Davenport advances at U.S. Open
NEW YORK, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- No. 4 seed Lindsay Davenport impressed the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium Monday by quickly finishing off Eva Dyrberg, 6-2, 6-1 in her first-round match at the 2002 U.S. Open Tennis Championships in suburban New York.
Davenport recovered impressively from her collapse against Venus Williams Saturday in the finale of the Pilot Pen tournament, when she lost in straight sets after coming to within a point of winning the first. Davenport lost the final ten games of the match.
Meanwhile, Justin Henin, the No. 8 seed, routed fellow American Samantha Reeves, 6-1, 6-2. Henin, in a battle of wicked first serves that measured about 103 miles an hour for the winner and 107 for Reeves, hit flawless groundstrokes, committed only seven unforced errors and maintained a 100 percent break point conversion rate.
Also advancing in early first-round action on the men's side were Albert Costa and Michael Chang.
Davenport needed just 43 minutes to rout Eva Dyrberg of Denmark.
The fourth-seeded American is playing just her fifth tournament of the season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her right knee on January 11. She has reached the semifinals or better in all four hardcourt events heading into the Open.
Also, No. 12 Elena Dementieva of Russia, who reached the semifinals here two years ago, posted a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Saori Obata of Japan.
French Open champion Costa of Spain, the eighth seed, advanced past Magnus Norman, 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Timberwolves reportedly get Troy Hudson
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Monday that Troy Hudson, who played with the Orlando Magic last season, has agreed to a contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The newspaper did not disclose financial terms but said it was likely a three-year deal with with third year as a player's option and that Hudson's agent, Bill Neff, recently turned down the Wolves' offer of a $1.4 million exemption.
Hudson, 26, averaged 11.7 points and 3.1 assists in 22.9 minutes per contest last season. The 6-1, 185-pounder from Southern Illinois has averaged 8.1 points and 3.0 assists in 251 games over five seasons with Utah, the Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando.
The paper that the Timberwolves also had talked to Travis Best, another point guard still on the market. Best played for the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls last season.
Minnesota signed swingman Ricky Davis to an offer sheet on Aug. 16, but the Cleveland Cavaliers matched it five days later. Last season, Minnesota's starting point guard, Terrell Brandon, played just 32 games before suffering a season-ending leg injury, and Chauncey Billups, who became the starter in Brandon's absence, signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons in July.
Red Sox claim Agbayani off waivers
BOSTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Outfielder Benny Agbayani, who struggled in his only season at Coors Field, will see if the cozy confines of Fenway Park are to his liking after he was claimed off waivers Monday by the Boston Red Sox.
Acquired from the New York Mets in the offseason, Agbayani hit just .205 with four home runs and 19 RBI in 48 games for the Colorado Rockies. He spent 43 games with Class AAA Colorado Springs and batted .272 with 11 homers and 32 RBI.
The 30-year-old Hawaii native spent four seasons as a part-time player with the Mets. His best year was 2000, when he hit .289 with 15 homers and 60 RBI in just 350 at-bats.
Agbayani also had a team-record 12-game postseason hitting streak and hit the game-winning homer against San Francisco in the 13th inning of Game Three of the National League Division Series.
Missouri extends coach's contract
COLUMBIA, Mo., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Gary Pinkel, who was just 4-7 in his first season as coach at Missouri, on Monday had his contract extended two years through the 2007 season.
Pinkel's original contract, signed in December 2000, took him through the 2005 season. While complete terms were not disclosed, the school said that his base salary of $192,000 will remain the same with the new extension.
Pinkel came to Missouri after a 10-year run at Toledo and owns a career record of 77-44-3.
Frerotte named Bengals' starter at QB
CINCINNATI, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Gus Frerotte Monday was chosen over incumbent Jon Kitna as the starter for the Cincinnati Bengals for their season opener on Sept. 8 against the San Diego Chargers.
He will start Thursday night's preseason finale against Atlanta and the regular campaign begins at home against San Diego. Frerotte, who signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Bengals during the offseason, will be Cincinnati's fifth different Opening Day signal-callers in as many seasons. Neil O'Donnell was the starter for the first game in 1997 and '98.
Frerotte, 31, will start on Opening Day for the first time since 1998, when he was with the Washington Redskins and hurt his shoulder in the third quarter of a 31-24 loss to the New York Giants.
He spent last season with the Denver Broncos, throwing for 157 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 31-23 exhibition loss to New Orleans. In the preseason, he completed 24 of 38 attempts (63 percent) for 280 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Chiefs lose Woods for season
KANSAS CITY, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The defense of the Kansas City Chiefs has taken a major blow with the loss of veteran free safety Jerome Woods, who will miss the entire 2002 campaign after suffering a broken right leg Saturday night against Seattle.
Woods, who started 79 of the last 80 regular-season games after coming to the Chiefs as a first-round pick out of Memphis in 1995, was hurt trying to make a tackle on Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander.
Coach Dick Vermeil called the loss of Woods, who made 73 solo tackles last year, a major setback for the whole team.
"They lost a teammate for the season, a good player," Vermeil said. "And you can't lose too many good football players and remain competitive. But my experience has been, when something like this happens, someone steps up and fills that void. He is our key guy back there. He's an experienced free safety and safety in the scheme and the scheme is a very sophisticated, complicated scheme that requires him to do a lot of things. It hurts."
The likely replacement for Woods, a six-year veteran who had never missed a regular season contest, will be Jason Belser. The former Oklahoma star played for the Chiefs last season after spending nine years with the Indianapolis Colts. He has 13 career interceptions, and 616 solo tackles.
Pats to sign Jamal Anderson
FOXBORO, Mass., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Veteran running back Jamal Anderson, who missed nearly all of the 1999 and 2001 seasons because of serious knee injuries and a former Pro Bowl choice, apparently has agreed to terms with the New England Patriots.
In New England, Anderson would join a backfield that features Antowain Smith, who rushed for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2001.
Anderson, who has undergone two knee reconstructions in the last three years, was released by the Atlanta Falcons in June. He became expendable after the Falcons signed Warrick Dunn as a free agent and selected T.J. Duckett from Michigan State in the first round of the April draft.
Anderson, 29, spent the last eight seasons with the Falcons, carrying 1,329 times for 5,336 yards and 34 touchdowns. He tore the ACL in his right knee in 1999, returned to rush for 1,024 yards in 2000, then out his left knee in 2001. His best season was 1998, when he rushed for 1,846 yards and helped the Falcons reach the Super Bowl for the only time. He set an NFL record that season with 410 carries.
Seminoles fall a spot despite winning
ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The Florida State Seminoles fell from fourth to fifth Monday, switching places with Tennessee, after a season-opening 38-31 victory Saturday night over Iowa State in the Eddie Robinson Classic at Kansas City.
Seminole linebackers Kendyll Pope and Jerel Hudson stopped Cyclone quarterback Seneca Wallace at the one-yard line on the final play of the game.
Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden passed Paul "Bear" Bryant and moved into sole possession of second place on the all-time Division I-A wins list with his 324th, but not before the Seminoles nearly squandered a pair of 24-point leads.
Defending national champion Miami, which opens its season Saturday against Florida A&M, remained at the top of the poll. The Hurricanes will take a 22-game winning streak into the 2002 campaign.
Miami received 42 first-place votes, eight more than in the preseason poll, and 1,466 points in the nationwide poll of 61 coaches.
Four of the top eight teams in the poll are from the Big 12 Conference, including No. 2 Texas, which received 10 first-place votes and 1,424 votes, and No. 3 Oklahoma, which got seven first-place votes and is 24 points behind the Longhorns.
