Lecavalier to stick around with Lightning
All-Star center Vincent Lecavalier signed an 11-year, $85-million contract extension that he hopes will keep him in a Tampa Bay Lightning uniform for the remainder of his career.
“Not only is Vincent one of the most dynamic players in the NHL, he’s one of the classiest people you’ll ever meet off the ice, as well,” Lightning vice president of hockey operations Brian Lawton said Sunday in a team statement.
“With this deal, our ownership has made it clear that he is the cornerstone of the Lightning, and Vincent has shown his dedication to the franchise and the Tampa Bay area by signing for less than he undoubtedly would’ve received on the open market.”
The 28-year-old forward, who helped Tampa Bay win its only Stanley Cup championship four years ago, had one season left on a four-year, $27.4 million contract. The new deal begins after next season.
Lecavalier scored an NHL-leading 52 goals during the 2006-07 season, then added 40 goals last season.
BASKETBALL
Arenas makes it official
Gilbert Arenas signed his six-year, $111 million contract with the Washington Wizards, securing the return of a player who is accepting less money than he was offered.
Arenas and the Wizards agreed to the deal July 3, but both sides waited until Arenas returned from an overseas trip to settle the details.
A three-time All-Star, he is averaging 22.8 points, 5.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds in his seven-season NBA career.
SOCCER
U.S. women trip Brazil
Amy Rodriguez scored in the 71st minute to give the U.S. women’s soccer team a 1-0 win over Brazil in an exhibition at Commerce City, Colo.
The U.S., which has posted shutouts in its last six games, is 20-0-1 in 2008. The two teams meet again Wednesday in San Diego in their last match before the Olympics start next month.
TENNIS
Santoro repeats at Hall
Second-seeded Fabrice Santoro captured his second straight Hall of Fame Tennis Championships title Sunday, beating Prakash Amritraj 6-3, 7-5 at Newport, R.I., to become the second player since 1990 to win an ATP event after his 35th birthday.
In winning his sixth career title, the 35-year-old Santoro became the oldest player to win on the International Hall of Fame’s grass courts.
•At Bastad, Sweden, Tommy Robredo defeated Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-1 to win the clay-court Swedish Open for the second time in three years.
•At Gstaad, Switzerland, Victor Hanescu won his first career title with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Igor Andreev in the Swiss Open final.
•At Stuttgart, Germany, Juan Martin del Potro won his first ATP title, upsetting second-seeded Richard Gasquet 6-4, 7-5 in the clay-court Mercedes Cup final.
•At Budapest, Hungary, Alize Cornet of France won the Budapest Grand Prix, defeating Andreja Klepac of Slovenia 7-6 (5), 6-3 for her first WTA Tour title.
MISCELLANY
Bolt posts fastest 200
Usain Bolt, the 100-meter world record holder, ran the fastest time in the 200 this year, winning in 19.67 seconds at the Tsiklitiria Athens Grand Prix.
The 21-year-old Jamaican is now the fifth fastest man of all time in the 200. His time was the sixth best ever, with world record holder Michael Johnson having twice run faster.
•At Fort Erie, Ontario, Harlem Rocker won the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes race at Fort Erie Racetrack. It is the second jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown.
•Olympic qualifiers Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won the AVP Crocs Slam Chicago Open on Sunday for their 16th consecutive tournament title and 90th consecutive match victory.
They beat Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh 18-21, 21-17 and 21-14.