Serena Williams advances in Rome

Serena Williams appeared frustrated at times but eventually overpowered 11th-seeded Shahar Peer, 6-3, 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals of the Italian Open in Rome on Thursday.

Peer pushed Williams deep into the third set when the two players met in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in January.

Williams resurrected her career by winning the year’s first Grand Slam in Australia. She and Roger Federer on the men’s side have a shot at completing the Grand Slam if they win the remaining three majors this season.

Williams could have another tough test in her next round against 14th-seeded Patty Schnyder, who beat Samantha Stosur, 6-4, 6-4. Third-seeded Jelena Jankovic beat Alona Bondarenko, 6-4, 7-5. Jankovic will next face Elena Dementieva, who advanced when fifth-seeded Nadia Petrova retired because of a lower back injury.

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Pete Sampras traded forehands with Jim Courier at the foot of the Athens Acropolis in a tuneup for his first match in the Athens Champions Cup.

Making his first trip to his ancestral homeland of Greece, Sampras hit balls with Courier on the makeshift cement court, then edged Wayne Ferreira, 6-3, 7-6, at the Olympic Tennis Center to improve to 5-0 in senior competition.

Also Thursday, American Todd Martin beat Richard Krajicek, 6-2, 6-3, in a battle of big right-hand servers.

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Sandra Kloesel reached the quarterfinals of the Grand Prix SAR Princess Lalla Meryem in Fez, Morocco, when eighth-seeded Anne Kremer retired because of a lower back injury while trailing, 6-0, 3-1. Kloesel will next face Maria Emilia Salerni.

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The USC men’s team, seeded 12th, defeated fifth-seeded Notre Dame, 4-3, to advance to the NCAA quarterfinals in Athens, Ga. Ninth-seeded UCLA defeated No. 8 Oklahoma State, 4-0, and will face top-ranked Georgia today.

HORSE RACING

Trainer Gomez can add to Los Alamitos success

Trainer Jaime Gomez has won the $366,100 Kindergarten Futurity four times since 2000 and has a chance to add to the total with Carters Cartel, one of 10 2-year-olds set to run the 300 yards at Los Alamitos on Saturday night.

Carters Cartel, a son of Corona Cartel, qualified for the Kindergarten with a decisive victory in his trial May 5. The 7-10 favorite that night, Carters Cartel won by 1 3/4 lengths in 15.44 seconds for the 300 yards.

The fastest qualifier was Miss Kittys Bar Bet, a Sum Fun To Bet filly trained by Hector Jaime Hernandez. After losing as the favorite in her debut April 13, the California-bred won her Kindergarten trial by two lengths in a swift 15.32 seconds.

-- Bob Mieszerski

SOCCER

Brazil’s Ronaldinho will sit out Copa America

FC Barcelona midfielder Ronaldinho will not play at next month’s Copa America, set to begin June 26. Barcelona said on its website that Ronaldinho sent a letter to Brazil’s soccer confederation informing Dunga, who coaches Brazil, that he would not be available for the tournament in Venezuela.

The statement said Ronaldinho wanted to take a break from playing after the long Spanish league season.

AC Milan midfielder Kaka said he doesn’t want to play for Brazil at the Copa America because of fatigue.

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Dale Mitchell was hired as Canada’s soccer coach, inheriting a national team that is ranked 94th and has not been to the World Cup since 1986. He replaces Frank Yallop, who quit in June to coach the Galaxy.

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The United States will open against Tajikistan at this summer’s FIFA under-17 World Cup in South Korea.

The men’s national team plays the central Asian nation Aug. 20 before concluding group play against Belgium and Tunisia. The top two teams from each group and the top four third-place teams advance to the round of 16. The tournament runs Aug. 18-Sept. 9.

JURISPRUDENCE

Frazier refiles lawsuit against his daughter

Former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier has refiled a lawsuit against his daughter, days after she won a primary election for city judge.

Jacquelyn Frazier-Lyde turned over some of the documents that are being sought but hasn’t fully accounted for the money she managed for her father from 1989 to 2004, Frazier’s lawyer said.

Frazier sued for the return of his records in April but suspended the suit as his daughter waged a campaign for Philadelphia Municipal Court judge.

MISCELLANY

Gregoire breaks back in practice for Indy 500

Veteran driver Stephan Gregoire crashed into the wall and broke his back during practice for the Indianapolis 500.

He was examined at the Speedway’s infield hospital and transferred downtown to Methodist Hospital, where an MRI showed a fracture of the third thoracic vertebra, said Mike Olinger, director of medical services for the Indy Racing League.

Gregoire was expected to be released from the hospital today but there was no immediate word whether he would be able to drive. The final qualifications for the May 27 race are Saturday and Sunday.

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Marcus Camby wanted to help the U.S. Team qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but the Denver Nuggets’ standout is putting his family before the flag.

Camby, the NBA’s defensive player of the year, declined an invitation from USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo to participate in the team’s camp in Las Vegas this summer because of a pressing family matter.

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North Carolina awarded Coach Roy Williams a four-year contract extension that will keep him with the Tar Heels through the 2014-15 season. Williams, who signed an eight-year contract to coach his alma mater before the 2003-04 season, will make up to $1.8 million each year plus incentives based on the Tar Heels’ performance on the court and in the classroom.

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Former boxing champion Bobby Czyz Jr. is recovering from injuries sustained in a fiery car crash in New Jersey more than a month ago. Czyz, 45, was pulled unconscious from the back seat of a burning Mercedes early April 13 after the car went off the road and struck a tree, according to Millstone Township Fire Chief James Carbin, who performed the rescue.

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The UCLA varsity eight was given an at-large bid to compete at the NCAA rowing championships in Tennessee on May 25-27. USC earned a team selection to the event.