Williams Powers U.S. to Fed Cup Victory

Venus Williams is playing like a major champion these days.

Williams won her seventh match in a row Sunday, teaming with Lisa Raymond and Martina Navratilova to lead the United States past Slovenia, 4-1, at Portoroz, Slovenia, for a berth in the Fed Cup quarterfinals.

After taking only one point in the first two games against Tina Pisnik, Williams won 12 of the last 14 games in a 6-3, 6-1 victory. That gave the Americans a 2-1 lead.

Raymond clinched victory in the best-of-five series by rallying to defeat Katarina Srebotnik, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, for a 3-1 edge. Then Raymond and the 47-year-old Navratilova capped the weekend with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-0 win over Srebotnik and Tina Krizan.

In other series, it was: Russia 4, Australia 1; France 5, Germany 0; Spain 3, Switzerland 2; Austria 3, Slovakia 2; Belgium 3, Croatia 2; and Argentina 4, Japan 1. Italy led the visiting Czech Republic, 2-1, when play was postponed by rain until today.

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Guillermo Coria overwhelmed Rainer Schuettler, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3, at the Monte Carlo Masters for his 26th consecutive win on clay and seventh career title on the surface.

Coria’s last loss on clay came nearly a year ago, against Martin Verkerk in the French Open semifinals.

Cycling

With a surprising burst of April power, Lance Armstrong cruised to a comfortable win in the Tour de Georgia, his first victory in an American stage race since 1998.

Of course, this was only a prelude to Armstrong’s summer plans -- going for a record sixth straight win in the Tour de France. By all indications, he’s right on schedule.

“I don’t think I can say anything is wrong right now,” Armstrong said. “Actually, things might be a little hot right now. I need to cool down a bit.”

Armstrong finished ahead of Germany’s Jens Voigt by 24 seconds overall.

Hockey

The 2006 Winter Olympics will be played without NHL players if the league is shut down by January because of a labor dispute.

International Ice Hockey Federation President Rene Fasel said that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has told his group that if the league is not playing, its players will not be at the Turin Games.

“It’s important for our national federations to know whether they are playing or not, especially for the U.S. and Canada,” Fasel said.

The NHL’s participation at the Olympics must be included in the next collective bargaining agreement. The deal expires Sept. 15.

Golf

Hale Irwin, returning to the Champions Tour after a back injury sidelined him for four weeks, hung on to defeat Gil Morgan and Gary Koch by a stroke in the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf at Savannah, Ga.

Irwin closed with a one-under-par 71 for an 11-under 205 total. Morgan bogeyed the final hole for a 73, and Koch parred the final five holes for a 71.

Vijay Singh chipped in for eagle just before play was suspended to move into a tie for the lead in the rain-delayed Houston Open at Humble, Texas.

Singh, the 2002 winner, matched John Huston and Joe Ogilvie at seven under when play was halted at Redstone Golf Club. PGA Tour officials hoped to complete the tournament today.

Miscellany

The Sparks will offer a contract to restricted free agent Tamika Whitmore today, according to sources close to the team. Whitmore, 27, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound forward, has spent the last five WNBA seasons with the New York Liberty.

She has averaged 8.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in the regular season, and 10.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in the playoffs.

The Liberty will have 10 days to match the Sparks’ offer.

Jenna Cooper, a Nebraska women’s soccer standout and member of U.S. youth national teams in 2001 and 2002, was fatally shot at a party at her home in Lincoln early Sunday, police said.

Cooper, 21, of Louisville, Ky., underwent surgery after being shot in the throat but died Sunday evening, Lincoln police Capt. David Beggs said.

The teams of Misty May and Kerri Walsh, and Todd Rogers and Sean Scott won titles at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals’ event at Tempe, Ariz.

The top-seeded team of Walsh and May defeated second-seeded Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs, 21-12, 21-19, for the women’s title.

On the men’s side, Rogers and Scott defeated Karch Kiraly and new playing partner Mike Lambert, 15-21, 25-23, 18-16.