Unseeded Ferrero Surprises Nadal

No Roger Federer in a tournament final. And now, no Rafael Nadal, either. This doesn’t happen often.

The second-seeded Nadal lost to unseeded Juan Carlos Ferrero, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3), in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Masters on Friday, leaving the tournament in Mason, Ohio, without its top two players and the ATP tour with a rarity.

The last 15 times Federer and Nadal were entered in the same tournament, one of them won it -- a streak that began after the 2005 Australian Open. The world’s top two players are heading into the U.S. Open off big upsets.

Federer’s 55-match winning streak in North America ended Wednesday with a loss to Andy Murray, who lost his quarterfinal match to ninth-seeded Andy Roddick, 6-3, 6-4.

Ninth-seeded Dinara Safina advanced to the semifinals of the Rogers Cup at Montreal by defeating Nicole Pratt, 6-1, 6-0.

Safina learned shortly before her victory that her brother, Marat Safin, had been injured in a car accident on Thursday in Cincinnati.

Safin, a former U.S. Open and Australian Open champion, has a suspected mild concussion and a stiff neck after his car was struck by another vehicle outside his hotel, a statement on his website said.

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MOTOR RACING

Burton Beats Sadler

for Nextel Cup Pole

Jeff Burton won the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Nextel Cup Series GFS Marketplace 400, spoiling Elliott Sadler’s debut in the Evernham Motorsports No. 19 Dodge.

Sadler, who left Robert Yates Racing to replace fired Jeremy Mayfield, was the 41st of 47 drivers who made qualifying runs on the two-mile Michigan International Speedway oval.

Sadler’s 187.071-mph lap had knocked the 186.804 of Matt Kenseth off the top spot. But Burton, the 45th driver in the lineup, easily pushed Sadler to the outside of the front row with a lap of 187.936 in his Chevrolet.

David Gilliland of Riverside, who replaced Sadler in the No. 38 Robert Yates Racing Ford, got off to a good start in his new car, qualifying 26th in the 43-car field.

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GOLF

Rookie Lee Takes

Safeway Classic Lead

LPGA Tour rookie Jee Young Lee birdied seven consecutive holes to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Safeway Classic at Portland, Ore. The 20-year-old from Seoul shot an eight-under-par 64. Christina Kim was in second place after shooting a 66.

Massy Kuramoto needed only 23 putts to shoot a nine-under 63 and take a two-shot lead after the opening round of the Boeing Greater Seattle Classic at the TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge.

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SWIMMING

Phelps Earns Two

More Gold Medals

Michael Phelps won his second individual gold medal of the Pan Pacific Championships at Victoria, Canada, then returned as leadoff swimmer on the United States’ victorious 800-meter freestyle relay.

Neither effort produced a world record, although the quartet of Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Peter Vanderkaay and Klete Keller were under pace most of the way. They won in 7:05.28, topping Australia’s meet record of 7:08.79.

Phelps won the 400 individual medley by more than three seconds, winning in 4:10.47 -- well off his two-year-old world mark, but good enough to better his meet record of 4:12.48 set in 2002.

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BOXING

Holyfield Returns

With Knockout Victory

Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield began his latest comeback with an easy victory in Dallas.

The 43-year-old Holyfield rocked Jeremy Bates in the first round, withstood a few hard shots early in the second, then cornered and pummeled Bates to earn a technical knockout with four seconds left in the round, earning his first victory since June 2002.

Brian Viloria, who lost his World Boxing Council light-flyweight title to Omar Nino last week, will get a shot at regaining it. Promoter Bob Arum told The Times that Viloria would get a rematch with Nino in Las Vegas either Nov. 16 at the Orleans or Nov. 18 on the Manny Pacquiao-Erik Morales card at the Thomas & Mack Center.

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-- Bill Dwyre

Archie Moore, who held the world light-heavyweight title from 1952 to 1961, heads the list of 2006 inductees for the California Boxing Hall of Fame. The ceremony is today at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City. Among the other honorees are Hedgemon Lewis, Carlos Palomino, Randy Shields and Rafael and Gabriel Ruelas.

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BASKETBALL

Spurs’ Parker Is Out

of World Championships

San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker will not play for France in the world championships after being diagnosed with a broken right index finger. He injured the finger during an exhibition game against Brazil on Tuesday in China.

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MISCELLANY

Artemev Easily Wins

U.S. Gymnastics Title

Sasha Artemev capped his faster-than-expected comeback by winning the men’s title at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships in St. Paul, Minn. Still rehabilitating from an extensive shoulder injury 18 months ago, Artemev went six for six in the finals to win with 180.35 points to 179.3 for runner-up Jonathan Horton.

Two arrest warrants were issued for former NBA player Isaiah Rider after he failed to show up at his sentencing in San Rafael, Calif., for convictions that include false imprisonment and driving offenses. Rider, 34, pleaded guilty to six misdemeanors and three infractions in the two cases in Marin County Superior Court.

The Kings have hired Jack Ferreira as special assistant to General Manager Dean Lombardi.

Ferreira was the San Jose Sharks’ first general manager and spent one season with that organization. He was hired as the Ducks’ first general manager in 1993 and spent five seasons with the organization, guiding the team to its first Stanley Cup playoff appearance.

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-- Chris Foster

San Gabriel Valley won the Senior Babe Ruth World Series at Newark, Ohio, by twice beating the host team, Licking County, 1-0 and 7-4. SGV third baseman Willie Sanchez, who drove in two runs in the second game, was named the series’ most valuable player.

The U.S. women’s soccer team opened the FIFA Under-20 World Championship at Moscow with a 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kelley O’Hara scored on a long-range shot in the 41st minute and Amy Rodriguez converted a penalty kick in the second half.

Galaxy midfielder Kyle Martino will be sidelined at least six weeks after undergoing surgery to his left hip. He suffered the injury during the second half of Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Colorado.