Panel Says Williams’ Injury IsLegitimate

Venus Williams had a legitimate injury when she pulled out of the season-ending tour championships, the WTA Tour ruled Friday.

A three-member panel said a chronic wrist injury “medically prevented” her from playing in the event two weeks ago in Munich, Germany.

The WTA said Williams remains eligible to collect $140,000 in year-end bonus money.

“The tour made sure that the process was a thorough one, undertaken by credible experts,” WTA Tour chief executive Bart McGuire said.

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Lleyton Hewitt is now No. 1, the youngest man to hold the top ranking in tennis.

The 20-year-old Australian beat compatriot Patrick Rafter, 7-5, 6-2, at the Masters Cup in Sydney, Australia, and replaced slumping Gustavo Kuerten for the top spot at year’s end.

Kuerten staggered to the finish by losing all three of his matches at this tournament and dropping nine of his last 10 matches.

Figure Skating

Former world champion Maria Butyrskaya of Russia was poised to clinch her second Grand Prix event in as many weeks, taking the lead in the women’s short program at the Lalique Trophy in Paris.

Three-time world champion Alexei Yagudin won the short program to position himself for a fifth straight Lalique Trophy.

Highly touted American Sarah Hughes finished fourth in the women’s event after stepping out of a triple flip, and Todd Eldredge of the U.S. was second in the men’s competition.

Golf

Tiger Woods and David Duval, four strokes back after the opening best-ball round, shot a four-under 68 in the alternate-shot format and dropped five behind New Zealand’s Michael Campbell and David Smail in the World Cup at Gotemba, Japan.

Olin Browne shot his second consecutive six-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over PGA Tour hopeful Luke Donald after two overcast rounds of the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational.

Karrie Webb emerged as one of the few survivors of the swirling wind and perilous pin positions, shooting a one-under 71 to build a four-stroke lead in the season-ending Tyco/ADT Championship at West Palm Beach, Fla.

Bernhard Langer and Nick Faldo helped the World team take a 41/2 to 11/2 lead on The Ocean Course after the opening alternate-shot matches in the first UBS Warburg Cup at Kiawah Island, S.C.

Howard Twitty won the Senior PGA Tour’s qualifying tournament at Calimesa, shooting a four-under 68 to grab one of eight full exemptions on the 2002 tour. The other qualifiers were: Larry Ziegler, Jack Spradlin, Daniel O’Neill, Rodger Davis, Don Pooley, Mike Smith and Dick Mast.

The Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and the Nissan Open raised their prize money for the 2002 tournaments. The Hope increased its total $500,000 to $4 million and the Nissan Open raised its purse $300,000 to $3.7 million. First place at the Hope will be $720,000 and the Nissan Open winner will get $666,000 at Riviera.

Soccer

UCLA and Pepperdine advanced to the second round of the NCAA women’s soccer championships and will play each other Sunday at UCLA’s Drake Stadium at 1 p.m.

Two goals from Tracey Winzen helped the Bruins (18-2-0) earn a 3-0 victory over Cal State Fullerton (13-7-0) in the second game of a doubleheader at UCLA.

The Waves (12-4-3), making their first appearance in the 64-team tournament, advanced with a 1-0 victory over USC after Janelle Hillseth scored at the 83rd minute. It was the first time in four years the Trojans (10-7-2) have not advanced to the second round.

Paraguay fired national soccer team coach Sergio Markarian even though he guided them to a berth in next year’s World Cup.

Hockey

Mike Buzak stopped 23 shots and the Long Beach Ice Dogs defeated the Colorado Gold Kings, 4-0, in Long Beach.

Motor Racing

Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the pole for the NAPA 500 at Hampton, Ga., with a lap of 192.047 in his Chevrolet to finish almost two mph faster than runner-up Mark Martin (190.463).