Federer Overtakes Persistent Ferrero

Top-ranked Roger Federer saved two match points and beat Juan Carlos Ferrero, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6), Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Dubai Open in the United Arab Emirates.

Federer, who won his third straight match in a third-set tiebreaker, will face seventh-seeded Mikhail Youzhny, a 7-5, 6-4 winner over Rainer Schuettler.

Third-seeded Tim Henman beat Igor Andreev, 7-6 (5), 6-1, and will face Ivan Ljubicic, who beat Fernando Verdasco, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (8).

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Defending champion Vince Spadea advanced to the quarterfinals of the Tennis Channel Open, beating Janko Tipsarevic, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, in Scottsdale, Ariz. He will next face James Blake, who ousted Jeff Salzenstein, 6-2, 6-4

Christophe Rochus upset fifth-seeded Kevin Kim, 6-3, 6-1, and Davide Sanguinetti beat Paul Goldstein, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

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Top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo beat Maria Kirilenko, 6-2, 6-2, to reach the semifinals of the Qatar Open in Doha.

Mauresmo will next face fourth-seeded Alicia Molik, who beat Francesca Schiavone, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6. Maria Sharapova, a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Marion Bartoli, will play former top-five player Daniela Hantuchova, who beat Conchita Martinez, 6-4, 6-1.

Golf

Billy Mayfair, trying to bounce back from the worst of his 16 PGA Tour seasons, and Mario Tiziani, who went to qualifying school 12 times before earning his tour card in December, each shot nine-under-par 63s to take a one-stroke lead in the Chrysler Classic of Tucson.

Steve Stricker was part of a five-way tie for third after shooting a round of 64.

Jennifer Rosales shot a six-under-par 66 in Kahuku, Hawaii, for a two-stroke lead after the first round of the LPGA’s season-opening SBS Open, with 15-year-old Michelle Wie four shots back after a 70.

Pro Football

The Denver Broncos waived guard Dan Neil, 31, a cornerstone of their offensive line since drafting him in the third round in 1997.

Soccer

The U.S. team’s World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica on June 4 is likely to be played in Salt Lake City’s Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Alajuelense officials say that Costa Rican national team defender Pablo Chinchilla will join the Galaxy, reuniting him with Coach Steve Sampson.

Sampson coached the Costa Rican national team from 2002 to 2004.

The Galaxy’s individual game tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. For more information: (213) 480-3232 or (714) 740-2000.

Miscellany

The top-ranked UCLA men’s volleyball team will play Mountain Pacific Sports Federation matches tonight and Saturday night against No. 3 Hawaii at Pauley Pavilion. Both matches begin at 7.

Hawaii, 10-1 overall, leads the MPSF race with an 8-0 record. The Bruins are 14-1, 10-1.

The Detroit Shock re-signed Swin Cash to a three-year contract.

Passings

Dorothy Turner Scharbauer, co-owner of 1987 Kentucky Derby winner Alysheba and a West Texas philanthropist, died Wednesday at 73 of pancreatic cancer in Midland, Texas.