Davenport Won’t Play in Fed Cup Semifinal

Lindsay Davenport withdrew from the United States’ Fed Cup team Wednesday for its semifinal matchup against Russia because of a back injury.

Wimbledon champion Venus Williams will now lead the U.S. team.

“It’s a little bit unfortunate,” captain Zina Garrison said. “Lindsay was playing against Venus in the [Wimbledon] final and she came over with an injury. There’s something wrong with her back.”

Play is scheduled to begin Saturday in Moscow with singles. All the matches are indoors, on clay.

Mashona Washington, making her Fed Cup debut, will be the U.S. team’s No. 2 singles player.

Jill Craybas was called up to play doubles with Corina Morariu.

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Australian Open champion Marat Safin, bothered because of a knee injury, wasn’t included in Russia’s Davis Cup squad to face France.

Russian captain Shamil Tarpischev chose Nikolay Davydenko, Mikhail Youzhny, Igor Andreev and Tiemuraz Gabashvili for the quarterfinal on clay in Moscow from July 15 to 17, the International Tennis Federation said in a statement.

After losing to Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in the third round at Wimbledon last month, Safin said the injury, a damaged ligament, wouldn’t prevent him from competing against the French.

“It’s an injury he needs to take care of,” Safin’s agent, Gerard Tsobanian, said. “He needs treatment and rest. As of right now, he doesn’t need surgery.”

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Wesley Moodie took advantage of Taylor Dent’s erratic serve to extend the failures of top-seeded players in the Hall of Fame Championships and advance to the quarterfinals at Newport, R.I.

A top-seeded player hasn’t won in the 29-year history of North America’s only grass-court event.

“I lived up to expectations,” Dent said after Moodie won, 6-4, 6-1.

Second-seeded Vince Spadea advanced by defeating Karol Kucera, 6-4, 6-1.

Other seeded players who won were No. 3 Greg Rusedski, the defending champion, who defeated Robin Vik, 6-2, 7-6 (5), and No. 7 Paul Goldstein, who ousted Florin Mergea, 6-1, 6-3.

Michal Mertinak eliminated fifth-seeded Robby Ginepri, 6-3, 6-4.

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Two-time defending champion Mariano Zabaleta defeated 2002 winner Carlos Moya, 7-6 (3), 6-2, to reach the quarterfinals at the Swedish Open at Bastad.

Third-seeded Tommy Robredo advanced when Gael Monfils of France fell badly and had to retire trailing, 6-4, 4-2.

Also, Mikhail Youzhny of Russia saved a match point to defeat Andreas Vinciguerra of Sweden, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5.

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Andreas Seppi of Italy upset fifth-seeded Ivan Ljubicic, 7-6 (4), 6-3, in the rain-interrupted second round of the Swiss Open at Gstaad.

Seppi will face second-seeded Gaston Gaudio, who defeated Davide Sanguinetti, 6-2, 6-2.

WNBA

Anna DeForge scored nine of her 15 points during a 21-2 surge in the second half, and the Phoenix Mercury defeated the visiting Seattle Storm, 73-61.

Penny Taylor had 17 points, including seven during the game-winning surge that carried Phoenix to a 58-40 lead with 10:10 left. Diana Taurasi added 14 points.

The Mercury (5-11) overcame one-for-15 shooting at the start to get within 32-29 at halftime, blocking 10 shots in the process. Phoenix added two more blocks in the second half.

Betty Lennox had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the defending WNBA champion Storm (8-9), who lost for the fifth time in six games and fell 3 1/2 games behind Sacramento in the Western Conference entering the All-Star break.

College Basketball

The women’s basketball tournament will be coming to three California cities in 2007 and 2008, NCAA officials announced.

In 2007, USC’s Galen Center and Stanford’s Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto will play host to the first two rounds, which will be played March 17-20. The Save Mart Center in Fresno will play host to a regional final March 24-27.

Stanford also will play host to the first two rounds in 2008.

Jurisprudence

Florida State junior linebacker Ernie Sims was arrested in Tallahassee, Fla., for allegedly throwing his girlfriend to the ground.

Sims was charged with domestic battery and resisting arrest without violence, both misdemeanors.

Miscellany

Fans who attended the boycotted U.S. Grand Prix should receive more than the ticket refunds offered by Michelin, say attorneys who have filed lawsuits.

The French tire manufacturer, the seven Formula One teams that withdrew cars, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and others also should pay fans for travel and other expenses, the attorneys said.

Jeff Schemmel agreed to a five-year contract to become athletic director at San Diego State. He most recently was an associate commissioner with Conference USA.

Schemmel has had other stints at Arizona State, Minnesota and Kansas State, where he hired football Coach Bill Snyder.

Darlington Raceway President Chris Browning said that the track got the go-ahead from its owners, International Speedway Corp., to send out ticket renewal letters for the Carolina Dodge Dealers 500 on May 13, 2006. There had been speculation that NASCAR would drop the track from its rotation.

Bowl championship series officials want instant replay used in all its bowl games starting this season. Spokesman Bob Burda said officials are confident that at a minimum, instant replay will be available for the Rose Bowl, which will play host to the national title game Jan. 4.