TENNIS

RODDICK’S SPORTSMANSHIP COSTS HIM MATCH IN ROME

Top-seeded Andy Roddick’s act of good sportsmanship cost him a spot in the quarterfinals of the Rome Masters yesterday, allowing Fernando Verdasco to rally for a 6-7 (1), 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory. Roddick was leading 5-3 in the second set and had triple match point when Verdasco appeared to double fault. The line judge called the ball out but Roddick said the ball was in after checking the mark in the clay, giving Verdasco an ace.

“I didn’t think it was anything extraordinary,” Roddick said. “The umpire would have done the same thing if he came down and looked. I just saved him the trip.”

Verdasco then saved two more match points, held serve, and broke Roddick to even the second set at 5-5. The 21-year-old Spaniard broke to win the first game of the third set and maintained the lead to close out the match.

Verdasco advanced to a quarterfinal matchup with Guillermo Coria, who breezed past Italian wild card Davide Sanguinetti 6-0, 6-4. Earlier, Andre Agassi beat Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia 7-6 (4), 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals, where he’ll face Slovakia’s Dominik Hrbaty, a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 winner over fourth-seeded Tim Henman.

CLIJSTERS INJURED AT GERMAN OPEN

Kim Clijsters slid awkwardly as she chased down a ball in her third-round match at the German Open. She tried to keep playing, but the pain in her knee was too much to bear. Clijsters retired in the second set, and now her status for the upcoming French Open is in doubt.

Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova and Justine Henin-Hardenne are set to meet in a big quarterfinal matchup. Sharapova, who can become world no.1 with a title here, beat Shuai Peng of China 6-2, 6-1 while Henin-Hardenne won her 13th straight match, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 over Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic.

In the other matches, second-seeded Amelie Mauresmo beat Virginie Razzano, fourth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova rallied past Conchita Martinez, sixth-seeded Nadia Petrova defeated Mary Pierce, eighth-seeded Elena Bovina downed Meghann Shaughnessy, and 13th-seeded Jelena Jankovic of ousted wild card Julia Schruff.

BASKETBALL

OKAFOR, GORDON LEAD ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor of Charlotte and Sixth Man award-winner Ben Gordon of Chicago were unanimous choices for the NBA All-Rookie team, announced yesterday. Orlando’s Dwight Howard joined Okafor and Gordon as unanimous selections in balloting by the league’s head coaches. Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala and Chicago’s Luol Deng also made the team.

The All-Rookie second team was New Jersey’s Nenad Krstic, Atlanta’s Josh Smith and Josh Childress, Orlando’s Jameer Nelson, and Boston’s Al Jefferson.

GOLF

GARCIA RACES TO LEAD AT WACHOVIA CHAMPIONSHIP

Sergio Garcia grabbed a two-shot lead yesterday at the opening round of the $6 million Wachovia Championship, reeling off eight birdies en route to a 6-under-par 66.

Garcia is two shots in front of defending champion Joey Sindelar, Patrick Sheehan, Kenny Perry, and Richard Johnson. Tiger Woods, in his first start since winning the Masters, made a 40-foot birdie putt at his final hole to shoot a 70.

Vijay Singh, the world no. 2 behind Woods, also shot a 70. Phil Mickelson, ranked third in the world, came in with a 71.

– Associated Press