Area news digest: Questionnaires needed

area

Questionnaires needed

The Youngstown Vindicator Sports Department needs varsity baseball, softball, boys and girls track and field and tennis questionnaires returned from East, Boardman, Canfield, Salem, Campbell, Niles, Columbiana, Crestview, East Palestine, Jackson-Milton, Leetonia, Sebring, Western Reserve, Southern Local, United, Brookfield, Champion, Hubbard, LaBrae, Lakeview, Liberty, Maplewood, Lordstown, Southington, Bristol, Badger, West Branch, Wellsville, Beaver Local and Youngstown Christian high schools.

Coaches need to complete the questionnaires as soon as possible and fax them to The Vindicator at (330) 747-6712.

nation

Ivanovic takes Indian Wells tennis title

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Ana Ivanovic peppered the lines with accurate groundstrokes to win the Pacific Life Open women’s title, taking a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Serb capped her victory with a shot that seemed to typify her play in the final: she whipped a forehand winner down the line on a service return.

Ivanovic, ranked No. 2, was the top seed since Justine Henin — who had beaten her in the Australian Open final — wasn’t in the tournament. Kuznetsova came into Indian Wells ranked No. 3. Ivanovic served five aces and Kuznetsova had none, and Ivanovic hit 29 winners to 14.

Cook, Francis survive

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine — Battling gusting, swirling winds, Stacey Cook and Kevin Francis claimed the super G titles at the U.S. Alpine Championships.

Cook collected her second national title when she edged teammate Leanne Smith by five hundredths of a second. Cook also won the super G crown on the same hill in 2006.

Megan McJames was third while the World Cup overall champ Lindsey Vonn finished fourth.

Kentucky Derby preview

It took Barclay Tagg more than 30 years to get a horse to the Kentucky Derby. When the trainer finally made it, he unexpectedly won with a New York-bred gelding named Funny Cide.

Tagg has been back to Churchill Downs twice since that breakthrough victory in 2003. Two years ago, Showing Up finished sixth and last year Nobiz Like Shobiz ran 10th.

In less than six weeks, the 70-year-old former steeplechase rider plans another return trip — not with one horse but as many as three in Big Truck, Elysium Fields and Tale of Ekati.

Usually cautious, Tagg can’t help but be optimistic these days.

Big Truck won the Tampa Bay Derby in a huge upset over 1-20 favorite War Pass. The colt might have one more prep race (the Holy Bull Stakes on April 12) before heading to Louisville.

world

Canada takes third

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Kyle Hall scored over a diving Ricardo Jerez Sunday and gave Canada third-place in the CONCACAF men’s Olympic qualifying tournament, capping a 5-3 win on penalty kicks after a scoreless regulation. Isidro Sanchez, Nikolas Ledgerwood, Keegan Ayre and Tyler Hemming each scored for Canada on the penalty kicks. Keeper David Monsalve made that stand up for Canada as he dived and deflected a shot by Guatemala’s Jairo Arreola to the bottom right to preserve a 2-1 edge.

Bernard sets world swim marks

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands — Three days, three records.

Alain Bernard set a world record in the 50-meter freestyle Sunday, after twice lowering the 100 freestyle mark in the previous two days at the European swimming championships.

The muscular Frenchman finished in 21.50 seconds to beat the time of 21.56 set last month by Eamon Sullivan of Australia. Sullivan lowered Alexander Popov’s previous record of 21.64, set in Moscow on June 16, 2000.

Auto racing recap

SEPANG, Malaysia — Two five-grid place penalties for causing interference in qualifying Saturday were the source of McLaren’s problems at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Things got worse with a fumbled pit stop, poor tire choice — and even a malfunctioning drinks system — in Sunday’s race.

The mistakes opened the way for archrival Ferrari, which rebounded from its worst start to an F1 season in 16 years to get reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen back atop the podium.

World Baseball Classic

TOKYO — Mexico City, San Juan, Tokyo and Toronto were selected Monday to host first-round games during the second World Baseball Classic in 2009.

The 16-nation tournament will switch from a round-robin to a double-elimination format during the first two rounds. Japan won the initial WBC in 2006, beating Cuba 10-6 in the final at San Diego.

Sites for the later rounds have not yet been announced. Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles is the leading candidate to host the semifinals and final.

Vindicator staff/wire reports