Federer defeats Hewitt; Djokovic ousts Roddick

Defending champion and top-seeded Roger Federer defeated Lleyton Hewitt, 6-3, 6-4, on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Rogers Cup at Montreal.

It was Federer’s 10th consecutive win over the former world No. 1 since 2004. He will play Radek Stepanek in the semifinals. Stepanek upset fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko, 6-4, 7-5.

Fifth-seeded Andy Roddick was eliminated by third-seeded Novak Djokovic, 7-6 (4), 6-4. Djokovic will play second-seeded Rafael Nadal, who defeated Frank Dancevic, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Federer needed one service break to win the first set. He seemed ready to coast when Hewitt double-faulted on break point to open the second, but Hewitt broke back for 2-2, only to give back the advantage two games later.

AUTO RACING

Gordon gets pole after

qualifying rained out

Jeff Gordon started from the back of the field in NASCAR’s first road race of the Nextel Cup season after his team was penalized for a technical violation. This time, he’ll start from the pole.

A misting rain at Watkins Glen International became too heavy by the afternoon and forced NASCAR to cancel qualifying for Sunday’s Centurion Boats at the Glen. It’s the third time Nextel Cup qualifying has been rained out this season.

Gordon, the runaway points leader, will start first in his Chevrolet.

The top 35 cars in the 43-car field were set by points.

Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., has been one of the few tracks that has managed to keep Sebastien Bourdais out of Victory Lane during his first four seasons in the Champ Car World Series.

It looks as if Sunday’s Generac Grand Prix will be his last chance at a win there, and he’s hoping to make the most of it.

With Bourdais leaving at the end of the season to drive for the Toro Rosso team in Formula One, his more immediate goals are to add a win on the 4.028-mile road course and add to his points lead over rookie Robert Doornbos as he tries for an unprecedented fourth straight title.

Bourdais won the provisional pole and earned one point, raising his lead over Doornbos to 11. His fast lap of 1 minute 42.385-seconds (142.333 mph) easily beat runner-up Will Power’s 1:43.116 (141.324).

Tony Kanaan won the pole for today’s Indy Racing League’s Kentucky 300 at Sparta with a fast lap of 218.086 mph. Series points leader Dario Franchitti was second at 216.810.

SOCCER

Beckham’s MLS debut

causes ratings to jump

David Beckham’s presence almost doubled the TV rating for his MLS debut. D.C. United’s 1-0 victory over the Galaxy Thursday night received an average rating of 0.45 on ESPN2, the network said. That translates to 422,000 households.

Beckham entered in the game’s 72nd minute. From 8:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m EDT, the game had a 0.5 rating. The rating increased to 0.6 over the next 15 minutes. It then jumped to 0.8 from 8:45 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Schalke rallied for a 2-2 draw with defending champion Stuttgart in the opening round of the Bundesliga’s 45th season. Ivan Rakitic scored the tying goal for Schalke in the 76th minute of a matchup between the league’s top two teams last season.

Forward Carlos Tevez’s transfer from West Ham to Manchester United was completed when the Premier League granted him a registration to play for the Red Devils. Tevez has been training with United this week, but Manager Alex Ferguson didn’t plan to play him in Sunday’s opener against Reading.

GOLF

Diaz takes one-shot

lead in Sweden

Laura Diaz shot a two-under-par 70 to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Scandinavian TPC at Loddekopinge, Sweden, while tournament host Annika Sorenstam soared to a 75 and was seven shots back.

Diaz had a 36-hole total of five-under 139. Brittany Lincicome (69) was second at 140.

Sorenstam, the three-time defending champion, shared 14th place at 146 with nine others. Paula Marti (69), amateur Caroline Hedwall (72) and Jade Schaeffer (72) shared third place at 142.

CYCLING

Armstrong reacts to

disbanding of team

Citing fractious leadership in the sport, constant doping allegations and the struggles of finding a new sponsor, Lance Armstrong and the owners of his former Discovery Channel team said the squad will disband after this season as expected.

“It’s a sad day for cycling. Certainly a sad day for American cycling,” Armstrong said. “We’re proud of our record. . . . This is not about the lack of a sponsor. Right now is a good time to step aside.”

MISCELLANY

Funeral services

are set for Stute

The funeral for veteran trainer Warren Stute, who died Thursday at age 85, will be held Friday at 1 p.m. in the Sierra Madre Congregational Church, with burial at 2 p.m. in Live Oak Cemetery in Duarte. There will be a special salute to the trainer’s life at 3:30 p.m. in the Chandelier Room at Santa Anita.

The Women’s Sports Foundation announced that Donna A. Lopiano has resigned her position as chief executive of the organization. Lopiano, who has been with the Women’s Sports Foundation since 1992, will leave the organization this summer.

The Women’s Sports Foundation Board of Trustees has launched a nationwide search for a new CEO. In the interim, the leadership will be shared by longtime senior staff members Tuti Scott and Marjorie Snyder.