Fast Break
TENNIS
Rare triple for Djokovic
Novak Djokovic called his Rogers Cup semifinal victory over Rafael Nadal one of the biggest victories of his career.
It turns out he was only getting warmed up.
Djokovic upset world No. 1 Roger Federer 7-6 (2), 2-6, 7-6 (2) Sunday to win the $2.45 million Masters Series event in Montreal, solidifying himself as a serious contender to win the U.S. Open beginning later this month in New York.
It was third-seeded Djokovic’s fourth tournament win this year and his first win in five career matches against Federer, whose 16-match Rogers Cup winning streak ended. The Swiss star won the tournament in 2004 and 2006, and sat out in 2005 with a foot injury.
With wins over Andy Roddick and No. 2 Nadal in his previous rounds, Djokovic also became the first player to beat the world’s top three players in the same tournament since Boris Becker defeated No. 3 Michael Stich, No. 1 Pete Sampras and No. 2 Goran Ivanisevic in succession in 1994 in Stockholm.
WRESTLING
Pacman escapes event unscathed
Adam “Pacman” Jones ended up surrounded by police Sunday night. This time they were actors trying to help the suspended cornerback, who had been allegedly “attacked.”
Not a finger was laid on Jones on-camera at the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling event in Orlando, Fla., but several were awfully close. A wrestler rushed the stage after jawing with Jones, but four actors with police clothing tackled him just out of reach.
Minutes later, the studio television screens flashed to Jones backstage, lying on the ground after being purportedly attacked.
The Tennessee Titans got a court order prohibiting Jones from participating in any wrestling activity after he promised in a taped segment Thursday on TNA’s weekly Spike TV show to appear.
Jones, the team and TNA reached an agreement Friday allowing him to perform – under extensive stipulation. He could not touch or be touched, grapple, shove, throw or have anything thrown at him by anyone working for or watching the show.
FOOTBALL
D-II chief says play with honor
The strength of NCAA Division II is that it strikes the right balance of academics and athletics in college life, and the 296 member institutions should be proud of that identity, the chairman of the Division II President’s Council says.
Pfeiffer University president Chuck Ambrose said he and other Division II leaders, concerned about schools leaving for Division I, have spent the past two years working to get the word out about the positives of Division II membership.
The goal, Ambrose said, is to find strategies that will draw schools into, rather than away from, Division II.
“Division II was feeling defensive,” Ambrose said. “We were defining ourselves as a division and membership in terms of what we’re not. We’re not Division I, but we offer a high level of academic and athletic competition. It’s not ‘A’ position to be in when you’re defining yourself by what you’re not.”