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Sports briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 27, 2001

R. Williams: Boos racially motivated

The father of Venus and Serena Williams says the jeers directed at his family during a tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., were racially motivated.

Richard Williams made the allegations at the Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, where his daughters won fourth-round matches Monday.

"The white people at Indian Wells, what they've been wanting to say all along to us finally came out: "N-----, stay away from here, we don't want you here,' " Williams said.

The crowd booed the family March 17 after Venus pulled out of her semifinal match against Serena, citing knee tendinitis. The withdrawal sparked a new round of speculation that the result of matches between the sisters is predetermined by their father, which the family denies.

"It's the worst act of prejudice I've seen since they killed Martin Luther King," Williams said.

Monday, Serena won the first set in 16 minutes and beat Kim Clijsters 6-0, 6-2. Venus needed more than two hours and 10 match points to defeat Tathiana Garbin 7-5, 7-6 (7-2). Martina Hingis beat Magui Serna 6-3, 6-4 and Lindsay Davenport defeated Sandrine Testud 6-3, 6-1.

In men's play, Andre Agassi beat David Prinosil 6-1, 6-3 and Pat Rafter beat Francisco Clavet 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

MORE TENNIS: Davenport and the Williams sisters were subpoenaed to testify at the trial of a man accused of stalking Hingis at a tournament last year. Dubravko Rajcevic's trial is to begin Wednesday in Miami.

OLYMPICS: Belgian Jacques Rogge, 58, a three-time Olympic sailor and member of the IOC's inner cabinet, declared his candidacy for IOC president.

SKIING: Dave Irwin, once one of Canada's best skiers, was in a coma and on life support after crashing during a training run in Calgary, Alberta. ... Doctors removed an internal pressure monitor from Bill Johnson's head, along with a neck collar. Johnson was in critical condition at Kalispell Regional Medical Center and hospital spokesman Jim Oliverson said he faces potential bouts with pneumonia, bladder infections and other ailments as a result of his crash Friday. ... The men's giant slalom at the U.S. Alpine nationals was canceled because of dangerous conditions. It will not be made up.

SWIMMING: Ian Thorpe knocked more than four seconds off the 800-meter freestyle world record at the Australian Championships in Hobart. Thorpe swam in 7 minutes, 41.59 seconds, beating the 7:46.00 set by fellow Australian Kieren Perkins.

SOCCER: Tampa Bay waived midfielder Steve Armas, picked up in November off waivers from Columbus in November. The Mutiny faces the Cocoa Expos of the Premier Development League at 7 p.m. at the Largo United Soccer Fields, 1779 South Belcher Road. Youths in Largo Soccer uniforms are admitted free, and $2 donations per fan will be accepted. Soccer America named midfielder Carlos Valderrama to the MLS "Best XI" from the league's five seasons.

COLLEGES: Florida State senior shortstop Brett Groves, from Tampa Bay Tech, tore the ACL in his left knee Saturday and is out for the season. Outfielder Karl Jernigan was named ACC player of the week. ... No. 12 Florida, which hosts the Southeast Region gymnastics championships April7, will join second-ranked Georgia, No. 14 Iowa, Maryland, George Washington and North Carolina State. ... South Florida cross country runner Jan Erik Salo was named to the Academic All-America District III second team. ... Tampa had three athletes named Sunshine State Conference player of the week: Slyvere Bryan (men's basketball); Mike Rabelo (baseball) and Christy Exizian (softball). ... USF's Kelly Martin was named Conference USA women's golfer of the week.

CYCLING: Angel Edo won the first of the five-stage Tour of Catalonia in a sprint finish at Lloret De Mar, Spain. Lance Armstrong, tuning up for a shot at a third straight Tour de France title this summer, finished in a pack one second behind.

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