Top-Ranked Roddick Defeated by Bjorkman

Top-ranked Andy Roddick was upset by Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden, 6-3, 6-4, in the second round of the Qatar Open on Wednesday at Doha.

Bjorkman reached the quarterfinals by negating Roddick’s powerful forehand and handling the U.S. Open champion’s big serve.

“Everybody is entitled to a bad day, and the same thing happened with me,” Roddick said. “It was far from my best day on a tennis court.”

No. 4 Sebastien Grosjean beat Bohdan Ulihrach, 6-1, 6-4; No. 7 Tim Henman beat Juan Ignacio Chela, 6-3, 6-4; and No. 8 Agustin Calleri defeated Hicham Arazi, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

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Jelena Dokic has withdrawn from the Adidas International next week at Sydney and is expected to sit out the Australian Open for the third straight year. Dokic, ranked No. 15, pulled out of a New Zealand tournament this week for personal reasons.

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Defending champion Paradorn Srichaphan reached the Tata Open quarterfinals, beating Israel’s Harel Levy, 6-2, 6-2, at Madras, India.

Seventh-seeded David Ferrer of Spain lost to Igor Andreev of Russia, 6-2, 6-3, in the second round, and eighth-seeded Anthony Dupuis of France was eliminated by countryman Jean-Rene Lisnard, 7-5, 6-3.

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Top-seeded Wayne Ferreira was upset in the first round of the AAPT Australian hardcourt championships at Adelaide, Australia, routed, 6-0, 6-1, by Australian wild-card Todd Reid. In second-round matches, Thomas Johansson of Sweden beat third-seeded Arnaud Clement of France, 6-4, 6-3, and Michael Llodra of France defeated eighth-seeded Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador, 6-1, 6-3.

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Marion Bartoli of France advanced to the quarterfinals of the ASB Classic at Auckland, New Zealand, with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Zimbabwe’s Cara Black. Top-seeded Paola Suarez of Argentina beat Lindsay Lee-Waters of the United States, 6-1, 6-3, to also advance to the final eight.

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Nadia Petrova of Russia overcame a bout of dehydration before her match and beat Australia’s Nicole Pratt, 6-2, 6-2, in the second round of the Australian women’s hardcourt championships at Gold Coast.

Another Russian, 18-year-old Svetlana Kuznetsova, upset third-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Baseball

Former Yankees Jeff Nelson and Karim Garcia and a Fenway Park groundskeeper pleaded not guilty to charges they brawled in New York’s bullpen during the American League championship series.

Neither player attended the five-minute arraignment hearing at Roxbury District Court in Massachusetts. The groundskeeper, Paul Williams, was in court but had no comment afterward. The judge set a Feb. 5 pretrial hearing for the players and a Feb. 24 pretrial hearing for Williams. All three are charged with assault and battery.

The Toronto Blue Jays signed right-handed reliever Terry Adams and shortstop Chris Gomez to one-year contracts.

Adams, who signed a deal worth $1.7 million, went 1-4 with a 2.65 earned-run average in 66 games with Philadelphia last season. The 32-year-old Gomez, who signed a $750,000 contract, hit .251 in 58 games with Minnesota.

Shortstop Deivi Cruz agreed to a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who invited him to spring training.... Infielder Brian Daubach agreed to a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox. Daubach agreed to a deal worth $500,000 if he makes the major league roster.... The San Diego Padres claimed catcher Tom Wilson off waivers from Toronto and designated right-handed pitcher Brandon Villafuerte for assignment.... The Cincinnati Reds hired longtime Dodger employee Terry Reynolds as their director of amateur scouting.

Miscellany

Don King has asked to withdraw his application for a license in New Jersey because he is unwilling to answer questions about his dealings with former International Boxing Federation chairman Bob W. Lee.

Lee was convicted in a racketeering case three years ago and banned from boxing. King had been told that state investigators planned to question him about Lee.

Kevin Mazeika, head coach of the U.S. men’s gymnastics team when it won a silver medal at the 2003 World Championships at Anaheim, was appointed coach of the U.S. men’s team for the Athens Olympics.

France’s Ophelie David won the women’s competition, and countryman Enak Gavaggio the men’s title at the FIS Freestyle World Cup ski event at Les Contamines-Montjoie, France.

T.J. Simers is on vacation.