Sports briefs for January 5, 2004

Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005 | 10:50 a.m.

Sony Ericsson puts name on WTA tour for $88 million

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ltd., the world's sixth-biggest maker of cellular phone handsets, today signed a six-year contract to become the worldwide title sponsor of the Women's Tennis Association Tour.

London-based Sony Ericsson, owned by Sony Corp. and Ericsson AB, will pay $88 million to the top women's circuit as part of the company's first global sponsorship, both parties said today. It's the largest sponsorship deal ever in tennis and women's professional sport, the WTA said. The circuit will now be called the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

The tour, which will stage 63 tournaments in 33 countries this year, has been without a worldwide title sponsor since 2002, when a three-year agreement with the Sanex body-care products unit of Sara Lee Corp. expired.

"Today is a landmark occasion for women's sport, tennis and the WTA Tour," said Larry Scott.

Thomas Enqvist, 30, upset seventh-seeded Florian Mayer 6-3, 6-3 today to advance to the quarterfinals of the Australian men's hardcourt championships at Adelaide. Once the world's fourth-ranked player, Enqvist has slipped to No. 72.

Contract rejected

Pitcher Jeff Zimmerman's minor league contract with the Texas Rangers was rejected by the baseball commissioner's office. Texas agreed to the deal Dec. 21, but when the Rangers didn't offer Zimmerman salary arbitration Dec. 7, they became ineligible to sign the right-handed reliever until May 1.

Shortstop Pokey Reese agreed to a $1.2 million, one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners.

Pitcher Odalis Perez agreed to re-sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, tentatively coming to terms on a $24 million, three-year contract

Canadian juniors win

Canada routed Russia 6-1 in the championship of the World Juniors Championshipo at Grand Forks, N.D. It marked the Canadians' 11th junior world title.

A judge in Manhattan ruled that Gyongyi Tokolyi, whose face was shattered by a hockey puck during a New York Rangers game nearly three years ago, can proceed with her $11 million suit against Madison Square Garden.

Schumacher pitches in

Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher joined the growing list of sporting donors to victims of the Asian tsunamis with a pledge of $10 million. The Dec. 26 disaster that killed more than 150,000 was "incomprehensibly tragic," Schumacher said on his Web site. Willi Weber, his manager, said on German television channel ZDF's "Wir Wollen Helfen" show last night that Schumacher will make the donation.

Derby doubles purse

Churchill Downs doubled the size of the Kentucky Derby's purse, increasing the total prize for the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown to $2 million. The winner's share of the May 7 race will account for 62 percent of the guaranteed purse, or at least $1.24 million. The purse for the Derby has been $1 million guaranteed since 1996.

Spinks-Judah set

The welterweight championship rematch Feb. 5 between Cory Spinks and Zab Judah was set for St. Louis. Spinks won the first meeting April 10 in Las Vegas by a decision.

Ohio State AD quits

Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger, 65, announced his retirement today after more than 10 years in the position.