In Sports from United Press International

Roddick falls at Melbourne

MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Rainer Schuettler, the 31st seed on the men's side, Thursday upset Andy Roddick, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, to advance to the title match of the Australian Open.

Schuettler became only the second German in the event's 98-year history to advance to the men's championship match.

Roddick, tabbed as the heir to American greats Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, looked as if he was on the verge of a career breakthrough after victories over Mikhail Youzhny and an epic, five-set victory over Younes El Aynaoui.

In the quarterfinals, Roddick, 20, saved a match point and got past El Aynaoui, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4, 21-19. That match lasted one minute shy of five hours, and featured the longest fifth set in Grand Slam history.

That match might have kept Roddick him from appearing in his first Grand Slam final.

A fresher Schuettler, whose path to the final was eased when third-seeded Marat Safin, last year's runnerup, withdrew from their scheduled third-round match because of a shoulder injury. He joins 1991 and '96 winner Boris Becker as the only German men to reach the finals at the Australian Open.

Scheuttler, 26, previously had never got past the fourth round at any major.

"This (reaching a Grand Slam final) was a dream and sometimes you have a chance to realize a dream," Schuettler said. "I'm more than happy and looking forward to playing the final."

Also, according to ATP trainer Bill Norris, Roddick declined pain killers during the match because he did not want to mask any other injury he might sustain.

He went into Friday's match with an injury, described as an inflamed extensor tendon (tendinitis in his mid forearm).

His ailment was caused by playing a lot of matches, and possibly was aggravated when he fell during Wednesday's match against El Aynaoui.

"It was tough," Roddick said. "I went out there, I tried my best."

Roddick has had a history of suffering injuries at majors.

"I wasn't going to pull out of another Grand Slam," he said. "That wasn't going to happen. I went back there and gave it my all."

Scheuttler now faces Agassi for the title. Agassi routed Schuettler, 6-1, 6-4, in their only career meeting in the second round at the 1998 BMW Open.

Agassi will be gunning for his eighth career Grand Slam triumph and 55th title overall, while Schuettler has won just two tournaments since turning professional in 1995.

"Rainer played a good match," Roddick said. "He didn't make a lot of errors. He won the big points when he had to. He played me smart, you know. All credit. He deserves to be in the finals."

On the women's side, the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, took the first championship of the tournament. The top-seeded sister duo rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over No. 2 Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain and Paola Suarez of Argentina to capture the women's doubles crown.

The siblings won their sixth Grand Slam doubles title and their 10th overall together. They needed a wild card to enter the tournament because Venus did not play enough doubles events last year to earn a doubles ranking.

The sisters were given the top seed over Ruano Pascual and Suarez, but lived up to the honor.

On Saturday, they will square off for the singles title at their fourth straight Grand Slam. Serena Williams won the last three majors.

Tagliabue to address NFL woes Friday

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will give his annual State of the League address at Super Bowl headquarters Friday in San Diego.

He is in a difficult position.

This week, there has been more criticism from civil rights attorney Johnnie Cochran and other proponents of changes in the league's hiring practices.

Before the end of the regular season, there were only two black coaches -- Tony Dungy with Indianapolis, and Herman Edwards with the New York Jets. There now are three with the recent hiring of Marvin Lewis by Cincinnati.

Also, Ozzie Newsome of Baltimore is the only black general manager in the NFL, although James Harris was hired this week as Vice President of Player Personnel by Jacksonville.

"The lack of opportunity that African-Americans have had in a game of football they have come to dominate on the field of play is atrocious," said Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow at a news conference Wednesday.

Hiring practices have been slammed all week long.

Dallas owner Jerry Jones never interviewed a minority coach in person before luring two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Parcells out of retirement.

In Jacksonville, owner Wayne Weaver hired Jack Del Rio, who had one year of experience as a defensive coordinator, and did not interview black coordinators with more experience.

Last month, the league announced that teams would implement a comprehensive program to promote diversity in their coaching and front office ranks based upon recommendations of the NFL Committee on Workplace Diversity.

Tagliabue may also address the issue of whether overtime rules should be changed in the NFL.

Players Association Executive Director Gene Upshaw announced Thursday that he has forwarded a resolution to the league's Competition Committee in which both teams would be required to have the ball in overtime. Under the rules, the first team that scores in overtime wins.

New NFL Hall of Famers to be announced

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Marcus Allen, the Raiders' all-time rushing leader, is expected to be elected Saturday in his first year of eligibility.

Allen, who also is the first player in NFL history to rush for 10,000-plus yards and catch passes for 5,000 more, is not the only Raider eligible. The others are quarterback Ken Stabler and cornerback Lester Hayes.

The trio is among the 15 finalists for the Class of 2003.

Stabler has been eligible for election 14 years and Hayes 12. Both have previously been finalists.

Wide receivers Art Monk and James Lofton, guard Bob Kuechenberg, linebacker Harry Carson, and Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson are the other repeat finalists eligible for election.

Linebacker Randy Gradishar and General Manager George Young are among six that had been eligible for Hall of Fame election prior to this year, but had not been finalists. The others are defensive ends Elvin Bethea and Claude Humphrey, guard Joe DeLamielleure, and Coach Hank Stram, the recommended nominee of the Hall's Seniors Committee.

Tackle Gary Zimmerman joins Allen as the only first-time eligibles under consideration.

The modern era finalists were determined by a vote of the Hall's 39-member Board of Selectors. A minimum of 80 percent of the voting is required for election.

Enshrinement of the Class of 2003 will take place at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton on Sunday, Aug. 3.

