Roddick upsets Nadal, reveals Connors split

Sixth-seeded Andy Roddick had 17 aces to upset second-seeded Rafael Nadal, 7-6 (5), 6-2, Thursday to reach the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships in the United Arab Emirates, and then announced he has split with coach Jimmy Connors.

Roddick said that Connors resigned last week to spend more time with his family.

Roddick will next face third-seeded Novak Djokovic, who beat Igor Andreev, 6-2, 6-1.

Nikolay Davydenko beat Andy Murray, 7-5, 6-4, to reach the semifinals where he will face Feliciano Lopez, a 6-4, 6-3 winner over David Ferrer.

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Seventh-seeded Venus Williams struggled past Peng Shuai, 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-2, and top-seeded Jelena Jankovic defeated Sanda Mamic, 6-2, 6-2, to reach the quarterfinals of the Bangalore Open in India. Williams had 15 double-faults.

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Evgeny Korolev upset top-seeded Fernando Gonzalez, 6-3, 7-6 (4), in the second round of the Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas.

PRO FOOTBALL

Eagles release Spikes in salary-cap move

Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Takeo Spikes was released by the Philadelphia Eagles after one season, joining defensive end Jevon Kearse as their second high-profile release in the last two weeks.

Meanwhile, Kearse, 31, agreed to a multiyear deal to rejoin the Tennessee Titans.

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The New England Patriots continued to rebuild their secondary by signing former Atlanta Falcons cornerback Lewis Sanders, 29, and Minnesota Vikings safety Tank Williams, 27. . . . The Denver Broncos signed former Falcons linebacker Boss Bailey, 28, who joined cornerback Champ Bailey as the fourth pair of brothers to play for the team. . . .Terrell Suggs filed a grievance against the Baltimore Ravens over whether he should be classified as a defensive end or a linebacker, a dispute in which $814,000 is at stake. Suggs wants to receive the $8.879 million one-year salary for the defensive end franchise tag designation. The Ravens assigned Suggs the $8.065 million franchise tag for linebackers.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Marinovich’s brother arrested at Syracuse

Two Syracuse players -- including the younger brother of troubled former NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich -- were charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief, police said.

Paul Chiara, 22, and Mikhail Marinovich, 20, allegedly broke into a sports equipment room early Sunday morning.

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Iowa receiver James Cleveland, 19, and backup quarterback Arvell Nelson, 19, were dismissed from the team. Both were arrested on drug charges last month and had been suspended indefinitely. . . . Indiana suspended school record-setting quarterback Kellen Lewis indefinitely for violating team rules .

GOLF

Bryant takes lead as rain suspends play

Bart Bryant birdied his last two holes for a six-under 65, giving him a one-shot lead among early starters in the PODS Championship before the first round was suspended by rain in Palm Harbor, Fla.

MISCELLANY

Wooden expected to go home soon

John Wooden’s condition improved again and it appears the retired UCLA basketball coach will be released from the hospital soon after breaking his left wrist and collarbone Feb. 28, said his daughter, Nan Muehlhausen, in a statement.

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Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan may miss the MLS season opener on March 29 after spraining his left knee at practice on Monday.

-- Jaime Cardenas

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The sixth-ranked UCLA men’s tennis team beat 10th-ranked USC, 5-2, at the L.A. Tennis Center.

PASSINGS

Simmons, 51, former Trojans sprinter

Michael Simmons, a sprinter on USC’s 1976 NCAA champion track team, died of cancer in Altadena. He was 51.