Roddick Wins Heated Match

ATP officials had to separate Andy Roddick and Nicolas Lapentti after the American’s 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5) second-round victory over the Ecuadorean at the Toronto Master Series ended in an ugly shouting match Wednesday.

As the players left the court after a two-hour 18-minute encounter played in searing heat, Lapentti accused Roddick of exaggerating leg cramps late in the third set and of playing mind games.

Officials stepped in to separate the pair as they argued at the net and escorted a seething Lapentti off the court.

“I think tennis is a sport where you have to be a gentleman,” said the unseeded Lapentti. “Andy is a great player and I told him that, but I also told him you don’t have to act like you’re cramping to take the match.

“It’s not the first time he’s done it. He did it against [Michael] Chang at the French Open....

“I’m saying he’s faking it, he’s playing with my mind. It’s very unsportsmanlike what he did. He tried to win with something else but tennis.

“He is young and he’s going to be out there for a while. Someone has to teach him.”

Roddick downplayed the exchange, saying, “I don’t want him to be mad at me, it was nothing intentional.”

Meanwhile, No. 13 Pete Sampras survived a scare against Hyung-Talk Lee of South Korea, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, and will next face Germany’s Tommy Haas, the No. 3 seed who defeated Sjeng Schalken of the Netherlands, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Russian Marat Safin, the No. 2 seed, beat defending champion Andrei Pavel of Romania, 6-3, 7-6 (4), in a second-round match.

In other matches, unseeded Todd Martin beat No. 9 Thomas Johansson of Sweden, 7-6 (5), 6-3, and No. 4 Tim Henman of Britain ousted James Blake, 6-3, 6-3.

Golf

After persistent lobbying, officials of The International learned that their tournament at Castle Rock, Colo., will return to its traditional position on the PGA Tour schedule--preceding the PGA Championship and the WGC-NEC Invitational.

This year, as was the case the previous two years, The International is followed by the Buick Open and then the PGA Championship and WGC-NEC Invitational.

Phil Mickelson has entered next week’s Buick Open, joining Tiger Woods and Ernie Els in the final tournament on the PGA Tour before the PGA Championship.

Hockey

The St. Louis Blues re-signed forward Cory Stillman, 28. Terms were not disclosed.... The Florida Panthers re-signed center Serge Payer, 23, to a one-year contract.... The Nashville Predators agreed to terms with restricted free-agent center David Legwand, 21, the team’s first draft pick.... The Phoenix Coyotes re-signed right wing Landon Wilson, 27, to a one-year contract.... The Ottawa Senators hired former New York Ranger forward Anders Hedberg, 51, as director of player personnel and re-signed defenseman Sami Salo, 27, for one year.

Miscellany

Lance Armstrong, coming off his fourth consecutive Tour de France title, will compete in the 109-mile San Francisco Grand Prix on Sept. 15.... Utah Jazz assistant Phil Johnson withdrew as a candidate for the Denver Nugget coaching vacancy, leaving Dallas Maverick assistant Del Harris as the probable front-runner to replace interim Coach Mike Evans.... Ohio State fullback Branden Joe pleaded innocent in Columbus, Ohio, to a drunken driving charge. He was booked on Friday.