Allen, a six-time Pro Bowler, rushed for 12,243 yards, added 5,411 yards in receptions, and totaled 145 touchdowns in 16 years with the Los Angeles Raiders (1982-92) and Kansas City Chiefs (1993-97). He rushed for a career-high 1,759 yards in 1985, and was named MVP of Super Bowl XVIII, rushing for 191 yards and two touchdowns in the Raiders' 38-9 rout of Washington.

Stabler, a four-time Pro Bowler, played 10 of his 15 seasons with the Raiders. At the time of his retirement in 1984, his 59.9 career pass completion percentage was second to Hall of Famer Joe Montana.

Hayes played his entire 10-year career with the Raiders from 1977-86, and was a bump-and-run specialist in man-to-man coverage. A member of two Super Bowl-winning teams, Hayes had 13 interceptions in Oakland's 1980 championship season.

Monk played 14 of his 16 seasons with the Redskins, and ranks fifth all-time with 940 receptions.

Lofton is third all time with 14,004 receiving yards on 764 receptions.

Stram led the Kansas City franchise to a Super Bowl title, one other Super Bowl appearance, and three AFL championships.

Jordan plays in Chicago one last time

CHICAGO, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Michael Jordan likely will play his final NBA game at the United Center in Chicago when the Washington Wizards take on the Bulls Friday night.

Jordan, who turns 40 next month, is playing in what he says will be his final season. It comes at the end of a two-year contract.

He played 13 seasons for Chicago before retiring for a second time following the 1997-98 campaign, the Bulls' third straight championship season.

"We know his ovation is going to be even bigger this time,'' Bulls forward Donyell Marshall told the Chicago Sun-Times. "We've just got to stay focused, keep our bodies warm and not get caught up in all the hype. He's a god in this city."

Team captain Jalen Rose was more direct.

"It would be asinine for that to bother you as a player,'' Rose said. "Here we are talking about the greatest player of all time. He has a statue in front of the building and six banners hanging up. He's going to get his ovations, which are rightfully deserved. Hopefully, our team just comes out and plays well and finds a way to win."

The Wizards beat the Bulls in Chicago on Jan. 2, 107-82, a game in which Jordan received a long standing ovation. They beat them again six days later in Washington, 101-98.

Washington has lost four of seven following a five-game winning streak.

Diamondbacks sign Aybar

PHOENIX, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Manny Aybar, who appeared in 15 games for the San Francisco Giants last season, has signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Financial terms were not disclosed for Aybar, who received an invitation to spring training.

Aybar, 30, started last season at Triple-A Fresno of the Pacific Coast League before being called up by the Giants. He went 1-0 with a 2.51 ERA for San Francisco.

Aybar has spent portions of six seasons with St. Louis, Colorado, Cincinnati, Florida, the Chicago Cubs, and San Francisco, accumulating a career record of 17-18 with three saves and a 5.04 ERA in 183 games, including 28 starts.

Royals sign Baldwin

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 24 (UPI) -- The Kansas City Royals, looking to add a veteran presence to their young staff, have signed righthander James Baldwin to a minor-league contract.

After spending the first seven years of his career with the Chicago White Sox, Baldwin pitched for the Seattle Mariners in 2002, posting a 7-10 record with a 5.28 ERA in 150 innings. He has a career mark of 79-69 in eight seasons.

The Mariners elected not to pick up the option on Baldwin's contract for 2003.

With the departure of Paul Byrd and Jeff Suppan, the Royals were in the market for a starter with experience.

"He fits that mold," said Kansas City General Manager Allard Baird. "He's got a very good makeup and could make a difference with our club. When we look at what he did in 2001, he had 175 innings for two clubs (Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles), and served them well."

His best year was 2000, when he was 14-7 with a 4.65 ERA and pitched in the All-Star Game.

Continental Red favored in the Sunshine

HALLENDALE BEACH, Fla., Jan. 24 (UPI) -- The $3.6 million Sunshine Millions, an eight-race series that matches horses bred in Florida and California, will be run Saturday at California's Santa Anita Park and Gulfstream Park.

It will be the first time the series has taken place.

Four races will be held at each track and the centerpiece will be the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream, which drew a field of 13 horses. Continental Red is considered the best of the California-bred horses in the 1 1/8-mile race.

Continental Red, the 4-1 second choice, raced mainly on turf last year and won the San Luis Rey Handicap at Santa Anita. He also was second in the San Marcos Handicap, the San Luis Obispo Handicap, and the Sunset Handicap in California.

Last fall, trainer Ian Jory switched Continental Red to the main track, where he was second in the first race. The horse has not raced since Dec. 7, when he won the NTRA Great State Challenge race at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston.

"He's done nothing wrong since I switched him to the dirt," Jory said. "How many times do you have a chance to go for $1 million?"

Patrick Valenzuela has been aboard Continental Red for the last two starts and will ride again on Saturday.

The 7-2 morning-line favorite is Florida-bred Best of the Rest, an 8-year-old son of Skip Trail, who had won 13 of 26 career starts, including the Unbridled Handicap at Gulfstream last spring.

The field also includes Booklet, who won the Grade I Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream last winter, and another Florida-bred horse, The Judge Sez, who beat Continental Red in the Grade III Fred Hooper Jr. Handicap.

The main race at Santa Anita is the $750,000 Distaff, where California-bred Cee's Elegance is the 5-2 favorite.

Forbidden Apple, who finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Mile, is the solid 7-5 favorite on the turf at Santa Anita. Trainer Christophe Clement said it will be the last race for the Florida-bred 8-year-old.