Ernests Gulbis became the first Latvian to win an ATP Tour title when he upset second-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 6-2, 6-3 at the Delray Beach International Championships on Sunday. "Everything I do it's the first for my country," Gulbis said. "I was first one in top 300, first one in top 200, first one in top 100." Now he's the first one on top.

Nicolas Almagro will replace the injured Juan Carlos Ferrero for Spain's Davis Cup tie against Switzerland on March 5-7. Ferrero hurt his knee during the final of the Mexico Open in Acapulco, which he lost to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer. Amagro was informed he was in the squad by Spanish team captain Albert Costa on Sunday, the Spanish tennis federation said.

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Novak Djokovic successfully defended his Dubai Championships title on Sunday, beating Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in a rain-delayed final. Leading 7-5, 2-0 before rain suspended play on Saturday, the second-seeded Serb won his 17th career title in a match lasting 3 hours, 21 minutes at the Aviation Club.

Alisa Kleybanova won her first WTA title at the Malaysian Open on Sunday, beating top-seeded Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-2 in an all-Russian final. The 21-year-old Kleybanova dominated the Olympic champion, using her raw power and booming first serve to earn most of her points. Once described as the new Monica Seles due to her aggressive play, Kleybanova served four aces in the first set.

Venus Williams came from a set down to defend her Mexican Open title, while David Ferrer defeated good friend and fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero to end his 14-match winning streak. Williams beat Polona Hercog 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday night for her second consecutive title -- this one on clay to go with Dubai a week ago on hard courts.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic led Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 2-0 Saturday before the Dubai Championship final was postponed because of rain. The second-seeded Serb was serving at 30-15 in the third game of the second set when the second rain shower forced the final to Sunday. There was a 27-minute rain delay after the first set.

France captain Guy Forget has called up Richard Gasquet as a backup player to face Germany in the first round of the Davis Cup next week. Gasquet joined Julien Benneteau, Michael Llodra, Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on the team that will play Germany in Toulon on March 5-7, the French tennis federation said Thursday.

Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa reached her first WTA quarterfinal after defeating Tatjana Malek of Germany 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the second round of the Malaysian Open on Thursday. The 26-year-old top-ranked South African was given a scare by Malek before eventually prevailing in two hours and 27 minutes.

Top-seeded Venus Williams reached the quarterfinals of the Mexican Open, defeating Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-4, 6-4 on Wednesday night. Fernando Verdasco, the top seed on the men's side, advanced earlier in the day with a 6-4, 6-3 victory against Lukasz Kubot of Poland. Both second-seeded players also advanced in the clay-court tournament.

Kay Willson, Director of the Baton Rouge Pro Tennis Classic, discusses the 2010 Tennis Classic.

Ana Ivanovic will play in the Billie Jean King Cup in New York on March 1 as a replacement for Serena Williams. Ivanovic, the 2008 French Open champion, also played in the one-night exhibition event last year at Madison Square Garden. "I feel honored to have the opportunity to come back to New York," Ivanovic said on a conference call from San Diego where she is preparing for next...