Hewitt Wobbles, Falls Early at Key Biscayne

Top-ranked Lleyton Hewitt, left vulnerable by an upset stomach and wobbly ground strokes, lost his opening match to Francisco Clavet, 6-4, 6-4, in the Nasdaq-100 Open at Key Biscayne, Fla.

Clavet, 34, went into the tournament without a victory this year, is the oldest player in the draw and plans to retire at the end of the year. He is ranked 178th. It has been nine years since a No. 1 player lost to someone ranked so low, which didn’t make Hewitt feel any better.

The Australian blamed his ailment on a room-service meal he ate at his hotel Thursday night.

“I didn’t feel great out there,” he said. “I was sick as a dog all night. It came quick after I had dinner. I was feeling 100% before that.”

Clavet had only 14 unforced errors compared to 33 for Hewitt.

Despite some sloppy shotmaking and a few difficult moments, sixth-seeded Andy Roddick defeated qualifier Cyril Saulnier, 6-7 (1), 7-6 (2), 6-4, in the second round.

Roddick, who had a first-round bye, led a parade of American men into the third round. On Sunday, Roddick will play Todd Martin. Martin defeated Andrei Pavel, who retired with a back injury trailing, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 2-0.

American Mardy Fish upset 11th-seeded Sebastien Grosjean, 6-4, 7-6 (3), and wild card Robby Ginepri ousted 16th-seeded Alex Corretja, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2. James Blake also won, beating Fernando Meligeni, 7-6 (5), 6-2, but Jan-Michael Gambill and Taylor Dent lost.

In women’s play, top-seeded Serena Williams began her bid for a second straight Key Biscayne title by beating Francesca Schiavone, 7-5, 6-1.

Fifth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova failed two convert two match points, faded in the 90-degree heat and lost to Alicia Molik, 2-6, 7-5, 6-0.

Monica Seles, who was seeded 10th, withdrew before her first match, saying she hasn’t fully recovered from a stress fracture in her left foot.

Auto Racing

Ryan Newman set a track record during NASCAR Winston Cup qualifying by completing a lap around Bristol Motor Speedway at 128.709 mph, eclipsing the mark of 127.216 mph Jeff Gordon set a year ago at the Tennessee track.

It took Newman only 14.908 seconds to lap the 0.533-mile track, making him the first driver to do it in less than 15 seconds.

In addition to losing his record, Gordon had to settle for second in qualifying for Sunday’s Food City 500, turning a lap at 127.343 in his Chevrolet.

Qualifying is quickly turning out to be Newman’s specialty. Last season’s top Winston Cup Series rookie has nine poles in 45 attempts, including two in six races this season.

Ken Schrader qualified third, the best-ever qualifying effort for BAM Racing, which fields his Dodge.

David Green set a track record at Bristol Motor Speedway to win the pole for today’s Busch Grand National Series race.

He turned a lap at 126.495 mph in his Pontiac to claim the top spot for the Channellock 250. Jason Keller qualified second in a Ford with a lap of 125.947 mph.

Paul Tracy posted a fast lap early and wound up winning the provisional pole in the opening round of qualifying for the second race of the Champ Car World Series season at Monterrey, Mexico. Tracy’s fast lap was timed in 1 minute 17.220 seconds, a speed of 98.089 mph on the 2.104-mile road course in Fundidora Park.

Winter Sports

Two days after winning the downhill, Julie Mancuso won the super-giant slalom in the U.S. Alpine Championships at Lake Placid, N.Y., finishing in 1 minute 20.65 seconds. Jonna Mendes was second, one second behind.

Lindsey Kildow was third, nearly two seconds back, and Libby Ludlow and Bryna McCarty finished fourth and fifth, respectively, as junior skiers took three of the top five places in the competition at Whiteface Mountain.

World record holder Matti Hautamaki’s 224-meter leap led Finland to a first-place finish at Planica, Slovenia, in the season’s final World Cup ski jumping team competition.

Swimming

California’s Natalie Coughlin won the 100-yard butterfly and 100 backstroke in the NCAA women’s swimming and diving championships at Auburn, Ala. Auburn set an American and NCAA record in the 200 medley relay at 1:36.69.

USC’s Blythe Hartley was second in three-meter springboard diving and Kaitlin Sandeno was third in the 400 individual medley. USC is fourth after two days with 198 points. Auburn leads with 389, followed by Georgia (262) and Stanford (202.5).

Miscellany

Jesus Chavez (38-2, 27 knockouts) faces Carlos Gerena (38-4, 30) in tonight’s main event of a pay-per-view show at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Hotel.

It’s not only an elimination bout for the World Boxing Council super-featherweight title, it’s also a rematch, Genera having won the first bout.

Ja’Mar Toombs sacked Carolina quarterback Robert Hall on fourth and goal with 45 seconds remaining to help Dallas hold on to win, 47-43, in an Arena Football League game at Charlotte, N.C.

Julie Chu scored three goals and Angela Ruggiero had two to lead Harvard to a 6-1 semifinal victory over Minnesota in the women’s Frozen Four NCAA hockey tournament at Duluth, Minn. Harvard (30-2-1) will play Minnesota Duluth (30-3-2), a 5-2 winner over Dartmouth.

The U.S.-Australia “Duel in the Pool” swim meet will take place as scheduled April 6 in Indianapolis, USA Swimming said. Travel concerns related to the war in Iraq had put the event in jeopardy.