John Isner

MELBOURNE, Australia - Rafael Nadal moved into the fourth round of the Australian Open without dropping a set or showing any signs that a freak knee injury is bothering him. Second-ranked Nadal had a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over Slovakia's Lukas Lacko, the last qualifier in the draw, and will next play either John Isner or Feliciano Lopez. Nadal, who won the 2009 Australian title but has gone out in the quarterfinals due to injuries in the last 2 years, felt a crack and then sharp pain in his right knee while sitting in a chair at his hotel on the weekend and was concerned that he might not be able to play in his opening match.

Venus Williams kept up with sister Serena by winning a third-round match Thursday in the Family Circle Cup, moving one step closer to an all-Williams semifinal in Charleston, S.C. Venus defeated Anastasia Rodionova of Russia, 7-5, 6-2, continuing her strong comeback from an autoimmune disease that sidelined her for more than six months. Serena also advanced to the quarterfinals, ousting Marina Erakovic of New Zealand, 6-2, 6-2. France captain Guy Forget picked Gilles Simon , who has a sore back, to play against John Isner of the United States in the Davis Cup quarterfinals.

Kaye Cowher , 54, the wife of former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher and a former basketball player at North Carolina State and in the now-defunct Women's Professional Basketball League, died Friday of skin cancer in her native North Carolina. The Cowhers met at North Carolina State, where Bill played linebacker before beginning an NFL career. They married in 1981, after the former Kaye Young played alongside twin sister Faye in college and during a three-season pro career.

NEW YORK - Roger Federer waited around at the U.S. Open for hours and hours, eager to get on court for his fourth-round match. Once he finally started playing, shortly before midnight, he didn't take long to win. Still, Federer enjoyed each of the 82 minutes he needed to hit 14 aces - including four in one game - and generally overwhelm 36th-ranked Juan Monaco of Argentina, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0, in a match that ended shortly before 1:15 a.m. on Tuesday....

ROGER FEDERER defeated John Isner , 7-6 (7), 6-3, to win his record fourth BNP Paribas Open title yesterday in Indian Wells, Calif., avenging a loss to the American who beat him in Davis Cup play. Victoria Azarenka routed Maria Sharapova , 6-2, 6-3, for the women's title in the WTA Tour's first final between the No. 1 and No. 2 players since 2008. Federer and Azarenka each earned $1 million, the richest winner's checks in the tournament's history. The runners-up earned $500,000 each.

LIVORNO PLAYERS and fans gathered Sunday at the Italian soccer team's stadium to pay their respects, a day after midfielder Piermario Morosini , 25, collapsed and died after suffering cardiac arrest during a Serie B match at Pescara. A defibrillator was used on the player, who also had his heart massaged, before an ambulance arrived on the field to take him to a hospital where doctors tried unsuccessfully to revive him for about 90 minutes. An autopsy will be carried out Monday, and may reveal whether a delay in the ambulance getting to Morosini could have contributed to his death.

PARIS - Apparently, even Roger Federer, with his record 16 Grand Slam titles, was in need of some advice on a wet and windy day at the French Open. Forced off court by two rain delays, and "pushed," as he put it, by a player with a career record below .500, Federer turned to Swiss Davis Cup captain Severin Luthi for words of wisdom during yesterday's breaks. Told to be more aggressive early, then to use more drop shots late, Federer wound up with a 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Alejandro Falla in the second round.

Home Depot, the company that offered jobs and benefits to American Olympians, will discontinue that program after deciding not to renew its U.S. Olympic Committee sponsorship. A company spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that the store no longer would be a USOC sponsor. The last four-year deal was worth between $15 million and $20 million. Tennis Two Americans, John Isner and 16-year-old Christina McHale, were among six players granted wild cards into the main draw of Australian Open, which begins Jan. 19. Nikolay Davydenko will miss the Australian Open because of a heel injury that bothered him last season and has caused "unbearable" pain the last two weeks.

WIMBLEDON, England - The 352 days Serena Williams spent between Grand Slam appearances were filled with health problems and hospitalizations, doubts and depression. Cuts from glass on both feet. One subsequent operation on her right foot, then a second. Clots in her lungs. Surgery to remove a pool of blood under her skin. On and on it went. Finally healthy and back in a major tournament, Williams was overwhelmed by it all at the conclusion of her Wimbledon match on Tuesday. As soon as she snapped off her 13th ace of the afternoon to close an uneven performance in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Aravane Rezai of France in the first round, Williams placed her right palm on her chest.

NEW YORK - Maria Sharapova's undefeated record in three-set matches ended yesterday, and so did her stay at the U.S. Open. No. 26 seed Flavia Pennetta, of Italy, knocked off the 2006 champion, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, in the third round to hand Sharapova her first loss in 13 three-set matches this year. "She's a good fighter," said Pennetta, who conceded she didn't know about Sharapova's record in three-setters. "You can never give up with her. You have to be focused until the last game, until the last point, actually.

