Sports in brief

Times wires
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Tennis

Nadal, federer make quarters on Monaco clay

MONACO — Six-time defending champion Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer coasted into the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters with straight-set victories Thursday.

Nadal beat Richard Gasquet 6-2, 6-4 to chalk up his 34th straight win at the claycourt tournament. Federer earned a 6-4, 6-3 victory over 15th-seeded Marin Cilic.

Nadal has lost his past three finals — once to Federer and twice against second-ranked Novak Djokovic — and is without a title since winning the Japan Open in October.

Horses

Dutrow horses get okay to run in Ky.

Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Rick Dutrow can't race in Kentucky this year, but his horses can.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission allowed owners for Amen Hallelujah and Court Vision to switch trainers Thursday, shortly after a circuit court judge granted the owners a temporary injunction.

The decision came after 24 hours of legal wrangling between Dutrow and Kentucky racing officials, who denied Dutrow a racing license Wednesday for "consistent disregard for the rules of racing."

Jockey released: Eibar Coa was released from a Hallandale Beach hospital nearly two months after he injured his neck and broke his wrist in a fall during a race at Gulfstream Park. Coa had limited movement from the neck down. After two neurosurgeries and rehabilitation, doctors and therapists have called his recovery miraculous.

Swimming

Governing body responds to slam

The sport's governing body responded, albeit vaguely, to criticism that it refused to help a USA Swimming panel that investigated the death of an American in an open-water race in the United Arab Emirates last year.

A day after the investigation was published and report leader Dick Pound attacked the organization, FINA, for an "inexplicable" lack of cooperation, FINA said its five-member investigating task force did have authority to share details about the death of Fran Crippen, 26, in October. It did not say if any information was shared. FINA said it had already improved open-water safety with rules similar to recommendations made by Pound's team, including one setting a maximum allowable water temperature of 88 degrees.

Crippen, whose sister Teresa is a UF All-American, died after suffering from heat exhaustion near the end of a 10K race. Some complained that the water was too hot and organizers didn't have enough safety workers or equipment.

Et cetera

Soccer: David Beckham's league-high fifth yellow card this MLS season has resulted in an automatic one-game suspension. The Los Angeles midfielder received the card for a reckless tackle Wednesday against Toronto.

Cycling: Fran Ventoso won a second straight stage of the Vuelta de Castilla and Leon in Spain. Defending champ Alberto Contador placed 14th to move into ninth overall after two legs.

Volleyball: Three-time U.S. Olympian Stacy Sykora was in serious but stable condition with a head injury after the bus carrying her Brazilian team crashed going to a match.

Times wires

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/sports-in-brief/1163887

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