Serena Williams Goes Back to Sydney and Wins Again

Serena Williams returned to the court where she won an Olympic gold medal, defeating Lilia Osterloh, 6-3, 7-6 (6), Sunday in the first round of the Sydney International.

Williams is seeded fifth in the $515,000 tuneup for the Australian Open, the season’s opening Grand Slam event that begins Jan. 15.

“It was nice to be back on the court where there are so many memories, no pressures,” she said. “Only happy memories.”

Serena, the 1999 U.S. Open champion, teamed with her sister, Venus, to win doubles titles at Wimbledon and the Sydney Olympics last year. They will play doubles this week in Sydney, although Venus is not playing singles.

In other first-round matches, Nicole Pratt, flying across the country from the Hopman Cup in Perth, defeated Australian compatriot Evie Dominikovic, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, and Corina Morariu defeated Tathiana Garbin of Italy, 6-2, 6-2.

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Marcelo Rios of Chile, playing before his new wife, defeated Czech qualifier Bohdan Ulihrach, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, to win the $1-million Qatar Open at Doha. He earned $137,000 and assumed the No. 1 ranking in the world. Rios last held the top spot in March 1998. “It has been a most enjoyable week for me in many respects,” Rios said. “I got married recently. Now I head the champions race. I can’t ask for more.” . . . Amanda Grahame of Australia defeated countrywoman Annabel Ellwood, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3), in the first round of the Canberra International. She will play top-seeded Mary Pierce, the French Open champion, in the second round. Pierce, who had a first-round bye, is playing her first tournament since she withdrew from the U.S. Open in September because of a shoulder injury.

Winter Sports

Chris Witty and Casey FitzRandolph, America’s top hopes for speedskating medals in the 2002 Winter Olympics, won titles at the U.S. Sprint Championships in West Allis, Wis.

Witty won the 500 meters in 39.75 seconds and the 1,000 in 1 minute 17.51 seconds for her fourth consecutive championship. In all, she won three of the four races in the two-day competition.

FitzRandolph also posted three victories. He won the 500 meters for the second consecutive day in 36.00 and finished third in the 1,000, behind Nick Pearson and Joey Cheek. Pearson was timed at 1:11.05, Cheek at 1:11.29 and FitzRandolph at 1:11.48.

Hannah Hardaway used two difficult tricks to win the women’s moguls competition as the World Cup circuit visited the freestyle venue for the 2002 Olympics at Park City, Utah. The victory was her first in World Cup competition.

Hardaway had 24.31 points, helped largely by high scores for her outstanding hang time. World Cup leader Kari Traa of Norway finished second at 23.85 and Minna Karhu of Finland was third at 23.57.

Mikko Ronkainen of Finland won the men’s event with a score of 26.93. Evan Dybvig of Turnbridge, Vt., finished second at 26.75 and Janne Lahtela of Finland, the world’s top-ranked moguls skier, was third at 26.51.

Miscellany

North Carolina taxpayers have been paying for Rae Carruth’s defense in his murder trial because the former NFL player has been declared indigent. His lawyers have been paid more than $104,500, according to records kept by the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts.

Taxpayers also have paid $10,000 to Carruth’s jury consultant and $7,100 for investigative work. The final cost of Carruth’s defense is expected to be much higher.

In 1999, Carruth earned $38,382 a game as a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers. A declaration of indigence does not mean Carruth is penniless. It means he is unable to bear the financial burden of a capital murder defense.

Eric Rice and Edgars Zaltkovskis scored goals but the Long Beach Ice Dogs lost on the road at Bakersfield, 3-2, in a shootout. It was the Ice Dogs’ third consecutive shootout.

The Dakar Rally safely completed its stage through Western Sahara amid threats of violence from a rebel group warning drivers to stay out of the disputed territory.

The 6,658-mile rally from Paris to Dakar, Senegal, began Jan. 1 and is to end Jan. 21. Today’s leg takes competitors into Mauritania.

Japan’s Hiroshi Masuoka won the seventh stage, a 306-mile leg from Goulimine, Morocco, to Smara, in 4 hours 1 minute 31 seconds. Spain’s Isidre Esteve Pujol won the motorcycle division in 4:02:29.

Felix Savon, one of the greatest boxers in Olympic history, retired and will become coach of Cuba’s national boxing team. The retirement of the three-time heavyweight Olympic champion was announced by the Cuban Boxing Federation and the official Prensa Latina news agency.

Savon, 33, won his last gold medal at Sydney against Russia’s Sultanahmed Ibzagimov.

Chicago Cub General Manager Andy MacPhail and possibly Dennis FitzSimons, executive vice president of the Tribune Co.--owner of the Cubs--plan to meet with Sammy Sosa on Friday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to discuss a possible contract extension for the right fielder.

Bob Glass won the American Bowling Congress Senior Masters at Reno, defeating Dave Soutar, 696-616. Glass earned $18,000 for his third senior title.

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Chris Dufresne is on vacation.