In brief: Asada wins women’s title; Americans falter
Mao Asada of Japan won the women’s title at the World Figure Skating Championships on Thursday night at Goteborg, Sweden, overcoming a big fall going into a planned triple axel.
Italy’s Carolina Kostner took the silver, despite putting her hands down twice on jumps. South Korea’s Kim Yu-na, who missed a competition last month because of a hip injury, finished third.
All three American skaters fell at least once, and their stumbles mean the United States will only send two women to next year’s all-important world championships in Los Angeles. Results at the 2009 world championships determine how many spots countries get for the Vancouver Olympics.
Earlier, Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder of France widened their lead in the ice dancing competition.
Football
Raiders spend, pave way for Hall trade
The Raiders and DeAngelo Hall agreed to terms on $70 million, seven-year contract that paves the way for the former Pro Bowl cornerback to be dealt from Atlanta to Oakland, a person familiar with the talks said.
Oakland will send a second-round pick, the 34th overall, to Atlanta.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers released wide receiver Cedrick Wilson, hours after he was charged with punching his estranged girlfriend in the face at a suburban restaurant.
Golf
For a day, Ogilvy and Jimenez in front
Former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy and Miguel Angel Jimenez share the lead at the CA Championship at Doral, Fla.
Ogilvy played bogey-free in a round of 7-under-par 65. He hit wedge into 8 feet for one last birdie, and Miguel Angel Jimenez also birdied the final hole to join him atop the leaderboard.
Tiger Woods is two shots back.
miscellany
Nadal finally defeats Blake
Defending champion Rafael Nadal beat James Blake 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, for the first time in their four meetings to move into the Pacific Life Open tennis semifinals in Indian Wells, Calif.
Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic, both 20-year-old Serbs, won matches in straight sets to move into the semifinals.
Australian Open champion Djokovic defeated Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6 (5), 6-2 to advance in the men’s tournament, and No. 2 Ivanovic beat Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 6-4 on the women’s side.
Lindsay Davenport had to quit after one set in her quarterfinal because of a sore back. Jelena Jankovic won the set 6-2.
“Jessie Evans is out as men’s basketball coach at the University of San Francisco, nearly three months after the school said he had requested a leave of absence and offered no other details on the situation.
“In Nashville, Tenn., Freddy Adu scored twice on free kicks, and the U.S. Under-23 soccer team earned an Olympic berth by beating Canada 3-0 in the CONCACAF qualifying semifinals.