Williams sisters reach French Open semifinals
PARIS, June 4 (UPI) -- Venus and Serena Williams moved closer to their first French Open championship match Tuesday with straight-sets quarterfinal victories.
Venus, the second seed, defeated three-time champion Monica Seles, 6-4, 6-3, before third-seeded Serena thrashed 2000 winner Mary Pierce of France, 6-1, 6-1, in 49 minutes.
Last September at the U.S. Open, the American siblings squared off in the final, marking the first time in the Open Era sisters met for a major singles title. Venus was victorious then as she won her fourth career Grand Slam crown.
Next up for Venus is unseeded Clarisa Fernandez while Serena takes on top seed and defending champion Jennifer Capriati of the United States, who prevailed over No. 7 Jenelan Dokic of Yugoslavia, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, in an encounter that featured dazzling winners but mostly shoddy serving.
Fernandez won the first all-Argentine women's quarterfinal at Roland Garros, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1, in just over two hours. Ranked 87th, Fernandez would have had to qualify had it not been for Martina Hingis' withdrawal due to an ankle injury.
Venus held a 3-1 lead in the first set before a 10-minute rain delay. Seles was able to level things when play resumed, but Williams held her serve for a 5-4 advantage and broke to take the first set. Things were considerably easier in the second set, despite losing her serve in the opening game. She immediately broke back and snatched her 28-year-old compatriot's serve two more times to close out the set in 24 minutes.
The win allowed Williams to gain a measure of revenge after she lost for the first time in seven lifetime meetings with Seles in the Australian Open quarterfinals in January.
Serena was practically flawless against the power-hitter Pierce, who hit 29 winners to 16 unforced errors and won over 70 percent of her first and second serves. The 20-year-old American, who had seven aces and one double fault, broke serve four times and never lost her own. The winner of her first career claycourt title in Rome two weeks before the start this event, the younger Williams also secured her first semifinal berth at Roland Garros.
Pierce, a wild card entrant, was the lowest-ranked player, at No. 132, to reach the quarterfinals here since rankings began in 1975. She missed most of the last year and a half with several injuries and was unable to defend her Roland Garros crown last year due to a back ailment.
Capriati, who won her second straight Australian Open in January, moved closer to becoming the first woman to claim consecutive titles at Roland Garros since Steffi Graf did it in 1995 and 1996.
Fernandez advanced to her first career Grand Slam semifinal in only her third major. She is the first Argentinian female to reach the last four here since Gabriela Sabatini in 1992 and the first unseeded semifinalist here since Capriati in 1990.
In the men's draw, No. 20 Albert Costa of Spain advanced to his first Grand Slam semifinal with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-0 triumph over 15th-seeded Guillermo Canas of Argentina. Costa stopped Canas' winning streak in five-setters at four and improved to 3-0 lifetime against the Argentine. The Spaniard's previous best result in a major was the quarterfinals here in 2000 and at the 1997 Australian Open.
In the semifinals, Costa will take on either countryman Alex Corretja, the 18th seed who has reached the final here twice, or No. 22 Andrei Pavel of Romania. Corretja was leading Pavel, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5, 4-5, on Tuesday when the match was suspended by darkness.
Brazilian player admits to 'acting' in Cup
SAO PAULO, Brazil, June 4 (UPI) -- A Brazilian soccer player admitted to hamming it up during the World Cup, a move that lead to the expulsion of a Turkish player in the waning minutes of a close match, a Brazilian news source reported Wednesday.
The admission by Brazilian soccer phenom "Rivaldo" prompted FIFA officials--the governing body for international soccer--to consider whether they would fine or suspend him for one game.
During the opening roundt, Rivaldo admitted faking a blow to the face when Turkey's Hakan Unsal kicked the ball toward him, hitting him in the leg.
Unsal had already received a yellow card for an earlier infraction, a warning in soccer that leads to expulsion from the game if issued a second time during the same contest.
