Federer advances to third round of Australian Open
Second-ranked Roger Federer has reached the third round of the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, where he is trying to equal Pete Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slam titles.
Federer was dominating in a 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 victory today over No. 118 Evgeny Korolev, a Russian who has never made it past the second round in a major. It took just 86 minutes.
Affected by mononucleosis, Federer lost in the semifinals at Melbourne last year. He looks to be in top form and next plays Marat Safin, the Russian who beat him in the semifinals en route to the 2005 Australian Open championship.
Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic cruised into the third round, with both 21-year-old Serbs looking as if they could make another memorable run in the season’s first major.
Ivanovic beat Italian Alberta Brianti 6-3, 6-2 at Rod Laver Arena, and defending men’s champion Djokovic followed with a 7-5, 6-1, 6-3 win over Frenchman Jeremy Chardy.
NFL
Parcells will stay
New Miami Dolphins majority owner Stephen Ross won’t mess with success: He said Bill Parcells will remain in charge of the football operation.
Ross, a New York real estate billionaire, completed his purchase of 95 percent of the franchise for $1 billion, with Wayne Huizenga retaining a 5 percent interest.
Ross then addressed speculation he and Parcells might not be hitting it off. The sale triggered a clause in Parcells’ contract allowing him to leave and still receive the $9 million-$12 million remaining on the four-year contract he signed a year ago.
“Parcells is in charge,” Ross said. “He’s staying, and I think we’re very fortunate to have someone like Bill Parcells, who I think people have come to recognize as probably the best football mind in America.”
•Raiders talk to Saunders: The Oakland Raiders are making another run at Al Saunders. This time, it will be for the offensive coordinator vacancy created by the departure of Greg Knapp to the Seattle Seahawks. Saunders was just fired by the St. Louis Rams.
•Niners eye Jagodzinski: Former Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski will interview with the San Francisco 49ers for their vacant offensive coordinator position.
Jagodzinski was fired by Boston College on Jan. 7 after he interviewed for the New York Jets’ head coaching position against the school’s wishes.
•Long replaces Peters: Miami Dolphins rookie tackle Jake Long was selected to the Pro Bowl as a replacement for Buffalo’s Jason Peters, who had a late-season knee injury.
•Voters approve bond: An official of the tiny Southern California city of Industry says voters have approved a bond measure that would provide $150 million for infrastructure improvements at a 600-acre site where a proposed pro football stadium would be built.
The election results support a proposal by billionaire developer Ed Roski’s Majestic Real Estate Co. to build an $800 million stadium.
•Lavelli dies: Hall of Famer Dante “Gluefingers” Lavelli, a sure-handed receiver who helped the Cleveland Browns build a dynasty in the 1940s and ’50s, has died of an unknown cause in a Cleveland hospital. He was 85.
NBA
Spurs win handily
Tim Duncan scored 27 points and Manu Ginobili had 26 before the San Antonio Spurs sat their stars early in a lopsided 99-81 win over Indiana in San Antonio.
Tony Parker added 13 points for San Antonio, which ended the first half of the season in the familiar position of first in the Southwest Division.
•Bibby leads Hawks: Mike Bibby scored nine of his season-high 31 points in the final 5 minutes, and the visiting Atlanta Hawks beat the Chicago Bulls 105-102 to complete a three-game sweep.
College men’s basketball
Duke rallies for victory
Gerald Henderson scored 21 points and No. 2 Duke (17-1, 4-0 ACC) pulled away late to post a 73-56 victory over visiting North Carolina State (10-6, 1-3).
Duke closed the game on a 27-5 run and shot 76 percent in the second half.
•Illinois cruises: Mike Tisdale scored 15 points and No. 25 Illinois (16-3, 4-2 Big Ten) won its first game this season with a national ranking, holding off visiting Ohio State (13-4, 3-3) 67-49.
•Self admits to encounter: Kansas officials are checking to see if coach Bill Self’s brief encounter with a top recruit might constitute an NCAA infraction.
Self agrees he said hello to John Wall, a 6-foot-4 guard who had just played in a high school tournament in Springfield, Mo. It happened during an evaluation period last week when college coaches are not allowed contact with prospects other than to exchange greetings.
“Basically, it’s accurate,” Self said. “I don’t know if the exact quote is accurate. After the game was over, like I always do, like every coach always does, I had to catch a plane. So I went back to tell the coaches, ‘Congratulations, good win.’ I was approached and shook a hand and said, ‘I can’t talk to you, but you played really well.’ ”
NHL
Lemieux returns
Claude Lemieux returned to the NHL after an absence of more than 51/2 years, suiting up for the San Jose Sharks’ 2-1 overtime victory against visiting Vancouver.
Lemieux, 43, is a four-time Stanley Cup winner, but he hadn’t played in hockey’s top league since 2003 with Dallas. He began his comeback nearly two months ago.
•Kings beat Wild: Kyle Calder had a goal and an assist to help the Los Angeles Kings end a four-game skid with a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul, Minn.
•Senators edge Capitals: Brendan Bell scored Ottawa’s third power-play goal of the game with 1:22 remaining to lift the Senators to a 3-2 win over the visiting Washington Capitals.
•Hurricanes eke out win: Cam Ward made 32 saves, ex-Spokane Chief Ray Whitney and Eric Staal scored and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the host Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1.
Miscellany
CWU committed
Central Washington says despite rival Western Washington’s decision to drop its football program, the Wildcats have no plans to follow suit.
CWU athletic director Jack Bishop said in a statement that CWU is fully committed to sponsoring football at the Division II school.
•Vancouver offers solution: Vancouver’s finance director, Kenneth Bayne, recommended that the city take over the financing of the Olympic athletes’ village to save money and ensure the project is completed on time.