UPI NewsTrack Sports

Yankees' star closer has shoulder surgery

NEW YORK, N.Y., Oct. 7 (UPI) -- New York Yankees star closer Mariano Rivera had surgery on his right shoulder Tuesday and is expected to resume throwing in three months.

Dr. David Altchek performed the operation at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Rivers, 38, pitched with discomfort throughout the 2008 campaign but still converted 39-of-40 save opportunities and had a 6-5 record with a 1.40 earned-run average.

After tests taken on Rivera's shoulder revealed inflammation and calcification, the reliever opted for surgery rather than a series of periodic cortisone injections.

In 14 career seasons -- all with the Yankees -- Rivers has appeared in 851 games, which includes 10 starts in his rookie campaign in 1995. He has a 68-49 record with 482 saves, good for second best all-time behind San Diego's Trevor Hoffman (554).

Rivers is signed through the 2010 season with New York, which missed the playoffs for the first time since 1993.

Davydenko and Safin advance in Moscow tennis

MOSCOW, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Two-time defending champion Nikolay Davydenko and two-time major winner Marat Safin advanced Tuesday's at the $1 million ATP Kremlin Cup.

The top-seeded Davydenko defeated France's Florent Serra 6-1, 7-5 to advance in Moscow where he has won three out of the last four titles. The Russian, who beat Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu in last year's finale, next plays Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

Safin, a former world No. 1 who is seeded seventh, struggled to beat Israeli qualifier Noam Okun 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-4 and next meets Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

In an upset, Uzbekistani qualifier Denis Istomin beat sixth-seeded Frenchman Michael Llodra 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. Eighth-seeded Serb Janko Tipsarevic survived a tough match against Russian wild card Alexandre Kudryavtsev, winning 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).

Also Tuesday, Serbian Viktor Troicki beat Russian Evgeny Donskoy 6-1, 6-3; Benneteau beat Israeli Harel Levy 6-4, 6-3; Israeli Dudi Sela beat Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-3, 3-6, 6-2; and American Robby Ginepri beat Czech Jiri Vanek 6-3, 6-4.

Bengals LB Blackstock suspended four games

CINCINNATI, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Darryl Blackstock got a four-game suspension Tuesday for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drugs policy.

Blackstock, a fourth-year player out of Virginia, is eligible to return Nov. 10.

"I've apologized to my coaches and teammates for an unfortunate mistake," said Blackstock. "I did not intentionally violate the policy, but I know it's my responsibility to use only approved nutritional supplements, and I didn't realize I was taking an over-the-counter product that included a banned substance."

The winless Bengals (0-5) also re-signed running back Kenny Watson to their active roster. Watson, who was Cincinnati's leading rusher last year with a career-high 763 yards, had been released by the Bengals this past Saturday.

Nelbandian, Anic advance at Stockholm tennis

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Top seeds David Nalbandian of Argentina and Mario Ancic of Croatia led Tuesday's first-round winners at the $980,000 Stockholm Open in Sweden.

Nalbandian breezed by American Bobby Reynolds 6-1, 6-1, and Ancic had 19 aces while beating Belgian Olivier Rochus 7-6 (8-6), 6-2.

Fifth-seeded Wimbledon semifinalist Rainer Schuettler of Germany won 6-0, 6-3 over Australian Chris Guccione and sixth-seeded Argentine Jose Acasuso nipped German qualifier Matthias Bachinger 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 7-6 (7-4).

Joachim Johansson of Sweden, who entered the draw as a wild card this week, beat Frenchman Nicolas Mahut 7-5, 7-6 (7-5). Johansson retired from the ATP back in February citing ongoing shoulder problems, but decided to return to action in Stockholm this week.

"I didn't feel anything on my shoulder, so that is very positive," said former world No. 9 Johansson. "Regardless on how I do in Stockholm, I want to take things slowly and get back on the circuit little by little."