Davydenko fells Nadal

TENNIS

Davydenko fells Nadal

LONDON - Rafael Nadal fell out of contention for a spot in the semifinals at the ATP World Tour Finals with a second straight defeat, losing 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) yesterday against Nikolay Davydenko.

Nadal looked sluggish throughout and was outplayed by the Russian, who secured his first win of the round-robin phase and can still reach the semis. Nadal, however, can no longer advance after his second straight-sets loss.

Earlier, Robin Soderling became the first player to reach the semifinals by beating Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.

NASCAR

Knaus not close to extension

Chad Knaus believes he and Jimmie Johnson can continue to add to their championship total for years to come. But the crew chief first needs a new contract. Knaus denied an ESPN report that he's agreed to lead Johnson through 2015, the length of Johnson's new contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports.

Knaus, who has guided Johnson to four straight titles and 47 victories since 2002, is still working under an extension signed in 2006 that runs through next season.

HORSE RACING

Ira Hanford dies at 91

Ira "Babe" Hanford, who as an 18-year-old apprentice rode 20-1 shot Bold Venture to victory in the 1936 Kentucky Derby, has died. He was 91. He died Saturday in Ocala, Fla., following a long illness, said Virginia Hanford, his wife of 67 years. He was the oldest-living jockey to have won the Derby and the only apprentice to have done so.

Mr. Hanford did not get a chance to ride Bold Venture in the Preakness because racing officials suspended him for 15 days following the Derby. He retired in 1953 without running in another Derby. He is one of 22 jockeys to win the Run for the Roses in their only appearance.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Texas guard to miss rest of season

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas guard Varez Ward will miss the rest of the season with a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his right leg. Team trainer Eric Fry said Ward will have surgery next week.

Ward started the first three games for No. 3 Texas (4-0) before injuring himself in warmups before Tuesday night's win over Pittsburgh. He averaged 6.7 points and 3 rebounds and led the team with seven steals.

• UCLA reinstated Nikola Dragovic after the Serbian forward's two-game suspension for his arrest in an assault case. Coach Ben Howland cleared the 21-year-old senior to practice with the Bruins and said he'll play in today's 76 Classic opener in Anaheim against Portland.

ELSEWHERE

• Tom Janik, a former AFL-NFL player who in 1968 intercepted a pass by Joe Namath and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown, has died. He was 69. Vinyard Funeral Homes said Mr. Janik died Saturday in Poth, about 35 miles from San Antonio. Mr. Janik, a defensive back and punter, made 25 interceptions in eight AFL seasons with Denver, Buffalo and Boston. The touchdown return against Namath and the New York Jets was one of six in Janik's career.

• UCLA's bruin mascot has gotten a messy paint job - in the colors of cross-town rival USC. UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton said the statue in Bruin Square was splashed with red and gold paint sometime between Tuesday night and yesterday morning. UCLA will meet USC on Saturday in a Pac-10 football game.

• The Kitsap County (Wash.) coroner said football player Tony Fein died of an accidental drug overdose. Coroner Greg Sandstrom said that toxicology tests showed "acute opiate [morphine] intoxication" with the added effect of Alprazolam, a drug used to treat anxiety. Fein collapsed Oct. 6 at a friend's house near Port Orchard and died at Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton. The 27-year-old from Port Orchard, Wash., was an Army veteran who served in Iraq. The linebacker was an undrafted rookie free agent from the University of Mississippi who played for the Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens in the preseason.

AROUND THE STATE

Five Jackets on all-ODAC first unit

Five Randolph-Macon football players, led by junior wide receiver Earl Peoples, made the first unit of the all-Old Dominion Athletic Conference team. Peoples became the first R-MC player to gain more than 1,000 yards receiving (1,101 on a league-best 75 receptions). Joining Peoples were teammates Steve Mathews (running back), Josh Storm (kicker), Gamal Alwan (defensive lineman) and Jeremy Bowry (linebacker). Alwan earned his third first-team honor. - From Staff and Wire Reports