In brief: Bandaged Venus advances
Tennis: Venus Williams overwhelmed 73rd-ranked Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine 6-3, 6-2 in the second round at Wimbledon to stretch her All England Club winning streaks to 16 matches and 27 sets.
Afterward, Williams was coy about new bandaging on her left knee, saying it was “just for support.”
“I really hate tape – like, hate. But I just needed it this time. I accepted that, and I realize that this is Wimbledon. So since it was Wimbledon, I taped,” said the American, trying to become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1991-93 to win three consecutive titles at the All England Club.
The Great Tape Caper produced the closest thing to real intrigue Thursday at a tournament that has largely been devoid of surprises, other than Maria Sharapova’s loss a day earlier. There were, however, two young American qualifiers who both made their way into the third round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time: 17-year-old Melanie Oudin of Marietta, Ga., and 21-year-old Jesse Levine of Boca Raton, Fla.
Andy Roddick, twice a Wimbledon runner-up, got to the third round with a 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win over Igor Kunitsyn of Russia. Playing on the grass that gives solid serves extra verve, Roddick hit 18 aces and faced break points in only one game.
Only one seeded player departed, No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro, who lost to Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 7-5, 7-5.
Perry ties course record with 61
Golf: Kenny Perry shot a 61 to tie the course record and take a two-shot lead after the first round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.
•German leads by one at LPGA: Germany’s Sandra Gal kept loose over a game of chess during a rain delay and shot an 8-under-par 64 to lead Jiyai Shin by one stroke before darkness suspended first-round play at the Wegmans LPGA in Rochester, N.Y. Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., shot a 70.
Alabama files appeal to NCAA over forfeits
Football: The University of Alabama said it has taken the first step toward appealing a ruling by the NCAA that forced the Crimson Tide football program to vacate 21 wins.
The university said it won’t appeal other sanctions, including three years of probation for football and 15 other sports.
The NCAA sanctioned the teams after 201 athletes were found to have used their scholarships to get free textbooks or other materials they weren’t entitled to.
Brazil will play U.S. in Confederations final
Soccer: Daniel Alves scored the only goal on a free kick with just 2 minutes left at the Confederations Cup, sending Brazil into the final against the surprising United States and ending host South Africa’s upset bid in Johannesburg.
Sunday’s final at Ellis Park will be a rematch of last week’s game in group play, when the five-time World Cup champions beat the Americans.
Jordan interested in buying Bobcats
Miscellany: The NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats are for sale and Michael Jordan is interested. Jordan said that he “would like to put together a team” that would buy the Bobcats from majority owner Bob Johnson. Jordan bought a minority stake in the team in 2006.
•Rooney now ambassador to Ireland: Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney was confirmed by the Senate as U.S. ambassador to Ireland.
•Court: Hustler wrong to print photos: A federal appeals court in Atlanta ruled that Hustler Magazine didn’t have the right to publish decades-old nude photographs of the wife of wrestler Chris Benoit, who killed the woman and his young son before committing suicide two years ago.
The three-judge panel ruled that while Benoit’s death may be newsworthy, her nude photographs were not.
•Steffen breaks freestyle record: German swimmer Britta Steffen has set a world record of 52.85 seconds in the 100-meter freestyle at a meet in Berlin.