Roddick again ousted in first round
PARIS, May 27 (UPI) -- Andy Roddick's stay at the French Open was a short one.
The American suffered a 6-7 (3-7), 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 first-round loss Tuesday to Armenia's Sargis Sargsian as the 20-year-old Roddick strangely collapsed, winning only seven games after taking the first set in a tiebreaker.
"I felt good mentally and physically out there, so I'm not really sure what happened," said Roddick, who also bowed out here last year in the first round. "It's weird going from feeling like you're playing well and feeling like you don't know what you're doing out there."
Two years ago, Roddick upset fellow American Michael Chang, who won here in 1989, to reach the third round of the French Open. Since then, neither player has won a match in the year's second Grand Slam.
Roddick arrived at Roland Garros fresh off winning his first title of the year on Saturday at St. Polten. He also was runner-up on hard courts at Memphis and on clay at Houston.
Chang, who plans to retire following the U.S. Open, experienced an emotional farewell at Roland Garros, falling to Frenchman Fabrice Santoro, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1, in his final appearance at the French Open.
Chang won the title here in dramatic fashion in 1989 when he became the youngest French Open men's singles champion in history at 17 and the first American man to win here since 1955.
There were no other major upsets as 14 of the other 15 men's seed in action advanced to the second round. The only other upset victim was No. 18 Agustin Calleri of Argentina, who fell to fellow Argentine Franco Squillari, 7-5, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.
Top seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia and his girlfriend Kim Clijsters of Belgium, the No. 2 seed in the woman's draw, enjoyed their first day at the French Open.
Hewitt, who has reached at least the fourth round here the last four years but has never won the title, beat American Brian Vahaly, 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, on Tuesday.
Clijsters advanced with a 6-2, 6-0 rout of American Amy Frazier.
Vahaly made his first appearance at Roland Garros and is still seeking his first match win after making his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon last year.
Clijsters was off the court in just 45 minutes, hitting 20 winners to five by Frazier, and lost only eight points in the second set.
Clijsters has reached at least the semifinals in all eight of her tournaments this season, winning three of those events. On clay, the 19-year-old lost in the final at Berlin before becoming the first Belgian to win the Italian Open - her second Tier I tournament triumph of the year.
Third-seeded Venus Williams returned to action Tuesday after missing almost a month with a strained abdominal muscle and moved on with a 6-2, 6-4 win over lucky loser and fellow American Samantha Reeves.
Monday, Serena Williams began her quest for a fifth straight Grand Slam crown with a 6-2, 6-1 rout of Germany's Barbara Rittner.
Although Serena won the family's first major at the 1999 U.S. Open, Venus responded to the challenge by winning consecutive Wimbledon and U.S. Open crowns in 2000 and 2001. But after defeating her younger sister in the championship match in New York two years ago, she has lost to Serena in the final at the last four majors and watched her sibling dominate women's tennis.
On the men's side, Spain's Albert Costa opened defense of his French Open crown in more difficult fashion than expected. Costa needed to rally to beat Argentine lucky loser Sergio Roitman, 6-7 (3-7), 2-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2.
Costa, the ninth seed from Spain, won the title last year to end a run of 65 tournaments without a championship, dating to July 1999. However, he has now gone 22 tournaments since without further success.
Third seed Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero, last year's runner-up here, ousted Switzerland's Michel Kratochvil, 7-5, 7-5, 6-4 on Tuesday. Ferrero has been the season's most dominating
performer on clay and has at least made the semifinals in all three prior appearances here. Ferrero lost to Costa in four setshere in his first career Grand Slam final last year.
The biggest upset victim on the women's side was No. 12 Monica Seles of the United States, who lost to Russia's Nadia Petrova, 6-4, 6-0.
A former world No. 1 who was never the same player following her stabbing incident, Seles admitted after the match that she is contemplating retirement. Seles continues to be bothered by foot problems that has her availability for next month's Wimbledon in doubt.
