Serena Williams Impresses Again in Comeback

Serena Williams took another step in her comeback from a chronic left knee injury, beating Bethanie Mattek, 6-3, 6-1, Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open in Mason, Ohio.

Williams will face Amy Frazier in today’s quarterfinals.

Fifth-seeded Jelena Jankovic beat Maria Elena Camerin, 6-4, 6-4, and Vera Zvonareva beat Varvara Lepchenko, 6-0, 6-2.

Meanwhile, Williams, a two-time U.S. Open champion, entered the Open but will need a wild-card spot for the main draw because she is ranked 139th.

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Top-seeded James Blake ended the run of Wesley Whitehouse, defeating the qualifier, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, to reach the semifinals for the first time at the RCA Championships in Indianapolis.

Whitehouse upset Marat Safin on Wednesday.

Fourth-seeded Robby Ginepri, the defending champion, beat Igor Kunitsyn, 6-2, 6-7, 6-1. Third-seeded Fernando Gonzalez beat Vince Spadea, 6-4 7-6, and eight-seeded Paradorn Srichaphan beat Paul Goldstein, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6.

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Tomas Berdych advanced to the Mercedes Cup quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Diego Junquiera in Stuttgart, Germany.... Pete Sampras defeated Jaymon Crabb, 5-3, but Sampras’ Newport Beach Breakers lost, 23-16, to the host Philadelphia Freedoms.

PRO BASKETBALL

Kings, Sacramento Reach Arena Deal

City leaders reached a deal to build a downtown arena for the Sacramento Kings, using a quarter-cent sales tax that needs voter approval in November.

The arena would cost between $470 million and $542 million, the Sacramento Bee said.

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Denver power forward-center Nene signed a six-year, $60-million contract to stay with the Nuggets. The Nuggets also traded Howard Eisley and two 2007 second-round draft picks to Chicago for guard J.R. Smith.

HOCKEY

Ducks Re-Sign Kunitz to Two-Year Deal

The Ducks re-signed left wing Chris Kunitz to a two-year deal worth nearly $2.12 million, avoiding an Aug. 3 arbitration hearing.

Kunitz, 27, broke Paul Kariya’s team rookie records for goals (19) and points (41) last season.

-- Eric Stephens

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The San Jose Sharks traded left wing Nils Ekman and goalie Patrick Ehelechner to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a second-round draft pick next season.

GOLF

Bohn Trails Brooks in the B.C. Open

Choosing to defend his B.C. Open title instead of playing in the British Open, Jason Bohn shot a six-under 66, one shot behind Mark Brooks after the first round in Verona, N.Y.

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Defending champion Kevin Tway of Edmond, Okla., won two matches to advance to the quarterfinals in the U.S. Junior Amateur in Rancho Santa Fe. He beat Christopher Deforest of Cottekill, N.Y., 3 and 1, in the second round and edged Canada’s Jean-Philippe Paiement, 3 and 2, in the third.... Jenny Shin of Torrance beat Lindy Duncan of Plantation, Fla., 1-up, to reach the quarterfinals of the U.S. Girls’ Junior in Charlotte, N.C. Jane Rah of Torrance lost, 2 and 1, to Vicky Hurst of Melbourne, Fla.

MISCELLANY

Doctor Reprimanded in Wheeler Case

A former Northwestern University doctor was disciplined quietly for burning Rashidi Wheeler’s medical records days after the football player died at an illegal preseason practice in 2001.

Mark Gardner, 50, received a written reprimand -- the mildest form of punishment -- for failing to maintain Wheeler’s medical records properly, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

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With eight women general managers and a woman as its president, the WNBA remains the top professional sports league for diversity in the workplace, according to a study.

The league received “A” grades for racial and gender diversity in the study published by the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport.

Of the eight women GMs, three are African American, including the Sparks’ Penny Toler.

“Our foundation is built on our belief in diversity,” said Donna Orender, president of the WNBA. “We take great pride that embracing diversity is business as usual for the WNBA.”

-- Mike Terry

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UCLA coaches Karl Dorrell and Ben Howland each had significant raises approved by the University of California Board of Regents.

Football coach Dorrell received a $250,000 increase and will be paid $850,000 during the next school year with “bonus opportunities” for another $505,000.

Basketball coach Howland got a $220,000 raise -- to $1.15 million -- with potential bonuses of $235,000.

-- Larry Gordon

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Jockey Pat Valenzuela canceled his mounts for the second consecutive day at Del Mar and could be sidelined indefinitely because of back pain from a pinched nerve, his agent, Tom Knust, said.

-- Eric Sondheimer

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Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell, the co-world-record holder in the 100 meters, pulled out of today’s meet on the Greek island of Crete after officials at a Venice, Italy, airport refused to let him take his spikes as carry-on baggage.

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Andy Irons and Julia Christian will return to defend their titles at the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing today through July 30 at the Huntington Beach Pier.