‘Foreign ground’: Venus Williams loses in 3rd round at French Open for 3rd year in row

PARIS — Out of breath and out of sorts, Venus Williams played her way right out of the French Open on Friday with her most lopsided Grand Slam loss since 2001.

Nikolai Valuev’s WBA title defense against Ruslan Chagaev called off day before fight

HELSINKI — Ruslan Chagaev failed a “medical requirement” on Friday, forcing his challenge for Nikolai Valuev’s WBA heavyweight title to be called off a day before the fight.

Lance Armstrong’s biggest problem may be staying on his bike; Menchov nears overall Giro win

MOUNT VESUVIUS, Italy — Lance Armstrong is getting back in shape after 3½ years of retirement. Staying on his bike is another matter.

Lance Armstrong’s Astana team likely to survive for now, but Tour still in question

AVELLINO, Italy — Lance Armstrong’s financially strapped Astana team will likely survive for another few weeks, but it’s unclear if it will make it to the Tour de France.

Jeev Milkha Singh, Michael Lorenzo-Vera each shoot 69 to share halfway lead at European Open

ASH, England — Jeev Milkha Singh of India and Michael Lorenzo-Vera of France shot 5-under 69s on Friday to share the second-round lead of the European Open.

Eighth-seeded Georgia upsets Oklahoma State 3-2 in NCAA team match-play format

TOLEDO, Ohio — Eighth-seeded Georgia has stunned Oklahoma State 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the NCAA’s new match-play format for determining a team champion.

Venus Williams loses, defending champions Ivanovic, Nadal advance at French Open

PARIS — Venus Williams was eliminated from the French Open on Friday, losing in the third round of the clay-court major for the third straight year.

Denis Menchov retains overall lead in Giro; Sastre wins 19th stage, Armstrong falls but unhurt

MOUNT VESUVIUS, Italy — Russia’s Denis Menchov all but wrapped up the Giro d’Italia on Friday, keeping the leader’s pink jersey after a stage that took riders up the slopes of the Mount Vesuvius volcano.

Former Olympic snowboard champion Karine Ruby dies at 31 in Mount Blanc climbing accident

CHAMONIX, France — Karine Ruby, a former Olympic snowboarding champion who had been training to become a mountain guide, died Friday in a climbing accident on Mont Blanc. She was 31.

Formula 1 teams meet entry deadline for 2010 championship

GENEVA — All 10 Formula One teams met Friday’s deadline to enter cars for the 2010 season, ending a threatened pullout by Ferrari and others in a dispute over a planned budget cap.

Lance Armstrong falls in 19th stage of Giro, appears unhurt and returns to race

MOUNT VESUVIUS, Italy — Lance Armstrong fell midway through the 19th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Friday but appeared to escape serious injury.

WADA, swim body appeal to sports court for 2-year suspension, Olympic ban for Jessica Hardy

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The World Anti-Doping Agency and swimming’s governing body appealed to sports’ highest court to restore Jessica Hardy’s two-year doping ban.

English-only soccer team set to represent Britain at 2012 London Olympics

LONDON — A soccer team of only English players is set to represent Britain at the 2012 London Olympics.

F1 teams set to meet deadline to enter 2010 season amid compromise over budget cap

GENEVA — A standoff between Formula One teams and the sport’s governing body over a budget cap appears close to being settled Friday with teams preparing to meet an entry deadline for the 2010 season.

Australian sprint ace Robbie McEwen ruled out of Tour de France after crashing in Belgium

BRUSSELS — Australian sprint ace Robbie McEwen says he will miss the Tour de France after breaking his shinbone in Belgium.

Valuev can’t wait to get back in ring to fight Chagaev for WBA heavyweight title

HELSINKI — The long wait is nearly over for Nikolai Valuev, who defends his WBA heavyweight title against Ruslan Chagaev on Saturday night.