Serena Williams, Nadal advance at Aussie Open
Serena Williams reached the third round of the Australian Open with a straight-sets win over Gisela Dulko today in Melbourne.
The second-seeded Williams’ 6-3, 7-5 victory was far from routine, unlike Rafael Nadal’s 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win over Croatia’s Roko Karanusic.
Williams, hoping to extend a sequence of winning the Australian title every alternate year since 2003, had to fend off six set points in the ninth game of the second set to prevent the match going to a third.
That game went to a dozen deuces before Williams broke to get back on serve.
Nadal had an easier time in his second-round match against Karanusic, fending off the bearded Croat’s six break-point chances and converting on six of the seven opportunities he had.
The 22-year-old Spaniard will next play German veteran Tommy Haas, who beat Flavio Cipolla of Italy 6-1, 6-2, 6-1.
Golf
Low scores at Hope
Pat Perez shot a 61 to take the lead in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic on a warm, still day in the desert resort area of La Quinta, Calif., when his sparkling 11-under-par round was only good enough for a one-shot lead.
With playing conditions ideal, 2003 tournament champion Mike Weir and Bubba Watson opened the five-day tournament with 62s, and six players were another shot behind on the jam-packed leaderboard.
Perez, intimately familiar with how things can go in the low-scoring Hope, wasn’t exactly doing handsprings over his round that was just two shots off the PGA Tour record of 59, last matched by David Duval in the final round of his 1998 victory on the same Palmer Course at PGA West.
After all, Perez shot a first-round 60 in the tournament three years ago only to wind up 73rd, and had a second-round 61 in 2003, when he tied for sixth.
So he said he can’t be too excited about his opening number this time.
“Because the number is 30 under, 30 plus,” Perez said, noting what it often takes to win the Hope when conditions are good. “You don’t try to get there too fast, you try to get there over five days.”
NBA
James leads Cavs
LeBron James had 34 points and 14 assists and the Cleveland Cavaliers held off the host Portland Trail Blazers for a 104-98 victory. Mo Williams added a season-high 33 points, including a career-high six 3-pointers for the Cavaliers. Cleveland made 11 of 19 3-point attempts.
Brandon Roy had 23 points for Portland.
Bynum scores 42 in Lakers’ win: Andrew Bynum scored a career-high 42 points, Kobe Bryant had his second triple-double in three games and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Clippers 108-97. Bynum became the first Lakers player to reach 40 points other than Kobe Bryant since Shaquille O’Neal scored 48 against Boston on March 21, 2003. He also had 15 rebounds.
Bryant, playing in pain two days after dislocating his right ring finger, added 18 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists.
Baseball
Phillies, Werth have deal
Outfielder Jayson Werth and the Philadelphia Phillies reached a preliminary agreement on a $10 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the agreement said. Philadelphia also announced a one-year contract with reliever Chad Durbin worth $1,635,000.
He hit .273 with 24 home runs and 67 RBIs for the World Series champions.
Vizquel agrees to minor league deal: Omar Vizquel is going to spring training with the Texas Rangers, who want him to mentor 20-year-old shortstop Elvis Andrus. An 11-time Gold Glove winner, the 41-year-old Vizquel agreed to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to spring training.
Miscellany
Unbeaten horse retired
One month after extending a North American record to 19 victories in 19 career starts, New Mexico thoroughbred Peppers Pride has been retired and will enter a Kentucky breeding program, trainer Joel Marr said.
The 5-year-old mare won a six-furlong race Dec. 14 at Sunland Park, her final event. She finished with career earnings of $1,066,085 and 14 stakes victories.
Peppers Pride went into the record books Oct. 4 after winning her 17th victory in a six-furlong allowance race at Zia Park in Hobbs. That set a modern North American record, breaking the 16-win mark she had shared with Triple Crown winner Citation, two-time Horse of the Year Cigar, Mister Frisky and Louisiana sprinter Hallowed Dreams.
Armstrong settles for 45th: Lance Armstrong finished 45th in the second stage of the Tour Down Under cycling event. Armstrong finished 13 seconds behind winner Allan Davis of Australia after the 92-mile stage. The six-day event ends Sunday.
Lions hire Cunningham: New Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz made his first major staff hire, bringing in veteran assistant Gunther Cunningham as defensive coordinator. The two previously worked together as NFL assistants on Jeff Fisher’s staff in Tennessee.
Former NHL coach has lung cancer: Former NHL coach Pat Burns is facing a third fight with cancer. The 56-year-old Burns told Montreal La Presse he has lung cancer. Burns had colon cancer in 2004 and liver cancer in 2005.
Washington commits minor violation: Washington has committed a minor recruiting violation and intends to report itself to the Pac-10. School spokesman Richard Kilwien confirmed that the school will report a secondary violation to the Pac-10 after it was determined new coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff violated an NCAA rule regarding game-day simulations while recruits are on campus.