Youzhny beats Wawrinka in 5 sets in Open quarters (AP)

AP - The only other time Mikhail Youzhny reached the U.S. Open semifinals, in 2006, he got there by upsetting Rafael Nadal.

Touted talent Dillon Baxter set for USC debut (AP)

AP - Dillon Baxter is eager for his Hollywood premiere, even if it's a week late.

W.Cup final referee's return 'not a problem' for Van der Vaart (AFP)

AFP - New Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart says there will be no hard feelings when he comes up against World Cup final referee Howard Webb on Saturday.

Tennis players take on capital

The first course of junior representative tennis for the season will be served up this weekend when nine Marlborough juniors join forces with their Nelson counterparts and travel across Cook Strait to tackle Welllington-Hutt Valley.

Soccer star faces axe over sex pics

SOCCER star Lisa De Vanna could be stripped of her Matildas contract after a teenage fan saw pictures of her simulating sexual acts on her Facebook page.

Ex-Browns TE Winslow ready to play former team (AP)

AP - Kellen Winslow hasn't forgotten Cleveland, but he has moved on.

Yanks' Pettitte goes 4 neat innings in rehab start (AP)

AP - New York Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte began a minor league rehabilitation start Thursday night by breezing through Double-A hitters as he works his way back from a groin injury.

BASEBALL: Titans take second at King of the Dirt

The South County Titans 12U travel baseball team out of Gilroy took second place out of 10 teams over the weekend at the King of the Dirt Labor Day tournament at Twin Creeks. The Titans came out Saturday firing on all cylinders with a 13-4 romp of the Golden Gate Sliders. However, the excitement was short-lived as the Titans fell short in 5-1 in Game 2 to the Sacramento Blue Devils. The script ...

Favre was pleased to come home for his comeback (AP)

AP - Perhaps it would have been too cruel if the last pass Brett Favre threw in his spectacular career was an ill-advised and arguably game-losing interception in the Minnesota Vikings' NFC title match with the New Orleans Saints last January.

Gritty Youzhny reaches US Open semis (AFP)

AFP - Mikhail Youzhny of Russia reached the US Open semi-finals on Thursday with a 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka.

Kuchar atop the leaderboard again with 64 (AP)

AP - Already having his best season, Matt Kuchar got off to his best start of the year Thursday in the BMW Championship. A mystery season for Tiger Woods took another unexpected turn.

Football: Spartans dominate Jenkintown

Most area football teams have to wait until at least the fourth week of the season to play a league team.

Wie eyes 2nd straight win at NW Arkansas event (AP)

AP - With a pair of wins in the last 11 months, Michelle Wie is finally turning potential into success.

Football Coach In Prostitution Sting Returns

The high school football coach accused of trying to pick up a prostitute took the field Thursday night for the first time since his arrest.

Patriots QB Brady unhurt in wreck near Boston home (AP)

AP - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was in a two-vehicle accident near his home Thursday morning but was unhurt and hours later practiced as usual with his team just days before the season opener.

Barnes' fiance says domestic accusation false (AP)

AP - The fiance of Los Angeles Lakers player Matt Barnes says a domestic violence accusation against him is false, and he has never physically abused her or her family.

Basketball: Lithuania stun Argentina, 104-85, to reach final

ISTANBUL—World number one Argentina were crushed 104-85 by Lithuania in the quarter-finals of the world basketball championships on Thursday as the Baltic state set-up a last four clash with the USA.

Blues introduce new goaltender Halak to fans (AP)

AP - The St. Louis Blues introduced their prize acquisition, goaltender Jaroslav Halak, to his new fans Thursday.

Football: Indians open at Panas Saturday night

The John Jay football team opens the season on Saturday night at Walter Panas (6 p.m.) looking to get itself back into the title hunt after two years of missing out on the championship playoffs.

Tennis-Qureshi aims to serve up peace at U.S. Open

Pakistan's Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi only took up tennis to avoid doing homework, but now the doubles specialist is a household name back home with his exploits at the U.S. Open and his bid to broker peace.

Vegas police seeking Mayweather in battery case (AP)

AP - Police sought boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. for questioning Thursday about a domestic battery report filed by an ex-girlfriend who recanted a similar claim in 2005, police and his lawyer said.

Golf is rewarding sport for Lonoke’s Robinson

Ryan Robinson received his first golf set when he was 1 year old, and nine years later he has amassed 50 awards, trophies and medals.

Basketball: Lithuania, USA set-up semi-final basketball clash

ISTANBUL : Tournament favourites USA edged Russia 89-79 to reach the world basketball semi-finals on Thursday where they will meet Lithuania who stunned world number one Argentina 104-85.

Football Pitfall: Stadium Kitchens

Football season starts today. How can you get in the spirit and stay healthy? Aside from recent concerns over a link between nitrates and bladder cancer, occasional indulgence in stadium junk food can't be too damaging. But for a reality check on food safety, have a look at ESPN's comprehensive list of health code violations [...]

Tennis UPDATE: Williamsburg natives Ford, Spooner among players in W&M event Friday

In women’s tennis, the annual William and Mary Invitational begins at 9 a.m. Friday around Williamsburg, with 13 schools, five singles brackets and three doubles draws.

Soccer: Lady Tigers stay perfect, Tiger boys fall at North Valleys

The Douglas girls' soccer team improved to 7-0 on the year while rattling off its sixth-straight shutout in a 4-0 win over North Valleys Tuesday night.

