Sports: In Brief

In Brief

Compiled from Times wires

Open draw provides Sampras no breaks

As much as Pete Sampras has struggled the past two years, he has played well during the U.S. Open. That may not be an easy task this year, thanks to Wednesday's draw.

The four-time Open champion's possible opponents include 15th-seeded Guillermo Canas in the third round, No. 3 Tommy Haas in the fourth, and No. 5 Tim Henman or No. 11 Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals.

The Grand Slam tournament starts Monday, and Serena and Venus Williams are expected to meet a third straight time in a Slam final. Serena won the French Open and Wimbledon.

Top-seeded Serena got a more favorable draw than two-time defending champ Venus. No. 2 Venus has Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis in her half. Serena first faces wild-card entry Corina Morariu of Boca Raton, who recently returned after battling leukemia since May 2001.

The earliest Williams could face a top-20 player is in the fourth round against 15th-seeded Anastasia Myskina.

No. 3 Capriati could meet No. 10 Amelie Mauresmo in the quarters. Mauresmo beat her in the final in Montreal last week and in the Wimbledon quarters.

Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson withdrew because of an injured right shoulder. Wesley Chapel's Ashley Harkleroad received a wild-card entry into the main draw.

MORE TENNIS: Hingis beat Alexandra Stevenson in New Haven, Conn., advancing to the Pilot Pen quarters. Jelena Dokic pulled out with a sore hamstring. ... Tommy Haas and Jan-Michael Gambill advanced in the TD Waterhouse Cup at Commack, N.Y.

COLLEGES: League coaches selected Florida's volleyball team to win the SEC title. ... Eckerd tennis players Kate Heilman, Kristen Lofgren, Kim Trask and Jessica Chvatal were named to the ITA All-Academic team.

FIGURE SKATING: Reputed Russian mobster Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov was indicted in New York on charges he plotted to fix the ice dancing and pairs figure skating competition at the Salt Lake City Olympics.

HORSES: Private Emblem, in his first start since winning the Arkansas Derby four months ago, won the $150,000 Albany Stakes at Saratoga. ... Jockey Brian Green, banned permanently from Prairie Meadows (Iowa) on Tuesday after complaints of racial harassment from a track worker, may seek a court order allowing him to return, his attorney said. ... Kafwain, a 2-year-old stablemate of Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem, won the $150,000 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar.

BASKETBALL: Thomas Chenault III and Kenthaddeus Taylor were indicted on first-degree murder charges in the fatal home invasion at former Orlando Magic guard Troy Hudson's Maitland residence. The men, accused of fatally shooting Carrick Reid on June 30, were indicted Tuesday on charges of armed burglary and attempted robbery.

NHL: Ottawa re-signed forward Jody Hull to a one-year deal. Columbus re-signed right wings Matt Davidson and David Ling to one-year contracts.

SOCCER: Philadelphia's Marinette Pichon was voted WUSA offensive player of the year and Danielle Slaton defensive player of the year. ... Midfielder Neil Lennon, a Roman Catholic on Northern Ireland's team, withdrew from a game against Cyprus in Belfast after Protestant extremists threatened to attack him or his family home. ... Josh Wolff of MLS' Chicago had surgery to repair torn knee ligaments and will miss about six months.

SAILING: Mark Reynolds and Magnus Liljedahl won the race in Marina del Rey, Calif., but Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira retained the overall lead in the world championship.

CYCLING: France's Laurent Jalabert (4 hours, 56 minutes, 21 seconds) won the Coppa Agostoni in Lissone, Italy.

WATER POLO: Olympic champion Hungary won 9-5 over the United States in the World Cup in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

OBITUARY: Arne Haukvik, founder of track and field's Bislett Games, died Wednesday of cancer in Oslo, Norway. He was 76.