In brief: Davenport upsets second-ranked Ivanovic
When an infant in the stadium stands began to cry during a rally Sunday, Lindsay Davenport won the point anyway. Motherhood hasn’t diminished her focus at work.
Still gaining momentum in her career comeback after becoming a parent, Davenport upset second-ranked Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-2 in the third round at the Sony Ericsson Open at Key Biscayne, Fla.
Davenport left the women’s tour in late 2006 to have her first child, then came back last summer. The three-time Grand Slam champion is 17-3 this year with two titles, and she rated the win over Ivanovic as her best since returning.
“It’s quite rewarding,” said Davenport, 31. “In this comeback, for lack of better words, I’ve not made a fool of myself. I’ve done pretty well for my age and for what I’ve been through.”
Hampered by injuries in recent years, Davenport is playing at Key Biscayne for the first time since 2003. She next faces No. 13 Dinara Safina, who rallied past No. 18 Sybille Bammer 4-6, 6-1, 6-0.
On the men’s side, No. 2 Rafael Nadal never faced a break point and beat Nicolas Kiefer 6-2, 6-4. No. 9 James Blake outlasted 35-year-old Fabrice Santoro, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-4.
Cross country
Bekele wins world title
Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia won his record-setting sixth title at the world cross-country championships despite briefly losing a shoe, and Tirunesh Dibaba won the women’s race, at Edinburgh, Scotland.
Bekele finished the 7.5-mile race in 34 minutes, 36 seconds. Leonard Patrick Komon of Kenya was second in 34:41.
Dibaba won her third world cross-country title. She finished the 5-mile women’s course in 25:10.
Football
Will NFL ban long hair?
Mike Nolan thinks there are reasons beyond safety for the proposal that could lead to an NFL ban on hair hanging from the back of helmets.
“The nameplate is on his back; the number is on his back,” the San Francisco 49ers coach said, the day before the NFL’s meetings officially begin at Palm Beach, Fla. “That’s what we want the fans to see. Not his hair.”
The other rules proposals come from the competition committee, which has more clout. Among them:
“Changing the playoff seeding so that a wild-card team could get home-field advantage in a first-round game if it has a better regular-season record than a division winner.
“The college option on the coin toss, allowing teams to defer taking the ball until the second half.
“Ending the forceout rule on receptions and interceptions.
“Eliminating the 5-yard “incidental facemask” penalty.
“Instant replay on field-goal attempts.
Miscellany
Reed wins gold for U.S.
Jennie Reed gave the United States its first gold medal, winning the last event in the track cycling world championships by taking the keirin title from Victoria Pendleton of Britain, at Manchester, England.
Reed of Kirkland, Wash., captured her first world title. She earlier won the bronze in the women’s sprint. The other American medal was a silver by Sarah Hammer in individual pursuit.
Reed now begins preparation for the Olympics. But since there is no women’s keirin in the program, she will have to beat Pendleton in the sprint if she wants to add that gold to her collection.
“At Park City, Utah, Michael Morse won the men’s dual moguls for his second title of the weekend, and veteran Michelle Roark won her first national title in the final event of the U.S. Freestyle Championships.