Struggling Safin loses to qualifier in Florida

Marat Safin hit another low Thursday when he lost to qualifier Bobby Reynolds, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5), at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla.

Safin fell to 1-5 in 2008, and his ranking has fallen from 56th to 90th since the start of the year.

But the 28-year-old Russian said he’s healthy and not tired of tennis.

“If I was tired, I would have stopped a long time ago,” Safin said. “I’m trying, and it doesn’t come out my way.”

Also eliminated was Mardy Fish, who beat Roger Federer en route to a runner-up finish last week at Indian Wells.

Arnaud Clement caught Fish on the rebound and won, 6-3, 6-3.

Andy Roddick, James Blake, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan will participate in their record 10th consecutive Davis Cup together for the United States, captain Patrick McEnroe said.

FOOTBALL

Cowboys reportedly make offer for Jones

The Dallas Cowboys have reportedly sweetened the offer for suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones.

SI.com reported that Dallas has offered an unnamed player and a late-round draft choice for Jones. The Cowboys previously offered only a draft pick.

Jones is awaiting reinstatement from Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Louisiana State quarterback Ryan Perrilloux returned from suspension and could be allowed to practice with the team by Monday.

Coach Les Miles suspended Perrilloux in February, shortly before spring practice began, for unspecified team violations.

Heath Benedict, a two-time Little All-American offensive lineman from Newberry College in South Carolina, was found dead on a couch in his home in Jacksonville, Fla. He was 24. Jacksonville police said no foul play is suspected.

GOLF

Stanford fires 62 for three-stroke lead

Angela Stanford shot a 10-under-par 62 to break the Prospector Course record and take a three-stroke lead over defending champion Lorena Ochoa in the Safeway International at Superstition Mountain, Ariz.

Dean Wilson birdied three of the last four holes in windy conditions for a six-under 66 and a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Zurich Classic at Avondale, La.

JURISPRUDENCE

Ex-quarterback’s suit against USC dropped

A lawsuit filed against USC by former Trojans quarterback Walt Ransom was dismissed this month after a judge ruled that the statute of limitations had expired, attorneys for both sides confirmed. Ransom, a backup in the late 1970s who is employed by the university, had alleged that USC fraudulently denied him a Physical Education degree in 1981 before awarding it to him retroactively in 2006. Ransom filed a $2.1-million lawsuit last year.

-- Gary Klein

The federal agent whose hunches helped spark the government’s probe of Barry Bonds and the BALCO steroids-distribution ring testified publicly for the first time about his detective work -- from picking through trash to analyzing bank databases.

Jeff Novitzky, an IRS special agent, dangled hints about sports figures touched by the federal government’s investigation of performance-enhancing drugs in sports, but at the direction of prosecutors, identified none. The testimony came in the perjury and obstruction of justice trial of cyclist Tammy Thomas, who’s charged with lying to a grand jury.

MISCELLANY

Pacquiao-Marquez fight a winner for HBO

The second Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez fight on March 15 produced 400,000 pay-per-view buys, an HBO pay-per-view record among lightweight fighters.

Pacquiao’s split-decision victory to claim Marquez’s World Boxing Council super-featherweight belt in Las Vegas exceeded all three fights in Pacquiao’s trilogy with Erik Morales, and it outdid Morales’ last two fights with Marco Antonio Barrera. Those fights drew between 300,000 and 360,000 buys, HBO reported.

Unbeaten super-featherweight Juanito Garcia of Phoenix will fight Cornelius Lock tonight in the main event of a Telefutura-televised boxing card at Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry. Garcia (14-0, five knockouts) served recently as a sparring partner to Pacquiao. Lock, from Detroit, is 16-3-1, with nine KOs.

NBC announced coverage of mixed martial arts fights promoted by the MMA organization Strikeforce beginning April 12. The fight series is scheduled to air weekly from 2 to 2:30 a.m. The main event of the first show will be Cung Le versus Brian Warren.

-- Lance Pugmire

Britain won all three titles and set a world record with a time of 3 minutes 56.322 seconds in the men’s 4,000-meter team pursuit at the track cycling world championships in Manchester, England.

Graham Rahal, who damaged his car in a testing accident earlier this week, will miss Saturday’s IRL IndyCar Series season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida. Rahal was not injured.