No. 13 seed Elena Dementieva of Russia also was upset, falling to Spain's Maria Sanchez Lorenzo, 6-3, 6-3.
Yankees Williams undergoes knee surgery
NEW YORK, May 27 (UPI) -- New York Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams underwent surgery Tuesday to repair torn cartilage in his left knee.
Williams was placed on the disabled list last Thursday after an MRI revealed a sprain and tear of the medial meniscus. He had felt pain in the knee for nearly a month.
After surgery was recommended by Yankees team physician Dr. Stuart Hershon, Williams got a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews, who agreed with Hershon's assessment and performed the procedure in Birmingham, Ala.
The timetable for Williams' return - originally estimated at four-to-six weeks - remains unchanged, Yankees' Manager Joe Torre said.
"He had surgery, it went well," Torre said. "We're pleased. We're still looking at four-to-six weeks."
A five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner, Williams got off to a strong start this year, batting .384 with six homers and 23 RBI in the first 22 games. But the injury clearly hampered Williams, who was hitless in 21 at-bats prior to going on the disabled list.
With first baseman Nick Johnson also on the disabled list with a stress fracture in his left hand and not expected back until late June, the Yankees have lost five straight games and 12 of their last 15 to fall 2 1/2 games behind Boston.
The losing streak is New York's longest since it dropped seven in a row at the end of the 2000 campaign. The Yankees also have lost eight straight at home.
Cardinals Morris NL Player of Week
NEW YORK, May 27 (UPI) -- St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matt Morris, who threw back-to-back shutouts, Tuesday was named the National League Player of the Week.
Morris struck out eight Chicago Cubs on May 19 in a four-hitter and also blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
The righthander became the first Cardinals hurler to spin consecutive shutouts since Bob Tewksbury in 1990. Morris was also named the Player of the Week once in 2001.
Dallas to play again without Nowitzki
SAN ANTONIO, May 27 (UPI) -- The San Antonio Spurs hope to advance to the NBA Finals when they face Dallas Tuesday night in Game Five of their Western Conference playoff series.
The Spurs, who won the NBA title in the lockout-abbreviated 1999 season, moved within one win of meeting the New Jersey Nets, the Eastern Conference champions, with a 102-95 win in Game Four on Sunday at Dallas.
NBA MVP Tim Duncan has had a huge series for the Spurs, averaging 31.8 points, 18.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 3.5 blocked shots per contest while making 61 percent of his shots.
Tony Parker scored 25 points, rookie Manu Ginobili added a playoff season-high 21, and Tim Duncan contributed 21, 20 rebounds, and seven assists for the Spurs, which has won three straight games since losing Game One.
Parker came up big in the third quarter for the second straight game, scoring 11 points as the Spurs ended the period on a 22-6 run to turn a nine-point deficit into a 77-70 lead heading into the final 12 minutes.
Dallas got no closer than two points in the fourth quarter.
Steve Nash and Michael Finley scored 25 points, and Nick Van Exel added 22 for Dallas, which was without the services of leading scorer Dirk Nowitzki, who sprained his left knee colliding with Ginobili in the fourth quarter of Game Three.
Because of the absences of big men Shawn Bradley and Evan Eschmeyer, both out with knee injuries, the Mavericks used mostly smaller, perimeter-based players and launched 31 three-pointers, making 12.
The Mavericks have attempted just 19 free throws over the last two games after shooting 50, making the final 49, in Game One.
Nowitzki was to be a game-time decision, but Coach Don Nelson said after a shootaround on Tuesday morning that Nowitzki had been ruled out for Game Five.
The Mavericks did not want to risk further injury to the All-Star 7-foot forward.
"Nellie told me if it's not right, he wasn't going to play me," Nowitzki told the Dallas Morning-News. "And looking back, he was 100 percent right. He's concerned about my health and my body for the future."
"We've just got to go hard for 48 minutes Tuesday, and see what it gets us," said guard Nick Van Exel. "Our energy and intensity has been great in the first half, but somehow we have to maintain it."
