Clijsters Pulls Out of Wimbledon

Kim Clijsters pulled out of Wimbledon on Monday because of a wrist injury that forced the Belgian star to sit out the French Open.

Tests showed a cyst formed on the joint of her left wrist, according to the Dutch version of Clijsters’ website. The problem was first diagnosed three months ago as a stress reaction. Later, a half-inch tear was found in the wrist.

The No. 2-ranked Clijsters is right-handed but uses a double-fisted backhand, making it hard to play with an injured left hand.

Clijsters’ coach, Marc Dehous, told VRT radio that Clijsters had been “progressing well” and this latest development was unexpected.

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Serena Williams dropped out of the WTA Tour’s top 10 for the first time in nearly five years, dropping to 11th. Williams was No. 1 as recently as Aug. 4, three days after she had knee surgery. It was the last of her 57 consecutive weeks at the top thanks to winning four Grand Slam titles in a row.

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Former Wimbledon quarterfinalist Jan-Michael Gambill lost to Ivo Karlovic, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), in the first round of the Queen’s Club grass-court tournament in London. Taylor Dent was beaten by 326th-ranked Jamie Delgado, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (3).

Top-seeded Andy Roddick, third-seeded Andre Agassi, French Open finalist Guillermo Coria and Tim Henman received first-round byes. In an unusual doubles pairing, Agassi and Roddick beat Robby Ginepri and Mark Merklein, 6-2, 6-2.

Pro Football

Jamal Lewis says he’s certain he will be cleared of drug conspiracy charges, insisting his pending trial has not hindered his preparation with the Baltimore Ravens for the 2004 season.

The star running back is accused in Atlanta of helping set up a cocaine deal for a childhood friend during conversations with a government informant in July 2000. The trial could start as soon as August.

“I am innocent.... I’m very confident that my legal team will show I’m innocent,” he said Monday, the first day of a mandatory minicamp.

Lewis ran for 2,066 yards in 2003, the second-highest total in NFL history, to help the Ravens win the AFC North title.

Dallas Cowboy Coach Bill Parcells apologized for calling the surprise plays used in practice “Jap plays,” saying the remark was inappropriate.

Parcells was talking to reporters at the team’s minicamp about how his quarterback coach and defensive coordinator try to outdo each other when he made the comment, an apparent reference to Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

“You’ve got to keep an eye on those two, because they’re going to try to get the upper hand,” Parcells said about Sean Payton and Mike Zimmer. “Mike wants the defense to do well, and Sean, he’s going to have a few ... no disrespect for the Orientals, but what we call Jap plays. OK, surprise things.”

Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Tommy Maddox agreed to terms of a one-year contract extension, signing with the team through 2007.

Track and Field

Sprinter Marion Jones said IOC President Jacques Rogge was out of line when he contended in a newspaper interview that she was “stupid” to get involved with certain people.

“It’s an extremely ignorant comment of him to make not knowing the circumstances and not knowing the situation,” Jones said.

If Rogge had asked her first, “I could have explained to him the situation ... which he knows little about,” she said.

Jones is under investigation by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which is reviewing files in the BALCO steroid case to determine whether there is enough evidence to ban her from the Athens Olympics.

French sprinter Marie-Jose Perec, 36, retired, ending a career in which she won three Olympic gold medals -- one in the 200 meters and two in the 400.

Jurisprudence

A July 26 trial date has been set in Gainesville, Fla., for Miami football recruit Willie Williams on a felony charge of setting off fire extinguishers at a hotel during a January recruiting trip. Williams is a linebacker from Miami Carol City High.

Miscellany

The bowl championship series wants to present a model for how it will incorporate a fifth game to Rose Bowl officials by the end of the week.

The Rose Bowl begins contract negotiations with the Big Ten and Pacific 10 conferences this week. Rose Bowl officials need to know how changes in the BCS will affect their game.

“We need to be able to tell the Rose Bowl how it fits in,” Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen said.

Hansen said officials are leaning toward having the current BCS games -- the Fiesta, Sugar, Orange and Rose bowls -- play host to two games, including the title game, every four seasons.

The Toronto Raptors hired Rob Babcock as general manager, a month after declining to give him the job. He replaced the fired Glen Grunwald. Babcock spent the last two seasons as the top assistant to Minnesota Timberwolves’ General Manager Kevin McHale.

UCLA sophomore Kate Richardson qualified for the Canadian Olympic gymnastics trials with her fifth-place finish in the all-around competition at last weekend’s Canadian championships. The trials will take place in July. Richardson competed for Canada at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

Guadalajara Chivas will play world club champion Boca Juniors of Argentina at 5 p.m. on July 18 at the Coliseum. Tickets go on sale Monday at the Sports Arena and Ticketmaster locations.