Hull, Red Wings Work Out Deal

The Detroit Red Wings continued their reloading project with the signing Wednesday of free agent Brett Hull.

Hull’s deal is for about $9 million over two years, a team source told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Detroit’s payroll, already among the highest in the NHL, is expected to exceed $60 million next season.

Hull scored 39 goals for the Dallas Stars last season, his 15th in the league.

Hull, 37, led the NHL in scoring three times, most recently in 1992. He was the league’s most valuable player in 1991 and is a seven-time all-star, most recently in 1997.

Detroit also added goaltender Dominik Hasek in a trade and left wing Luc Robitaille as a free agent this summer.

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The Chicago Blackhawks signed Russian Igor Korolev, a 30-year-old forward who was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in June for a third-round draft pick.

Pro Basketball

The New York Post reported that NBA Commissioner David Stern, Washington Capital owner Ted Leonsis and Curtis Polk, a close friend of Michael Jordan, met last week in New York to discuss a scenario that might allow Jordan to play for the Washington Wizards.

The plan reportedly calls for Jordan to sell his minority share of ownership in the Wizards to Abe Pollin. Jordan then would purchase a larger ownership share in the NHL Capitals than he had in the Wizards. He also might buy a share of the MCI Center.

NBA bylaws prevent anyone who has an ownership stake in a franchise to play for a team.

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The Dallas Mavericks finalized a sign-and-trade deal to acquire guard Tim Hardaway from the Miami Heat.

Miami receives Dallas’ $3.2-million trade exception and a second-round draft pick within three years.

Tennis

The Williams sisters, hoping to win the family’s third consecutive U.S. Open title, face a potential prime-time showdown in the final Sept. 8 in New York.

No. 10-seeded Serena Williams, the 1999 champion, was assigned to the toughest quarter of the draw. It includes 1998 champion Lindsay Davenport, seeded third, and this year’s Wimbledon runner-up, Justine Henin.

No. 4 Venus Williams, the defending champion, opens against a qualifier when the year’s final Grand Slam event begins Monday.

No. 2 Jennifer Capriati could meet Venus Williams in the semifinals. Top-seeded Martina Hingis is in the other half of the draw.

The men’s draw includes three former champions in the same quarter: No. 10 Pete Sampras, No. 2 Andre Agassi and No. 6 Patrick Rafter.

The winner of that quarterfinal could face defending champion Marat Safin, seeded third, in the semifinals.

The other half of the draw includes top-seeded Gustavo Kuerten, No. 7 Yevgeny Kafelnikov and emerging American star Andy Roddick, who is seeded in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time at No. 18.

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Capriati defeated Anke Huber, 0-6, 6-3, 6-2, in the Pilot Pen Classic at New Haven, Conn.

Capriati will play Jelena Dokic in the quarterfinals. Dokic advanced with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Lisa Raymond.

Henin advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 second-round victory over Barbara Schett.

Davenport beat Amelie Mauresmo, 6-4, 6-4.

Henin will play Venus Williams today in a rematch of their Wimbledon final.

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Sampras defeated Alexander Peya, 6-3, 6-2, in the second round of the Hamlet Cup at Commack, N.Y.

Soccer

Brad Friedel and Kasey Keller, the top two U.S. goalkeepers, were put on the roster for World Cup qualifiers against Honduras on Sept. 1 at Washington and at Costa Rica on Sept. 5.

Others selected to the 24-player squad include Cobi Jones and Greg Vanney of the Galaxy, Joe-Max Moore and 19-year-old Landon Donovan, regarded as a future star.

Jurisprudence

The NCAA has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis against Desire, Inc., a Phoenix company the organization says is using its name on the Internet to sell NCAA championship tickets.

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A federal appeals court in Philadelphia ruled that a woman who says she was illegally declared ineligible to play college volleyball can go forward with her lawsuit against the NCAA.

Renee M. Smith had argued the NCAA could be sued under the law because the dues it receives from member schools make it an indirect recipient of federal funds.

Smith played volleyball at St. Bonaventure for two seasons in the early 1990s and graduated in fewer than three years. She later tried to play at other schools while doing graduate studies and was barred by the NCAA.

Miscellany

Hasim Rahman will defend his World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation heavyweight titles in a rematch with Lennox Lewis on Nov. 17 at Las Vegas .... The U.S. men’s basketball team routed Iran, 112-50, and the women’s team defeated South Africa, 134-37, in the World University Games at Beijing. In men’s volleyball, the U.S. defeated Portugal, 3-1The U.S. women’s quadruple sculls advanced to the final with three other teams and the U.S. men advanced to the semifinals in the Rowing World Championships at Lucerne, Switzerland.

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Three-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong finished 67th in the third stage of the Tour of Burgos, Spain .... Defending champion Jeff Quinney took the first step toward becoming the first U.S. amateur golf champion to repeat since Tiger Woods with a 4 and 3 victory over former Arizona State teammate Chez Reavie at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.