Roberts leads by three at Senior Players

Loren Roberts overcame a slow start to shoot a three-under-par 67 Saturday and take a three-stroke lead over Fred Funk after three rounds of the Senior Players Championship at Baltimore.

Roberts bogeyed two of the first three holes, but rebounded to lengthen the two-shot lead he owned at the midpoint of the Champion Tour’s final major tournament of the year. After making 14 birdies and only four bogeys over the first 54 holes, he is at 10-under 200.

Funk shot a 66, the best score of the day, and Tom Watson carded a 68 to move into third place at five under.

Jesper Parnevik moved a step closer to his first PGA Tour victory in 6 1/2 years, shooting a four-under 66 to take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the Texas Open at San Antonio.

He is at 18-under 192 after opening with rounds of 61 and 65. He won the last of his five PGA Tour titles in the 2001 Honda Classic.

Parnevik had six birdies, with only two of the putts from more than 10 feet. Mathias Gronberg was 15 under after a 65. Justin Leonard was 14 under after a 64.

Suzann Pettersen chipped in for an eagle on the ninth hole en route to an eight-under 64 and a one-stroke lead in the Longs Drugs Challenge at Danville, Calif. Pettersen, who won the McDonald’s LPGA Championship in June for her first major victory, had a 12-under 204 total for a one-stroke lead over Lorie Kane (67). Lorena Ochoa (67) was another stroke behind.

Tom Gillis made it through a windy day in Rancho Cucamonga and moved into sole possession of the lead at the Nationwide Tour’s Mark Christopher Charity Classic.

Gillis bettered his score for the second day in row, following up an opening-round 70 with rounds of 68-67 to pull one shot in front of Richard Johnson (69) at Empire Lakes Golf Course.

TENNIS

Venus Williams loses to Razzano in final

Top-seeded Venus Williams was upset by fifth-seeded Virginie Razzano, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, in the final of the Japan Open at Tokyo.

Williams had three match points in the tiebreaker of the second set but couldn’t finish off Razzano, who won her second consecutive WTA tournament.

In the men’s draw, top-seeded David Ferrer defeated seventh-seeded Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (3), 6-3, and will play third-seeded Richard Gasquet in today’s final. Gasquet beat second-seeded Tomas Berdych, 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Top-ranked Justine Henin defeated third-seeded Jelena Jankovic, 7-6 (2), 7-5, and will play Tatiana Golovin today for the title of the Porsche Grand Prix at Stuttgart, Germany.

Henin is now 8-0 against the third-ranked Jankovic, who squandered a 4-1 lead in the second set. Golovin advanced by upsetting second-ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-2, 6-4.

Top-seeded Tommy Robredo defeated Nicolas Mahut, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, in the semifinals of the Moselle Open at Metz, France. He will play third-seeded Andy Murray in today’s final. Murray beat second-seeded Guillermo Canas, 7-6 (2), 6-4

SOCCER

Manchester United takes Premier League lead

Manchester United finally found its scoring touch, beating Wigan, 4-0, and taking the English Premier League lead for the first time this season.

Cristiano Ronaldo had two goals and Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez also scored to give United 20 points -- one more than Arsenal, which plays Sunderland today. It was the first time this season United has scored more than two goals in a match.

Players from Africa and the Caribbean and Pacific states will be allowed to occupy European Union roster spots after the Spanish league endorsed the Cotonou Accord.

After consultations with FIFA and UEFA, the Spanish football federation backed the agreement that allows foreigners from those areas to be considered guest workers and fall under European Union designation.

PRO FOOTBALL

Safety Darius won’t play for Dolphins

Miami Dolphins safety Donovin Darius will sit out today’s game against the Houston Texans because of a calf injury. Cameron Worrell probably will make his first NFL start in Darius’ place for the Dolphins, who’ve had several injuries at safety this season.

Yeremiah Bell tore his Achilles’ tendon in Week 1 and will sit out the rest of the season; Travares Tillman started in Week 2 and is currently sidelined by a knee injury.

If Worrell starts, he would be the fifth player at the position in as many weeks, following Bell, Tillman, Travis Daniels and Darius.

PRO BASKETBALL

Garnett has solid debut for Celtics

Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 16 rebounds in his Boston Celtics debut, and Paul Pierce scored 21 points as the Celtics beat the Toronto Raptors, 89-85, at Rome to start the NBA Europe Live tour.

RUGBY

England upsets Australia to reach Cup semifinals

Jonny Wilkinson kicked defending champion England to a 12-10 victory over favored Australia at Marseille, France, and into the World Cup semifinals.

Wilkinson, who became the all-time World Cup leading points scorer with 234, kicked four penalties for England, which overcame a 10-6 deficit to upset the two-time Cup winner.

PASSINGS

Don Nottebart, 71, Colt .45s pitcher

Don Nottebart, who pitched the first no-hitter in Houston franchise history for the Colt .45s in 1963, died Thursday in Cypress, Texas. He was 71 and had been in declining health after suffering a recent stroke.