Federer ties Connors' mark

Roger Federer, 25, tied Jimmy Connors' record of 160 consecutive weeks as the top-ranked player in men's tennis yesterday. The 10-time Grand Slam champion has held the No. 1 ATP Tour ranking since Feb. 2, 2004. The Swiss star is assured of breaking the record next week.

"Breaking records and doing something that hasn't been done for a long time, it's really nice," Federer said recently.

Connors was No. 1 from July 1974-August 1977. He is now coaching one of Federer's biggest rivals, Andy Roddick.

Connors won eight Grand Slam titles in his career, which lasted more than 20 years. Although he also only failed to win the French Open, Connors did win the 1976 U.S. Open on clay. He is the only man to win the Open on all three surfaces -- grass, clay and hardcourt.

More tennis

Eleni Daniilidou of Greece upset seventh-seeded Li Na of China while No. 6 Patty Schnyder of Switzerland defeated Italy's Francesca Schiavone in the first round of the Dubai Open in United Arab Emirates.

Daniilidou, ranked 42nd, needed more than three hours to oust Li, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3).

Schnyder, the only left-hander in the tournament, struggled in the opening set but prevailed, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3.

Venus Williams overcame struggles with her serve after a four-month layoff because of a sprained wrist to defeat Akiko Morigami of Japan, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, in the opening round of the Cellular South Cup, a Tier III tournament in Memphis, Tenn.

On the men's side, No. 5 seed Xavier Malisse was forced to retire with a right wrist injury while leading his first-round match against Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili.

Pro basketball

An Atlanta organizing committee is trying to bring a WNBA team to the city for the 2008 season. It would be the first women's professional basketball team in Atlanta in 10 years. The Glory was a member of the American Basketball League, which folded Dec. 28, 1998.

College football

Austin Peay coach Carroll McCray unexpectedly resigned, saying the move was based on a family decision to relocate. His departure comes as the Governors prepare to return to scholarship football this year in the Ohio Valley Conference after five seasons as a non-scholarship program in the independent Pioneer Football League. McCray was 11-33 in four years as coach of the Division I-AA team.

Boxing

Ricky Hatton will return to Las Vegas to fight former lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo of Mexico at the Thomas & Mack Center June 23. The two will fight for the IBO junior welterweight title after Hatton was forced to give up his IBF crown.

Hockey

Two northeast Ohio high school teams needed eight overtimes to decide their state district tournament game Sunday. Aurora defeated Solon, 2-1, with an unassisted goal with 3:42 remaining in the eighth OT. With three 15-minute periods followed by eight-minute overtimes, the game lasted 105 minutes and 18 seconds. It took 4 1/2 hours to play.

Swimming

A Kenyon College swimmer died after he fell in a dormitory bathroom and struck his head, school officials said. Caleb Gottinger, 19, of Milwaukee, apparently fainted Saturday morning and tests at a medical center near the college 55 miles northeast of Columbus, Ohio, determined he suffered a fractured skull and a hemorrhage.

Soccer

Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy added a new twist to the problem of soccer violence when he attacked a teammate. Bellamy, of Wales, allegedly hit John Arne Riise in the legs with a golf club while Liverpool was in Portugal at a training camp preparing for a Champions League match against defending champion FC Barcelona. Bellamy faces a fine of $155,000 and an uncertain future with the 18-time English league champions.

Horse racing

Puerto Rican jockey Manuel Caraballo, who had 40 years of experience, died after being trampled in a race Sunday in the U.S. Virgin Islands.