Chivas’ Preki coach of year
Chivas USA Coach Preki was named Major League Scocer coach of the year Wednesday after helping lead an overachieving team to the second-best regular-season record in the league.
Preki, 44, also becomes the first former MLS most valuable player to win the league’s coach-of-the-year award. The Yugoslavia-born Predrag Radosavljevic is also the league’s only two-time MVP winner.
In his first year as head coach of a team, Preki guided Chivas USA to first place in the Western Conference and the franchise’s first regular-season series win over the Galaxy. Chivas was eliminated in the first round of the MLS playoffs by Kansas City last weekend.
David Beckham played an uneventful 71 minutes as the Galaxy and Vancouver Whitecaps played to a 0-0 draw in an exhibition before 48,172 at BC Place Stadium.
TENNIS
Serena Williams suffers knee injury
Fifth-ranked Serena Williams retired because of a left knee injury after one set and defending champion Justine Henin reached the semifinals of the Sony Ericsson Championships at Madrid.
Williams retired after losing the first set, 6-4, to seventh-ranked Anna Chakvetadze, and went to the hospital for an MRI exam. Top-ranked Henin beat third-ranked Jelena Jankovic, 6-2, 6-2, to improve to 9-0 against her. Fourth-ranked Ana Ivanovic moved closer to the final four by defeating ninth-ranked Daniela Hantuchova, 6-2, 7-6 (9).
The Russian holders of nine betting accounts stood to share $1.5 million in winnings on the Nikolay Davydenko match at the center of an investigation by the ATP Tour, Davydenko’s attorney said.
Frank Immenga said that he received the information from an ATP investigator. The ATP said in a statement that it would be “inappropriate” to comment.
Betfair, Britain’s largest Internet gambling site, nullified all $7 million of wagers on fourth-ranked Davydenko’s second-round match against 73rd-ranked Martin Vassallo Arguello at the Poland Open on Aug. 2 because of suspicious betting patterns.
BASEBALL
Phillies get closer Lidge from Astros
The Philadelphia Phillies acquired closer Brad Lidge from Houston along with infielder Eric Bruntlett for outfielder Michael Bourn, right-hander Geoff Geary and minor league third baseman Mike Costanzo.
New Atlanta Braves General Manager Frank Wren said he would like to re-sign pitcher Tom Glavine, who left five years ago for the New York Mets.
Shortstop Juan Uribe and the Chicago White Sox agreed to a $4.5-million, one-year contract. . . . Pinch-hitter Marlon Anderson agreed to a two-year, $2.2-million contract with the Mets. . . . The Florida Marlins agreed to accept the Orange Bowl as a site for a new ballpark if a financial deal can be worked out.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kentucky upset by Gardner-Webb
Grayson Flittner scored 22 points to help Gardner-Webb beat No. 20 Kentucky, 84-68, in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic at Lexington, Ky.
The Wildcats hadn’t lost a regular-season game to a mid-major since falling to Western Kentucky on Nov. 15, 2001, in that season’s opener.
A day after being suspended for an unspecified rules violation, scoring leader Avery Smith was dismissed from the Wisconsin Milwaukee team.
MISCELLANY
Arreola withdraws from Nov. 16 fight
Riverside heavyweight boxer Chris Arreola withdrew from his scheduled Nov. 16 fight on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia after last week’s shooting death of one of his best friends.
Arreola (22-0, 20 knockouts), ranked the No. 7 heavyweight by the World Boxing Council, said Alex Carranz, 25, was shot in the back at a Riverside Halloween gathering by “a party crasher.” Arreola was present when the shooting occurred, he said.
Arreola canceled training, and promoter Dan Goossen inserted Joey Abell (17-1) to fight unbeaten Teke Oruh (14-0).
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The WNBA-champion Phoenix Mercury promoted assistant coach Corey Gaines, 42, to head coach, replacing Paul Westhead, who recommended him after joining the Seattle SuperSonics.
Mark O’Meara, whose son, Shaun, is a freshman on the UC Irvine golf team, will auction the chance for a foursome to join him in a charity round of golf at the Madison Club at La Quinta.
The auction will be held after the UC Irvine Masters invitational Monday at El Niguel Country Club in Laguna Niguel. The event benefits the UCI men’s and women’s golf programs and the department of education. Details: (949) 824-5550.
