Nadal handles Roddick in quarterfinals
Tennis: Defending champion Rafael Nadal overwhelmed Andy Roddick right from the start in their U.S. Open quarterfinal in New York.
Whipping passing shots from all angles and returning superbly, the No. 2-seeded Nadal beat No. 21 Roddick 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 on Friday to reach the semifinals at Flushing Meadows for the fourth consecutive year.
Nadal compiled a stunning 22-0 edge in forehand winners and broke Roddick’s powerful serve six times.
Seeking his 11th Grand Slam title, Nadal has yet to drop a set heading into today’s semifinal against No. 4 Andy Murray, who beat No. 28 John Isner 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (2) earlier Friday.
The other semifinal was set up by Thursday’s quarterfinals, and it’ll be a big one, too: No. 1 Novak Djokovic against No. 3 Roger Federer, who has won five of his record 16 Grand Slam championships at the U.S. Open. For the second time in the last three major tournaments, the final foursome is filled by the top four men in the game.
No complications for Colts’ Manning
NFL: Peyton Manning’s doctors say his third neck surgery in 19 months went “very well, without complication” and that his prognosis for recovery is good.
Father and son doctors Robert Watkins Sr. and Robert Watkins Jr. confirmed that Manning needed surgery for a herniated disk and that his rehab program will begin soon.
Rehab from the neck surgery is expected to take at least two months and could keep Manning out the entire season.
• Colston sidelined by collar bone injury: A person familiar with the situation said Saints receiver Marques Colston could miss about four weeks with a broken collar bone.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Saints declined to release specifics of the injury.
• Pryor to appeal NFL suspension: Raiders rookie Terrelle Pryor will appeal his five-game suspension, according to a person familiar with his case.
Although the former Ohio State quarterback initially agreed to the suspension handed down by commissioner Roger Goodell, a person familiar with his case said Pryor now has decided to appeal the decision.
• Jacobs, Wilkerson fined: Giants running back Brandon Jacobs was fined $20,000 and Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson $10,000 by the league for fighting during the teams’ preseason game last month.
The two were ejected after shoving at each other in the second half of an Aug. 29 game.
• Ravens coach Moeller suspended: The league suspended Baltimore Ravens offensive line coach Andy Moeller for two games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, and fined him $47,000.
The suspension stems from Moeller being found guilty of driving while impaired by alcohol last spring.
• League lets players wear Sept. 11 cleats, gloves: The NFL relaxed its normally rigid uniform policy so players can commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
League spokesman Michael Signora tweeted that the league told its 32 clubs that players may wear special shoes and gloves from official NFL equipment licensees for Week 1 games.
Busch wins Nationwide race
Auto racing: Kyle Busch took the lead from Carl Edwards during pit stops with just over 30 laps to go and won his eighth NASCAR Nationwide Series race of the season at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
Busch’s victory was his 51st in the series, the most in history, and came in a race he and Edwards dominated.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished third and padded his points lead over Elliott Sadler to 16 with seven races remaining.
• Harvick to shutter Trucks Series team: Kevin Harvick Inc. plans to close its NASCAR Trucks Series program at the end of the year.
Harvick announced that his two Nationwide Series entries would move to Richard Childress Racing next year and confirmed he’s shuttering KHI outright. He cited various reasons, but pinned most of it on business decisions and his desire to win a Sprint Cup championship.
Anton wins Vuelta stage; Cobo still leads
Miscellany: Spain’s Juan Jose Cobo kept the overall lead at the Spanish Vuleta and countryman Igor Anton won the 19th stage of the cycling race.
Anton, who rides for Euskaltel-Euskadi, finished the 99-mile course from Noja to Bilbao alone in 3 hours, 53 minutes, 34 seconds for the Basque team’s first stage victory.
Cobo remained 13 seconds in front of Britain’s Christopher Froome in a race that ends Sunday in Madrid.
• Lewis, Tseng tied for LPGA lead: Stacy Lewis and Yani Tseng shot 5-under 66s and were tied for the first-round lead at the LPGA Northwest Arkansas Championship in Rogers, Ark.
Karen Stupples, Taylor Leon and Jin Young Pak were all at 4 under. Wendy Ward (Edwall, Wash.) shot a first-round 74.
• Fresno St. football players tied to welfare fraud: As many as two dozen players from Fresno State have been implicated in a welfare fraud investigation involving a county Department of Social Services worker accused of filing for false benefits for them and others.
The social services eligibility specialist was arrested last month by an investigator with the Fresno (Calif.) County District Attorney’s Office but has not been charged. University officials have declined to comment beyond a written statement, saying they don’t want to impede the investigation.