Agassi Attains No. 1 Ranking With Victory

Andre Agassi became the oldest men’s player to be ranked No. 1 in the world as he advanced to the finals of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Austria’s Jurgen Melzer on Saturday night at Houston.

Agassi’s victory gave him enough points to surpass Lleyton Hewitt of Australia and regain the top spot for the first time since Sept. 10, 2000, when Agassi was replaced by Pete Sampras.

“It feels amazing, I feel I’ve forgotten what it’s like,� said Agassi, who will be 33 on Tuesday. “There were a lot of nerves here tonight.�

Agassi replaced Jimmy Connors as the oldest player to hold the top ranking. Connors held the No. 1 spot at 30 years 10 months in 1983.

Agassi will play two-time champion Andy Roddick in today’s final. Roddick rallied to a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Olivier Mutis of France in the earlier semifinal.

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Venus and Serena Williams gave the United States a commanding 2-0 lead in its Fed Cup opener, winning in straight sets against opponents from the Czech Republic at Lowell, Mass.

Top-ranked Serena Williams recovered from a surprisingly tough first set against 74th-ranked Iveta Benesova to win 7-5, 6-1. Venus Williams routed Daja Bedanova, 6-1, 6-0, in 48 minutes.

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Marat Safin beat top-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the final of the $1.08 million Open Seat Godo at Barcelona. Safin will play second-seeded Carlos Moya, a 7-6 (2), 6-2 winner over Agustin Calleri in the other semifinal.... Lindsay Davenport married an investment banker and former college player whose brother briefly coached the three-time Grand Slam singles champion. Davenport, 26, and Jonathan Leach, 30, were married Friday on a beach in Hawaii, agent Tony Godsick said. Jonathan and his brother Rick Leach were All-Americans at USC.

Golf

Fred Couples birdied five of the last seven holes for a five-under-par 67 and a one-stroke lead over Mark Calcavecchia after three rounds of the Houston Open at Humble, Texas.

Couples, bidding for his first win in five years, rolled in an eight-foot birdie putt on the par-four 18th hole to get to 16-under 200 after 54 holes. He has led or shared the lead after all three days.

Australia’s Stuart Appleby, with a third-round 66, was another shot back, followed by South African Trevor Immelman.

Karrie Webb completed the first round with a 67 and later had a 66 in the second to take the lead in the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship at Stockbridge, Ga.

Webb, the Australian star seeking her first victory of the year, had a two-stroke lead over compatriot Shani Waugh (66). South Korea’s Se Ri Pak was three strokes back after a 65.

Thirteen-year-old Michelle Wie, followed around by the largest gallery, made the cut in her second straight tour event by enduring a 10-hour, 31-hole day. Wie completed the rain-delayed first round in the morning by playing 13 holes, finishing with an even-par 72, and had a 70 in the afternoon.

Bruce Lietzke had an eagle early in the second round to take a one-stroke lead over Dana Quigley in the rain-delayed Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf at Savannah, Ga. Lietzke opened with a two-under 70 in the morning and had an afternoon 65 for a nine-under 135 total in the Champions Tour event.

Miscellany

In one of the biggest upsets ever at hockey’s world championships, the United States lost, 5-2, at Tampere, Finland, to a Denmark team playing in the tournament for the first time since 1949. The Danes were routed, 47-0, by Canada in their previous appearance.

The U.S. had 12 NHL players -- none prominent -- for its opening game. Last year, the Americans won the silver medal at the 2002 Olympics and finished seventh at the worlds.

James Toney won the International Boxing Federation cruiserweight title in a unanimous decision over Vassiliy Jirov at Mashantucket, Conn., to hand the former champion his first professional loss. On the undercard, Antonio Tarver outpointed Montell Griffin to win the vacant IBF and World Boxing Council light heavyweight titles.

Buffalo (5-8) stopped Indiana quarterback Raymond Philyaw on a two-point conversion attempt with no time left as the Destroyers scored a 36-35 victory over the Firebirds (5-8) at Buffalo, N.Y., in an Arena Football League game.... Jay Gruden completed 28 of 43 passes for 300 yards and six touchdowns as the Orlando Predators (9-4) clinched a playoff spot with a 38-27 victory over the Georgia Force (7-6) at Duluth, Ga.... Sherdrick Bonner passed for 171 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Arizona Rattlers (8-5) to a 62-22 victory over the Carolina Cobras (0-13) at Phoenix.

Passings

Bernie Little Sr., a leading figure in unlimited hydroplane racing and owner of the famous Miss Budweiser boat, died at 77. Little died Friday night after three months in intensive care and a recent battle with pneumonia.