NEW YORK — Two-time defending U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters will not go for three in a row this year because of a stomach muscle injury.
“Obviously, I’m very disappointed,” she said Friday. “I trained very hard this summer and felt in good shape to play the U.S. Open.”
• Playing a day after he spent five hours on court, second-seeded Rafael Nadal faded in a 6-3, 6-4 loss to American Mardy Fish, who had never beaten the second-ranked Spaniard, in the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open in Mason, Ohio.
Later, third-seeded Roger Federer struggled with his groundstrokes during a 6-2, 7-6 (3) loss to a sore-shouldered Tomas Berdych.
Cubs fire general manager Hendry
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs fired general manager Jim Hendry and named assistant GM Randy Bush to the position on an interim basis. Hendry’s clubs went 749-748 during his time as general manager.
• Third baseman Chipper Jones, 39, said he’s definitely playing for the Atlanta Braves in 2012.
• Chicago White Sox right-hander Phil Humber is going on the 15-day disabled list after getting struck in the face by a line drive during Thursday night’s loss to the Cleveland Indians.
• The New York Yankees placed right-hander Freddy Garcia (finger) on the DL and claimed left-hander Aaron Laffey off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.
• Washington Nationals prospect Bryce Harper probably will miss the rest of the minor-league season because of a strained hamstring.
Couples takes Senior Players Championship lead
HARRISON, N.Y. — Fred Couples shot a 5-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Peter Senior (69—135) after the second round of the Senior Players Championship, the Champions Tour’s final major.
• Tommy Gainey shot a 65 to move to 12-under 128 and take a three-stroke lead after two rounds of the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C.
Ernie Els (66), Webb Simpson (65), Stuart Appleby (67) and Daniel Summerhays (65) were at 131.
• Na Yeon Choi double-bogeyed the par-4 final hole, but her 6-under 65 held up for the first-round lead at the LPGA Safeway Classic in North Plains, Ore.
• Jose Manuel Lara shot a 4-under 68 to move into first at the Czech Open after rain cut short the second round in Celadna, Czech Republic. Mikael Lundberg, whose round was halted on No. 15, is also 7-under.
Kentucky beats home favorite at LLWS
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Griffin McLarty of LaGrange, Ky., struck out 12 and hit a homer in a 1-0 victory over the hometown favorites from Clinton County, Pa., at the Little League World Series.
In other games, Huntington Beach, Calif., used a six-run fifth inning to pull away from Cumberland, R.I., for an 11-0 win; Maracay, Venezuela, defeated Rotterdam, Netherlands, 6-1; and Langley, British Columbia, defeated Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, 6-5.
Footnotes.
Danell Leyva won his first title at the U.S. gymnastics championships, beating two-time defending champion Jonathan Horton in St. Paul, Minn.
• The Chinese Basketball Association will restrict contracted NBA players, such as Carmelo Anthony, from playing for domestic teams in the event the season is canceled, but will still allow free agents provided they play an entire season in China.
• Former U.S. sprint champion Michael Rodgers accepted a provisional doping suspension and will not compete at the world championships this month.
• Anaheim Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller said he is finally free of vertigo symptoms and expects to be ready for training camp next month.
