Federer denied by Nalbandian in final

At A Glance

MADRID, Spain — Roger Federer should have seen it coming. One by one, David Nalbandian was picking off the best that tennis has to offer.

Nalbandian beat Federer 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 Sunday to win the Madrid Masters. On his way to the final against the world's top-ranked player, Nalbandian also defeated No. 2 Rafael Nadal and No. 3 Novak Djokovic.

"I usually play better in the finals, but it had something to do with the way he played today," said Federer, the defending champion. "I guess when you beat Djokovic and Nadal back-to-back, you come into the final here very ready."

The Argentine broke Federer three times and became the second player this year to beat the top three players en route to winning a title. Djokovic did it in Montreal in August, culminating his run with a victory over Federer. Boris Becker had done it 13 years earlier.

Federer fell to 6-4 in finals this season. He was playing in his first tournament since winning his fourth straight U.S. Open six weeks ago. This was Federer's first loss on indoor hard courts since Nalbandian rallied to win at the Masters Cup in China nearly two years ago. The 25th-ranked Nalbandian, a former Wimbledon finalist once ranked No. 3, won his first title since the Estoril Open in May 2006.

--Justine Henin won her ninth title of the season, beating 19-year-old Tatiana Golovin 6-4, 6-4 at the Zurich Open in Switzerland.

Golovin went up 4-1 before the top-ranked Belgian rebounded to win the final five games en route to her 20th consecutive win in 13 tournaments this season. Golovin also lost to Henin in the Porsche Grand Prix final two weeks ago.

Football

Max McGee, the free-spirited Green Bay Packers receiver who became part of Super Bowl lore after a night on the town, died when he fell while clearing leaves from the roof of his home. He was 75.

Police were called to his home in suburban Deephaven on Saturday afternoon, Sgt. Chris Whiteside said. Efforts to resuscitate failed.

McGee caught the first touchdown pass in Super Bowl history in 1967.

NBA

Charlotte Bobcats reserve forward Adam Morrison is likely done for the season after an MRI exam revealed a torn ligament in his left knee.

The injury occurred with about 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter of Saturday's 113-93 loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles. Morrison was attempting to defend Luke Walton on a drive to the basket and crumpled to the floor in severe pain while clutching his left knee.

"Our medical staff has had a chance to review the MRI, and they're saying right now they believe there is some sort of tear," coach Sam Vincent said.

Rowing

The U.S. national rowing teams dominated the marquee events at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Cambridge, Mass., winning the championship eights.

U.S. Rowing's eight-man crew posted the second-fastest time — 14 minutes, 3.71 seconds — in the event's 43-year history, to beat Wisconsin by 26.3 seconds and fall 4 seconds short of breaking its own record. The U.S. women finished in a course-record 15:26.57 to win its third consecutive title.