Federer, Nadal to clash again in Paris
PARIS, June 6 (UPI) -- World No. 1 Roger Federer and three-time defending champion Rafael Nadal will battle for the third straight year in the French Open final.
Federer advanced Friday with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 win over unseeded Frenchman Gael Monfils, and Nadal stormed into the final with a 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) victory over Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
Nadal, No. 2 in the world, has defeated Federer in the championship match the past two years Federer's match with Monfils lasted more than three hours.
The 26-year-old Swiss star committed 30 unforced errors but outlasted the 6-foot-4 Monfils, who had 40. Monfils also had 10 aces and five double-faults.
Nadal, 23, took the first two sets against the third-ranked Djokovic with relative ease, and then scored the first six points of a tiebreaker to win the third set and the match.
Nadal has gained the French Open finals four straight years. He is trying to become the second player to win the tournament four years in a row. Bjorn Borg won it in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981, and six times overall.
Nadal's win over Djokovic was his 114th against only two losses in on clay surfaces since 2005.
Bonds pleads innocent to 14 perjury counts
SAN FRANCISCO, June 6 (UPI) -- Baseball star Barry Bonds was in a San Francisco courtroom Friday where he pleaded innocent to 15 charges stemming from a federal steroids investigation.
The home run king is charged with 14 counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice for allegedly lying about using steroids during a 2003 grand jury hearing in the so-called Balco scandal.
The charges were contained in a new indictment handed down in March after the original six-count indictment was tossed out by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, who continues to handle the case.
The San Jose Mercury News said Friday's proceedings got the Bonds matter back on track toward trial, although anticipated legal wrangling will probably delay the start of the trial until next year.
Meanwhile, the 43-year-old Bonds remains a free agent and is staying in shape in hopes he can sign on to another team sometime this season.
Detroit honors Stanley Cup champions
DETROIT, June 6 (UPI) -- Detroit and its hockey fans honored the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings Friday with a parade and rally.
Tens of thousands of fans turned out for a parade on Woodward Avenue.
The team's players and staff rode in the beds of pickup trucks along the parade route.
"Coming down Woodward ... I heard a lot of 'Thank You's' from a lot of people," Red Wings star Nicklas Lidstrom said. "But (we) would like to thank you, the fans."
The team captured its fourth cup in 11 seasons Tuesday, beating the Pittburgh Penguins 3-2 in Game 6 of the playoffs.
Overall, the Wings have won the cup 11 times.
"I believe we've been the best team in hockey (in recent years)," Coach Mike Babcock told ESPN in an interview at Hart Plaza on the city's riverfront.
"We've won 162 games in three regular seasons, we've got great young players, great fans and the best ownership. If you're a player, why wouldn't you want to come here?"
Only the Montreal Canadiens (23) and Toronto Maple Leafs (13) have won more NHL championships.
Casino Drive has possible injury
ELMONT, N.Y., June 6 (UPI) -- The Belmont Stakes' No. 2 choice, Casino Drive, was off the track Friday because of an apparent problem with his left hind leg, his racing manager said.
Casino Drive, at 7-2, is the Saturday race's second pick behind heavy favorite Big Brown.
Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for Casino Drive's owner, Hidetoshi Yamamoto, said a veterinarian examined the 3-year-old colt for a possible bruise, but no other details were released.
Tada said "something was slightly different" in the way the horse was walking on the racetrack grounds.
"At the moment we are not thinking of scratching," Tada said. "We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow."
