Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 12

Mid-Illinois Newspapers B4 Monday, February 2, 1998 CzecDn-nmiffllte alt AunstaMaum Opena MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) A generation apart, Czech natives Petr Ko-rda and Martina Hingis didn't emerge from any tennis factory to become Grand "Slam champions. They walked away with the Australian Open singles titles the first major for the 30-year-old Korda, the fourth for the 1 7-year-old Hingis and gave full credit to their parents. "I've been in the school of my father," Korda said. "Without him, I would never make it where I am." As he recounted his tortuous path from tennis oblivion to Grand Slam champion, Korda spoke emotionally about his father. It was the only time Korda choked up Sunday, a joyous day for him as he romped past an uninspired and overwhelmed young Chilean, Marcelo Rios, 4-2.

He broke a third straight time to close the set in 27 minutes. In the second set, it was same score, same time. By then it was clear Korda would have no letdown. "I was waiting for this a long, long time," he told the crowd. He gave special thanks to his pregnant wife, Regina, saying, "What we went through was unbelievable.

I didn't believe it could happen. It's a dream come true." Regina, holding 4-year-old daughter Jessica, radiated with delight. It was Regina, Korda said, who kept him going through the despair of one operation after another, one rehab after another: a hernia operation in 1995, groin surgery in 1996, sinus surgery last year. Regina, a former pro on the women's tour, gave up her career and urged her husband to push on in his. There hasn't been an Australian Open men's final with fewer games since 1926.

In fact, Hingis' 6-3, 6-3 final victory over Conchita Martinez lasted a minute longer. "Deep from my heart, I want to thank my father," Korda said shortly after calling Petr Korda in Prague. "He was the one who had the most impact on my career. He put the tennis (racket) in my hand. My mother raised me on her own.

My father raised me on the court." Korda, whose parents divorced while he was growing up in Prague, is the last male champion to emerge from the old Czechoslovakian regime. He joined his heroes, Jan Kodes, Ivan Lendl, Martina Navratilova and Hana Mandlikova, as a major tournament winner. Hingis also grew up in a divorced household. And though her father duced 32 winners to Rios' mere seven. Korda, who moves from No.

7 to a career-high No. 2 behind Pete Sampras in this week's rankings, is the first Czech man to win the Australian title since Lendl in 1989 and 1990. In his family home in the Czech Republic, Korda still has a poster autographed by Lendl. Rios, a career-high No. 5 in the new rankings after coming in No.

8, was the first South American to reach the Australian final since Guillermo Vilas won in 1978 and 1979, and the first Chilean in a Grand Slam final since Luis Ayala was runner-up in the French Open in 1958 and 1960. Korda, who lost to Rios in straight sets in the first round of last year's Australian Open and fell in the first round two years ago, ruled this match from the sixth game when he broke for the second time to lead coached her early on, she has lived since childhood in Switzerland with her mother, Melanie Molitor, who became her coach. "I think it's always tough when someone from the family is coaching his own kids, and I have to admire the people like Mama Hingis," Korda said. "I think they have to go through the tough times." Korda knows plenty about tough times. A French Open finalist six years ago, and near retirement frortjrelentless pain three years later, he celebrated his revival Sunday by falling to his knees in prayer, cartwheeling across court and climbing into the stands to hug his wife and daughter.

Korda played solidly, if unspectacu-larly, but that's all he had to do against the pony-tailed, 22-year-old who could barely keep the ball on court. Korda pro MncMgaie tops ireeMinig Iowa i I I I IT TLWLL viiiV'Jr I 1 i ii mm i 1 i Berggren leads Illini women to victory STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) Ashley Berggren scored 31 points as No. 8 Illinois built a large lead and defeated Penn State 78-69 Sunday. The Fighting Illini (15-6, 9-2 Big Ten) had a 17-point advantage by halftime, 46-29, over Penn State (13-8, 7-4) thanks to superb shooting.

No Illinois player missed more than two shots in the first half and the Fighting Illini shot 61 percent for the game. The Lady Lions cut the deficit to seven on a three-point play by Maren Walseth with 7:22 remaining in the game. Illinois immediately restored its double-figure lead on two free throws by Berggren and a 3-pointer by Krista Re inking. Penn State would get no closer the rest of the way. Reinking finished with 12 points, including 2-of-3 shooting from 3-point range.

Helen Darling led Penn State with 16 points. Andrea Garner added 14 points and 10 rebounds, Clara Carter had 13 points and Walseth scored 10 points. By The Associated Press IOWACITY.Iowa LouisBul-lock scored 2 1 points, including five 3-pointers, to lead No. 19 Michigan to an 80-66 win onu over 16th-ranked Iowa and hand the Hawkeyes their fourth straight defeat. Jerod Ward scored 18 points, Robert Traylor 15 and Maceo Bas-ton 13 for the Wolverines (16-6 overall, 6-3 Big Ten), who snapped a two-game streak and won at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first time in four games.

