Zhang Shuai takes Guangzhou title

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 GUANGZHOU, China -- Zhang Shuai of China won her first WTA singles title Saturday by defeating qualifier Vania King 7-6 (1), 6-1 in the final of the Guangzhou Open.

Zhang converted her first break point of the match in the opening game of the second set and went on to break King two more times to wrap up the match in 1 hour, 37 minutes.

Zhang became the first Chinese player to win the Guangzhou Open since Zi Yan in 2005. King was trying to become the first American winner of the tournament, but failed to convert any of her four break points.


Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

Claudia Coppola gets 6-month ban

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 LONDON -- Italian tennis player Claudia Coppola has been suspended for six months after being found guilty of two charges under the sport's anti-corruption program.

The Tennis Integrity Unit says the 18-year-old Coppola admitted breaking the rules against fixing the outcome of a match and soliciting a player not to give his or her best effort.

No details of the case were disclosed on Wednesday.

Coppola also was fined $4,000. The amount will be reduced to $3,000 if she completes an anti-corruption training program.

The Italian is ranked a career-high No. 869. She has career earnings of $8,301.


Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

US draws Britain in 2014 Davis Cup

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 LONDON -- The Davis Cup's oldest rivalry will resume next year when the United States hosts Britain.

The teams met in the first Davis Cup match in 1900, with the Americans going on to win the event a record 32 times.

Wednesday's draw in London also created the possibility of Roger Federer playing Novak Djokovic, with Switzerland facing Serbia in the first round. The Serbs take on defending champion Czech Republic in the 2013 final in Belgrade on Nov. 15-17.

Among the other first-round world group matchups are Argentina-Italy, Japan-Canada and Germany-Spain. The matches take place Jan. 31-Feb. 2 -- Super Bowl weekend in the U.S.

Britain is in the world group for the first time since 2008, its prospects boosted by the return of Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.


Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

Marin Cilic hid from failed drug test

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LONDON -- A tennis tribunal says Marin Cilic hid behind the excuse of a knee injury to withdraw from Wimbledon this year to avoid negative publicity after failing a doping test.

The Croatian player was suspended for nine months last week by the International Tennis Federation after testing positive for a banned stimulant at a tournament in Munich in May.

The ITF's anti-doping tribunal released its findings of the case on Tuesday, saying Cilic pulled out of Wimbledon before his second-round match against Kenny de Schepper on the same day he accepted a provisional doping suspension and waived his right to testing of his backup `B' sample.

The statement says Cilic "withdrew from Wimbledon, citing a knee injury to avoid adverse publicity."

The ITF has accepted the player's contention that he ingested the stimulant inadvertently in a glucose tablet and wasn't trying to cheat.


Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press