Sports News and Highlights

en-us Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:45:07 GMT http://graphics.nytimes.com/images/section/NytSectionHeader.gif http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/index.html http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/sports/tennis/28serena.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/sports/tennis/28serena.html http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/08/28/sports/28serena.75.jpg image 75 75 Serena Williams warmed up with her practice partner, Aleksander Bajin, at the Arthur Ashe Stadium practice courts. Marilynn K. Yee/The New York Times Aleksander Bajin is practice partner to Serena Williams, whose job is a combination of athlete, assistant and friend.

28 Aug 08, 07:08:21

Aleksander Bajin is practice partner to Serena Williams, whose job is a combination of athlete, assistant and friend.

28 Aug 08, 08:08:55

Andy Roddick’s devastating serve — he won 89 percent of his first-serve points — and wicked forehand put away a match that might have troubled him in recent years.

28 Aug 08, 12:08:44

Carlos Delgado hit two home runs for the Mets and drove in three runs, sparking a four-run rally and a win over the Phillies.

28 Aug 08, 07:08:07

After a resounding defeat by the Red Sox, the question for the Yankees is what starts next: a glorious renaissance or a painful fall from grace?

28 Aug 08, 12:08:05

To help prop up their sagging economy, officials in Sarasota, Fla., are trying with all their civic might to poach the Red Sox’ spring training operation from Fort Myers.

28 Aug 08, 07:08:55

Paul Johnson, the first-year Georgia Tech football coach, refuses to recalibrate his offense and jazz up his run-first scheme that averaged 444 yards a game for Navy in 2007.

28 Aug 08, 12:08:47

News of that the L.P.G.A.’s language policy may call for the suspensions of players unable to speak passable English was swiftly met with strong reactions.

28 Aug 08, 08:08:21

Mr. Muhammad became Muhammad Ali’s boxing manager after Ali’s conversion to Islam and negotiated his multimillion-dollar fights.

28 Aug 08, 07:08:24

Fifth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia dispatched Dudi Sela of Israel, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, while third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Sorana Cirstea to advance in the women’s bracket.

28 Aug 08, 12:08:05

Janko Tipsarevic is the George Harrison of the Serbian Fab Four. He pushed Roger Federer to five sets at the Australian Open and upset Andy Roddick at Wimbledon.

27 Aug 08, 06:08:23

On courts all over the National Tennis Center, players shout, “Vamos!” “Allez!” and “Come on!” after painting lines with winners. Such interjections can also be heard just off the courts, as some of the sport’s most dedicated followers make their loyalties known.

28 Aug 08, 12:08:29

If Major League Baseball’s new instant replay system had been in place this season, it would have been used about 18 times so far to determine if a home run had been hit.

27 Aug 08, 06:08:24

Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi have hit fourth and fifth in the Yankees’ lineup in each of the last 11 games, yet they continue to struggle in the clutch.

27 Aug 08, 08:08:19

If Jerry Manuel, the Mets’ interim manager, wants regular work days and more pitches from Mike Pelfrey, that’s fine with Pelfrey.

28 Aug 08, 12:08:23

Jody Gerut drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the eighth inning as the San Diego Padres denied the Arizona Diamondbacks a win with a 5-4 victory.

28 Aug 08, 12:08:00

Jason Bay provided a Ramírez-like performance Wednesday night, when he doubled, tripled and drove in four runs to help Boston smother the Yankees, 11-3.

28 Aug 08, 12:08:52

San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, decided Wednesday he would play this season despite two torn ligaments in his left knee.

27 Aug 08, 10:08:37

Baseball’s playoff advertising push gets under way Thursday, when the first spots of the league’s largest ever campaign are broadcast.

27 Aug 08, 11:08:06

Little league officials in Connecticut say that a young player is too good to pitch and that other children are afraid to bat against him.

28 Aug 08, 12:08:26

Shane Victorino is a big reason the Phillies are surging late for the second consecutive season and threatening to cut down the Mets all over again.

28 Aug 08, 07:08:58

The Jets’ and Giants’ personal seat license plans for their new stadium are different. But each scheme has the same goal: to persuade fans to help finance the stadium.

28 Aug 08, 08:08:16

Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel talks about preparing for the season opener against Illinois, browsing for computers at Best Buy and trying to corral tickets for friends and family.