Iowa (15-6, 4-4), which has lost five of its last seven, got 15 points from Ryan Bowen and 1 1 from Dean Oliver. The Hawkeyes were hurt by the loss of forward J.R. Koch, who injured his left ankle with 7:29 left in the first half and didn't return. Koch came off the bench early on to score seven of Iowa's first 12 points as the Hawkeyes twice grabbed leads of seven points. Iowa led 26-2 1 when Koch got hurt and Michigan scored 17 of the last 23 points to lead 38-32 at the break.

The Hawkeyes, already out-sized in the frontcourt even with the 6-foot-9 Koch, were outre-bounded by a 40-32 margin. They also have lost three of four homes games this season. Bullock scored on a jumper and two 3-point shots to lead Michigan to an 8-2 spurt to start the second half and extend the Wolverines' lead to 46-34 with 16:08 remaining. Another long-range shot by Bullock about 90 seconds later from the top of the key gave Michigan a 50-36 edge, its largest lead to that point. The Hawkeyes clawed back to within eight points twice in the final 4:09, including a three-point play by Bowen that cut Michigan's lead to 74-66 with 1:55 remaining.

Duke 90, Georgia Tech 69 DURHAM, N.C. Roshown McLeod scored 23 points as No. 1 Duke beat Georgia Tech 90-69 Sunday for its 11th straight win, settingupaNo. 1 vs.No. 2 matchup with North Carolina.

Thursday's meeting at Chapel Hill will be the first game between the nation's top ranked teams since Kentucky beat Massachusetts in the semifinals of the 1996 Final Four and the 14th 1-2 meeting since 1980. The Blue Devils (20-1, 9-0 ACC) are off to their best start in the Atlantic Coast Conference since starting 10-0 in the 1963-64 season under Vic Bubas. Florida 86, Kentucky 78 LEXINGTON, Ky. Jason Williams and Kenyan Weaks each scored 24 points as Florida hit 12 3-pointers, the most ever by a Kentucky opponent in Rupp Arena, to stun the No. 7 Wildcats 86-78 Sunday.

Florida (11-7, 4-4 Southeastern Conference) snapped a 10-game losing streak to Kentucky and won in Rupp Arena for the first time since Feb. 12, 1989. Kentucky (19-3, 8-1), which leads the series 72-21, also had a nine-game winning streak come to an end. Not only did Florida shoot a season-high 57 percent 12-of-2 1) from 3-point range, the Gators also beat Kentucky at its strength in taking a 40-30 advantage in rebounds despite foul trouble by big men Damen Maddox and Greg Stolt Kansas 82, Nebraska 71 LINCOLN, Neb. Paul Pierce scored 27 points, Raef LaFrentz had 25 and No.

5 Kansas held off Nebraska's second-half 3-point flurry for an 82-71 win on Sunday. It was the eighth straight win in the series by the Jayhawks (24-3, 8-1 Big 12), who handed Nebraska (13-8, 4-4) its first loss in 11 home games this season. Billy Thomas had 10 points, including consecutive baskets near the two-minute mark to give the Jayhawks a 72-65 lead. The first of those was a 3-pointer from 22 feet as the shot clock expired. New Mexico 77, Utah 74 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

Royce Olney hit a 3-pointer with 4.6 seconds left, capping No. 14 New Mexico's late rally and sending No. 3 Utah to its first loss of the season, 77-74 Sunday. Utah, the nation's last remaining unbeaten major college team, had one final chance to force overtime. Drew Hansen's 3-pointer swished through, but the officials ruled the ball had not left his hands when the clock expired.

New Mexico (16-3, 6-1 Western Athletic Conference) overcame a 73-67 deficit in the final 1:27. The Lobos extended their home winning streak to 38 games, second in the nation to Kansas' 57 in a row. Syracuse 84, Pittsburgh 73 PITTSBURGH ToddBurgan scored seven ofhis 27 points ina 16-0 run at the start of the second half to carry No. 20 Syracuse to an 84- AP Photo Michigan's Robert Traylor (54) tries to block a shot by Iowa's J.R. Koch in Big Ten play.

73 victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday. Syracuse( 17-4, 7-3 BigEast)led 29-28 at halftime. The Orangemen took advantage of Pittsburgh turnover on four consecutive possessions and scored 16 consecutive points in the first 3:55 of the second half to take a 45-28 lead. Jason Hart scored six ofhis 12 points in the same stretch. South Carolina 67, Cincinnati 65 COLUMBIA, S.C.

