Davydenko is warned for not trying before losing

Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko, involved in a suspicious match this year, was warned for not playing hard enough by the chair umpire in his loss Thursday to qualifier Marian Cilic at the St. Petersburg Open in Russia.

Davydenko won the first set in 27 minutes but drew a rebuke from chair umpire Jean-Philippe Dercq in the third set before succumbing, 1-6, 7-5, 6-1.

“When I made a double fault, he gave me a notice for a wrong behavior on the court as if I was throwing the match,” Davydenko said.

“I was surprised. I’ve never heard anything like this before. No matter how I’d played, no matter what had happened to me, I was never given such a notice.”

The ATP is investigating, and has spoken to Davydenko about, an August match in Poland in which online gambling site Betfair voided bets involving the Russian because of irregular betting patterns. The Russian withdrew from that match against 87th-ranked Martin Vassallo Arguello in the third set because of a foot injury.

Davydenko said that during the exchange, Dercq asked him about his condition, but Davydenko first said there was nothing wrong and later said the problem was in his legs.

“He could not solve my problem anyway, that’s why I first told him I was OK, but I didn’t play the way I did in the first set. That’s why he gave me a notice,” Davydenko said. “Later I told him that my legs have collapsed. I could not move.”

Top-ranked Roger Federer defeated Juan Martin Del Potro, 6-1, 6-4, to advance to the quarterfinals at the Swiss Indoors at Basel. Federer will next play Nicolas Kiefer, who beat Stefan Koubek, 6-3, 6-2.

Ivo Karlovic served 24 aces in beating fourth-seeded James Blake, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, to also reach the quarterfinals.

Olivier Rochus overcame Mardy Fish’s 43 aces to win, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 7-6 (15), and advance to the Lyon Grand Prix quarterfinals at Lyon, France. Rochus will face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who ousted fourth-seeded Richard Gasquet, 6-4, 6-4.

Third-seeded Marion Bartoli beat teenager Tamira Paszek, 6-2, 6-1, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Generali Ladies at Linz, Austria.

Bartoli joined second-seeded Daniela Hantuchova, Julia Vakulenko, Nicole Vaidisova, Alona Bondarenko and Patty Schnyder in the quarterfinals.

GOLF

Estes’ birdie run gives him share of the lead

Bob Estes birdied six straight holes -- his longest streak of the season and one shy of his career best -- in a nine-under par 64 that left him tied for the lead with Tommy Armour III in the opening round of the Ginn sur Mer Classic at Port St. Loucie, Fla.

Craig Kanada and Daniel Chopra were three shots off Estes’ pace at six-under 67.

Play was suspended because of darkness, keeping 22 players from finishing.

Suzann Pettersen shot a seven-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead in the Honda LPGA Thailand at Pattaya, Thailand.

Pettersen shared attention with Thai amateur Ariya Jutanugarn, at 11 years, 11 months, 2 days the youngest qualifier to play an LPGA Tour event.

Jutanugarn, 10 strokes back after a three-over 75, broke Michelle Wie’s mark of 12 years, 4 months, 14 days set in the 2002 Takefuji Classic. Beverly Klass holds the overall record, playing a 1967 event in Dallas at 10 years, 6 months, 3 days.

Defending champion Jim Thorpe shot an eight-under 64 for a share of the first-round lead with Eduardo Romero in the Champions Tour’s season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Sonoma, Calif.

MISCELLANY

Ultimate Fighting, Spike TV extend deal

The Ultimate Fighting Championship announced a three-year extension to keep Spike TV as the mixed martial arts fighting organization’s cable home through 2011.

The deal will include four seasons of the reality series, “The Ultimate Fighter,” 12 live fight cards, 13 replay shows and two seasons of a new weekly live fighting series yet to be determined.

UFC President Dana White said Spike TV also will land occasional major UFC cards, similar to last month’s light-heavyweight championship bout in England that pitted champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson against Dan Henderson.

Reliever Chris Resop, who had a 4.15 earned-run average in four games in July for the Angels before being sidelined by an elbow injury, was claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.

Resop, who appeared in 27 games for triple-A Salt Lake, was acquired from Florida for reliever Kevin Gregg in November 2005.

Arkansas’ track and field program lost two national championships when the NCAA imposed sanctions for violations involving sprint star Tyson Gay and a former assistant coach.

The Razorbacks will forfeit national championships in outdoor track for 2004 and 2005.

The Razorbacks, who plan to appeal, also received three years’ probation.

The Arena Football League will be the first professional football league to allow defenses to use on-field communication devices, under a rules change approved by the league Board of Directors.

The decision to allow one defensive player on each team radio communication with coaches is aimed at improving competition and providing national TV rights owner ESPN with more content for fans.

Bode Miller could miss the season-opening World Cup giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, because of a back injury, according to coach John McBride.

U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati selected Wilmer Cabrera, a two-time World Cup player from Colombia, to be the coach of the U.S. under-17 men’s national team.

The National Lacrosse League salvaged its 2008 season by agreeing to a new collective bargaining agreement with the union.