In brief: Nadal wins again, breaks record

Rafael Nadal extended his winning streak on clay to 76 matches and broke John McEnroe’s record for most victories on one surface by defeating Nikolay Davydenko 7-6 (3), 6-7 (8), 6-4 Saturday in the semifinals of the Rome Masters.

McEnroe had a 75-match winning streak on indoor carpet between September 1983 and April 1985.

In the final, Nadal will meet sixth-ranked Fernando Gonzalez, who ended Filippo Volandri’s impressive run with a 6-1, 6-2 rout.

“Top-seeded Justine Henin rallied from 4-0 down in the final set against Jelena Jankovic and reached the German Open semifinals with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win in Berlin.

Henin completed the comeback with an overhead smash, then stepped on the court again a few hours later to face third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semifinals.

Downpours stopped the match with the 2004 U.S. Open champion leading Henin 6-4, 5-7, 3-2.

“Mired in his worst slump in more than three years, Roger Federer is splitting from coach Tony Roche. Federer has played in four consecutive tournaments without winning a title, his longest such drought since he rose to No. 1 in the rankings in February 2004.

The top-ranked Federer announced the change on his Web site, saying he and Roche mutually decided to end their arrangement. The move leaves Federer without a coach two weeks before the May 27 start of the French Open.

Skiing

Miller leaves team

Former Olympic medalist and World Cup champion Bode Miller is leaving the U.S. ski team, ending his contentious relationship with the federation that oversees the sport in this country.

The fiercely independent Miller has been at odds with the association for years, and there long had been rumblings that he would leave the team. U.S. officials have been unhappy with Miller’s late-night partying and his outlandish public comments.

But he was by far the best skier on the team.

The 29-year-old Miller won two silver medals at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, but was shut out at the 2006 Turin Games despite being a favorite in nearly every Alpine discipline.

Miscellany

U.S. women win

Abby Wambach scored two goals to help the U.S. women’s soccer team rout Canada 6-2 in an exhibition at Frisco, Texas.

Kristine Lilly and Lindsay Tarpley each had a goal and an assist in the United States’ highest-scoring game in 16 matches.

“Kendrick Farris broke his American record in the clean and jerk, lifting 440.7 pounds to win his second consecutive USA Weightlifting national championship at Schaumburg, Ill.

The 21-year-old Farris, from Shreveport, La., had already won the 197.2-pound competition when he made his record-setting lift. Adding a snatch of 341.5 pounds, Farris won with a total of 782.5 pounds.

“Teuflesberg is taking a pass on the Preakness, while trainer D. Wayne Lukas will send out Flying First Class in his attempt for a sixth victory in the second leg of the Triple Crown.

The moves leave Saturday’s $1 million Preakness with seven confirmed starters, including Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and the next two finishers, Hard Spun and Curlin.

“Mike Cammalleri had a goal and an assist to help Canada defeat defending champion Sweden 4-1 in Moscow, and advance to the final today against Finland at the hockey world championship.

Mikko Koivu scored in overtime to lead Finland to a 2-1 victory over host Russia.

“Liquigas cyclist Enrico Gasparotto won the opening leg of the 90th edition of the Giro d’Italia in La Maddalena, Sardinia, in 33 minutes, 38 seconds.