Fifth-seeded Serena Williams pulled out due to a back injury, while seventh-seeded Venus Williams came up a quarterfinal loser at the hands of defending champion Jelena Jankovic on Friday at the $1.34 million Italian Open, a clay-court French Open tuneup.

Reigning champion Roger Federer, clay-court king Rafael Nadal and Australian Open titlist Novak Djokovic were easy quarterfinal winners Friday at the $2.955 million Masters Series Hamburg, a clay-court French Open tuneup.

ROME Serena Williams withdrew from her quarterfinal match at the Italian Open on Friday due to a back problem, and older sister Venus Williams was beaten by defending champion Jelena Jankovic. Serena Williams' back froze suddenly while she was warming up on a practice court for her match with French qualifier Alize Cornet.

The Houston Dynamo and Chicago Fire are two teams at the opposite ends of the Major League Soccer spectrum. The Fire sit two points behind Eastern table leaders Columbus while Houston is just three points up on last-place San Jose in the Western table.

The Houston Dynamo and Chicago Fire are two teams at the opposite ends of the Major League Soccer spectrum. The Fire sit two points behind Eastern table leaders Columbus while Houston is just three points up on last-place San Jose in the Western table.

D.C. United and Chivas USA, the Major League Soccer Eastern and Western Conference leaders in the regular season a year ago, square off on Saturday at the Home Depot Center looking to turn their disappointing starts to the 2008 campaign around.

The New York Red Bulls, one of three teams in Major League Soccer with just one loss, will look to add to their four-game unbeaten streak when they host the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday at Giants Stadium.

One of tennis' greatest champions abruptly called it a career this week, as Justine Henin decided she'd had enough of the tennis lifestyle at only 25 years of age.

The Colorado Rapids claimed the top spot in the underwhelming Western table with a 2-0 home win over Rocky Mountain rivals Real Salt Lake on Thursday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Major League Soccer action.

The Colorado Rapids claimed the top spot in the underwhelming Western table with a 2-0 home win over Rocky Mountain rivals Real Salt Lake on Thursday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Major League Soccer action.

D.C. United and Chivas USA, the Major League Soccer Eastern and Western Conference leaders in the regular season a year ago, square off on Saturday at the Home Depot Center looking to turn their disappointing starts to the 2008 campaign around.

The New York Red Bulls, one of three teams in Major League Soccer with just one loss, will look to add to their four-game unbeaten streak when they host the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday at Giants Stadium.

After last weekend's 2-1 victory over Chivas USA, New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol thought everything was "getting back to normal."

Columbus Crew midfielder Robbie Rogers doesn't worry about how the club looks on the field - as long as they keep winning.

Newly-appointed world No. 1 Maria Sharapova and former top-ranked stars Serena Williams and Venus Williams were a trio of third-round winners Thursday at the $1.34 million Italian Open, a clay-court French Open tuneup.

Major League Soccer announced Thursday it has entered into a multi-year partnership with Barcelona, one of the world's most popular and celebrated professional soccer clubs.

The Arena Football League approved the use of instant replay for this year's playoffs.

LIMELETTE, Belgium Top-ranked Justine Henin is retiring from tennis, effective immediately.