NCAA aid limits could be raised

A proposed settlement in a federal antitrust suit could raise NCAA limits on financial aid and allow schools to pay athletes for other expenses such as travel, health insurance and laundry.

A trial scheduled in Los Angeles this month has been delayed while the settlement is being completed, plaintiffs attorney Stephen Morrissey said Friday. He would not divulge details of the proposed agreement.

“When the settlement is completed, it will become public record,” Morrissey said.

Morrissey said court approval of a settlement was not imminent, adding the process typically takes a few months.

The class-action suit was filed in February 2006 on behalf of former football players Jason White of Stanford and Brian Polak of UCLA and former University of San Francisco basketball player Jovan Harris.

It contended the NCAA limits on scholarships, which cover only tuition, books, housing and meals, are an unlawful restraint of trade because of the billions of dollars generated from TV, radio, licensing and other agreements through major college basketball and football.

The limits “deny a legitimate share of the tremendous benefits of their enterprise to the student athletes who make the big business of big-time college sports possible,” the suit contended.

The NCAA did not immediately return a call from the Associated Press. By the NCAA’s own estimate, athletes on full scholarships pay an average of $2,500 a year in out-of-pocket expenses, the suit said.

At the time the suit was filed, NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson said the association’s guidelines allow athletes on full or partial scholarships to work part time and to receive additional aid based on need or academic merit.

“When we take all of that into consideration, we believe these claims don’t have any merit,” Christianson said at that time.

TENNIS

Davenport wins third title since comeback

Lindsay Davenport won her third title in four events since returning to play after the birth of her first child, defeating Aravane Rezai, 6-2, 6-2, today in the ASB Classic at Auckland, New Zealand.

Davenport improved to 18-1 in singles since her return to the tour. She gave birth in June to son Jagger. With her 54th singles title, she moved to seventh on the career list ahead of Monica Seles.

Davenport improved her percentage of wins in singles to 79.4% -- 792 wins in 918 matches -- the best in WTA history.

Sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ended top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt’s chances of winning his hometown tournament for a third time, upsetting the Australian star, 6-4, 6-2, in the quarterfinals of the Adelaide International.

One Australian did advance to the semifinals -- wild-card entrant Joe Sirianni, who beat second-seeded Paul-Henri Mathieu, 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (6). In other quarterfinals, third-seeded Jarkko Nieminen defeated Vince Spadea, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (7), 7-6 (5), and Michael Llodra beat Benjamin Becker, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Serena Williams and Mardy Fish beat Jelena Jankovic and Novak Djokovic, 7-6 (5), 6-2, to give the U.S. a 2-1 victory over Serbia and its fifth title in the Hopman Cup mixed team tournament at Perth, Australia.

Third-seeded Andy Murray defeated top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko, 6-4, 6-3, to reach the final of the Qatar Open at Doha. He will play Stanislas Wawrinka, who upset fourth-seeded Ivan Ljubicic, 7-6 (1), 6-4.

Top-seeded Rafael Nadal defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 6-3, 6-2, to set up a semifinal match against third-seeded Carlos Moya in the Chennai Open in India. Moya beat Florent Serra, 6-3, 6-4.

GOLF

Weir (67) leads by one at Kapalua

Mike Weir holed an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a six-under-par 67 to take a one-shot lead over Stephen Ames and Jonathan Byrd after the second round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship at Kapalua, Hawaii. Weir is at eight-under 138. Ames also shot a 67. Byrd birdied his last two holes for a 69.

JURISPRUDENCE

Jones’ judge might sentence her twice

The federal judge who will sentence former Olympic champion Marion Jones is considering punishing her twice -- once for lying about her steroid use and once for lying about her role in a check-fraud scheme.

Kenneth Karas served notice that he might go beyond the six-month maximum prison term suggested in Jones’ plea deal, saying he “is not bound by that agreement.”

He ordered both sides to advise him by Wednesday on whether he can do that, as well as on whether he can order Jones to serve the two sentences consecutively. The sentencing is scheduled for Friday in White Plains, N.Y.

BASEBALL

Nomo agrees to deal with Kansas City

Hideo Nomo agreed to terms on a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals and was invited to spring training next month. The 39-year-old former Dodger, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2005, made seven starts in the Venezuelan Winter League in 2006.

MISCELLANY

Canada beats U.S., 4-1, to reach hockey final

Three-time defending champion Canada defeated the U.S., 4-1, and will play Sweden today in the final of the world junior championships at Pardubice, Czech Republic. Mikael Backlund scored 6:18 into overtime to give Sweden a 2-1 win over Russia in the first semifinal.

Justin Hickman, an All-American defensive end as a senior at UCLA in 2006, signed a one-year contract with the Avengers of the Arena Football League.