Davenport returns but loses in doubles

Lindsay Davenport returned to the court Wednesday after taking almost a year off because of the birth of her first child, losing a doubles match at the Pilot Pen at New Haven, Conn., to the top team in the world.

Davenport and partner Lisa Raymond were beaten by Cara Black and Liezel Huber, 6-7 (1), 6-3, and 10-4 in the match tiebreaker.

But for Davenport, it wasn’t all about winning or losing.

“It was fun to be back,” she said. “Obviously, this is the first step in a long process.”

Elsewhere, there was an upset in the women’s singles as qualifier Agnes Szavay beat second-seeded Daniela Hantuchova, 7-5, 6-3, in the second round.

On the men’s side, top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko survived a scare from 18-year-old American Donald Young, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Illinois guard Smith to sit out the season

Illinois guard Jamar Smith will sit out next season after a drunk-driving conviction.

Coach Bruce Weber says Smith will redshirt and rejoin the team next fall as a junior if he meets unspecified obligations.

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Alabama point guard Ronald Steele will undergo a second arthroscopic surgery on his left knee but is expected to recover in time for the upcoming season, Coach Mark Gottfried said.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Beavers’ Stroughter puts football on hold

Oregon State receiver Sammie Stroughter has put football on hold indefinitely while he deals with personal issues.

Stroughter, who caught 79 passes for 1,293 yards last season, has been missing for most of fall camp.

In a statement released by the school, Stroughter said he and his family have been dealing with the deaths of two family members as well as the death of coach Jim Gilstrap, who recruited Stroughter.

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Tennessee tight end Brad Cottam will sit out most of the season because of a left wrist injury. The 6-foot-8 senior had a career-high 14 receptions for 182 yards last season.

LITTLE LEAGUE

Georgia and Arizona reach U.S. semifinals

Dalton Carriker hit a three-run home run and struck out seven as Warner Robins, Ga., powered to an 8-1 win over Walpole, Mass., to clinch a spot in today’s U.S. semifinals at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa.

Georgia will play Chandler, Ariz., which defeated Coon Rapids, Minn., 9-2, with the help of a seven-run fifth inning.

The other U.S. semifinal will feature Lubbock, Texas, against Lake Oswego, Ore.

In the international bracket, Mexicali, Mexico, lost both ends of a day-night doubleheader, 4-2 to Taichung, Taiwan, and 11-1 to Maracaibo, Venezuela. Also, Willemstad, Curacao, defeated White Rock, Canada, 6-2.

Japan will face Taiwan in one semifinal, with Venezuela and Curacao in the other.

SOCCER

Fulham’s McBride dislocates kneecap

Fulham and former U.S. team forward Brian McBride will sit out a large part of the Premier League season to recover from a dislocated left kneecap.

The 35-year-old Fulham captain needed to have his patella reset after he was injured while scoring in Fulham’s 2-1 loss to Middlesbrough on Saturday.

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Real Madrid agreed to sign Gabriel Heinze from Manchester United to a four-year deal -- a day after the Argentina defender failed in his appeal to move to Liverpool.

MISCELLANY

Marbury defends Vick in dogfighting case

New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury defended Michael Vick, calling dogfighting a sport and comparing it to hunting.

Marbury spoke about the federal dogfighting conspiracy charges against Vick during a shoe promotion in Albany, N.Y.

“I think it’s tough,” Marbury said, according to Albany TV station Capital News 9. “I think, you know, we don’t say anything about people who shoot deer or shoot other animals. You know, from what I hear, dogfighting is a sport. It’s just behind closed doors.”

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A teenager from Taiwan and an AARP-eligible New Yorker were among the 32 winners in the first round of match play in the U.S. Amateur at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Cheng Tsung Pan of Taipei beat Jay Moseley 2 and 1, and George Zahringer, 54, made a four-footer on the 18th hole to beat England’s Gary Wolstenholme, 1-up.

Those two will join the 30 other winners today for two separate rounds of match play. That will leave only eight players by Friday, four on Saturday and two in the 36-hole final Sunday.

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The Lakers signed free agent Larry Turner, a 6-foot-11 center from Tennessee State who averaged 7.4 and 5.2 rebounds in five games in the summer league.

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Johnny Benson postponed a pit stop and then held off Brendan Gaughan to win the NASCAR Trucks Series’ O’Reilly 200 at Bristol, Tenn. . . . Doug Herbert ended a nearly three-year winless streak to earn the final spot in the Countdown to the Championship, defeating “Hot Rod” Fuller in the final of the 23rd annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Mohnton, Pa.