Briefs | Roddick eyes rematch with top-ranked Federer
Tennis
Roddick will face Federer: Andy Roddick gets another crack at Roger Federer and likes his chances. And he’s not dwelling on his 1-14 record against the No. 1 player.
“There’s no reason for me to be nervous,” Roddick said. “I can go out there and let it fly. The way I see it … I can just go out there and play and go for my shots and play aggressive and try to knock him out.”
The fifth-ranked Roddick was nearly untouchable Wednesday, beating No. 7 Fernando Gonzalez 6-1, 6-4 to clinch a semifinal spot at the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, China.
Federer is the defending champion in a tournament featuring the top eight players. The Swiss star is trying to rebound from an opening round-robin loss to Gonzalez, the first time in 4 ½ years he has dropped back-to-back matches.
Davydenko leads Russia: World No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko will lead defending champion Russia in the Davis Cup final against the United States, the team said.
Davydenko, who is playing in this week’s season-ending Masters Cup tournament in Shanghai, will be joined by No. 19 Mikhail Youzhny, Igor Andreev (33) and Dmitry Tursunov (34) for the three-day tie that starts on Nov. 30 in Portland.
Russia captain Shamil Tarpishchev decided against calling up the team’s charismatic leader, former world No. 1 Marat Safin, who has struggled to find his top form since coming back from a knee injury.
Williams sisters will team for doubles at Australian Open: Venus and Serena Williams are planning to join forces in the Australian Open women’s doubles competition for the first time in five years.
The American sisters have proved to be an almost unstoppable force when they team up even though they only play doubles for fun and rarely practice.
Murray splits with coach Gilbert: Top-ranked British player Andy Murray has split up with coach Brad Gilbert after working together for 17 months.
“Despite being injured for almost four months this year I am pleased with my 2007 results and very grateful for the help the LTA gave me by providing Brad Gilbert as a coach,” Murray told the Lawn Tennis Association’s Web site (www.lta.org.uk).
Horse racing
Valenzuela to return at Hollywood Park: Patrick Valenzuela is set to ride again in Southern California for the first time in nearly a year Saturday at Hollywood Park in Inglewood.
The 45-year-old jockey completed the paperwork for a conditional license with the track’s board of stewards.
“He got his conditional license; everything has been completed,” steward Darrel McHargue said.
Golf
LPGA sets drug-testing policy: The LPGA Tour released its policy for drug testing that will start next season, making it the first professional golf organization to require randomly selected players to prove they are clean.
The policy is similar to the outline released a day earlier by the PGA Tour, which will not start testing its players until July.
The LPGA will suspend players one year for a first positive test, two years for the second offense and a lifetime ban for any more violations. It will not discriminate between performance-enhancing drugs and recreational drugs.
“My hope is that we don’t have any positive tests,” LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens said.
Ochoa will host event in 2008: Lorena Ochoa will host a $1 million invitational event on next year’s LPGA Tour.
The stroke-play tournament will be held from Nov. 13-16 at her home course, the Guadalajara Country Club, and feature 36 players.
Soccer
New England offers fans free transportation: The New England Revolution is offering fans free round-trip bus rides to Washington for the MLS Cup between the Revolution and Houston Dynamo. Buses leave Gillette Stadium Saturday for Sunday’s match at RFK Stadium.
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