Antonio Grant hit a desperation 3-pointer as time expired, capping South Carolina's comeback from a 23-point deficit to give the No. 13 Gamecocks a 67-65 triumph over No. 18 Cincinnati on Sunday. Grant picked up a loose ball with the clock ticking down and launched a prayer that swished through as the horn sounded, setting off a raucous celebration that Atlantic Coast Conference), which improved to 10-1 at home. The Terrapins have won six of nine against Virginia, including five straight at Cole Field House.

Curtis Staples made seven 3-pointers for Virginia and moved into fourth place on the NCAA career list with 376. Saturday Wichita State 62, Evansville57 EVANSVILLE, Ind. Chris Hollender attempted just six shots, making two as Evansville dropped a 62-57 Missouri Valley Conference decision to Wichita State on Saturday. Hollender finished with five points and eight rebounds as the Aces dipped to 14-8 on the season, 8-3 in the MVC.Marcus Wilson tallied a game-high 26 points to lead Evansville. spilled into press row and brought dozens of fans streaming onto the court Rhode Island 75, FordhamTO NEW YORK Joshua King scored 21 points and No.

21 Rhode Island hung on for a 75-70 victory over Fordham on Sunday, extending the Rams' losing streak to a school-record 11 games. Rhode Island 14-5, 6-2 Atlantic 10), which had lost its last two games and three of four, didn't take the lead for good until'Tyson Wheeler's 3-pointer with 4:43 left gave it a 68-65 lead. Maryland 77, Virginia 70 COLLEGE PARK, MdL Rodney Elliott scored 17 points and No. 23 Maryland pulled away in the second half Sunday to hand Virginia its fourth straight loss, 77-70. Obinna Ekezie had 15 points for Graham wins long playoff By The Associated Pres Moretti's Ferrari enjoys best time to win Rolex 24 it a Me Mage jZ I oe I IC 1U, mttt fichu) Valentine? Slay, 1998! Send yxwx Valentine a "MeMaae of.

Sieve" with a Valentine ad Deadline KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. Although it took David Graham 10 extra holes to do it, he made history Sunday by beating Dave Stockton in a not-so-sudden death playoff at the Royal Caribbean Classic Graham won the longest playoff in PGA Senior Tour history after hitting his approach on the final hole the par-4 18th within a foot of the cup, then getting an easy birdie. The longest previous playoff lasted nine holes before Bob Murphy beat Jay Sigel last year at the Toshiba Classic in Newport Beach Calif. The victory in the first full-field event of the senior season was Graham's fourth on the Tour. He collected $127,500.

Both Graham and Stockton finished at 11-under 202 for the tournament, played at the par-7 1 Crandon Park Golf Club. Graham closed with a 67, and Stockton ended regulation play with a final-round 71. Rain delays Pebble Beach play PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. Tom Watson was poised to make golf history. Tim Herron was shooting for the biggest paycheck of his career.

Torrential rain washed both out Sunday at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Larger SIzm Available Larger Slzea Available Victory Circle. The winners started on the outside of the front row of the 74-car field and remained among the top 10 throughout the race. It was a bittersweet victory for the Italian businessman, who finished the race in the car and was then carried to the victory podium on the shoulders ofhis crewmen. He then announced his retirement as a driver.

"After 14 years of looking for this result Moretti said, his voice trailing off. "Many times I talked to the man upstairs. Finally he must have said It's probably time that he "I said if I win, I quit," he continued. Tm very sorry, but this is nature. HI be 58 in two months, so I win and I quit." Meanwhile, an engine failure took out the defending champions with just under four hours remaining, leaving the Ferrari with a huge lead in the grueling twice-around-the-clock event.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) Gianpiero Moretti'a MOMO Ferrari had the least problems in a trouble-filled race, driving away Sunday with a record victory in the Rolex 24-Hours ofDay-tona. The international combo of Italian-car owner Moretti, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk, Didier Theys of Belgium and Mauro Baldi of Monaco gave Ferrari its first victory at Daytona since 1972. That year, Mario Andretti and Belgian Jacky Ickx won a six-hour version shortened by a political fight of America's most prestigious sports car endurance race. The last of two previous 24-hour Ferrari wins at Daytona came in 1967 with Chris Amon of New.Zealand and Italian Lorenzo Ban dim at the wheel.

"I feel like the Dyson team has given us a gift," Moretti said as his blood red Can-Am car sat in Daytona International Speedway's V-4 Tuesday, February 10th at vq Your message will appear in the Classified Section in the Saturday, February 14th edition of the Journal Gazette -100 Broadway Mattoon 1 Times-Courier 307 6th St. Charleson NO PHONE ORDERS! rwm Mail or bring your message to either office CASH or CHECK must accompany order!.