Capriati Loses, Serena Withdraws

Former champion Jennifer Capriati joined the exodus of top players from the Family Circle Cup, losing to Petra Mandula, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-5, in the third round Thursday at Charleston, S.C.

Her loss came on the same day that Serena Williams withdrew about 1 1/2 hours before her match against Conchita Martinez, citing a sore left knee. Williams had surgery on the knee in August and was off the tour for eight months.

Defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne and third-ranked Amelie Mauresmo had already withdrawn from the tournament for health reasons.

Capriati, the tournament’s champion in 2001, is trying to regain her confidence after being out because of a back injury. She was moved around the court by Mandula.

Capriati said her back wasn’t a problem.

“I felt fine physically. I wasn’t getting fatigued at all,” she said. “She played really well and was teeing off. I had a good rhythm [but] just didn’t step up and win those, you know, key points.”

Venus Williams, a four-time Grand Slam tournament champion, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Marie-Gayanay Mikaelian.

Lindsay Davenport beat Nicole Pratt, 6-1, 6-1, and improved her season record to 22-2.

Fourth-seeded James Blake moved into the quarterfinals of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston with a 7-5 6-3 victory over unseeded Davide Sanguinetti.

Rafael Nadal got past Richard Gasquet, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, in the first match between the 17-year-old rising stars to reach the Estoril Open quarterfinals in Oeiras, Portugal.

Top-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero defeated Jan Vacek, 6-3, 7-5, to help give Spain six quarterfinalists at the Valencia Open in Madrid.

College Football

UCLA sophomore defensive end Kevin Harbour suffered ligament damage in his left knee and will sit out the remainder of spring practice.

Harbour, listed as a starter on the depth chart, is expected to have surgery and miss the start of fall camp but could return before the end of the season.

Center Robert Chai injured his right knee and will have an MRI today.

Northern Illinois gave Coach Joe Novak a three-year contract extension through 2007.

Pro Football

Cincinnati cornerback Dennis Weathersby remained in serious condition with a head injury, three days after his car went off a highway ramp and struck a utility pole.

Weathersby, the Bengals’ fourth-round draft choice in 2003 from Oregon State, was shot last year in Pasadena in a drive-by shooting.

The Oakland Raiders signed veteran cornerback Denard Walker, who was released last month by the Minnesota Vikings. Walker lost his starting job to Ken Irvin midway through the season.

College Basketball

Connecticut officials called a news conference for today amid speculation that junior center Emeka Okafor is set to enter the NBA draft. Teammate Ben Gordon, a junior guard, announced Wednesday that he was making himself available for the draft.

Freshman center David Padgett says he will transfer from Kansas at the end of the semester. Reports indicate that the 6-foot-11 Padgett, who started 19 games, could be headed to North Carolina, where Roy Williams, who recruited Padgett to Kansas, is now coaching.

Horse Racing

Jerry Hollendorfer, 54, became the sixth trainer to reach the 4,000-victory mark when he saddled Gonetorule, winner of the sixth race at Bay Meadows.

Of the horses who do not have money concerns for the Kentucky Derby, Santa Anita Derby winner Castledale will ship to Churchill Downs on April 28 and Minister Eric, an allowance winner at Keeneland this week, has also been confirmed to run in the May 1 race.

Miscellany

Liz Towne-Gilbert, an assistant women’s volleyball coach at UC Santa Barbara the last two seasons, has been named an assistant at USC.

Jameel McCline earned a technical knockout in the first round over Wayne Llewellyn in a heavyweight bout at New York. In a co-feature, Jeremy Williams of Sherman Oaks stopped Attila Levin at 2:38 of the eighth round.