ROME - Martina Hingis looked in vintage form Monday at
the Internationali d'Italia.
Continuing her comeback from a three-year retirement, Hingis
routed Italian qualifier Sara Errani, 6-0, 6-1, in a first-round
match at the French Open warmup event.
The winner here in 1998, Hingis next will face 12th-seeded Czech
Nicole Vaidisova, who rallied past Emma Laine of Finland, 5-7,
7-1, 6-3.
Also victorious was 10th seed Anastasia Myskina of Russia, but
the 2004 French Open champion had to sweat out a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6
(8-6) victory over qualifier Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
The first seed to be upset was No. 14 Elena Likhovtseva of
Russia, who fell to Serbian Jelena Jankovic, 6-4, 6-3.
On Sunday, Amelie Mauresmo and Maria Sharapova both withdrew
from the $1.34 million claycourt event.
The world's top-ranked player and the two-time defending
champion, Mauresmo - a semifinalist this past week in Berlin -
is suffering from a cold and fever. Sharapova has yet to play a
claycourt match this season after suffering a right ankle bone
bruise in practice.
The event still boasts five of the world's top 10 players,
including No. 2 Kim Clijsters, the 2003 champion, and Russian
Nadia Petrova, who surpassed Sharapova for third in the rankings
Monday after winning at Berlin.
Barcelona's Ronaldinho dreams of Champions League glory
-------------------------------------------------------
PARIS - Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho has a date with
destiny in Wednesday's Champions League final in Paris.
Barca take on Arsenal at the Stade de France in what should be a
pulsating clash between two of Europe's best teams.
"I always imagined myself playing in the top competitions and
playing in the big finals, and now I have the chance to be
crowned European champion," Ronaldinho said. "It's my turn now
and with the rest of my teammates, I'm ready to make my dream
come true.
"Few players get this chance to play in a final and I'm
delighted to be able to experience this."
For Ronaldinho, Wednesday's final will provide him with an
opportunity to be reacquainted with the French capital, after
previously enjoying a spell there earlier in his career with
Paris St. Germain.
"It's special to return to a city that I love," he added. "I am
very happy and very proud.
"It was in Paris where I began my European football career and
to be able to play a Champions League final there, and perhaps
win, motivates me even more."
Much is expected from the two-time FIFA World Player of the
Year, who this summer hopes to win his second World Cup winners
medal with Brazil.
However, pressure is something the 26-year-old has become
accustomed to.
"To have the confidence of my teammates gives me even greater
motivation," he said. "It makes me relax and able to do my job
better.
"I hope Wednesday will be a Barca night but I'm really not
thinking of whether I will be the man of the match or whether I
will score. All I want to do is help my team win, provide
assists, that's what I'm best at."
The South American star knows his side face an immense task in
stopping Arsenal from landing its first European title.
Arsene Wenger's side has shown its best form in Europe this
season by beating the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus and
Villarreal to reach the final.
"I fear Arsenal's team as a whole," Ronaldinho said. "We will
have to be careful of every single Arsenal player, not just
(Thierry) Henry."
The Arsenal defense has not conceded a goal in 919 minutes in
Champions League football this campaign, and this concerns
Ronaldinho.
"They are very strong defensively," the Brazilian added. "We
have to respect Arsenal, they have a very good side."
But the Gunners' defense will face a stern test of their
defensive qualities as they prepare to face the best strike
force in this competition.
"We will not change our style of play," Ronaldinho admitted. "We
are going to try to do what we always do and that is to play
our normal game and score goals.
"The team is focused and we are all on the same wave length,
thinking about the same thing, Wednesday's final. We have been
training very hard in order not to come up against any
surprises."
The Spanish outfit will attempt to join the select band of
European clubs (Liverpool, Ajax and Bayern Munich) to have
claimed their domestic title and European Cup on more than one
occasion, having previously achieved the feat in the 1991-92
campaign.
"It's strange that a great club (Barca) that has had, and
continues to have, great players has only won the European Cup
once," he said. "We intend to change that."
Whatever happens, Ronaldinho believes Wednesday's contest will
not be for the faint hearted.
"Without a doubt this is going to be a great game," he said.
Chelsea signs Ballack to three-year deal
----------------------------------------
LONDON - Chelsea on Monday signed Germany captain
Michael Ballack on a three-year contract.
