Keselowski wins pole at New Hampshire
Keselowski wins pole at New Hampshire
LOUDON, N.H. — Brad Keselowski is running out of time to make it back to the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship and defend his series championship.
His first pole of the season might give his season the boost he needs to become a contender. Keselowski turned a lap of 135.922 mph on Friday to set a track record at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Keselowski won only his third career pole and first since 2011. With eight races left until the 12-driver Chase field is set, Keselowski is winless and sitting in an uncomfortable 13th place in the points standings.
Keselowski led a fast day at the track as nine drivers topped the previous track record held by Ryan Newman, who went 135.232 in 2011.
Ten drivers topped that lap until points leader Jimmie Johnson’s second-fastest qualifying time was scrapped after his car failed inspection. His No. 48 Chevrolet, which had two issues in the pre-qualifying inspection, failed after his attempt because both sides of the front were too low. He’ll start in the rear in 43rd.
Bruins sign Bergeron to eight-year extension
BOSTON — Bruins star Patrice Bergeron signed an eight-year, $52 million contract extension on Friday, the latest move by the Eastern Conference champions to get long-term commitments from key players.
The new deal for one of the NHL’s best two-way forwards begins after next season when Bergeron’s three-year, $15 million contract expires.
Just two days earlier, Boston tied up goalie Tuukka Rask for eight years, the longest period allowed for a team to re-sign its own players, for $56 million. Rask had been a restricted free agent.
The Bruins’ hopes for their second Stanley Cup championship in three years ended on June 24 when they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. But Bergeron was outstanding throughout his 22 playoff games, tying for the team lead with nine goals, including two game-winners in overtime.
He led the league in 2012-13 in faceoff percentage (62.1). In his nine seasons, all with the Bruins, he has 153 goals and 280 assists. He had 10 goals and 22 assists last season.
Blackhawks re-sign Kruger to two-year deal
CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks have re-signed forward Marcus Kruger to a two-year contract.
The 23-year-old Kruger had four goals and nine assists in 47 games this season, helping Chicago win the Stanley Cup. He had three goals and two assists in the playoffs.
The Blackhawks announced the deal on Friday. Kruger was a restricted free agent.
Kruger has 13 goals and 26 assists in 125 career regular-season games over three seasons, all with the Blackhawks. He was selected by Chicago in the fifth round of the 2009 NHL draft.
Isner tops Karlovic, advances in Newport
NEWPORT, R.I. — John Isner continued winning tiebreakers and forced another tie after the match.
The two-time defending champion won the battle of the tallest players on the ATP tour, defeating Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) on Friday to advance to the semifinals of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.
In the other quarterfinal match, No. 4 seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia beat qualifier Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2, setting up a rematch up of last year final when Isner captured the title in straight sets.
On Friday, Isner won his 13th straight match on Newport’s grass courts and raised his mark to 13-0 in tiebreakers during the streak.
The second-seeded Isner served 23 aces, including three in each of the tiebreaks. Karlovic had 14 aces, but double faulted on the match’s final point.
Ex-Bear Zorich gets probation in tax case
CHICAGO — A now-broke former Chicago Bear has been sentenced to three years of probation for failing to file federal income tax returns over several years.
Chris Zorich told the court before the federal judge in Chicago announced the sentence Friday that he was “very sorry” for his actions.
The 44-year-old Chicago native was on Notre Dame’s 1988 national championship team and went on to play defensive tackle for the Bears from 1991 to 1996.
Guidelines called for a prison sentence of between 10 and 16 months.
Defense lawyers cited Zorich’s charity work in requesting probation. The judge cited his “otherwise exemplary life.”
Top seeds Berdych, Almagro fall in Sweden
BASTAD, Sweden — Top seeds Tomas Berdych and Nicolas Almagro were knocked out in the Swedish Open quarterfinals on Thursday.
Unseeded Thiemo De Bakker of the Netherlands beat top-seeded Berdych 7-5, 7-5, while second-seeded Almagro was defeated by Spanish compatriot Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
Berdych and Almagro were playing their second matches of the clay-court tournament after receiving first-round byes.
In the third quarterfinal upset, fifth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria defeated third-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina 6-3, 6-2.
Carlos Berlocq of Argentina beat Albert Ramos of Spain 6-3, 6-4 to set up a semifinal against De Bakker.
Verdasco will face Dimitrov in Saturday’s other semi.
Sharapova, coach split after early exit
Maria Sharapova says she and coach Thomas Hogstedt have decided to “part ways” after nearly three years working together.
On her personal website, Sharapova says Hogstedt will be unable to travel in the immediate future, and that they both agreed she should find another coach.
Sharapova, who won three Grand Slam events from 2004-2008 but has won only the 2012 French Open title since, lost in the second round at Wimbledon this year. She says she expects to announce a new coach in a few days.
Fognini beats Haas to reach Stuttgart semis
STUTTGART, Germany — Fabio Fognini of Italy beat top-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany 6-4, 6-2 on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Mercedes Cup.
Second-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany avoided a similar upset by beating Gael Monfils of France 6-4, 6-4 to advance.
Fognini will next play Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain, who advanced when German opponent Michael Berrer retired with a left elbow injury. Agut was leading 6-2, 0-1 when Berrer quit. Victor Hanescu of Romania also reached the semifinals by upsetting fourth-seeded Benoit Paire of France 7-5, 6-2.
Halep, Cadantu to meet in Hungarian GP
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Simona Halep defeated Hungary’s Timea Babos 7-5, 6-1 Friday to set up an all-Romanian semifinal against Alexandra Cadantu at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Cadantu beat Shahar Peer of Israel 6-0, 7-5.
The other semifinal will match South Africa’s Chanelle Scheepers against Austria’s Yvonne Meusburger.
Scheepers defeated Danka Kovinic of Montenegro 4-6, 6-0, 7-6 (5), while Meusburger knocked out Annika Beck of Germany 6-4, 6-1.
From wire sources