Briefly
Rafael Nadal’s French Open title vaulted him to No. 3 in the ATP Tour rankings Monday in Paris, still far behind No. 1 Roger Federer.
Lindsay Davenport, who hasn’t won a Grand Slam event in more than five years, held her top ranking on the WTA Tour. French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne jumped from No. 12 to No. 7 in her first major win since returning from illness and injury.
Federer, who lost to Nadal in the French semis, leads the ATP entry rankings with 6,980 points. Lleyton Hewitt is No. 2 with 3,685 points, Nadal is close behind with 3,600 points, Andy Roddick is only slightly back at No. 4 with 3,590 points and Marat Safin is No. 5 with 3,065.
Going into the French, Nadal had been No. 5 behind Roddick and Safin.
French runner-up Mariano Puerta jumped 26 spots in the rankings to a career-best No. 11.
In the ATP race, which reflects points collected from the start of the calendar year, Federer and Nadal are tied for No. 1 with 665 points each.
Davenport leads the WTA Tour with 5,247 points, far ahead of No. 2 Maria Sharapova’s 4,986 points.
“NBC’s telecast of Rafael Nadal’s victory over Mariano Puerta in the men’s final of the French Open on Sunday drew an overnight rating of 2.0, close to the usual number for a major tennis final without Americans. Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne’s victory over Mary Pierce of France in the women’s final on Saturday drew a 1.9 rating. Both championship matches earned a share of six.
College athletics
Georgia Tech to meet with NCAA
The NCAA infractions staff wants to meet with Georgia Tech officials to discuss the school’s proposed penalties for using 17 athletes in four sports who were not academically eligible.
Athletic director Dave Braine views the request for a face-to-face meeting as “a good sign.”
“I think they have enough respect for the integrity of Georgia Tech that they wanted to talk with the people involved,” Braine said, shortly before the Yellow Jackets played South Carolina in an NCAA baseball regional.
In a letter to Georgia Tech president Wayne Clough, the NCAA asked for the meeting to clarify questions it has about the case. The enforcement staff wants to talk with school officials who are not part of the athletic department – presumably those from the registrar’s office who were responsible for certifying the ineligible athletes.
Georgia Tech used ineligible athletes from 2000-04 in football, men’s and women’s track, and women’s swimming.
College basketball
Randolph plans to return to Duke
Shavlik Randolph expects to return to Duke for his senior season.
“My intentions are to come back to Duke because I think we’ll have a chance to do something special next year,” Randolph said.
Randolph said he’ll likely wait until the June 20 deadline to make a final decision.
“Sophomore point guard Gary Ervin has left Mississippi State and transferred to Arkansas, said Razorbacks coach Stan Heath.
Miscellany
Time Warner sued for reneging
A Dallas auto dealer who lost his bid to buy the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers filed a lawsuit in Atlanta, against the struggling franchises’ former parent company, Time Warner Inc., and accused the media conglomerate of reneging on the deal.
David McDavid also alleges in the lawsuit in Fulton County Superior Court that Time Warner and subsidiary Turner Broadcasting System Inc. revealed his confidential business plans to a competing group of investors who ultimately bought the NBA’s Hawks and the NHL’s Thrashers for $250 million.
McDavid wants Time Warner and TBS to pay him the difference between the price the teams were bought for, which is similar to what he had agreed to pay, and what the teams are actually worth, which some believe is much more.
“The NHL and the players’ union will hold three more days of talks, beginning today in yet another small-group setting. The sides will be getting together in New York, marking the sixth straight week they will hold negotiations.
Sports people
Kelly qualifies for U.S. Open
Troy Kelly, of Gig Harbor, Wash., shot 70-68 in Snoqualmie, Wash., to qualify for the 105th U.S. Open in Pinehurst, N.C., next week.
Kelly was the NCAA runnerup in 1999, playing for the University of Washington.
NCAA champion James Lepp, from UW, was six shots behind and is a first alternate.
Geoff Ogilvy of Australia shot rounds of 67 and 64 in Waterville, Ohio, to capture medalist honors at one of 13 U.S. Open sectional qualifiers – including the first ever held in England, and the first time the U.S. Golf Association placed qualifiers overseas.