National sports briefs
Agassi could meet Federer in U.S. Open quarterfinals
Andre Agassi’s U.S. Open path was determined by a draw Wednesday at New York, which includes a potential quarterfinal against No. 1 Roger Federer, while defending champion Andy Roddick’s fourth-round foe could be 2000 winner Marat Safin, the man he lost to at the Australian Open.
U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe likes Roddick’s chances, though.
“In my mind, he’s still the favorite,” McEnroe said after the draw, which was held at U.N. headquarters. “The surface suits his game so well.”
Serena and Venus Williams wound up on opposite sides of the field, so they couldn’t meet until the final – where they used to regularly decide major titles.
Auto racing
NASCAR fines four crew chiefs
Two Nextel Cup crew chiefs were fined a total of $10,000 for violations discovered by NASCAR inspectors on Friday during the first inspection for Sunday’s race at Michigan International Speedway.
Pat Tryson, crew chief for Mark Martin, and Marc Reno, who works with Bobby Hamilton Jr., were fined $5,000 apiece for using unapproved fuel system modifications.
Boxing
WBC saved by settlement
At Mexico City, the WBC says it has completed an agreement with a German boxer that will prevent the sanctioning body from collapse.
The agreement with Graciano Rocchigiani was signed Friday, and the WBC on Tuesday withdrew plans to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Puerto Rico, WBC president Jose Sulaiman said in a statement.
“We have gotten up off the canvas only seconds from disappearing,” said Sulaiman, who reported last month a tentative agreement had been reached. Terms were not disclosed.
Golf
Jacobsen opts for Tradition
Last year, Peter Jacobsen was too young to play in the Tradition. This year, he has already won a major on the Champions Tour as he readies for his debut in the tournament he helped bring to his home state.
Jacobsen won the U.S. Senior Open in St. Louis earlier this month, his first victory on the 50-and-over circuit and his first major title.
Today, he’ll forgo defending at the PGA Tour’s Buick Championship to play in the JELD-WEN Tradition at the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club in the suburbs west of his native Portland.
“It is Portland,” he said. “It is my hometown.”
Little League baseball
Texas is in United States final
Chance Murski hit a grand slam and Randal Grichuk hit a three-run homer to lead Richmond, Texas, to the United States final with an 8-2 win over Morganton, N.C., at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, N.C.
“Curacao beat Taiwan 9-8 in 7 innings and advanced to Saturday’s international championship game.
Sports people
Trail Blazers sign Przybilla
Free-agent center Joel Przybilla signed with the Portland Trail Blazers. He split last season between the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks … San Antonio Spurs signed forward Linton Johnson III. … New York Rangers signed defenseman Jason Marshall. … Florida Panthers re-signed center Vaclav Nedorost and signed unrestricted free agent goalie Patrick DesRochers. Both players signed one-year deals.