Kuroda lifts Dodgers, Mets bullpen hangs on in win (AP) AP - Hiroki Kuroda was nearly perfect in lifting the under-.500 Dodgers into a first-place tie in the NL West. Pedro Martinez was sharp, too. The Mets bullpen, though, almost denied New York its first winning record in a month. Scolari backs Lampard to stay in Chelsea (AFP) AFP - Luiz Felipe Scolari capped a confident public debut in his new role as Chelsea boss by revealing that he expects Frank Lampard to stay at the club. Wild sign Owen Nolan to 2-year, $5.5 million deal (AP) AP - Owen Nolan, the 36-year-old power forward who spent last season with the Calgary Flames, signed a two-year, $5.5 million deal with the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. Lawson's court appearance delayed until August (AP) AP - North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson's traffic case has been continued for another month. Kiefer calls for Schuettler's Olympic inclusion (AFP) AFP - Rejuvenated German Nicolas Kiefer made the switch from grass back to clay, mowing down Italian qualifier Gianluca Naso 6-3, 6-2 on Tuesday to reach the second round of the Gstaad Open. Shoal Creek preparing for US Junior Amateur (AP) AP - Shoal Creek is gearing up to host the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, its first major event since the 1990 PGA Championship was marred by racial controversy.

Victorious Nadal Poised to Topple Federer for Good LONDON (Reuters) - Rafael Nadal stands on the verge of becoming the best player in the world, even if Monday's rankings showed that he was still number two. Regardless of the computer reading, Nadal stamped his supremacy over Roger Federer when he ended his Swiss rival's five-year Wimbledon reign on Sunday in a heart-stopping five-set thriller. In addition to snatching the All England Club crown, the Spaniard also snapped Federer's record streak of 65 wins on grass. "Whoever wins the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year for me is the number one in the world," said three-times champion Boris Becker. "The computer just didn't get it yet." Lest anyone should doubt just how difficult it is to achieve the French Open-Wimbledon double in the same year, Nadal became the first man to pull off the feat since Bjorn Borg in 1980. With the All England Club defeat coming quickly on the back of his humiliating loss in the French Open final, where a rampaging... Nadal Is World's Number One, Say Spanish Media MADRID (Reuters) - The Spanish media have proclaimed Rafael Nadal the best player in the world after his epic final victory over Roger Federer at Wimbledon. The 22-year-old became the first Spaniard to take the men's single crown since Manolo Santana's 1966 achievement, eventually overpowering his Swiss rival 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7 after a punishing four hours and 48 minutes on Sunday. "It doesn't matter what the ATP say, Rafa you are the number one," the front page of sports daily Marca said on Monday. "'Rocky' Nadal beat Federer in the match of the century." Sports daily AS chanted: "Long live King Nadal!" Daily El Pais praised Federer's fighting spirit in coming back to take the match into a fifth set but said that was not enough to derail his inspired opponent. "In his impressive career at Wimbledon, Federer has never lost the first two sets. He has never been dominated from the start. He has never come across such a mercurial player, who combines silky... Wimbledon Scheduling Prompts WTA Outrage WTA resists as women play on outer courts in favor of top men's draws.