Associated Press
NEW YORK ó Serena Williams fought off the wind, along with brief flurries of effectiveness from her opponent, to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open on Monday with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Ana Ivanovic.
Williams closed out the match with four straight serves that Ivanovic couldn’t get back ó clocked at between 99 and 111 mph in a blustery Arthur Ashe Stadium that had both players fighting with their tosses and topspin all day.
Seeded only 28th after missing big chunks of the last two years with injuries to her foot, Williams nonetheless improved to 16-0 this year on hardcourt. She has yet to drop a set at the U.S. Open and now finds herself in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since last year at Wimbledon, when she won her 13th major title.
The top player on the men’s side, Novak Djokovic, opened his fourth-round match with a thrilling 16-14 first-set tiebreaker win over No. 22 Alexandr Dolgopolov. Things got easier from there in a 7-6 (14), 6-4, 6-2 victory.
“This is one of the longest tiebreaks I ever played,” Djokovic said. “It was certainly exciting to be part of it. But, you know, I knew that I needed to win that set.”
WAKE HOOPS
WINSTON-SALEM ó Guard J.T. Terrell is withdrawing from Wake Forest and leaving the basketball team after he was charged with driving while impaired.
Terrell was arrested by Winston-Salem Police at about 3 a.m. Saturday.
His attorney says the circumstances of the arrest and other signs indicate that Terrell “suffers from a serious medical condition which requires immediate attention.”
Coach Jeff Bzdelik says Terrell is “at an important crossroads” and wishes him well. Terrell started 18 of 32 games as a freshman last season and averaged 11 points.
GOLF
NORTON, Mass. ó Former Wake Forest golfer Webb Simpson finished off an amazing comeback with three clutch birdies, the final one on the second extra playoff hole Monday in the Deutsche Bank Championship for his second win in three weeks.
On a day filled with big crowds and big moments appropriate to the FedEx Cup playoffs, Simpson delivered a stunning conclusion on the TPC Boston.
He looked as if he would be the runnerup until knocking in a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th hole for a 6-under 65. That put him into a playoff when Chez Reavie, who had birdied the toughest holes on the back nine, made bogey on the easiest hole on the course at No. 18 for a 66. The finished regulation at 15-under 269.
On the 18th hole in the playoff, Simpson again looked to be out of luck when Reavie chipped to tap-in range for birdie. But Simpson rolled in a 15-foot putt to keep the playoff going, and then won with an 8-foot putt on the 17th hole.
Simpson won his first PGA title three weeks ago at the Wyndham Championship, putting him in good shape for the FedEx Cup playoffs and the chase for a $10 million prize.
TRACK
DAEGU, South Korea ó With a shiny silver medal hanging around her neck, Caster Semenya is already looking forward to another meeting with Nelson Mandela.
The South African runner, who won the 800 meters at the 2009 world championships in Berlin, finished second Sunday in her return to the global stage after sitting out nearly an entire year as she was engulfed in a gender controversy.
SELMON DIES
TAMPA, Fla. ó Lee Roy Selmon, the Hall of Fame defensive end who teamed with his brothers on a dominant Oklahoma defense that helped lead the Sooners to consecutive national championships, died Sunday ó two days after being hospitalized for a stroke. He was 56.
Selmon was hospitalized Friday, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers confirmed he had a stroke.
In nine seasons with the Buccaneers, Selmon had 781/2 sacks and earned six consecutive Pro Bowl selections. He retired after the 1984 season.
BELAK FUNERAL
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ó Wade Belak’s family members, friends and former teammates gathered for a private ceremony on a rainy Sunday to remember the former NHL player.
The 35-year-old was found dead Wednesday at a luxury condo and hotel building in Toronto.
A person familiar with Belak’s death told The AP on Thursday that he hanged himself.
A veteran of 14 NHL seasons, Belak played in 549 games with five teams, most recently the Nashville Predators.