Rafael Nadal advances to semifinals in Toronto

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal survived a quarterfinal scare before battling to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber on Friday to keep his bid for a third Toronto Masters title on track.

Nadal will now face Andy Murray for a place in the final after the Scot advanced with a clinical 6-2, 6-2 win over Argentine David Nalbandian.

Playing in his first event since winning Wimbledon last month, Nadal has at times appeared to still be in holiday mode, and he was again slow out of the blocks against the 37th-ranked Kohlschreiber.

Murray, who must at least reach Sunday’s final to keep his No. 4 ranking, produced his best effort of the week by defusing the previously red-hot Nalbandian.

It was Murray’s first win over the 28-year-old Argentine, who had been on an 11-match unbeaten run since returning in July from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for two months.

Defending U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters reached the semifinals at the Cincinnati Open at Mason, Ohio, beating Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, 7-6 (6), 6-4, in oppressive afternoon heat.

The fourth-seeded Clijsters — the highest remaining seeded player — will face Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic, a 6-1, 6-3 winner over Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan.

Maria Sharapova also reached the semifinals, beating France’s Marion Bartoli, 6-1, 6-4, in the evening match. She’ll play fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Venus Williams withdrew from next week’s WTA tournament in Montreal, citing an injured left knee that is hampering her preparation for the U.S. Open.

In a statement issued by the Montreal tournament, Williams says she was looking forward to playing there for the first time, “but the pain that I am experiencing in my knee has unfortunately not gone away.”

TRACK AND FIELD

Gay runs 9.78 at London

Tyson Gay ran the fastest time in the world this year to win the 100-meter final at the Diamond League meet at London, finishing in 9.78 seconds to blitz a field missing injured Jamaican rivals Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell.

Gay, the 2007 world champion, led from start to finish on a wet track to set a record time at the Crystal Palace event. Yohan Blake of Jamaica was second in 9.89, with Richard Thompson of Trinidad & Tobago third in 10.05.

“I wasn’t expecting to go that fast in these conditions, but I knew I was in good shape and was going to go fast,” Gay said. “I wasn’t necessarily sending a message to Asafa and Usain — I was just running my own race.

Allyson Felix won the women’s 200 in 22.37 seconds to claim a fifth Diamond League win this year. Three have come in the 200, and she has only lost once in any event all season.

In the women’s 100 hurdles, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep of Canada produced the world’s fastest time this year of 12.52. She blew away a strong field to finish well clear of Australia’s Sally Pearson, who had been quickest out of the blocks before timing 12.61. Lolo Jones of the United States was third in 12.66.

ETC.

Kahne gets new ride, wins pole

After finally finding out where he’ll be driving next season, Kasey Kahne turned in an impressive performance for his current team Friday, with a lap of 187.183 mph to win the pole position for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway.

It is Kahne’s second pole of the season and the 18th of his career. Jimmie Johnson qualified second, followed by Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart and Juan Pablo Montoya.

It has been a big week for Kahne, who currently drives for Richard Petty Motorsports but has signed a contract with Hendrick Motorsports. Because Hendrick doesn’t have a seat open in 2011, it was announced this week that Kahne will spend next season with Red Bull.

Apologizing for a series of “terrible mistakes,” former Oklahoma State basketball coach Sean Sutton was sentenced Friday to three years of probation after pleading guilty to illegally obtaining prescription drugs. Sutton agreed to testify against two people who allegedly supplied him with adderall, clonazepam and oxycodone as part of a plea agreement covering four felony counts tied to his February arrest. He was also ordered to pay more than $2,850 in fines, perform 100 hours of community service in the next year and complete more drug rehabilitation treatment

Danielle Kang defeated Sydnee Michaels on the first hole of a playoff at Charlotte, N.C., and advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Kang will face Jennifer Kirby, who beat Kristen Park, 6 and 4. Stephanie Sherlock, a 2 and 1 winner against Junthima Gulyanamitta, will face Jessica Korda, who eliminated Erynne Lee, 4 and 3.

Kaka rejected claims by the doctor who operated on his knee that the Brazilian player put his career in jeopardy by playing at the World Cup in South Africa.

Colorado Rapids midfielder Colin Clark had his season come to an early end for a second straight season with a torn ACL in his left knee.

Grambling State defensive lineman Christian Anthony, the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s preseason defensive player of the year, has been hospitalized after suffering chest pains.