IBF Cruiserweight Champion arrested
LANSING, Mich., May 27 (UPI) -- Attorney General Mike Cox announced that IBF Cruiserweight champion James Toney was arrested Tuesday at his California home for failure to pay back child support.
Toney, who was born in Grand Rapids and raised in Detroit, has a 10-year-old daughter who lives in the metro-Detroit area.
"James Toney said he was looking for a heavyweight fight, well,now he's got one," said Cox. "No parent should short-change their children, especially not when they are signing multi-million dollar sports deals."
Toney, 34, won the IBF cruiserweight title by a unanimous decision in a bout with Vassili Jirov on April 28, 2003. Late last week, Toney's promoter, Dan Goosen, announced an agreement to fight undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins for $2.5 million.
In Michigan, non-support of a child is a felony punishable by up to four years in prison. Based on a warrant issued by the Michigan Attorney General's office on March 15, Toney wasarrested at his Sherman Oaks, Calif., home earlier Tuesday morning. He is currently being held in the Twin Towers Los Angeles County Jail.
Patrick Roy reported to be retiring
BOULDER, Colo., May 27 (UPI) -- It appears the NHL's winningest goaltender has stolen the thunder from the start of the Stanley Cup Finals.
A report Tuesday in the Boulder (Colo.) Daily Camera said goaltender Patrick Roy of the Avalanche, a four-time Stanley Cup winner, has decided to retire after 18 seasons in the NHL.
An official announcement is expected on Wednesday.
The Avalanche squandered a three games to one lead and lost to Minnesota in the Western Conference quarterfinals. Afterwards, Roy hinted at retirement, but said he would not announce his future plans until after the postseason.
Anaheim and New Jersey begin the Stanley Cup Finals on Tuesday night. Ironically, the most intoxicating matchup of the Finals features French-Canadian goaltenders Jean-Sebastien Giguere of Anaheim and Martin Brodeur of New Jersey.
In this case, the spotlight falls on the speculation swirling around Roy, arguably the greatest goaltender in league history, Roy, 37, has 551 career victories, and has won three Vezina Trophies and three Conn Smythe Trophies, awarded to the MVP of the playoffs.
Roy, the youngest player ever to win the Conn Smythe at age 20 when he led the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup title in 1985-86, won another championship with the Canadiens in 1992-93.
The Avalanche made the best trade in club history when they acquired Roy in December 1995, along with Mike Keane, from Montreal for goaltender Jocelyn Thibault, Martin Rucinsky, and Andrei Kovalenko.
That season, Roy led the Avalanche to their first Stanley Cup title, and earned his fourth in 2000-01, beating Brodeur and the Devils in seven games.
Stanley Cup Finals begin Tuesday night
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., May 27 (UPI) -- New Jersey, in familiar territory, and Anaheim, a novice, play Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals Tuesday night at East Rutherford, N.J.
The most intoxicating matchup in the Stanley Cup is with the French Canadian goaltenders, Jean-Sebastien Giguere of Anaheim and the Devils' Martin Brodeur, and both teams have a Niedermayer brother in the lineup.
The Might Ducks, named after Disney's 1992 hockey-themed movie, roared into the first Stanley Cup Finals berth of their 10-year history.
After a stunning sweep of the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings, they eliminated the top-seeded Dallas Stars, then overwhelmed the Minnesota Wild, becoming the first team in 11 years to sweep the conference finals.
They now have had a 10-day layoff that matches the longest ever heading into the Stanley Cup Finals.
Anaheim showed no ill effects from an earlier period of inactivity, taking Game One of the Western Conference semifinals in five overtimes, a week after polishing off Detroit.
"We tried to get back to work," said Ottawa Coach Mike Babcock. "We worked really hard. We had a scrimmage in between, but there is nothing like the game. In reality, that (layoff) is over with. We play a game here (Tuesday), and we're going to be ready."
