Karl Is Out as Coach of Bucks

George Karl will not return next season as coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, who are in transition after a season in which they lost in the first round of the playoffs.

General Manager Larry Harris said Sunday it was best for the team that Karl not come back. Harris said the team came to Karl to discuss the season, but he did not say whether the coach was fired or resigned.

“It was pretty clear on both sides that this was the way to go,” Harris said. “We felt we needed to get someone in there this year and for years to come.”

Harris would not say whether Karl wanted a contract extension, but he said they talked for hours.

Karl had one year left on his two-year contract and was expected to make an NBA-record $7 million. Harris said the team will honor his contract.

“Personally and professionally, I have enjoyed five good years here,” Karl said in a statement released by the Bucks. “I’m grateful for the opportunity that [Buck owner] Sen. [Herb] Kohl gave me to come to Milwaukee.”

Karl’s agent, Bret Adams, did not immediately return messages from Associated Press.

In five seasons with the Bucks, Karl had a 205-173 record and led the team to four playoff appearances. The only Milwaukee coaches to win more games are Don Nelson (540) and Larry Costello (410).

Karl is the 13th-winningest coach in NBA history at 708-499. He also coached at Cleveland, Golden State and Seattle.

*

George Williams scored 35 points to lead the NBA Pros past VSM, 108-98, in the title game of the Southern California Summer Pro League at Long Beach.

Tennis

Serena Williams withdrew from the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford because of pain in her left knee.

The top-ranked Williams had said Friday that she was looking forward to making her debut in the event, which begins today. The two-time Wimbledon champion did not mention the injury then.

Sister Venus Williams won the last Bank of the West title but is not entered this year.

Jennifer Capriati will replace Serena Williams in the draw.

Serena Williams withdrew Friday from a tournament at Toronto in August, citing a scheduling conflict. She did not play in the Fed Cup quarterfinal between the United States and Italy because of an acting commitment.

A second-string squad was enough to put the U.S. in the Fed Cup semifinals.

Chanda Rubin defeated Francesca Schiavone, 5-7, 6-4, 6-0, to lead the U.S. over Italy, 5-0, in a quarterfinal match at Washington.

The U.S. will play Belgium in November. Belgium defeated Slovakia, 5-0, in a quarterfinal at Charleroi, Belgium, behind Kim Clijsters’ 6-0, 6-1 victory over Janette Husarova and Justine Henin-Hardenne’s 6-2, 6-1 victory over Lubomira Kurhajcova.

The U.S. boasts the Williams sisters, but neither was with the team for the quarterfinals, nor were Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport or Jennifer Capriati. The five players were absent for a variety of reasons, including injuries, prior commitments and disputes with captain Billie Jean King.

Russia defeated Slovenia, 5-0, in a Fed Cup quarterfinal behind a clinching victory by Elena Bovina over Katarina Srebotnik, 7-6 (4), 6-2, at Portoroz, Slovenia.... Amelie Mauresmo defeated Magui Serna, 7-5, 6-2, to lead France past Spain, 4-1, in a quarterfinal at Oviedo, Spain. France and Russia will meet in the semifinals.

Seventh-seeded Nicolas Massu of Chile defeated Raemon Sluiter of the Netherlands, 6-4, 7-6 (3), 6-2, to win the Dutch Open at Amersfoort, Netherlands.

Second-seeded Guillermo Coria defeated ninth-seeded Tommy Robredo, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, in the final of the Mercedes Cup at Stuttgart, Germany.

Pro Football

The New York Jets officially signed first-round pick Dewayne Robertson from Kentucky.

The 6-foot-1, 317-pound defensive tackle reached an agreement in principle with the team Saturday night. Contract terms were not announced.

Officials of Arena Football 2 said it probably would be a few days before they know what caused the death of Bakersfield Blitz player Julian Yearwood, who collapsed on the bench during a game against the Wichita Stealth at Wichita, Kan.

Yearwood, a 6-6, 260-pound fullback-linebacker, was pronounced dead about one hour after he collapsed Saturday night. He was 31.

Amateur Baseball

Mark Romanczuk pitched into the seventh inning and Dustin Pedroia homered to help lift the U.S. over Mexico, 10-0, for its third shutout in three games at Durham, N.C.

Eric Patterson had three hits, including a triple, and drove in two runs, and USC’s Jeff Clement had a two-run double.

The U.S. has won 16 consecutive games -- including a team-record nine shutouts -- in preparation for next month’s Pan American Games in the Dominican Republic.

The U.S. has defeated Mexico in 38 of the last 39 meetings dating to June 1999.

Passings

John Davies, president of the New Zealand Olympic Committee and a track medalist in the 1964 Games, died today of cancer at Wellington, New Zealand, the committee said. He was 65. Davies won a bronze medal in the 1,500 meters in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He won a silver in the mile in the 1962 Commonwealth Games.