Schiavone, No. 26, Upsets Serena

Serena Williams, a six-time Grand Slam winner, was upset, 7-6 (2), 6-1, by Italy’s Francesca Schiavone in her opening match in Rome at the Italian Open, a tuneup for the French Open, which starts in less than two weeks.

Williams moved poorly and was overpowered by the 26th-ranked Schiavone, who had all her shots working.

Williams called it the worst loss of her career.

“It won’t be happening again,” she said.

She was not planning on playing another tournament before the French Open, but she said after the loss that was going to rethink her schedule.

Earlier, Amelie Mauresmo began the defense of her title with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Australia’s Samantha Stosur.

Fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva, who withdrew from last week’s German Open because of a left hip injury, lost 7-5, 6-4, to Gisela Dulko of Argentina in the second round.

Pro Football

Donovan McNabb is confident the Philadelphia Eagles can win the Super Bowl without receiver Terrell Owens.

“I feel that if he plays or not, we definitely have a chance of making it to the Super Bowl and winning it,” McNabb said Wednesday, one day after owner Jeffery Lurie said the team wouldn’t redo Owens’ contract.

“That’s nothing against T.O. and it’s nothing against anybody else. I just feel confident in the guys that we have. With T.O., I think we can do a lot of great things. Without him, I still think we can do a lot of good things.”

Owens skipped a mandatory minicamp last month because he wants to renegotiate the seven-year deal worth almost $49 million he signed in March 2004.

Minnesota Viking running back Onterrio Smith was briefly detained by airport police last month after they found an elaborate kit used to beat drug tests.

Police at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport questioned Smith on April 21 after a search of his bag discovered vials of white powder, according to a police report.

The officer who filed the report wrote that Smith “told me that it was dried urine for making a clean urine test.” In addition, he had a bottle of pills labeled “cleansing formula.”

Smith told police he was taking the vials to his cousin.

Washington Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs said he underwent a common procedure to open a clogged artery to his heart last month, the Washington Post reported. Gibbs, 64, said he was feeling no side effects from the procedure.

Hockey

Labor talks between the NHL and the players’ association will continue for a third day in a row after the sides spent Wednesday discussing financial issues and the possible creation of a competition committee that would include players and clubs.

Brendan Shanahan of the Detroit Red Wings, who in December organized a two-day summit to discuss methods to improve the game, joined the talks. Bill Daly, the NHL’s executive vice president and chief legal officer, said the sides also discussed “various accounting issues relating to the calculation of club payroll in the context of a new economic system.”

Jurisprudence

Green Bay Packer running back Ahman Green pleaded not guilty to disorderly conduct after his wife called 911 for help because she said she felt threatened during an argument.

Green, who wasn’t at court, sent two attorneys to enter the plea for him. Green wasn’t required to appear at the proceeding. Brown County Court Commissioner Lawrence Gazeley set Green’s next court date for Aug. 29, with a trial to start Aug. 31.

Ohio State kicker Jonathan Skeete was suspended from the team indefinitely after being arrested for allegedly trafficking marijuana. He was arrested early Wednesday by university police. He remained in a Franklin County jail and was scheduled to be arraigned this morning, said sheriff’s Deputy Stephen Mayer.

Chris Madsen, a Mighty Duck television announcer from 1993 to 2002, has filed a civil lawsuit against the team and the Walt Disney Co. in Orange County Superior Court, alleging defamation and a breach of contract. The Ducks did not renew his contract for the 2002-03 season.

Duck and Disney officials declined to comment. Madsen is seeking unspecified damages.

Miscellany

Amid heavy criticism over its new nickname, the Marquette board of trustees decided to abandoned the name Gold and let students, alumni and faculty vote for a new moniker.

The decision came a week after trustees voted to switch the school’s nickname to Gold from the Golden Eagles, which the school took in 1994.

Saprissa of Costa Rica fell to Mexico’s Pumas, 2-1, in Mexico City but still won the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup on the strength of a 3-2 goals aggregate.