New Jersey will have had three days off since an emotional 3-2 victory at Ottawa in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference finals. In danger of squandering a three games to one lead for the first time in team history, the Devils got a late goal from former Duck Jeff Friesen to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the third time in four years.
Scott Stevens, Brian Rafalski, Scott Niedermayer, and Colin White see the most time on defense for New Jersey Coach Pat Burns, who is back in the Finals for the first time since his rookie season with Montreal in 1989.
While Burns is in his 13th NHL season, Babcock is completing his first. After guiding the Ducks to a 26-point turnaround and their best record ever, he already has won one more playoff series than any coach in team history.
Barring a total collapse in this series, Giguere will win the Conn Smythe Trophy, win or lose. He has a remarkable 1.22 goals-against average and .960 save percentage, recorded shutouts in each of the first three games of the conference finals, and went nearly 218 minutes without allowing a goal.
"Personal statistics don't matter in the playoffs. It's all about team effort and team wins," Giguere said. "I couldn't care less if we win the game 8-7 or 1-0, it's all about winning one game at a time. It's the first team that gets to four."
Brodeur is seeking his third Stanley Cup ring in his fourth trip to the Finals. Like Giguere, he has four playoff shutouts. He is right behind his Anaheim counterpart in GAA and save percentage.
The Devils again have home-ice advantage, and that bodes well for Brodeur, who is 8-1 with a 0.90 GAA at the Continental Airlines Arena.
Orioles ink former top pick Loewen
BALTIMORE, May 27 (UPI) -- The Baltimore Orioles have come to terms with Adam Loewen, their top choice in the 2002 Player Draft.
In a statement, the team said the signing was contingent upon his passing a physical examination. He is expected to come to Baltimore later this week for his physical exam before reporting to the Orioles' minor league complex in Sarasota, Fla.
Reportedly, he got a five-year contract.
Jim Beattie, the Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations, and Mike Flanagan, Vice President for Baseball Operations, basically confirmed a report by the Baltimore Sun that an agreement was reached Monday night shortly before midnight, the deadline for signing players selected in last year's draft.
The Sun report said the Orioles beat the deadline by five minutes.
"It feels very good to get a young, talented kid in the organization," Beattie told the paper. "It was an interesting process, that's for sure."
The paper also said that, when the Orioles lost centerfielder Gary Matthews Jr., to the San Diego Padres on waivers last week, they saved about $645,000 so they could use that money toward signing Loewen. Matthews' departure also opened up a spot on the 40-man roster.
Loewen, 19, a 6-6, 230-pounder, is a native of Surrey, British Columbia, was the fourth overall pick in last year's draft after graduating from Fraser Valley Christian High School. This past year, he attended Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Fla., where he went 6-1 with a 2.37 ERA in 12 games.
Loewen was a member of the Canadian Junior National Team, was team MVP in 2000, was named MVP of the Canadian National Games in 2002, and is the highest draft pick in Canadian history.
Brewers send Sanchez to Tigers
MILWAUKEE, May 27 (UPI) -- The Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday dealt veteran outfielder Alex Sanchex to Detroit for minor leaguers Chad Petty and Gary Varner.
Sanchez did give the Brewers some chances with his speed and hitting prowess, but the team tired of his undisciplined play and mental mistakes.
General Manager Doug Melvin, in speaking with MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, gave the indication that the Brewers feel they are better off with a player who was projected as a prospect of the future.
"Scott Podsednik's performance over the last several weeks gave us this opportunity to trade Alex Sanchez," Melvin said. "We were able to get two young players to add to our minor league system, and we believe that Alex, with his talent, will get a better opportunity with Detroit. We wish him well."
Sanchez, who also fell into the doghouse with Tampa Bay, was hitting .282 with 15 runs scored and 14 RBI in 43 games this season. He earned a spot on the bench of Manager Ned Yost on May 13.
Brewers coaches wanted Sanchez to work pitchers deeper into counts, bunt more, and work harder on his outfield defense, but he failed to comply.
