UPI NewsTrack Sports

• Tweet

28 fans injured in fiery Daytona crash

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 23 (UPI) -- At least 28 fans were hurt, including two critically, by flying debris from a crash at a NASCAR race Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, medics say.

Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood told the Los Angeles Times 14 of the injured were hospitalized and 14 others were treated at the Florida track following the fiery crash in the final lap of the Nationwide Series event.

Of the seven of victims admitted to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, two were in critical condition, including a child, hospital spokesman Byron Cogdell told USA Today.

The adult in critical condition was suffering from head trauma, he added.

Daytona Beach Police Public Information Officer Jimmie Flynt told the newspaper six other victims were taken to Halifax Urgent Care in Port Orange for minor injuries.

One person went to Florida Memorial Hospital for minor injuries, he said.

The fiery wreck happened during the final turn of the race, when Kyle Larson's car flew into a catch fence that divides the track from the seats.

The front end of Larson's car broke into pieces, with parts of it piercing the fence.

Mahan, Poulter, Day, Kuchar advance

MARANA, Ariz., Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Hunter Mahan joined Ian Poulter, Matt Kuchar and Jason Day in the semifinals of the World Golf Championship-Accenture Match Play Championship Saturday.

Mahan, the defending champion and sixth seed in the Gary Player bracket, advanced with a 3 & 2 victory over reigning U.S. Open winner Webb Simpson.

He'll next face Poulter, the No. 3 seed in the Sam Snead bracket, also posted a 3 & 2 decision over fourth-seeded 2001 winner Steve Stricker.

Poulter is the highest seed remaining in the match play tournament.

Also Saturday, Kuchar -- seeded sixth in the Ben Hogan bracket --- moved on to the semifinals with a 3 & 2 decision over fellow American Robert Garrigus.

His next opponent will be Bobby Jones bracket 11th seed Day. He downed former U.S. Open winner Graeme McDowell 1-up to move on.

Nishikori, Lopez gain Memphis final

MEMPHIS, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Kei Nishikori of Japan and Spain's Feliciano Lopez of Spain each won their semifinal matches Saturday, setting up a showdown for the Memphis Indoors title.

The fifth-seeded Nishikori advanced to the finals of the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships in a walkover when Australian Marinko Matosevic retired with a foot injury after the Japanese took the first set 6-4.

Nishikori will be seeking his third ATP Tour title in five finals appearances Sunday.

He'll be facing Lopez, who went three sets to get past Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Lopez will also be seeking his third career crown and first since 2010.

Top-seed Berdych reaches Open 13 finals

MARSEILLE, France, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Tomas Berdych won his semifinals match at the Open 13 Saturday and will face Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the championship match.

Berdych, of the Czech Republic, required just 54 minutes to beat Russian Dmitry Tursunov 6-2, 611. Tsonga dispatched fellow Frenchman Giles Simon 6-2, 6-2 in about an hour.

Tsonga, the No. 3 seed and 2009 tournament champion, broke serve four times and won the final five games against Simon.

Berdych was 25-for-27 in first-serve points and broke serve twice in both sets. Berdych improved to 6-1 against Tursunov and will be appearing in a final for the first time this season.