Auburn Hills, Mich. – Diana Taurasi and Swin Cash have won three championships together.
Today, one of them will add another.
The former college and Olympic teammates will face each other in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals. Cash and the Detroit Shock will be going for their third title in five seasons. Taurasi’s Phoenix Mercury are looking for their first.
“We really have to be focused because their house is going to be crowded, and their players are going to be extra energized,” Taurasi said after Phoenix’s 77-76 win in Game 4. “We have to find a way to match that.”
When Cash and Taurasi were winning a pair of NCAA titles at Connecticut and gold medals in Athens, they shared the spotlight.
But things have been different in the Finals. While Taurasi remains the Mercury’s focal point, Cash’s role with the Shock has become more symbolic than important. Cash starts every game for the Shock and remains the captain and unquestioned face of the franchise, but she is rarely on the floor in key situations.
In the final seconds of Game 4, with the Shock facing a possession that could have won the title and all-star Cheryl Ford on the bench with a knee injury, Cash remained glued to the bench.
TENNIS
Davenport in Bali final
Lindsay Davenport advanced to the final of the Bali Open in her first singles tournament since having a baby in June.
Davenport cruised past Sara Errani 6-1, 6-3 in Nusa Dua, Indonesia. In today’s final, she will face second-seeded Daniela Hantuchova, who defeated qualifier Sorana Cirstea 7-5, 6-1.
Gilles Simon of France and Victor Hancescu of Romania won semifinal matches and will play for the BCR Open Romania title in Bucharest.
The sixth-seeded Simon rallied past Carlos Berlocq of Argentina 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-3. Hancescu defeated Gael Monfils of France 6-2, 6-3.
With Maria Sharapova cheering from the bench, Russia moved within one win of its third Fed Cup title.
Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Mara Santangelo of Italy 6-1, 6-2 to the put the Russians ahead 2-0 in the top team event in women’s tennis. Anna Chakvetadze struggled past Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the opener in Moscow.
Fernando Gonzalez defeated Ivan Ljubicic 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the final of the China Open in Beijing. Gonzalez will play third-seeded Tommy Robredo in today’s final. Robredo edged Nicolas Kiefer 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.
HORSE RACING
Lear’s Princess wins Gazelle Stakes
In the final drive to the finish of the Gazelle Stakes, Lear’s Princess overtook Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches and pulled an upset Saturday at Belmont Park in New York.
Lear’s Princess, ridden by Eibar Coa, paid $6.20, $2.30 and $2.10 as the second choice in the five-horse field, with Rags to Riches returning $2.10 and $2.10. Tough Tiz’s Sis paid $2.40 to show, with Dorm Fever fourth and Le Chateau fifth.
FOOTNOTES
American McCartney wins 14th stage
American cyclist Jason McCartney won a long 14th stage of the Spanish Vuelta and Denis Menchov kept the overall lead for the fifth straight leg in Villacarrillo, Spain.
McCartney, who rides for the Discovery Channel, finished the 128.6-mile course in 5 hours, 21 minutes, 21 seconds.
Danny Pate rode to a solo victory in the fifth stage of the Tour of Missouri and Discovery Channel’s George Hincapie kept his overall lead.
Pate, a former junior world time-trial champion from Colorado Springs, who rides for Team Slipstream, finished the 126.8-mile race from Jefferson City to St. Charles in 4 hours, 50 minutes, 21 seconds.
Spain beat defending champion Greece (82-77) and Russia defeated Lithuania (86-74) to reach the final of the European basketball championship today in Madrid, Spain.
A helicopter crashed in Scotland and a former World Rally champion was believed to be among four people killed, police said. Colin McRae, Britain’s most well-known rally driver, was believed to be on board the helicopter, which was owned by him and crashed in a wooded area near his home in Lanark, police said.