NHL Stanley Cup Final commences
DETROIT, June 4 (UPI) -- The Detroit Red Wings open their bid for a third Stanley Cup in six seasons Tuesday night when they host the upstart Carolina Hurricanes in Game One at Joe Louis Arena.
Detroit, with several future Hall of Famers on its roster, the best record during the regular season and a defeat of the defending champion Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference finals, is considered the heavy favorite. The Red Wings lost the fifth game against Colorado in overtime, but posted a 2-0 victory in Game Six as Dominik Hasek made 24 saves, and a 7-0 thrashing in the deciding game.
Hasek, who has never won a Stanley Cup in his brilliant career but reached the Finals while with Buffalo in 1999, has made 43 saves in the past two games and has an NHL-record five shutouts this postseason.
Long-time captain Steve Yzerman leads Detroit with 19 points despite a painful knee injury. He, Brendan Shanahan, and defenseman Mathieu Dandenault each scored twice in two wins over Carolina during the regular season.
The Red Wings seek their 10th Stanley Cup and first since capturing consecutive championships in 1997 and 1998, the last time they were in the Finals.
The Hurricanes were not considered a good bet to make their Stanley Cup Finals debut after winning the weak Southeast Division, but they got past the New Jersey Devils, the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs all in six games to bring pride to a franchise that started out as the Hartford Whalers of the WHA.
Carolina is winless at Joe Louis Arena since Nov. 14, 1989, going 0-10-1, and is just 3-16
1 overall against Detroit in the last 10 seasons.
Hurricanes goaltender Arturs Irbe has had some success against the Red Wings. He was the netminder for the San Jose Sharks in 1994 when they ousted Detroit in the Western Conference quarterfinals.
Irbe had been benched in favor of Kevin Weekes in the series against New Jersey, but has surrendered just 10 goals in nine games, no more than two in one contest, since returning.
Suzuki leads AL All-Star balloting
NEW YORK, June 4 (UPI) -- Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners leads the American League in early balloting for the 73rd All-Star Game to be played July 9 at Milwaukee.
The reigning AL Most Valuable Player, Suzuki received 299,685 votes in second returns. The Japanese outfielder leads the league with a .376 batting average and has 23 RBI and 17 stolen bases.
Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox is sidelined with a fractured index finger and is expected to miss at least two more weeks, but he ranks second among outfielders with 228,226 votes. Suzuki's teammate Mike Cameron is third among outfielders with 164,754 votes.
Ramirez's teammate Shea Hillenbrand tops all third basemen with 165,969 votes.
Two members of the New York Yankees--second baseman Alfonso Soriano (239,477) and first baseman Jason Giambi (178,614) -- and two members of the Texas Rangers--shortstop Alex Rodriguez (204,202) and catcher Ivan Rodriguez (186,848) -- lead at their respective positions.
All-Star balloting encompasses voting at all 30 ballparks, online balloting and voting throughout Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan and the Dominican Republic.
The 2002 National and American League All-Star Teams will be revealed on the Major League Baseball All-Star Selection Show on Sunday, June 30.
Rams sign veteran G Heath Irwin
ST. LOUIS, June 4 (UPI) -- The St. Louis Rams on Tuesday added depth along the offensive line by signing veteran guard Heath Irwin.
Irwin, who turns 29 later this month, spent the last two seasons with the Miami Dolphins. The 6-4, 301-pounder started the final seven games last season at left guard. A 1996 fourth-round pick of New England, Irwin spent his first four seasons with the Patriots. During his career, he has started 24 of 73 games.
Report: Pronger to miss playing time
ST. LOUIS, June 4 (UPI) -- St. Louis Blues star defenseman Chris Pronger could miss the first three months next season because of the knee injury he suffered in the Western Conference semifinals.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the former Hart Trophy winner was scheduled for surgery Tuesday to repair the shredded ligament in his right knee, a procedure that would sideline him until January.
Pronger suffered a torn right ACL in a collision with Detroit center Steve Yzerman in Game Four of their series on May 9.
Pronger, who two years ago captured the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman and the Hart Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player, was upended after running into the Red Wings' captain along the boards near his own blue line.
