Vera Zvonareva hangs on to advance at Mercury Insurance Open

Top-seeded Vera Zvonareva was pushed to the limits by 37-year-old American Jill Craybas in a nearly two-hour marathon match Tuesday night at the Mercury Insurance Open.

Zvonareva got a late break in both sets to put away Craybas 6-4, 7-5 in a contest that saw lots of advantage points and closely contested games.

Zvonareva appeared to be on the edge of breaking Craybas in just about every one of the American’s service games. But Zvonareva finally managed to capitalize on two Craybas double faults to break at 5-4 in the first set.

It took her longer to break Craybas in the second set, when she used a big forehand winner to set up double break point in the eleventh game. She converted the break two points later and then quickly served out the match.

“I don’t expect myself to play my best tennis in the first round of the tournament,” Zvonareva said afterward. “It’s never easy to play the first match, but I’m just happy I won this one and won in two sets.”

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Agnieska Radwanska advances at Mercury Open

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-- Matt Stevens

Photo: Vera Zvonareva returns a shot during her victory over Jill Craybas at the Mercury Insurance Open on Tuesday. Credit: Jeff Gross / Getty Images

Agnieszka Radwanska advances at Mercury Insurance Open

Agnieszka Radwanska nipped Elena Baltacha’s comeback effort in the bud, closing out a tightly contested second set for a 6-0, 7-6 (4) victory at the Mercury Insurance Open Tuesday afternoon.

The third-seeded Radwanska appeared to be on her way to an easy win after pummeling Baltacha in the first set, but Baltacha managed to break the Polish player in the third game of the second set. However, a series of shaky holds by Baltacha culminated in a break back by Radwanska at 5-5. Then both players served it out to force a tiebreaker.

In the tiebreak, the players were on serve at 5-4 until Baltacha missed a swinging volley to give Radwanska match point. Baltacha then hit a half-hearted backhand into the net to seal the match.

Radwanska had a bye in the first round of the tournament before facing Baltacha. She becomes the first player to advance to the third round.

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Martina Hingis mulls another tennis comeback

Tennis event at La Costa loses several marquee players

-- Matt Stevens

Agnieszka Radwanska returns a backhand during her victory over Elena Baltacha at the Mercury Insurance Open in Carlsbad on Tuesday. Credit: Jeff Gross / Getty Images

Empty feeling at Mercury Insurance Open

With the withdrawal of Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova from the Mercury Insurance Open, many tennis fans in Carlsbad may be spending their week watching a lot of players they’ve never heard of.

Several big names including Kim Clijsters have already withdrawn from the annual event, and according to the San Diego Union Tribune, a WTA official confirmed Monday that the tour owes the tournament $50,000 for not satisfying entry minimums for a premier event.

Tour by-laws, mandate that premier tournaments include one player ranked in the top six and two in the top 10. This year’s field includes only one top-10 player: Vera Zvonareva.

But according to five-time grand slam winner Marina Hingis, women’s tennis as a whole is undergoing a change that further hinders name recognition. At the moment, the WTA lacks what she called “true grand slam champions.”

Ronnie Brown signs with Philadelphia Eagles

 

Seems as if everyone signing with the Philadelphia Eagles is a former All-Pro -- even the backups. Running back Ronnie Brown is the latest to get on the Philly free-agent bandwagon, signing a one-year contract to back up tailback LeSean McCoy. 

The 6-0, 230-pound running back started all 16 games for the Miami Dolphins last season and finished with 734 yards, five touchdowns and 33 receptions. The second overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft behind Alex Smith (San Francisco 49ers), Brown ranks third on the Dolphins’ all-time rushing list behind Larry Csonka (6,737) and Ricky Williams (6,436) and is tied in second with Csonka for the most 100-yard rushing games in team history with 15.

“Ronnie is an all-around running back with a versatile skill set,” Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman said. “He can run the ball, catch it, and does very well in pass protection. He’ll add some good size to our backfield and he’s a good character guy. We think he’ll be a tremendous complement to LeSean and the other young backs on this team that we really like. You can never have enough good running backs in this league and we are happy to have Ronnie join us.”

Brown is the seventh major acquisition the Eagles have made in the last week, along with defensive linemen Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins, cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha, offensive lineman Evan Mathis and quarterback Vince Young. All but Mathis and Jenkins are former All-Pros, and Jenkins started on last season’s Green Bay Packers championship team.

Brown, 29, was elected to the Pro Bowl after rushing for 916 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns and catching 33 passes in 2008.  He rushed for 1,000 yards in the 2006 season.

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Plaxico Burress signs with Jets

Which NFL team has improved itself the most in the short off-season?

--Athan Atsales

Photo: Ronnie Brown with the Dolphins. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times.

Another player withdraws from Mercury Insurance Open

Sixth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova added herself to the long list of players who have withdrawn from this year’s Mercury Insurance Open.

Cibulkova said in a statement Tuesday that she injured her abdominal muscle at the WTA’s Stanford event last week. No. 2 Kim Clijsters, Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, top-ranked American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and last year’s tournament winner Svetlana Kuznetsova have all withdrawn from the event in Carlsbad.

Cibulkova will be replaced by Olga Savchuk, who lost to Natalie Grandin in qualifying, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3). Savchuk will play local favorite Coco Vandeweighe in the second round.

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Martina Hingis mulls another tennis comeback

Tennis event at La Costa loses several marquee players

-- Matt Stevens

Photo: Dominika Cibulkova competes at the Bank of the West Classic on Friday. Credit: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images

Bernard Hopkins to risk WBC belt against Chad Dawson

Bernard Hopkins will put his World Boxing Council light-heavyweight title on the line less than five months after earning it.

Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 knockouts) will face Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 knockouts) on Oct. 15 in a title fight at the Staples Center.

A news conference early next week will officially announce the pairing, a Golden Boy Promotions spokeswoman said.

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Jered Weaver will appeal six-game suspension

Tiger Woods says he's 'good to go'

-- Douglas Farmer

Photo: Bernard Hopkins gestures prior to the start of his light heavyweight bout against Jean Pascal on May 21. Credit: Christinne Muschi / Reuters

Which NFL team improved itself the most in the short off-season?

Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss the moves made by NFL teams since the lockout ended last week. Check back throughout the day for more responses and weigh in with a comment of your own.

Joseph Schwerdt, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

To answer this question, just listen to what the Ryan brothers are saying. In the AFC, New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan made a backhanded swat at the improved Patriots. Ryan called out the league to "find someone else besides the Jets" to beat New England, which added wide receiver Chad Ochocinco and defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth.

In the NFC, Rob Ryan, the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator, called the loaded-up Philadelphia Eagles the "all-hype team." The Eagles added cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha, defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins and, to back up Michael Vick, quarterback Vince Young.

Clearly, the Eagles and Patriots have been the most aggressive since the lockout, while the Jets downgraded from Braylon Edwards to Plaxico Burress, and the Cowboys -– except for Rob Ryan -- have made little noise.

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Photo: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, fools around with new teammate Chad Ochocinco during practice on Saturday. Credit: Winslow Townson / Associated Press

Rex Ryan reveals meaning behind mysterious new tattoo

Rex Ryan managed to keep quiet for at least 24 hours. Hard to believe, isn't it?

The boisterous head coach of the New York Jets revealed an intricate new tattoo on his lower right leg at training camp Monday and somehow found the inner strength to keep its origin to himself until Tuesday.

Of course, it was all turned into a big guessing game on the team's Facebook page -- we can't expect the guy to shy away from attention completely.

But you've been waiting long enough. The meaning of the tattoo, as revealed by Ryan in a video posted on Facebook: “Believe in yourself, which I've got no problem doing.”

And there you have it.

Ryan got the ink last month in Hawaii. It runs from the top of his ankle to just below his knee and features a bunch of shapes and swirly things.

“You see,” Ryan said, pointing down to his leg during his daily news conference Tuesday, “you've got the mountains, you've got the waves and the shark tooth down there. You've got it all working.”

Ryan added that his players have told him that it's cool. "And I'm like, yeah, it is,” he said.

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Plaxico Burress signs with Jets

Which NFL team has improved itself the most in the short off-season?

-- Chuck Schilken

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: Rex Ryan discusses his new tattoo -- and probably some football-related matters as well -- during his media news conference Tuesday. Credit: Julio Cortez / Associated Press

Jered Weaver to appeal 6-game suspension; Scioscia out for 1 game

 

Jered Weaver, as expected, received a six-game suspension and a fine for throwing at Detroit catcher Alex Avila on Sunday, a punishment the Angels ace has decided to appeal.

Manager Mike Scioscia also received a one-game suspension for the intentional actions of Weaver after a warning had been issued to both clubs by home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt.

But Scioscia opted to serve his suspension Tuesday night and will miss the game against the Minnesota Twins in Angel Stadium. Bench coach Rob Picciolo is expected to run the team in Scioscia’s absence.

Had Weaver begun his suspension Tuesday, he would have missed his scheduled start against Seattle Saturday night. His suspension will be held in abeyance until the appeal process, which normally takes several days, is complete.

The right-hander hopes to get his suspension reduced or delayed until next week, when the Angels could use Monday’s off day to skip him in the rotation.

If the suspension is upheld, the Angels could either go with a spot starter such as Hisanori Takahashi or call up a starter from triple-A Salt Lake to pitch Saturday.

Trevor Bell, the leading minor league candidate to replace Weaver on Saturday, is scheduled to start for Salt Lake on Tuesday night, but the Angels could limit the right-hander’s pitch count and bring him back against the Mariners on short rest.

In the Angels’ 3-2 loss to the Tigers on Sunday, Weaver took exception to the actions of Tigers sluggers Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen, who both lingered in the batter’s box, then took their time rounding the bases after hitting home runs.

Wendelstedt tried to calm Weaver, then warned both benches not to escalate matters further, a warning Weaver ignored when he threw a fastball near the head of the next hitter, earning an ejection for himself and Scioscia.

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-- Mike DiGiovanna

Photo: Jered Weaver. Credit: Leon Halip / Getty Images.

Which NFL team improved itself the most in the short offseason?

Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss the moves made by NFL teams since the lockout ended last week. Check back throughout the day for more responses and weigh in with a comment of your own.

Joseph Schwerdt, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

To answer this question, just listen to what the Ryan brothers are saying. In the AFC, New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan made a backhanded swat at the improved Patriots. Ryan called out the league to "find someone else besides the Jets" to beat New England, who added wide receiver Chad Ochocinco and defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth.

In the NFC, Rob Ryan, the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator, called the loaded-up Philadelphia Eagles the "all-hype team." The Eagles added cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha, defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins and, to back up Michael Vick, quarterback Vince Young.

Clearly, the Eagles and Patriots have been the most aggressive since the lockout, while the Jets downgraded from Braylon Edwards to Plaxico Burress, and the Cowboys -– except for Rob Ryan -- have made little noise.

ALSO:

Wide receiver Randy Moss retires after 13 NFL seasons

St. Louis' Sam Bradford plays beat the clock to learn new offense

Photo: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, fools around with new teammate Chad Ochocinco during practice on Saturday. Credit: Winslow Townson / Associated Press