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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, April 17, 2010

Stewart earns Cup pole


Advertiser News Services

Tony Stewart will start his 400th Sprint Cup race from the pole of tomorrow's Samsung Mobile 500.

Stewart won qualifying in NASCAR's top series for the first time in five years yesterday, turning a lap of 191.327 mph at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. It's been 155 races since Stewart last won the pole, at Martinsville in October 2005.

"I'm surprised," Stewart said. "I'm really not much of a qualifier."

It's the third time Stewart has won the pole in Texas. He was the top qualifier twice in the IndyCar Series in the 1990s.

Former IRL star Sam Hornish Jr., still winless in his third full Sprint Cup season, was second.

GYMNASTICS

MICHIGAN MEN WIN

Aided by the all-around victory by junior Chris Cameron, Michigan won its first NCAA men's gymnastics team title in 11 years with a victory over Stanford last night at West Point, N.Y.

Michigan posted a final score of 360.500, beating Stanford by 0.7 of a point. Oklahoma was third, followed by Illinois, California and Ohio State.

TENNIS

TOP SEEDS ADVANCE

Rafael Nadal moved into the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco yesterday with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Juan Carlos Ferrero, extending his winning streak in the event to 30 matches.

Top-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia advanced with a 6-2, 6-3 win over David Nalbandian.

The second-seeded Nadal meets David Ferrer, who beat Philipp Kohlschreiber, 7-5, 7-6 (1). Djokovic will play Fernando Verdasco, who ousted Albert Montanes, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-0.

WOZNIACKI IN SEMIS

Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki advanced to the semifinals of the Family Circle Cup with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Nadia Petrova yesterday at Charleston, S.C.

Second-seeded Jelena Jankovic was upset by Daniela Hantuchova, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

In today's semifinal, Wozniacki meets Vera Zvonareva who defeated American Melanie Oudin, 7-5, 6-2.

Hantuchova faces Samantha Stosur of Australia, a 6-4, 6-1 winner over Peng Shuai of China.