Basketball Wives Respond To Matt Barnes’ Arrest

Basketball Wives stars Jennifer Williams and Evelyn Lozada have turned to (where else?) their Twitter accounts to respond to the earlier news of Matt Barnes‘ domestic violence arrest (see below). While their language is loaded with qualification, it’s at least somewhat surprising that they’ve stepped up to defend their on-screen rival, Gloria Govan. I guess when a conflict comes down between ...

Basketball player hurt by swastika on mural

An Israeli professional basketball player says he feels hurt that someone would paint a swastika on a mural featuring his likeness. Omri Casspi told the Sacramento Bee on Thursday that it's hurtful to think there are still people who do such a thing in 2010. The Bee reached Casspi, who plays for the Sacramento Kings, at his family home in Yavne, Israel.

Toronto police turn over Clemens documents (AP)

AP - Police searched the offices of the Toronto Blue Jays and turned over documents in connection with the perjury case against seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens.

Football: Portugal coach Queiroz sacked

The Portugese Football Federation have sacked Carlos Queiroz as manager of the national team.

US beats Russia, 89-79, moves into semis at worlds (AP)

AP - Chauncey Billups made the promise. Kevin Durant made sure it was kept.

Golf course transition to private management complete

The Mt. Graham Golf Course is under new management, but not much has changed. Burt Watkins is still the golf pro; prices have remained the same; and the holes are where they were.

Soccer: Holy Family falls to scrappy Spartans

Unfortunately for Holy Family soccer, its home-opener Wednesday was nothing to write home about. The Tigers suffered a devastating 5-0 loss to Berthoud at Mike G. Gabriel Stadium, with the Spartans sparking the rout with a strong finish to the first half.

Football: Stronger test awaits Ponies at Mounds View

Two football teams coming off big opening-week victories square off on Friday as Stillwater travels to Mounds View for a Suburban East Conference game at Mustang Stadium. The Ponies blanked Park-Cottage Grove 35-0 while the Mustangs ran up a 55-19 victory over Roseville. Stillwater and Mounds View met twice a year ago, with the Ponies claiming the first 19-7 and Mounds View ending Stillwater's ...

Baseball. Baseball Kicks Off Fall Ball Friday

Coming off an historical 2010 campaign, the TCU baseball team will get preparations for the 2011 season underway Friday, Sept. 10. The fall practice schedule will see the Frogs through Oct. 23.

Tennis team moving on without heavy hitters

The Monticello girls' tennis team has eight matches in, and school doesn't even start for another five days. But there have been some early highs and lows for coach Jeff Bordwell's team, which is facing its first season without the Magic's "first lady" of tennis - state qualifier Katie Kotschevar.

AP source: USOC, IOC reach $18 million deal (AP)

AP - The U.S. Olympic Committee will contribute $18 million to resolve a financial dispute that has strained relations with the IOC, a person with direct knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The decision ends an impasse over administrative costs of staging the games.

Soccer league gives back to the community

Tenafly - The Tenafly Soccer League donated funds earned at its all-star game to Jenna's Rainbow.

Cavendish claims stage wins in all three Tours (AFP)

AFP - British sprint king Mark Cavendish powered to victory in the 12th stage of the Tour of Spain on Thursday -- enabling him to claim individual stage wins in all three of cycling's major Tours.

Football's transfer windows are a bore

PARIS (AP) - Rejoice, European football's summer transfer window has closed. What a relief. Until someone invents a better system or wins a major legal challenge against the current one, both of which may never happen, the ugly process of football clubs trading players like cattle during a few designated months ...

Golf Course Review - TPC Jasna Polana

Golf Tidbits: Too little, too late for PGA Tour?

Tennis.com: Federer mastered the wind, Soderling

Tennis.com: The wind in New York and how it has rattled players has been a big story at the 2010 U.S. Open, but in his straight-set victory over Robin Soderling, Roger Federer didn't seem to be fazed by it at all.

Golf Tidbits: Kaymer, Watson overshadowed by Johnson

Golf's Reward? A Healthy Round Of Humility

While on a recent vacation at a Maine inn, I stopped by the golf course and watched as a man sliced his drive into the woods and finished his follow through by muttering the f-word. That led me to seek out an expert on the subject of why duffers play golf. My informant was a bartender-philosopher who prefers to remain anonymous. His opinion — which I share — is that golf and Calvinism have much ...

Canes baseball player arrested for selling pot

A Miami baseball player has been arrested and accused of selling marijuana to undercover police officers on university grounds. Frank Ratcliff is also facing a charge of possessing 19 vials of human growth hormone.

Tennis, Tenacity and Talent

The Lady Fighting Scots tennis team was going through their plyometric exercises last Thursday. Many of the girls showed their quickness and agility as they practiced their footwork. The girls were divided into two teams and competed against each other to see which team would finish first.

Baseball-as-metaphor abuse continues on ESPN

Does America suffer from too many baseball metaphors? Over the decades, writers including George Will and David Halberstam have carpet-bombed the literary scene with tomes using baseball as a symbol for some Lost American Eden. Cornball movies like "The...

Tennis Trick Shaves The Truth

Earlier this week I posted a video of tennis great Roger Federer knocking a soda can off a guy's head with a tennis ball. I thought he could have knocked out the guy's eye with that serve, but he didn't, and the video, filmed at a shoot for a Gillette commercial, went viral, getting more than 1 million hits in 48 hours, according to a Reuters report . Now, it seems that Roger's stunt was just ...

The Glen dropped from 2011 IndyCar schedule (AP)

AP - The IndyCar Series is not returning to Watkins Glen International next season.