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Spain on verge of Davis Cup title repeat

BARCELONA, Spain, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- David Ferrer rallied from two sets down Friday and put Spain on the cusp of repeating as Davis Cup champion in the finals against the Czech Republic.

Ferrer came away a 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 8-6 winner over Czech Radek Stepanek after Rafael Nadal, on the strength of winning 12 consecutive games, swept by Tomas Berdych 7-5, 6-0, 6-2. The Spaniards' victories gave their country a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Davis Cup final on an indoor clay court in Barcelona.

A win Saturday by the doubles team of Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez over the Czech Republic's Lukas Dlouhy and Jan Hajek would seal the championship for Spain. It would be Spain's fourth title since 2000 and second in a row.

Even if Dlouhy and Hajek take the doubles match, Stepanek and Berdych would have to win both reverse singles matches Sunday to give the Czech Republic its second Davis Cup title.

Ferrer dropped serve seven times in the first two sets but just three times the rest of the match. Driven by the home crowd, he seemed to get more confident as the match wore on while Stepanek's game faltered.

Stepanek had 18 unforced errors in building the two-set lead but committed 56 over the last three sets with 20 coming in the fifth. Still it wasn't until the 13th game that Ferrer got the first break of the set when a poor Stepanek drop shot fell into the net. Ferrer then served out for the match.

Nadal, ranked No. 2 in the world, broke a 5-5 first-set tie with a service break and ran off 12 consecutive games. After the tight first set, Nadal held Berdych to just 13 points in the second -- only five when Berdych was serving -- to take control.

He won the first four games of the third set and coasted to his 13th win in 14 all-time Davis Cup matches.

Flyers fire Coach John Stevens

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- The Philadelphia Flyers fired Coach John Stevens Friday after six losses in the team's last seven games.

Stevens will be replaced by Peter Laviolette, a former coach of the Carolina Hurricanes.

"Obviously this is a great opportunity," Laviolette said at a news conference. "The Flyers are an organization that has a lot of tradition and a lot of history."

Philadelphia, which had been expected to be a Stanley Cup contender this season, has a 13-11-1 record and is tied with the New York Rangers for last place in the division.

The off-season, free-agent acquisitions of goaltender Ray Emery and defenseman Chris Pronger have had little impact on Philadelphia's Atlantic Division performance. The Flyers' once-potent offense has not scored in eight straight periods and the last-place standing is their lowest since November 2008.

Before his firing, Stevens said on the team's Web site, "Let's embrace the challenge and the situation we're in and go out and fix it."

Stevens replaced the fired Ken Hitchcock Oct. 22, 2006, and guided the Flyers to last season's Eastern Conference finals.

The inconsistent Flyers won five in a row from Oct. 31-Nov. 12, but lost five of seven from Oct. 8-27.

Notre Dame pulls out of bowl picture

SOUTH BEND, Ind., Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick said Friday the school will not play in a bowl game this season.

Swarbrick fired Coach Charlie Weis this week and reached his decision about sitting out the bowl season after several meetings Friday that included players, assistants and others. Notre Dame was eligible for a bowl game with its 6-6 record.

"We have made the decision to remove ourselves from consideration for any post-season bowl game this year," Swarbrick said. "The unique circumstances surrounding our program at the current time prevent us from making the commitment required to compete in a bowl game. If the landscape had been different, we would have been thrilled to take part. We certainly look forward to being part of the bowl system in the years to come."

The Fighting Irish stopped their nine-game, post-season losing streak with a 49-21 win over Hawaii at last season's Hawaii Bowl.

J.P. Hayes takes lead in qualifying event

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Dec. 4 (UPI) -- J.P. Hayes shot a 9-under 63 Friday and had the lead during the third round when play was suspended at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.

In this tournament a year ago, Hayes realized he was playing with a golf ball that was not on the PGA Tour's approved list and disqualified himself.

His round Friday was the lowest thus far in the six-day event that determines the final qualifiers for the 2010 season. The top 25 and ties among the field of 167 will earn full exemption onto the tour.

Hayes, a two-time winner on the circuit, was at 12-under 204 for 54 holes. Second-round leader Troy Merritt was also at 12-under with two holes to play when play was halted for the day.

Heavy rain interrupted play for 90 minutes during the morning and a second storm halted the action for good in the afternoon.

Those in the clubhouse at 11-under 205 were Graham DeLaet and Brendan Pappas. Joe Ogilvie and Billy Horschel were tied at 206.

Rickie Fowler, who turned pro in October after an outstanding college career, shot a 66 and was four shots behind Hayes in a tie for 13th. Fowler played his first 13 holes in 10-under, but suffered two bogeys and a double bogey late in the round.