Sanchez, a native of Cuba, displayed his potential when he stole 92 bases in 131 games in 1997, and swiped 66 more while hitting .330 for Single-A St. Petersburg in the Florida State League in 1998, good for Tampa Bay's Minor League Player of the Year honors.
He played in the Major League Futures game in 1999.
Petty, 21, began this season with Single-A Lakeland, where he went 3-4 with a 4.40 ERA in 10 starts. Last year, he tied for the lead in the Midwest League with 15 wins and 28 games started.
Varner, 22, began this season with Double A Erie, hitting .303 in 44 games with three home runs and 30 RBI.
Bay sidelined with broken wrist
SAN DIEGO, May 27 (UPI) -- The struggling San Diego Padres have learned that they will be without rookie outfielder Jason Bay for an extended period because of a broken wrist.
In a weekend series at Arizona Saturday, Bay was hit by a pitch from Elmer Dessens in the second inning. X-rays taken at Bank One Ballpark revealed the injury to be a fracture to the ulnar styloid bone, which is on the outside edge of the wrist.
Padres trainer Todd Hutcheson described the break as fairly clean with no other complications.
After getting plunked, Bay took his base and played the bottom half of the inning in the outfield, but was unable to answer the call for defensive duties in the third and was replaced by the recently-signed Gary Matthews Jr.
"I ran the bases and then I went out to the outfield and played catch and it didn't really feel all that great," Bay said. "It just started getting tighter as the inning went on, and thank God a ball didn't get hit my way. I went in and after that it just sort of locked up. I've never had a broken bone before, but I knew there was something wrong."
MLB.com, the Web site of Major League Baseball, reported that the injury normally requires a minimum of six weeks to heal, but in this case, that process may be quicker.
"It depends," Hutcheson said. "Doc (Jan) Fronek said 4-6 (weeks), but we'll have to reevaluate it as we go. Obviously, he'll be in a splint for a couple of weeks. We'll re-X-ray it to make sure the fracture hasn't moved positions. It's a non-displaced fracture so there is nothing else we have to do. Just immobilize it and let it heal."
Bay, 24, who in his major league debut on Friday homered off Arizona's hard-throwing closer, Matt Mantei, has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, where he joins the man he replaced, centerfielder Mark Kotsay, as well as closer Trevor Hoffman and left fielder Phil Nevin.
To fill his roster spot, the Padres have recalled Jermaine Clark from Triple-A Portland of the Pacific Coast League.
Clark, who was claimed off waivers on April 30, began the season with the Texas Rangers, but was demoted to Triple-A Oklahoma after batting just .188 in 10 games with the Rangers.
The Padres ended a dreadful 1-6 road trip Monday with an 8-4 loss to the Diamondbacks, and are last in the National League West at 14-37 overall, 7-21 away from home.
Dolphins send Rodgers to Saints
MIAMI, May 27 (UPI) -- The Miami Dolphins have traded weakside linebacker Derrick Rodgers to the Miami Dolphins for a seventh-round draft pick.
The recent acquisition of Junior Seau made Rodgers expendable, and the bargain price was a seventh-round pick in 2004.
The Dolphins were willing to settle for anything in return since the 6-1, 230-pounder from Arizona State likely would have been cut in June for salary cap purposes. Miami signed Seau, a perennial Pro Bowl linebacker, earlier this month to a four-year, $14 million contract.
The Green Bay Packers also expressed interest in Rodgers, but held off on a possible trade after selecting Oregon State linebacker Nick Barnett in the first round of the April draft.
Rodgers, 31, started 89 of 93 games at weakside linebacker for the Dolphins since being drafted in the third round in 1997. He has 378 career tackles, nine sacks, four forced fumbles, and three interceptions.
"Rodgers is the kind of player we have targeted for the defense
since last season ended," said New Orleans Coach Jim Haslett. "He can fly to the ball and close gaps. We have gotten deeper, more experienced, and faster with this trade."
