Chris Paul has surgery on knee

New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul will be out about four to six weeks after having arthroscopic knee surgery Thursday.

Paul will start rehabilitating immediately and be on crutches for two or three weeks, the team announced.

He will miss the Feb. 14 All-Star game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“Obviously, this is a tough thing for me,” Paul said in a statement. “I have been fortunate through my career as a basketball player to not have suffered many injuries. The main thing is for me to get back healthy and to help this team however I can.”

Paul was injured Jan. 27 against Golden State, then aggravated the injury when he ran into a camera while chasing an errant pass in the final seconds of regulation against the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 29.

New Orleans (26-23) is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in three years. The Hornets have lost three consecutive home games and are in last place in the Southwest Division.

TENNIS

Cilic stays hot at Zagreb Indoors

Defending champion Marin Cilic cruised into the quarterfinals of the Zagreb Indoors in Croatia by defeating Daniel Koellerer of Austria, 6-2, 6-1.

The top-seeded Croat dropped only seven points on serve.

It has been a good season for the 22-year-old so far. He won the ATP tournament in Chennai, India, in January and reached the semifinals at the Australian Open.

Cilic will next face another local player in Ivo Karlovic, who defeated French qualifier Alexandre Sidorenko, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (8).

Gael Monfils and David Ferrer continued to plow through the field in reaching the SA Tennis Open quarterfinals at Johannesburg, South Africa.

Top-seeded Monfils and No. 2 Ferrer have yet to drop a set through two rounds.

Monfils beat fellow Frenchman Josselin Ouanna, 6-4, 7-5, managing to hit 12 aces and convert three of 16 break chances.

Ferrer, aiming to surpass his semifinal run last year, beat Swedish qualifier Filip Prpic, 6-3, 6-4.

ETC.

Oaklawn pursues two star horses

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., will increase its purse for the Grade I Apple Blossom on April 3 to $5 million if champion thoroughbreds Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta agree to run in the race.

That was the announcement Thursday by Oaklawn President Charles J. Cella, who said he had spoken to the owners of the two horses and they indicated enthusiasm for the race.

The 4-year-old Rachel Alexandra was named horse of the year in 2009, beating out the 6-year-old unbeaten Zenyatta.

-- Eric Sondheimer

A person with knowledge of the negotiations told the Associated Press that the Seattle Mariners and left-hander Erik Bedard are getting close to a one-year contract, pending a physical.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Mariners have not announced a deal. The former Baltimore Orioles ace has been in his native Canada rehabilitating from surgery in August to repair a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder.

PASSINGS

Dudley, 88, NFL star for Steelers

Bill Dudley, a Hall of Fame player who in 1946 with the Pittsburgh Steelers led the NFL in rushing, punt returns and interceptions, died at age 88.

Dudley, nicknamed “Bullet,” had a stroke Saturday and was admitted to Lynchburg (Va.) General Hospital, son Jim Dudley said. He said his father had not been ill before the stroke.