Davenport’s Wimbledon Preparations Take a Hit

Top-seeded Lindsay Davenport lost, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, to Dominique Van Roost of Belgium in the quarterfinals of the Eastbourne grass-court tournament in England, a major setback to her Wimbledon preparations.

The other three quarterfinals Thursday also ended in upsets.

Eighth-seeded Chanda Rubin defeated No. 4 seed Anna Kournikova of Russia, 7-5, 0-6, 6-3; third-seeded Amanda Coetzer of South Africa was beaten, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 by Anne Kremer of Luxembourg; and sixth-seeded Julie Halard-Decugis of France downed compatriot Nathalie Tauziat, the No. 2 seed, 6-4, 6-4.

Davenport has played only two grass-court matches in preparing for next week’s defense of her Wimbledon title, and only three matches total since injuring her back at the Italian Open five weeks ago.

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Despite a rain suspension, Heineken Trophy defending champion Patrick Rafter of Australia cruised to a 6-3, 6-2, second-round victory over Dutchman Sjeng Schalken at Den Bosch, Netherlands.

In other matches, Dutchman Richard Krajicek was upset by Martin Damm of the Czech Republic, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4; fifth-seeded Michael Chang ousted Frenchman Jerome Golmard, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3; and No. 2 Nicolas Escude ousted Russian Michail Youzhny, 7-5, 6-2.

One of today’s women’s semifinal pits top-seeded Martina Hingis against fourth-seeded Jennifer Capriati, who downed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, 7-5, 7-5.

No. 8 Ruxandra Dragomir of Romania upset Frenchwoman Sandrine Testud, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, and will next face defending champion Kristina Brandi, who ousted Australian Nicole Pratt, 6-3, 7-5.

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Byron Black of Zimbabwe and Jan-Michael Gambill won their quarterfinal matches at the Nottingham Open grass-court tournament in England. Black defeated Englishman Arvind Parmar, 6-4, 6-4, and Gambill defeated Italy’s Gianluca Pozzi, 6-4, 6-4. . . . Marcelo Rios of Chile withdrew from Wimbledon because of a reported upper leg injury. . . . Alex Corretja, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alberto Costa and Juan Balcells will play for Spain against the United States in next month’s Davis Cup semifinals at Santander, Spain. U.S. captain John McEnroe has until July 11 to name his team.

Olympics

Petros Sinadinos has been named the new managing director of the 2004 Olympics, replacing Costas Bakouris, who was pushed aside in a broad reshuffling that handed the problem-plagued planning back to the team that fought to bring the games home to Athens, where the modern Olympics began in 1896. The departure of Bakouris was the latest high-level shake-up on the 2004 organizing committee, which has been sharply criticized for delays and slow decision making. . . . A plan for an unprecedented joint Lake Placid, N.Y.-Montreal Winter Olympics in 2014 will be discussed July 26. Officials plan to argue for a regional venue to accommodate the ever-growing games, combining Montreal’s arenas and international airport and Lake Placid’s world-class facilities. . . . Unbeaten Italy won its first Olympic women’s volleyball berth with a 25-22, 25-19, 25-13 victory over Japan at an eight-nation qualifying tournament at Tokyo to pick the final four of 12 teams.

Miscellany

Mike Tyson denied attacking a promoter during a news conference at Glasgow, Scotland, for his fight against Lou Savarese.

“I love Frank Warren,” the former heavyweight champion replied when asked if he had attacked the promoter of Saturday night’s bout, as has been reported in British papers.

A London jeweler claims Tyson still owes $650,000 for jewelry. The fighter was served with legal papers Thursday. It is known that Tyson expected Warren to pay for the jewelry and the promoter refused.

Kicker Sebastian Janikowski, a Polish citizen and draft pick of the Oakland Raiders, probably won’t be deported even if convicted on charges of possession of the “date-rape” drug. Immigration and Naturalization Service officials said Thursday that a resident alien with five years’ residency, such as Janikowski, probably would not face deportation until a second drug offense. . . . Green Bay Packer guard Marco Rivera has pleaded not guilty to drunk driving and speeding. . . . University of Cincinnati running back DeMarco McCleskey, who was tried and acquitted of a charge that he raped a university student in her dormitory room, has been reinstated to the football team.

Kansas City Chief quarterback Warren Moon plans to make this season his last in the NFL, saying he’s accomplished everything he hoped for in his 22-year career except winning a Super Bowl.

The U.S. soccer team will open the first Women’s Gold Cup, the quasi-championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean, tonight against Trinidad and Tobago at Hershey, Pa. . . . The U.S. men’s team will open its qualifying schedule for the 2002 World Cup at Guatemala on July 15, then play at Costa Rica on July 23.

Gary Scelzi led top-fuel qualifying in the NHRA’s Sears Craftsman Nationals at Madison, Ill., with a quarter-mile run of 4.702 seconds at a top speed of 284.03 mph.