Steelers release standout linebacker Foote
PITTSBURGH, May 4 (UPI) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers released 28-year-old linebacker Larry Foote Monday, seven seasons after he joined the team as a fourth-round draft pick out of Michigan.
"Larry has been a big part of our success, but unfortunately the realities of the salary cap made this decision inevitable," Steelers Director of Football Operations Kevin Colbert said.
Foote has been a starter for the Steelers defense, appearing in the starting lineup for 80 consecutive games over the last five seasons. He had his lowest statistical totals in 2008 with just 63 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks. His best season was 2005, when he had 102 tackles and three sacks as the Steelers won their fifth Super Bowl title.
Foote has career totals of 431 tackles and 14 1/2 sacks in 110 games for the Steelers.
Venus Williams wins in three sets in Rome
ROME, May 4 (UPI) -- Venus Williams had to go three sets Monday to win her second-round tennis match at the $2 million Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome.
The former world No. 1 Williams defeated Czech Lucie Safarova 6-2, 4-6, 6-2. Williams won this tournament in 1999 and was the runner-up in 1998.
Williams was joined in the third round by sixth-seeded rising Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, who was beating Ayumi Morita 6-0 when the Japanese qualifier retired from the bout with a left thigh injury. Azarenka won in Miami last month.
This week's top-eight seeds received opening-round byes.
Ninth-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki beat Hungarian Agnes Szavay 6-3, 6-2, and 10th-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska beat Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko 6-0, 6-1.
Simon and Fish advance in Portugal tennis
ESTORIL, Portugal, May 4 (UPI) -- Gilles Simon of France and American Mardy Fish had first-round wins Monday at the $595,000 clay-court Estoril Open in Spain.
Simon defeated American Robert Kendrick 6-3, 7-6 (9-7) and Fish beat Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 6-4.
But two-time Estoril champion David Nalbandian of Argentina lost to Chilean Paul Capdeville 6-2, 6-2 on Day 2. Nalbandian won the championship in 2002 and 2006.
In other opening-round play, Frenchman Marc Gicquel defeated Spaniard Pablo Andujar 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 and Spaniard Oscar Hernandez beat Portugal's Rui Machado 7-5, 1-6, 7-5.
Team USA, Canada lose at World Hockey
BERN, Switzerland, May 4 (UPI) -- Roman Wick scored 13 seconds into overtime Monday to give Switzerland a 4-3 win over Team USA at the 2009 World Hockey Championship at Bern, Switzerland.
Andres Ambuhl, Romano Lemm and Martin Pluss also scored for the Swiss, who will not advance to the quarterfinals.
Ron Hainsey scored two goals and Chris Higgins got the other for the Americans, who finished third in the group and advance to the quarters to play Finland Wednesday. Robert Esche allowed four goals on 25 shots for Team USA.
At Zurich, Switzerland, Hannes Hyvonen scored the game-winner in the shootout to enable Finland to reach the quarterfinals with a 4-3 victory over Canada.
