Del Potro sails through Wimbledon opener
LONDON, June 23 (UPI) -- Fifth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro sailed through a first-round victory Tuesday at the Wimbledon Championships in London.
Del Potro had no trouble in a 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 win over Arnaud Clement in 94 minutes. Del Potro was installed into the draw position vacated by No. 1-ranked Rafael Nadal, who withdrew with knee problems, and played to that caliber. He gave up just 11 points in 24 service games and cashed in 6-of-9 break opportunities.
Del Potro goes against Lleyton Hewitt in the second round. Hewitt, who won Wimbledon in 2000, was also a straight-set winner Tuesday, taking out Robby Ginepri 6-4, 6-1, 6-1.
The best hopes of the United Kingdom and the United States each won but needed four sets to get to the second round. Third-seeded Andy Murray, from Scotland, defeated Robert Kendrick 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-4 while sixth-seeded American Andy Roddick bested Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-3.
In other first-round action Tuesday involving highly seeded players, No. 8 Gilles Simons stopped Bobby Reynolds 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 and 10th-seeded Fernando Gonzalez got by Teimuraz Gabashvili 7-5, 7-5, 6-3. Also, No. 12 Nikolay Davydenko swept past Daniel Evans 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 and 16th-seeded David Ferrer beat Kevin Kim 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
V. Williams opens title defense with win
LONDON, June 23 (UPI) -- Two-time defending champion Venus Williams was dominant in a first-round win Tuesday at the Wimbledon Championships in London.
Williams defeated Stefanie Voegele 6-3, 6-2 in a match in which she had 11 unforced errors and 29 winners. Williams was particularly strong on Voegele's second serve, winning 16 of 19 points in that situation.
Her second-round opponent will be Kateryna Bondarenko, who was a 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) winner Tuesday over Anastasija Sevastova.
Top-seeded Dinara Safina, looking to qualify for her fourth Grand Slam final in the last six majors, defeated Lourdes Dominguez Lino 7-5, 6-3 Tuesday. Safina had to overcome 30 unforced errors to make the second round.
Fifth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat Safina in the 2009 French Open final, advanced at the expense of Akiko Morigami 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) and No. 6 Jelena Jankovic topped Julia Goerges 6-4, 7-6 (7-0). Seventh-seeded Vera Zvonareva completed her suspended match from Monday, finishing 7-6 (7-0), 4-6, 6-4 to beat Georgie Stoop while ninth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki came from behind for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 win over Kimiko Date Krumm.
Other first-round winners Tuesday included 11th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, who handled Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 7-5, 6-1; No. 13 Ana Ivanovic, who outlasted Lucie Hradecka 5-7, 6-2, 8-6; and 15th-seeded Flavia Pennetta, who overcame Nuria Llagostera Vives 3-6, 6-1, 6-0.
Glover moves into golf's top 20
VIRGINIA WATER, England, June 23 (UPI) -- U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover moved into the top 20 of the world men's golf rankings following his major tournament victory.
Glover won the U.S. Open Monday, contested at the Black Course at New York's Bethpage State Park, by two strokes. Ricky Barnes, David Duval and Phil Mickelson finished tied for second while defending champion Tiger Woods tied for sixth.
Glover's title wasn't foreseen as he'd won just one PGA Tour event previously. He started the year ranked No. 177 but had moved to 71st prior to the Open. The win Monday afternoon in New York pushed him to 18th in the world.
Even though it was a major tournament, the U.S. Open had little effect on the top world golf rankings, with one switch among the top 15 players.
Woods is No. 1 for the 210th consecutive week and 553rd week of his career, while Mickelson is second with Paul Casey third and Sergio Garcia again in fourth.
Henrik Stenson moved up one spot to fifth, shoving Geoff Ogilvy to sixth.
Kenny Perry is ranked seventh ahead of Steve Stricker, Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk.
Duval's finish moved him from 882nd to 142nd in the rankings and Barnes went from 519th to No. 153.
Kosar's firms file for protection
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 23 (UPI) -- Three companies owned by former professional football quarterback Bernie Kosar have filed for bankruptcy protection in Florida, court papers show.
The companies, KHOC LLC, BJK LLC and Mantua Land Co, filed for protection in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Kosar filed for personal bankruptcy court protection Friday, The Miami Herald reported Tuesday.
Kosar's attorney Julianne Frank said she would try to consolidate the bankruptcy cases. Kosar's holdings in the businesses "will put us in a position to consummate a successful restructuring," she said.
KHOC manages Kosar's minority interest in the Florida Panthers, a hockey team which may soon be sold for $240 million, the newspaper said.
The other two companies, based out of Kosar's home, have invested in properties in Florida and Ohio.
Kosar's football career took him from the University of Miami to the Cleveland Browns. He retired from football in 1996, after spending time with the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins.
