Times wires
Friday, February 10, 2012
TENNIS
ISNER'S UPSET OF FEDERER GIVES U.S. 2-0 cup LEAD
FRIBOURG, Switzerland — John Isner jolted third-ranked Roger Federer with his big serve and groundstrokes Friday, winning 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 to give the United States a 2-0 lead against Switzerland in the first round of the Davis Cup.
Isner, a Tampa resident ranked 17th in the world, called this the "biggest win of my career thus far.
"I'm very proud of it," the 26-year-old said.
Mardy Fish outlasted Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 9-7 in the first singles match. Wesley Chapel's Mike Bryan teams with Ryan Harrison for a chance to clinch against Federer and Wawrinka in today's doubles match.
OPEN GDF SUEZ: Top seed Maria Sharapova was ousted from the quarterfinals in Paris, losing 6-4, 6-4 to Angelique Kerber.
HOCKEY
Accused coach dead; suicide likely
Ukrainian coach Ivan Pravilov, 49, was found dead of a suspected suicide while in custody on child-molestation charges. He was found in his cell at 3 a.m. Friday, said spokesman Darrin Howard of the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia. A preliminary FBI investigation suggested suicide.
COLLEGES
Charge against Haywood dropped
A domestic battery charge was dropped against Michael Haywood, who was named Pittsburgh's head coach in 2010 only to be fired days later because of the legal case. A Superior Court judge in Indiana determined Haywood, 47, had completed all terms of a pretrial diversion program.
South Carolina: The board of trustees approved coach Steve Spurrier's two-year contract extension through the 2015 season as well as a $425,000 raise. He'll make $3.3 million in 2012.
TRACK: UCF freshman Octavious Freeman ran the NCAA's three fastest times this season in the women's 60-meter dash at the Tyson Indoor Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. She had times of 7.19, 7.20 and 7.22 seconds, nearly beating Bianca Knight's American junior record of 7.16 seconds. "I felt like it was within reach," Freeman of Lake Wales said of the record.
ET CETERA
AUTOS: The Milwaukee Mile is back on the IndyCar schedule, set for June 16. The traditional race had been left off the 2012 slate after struggling with poor attendance and various promoters the past few years. … Bob Tasca (Funny Car), Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) led after two rounds of qualifying at the season-opening Winternationals in Pomona, Calif. The final two rounds are today.
Times wires