UPI NewsTrack Sports

Federer continues string of major semis

LONDON, July 1 (UPI) -- Roger Federer used a straight-set win Wednesday at the Wimbledon Championships in London to reach his 21st consecutive major tournament semifinals.

Federer, who won five consecutive Wimbledon titles before losing in the finals last year, will go against 24th-seeded Tommy Haas in Friday's semifinals. The other semifinal pits third-seeded Andy Murray against sixth-seeded Andy Roddick.

The No. 2-seeded Federer can regain the world No. 1 ranking and set a record with his 15th Grand Slam title should he win his next two matches. He looked to be on that mission Wednesday in a 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) win over 22nd-seeded Ivo Karlovic. He had just seven unforced errors and won 87 percent of the points on his serve.

Haas upset fourth-seeded Novak Djokovic, who had been dominant in his first four matches. Haas had just two breaks but those were the difference in the first and fourth sets in the 7-5, 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-3 victory.

Federer owns a 9-2 career edge over Haas. Their most recent meeting was in the French Open when Haas had a two-set lead before Federer came back.

Murray, from Scotland, is seeking to be the first British men's player since Fred Perry in 1936 to win Wimbledon. His game Wednesday showed that potential as he took out Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 6-2. He had 18 aces among his 49 winners and piled up five service breaks. Murray is 6-2 in his career against Roddick.

Roddick survived a tight battle with Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 6-7 (10-12), 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-4. Roddick won just nine more points in the nearly four-hour match. He had a six-point edge in the final set.

Report: Alexis Arguello shot to death

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, July 1 (UPI) -- Former junior lightweight boxing champion Alexis Arguello has died from a gunshot wound to the chest at his Nicaraguan home, the La Prensa newspaper said.

Arguello, 57, was elected the mayor of Managua, Nicaragua, in 2008.

Nicaraguan presidential spokeswoman Rosario Murillo confirmed his death, but no other details were available.

Arguello retired from boxing in 1995 after he was knocked out by Aaron Pryor in their second title bout.

Before he retired for good, he made several comebacks and finished with a record of 82-8, including 65 knockouts.

Arguello carried the flag for Nicaragua at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and his overwhelming popularity in his native country led to his decision to seek public office.

"The Explosive Thin Man" was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992, won the voting for the best junior lightweight and sixth-best lightweight of the 20th century.

He was only the sixth boxer to win titles in three weight classes.

Nuggets' J.R. Smith gets 30 days for crash

MILLSTONE, N.J., July 1 (UPI) -- Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith must spend 30 days behind bars in New Jersey for a fatal crash and spend 500 hours with children in hospitals.

Smith, 23, legally Earl J. Smith III, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Millstone Municipal Court to reckless driving, the Asbury Park Press and The Denver Post reported. Smith was behind the wheel on June 9, 2007, when he drove through a stop sign, causing a collision that left his friend, Andre Bell, with fatal head injuries.

Judge Debra Gelson imposed a 90-day jail sentence and then suspended 60 days as long as Smith performs community service.

She also suspended his driver's license, already suspended through March 2010, for an additional two years, and ordered Smith to pay the maximum $500 fine.

Smith apologized in court to Bell's mother, Wanda.

Gelson said Smith must spend 500 hours visiting hospitalized children ages 5 to 15.

"I want this to be a very personal action," she said.

Smith has already been penalized by the Nuggets with a two-game suspension in the 2007-08 season. He joined the team in 2006 and re-signed last August.

Report: Marlins stadium to be built

MIAMI, July 1 (UPI) -- Miami-Dade County commissioners have approved a proposal to build a new baseball stadium for the Florida Marlins in Little Havana.

Site preparation work was scheduled following an early Wednesday morning meeting to deal with last-minute changes and $300 million of the $306 million in bonds that will pay for construction of the new baseball stadium in the city's Little Havana section.

Team president David Samson told the commissioners the team would will pick up the $6.2 million difference.

"This is it, now it is just construction, jobs and baseball," Samson told the Miami Herald after the meeting.

Formal groundbreaking for the estimated 37,000-seat facility is scheduled for July 18.

The stadium will include a retractable roof and officials hope to have the ballpark built in time for Opening Day in 2012.

The Marlins currently play at Land Shark Stadium and have one of the Major League Baseball's lowest attendance averages.