Venus Williams will miss U.S. Open
Venus Williams has had plenty of problems with injuries, and the bum left wrist that’s sidelined her since Wimbledon is forcing her to skip the U.S. Open.
Williams withdrew Friday from the year’s last Grand Slam tournament, an event she’s won twice.
Her agent, Carlos Fleming, said Williams plans to participate in the U.S. Open’s opening night ceremony Monday, when the complex used for the tournament will be renamed to honor Billie Jean King.
The next tournament on Williams’ schedule is an indoor event in Luxembourg that starts Sept. 25, and Fleming said she has every intention of playing.
“Lindsay Davenport overcame a rain delay, a sore shoulder and the hard-hitting Samantha Stosur to advance to the final of the Pilot Pen tournament with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7) victory in New Haven, Conn.
She will play Justine Henin-Hardenne, who advanced with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Track and Field
Gatlin looks for answer
Justin Gatlin said he has “no idea how any banned substance got into my body,” and restated his plan to appeal the eight-year ban from track he received earlier this week after acknowledging he tested positive for doping.
With the Olympics less than two years away, the clock is ticking fast for Gatlin. Even if his suspension were reduced significantly – say to two years – he would miss Olympic trials in June 2008.
“Asafa Powell was focusing so hard on what he needed to do to lower his world record in the 100 meters that he almost didn’t get out of the blocks at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels, Belgium.
Powell overcame a poor start to finish in 9.99 seconds, to remain unbeaten in Golden League meets and keep his shot at winning at least part of the $1 million jackpot in Berlin next week.
Miscellany
Stotz dies at 92
Grayce Stotz, the wife of Little League Baseball founder Carl Stotz who also played an instrumental role in the youth baseball organization, died at age 92.
“Jeff Bower signed a five-year extension to remain the general manager of the New Orleans Hornets through 2011.
“A fired attorney for Maurice Clarett said an assistant prosecutor offered a plea deal in July with a sentence as short as 1 1/2 years if the ex-Ohio State football standout admitted to a robbery charge.
He is scheduled to go on trial Sept. 18, pending a mental evaluation, on charges that he held up two people outside a Columbus bar early New Year’s Day and took a cell phone from them.
“The judge overseeing the rape trial of three Duke University lacrosse players plans to bar cameras and other electronic media from pretrial hearings.
“Jose Luis Castillo was fined $250,000 and his Nevada boxing license was suspended for the rest of the year for failing to make weight for a June 3 title fight against Diego Corrales.