Lithuanian Basketball Team Lietuvos Rytas added the final piece to its title-defending puzzle by signing a contract with Brazilian Joao Paulo Batista for one year. The current Baltic Basketball League champions inked the agreement, which carries the opportunity of a one-year extension, last week. But Batista also has the option of leaving after one year to play in the NBA. Batista is known for his strength and that he can score with his back to the basket. Last season, the Brazilian's shooting accuracy from the field was 59 percent.
Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova out slugged an erratic Kim Clijsters 7-5, 7-5 on Aug. 7 to win the Acura Classic championship. The second-seeded Sharapova won with breaks in the final game of each set, including the only break of the second set, and snapped Clijster's 24-match winning streak in North American summer hard court events. The title was Sharapova's first since winning at Indian Wells in March, and the 12th of her career. It was also the first time the Russian defeated Clijsters, a former number one, in five matches.