LIVORNO PLAYERS and fans gathered Sunday at the Italian soccer team's stadium to pay their respects, a day after midfielder Piermario Morosini , 25, collapsed and died after suffering cardiac arrest during a Serie B match at Pescara. A defibrillator was used on the player, who also had his heart massaged, before an ambulance arrived on the field to take him to a hospital where doctors tried unsuccessfully to revive him for about 90 minutes. An autopsy will be carried out Monday, and may reveal whether a delay in the ambulance getting to Morosini could have contributed to his death.

John Isner defeated Feliciano Lopez , 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 6-3, on Saturday to advance to the final of the U.S. Clay Court tennis championship in Houston. The big-serving Isner became the top-ranked American, moving to No. 9 in the world. He leapfrogged previous No. 9 Mardy Fish, who lost in the second round. Isner will play Juan Monaco in Sunday's final. Monaco defeated qualifier Michael Russell 5-7, 6-1, 6-4. Caroline Wozniacki beat Petra Martic , 6-3, 6-2, to set up an e-Boks final against Angelique Kerber in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Venus Williams kept up with sister Serena by winning a third-round match Thursday in the Family Circle Cup, moving one step closer to an all-Williams semifinal in Charleston, S.C. Venus defeated Anastasia Rodionova of Russia, 7-5, 6-2, continuing her strong comeback from an autoimmune disease that sidelined her for more than six months. Serena also advanced to the quarterfinals, ousting Marina Erakovic of New Zealand, 6-2, 6-2. France captain Guy Forget picked Gilles Simon , who has a sore back, to play against John Isner of the United States in the Davis Cup quarterfinals.

ROGER FEDERER defeated John Isner , 7-6 (7), 6-3, to win his record fourth BNP Paribas Open title yesterday in Indian Wells, Calif., avenging a loss to the American who beat him in Davis Cup play. Victoria Azarenka routed Maria Sharapova , 6-2, 6-3, for the women's title in the WTA Tour's first final between the No. 1 and No. 2 players since 2008. Federer and Azarenka each earned $1 million, the richest winner's checks in the tournament's history. The runners-up earned $500,000 each.

Sophomore Ed Ruth (174 pounds), sophomore David Taylor (165 pounds), and senior Frank Molinaro (149 pounds) were successful in their bids for unbeaten seasons and individual national championships on Saturday in St. Louis, and Penn State won its second consecutive national wrestling title. The Nittany Lions wrapped up the team championship on Saturday morning when redshirt freshman Dylan Alton (157 pounds) turned in a third-place finish. This is the third national title for Penn State, with its first coming in 1958.

Given a very tough draw in the 2012 Davis Cup, the United States is off to an exhilarating start. The U.S. swept Roger Federer and Switzerland in the first round, with Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan winning the doubles match on clay, a surface selected by Federer to exploit what was perceived as an American weakness. But Fish and Bryan, paired for the first time in more than three years, were clearly up for this challenge Saturday before a crowd in Fribourg, Switzerland, that at times turned angry.

MELBOURNE, Australia - There will be no U.S. player in the men's fourth round at the Australian Open for the first time since 1973 - when no Americans were entered. John Isner, the last American man left in the singles draw, lost to Spain's Feliciano Lopez, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-7 (0), 6-1, in the third round on Friday. Lopez earned a fourth-round match against countryman Rafael Nadal, who had a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over Slovak qualifier Lukas Lacko. Roger Federer, a 7-6 (6)

MELBOURNE, Australia - Rafael Nadal moved into the fourth round of the Australian Open without dropping a set or showing any signs that a freak knee injury is bothering him. Second-ranked Nadal had a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over Slovakia's Lukas Lacko, the last qualifier in the draw, and will next play either John Isner or Feliciano Lopez. Nadal, who won the 2009 Australian title but has gone out in the quarterfinals due to injuries in the last 2 years, felt a crack and then sharp pain in his right knee while sitting in a chair at his hotel on the weekend and was concerned that he might not be able to play in his opening match.

MELBOURNE, Australia - Rafael Nadal moved into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday without dropping a set or showing any signs that a freak knee injury is bothering him. Second-ranked Nadal had a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over Slovakia's Lukas Lacko, the last qualifier in the draw, and will next play either John Isner or Feliciano Lopez. Nadal, who won the 2009 Australian title but has gone out in the quarterfinals due to injuries in the last two years, felt a crack and then sharp pain in his right knee while sitting in a chair at his hotel on the weekend and was concerned that he might not be able to play in his opening match.

NEW YORK - Defending champion Rafael Nadal overwhelmed Andy Roddick right from the start in their U.S. Open quarterfinal yesterday. Whipping passing shots from all angles and returning superbly, the No. 2-seeded Nadal beat No. 21 Roddick, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3, to reach the semifinals at Flushing Meadows for the fourth consecutive year. Nadal compiled a stunning 22-0 edge in forehand winners and broke Roddick's powerful serve six times. "It was quick. Obviously, it was a combination of things that probably weren't going to work out today," said Roddick, who had trouble pushing off on his fatigued legs and was massaged by a trainer during a medical timeout in the third set. "It was evident pretty early that he was in full control.