The Saints, who ranked 27th in defense last season, were planning on starting James Allen, a third-round pick in 2002, at weakside linebacker before acquiring Rodgers, who attended St. Augustine High School in New Orleans.
Instead of football, he played the trumpet as a member of the school's nationally renowned marching band. He left ASU after his junior season.
Rodgers graduated from high school in 1989, and then served four years as a medical technician in the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed for more than two years in Okinawa, Japan, before enrolling at Riverside (Calif.) Community College in 1994.
Glaus, Mora co-AL Player Week
NEW YORK, May 27 (UPI) -- Anaheim Angels third baseman Troy Glaus and Baltimore Orioles utilityman Melvin Mora on Tuesday were named co-American League Players of the Week.
In six games, Glaus paced the American League with 27 total bases and tied for the league high with four doubles, four home runs and three stolen bases.
Last year's World Series Most Valuable Player, Glaus batted .550 (11-for-20) with eight RBI to earn his third career Player of the Week award.
Mora, who was honored for the first time, paced the major leagues in slugging percentage (1.350), on-base percentage (.640), hits (15) and runs scored (nine).
Mora batted .536 with a homer and eight RBI. He capped the week by going 5-for-5 in Sunday's 13-10 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Lions receiver stabbed outside nightclub
HOUSTON, May 27 (UPI) -- Detroit Lions wide receiver Scotty Anderson and his brother were stabbed early Monday morning outside a Houston nightclub.
According to a Houston Police Department report, Anderson, his brother, Steve, and a cousin were involved in an incident as they were leaving the Crystal Nite Club.
Scotty Anderson received a stab wound in the upper left arm, and was treated and released from a local hospital. Stevie Anderson, a former wide receiver with the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals, received multiple stab wounds and remains in critical condition at Hermann Memorial Hospital.
"The Detroit Lions thoughts and prayers are with Scotty Anderson and his family during this difficult time, and the Lions family is hoping for Stevie's complete and full recovery," the team said in a statement.
Police arrested a pair of suspects. The Detroit News said they have been identified as Christopher Lemar Robinson and Charles Edward Jones, and that the two men have been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The paper also said Scotty Anderson has been excused from reporting Tuesday for the start of a three-week mini-camp at the team's headquarters in Allen Park, Mich.
Entering his third season with the Lions, Scotty Anderson caught 25 passes for 322 yards and one touchdown last season.
Last year, he was the victim of a carjacking in Louisiana. The paper said last month, a federal judge sentenced a woman to three years in prison for he role in the carjacking of Anderson's customized Cadillac.
Nadeau released from hospital
CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 27 (UPI) -- NASCAR Winston Cup veteran Jerry Nadeau has been released from the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond.
He will continue his recovery at the Charlotte (N.C.) Institute of Rehabilitation.
Doctors at the VCU Medical Center said Nadeau was "improving daily," and is on an "excellent recovery path." His rehabilitation will continue to consist of physical, recreational, and speech therapy.
Nadeau, 32, was injured May 2 during a practice session at Richmond International Raceway. He suffered a moderate to severe head injury, a fractured shoulder blade, and lung and rib injuries.
"We are thankful and very appreciative for the excellent medical care that Jerry received at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center," said Nadeau's wife, Jada. "It is a facility of the highest standard, and everyone affiliated with the hospital was compassionate, professional, and truly wonderful to work with. We look forward to returning to North Carolina as Jerry continues his recovery. He is doing great, and we know that we are going to another excellent facility at the Charlotte Institute of Rehabilitation."
Nadeau regained consciousness last week. He had been in a semiconscious state after suffering a "moderate to severe" head injury in the crash. He also sustained a broken shoulder blade.
He was hurt when the back end of his Pontiac Grand Prix got loose and spun, hitting the wall with the driver's side of the vehicle between turns 1 and 2.
Nadeau is in his sixth full season on the Winston Cup circuit. His only victory in 177 career starts came in the final race of 2000 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
