Corina Morariu

Perhaps it's fitting that the Silver Lining Foundation, run by former professional player Andrea Jaeger, has its main fund-raising dinner during the Acura Classic on Thursday at the La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad. A figure of hope and inspiration will be returning to the WTA Tour for the first time in nearly 15 months. Corina Morariu, 24, abruptly returned home to Boca Raton, Fla., from Europe in May 2001 when she started suffering from nosebleeds and bruising.

There were days Corina Morariu wondered if she would ever be healthy again, ever be able to return to a semblance of normal life, let alone the professional tennis circuit. She came to the U.S. Open two years ago in between chemotherapy treatments, looking pale and weak, having lost her hair. Last year, she returned, her cancer in remission, and played in Arthur Ashe Stadium in a night match against eventual champion Serena Williams.

There were days Corina Morariu wondered if she would ever be healthy again, ever be able to return to a semblance of normal life, let alone the professional tennis circuit. She came to the U.S. Open two years ago in between chemotherapy treatments, looking pale and weak, having lost her hair. Last year, she returned, her cancer in remission, and played in Arthur Ashe Stadium in a night match against eventual champion Serena Williams.

When the four doubles players were ready to take the court, she was introduced first. When she walked out, she smiled a lot. All of that was as it should be. Opening day at the Acura Classic at La Costa Resort and Spa wasn't the usual uneventful Monday on the Women's Tennis Assn. circuit. This Monday was Corina Morariu day. For the casual follower, there are familiar elements to this story.

When the four doubles players were ready to take the court, she was introduced first. When she walked out, she smiled a lot. All of that was as it should be. Opening day at the Acura Classic at La Costa Resort and Spa wasn't the usual uneventful Monday on the Women's Tennis Assn. circuit. This Monday was Corina Morariu day. For the casual follower, there are familiar elements to this story.

Top-seeded Amanda Basica of Rolling Hills Estates rallied to defeat Christina Moros of Sarasota, Fla., 5-7, 6-1, 7-5, and win the USTA Girls' 16 National Championships in San Diego. "I'm just glad it's over," Basica said. "I don't like being seeded No. 1. It's like you're supposed to win." In the third-place match, No. 3 Vanessa Rooks of Spring Valley, Calif., defeated Corina Morariu of Boca Raton, Fla., 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.

Continuing the trend of playing up an age group, Amanda Basica of Rolling Hills Estates advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Tennis Assn. Girls' 16s National Championships with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Jennifer Hall of Oklahoma City, Okla., Thursday at Morley Field. Basica, the tournament's top-seeded player, will play unseeded Corina Morariu of Boca Raton, Fla., at 10:30 this morning. Morariu was a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 winner over fourth-seeded Leslie Cook of Boyton Beach, Fla.

Jeff Woodland of Australia made a 20-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole Monday to beat La Habra's Bob May in the completion of a playoff in the Ben Hogan Tour's $125,000 Wichita Classic in Wichita, Kan. Woodland and May finished the 54-hole event Sunday tied with 12-under-par, 204 totals. They played five extra holes before darkness postponed the finish to Monday at the Reflection Ridge Golf Club course.

Monica Seles' resurgence last summer in Southern California won't be repeated. In fact, the chronic foot injury that put her out of the Acura Classic and the JPMorgan Chase Open at Manhattan Beach could raise more questions about her tennis future. It was not surprising on Friday when Seles pulled out of next week's tournament at Manhattan Beach.

Corina Morariu's comeback continued Sunday with her first singles match in over a year. The 24-year-old was encouraged despite dropping a 4-1 lead in the third set as Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian of Switzerland rallied to win, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, in the first round of the JPMorgan Chase Open tennis tournament Sunday at Manhattan Country Club in Manhattan Beach. Before returning to the tour two weeks ago, Morariu had spent 15 months laid up either in a hospital or at home in Boca Raton, Fla.

Perhaps it's fitting that the Silver Lining Foundation, run by former professional player Andrea Jaeger, has its main fund-raising dinner during the Acura Classic on Thursday at the La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad. A figure of hope and inspiration will be returning to the WTA Tour for the first time in nearly 15 months. Corina Morariu, 24, abruptly returned home to Boca Raton, Fla., from Europe in May 2001 when she started suffering from nosebleeds and bruising.

All four San Diego-area players--Vanessa Rooks, Marisa Velasco, Molly Gavin and Erin Lowrey--won their second-round matches Monday and advanced in the U.S. Tennis Assn. Girls' 16 National Championships at Morley Field. In addition to No. 3 Rooks and No. 8 Velasco, seven of the top eight seeded players advanced to today's third round. Spring Valley's Rooks defeated Courtney Chapman of Jackson, Miss., 6-3, 6-1, and Vista's Velasco downed Cena Hackler of Myrtle Beach, S.C., 6-1, 7-6.

Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario has won four Grand Slam titles for a reason. Quite often, the Spaniard has pulled out matches with a tool many players often overlook . . . her mind. When Plan A doesn't work, she'll try B or C. But Serena Williams wouldn't allow let her to get to C, much less D, on Thursday night.