Penn State Coach Joe Paterno hospitalized
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., May 15 (UPI) -- Penn State football coach Joe Paterno was hospitalized Thursday because of dehydration.
The Centre Daily Times in University Park, Pa., reported that the 81-year-old Paterno was taken by ambulance to Mount Nittany Medical Center after complaining of nausea, weakness and fatigue.
A school spokesman told the newspaper Thursday afternoon that tests were being taken to rule out heart and other problems. Early results were negative.
Paterno has been the Nittany Lions' coach since 1966 and is one of three active coaches who have been inducted into College Football's Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.
In 42 seasons, his overall record is 372-125-3, which trails by one the 373 record number of wins compiled by Florida State's Bobby Bowden.
Sharapova, newly No. 1, wins in Rome
ROME, May 15 (UPI) -- Maria Sharapova celebrated her ascension to the world No. 1-ranking Thursday with a straight-set win in the third round of the $1.34 million Italian Open.
Sharapova moved up after Justine Henin, who announced her retirement from competitive tennis Wednesday, asked to be removed from the rankings, bumping everyone on the list up one spot. The change becomes official Monday.
Sharapova Thursday took out Carolina Wozniacki, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), and advanced to the Italian Open quarterfinals.
Third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, a runner-up in Rome a year ago, was ousted Thursday, getting whipped 6-2, 6-4 by qualifier Alize Comet.
Also in the third round, No. 4-seeded Jelena Jankovic romped by Maria Kirilenko, 6-1, 6-1; fifth-seeded Serena Williams defeated Sara Errani, 6-4, 6-3; No. 6-seeded Anna Chakvetadze got by 12th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-4, 1-6, 6-1; and seventh-seeded Venus Williams won 7-5, 6-2 over No. 10-seeded Vera Zvonareva.
In a slight upset, No. 9-seeded Patty Schnyder eliminated eighth-seeded Marion Bartoli in a tight 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9-7) match while qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova was ahead of Victoria Azarenka, 6-2, 1-0, when Azarenka retired with a left knee injury.
Friday's quarterfinals schedule finds Sharapova going against Schnyder, Jankovic versus Venus Williams, Serena Williams playing against Cornet and Chakvetadze meeting Pironkova.
Braun signs long-term deal with Brewers
MILWAUKEE, May 15 (UPI) -- Outfielder Ryan Braun, last year's National League rookie of the year, has signed an record eight-year contract extension with the Milwaukee Brewers.
The agreement, believed to be worth $45 million goes into effect this season and lasts through 2015. It is the longest baseball contract signed by a player with three or fewer years of experience. It is also the richest deal in Brewers' history.
"It's a very good contract for both the ballclub and Ryan," Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin said Thursday.
Braun, 24, was voted the NL rookie of the year after hitting .324 with 34 home runs and 97 runs batted in over 113 games last season. This season he leads Milwaukee with 29 RBI and is hitting .287 with nine home runs.
"I was drafted by the Brewers and although my career is just beginning, I know that the long-term future of this franchise is very promising," Braun said. "I hope that today's announcement is indicative of how much wearing this uniform means to me."
Jarrett ready for final Sprint Cup race
CONCORD, N.C., May 15 (UPI) -- Veteran driver Dale Jarrett makes his final NASCAR appearance Saturday night at the Sprint Cup Showdown in Concord, N.C.
It will be his 17th start at the all-star event.
He has competed in it every year since 1992.
"This is a race for the fans and it's a great way for me to say thank you to them for the career they've allowed me to have," he said in a release. "After really looking over the schedule, there are a couple of tracks or races that stand out as ones where you'd like to run your last race. Obviously, the Coca-Cola 600, also in Concord, came to mind (and) I looked at Indianapolis."
Heading into his final event, Jarrett's Sprint Cup career includes 32 wins, 163 top fives, 260 top 10s and 16 pole positions.
Nadal, Djokovic advance at Hamburg Masters
HAMBURG, Germany, May 15 (UPI) -- Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, fighting for the world's No. 2 ranking, both won third-round matches Thursday at the $2.95 million Masters Series Hamburg.
Nadal must finish one round better than Djokovic in Hamburg, Germany, to keep his No. 2 ranking. They are one a collision course for a semifinals matchup after their wins at the claycourt event.
Nadal, seeded second, took a step in that direction with a 6-3, 6-2 win over 15th-seeded Andy Murray while Djokovic, seeded third, defeated Croat Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, in third-round play.
Djokovic needs to get by Albert Montanes, who advanced with a 6-2, 6-1 rout of Janko Tipsarevic, in Friday's quarterfinals to get a possible shot at Nadal on Saturday. Nadal needs to beat 11th-seeded Carlos Moya, a 6-2, 6-7 (3-7), 6-1 third-round winner over Marat Safin, for a chance to hold onto the No. 2 spot.
Both are well behind the ranking total of world No. 1 Roger Federer, who topped Robin Soderling, 6-3, 6-2, and on Friday meets Fernando Verdasco, who upset No. 5-seeded Davis Ferrer, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, on Thursday.
Friday's fourth quarterfinal has crowd favorite Nicolas Kiefer playing Andreas Seppi. Kiefer upset No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko, 7-5, 6-3, while Seppi eliminated 12th-seeded Juan Monaco 6-0, 6-3 in third-round matches.
