MONDAY, 12.00NOON:
CLASSY Conchita Martinez beat Chanda Rubin in a disappointingly one-sided final of the MTN Women’s Classic in Johannesburg on Sunday.
The Spaniard stroked her way to an easy 6-2, 6-1 victory over the 66th ranked American to pocket the $60000 winner’s cheque.
Martinez used her varying pace to keep Rubin from establishing a rhythmn, controlling the match on the medium paced Greenset surface. Rubin could not impose her usual power-play tactics on Martinez, and the game dissolved into a one-sided and disappointing affair.
In the doubles final, top seeded Amanda Coetzer and Mary Pierce defeated Rubin and compatriot Mary Joe Fernandez 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).
Meanwhile, tournament promoter Franco Barocas said that the Classic is set to become an annual event on the local calendar.
SPORT BRIEFS
VINGER TAKES TITLE
DAVID Vinger beat Jaji Sibali by 12th round knockout to win the South African Bantamweight title in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.
LANGE WINS TOUR D’URBAN
MALCOLM Lange beat defending champion Ross Grant to win the Southern Life 105km Tour d’Urban cycle race in 2hr 54min 40sec on Sunday.
DODDS WINS PLAYOFF
NAMIBIAN Trevor Dodds shot a last round 69 and then beat Scott Verplank on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Greater Greensboro Open on Sunday, his first United States Tour victory.
OOSTHUIZEN WINS AMATEUR
ROBBIE Oosthuizen of Strand won the Prestasi Transvaal Amateur at Kensington Golf Club, beating Terry Rowe 3 and 2 in the 36 hole final.
HOLIDAY BACK IN TITLE RACE
FORMER International Boxing Federation lightweight champion, Phillip Holiday, staked his claim to reclaim his laurels with an impressive fifth round stoppage of Miguel Chavez Tellez in Cardiff on Saturday.
DALLAGLIO AND 12 OTHERS UNAVAILABLE
TWELVE England rugby players, including skipper Lawrence Dallaglio, will miss this year’s tour of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Reasons given are injury, fatigue and family commitments.