Federer eliminates crowd’s anxiety with quarterfinal win
Roger Federer asked for treatment at the start of his third set against Ivan Ljubicic, and a groan echoed around the Qi Zhong Stadium in Shanghai, China.
The injury-marred Tennis Masters Cup couldn’t withstand the loss of another of its stars.
Top-ranked Federer, the two-time defending champion, got a quick rub on his right leg from a physiotherapist, then held off Ljubicic 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (4) Tuesday in the quarterfinals.
“I was never in doubt I was going to finish that match – maybe people in the stadium were,” Federer said.
Playing with a heavy, black brace on his right ankle, Federer extended his winning streak to 33 matches and improved to 79-3 this year. That’s three shy of John McEnroe’s Open era record (82-3) for winning percentage in a season.
Motorsports
Evernham alters crews
NASCAR car owner Ray Evernham shook up his organization, swapping crews for drivers Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield while eliminating the crew chief position. The move removed Tommy Baldwin as crew chief for Kahne. Baldwin will finish out the season as a consultant this weekend.
“Nextel Cup champion driver Kurt Busch had a 0.017 blood-alcohol level on a preliminary sobriety test, far less than the state’s impairment limit, Maricopa (Ariz.) County sheriff’s office said.
Horse racing
Jockey’s Guild dumps president
The president of The Jockeys’ Guild was voted out by riders claiming their organization has been mismanaged for years. L. Wayne Gertmenian was removed after a vote by the union’s new board of directors, the guild said in a two-page release.
“John Campo Sr., 67, who trained 1981 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Pleasant Colony, died Monday after a long illness in Ozone Park, N.Y.
Women’s basketball
School suspends night travel
Montana State-Northern athletic director Dave Gantt has suspended all night travel by athletic teams and is considering returning to chartered buses after several members of the Havre school were injured when a van carrying players overturned on icy roads.
The team was returning home after a Sunday game at Portland State when the van, driven by coach Chris Mouat, hit a patch of ice on Interstate 90 near Lookout Pass in Montana early Monday and overturned. Two players suffered serious injuries.
Miscellany
Earthquakes could move
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said that the league told the San Jose Earthquakes’ ownership group at recent MLS meetings it could move the team in time for 2006.
“Toronto police disclosed that Canadian Football League player Trevis Smith of the Saskatchewan Roughriders is HIV positive after he was charged with sexual assault, saying they thought a public health warning about his health was necessary.
“Former junior featherweight boxing champion Agapito Sanchez, 35, died from gunshot wounds during a fight outside his home in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
“Red Sarachek, 93, the former coach and athletic director at Yeshiva for 25 years and an influential figure in New York City basketball, died Monday in Deerfield Beach, Fla.
“At Phoenix, three homers helped the United States rout Guatemala 23-0 in the opening game of regional Olympic baseball qualifying.