Suns Sign Diaw to Five-Year Extension

Phoenix Suns forward Boris Diaw has signed a five-year, $45-million contract extension, the maximum length allowed by NBA rules.

The deal, announced Friday, will keep the versatile 6-foot-8 Diaw under contract through the 2011-12 season. And it means he won’t test the free-agent market next summer.

“I knew that the Phoenix Suns wanted me to stay for four more years, and I knew that I wanted to stay four more years,” Diaw, 24, said at a news conference.

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The Boston Celtics waived forward Kevin Pittsnogle, an undrafted free agent who starred at West Virginia. He played in three exhibition games and averaged one point in 3.7 minutes.

TENNIS

Federer Advances to Madrid Semifinals

Top-ranked Roger Federer moved a step closer to winning his 10th title of 2006 with a 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory over Robby Ginepri in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Masters.

Federer advanced to a semifinal match against fourth-seeded David Nalbandian, who defeated Marat Safin, 6-4, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (2).

Thomas Berdych upset second-ranked Rafael Nadal, 6-3, 7-6 (6), and will play Fernando Gonzalez, who beat Novak Djokovic, 7-5, 5-7, 7-5.

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Second-seeded Maria Sharapova defeated Timea Bacsinszky, 6-4, 6-3, to reach the semifinals of the Zurich Open in Switzerland. She will play Katarina Srebotnik, who advanced by beating Maria Kirilenko, 6-3, 6-2.

Third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated fifth-seeded Martina Hingis, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3. She will next play Daniela Hantuchova, who received a walkover after top-ranked Amelie Mauresmo withdrew because of a shoulder injury.

MOTOR RACING

Kurt Busch Edges Gordon for Pole

Kurt Busch won the pole for Sunday’s Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, his NASCAR Nextel Cup Series-high sixth pole position of the season.

Busch circled the 0.526-mile oval at 97.568 mph, giving Dodge its 15th pole of the season. He bumped Jeff Gordon to the outside of the front row after Gordon set the early standard at 97.377 mph in a Chevrolet.

The top 10 will feature four of the 10 Chase for the Nextel Cup drivers, with Gordon, Denny Hamlin (third), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (seventh) and Jimmie Johnson (ninth).

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Jack Sprague won his 29th pole in NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series with a lap at 95.675 mph in a Toyota for today’s Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway.

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Rookie Will Power earned a front-row start in Sunday’s Champ Car World Series Indy 300 at Surfers Paradise, Australia, with the fastest time in the opening qualifying session, 1 minute 31.403 seconds.

BASEBALL

A’s Get Permission to Interview Black

The Oakland Athletics received permission from the Angels to interview pitching coach Bud Black about their managerial job, which opened when the A’s fired Ken Macha on Monday.

Oakland General Manager Billy Beane is scheduled to begin meeting with candidates next week. A’s bench coach Bob Geren and third base coach Ron Washington are expected to be interviewed, and former Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser could be considered.

Black spent Wednesday afternoon in Arizona interviewing for the San Francisco Giants managerial job with GM Brian Sabean and player personnel director Dick Tidrow.

-- Mike DiGiovanna

MISCELLANY

American Liukin Is Upset in Uneven Bars

Defending gold medalist Nastia Liukin of the U.S. settled for silver at the world gymnastics championships in Aarhus, Denmark, losing to Elizabeth Tweedle of Britain in an upset on the uneven bars. Liukin’s only mistake was a minor step forward on her landing.

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Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson opened his “World Tour” in Youngstown, Ohio, with a ho-hum performance in a four-round exhibition against Corrie Sanders, a former sparring partner who outweighed Tyson by 50 pounds.

Tyson, gasping for air during each of the 2 1/2 -minute rounds, floored Sanders early in the first round and then had to hold him up moments later after staggering him.

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Derek Nesbitt scored a power-play goal early in the third period and the Idaho Steelheads defeated the Ice Dogs, 2-1, in their East Coast Hockey League opener at Long Beach Arena.

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Christopher Ramsey, a native of Southern California and graduate of the University of Redlands, has been appointed the first chief executive of USA Water Polo.

Ramsey, who had been director of external affairs for the New York City Ballet, will oversee USA Water Polo’s Olympic program and the sport’s development nationwide.

-- Helene Elliott