Pronger already has had one operation since his team was eliminated in five games by the Red Wings, undergoing successful wrist surgery on May 9.
Athletics activate David Justice
OAKLAND, Calif., June 4 (UPI) -- Veteran Oakland outfielder David Justice has been activated from the disabled list in time for the Athletics' home game Tuesday night as a four-game series against Seattle.
Justice has been out since May 8 with a groin injury, which has forced him to miss 23 straight games and 31 of the last 35 for the disappointing A's. Justice initially suffered the injury in a game against the New York Yankees on April 24. He missed eight games, but played in four before aggravating the injury on May 8 against the Boston Red Sox.
The 36-year-old Justice is batting .301 with four home runs and 11 RBI. He was acquired in December from the Yankees in a three-player deal that included cash considerations.
Bears sign free agent safety
CHICAGO, June 4 (UPI) -- Safety Damon Moore, released by the Philadelphia Eagles after tearing up his knee in the NFC championship game, signed with the Chicago Bears on Tuesday.
Moore, who suffered a torn left ACL in the loss to the St. Louis Rams, signed a two-year deal. Terms were not disclosed, but it was reported worth about $1.8 million.
Moore should be ready to return to the field by August or September. The Bears were looking for help in the secondary after safety Tony Parrish signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent.
Moore started every game for the Eagles the past two seasons and had four fumble recoveries and two interceptions last year. A fourth-round draft pick in 1999, he finished fifth on the team with 105 tackles last season.
Cleveland Pitcher top AL rookie for May
NEW YORK, June 4 (UPI) -- Cleveland Indians righthander Ryan Drese Tuesday was named American League Rookie of the Month for May after winning three of his five starts.
Drese went 3-1 with a 3.44 ERA, striking out 24 and walking only eight in 34 innings. The 26-year-old Drese pitched six innings or more in each of his five starts. He went eight innings on May 18, striking out 10 in a win over Kansas City.
Also considered for the award were Bobby Kielty of Minnesota, Toronto's Eric Hinske, Rodrigo Lopez of Baltimore and Detroit's Ramon Santiago.
Ball State P goes first in draft
NEW YORK, June 4 (UPI) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates, who have gotten unexpected production from starters Kip Wells and Josh Fogg, Tuesday added another solid young arm to its system by taking Ball State righthander Bryan Bullington with the top pick in the first-year player draft.
After days of speculation, the Pirates settled on the 21-year-old Bullington, who bolstered his stock this spring with another big season in the Mid-American Conference.
The 6-5, 212-pounder was 10-2 with a 2.11 ERA in 10 games for the Indians this season, and struck out 126 in 94 innings. While not as polished as Mark Prior, the first pitcher taken in 2001, Bullington should be on the fast track to join a rotation that features 25-year-olds Wells and Fogg and 27-year-old Kris Benson.
"Bryan Bullington is a big, strong, durable, righthanded pitcher with a power arm," said Pittsburgh Director of Scouting Ed Creech. "He has a variety of pitches, which will allow him to be a solid major league pitcher."
Tampa Bay took high school shortstop B.J. Upton with the second pick, and Cincinnati chose high school righthander Chris Gruler third. Baltimore made Canadian lefthander Adam Loewen the fourth pick, with Montreal tabbing another high school righthander, Clint Everts, fifth.
Pittsburgh reportedly was considering Upton and Loewen right up to the final day, but opted for Bullington, who should reach the major leagues well before the two high-schoolers.
Benson (1996) and Jeff King (1996) were the only other Pirates taken with the first pick in the draft.
Other notables taken in the first round included Prince Fielder, the son of former slugger Cecil Fielder. The 18-year-old Fielder was tabbed by Milwaukee with the seventh pick.
John Mayberry Jr., an 18-year-old first baseman, was chosen 28th by the Seattle Mariners while Nick Swisher, son of former major league catcher Steve Swisher, was selected 16th by the Oakland Athletics.
