Venus Williams out of Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Venus Williams Wednesday said an injured left wrist will keep her out of the 2007 Australian Open.
Williams, 26, cited a series of injuries that have kept her out of all but two matches since last year's tournament at Wimbledon. As a result she has dropped to 48th in the world tennis rankings.
A five-time winner of Grand Slam events, Williams has never won the Australian Open. She was knocked out in the first round in last year's tournament.
She is the second big name to withdrawn from the season's first Grand Slam event. World No. 1-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne pulled out of the Australian Open last week, citing unspecified personal reasons.
Kidd seeks restraining order against wife
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd, who has been accused in court of abusing his wife, was granted a restraining order against his estranged spouse.
The exact allegations made by Kidd against his wife, Joumana, were not immediately known but the basketball player said his wife's behavior had affected the couple's three children negatively, ABC News reported Wednesday.
Raoul Felder, an attorney for Joumana Kidd, said his client was forced to leave her home after a "police misinterpretation" regarding the restraining order. He claimed the player's lawyer had joined him in asking the police not to remove Joumana Kidd from the house.
"She was put out of the home," Felder said. "And she denies all of the allegations."
Joumana Kidd previously requested a restraining order against her husband, who pleaded guilty to domestic abuse charges in 2001.
David Beckham's soccer future unclear
MADRID, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- British soccer star David Beckham may no longer be with the Real Madrid club after reports emerged that they were not offering him a new contract.
Real Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic reportedly told Sky Italia Television, "Beckham will leave us, we will not renew his contract with the club."
However, Mijatovic claims his words were mistranslated and he actually said: "Beckham's contract has not been renewed, yet."
Beckham's spokesman, Simon Oliveira, also said that Real's offer was "still on the table" and that talks regarding a new two-year deal are supposed to resume Thursday.
The footballer's contract expires in June, but he has been allowed to speak to other clubs since Jan. 1 about a possible move. "There is nothing official confirmed yet on Beckham's future," said Real Madrid spokesman David Jimenez Arribas.
Barbaro's left hind foot has setback
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro had a major setback in his rear left foot late Tuesday, University of Pennsylvania veterinarians in Kennett Square, Pa., said.
Just after a week of wearing a new cast at the university's New Bolton Center, handlers noticed Barbaro in discomfort Tuesday night.
"He became acutely more uncomfortable on his left hind foot," a statement said Wednesday. "The foot cast was removed and some new separation of the medial (inside) portion of his hoof was found. This required some additional debridement (removal of the damaged tissue) last night."
Veterinarians said Barbaro was "being treated much more aggressively" and was eating well Wednesday morning.
Barbaro's right leg broke down early in the May 20, 2006 Preakness Stakes, and in mid-July, potentially fatal laminitis hit his rear left leg, and almost 80 percent of the hoof has since been removed.
