Blake Is Injured at Tennis Practice

James Blake slammed into the net post during practice in Rome and will be sidelined two to five weeks because of head and spinal injuries.

Blake was injured chasing a shot Thursday, Nicola Arzani of the ATP said Friday. Blake was expected to be released from a hospital in two to three days.

Blake lost to Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic on Tuesday in the first round of the Italian Open.

“I’m still a little sore but feeling much better,” Blake said. “There was no neurological damage.”

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Albert Costa of Spain defeated Novak, 6-4, 6-2; Carlos Moya of Spain defeated Andrei Pavel of Romania, 6-1, 6-2; David Nalbandian of Argentina defeated Vincent Spadea, 6-4, 6-3, and Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina defeated Nicolas Massu of Chile, 6-1, 7-5, in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open.

In today’s semifinals, Moya plays Zabaleta and Costa plays Nalbandian.

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Jennifer Capriati defeated Anastasia Myskina of Russia, 6-3, 6-2, and Venus Williams won her 14th consecutive match, defeating Paola Suarez of Argentina, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-2, in the quarterfinals of the German Open at Berlin.

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Kim Clijsters of Belgium will pull out of the French Open because of a recurring left wrist injury, according to her website.

Pro Football

Quarterback Tim Rattay of the San Francisco 49ers suffered a groin tear that may require surgery, an MRI exam revealed.

Rattay was injured while rolling out to throw a pass during the first session of the 49ers’ spring minicamp.

Pro Bowl linebacker Julian Peterson was a no-show at the 49er minicamp.

Adrian McPherson scored on an eight-yard run and Indiana defeated Detroit, 68-59, in overtime in an Arena League game in front of 9,987 at Indianapolis.

Miscellany

USC senior guard Roy Smiley, who sat out last season after breaking his left leg in the previous season’s last game, tore a ligament in his left knee in a recent pick-up game and will have surgery May 27, essentially ending his playing career with the Trojans.

Smiley had to campaign hard last year to get a medical redshirt from Coach Henry Bibby.

“With the rehab, it would be almost three years between his playing,” Bibby said.

Bibby is among eight people who will be inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 8.

Joining Bibby, who played basketball at UCLA, are Dennis Dummit, football; Carlton Gray, football; Steve Lewis, track and field; James Owens, football and track and field; Sigi Schmid, soccer; Fred Slaughter, basketball and Natalie Williams, basketball.