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Replay makes tennis history at Nasdaq-100

By wire services
Published March 23, 2006

KEY BISCAYNE - Jamea Jackson watched her groundstroke land close to the sideline, and when it was called out, she sensed a chance to make a little history.

So she requested a video replay review - the first on the pro tennis tours - even though she thought the ruling was correct.

"I just wanted to be first," Jackson said with a laugh. "That's what it really was all about."

Instant replay made its tour debut Wednesday at the Nasdaq-100 Open, and initial reviews were favorable. It was used only on the stadium court, which gave Jackson and opponent Ashley Harkleroad the first shot at video replays of their shots.

In a three-hour match won by Jackson, she and Harkleroad challenged two calls each, and only one ruling was reversed. But both saw a positive impact from the biggest rule change in tennis since the introduction of the tiebreaker 36 years ago.

Jackson overcame a match point and beat Harkleroad 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 7-5.

Brenda Schultz McCarthy, seeking a comeback at 35 after six years of retirement, lost to Samantha Stosur. Her reward: a second-round match with top seed Amelie Mauresmo.

Winners on the men's side included American qualifier Mardy Fish of Tampa. Seeded players had a first-round bye.

VENUS OUT: Three-time champion Venus Williams withdrew from the Nasdaq-100 Open, citing a ligament sprain in her right elbow. Sister Serena withdrew last week, saying she was not match-fit. In other news involving the Williamses, a reported gang member pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the 2003 shooting death of the half-sister of the stars. Robert Edward Maxfield entered his plea on the day his third trial in the killing was set to start in Compton, Calif. The 25-year-old was accused of shooting Yetunde Price, 31, in the back of the head as she sat in an SUV.

U.S. champion Sasha Cohen fell twice, stepped out of another jump and wound up third behind Japan's Fumie Suguri and American teenager Kimmie Meissner in qualifying Group A at the World Championships in Calgary. The short program is today and the long on Saturday. Canadian champion Joannie Rochette thrilled the home crowd by leading qualifying Group B followed by Japan' s Yukari Nakano and American Emily Hughes. Olympic champion Shizuka Arakawa of Japan and bronze winner Irina Slutskaya of Russia are not competing. In pairs, China's Pang Qing and Tong Jian took the title, one month after barely missing the medals stand in the Olympics. Ranked third in a nation where pairs are king, they soared past countrymen Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao to win the worlds. Olympic silver medalists Zhang and Zhang were second, followed by Russia's Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov. American champions Rena Inoue and John Baldwin rallied from sixth to fourth.

Gregg Berhalter had a welt under an eye. Josh Wolff walked off the field with a concussion and a cut that needed five stitches. Cory Gibbs had a bruise on his knee.

Germany didn't just beat the United States, it beat up the visiting Americans, a 4-1 rout in Dortmund that relieved some of the pressure on the World Cup hosts and did little to inspire confidence in the U.S. team.

The Americans were missing Landon Donovan, Brian McBride, Claudio Reyna, DaMarcus Beasley, Oguchi Onyewu and Eddie Lewis because of injuries and club commitments. U.S. coach Bruce Arena referred to the group on the field as his "second team."

NEWCASTLE OUT OF F.A. CUP: Alan Shearer's 10-year quest to win the title with his hometown team, Newcastle, ended in a 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Chelsea.

[Last modified March 23, 2006, 02:30:12]