NEWSWIRE

Tennis

Andre Agassi, intent on playing after last week’s terrorist attacks, lost in straight sets in the first round of the Heineken Open at Shanghai, China, to an opponent not ranked among the top 100.

Irakli Labadze, from the former Soviet republic of Georgia, defeated the world’s No. 2 player, 7-6 (4), 7-5.

Monica Seles became the latest prominent player to withdraw from the Toyota Princess Cup at Tokyo because of last week’s terrorist attacks.

Defending champion Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati and Amy Frazier pulled out Monday before the $565,000 tournament began.

Pro Basketball

The Memphis Grizzlies have come to terms with rookie forward Pau Gasol on a contract that could be worth nearly $14 million, but some of it will go to the Spanish league team he played for last season.

The Grizzlies would not discuss the terms of the deal, but under terms of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, Gasol is eligible for a three-year contract worth as much as $9.6 million. The Grizzlies would then have the option to keep him for a fourth year at $4.3 million.

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DeSagana Diop, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first-round draft pick, will be sidelined for at least two weeks because of foot problems.

Diop, 18, a Senegalese who played at Virginia’s Oak Hill Academy, has inflammation caused by overuse of his left foot, the team said.

Miscellany

A survey of more than 130 horse farms supports theories that caterpillars, cherry trees and unusual weather played a role in thousands of foal deaths this spring.

Researchers have spent months investigating the theory that mares ingested cyanide toxins from weather-damaged wild cherry trees, substances that may have been delivered through the caterpillars or their droppings.

About 500 foals died and 2,000 fetuses were aborted as the result of a phenomenon scientists later named Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome.

The lone survivor of a wreck that killed eight Wyoming runners was charged with vehicular homicide and being drunk at the time of the crash.

Clinton Haskins, a member of the university’s rodeo team, was charged with eight counts of aggravated vehicular homicide.

The complaint also charged Haskins was drunk but provided no specifics.

The Albany County Attorney’s Office and police refused to comment.

NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon crossed over to the business side of racing as part owner of the Chevrolets Jimmie Johnson will drive next season.

A German court gave Dieter Baumann little hope he will be competing again soon, postponing the former Olympic champion’s appeal of a doping suspension by the IAAF until Dec. 18.

Pat Sperduto, whose contract with the Arena Football League’s Nashville Kats expired after he led them to their second consecutive championship game last season, will be in Los Angeles today and Thursday to interview for the Avengers’ head coaching job.

Robert Lyles, who served as the team’s interim coach last season, also has been interviewed.

Passings

Former Olympic runner Paul Cummings drowned when his canoe overturned in choppy waters while he was fishing in a reservoir in Salt Lake City. He was 48.