Djokovic takes first-rounder in Germany
HALLE, Germany, June 9 (UPI) -- Second-seeded Novak Djokovic was an easy first-round winner Tuesday at the Gerry Weber Open grass-court tournament in Germany.
Djokovic is the highest-ranked player in the field as defending champion. No. 1-seed Roger Federer withdrew from the tournament Tuesday, citing exhaustion following his French Open victory.
Djokovic didn't suffer a service break in a 7-5, 6-2 win over Simone Bolelli. He had Bolelli on the defensive throughout the match, forcing 10 break-point situations and finishing off three service breaks.
Third-seeded Fernando Verdasco was ousted by Philipp Petzschner 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. No. 4-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga took out Fabrice Santoro and seventh-seeded Jurgen Melzer rallied for a 12-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Arnaud Clement.
Oliver Rochus won 71 percent of the points in a 6-0, 6-0 whitewashing of Fernando Vicente.
Also Tuesday, Nicolas Kiefer breezed past Viktor Troicki 6-2, 6-1; Mischa Zverev defeated Joseph Sirianni 6-2, 6-4; Andreas Beck beat Christophe Rochus and Philipp Kohlschreiber whipped Bjorn Phau 6-4, 6-2.
Nadal afflicted with tendonitis in knees
MADRID, June 9 (UPI) -- Rafael Nadal is undergoing treatment for tendonitis in both kneecaps but said he will travel June 16 to London ahead of the Wimbledon Championships.
Nadal, the world's top-ranked tennis player, withdrew from the Queen's Club tournament, an important grass-court tuneup ahead of Wimbledon and which Nadal won last year. He cited knee problems for pulling out.
"I have been playing with pain on my knees for some months now and I simply can't go on like this," Nadal said in a posting on his Web site. "The pain was limiting certain movements in my body, which affected me mentally as well."
Nadal returned to Spain after his fourth-round loss May 31 at the French Open for medical examinations. Doctors determined he had "insertion tendonitis in the superior end of both kneecaps with a light osseous edema." They said treatment would include anti-inflammatory drugs and physiotherapy.
Nadal said he hoped to defend his Wimbledon title but added, "I will not go out and play, especially on the Wimbledon Center Court, if I am not 100 percent ready to play."
Michael Vick given bankruptcy deadline
NORFOLK, Va., June 9 (UPI) -- Lawyers for former Atlanta Falcons star quarterback Michael Vick said Tuesday his bankruptcy plan will depend on his getting back in the game.
A judge told Vick at a hearing in Norfolk that a plan must be accepted by the end of the summer, The Virginian-Pilot reported.
Vick, 28, has been under house arrest since his release from federal prison, where he served a sentence for running a dog-fighting operation at his home in rural Virginia. He said nothing to reporters at the hearing in federal court.
Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro told Vick and his lawyers that the first bankruptcy plan he put forward, which Santoro rejected, "left something to be desired."
Vick, under indefinite suspension by the NFL, is trying to get back into professional football. His lawyers said the next bankruptcy plan would depend on his getting a contract.
The Falcons, Vick's largest creditors, are owed $7 million. His debts total $25 million.
Sutter quits as N.J. Devils' coach
NEWARK, N.J., June 9 (UPI) -- Brent Sutter, citing a desire to spend more time at his home and interests in Alberta, Canada, resigned Tuesday as coach of the NHL's New Jersey Devils.
Sutter was the Devils' coach for two seasons, building a 97-56-11 regular-season record. But New Jersey was a combined 4-8 in the playoffs, including a first-round Game 7 loss to Carolina this year after the team had won the Atlantic Division title.
Sutter announced his decision to leave the Devils in a conference call from Red Deer in Alberta.
"It has to do with a lot of things back here in Red Deer," Sutter said. "There are circumstances that have occurred especially over the last year that have made it increasingly more difficult. I have to do the right thing and the right thing was to step back and evaluate everything and go through a process that I had to go through."
Sutter is president of the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League, a team he bought in 1999.
Even though he coached the Devils for just two seasons, Sutter is third on the team's all-time win list.
