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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 15, 2007

TENNIS

Davenport Tops Jankovic In Quarters

NUSA DUA, Indonesia - Lindsay Davenport continued her comeback Friday, making it to the semifinals of the Bali Open by defeating top-seeded Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

'I would never expect to have played anything near how this week has gone, and it's fun to be out there,' said Davenport, who is returning to singles play for the first time since giving birth in June. Davenport faces Sara Errani, who upset Aiko Nakamura 6-1, 6-2. Davenport (forearm strain) withdrew from doubles.

Davenport was helped by Jankovic losing her composure in arguments with the umpire. Jankovic smashed her racket to the ground at 2-4 in the final set after the umpire made several calls against her. She presented the cracked racket to a fan and went through the motions of playing, surrendering the next five points and the match. Emphasizing her disgust, she gave Davenport an ace after a fault had been called, giving Davenport match point.

COLLEGES

Proposal Protects Financial Aid

INDIANAPOLIS - Schools would be barred from cutting financial aid to athletes for any injury or medical condition, including pregnancy and eating disorders, under a proposal approved by an NCAA Division I panel.

The measure, passed this week by the division's cabinet on academics, eligibility and compliance, will go to the Division I Management Council as an amendment to the NCAA bylaws later this fall. It would prohibit a reduction or cancellation of athletic scholarships even if the injury or condition prevents the athlete from participating with the team.

CROSS COUNTRY: Laura Woznicki won the 5k race and Tampa's women won the UT Early Bird Classic. UT placed third in the men's race.

GOLF: The 13th-ranked Florida women debuted with a 3-under-par 285 in the opening round of the Mason Rudolph Women's Championship. The score equals UF's third-lowest round ever. UF was fifth, five behind leader Arizona State.

SOCCER: Goals by Devin Shaw and Zach Barber helped the Tampa men beat Palm Beach Atlantic 2-1. ... Autumn Browning scored twice and Lindsay Brauer added a goal as the University of South Florida women beat Miami 3-2. ... Illinois beat the ninth-ranked Florida women 1-0.

VOLLEYBALL: The University of South Florida won its seventh in a row, beating Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 3-1 in the Best Western Invitational. Kristina Fabris had 15 kills and 13 digs for host USF. ... Angie McGinnis posted her fourth career triple-double as sixth-ranked Florida beat Georgia 3-1. McGinnis had 46 assists, 11 kills and 15 digs. She is the only player in UF history with a triple-double. ... Mira Djuric's 13 kills, five service aces and 18 points led Florida State past Miami 3-0. ... Saint Leo swept C.W. Post and Bentley College in the Bryant University Tournament in Smithfield, R.I.

PRO WRESTLING

Benoit's Journal Reveals Grief

ATLANTA - Journal entries written by wrestler Chris Benoit show he was wracked with grief and preoccupied with death after his best friend died in 2005, according to a lawyer representing Benoit's father. Benoit, who killed his wife and 7-year-old son and committed suicide in June, wrote the diary as a series of letters to the friend, fellow wrestler Eddie Guerrero, according to lawyer Cary Ichter, who represents the wrestler's father in estate litigation.

Benoit's father, Michael Benoit, referred to the diary earlier this month, saying it was 'written by someone who was extremely disturbed at the time.' The father has said murder-suicide was out of character for his son and supported medical tests that recently showed Chris Benoit suffered brain damage that could have caused depression and irrational behavior.

ELSEWHERE

Comedian Buys Vick Notes For $10,200

RICHMOND, Va. - Notes that suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick left behind after apologizing for his role in a dogfighting operation drew a top final bid of $10,200 in an online auction, the Humane Society of the United States said. The top eBay bidder was comedian and TV writer Carol Leifer. Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society, said the group will put 'every cent of this $10,200 towards anti-dogfighting efforts.'

CYCLING: Arbitrators in the Floyd Landis doping hearing met for the final time this week and declared the hearing officially closed, meaning a decision on the 2006 Tour de France winner's fate must come in by Sept. 22.

NBA: Pacers forward Shawne Williams intends to plead guilty to charges of driving without a license. Defense attorney John Tompkins said Williams plans to enter a plea agreement on the misdemeanor charge by Oct. 1.

RUNNING: Meseret Defar set a world record in the women's 2-mile at the Van Damme Memorial meet in Brussels, Belgium, smashing her mark by almost 12 seconds. The Ethiopian finished in 8 minutes, 58.58 seconds.

A Tribune staff, wire report

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