ASS News » Station. Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager To

MADRID, Spain -- Rafael Nadal finally won another clay-court title, although not in a manner that alleviated any concerns about his recent form on his favourite surface. The top-ranked Spaniard won his fourth Madrid Open on Sunday after Kei Nishikori was forced to withdraw with a hip injury when trailing 2-6, 6-4, 3-0 in the final. And Nadal, who is coming off to uncharacteristic quarterfinal losses on clay, said his mental strength is still lacking just two weeks ahead of the French Open. "I was blocked. There were some moments where, I dont know, I couldnt find myself," said Nadal, whose victory guarantees he will stay No. 1 in the rankings heading into Roland Garros. "It wasnt that I didnt want to play or I was missing intensity, I was just mentally blocked." Earlier, Maria Sharapova bounced back from a poor start to defeat Simona Halep 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 to win the womens title. Nadal became the first repeat winner in Madrid but it was only his second clay-court title of the year, and third overall in 2014. Nishikoris aggressive start allowed him to jump out to a 5-1 lead as his powerful groundstrokes overwhelmed Nadal, who struggled to find an answer against his Japanese opponent. "We dont deserve the victory, (Nishikori) deserves it, he played better than us the whole time," Nadals uncle and coach Toni Nadal told Antenna 3 TV. "We had a lot of luck today. We didnt really come back, he was hurt." Nishikori broke Nadal again to start the second set to leave the Magic Box centre crowd, which included Queen Sofia, dumbfounded to find Nadal struggling so badly. Nishikori first experienced discomfort while leading 4-2 and Nadal took advantage to break back. Nishikori soon needed a medical timeout for treatment on his back and hip, and his energy then looked sapped as he hit a shot long to concede the set. Nishikori, who withdrew from next weeks tournament in Rome to recover in time for the French Open, visibly struggled in the third before eventually retiring. "It was very sad, especially (since) I was winning, playing almost best tennis in my life," said Nishikori, who will become the first Japanese player in the top-10 when the new rankings are released. "It was very tough mentally for me. But I get a lot of confidence from this tournament. "You never know what happens today if Im not hurt. I may have chance to win." Sharapova, who lost to Serena Williams in last years final, crumbled in the opening set when she held her serve just once. But Haleps serve dipped in the second set, and Sharapova started hitting pinpoint ground strokes that kept the fifth-ranked Romanian running. The ninth-ranked Russian converted both her break points in the set to even the match. Sharapova then pulled away in the deciding set with an early break to follow up her triumph in Stuttgart with a maiden title in Madrid. Since the 2011 French Open, Sharapova has a 47-3 record on clay -- with all three defeats coming to Williams. The top-ranked American was the two-time defending champion in Madrid but withdrew with a leg injury on Friday. "I dont know how I pulled it off," Sharapova said after winning her 32nd career title. "I came close last year, and I didnt have a great first set today, but I knew it wasnt over until the last point was played." Sharapova planned to continue her centre court celebration on the plane ride to the Rome Masters. "They better have some champagne for me," Sharapova said. "I need a drink." Wholesale Air Max 720 NZ . The unrestricted free agent agreed to terms with the club on Thursday on a one-year, two-way deal worth $700,000. Air Max 720 NZ Online . A steady downpour and low temperatures were predicted for much of the night. No makeup date was immediately announced, although it was determined that the game will not be part of a doubleheader on Wednesday. http://www.cheapairmax720nz.com/ . Starting from pole, the 26-year-old Vettel turned in a trademark clinical performance to win the Indian Grand Prix on Sunday and join F1 greats Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as just the third driver to win four consecutive championships. Cheap Air Max 720 NZ . Leaning forward with both hands on his knees, Buffon appeared to be resting or somehow trying to withstand the rain. Or perhaps the 36-year-old goalkeeper and Italy captain was reflecting on this: He is only the third player in history to be part of five World Cup squads, along with Germany great Lothar Matthaus and former Mexico goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal. Nike Air Max 720 NZ . - Dominika Cibulkova erased three match points in the second set Wednesday and beat Agnieszka Radwanska 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Sony Open.LITTLE FALLS, N.J. -- Seventy years ago, a 19-year-old from St. Louis was on a small attack boat launching rockets at the Germans during the Allied invasion of Normandy. Lawrence Peter Berra, a minor league baseball player who would later become known worldwide as Yogi, emerged unscathed from that bloody day. Now 89 years old, Berra was honoured Friday by the New Jersey museum that bears his name, as well as by the Navy and several veterans groups. His age prevented him from participating in ceremonies in France. He sat in a wheelchair, a wearing a Navy blue Yankees windbreaker in the air conditioned room, along with a Yankees cap. Berra did not speak during the ceremony. But he told The Associated Press afterward that D-Day was "amazing" and "awful," as he fired at the Nazis from 300 yards offshore. "You saw a lot of horrors," he said in a voice now grown soft with age. "I was fortunate. It was amazing going in, all the guys over there." Berra, who went on to win 10 World Series titles with the New York Yankees, was part of a 6-man crew operating a 36-foot LCSS boat, the letters standing for landing craft support, small. Berra previously joked that the letters stood for "landing craft suicide squad." Their mission was to fire rockets at German gun targets to protect Allied troops struggling to storm the beach.dddddddddddd Three of his comrades died in the invasion, which included 150,000 Allied personnel. It is widely considered the beginning of the turning of the war in the Allies favour. "We had orders not to go on the beach," Berra said. "They went on their own, and they got it. We had to stay back and protect them." During the ceremony, Berra was lauded by the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation, by the military support group Quilts of Honor, which presented him with a quilt bearing his likeness and several of his remembrances of the day, as well as by several dozen sailors from New Jerseys Earle Naval Weapons Station. Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda also attended but did not speak. "It is fitting that we gather here to honour an American treasure," said Peter Fertig, president of the Bob Feller award group. "Lawrence Peter Berra, better known as Yogi, served on a rocket boat and was at the tip of the spear at Normandy 70 years ago this morning. Imagine how you would have felt sitting in a boat and seeing so many missiles and rockets soaring over your head, and yet you and your comrades still have a job to do. What a debt of gratitude we owe to those who gave up their American dream so that we could live ours." ' ' '