Fernando Meligeni resigned as captain of Brazil’s Davis Cup team Monday after nearly two years. Meligeni said he quit because budget constraints kept him from working on programs to develop young talent, and because of the low priority Brazilian tennis authorities gave the Davis Cup. “There’s no planning whatsoever by the (national federation).

Roger Federer and Justine Henin-Hardenne were selected the International Tennis Federation’s world champions on Monday. Federer became only the fourth player to win the men’s award three straight years, joining Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras. The 25-year-old Swiss star won three Grand Slam titles — the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S.

The U.S. Tennis Association is making a multimillion-dollar investment in The Tennis Channel in hopes of promoting the sport, The Associated Press learned Sunday. The deal, to be announced formally Monday, will give the USTA — which runs the U.S. Open and other events — a say in the cable network’s future and could eventually lead to other deals between the two.

Defending champion Paul Haarhuis offset the big serve of Goran Ivanisevic on Sunday to win the BlackRock Masters, the season-ending Tour of Champions event at Royal Albert Hall. The 40-year-old Dutchman won the deciding tiebreaker 10-7 after winning the first set 7-6 (4) and dropping the second 7-5. Haarhuis earned $100,000 for his victory.

Maria Sharapova, ranked No. 2 on the WTA Tour, will return to Japan next month to play in the Pan Pacific Open. Sharapova, who won the Pan Pacific title in 2005, will be among three top-10 players in the Jan. 30-Feb. 4 event at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, tournament organizers announced Thursday. Martina Hingis, who is seventh in the world rankings, and defending champion and eighth-ranked Elena…

Roger Federer and Amelie Mauresmo received the International Tennis Writers Association’s Player of the Year and Ambassador for Tennis awards on Tuesday. Federer won both honors for the third consecutive year. The top-ranked Swiss star won a tour-high 12 titles in 2006, including three Grand Slams: Wimbledon, the U.S.

Arlen Kantarian, the USTA’s chief executive of professional tennis, will receive the Dick Schaap lifetime achievement in sports award. Kantarian will receive the award, presented by U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe, at the annual Michael S. Modell memorial awards dinner Wednesday in New York City.

A pit bull registered to tennis star Serena Williams allegedly bit a security guard outside her home last week. Williams told police she didn’t own the dog, but said she was watching Bambi for a friend, a Palm Beach Gardens Police incident report said. The dog, a 5-year-old tan pit bull, is registered to Williams, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control assistant director Dennis Yeskey told The…

Former tennis star Chris Evert’s divorce is final after she signed a settlement that calls for her to pay her ex-husband $7 million in cash and securities by Wednesday. Evert, 51, and skiing hall-of-famer Andy Mill, 53, were divorced Monday afternoon after Circuit Judge Arthur Birken signed off on the settlement.