Federer, Nadal Easily Advance at Monte Carlo

Roger Federer thinks he’s ahead of schedule in his bid to win the French Open tennis championship. Rafael Nadal says he’s starting to reach his potential.

Both easily won quarterfinals Friday at the Monte Carlo Masters, dropping only seven games combined, and are one victory from meeting in Sunday’s final in Monaco.

Federer, the world’s top-ranked player, defeated eighth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain, 6-1, 6-3, in slightly more than one hour and will play Fernando Gonzalez of Chile today.

Defending champion Nadal beat No. 6 Guillermo Coria of Argentina, 6-2, 6-1, in 70 minutes, and next meets 2004 French Open champion Gaston Gaudio.

PRO FOOTBALL

Charger Linebacker Foley Is Arrested

Linebacker Steve Foley of the San Diego Chargers was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest after police said he scuffled with officers.

Foley also was booked on suspicion of battery on a police officer and public drunkenness.

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The Chicago Bears signed restricted free-agent defensive back Ricky Manning Jr., a former standout at UCLA, to an offer sheet, with his agent saying the deal is worth up to $21 million over five years.

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The Carolina Panthers signed free-agent linebacker Na’il Diggs, who was released last month by the Green Bay Packers.

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Quarterback Anthony Wright officially signed a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. Wright started seven games last season for Baltimore.

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Brandon Lloyd, acquired last month by the Washington Redskins, signed a contract extension with the team.

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The Green Bay Packers have released receiver Terrence Murphy after he failed to recover from a bruised spinal cord sustained in a game against Carolina on Oct. 3.

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John Kaleo scored on a one-yard run with 40 seconds left and teamed with David Saunders on a two-point conversion to give the Columbus Destroyers (6-7) a 46-45 win over the Philadelphia Soul (7-6) in an Arena Football League game at Philadelphia.

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Andy Kelly threw four touchdown passes to help the expansion Utah Blaze (5-8) to a 52-40 victory over the Colorado Crush (9-4) at Denver.

GOLF

Appleby Leads Owen at the Houston Open

Stuart Appleby took a one-stroke lead over Greg Owen in the suspended second round of the Shell Houston Open, finishing 16 bogey-free holes at five under par to push his two-day total to 11 under at Humble, Texas.

Appleby, the first-round leader, started on the back nine at the Tournament Course at Redstone and moved to 11 under with a birdie on No. 6.

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Jay Haas, seeking his first title of the season, breezed to a two-stroke lead in the wind-swept first round of the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf at Savannah, Ga. Haas shot a six-under-par 66 at the Club at Savannah Harbor. Mark McNulty, Tom Wargo, Jerry Pate and Gil Morgan each shot 68s.

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Karrie Webb shot a five-under 67, leaving her two strokes off the lead in the Florida’s Natural Charity Championship at Stockbridge, Ga.

Sung Ah Yim charged to the top with a 64 at Eagle’s Landing Country Club, south of Atlanta, pushing her 36-hole total to a 12-under 132. Jee Young Lee was 11 under after a 65, and Hee-Won Han was tied with Webb at 134.

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Michelle Wie has received a sponsor’s exemption to play in the 84 Lumber Classic in Farmington, Pa., on Sept. 14-17, giving the 16-year-old three starts on the PGA Tour this year.

MISCELLANY

Quarterback Clausen Going to Notre Dame

Westlake Village Oaks Christian junior Jimmy Clausen, the top-rated high school quarterback prospect in his class, has committed to Notre Dame, according to Steve Clarkson, his private quarterback coach.

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Pole-sitter Helio Castroneves won the Indy Japan 300 at Motegi, Japan, claiming his second straight IndyCar Series win.

Castroneves crossed the finish line about six seconds ahead of Dan Wheldon.

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Paul Westphal, who resigned as Pepperdine’s basketball coach March 15, will serve as a studio analyst for FSN West and FSN Prime Ticket whenever the Lakers and Clippers play during the NBA playoffs, executive producer Tom Feuer announced.

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Former NBA player Jayson Williams lost an appeal to have a manslaughter charge against him dropped in the shooting death of a limousine driver and could be retried on the charge.

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Courtney Kupets won the all-around title and helped top-ranked Georgia defend its title in the NCAA women’s gymnastics championships at Corvallis, Ore.

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Thomas Finchum, 16, earned the first 10s of the U.S. Open, getting two on a preliminary-round dive off the 10-meter platform and then adding seven more on two semifinal round dives at Indianapolis.

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Tele Santana, who coached Brazil’s soccer team at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, has died of multiple organ failure. He was 74.

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Bill Dooley, who led North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest to bowl games in a head coaching career that spanned 26 seasons, was in critical but stable condition after surgery for an aneurysm, hospital officials in Durham, N.C., said.

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The NCAA said Kansas “demonstrated a failure to exert appropriate institutional control” over a six-year period that led to dozens of violations in football and men’s and women’s basketball. The report mirrored what the university, which put its athletic department on two years’ probation, had reported to the NCAA last June.

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Chris Byrd (39-2-1, 20 KOs) will meet Wladimir Klitschko (45-3, 40 knockouts) tonight in an International Boxing Federation heavyweight title bout in Berlin.