MELBOURNE, Australia - Mark Philippoussis gave Australia its 28th Davis Cup title today, fighting off a shoulder injury that nearly forced him to retire after the fourth set to beat Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 6-0.
Philippoussis gave Australia a 3-1 lead in the best-of-five competition at Rod Laver Arena. Australia's Lleyton Hewitt faced Carlos Moya in the meaningless final match later today.
After treatment on his right shoulder, Philippoussis cruised through the fifth set. He hit a hard overhand smash to finish the match and dropped to the court while his teammates raced out.
"This is incredible," Philippoussis said. "At the end I was just completely numb. It felt like I wasn't playing, I was sort of watching from the side. I didn't know what was going on."
WINTER SPORTS: Goebel leads NHK Trophy
Fumie Suguri of Japan used a cautious-free skate to win the NHK Trophy women's title, and Tim Goebel of the United States took the lead in the men's event Saturday in Asahikawa, Japan.
Suguri scored 165.52. Elena Liashenko of Ukraine was second with 163.14, and American Jennifer Kirk was fifth after falling on a triple lutz.
Goebel was in first after a short program that was plagued by falls. He went to a hospital after the competition because of food poisoning, but his coaches later said he was feeling better. Goebel fell on a triple axel but topped the standings with 73.65 points. The men's program concludes today.
SKIING: Anja Paerson of Sweden completed a weekend sweep in Park City, Utah, by winning the opening World Cup slalom for her third podium finish in as many races this season. Paerson, who won Friday's giant slalom by 1.42 seconds, had another big margin with a combined 1:33.74, 1.14 seconds better than Sonja Nef of Switzerland. ... World champion Michael Walchhofer of Austria won the first downhill of the World Cup season in Lake Louise, Alberta. He finished in 1 minute, 51.16 seconds. Erik Guay of Canada was next in 1:51.85.
HORSES: Bailey has record day
In less than an hour at Aqueduct, Jerry Bailey set two records, won three stakes races and firmed up the mount on a contender for next year's Kentucky Derby. Bailey won all three stakes on the card in New York, capturing the Demoiselle with Ashado, the Remsen with Derby prospect Read the Footnotes and the Cigar Mile with Congaree. He established a record for stakes races won in a year by a jockey (70) and purse money earned in a season by a North American rider ($23,293,960).
HOLLYWOOD PARK: Eight-year-old Redattore, ridden by Julie Krone for trainer Richard Mandella, won the $400,000 Citation Handicap in Inglewood, Calif. It was Krone's second stakes win of the day. She also guided Irish-bred Castledale to victory in the $100,000 Generous Stakes.
SOCCER: UConn advances to semis
Host Connecticut beat Brigham Young 3-1 in a quarterfinal of the NCAA Women's Division I Tournament and faces Florida State in a semifinal Saturday at Cary, N.C. FSU beat Florida 2-1 Friday. In the other semifinal North Carolina faces UCLA.
FIFA: The United States rallied to beat Paraguay 3-1 with three second-half goals in a World Youth Championship opener in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
SWIMMING: Two records in two days
Australian Leisel Jones broke her second world record in as many nights in Melbourne, upstaging two wins by American Michael Phelps with a victory in the 200-meter breaststroke at the short-course World Cup. Jones won in 2 minutes, 17.75 seconds, topping the mark of 2:18.86 set by Qi Hui in Shanghai in December. She broke Emma Igelstrom's mark in the 100 Friday. Phelps won the 200-meter individual medley in 1:54.85, 0.20 seconds off Jani Sievenen's 9-year-old record. Phelps also won the 200-meter backstroke in 1:51.40.
ET CETERA
SURFING: With 10- to 12-foot waves and heavy rain, Cory Lopez of Indian Rocks Beach won the 12th heat in round one of the Rip Curl Cup at Sunset Beach, Hawaii. His brother, Shea Lopez, finished second in the first heat. Shea advanced to the second round, and Cory got a pass straight to the third round.
VOLLEYBALL: The United States' hope of qualifying for the 2004 Olympics at the World Cup in Tokyo ended with a loss to Brazil 25-20, 25-21, 25-23. Brazil went unbeaten (10-0) and earned a place in next year's Summer Games. Italy (8-1) and Serbia-Montenegro (8-1) also qualified. The Americans were 7-3.
