the man on the opposite corner is an extra-special fighter with extra-ordinary talent and not some ordinary guy with ordinary skills.

“Tim told me that he will possibly train ten weeks for this fight,” said Bradley’s manager Cameron Dunkin over the weekend after they formally agreed to the scheduled 12-round world welterweight championship bout at the MGM Grand....

Tim Sets 10-Week Training. Read more.