The 29-year-old moves to Stamford Bridge on a free transfer with
his Bayern Munich contract expiring this summer.
Ballack is Chelsea's first signing since securing back-to-back
Premiership titles.
"I am very happy to be here," Ballack told a news conference on
Sky Sports News. "They are very friendly people and London is a
nice city. It is very special and I have good impressions.
"I asked some players about England - Robert Huth, Jens Lehmann
- and they told me good things about this country and I am happy
to be here."
Mourinho said he was looking forward to working with Ballack and
building his team's midfield around the German and England star
Frank Lampard.
Mourinho, who did not take questions from reporters and instead
asked his own, said on Sky Sports News, "How can Michael's
arrival affect Lampard and the team? It will affect it a lot
because Lampard wants top players to play with him and the team
want good players to improve the team.
"I look forward to working with them and look forward to playing
both together."
Mourinho also asked himself whether the Premiership champions
would be signing many more players this summer.
"Is he the first of many? No," Mourinho said. "He is the first
of a few because we don't need a lot of players, just two or
three very good players. We have now been champions for two
consecutive years and we want to be more than that. We have
already the team, now we need two or three world-class players
to join the special team we have to make it even better than
that.
"Chelsea is very happy and we think English football should be
very happy he plays for Chelsea and plays in the Premiership.
We have a team of champions and to improve a team of champions
we need champions. A champion is coming here to help follow our
target for next year."
* Walcott, Rooney make final England World Cup squad
----------------------------------------------------
LONDON - Sven-Goran Eriksson on Monday submitted his
23-man England squad to FIFA for next month's World Cup.
It is a list of the same names Eriksson unveiled last week, with
the first 11 numbers going to what is recognized as his
first-choice team.
This includes Wayne Rooney, who will wear the No. 9 shirt even
though he is currently out with a broken foot and battling to be
fit for the tournament.
Eriksson still can replace injured players up to 24 hours before
England's first Group B game against Paraguay, in Frankfurt, on
June 10.
Surprise selection Theo Walcott has been handed the No. 23
shirt.
Walcott, who is only 17 and yet to play a Premiership game,
joined his new international teammates for the first time
Monday.
Eriksson and his players met to fly to Portugal, where they will
spend five days at a training camp.
There were five players missing from the party.
Arsenal duo Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole have stayed with the
Gunners because of the Champions League final against Barcelona
on Wednesday.
Walcott has been left out of the Arsenal squad by boss Arsene
Wenger, who reached an agreement with Eriksson.
Wenger decided the teenager was unlikely to play in the Stade de
France because strikers Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Jose
Reyes and Robin van Persie all were ahead of him in the pecking
order.
Steven Gerrard also was given permission to miss the training
camp in the Algarve.
Gerrard suffered a bad cramp in Saturday's FA Cup final after a
long, hard season, which started last July for Liverpool in the
Champions League first qualifying round. The midfielder has been
given the week off to rest and spend some time with his new
daughter.
Skipper David Beckham will join his England teammates on
Wednesday after Real Madrid's final game of the season.
Rooney has stayed in England for intensive treatment on his foot
injury with the Manchester United team doctors. Eriksson does
not expect the United striker to join the squad until he is
ready to train with a soccer ball.
England's World Cup squad and the five standby players will
train together for the first time on Tuesday. Tottenham
midfielder Aaron Lennon has been given the No. 19 shirt, which
also was worn by Spurs star Paul Gascoigne in the 1990 World
Cup.
England's 23-man squad for the 2006 World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Robert Green (Norwich), David James (Manchester
City), Paul Robinson (Tottenham).
Defenders: Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool),
Sol Campbell (Arsenal), Ashley Cole (Arsenal), Rio Ferdinand
(Manchester United), Gary Neville (Manchester United), John
Terry (Chelsea).
Midfielders: David Beckham (Real Madrid, captain), Michael
Carrick (Tottenham), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Stewart Downing
(Middlesbrough), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Owen Hargreaves
(Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham), Frank Lampard
(Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham).
Forwards: Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Michael Owen (Newcastle),
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Theo Walcott (Arsenal).
Standby: Scott Carson (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham),
Andrew Johnson (Crystal Palace), Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham),
Luke Young (Charlton).
=======================================
NEXT SPORTS NEWS ROUNDUP AT 7:30 PM EDT
=======================================