In brief

Roddick top seed at Paris Masters

By wire services
Published October 29, 2005

PARIS - With top-ranked Roger Federer and defending champion Marat Safin out with injuries, Andy Roddick is the top seed at next week's Paris Masters.

Federer has a torn ligament in his right ankle. Two-time Grand Slam champion Safin has tendinitis in his left knee.

Lleyton Hewitt pulled out with a groin and foot injuries, tournament organizers said. Also missing will be Andre Agassi, former French Open champion Carlos Moya and Rafael Nadal.

Agassi pulled out for personal reasons, Moya has an injured right shoulder and Nadal has tendinitis.

LYON GRAND PRIX: Top-seeded Roddick and three Frenchmen advanced to the semifinals in Lyon, France.

Roddick beat Mario Ancic 6-4, 6-4 and will face Fabrice Santoro, who ousted Vincent Spadea 6-2, 6-2. Sebastien Grosjean beat Olivier Rochus 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) and will play Gael Monfils, who defeated Marc Gicquel 6-4, 6-1.

SWISS INDOORS: Second-seeded David Nalbandian defeated Paradorn Srichaphan 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the semifinals in Basel, Switzerland. Nalbandian will play qualifier Marcos Baghdatis, who rallied to beat Jose Acasuso 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

ST. PETERSBURG OPEN: Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko and No. 4 Mikhail Youzhnywere ousted from the quarterfinals in St. Petersburg, Russia. Nicolas Kiefer topped Davydenko 6-1, 6-1, and Robin Vik rallied to beat Youzhny 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

GAZ DE FRANCE STARS: Teenager Michaella Krajicek upset second-seeded Nathalie Dechy 6-4, 6-3 to reach the semifinals in Hasselt, Belgium. She will play third-seeded Francesca Schiavone, who beat Samantha Stosur 6-3, 6-2.

BASKETBALL: Connecticut suspended guard A.J. Price for the season as a result of his arrest on charges of trying to sell stolen laptops this summer, but has allowed his co-defendant Marcus Williams, a guard, to return to the team in December. ... Former Iowa star Pierre Pierce was sentenced to two years in prison for assaulting a former girlfriend.

GOLF: The USF women shot a first-round 316 in the Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, N.C. and is tied for fourth with Tulane and Michigan with two rounds left in the 12-team event. Purdue leads at 304. ... The Florida women shot a first-round 305 and are fourth at the Chrysler Challenge in Sandestin. South Carolina leads at 297, and FSU is last in the seven-team field at 310.

MEN'S SOCCER: Host Tampa (6-7-3) fell to Palm Beach Atlantic 1-0, but the Spartans' Kyle Franklin was still a winner. Franklin proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Gina Miller, in a staged halftime "ceremony." After a moment of shock, Miller said "yes."

VOLLEYBALL: Stephanie Rivera had 14 kills as host Tampa (21-2, 9-0 Sunshine State) swept Saint Leo 30-20, 30-21, 30-18. ... St. John's dealt USF its third straight Big East loss, 30-25, 32-30, 30-23.

SWIMMING: The host FSU men (4-0) defeated Louisiana State 139-99 while the Seminole women (5-0) topped LSU 126-92 and beat Florida International 165-66.

ARENA FOOTBALL: The Orlando Predators signed wide receiver Derek McCoy, who went to camp with the Bucs this year. McCoy signed with the Bucs in January and was assigned to Hamburg of NFL Europe, where he caught 17 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns. The Bucs released him in late August.

SOCCER: Former Manchester United star George Best, 59, remained on a ventilator, although he has improved after responding to new medication. Best, who had a lifesaving liver transplant three years ago but went back to drinking, is being treated for internal bleeding at a London hospital.

SPEEDSKATING: Speedskater Cindy Klassen of Canada broke her own world record at 1,500 meters at the World Cup team trials in Calgary, Alberta, with a time of 1 minute, 53.77 seconds.

FIGURE SKATING: American Alissa Czisny won the women's short program at Skate Canada in St. John's, Newfoundland, and Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy claimed the pairs title.

[Last modified October 29, 2005, 01:45:21]