Blake, Roddick give U.S. 2-0 lead over France in Davis Cup

James Blake’s perseverance and Andy Roddick’s power gave the United States a commanding lead over France in the Davis Cup quarterfinals.

Blake fought off two match points to beat Paul-Henri Mathieu, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 on Friday to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series at Winston-Salem, N.C.

Roddick had 30 aces on the indoor hard-court in a 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5) victory over Michael Llodra in the opening match.

The Americans’ top-ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan can put the United States into the semifinals against Spain or Germany with a win today against Llodra and Arnaud Clement.

Rafael Nadal beat Nicolas Kiefer, 7-6 (5), 6-0, 6-3, and David Ferrer defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, to give Spain a 2-0 lead over Germany at Bremen, Germany.

In the other quarterfinal matches, Marat Safin defeated Tomas Berdych, 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, to help Russia gain a 1-1 split against the Czech Republic at Moscow. Radek Stepanek beat Igor Andreev, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Argentina’s David Nalbandian beat Thomas Johansson, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, but Robin Soderling gave Sweden a 1-1 split at Buenos Aires by defeating Jose Acasuso, 6-0, 6-4, 6-1.

Maria Sharapova and Lindsay Davenport set up a semifinal showdown in the Bausch & Lomb Championships at Amelia Island, Fla., by winning quarterfinal matches.

The top-seeded Sharapova defeated 10trh-seeded Alona Bondarenko, 6-7 (9), 6-3, 6-2. Davenport, seeded 16th and a three-time Bausch & Lomb champion, advanced with a 6-4, 7-6 (3) victory over eighth-seeded Agnes Szavay.

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SWIMMING

Five more short-course world records fall

Five more world records were set on the third day of the short-course world championship at Manchester, England, raising the total to nine.

Duje Draganja of Croatia established a new mark in the men’s 50-meter freestyle (20.81), Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe set a new standard in the women’s 200-meter backstroke (2:00.91), and American Ryan Lochte set a record in the men’s 200 individual medley (1:51.56).

It was Lochte’s second world record of the meet. He led off the U.S. team that set a world mark in the 400 freestyle relay Wednesday.

Felicity Galvez of Australia established a world mark in the women’s 50 butterfly (25.30) , and the U.S. team of Margaret Hoelzer, Jessica Hardy, Rachel Komisarz and Kara Denby had the final record of the day in the women’s 400 medley relay (3:51.36).

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GOLF

Ochoa leads Park by one in Mexico

Lorena Ochoa shot her second consecutive seven-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead in the Corona Championship at Morelia, Mexico, and move a step closer to becoming the youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame.

If the 26-year-old Ochoa wins Sunday, she will earn the last of the 27 points needed to qualify for the Hall of Fame. The youngest to qualify previously was Se Ri Pak, who was 26 years when she won the Michelob Ultra Open in 2004.

Ochoa is at 14-under 132. Inbee Park was second after a nine-under 64 that tied the course record set by Ochoa in 2006 and 2007.

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JURISPRUDENCE

Judge sides with Jordan in lawsuit

A woman must abide by a previous restraining order to avoid contact with former NBA star Michael Jordan and stop using litigation regarding the order to claim he fathered her child.

Crawford County Judge Gordon Miller issued the ruling in response to motions filed this month by Lisa Miceli, 35, of Meadville, Pa., who was acting as her own attorney.

Miceli claims Jordan fathered her 4-year-old son. In the harassment suit Jordan filed in February, seeking to keep Miceli away from him, he says a pair of 2005 paternity tests proved he was not the boy’s father.

Miami Dolphins fullback Reagan Mauia was charged with punching another man in the face and knocking him unconscious in a restaurant parking lot in Weston, Fla., early Friday.

The victim, Michael Gianatassio, was treated at a hospital and released. Mauia was charged with battery and released on $1,000 bond, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office said.

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MISCELLANY

Report: Football player showed signs of stress

Four teammates of a Central Florida football player who died last month say he showed signs of distress before collapsing after an intense workout, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Ereck Plancher died March 18, about an hour after taking part in the team’s “mat drills.” A cause of death has not been determined.

Teammates told the newspaper that Plancher’s final workout was more intense than what school officials initially described. The players requested anonymity because they feared retribution from coaches.

Bryant Gumbel has given up his role as an NFL Network play-by-play announcer after two seasons. The NFL Network said it was looking for a new announcer to work with Cris Collinsworth.