Ivanisevic to Have Surgery

Goran Ivanisevic won’t defend his Wimbledon men’s title because he needs surgery on his injured left shoulder.

“I wanted so much to play that opening match on Monday at Wimbledon on Center Court,” the Croatian said Tuesday. “I am very disappointed, but I have no other choice.”

Ivanisevic, 30, defeated Pat Rafter in last year’s Wimbledon final to become the first wild card to win a Grand Slam singles title. He will be the first Wimbledon men’s champion not to defend his title since Stan Smith in 1973. Smith stayed away because of an ATP boycott.

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Pete Sampras’ drought stretched to 26 tournaments without a title when he lost to Spain’s Felix Mantilla, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-3, in the first round of the Italian Open at Rome.

Fifth-seeded Tim Henman of Britain lost to Fernando Gonzales of Chile, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-0.

Pro Football

Offensive lineman Marcus Spears signed a four-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs after backing away from an agreement with Baltimore. Spears, who started every game for the Chiefs last season, had agreed Friday to a four-year, $4-million deal with the Ravens, after being assured he would be a starter.

Hockey

Daniel La Couture scored but the U.S. fell to Finland, 3-1, in the quarterfinals of the world championships at Stockholm.

In another quarterfinal, Peter Bondra scored twice and Slovakia beat Canada, 3-2, at Goteborg, Sweden.

In Thursday’s semifinals, Slovakia will play Sweden and Finland will play Russia.

Boxing

South African Andile Tsholongo won the vacant World Boxing Organization super-middleweight title when Zoltan Takacs of Hungary was forced to stop fighting after breaking his left ankle in the seventh round at Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Former judge and referee Mills Lane, 64, is improving rapidly from a stroke March 21 and is expected to be released Friday from a New York hospital.

Auto Racing

Rookie PJ Jones became the second driver to hit the new “soft” wall at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Jones was hospitalized for precautionary reasons and was alert and conscious, speedway officials said. He was complaining of upper back and neck pain.

NASCAR fined Todd Parrott and Marc Reno $2,500 each for rules infractions at Richmond International Raceway last weekend. Parrott is crew chief for Dale Jarrett and Reno is crew chief for Jimmy Spencer.

Jurisprudence

Former Miami Dolphin safety Gene Atkins was acquitted at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., of charges he masterminded the firebombing of the home of a former business associate.

Ohio State linebacker Marco Cooper was indicted on charges of drug abuse and carrying a concealed weapon. Police said Cooper had a handgun, ammunition and Ecstasy pills hidden in his sport utility vehicle when he was stopped for a traffic violation April 27. Cooper faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors in Midland County, Texas, dismissed a marijuana possession charge against Texas running back Cedric Benson for lack of evidence.