Clarett Decides to Turn Himself In

Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett, accused of robbing two people at gunpoint in an alley behind a bar in Columbus, Ohio, turned himself in to authorities Monday night.

Clarett turned himself at the county jail, Columbus Det. Art Hughes said.

The 22-year-old player, who helped the Buckeyes win the national championship in 2002, was wanted on two counts of aggravated robbery. He is accused of flashing a gun and demanding property from a man and a woman behind the Opium Lounge in downtown Columbus on Sunday.

Police said he fled with two men in a sport utility vehicle after he was identified by the bar owner, who happened to come out into the alley.

After helping Ohio State win the title, Clarett was suspended the following season after he was charged with filing a false police report claiming more than $10,000 in property was stolen from a car he was using.

Ohio State officials also said he had gotten thousands of dollars in special benefits from a family friend.

The Denver Broncos picked Clarett in last year’s draft but later released him.

TENNIS

Davis Cup Star Ancic Prevails in Return

Mario Ancic won his first match since leading Croatia to the Davis Cup, beating Arnaud Clement, 6-0, 6-2, in the first round of the Australian men’s hardcourt championships in Adelaide, Australia.

Ancic advances to face Xavier Malisse, who defeated qualifier Peter Luczak, 7-6 (11), 6-3.

In other matches, third-seeded Tommy Robredo beat Jergen Melzer, 7-5, 6-4, and sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych outlasted Agustin Calleri, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4.

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Jelena Dokic lost in her first competitive match since May, falling, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-1, to Julia Schruff in the first round at the ASB Women’s Tennis Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.

Dokic, once ranked No. 4, has plunged to No. 376 while struggling with injuries and personal problems.

Katarina Srebotnik beat Eleni Daniilidou, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, in a match between former champions.

In other matches, top-seeded Nadia Petrova beat Mariana Diaz-Oliva, 6-2, 6-2, and 16-year-old wild-card Viktoria Azarenka beat Amy Frazier, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

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Tim Henman beat third-seeded Richard Gasquet, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round of the Qatar Open in Doha.

He will next face Tommy Haas, a 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 winner over Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland.

Sixth-seeded Olivier Rochus squandered four match points in the final set before losing to Davide Sanguinetti, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5). Rochus also served for the match at 5-4 in the second set.

Taylor Dent won his singles match and combined with Lisa Raymond in the clinching mixed doubles today to give the United States a 2-1 victory over Russia in the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia.

Dent beat Russia’s Yuri Schukin, 6-2, 6-0, to even the round-robin match at 1-1 after 2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova gave Russia a 1-0 lead with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Raymond.

Raymond and Dent had little trouble in the decisive mixed doubles at the indoor Burswood Dome, beating the Russian pair, 6-4, 6-1. The Americans are 2-0 in the tournament and a victory Thursday over Sweden would clinch a place in Friday’s final.

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Prakash Amritraj overcame a wrist injury to defeat Ricardo Mello, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, in the first round of the Chennai Open in Madras, India.

OLYMPICS

Fast Resolution Sought in Harassment Inquiry

U.S. national skeleton coach Tim Nardiello, who has been on paid administrative leave since Saturday while sexual harassment allegations made against him are investigated, has asked for an immediate resolution to his case.

Nardiello’s attorney sent a three-page letter to U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation President Jim Shea Sr. requesting that the federation rule by Wednesday whether he’ll be able to accompany the team to Europe on Thursday.

Federation officials had no immediate comment.

The USBSF opened its latest inquiry into Nardiello’s conduct Friday, after skeleton athlete Felicia Canfield wrote the board and claimed Nardiello touched her inappropriately, tried to kiss her, and made suggestive comments to her and other female athletes.