U.S. Open: Roger Federer, Serena Williams making things easy

 

Serena Williams on Thursday served 10 aces, hit 25 winners to five from her opponent, won 30 more points than outgunned Michaella Krajicek and pounded her way into the third round of the U.S. Open, 6-0, 6-1. It took the 28th-seeded Williams only 49 minutes to win.

Asked about her older sister, Venus, who pulled out of the tournament Wednesday because of an autoimmune disease called Sjogren's syndrome, Williams said, "I'm praying for her to be fine."

Serena now advances to a match with either fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka or Gisela Dulko.

Equally impressive was third-seeded Roger Federer, who was little tested in his 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Israel's Dudi Sela.

"Not much trouble on my serve," Federer said, "and from the baseline I also thought I had the upper hand. When it's like that, obviously it's tough for the opponent, but I just think I was superior today. It was a good match for me in the breezy conditions. It was a bit tricky early on to find the rhythm. That's why I was happy to get the first break."

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-- Diane Pucin in New York

Photo: Serena Williams. Credit: Nathan Denette / Associated Press.

Live chat with USC reporter Gary Klein on Friday at noon

Times USC reporter Gary Klein will take part in a live chat with readers Friday at noon to discuss all things USC football. Sign up after the jump to take part in the live chat!

UCLA football: Chris Foster previews the Houston game (video)

Times UCLA reporter Chris Foster previews Saturday's game against Houston:

 

 

Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans agree to contract extension

Running back Chris Johnson has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Tennessee Titans, ending his holdout.

Johnson has led the NFL in rushing the last three seasons and refused to report to preseason camp without a new deal. The 24th pick overall in the 2008 draft out of East Carolina, Johnson became only the sixth man in NFL history to run for 2,000 yards in 2009 when he ran for 2,006 yards.

The Titans revised his contract a year ago, accelerating some payments, but he still was set to earn only $1.065 million for this season.

Now the running back will be under contract for through 2016 with a revised deal worth $53.5 million, including $30 million guaranteed, according to a person familiar with the contract. The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract details remained confidential.

Fullback Ahmard Hall said Johnson would have some work to do to learn new offensive coordinator's Chris Palmer's offense, especially with the different terminology.

"You're going to have to think," Hall said. "You're not going to just be able to roll in and hit the ground running.... Coach Palmer has put in a lot of good things, but the language is different. He's definitely going to have to think. The sooner he gets in the better."

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Texas A&M says it's leaving the Big 12 Conference

USC football: Willie Mack Garza leaves coaching staff

Houston quarterback Case Keenum returns with new outlook

-- Houston Mitchell

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: Chris Johnson. Credit: Elaine Thompson / Associated Press.

 

Angels call up four reinforcements

 

The beleaguered Angels bullpen got a bit of relief Thursday when the team called up left-hander Horacio Ramirez from triple-A Salt Lake. But it's their offense that may have been helped most.

Big-league clubs can expanded their rosters from 25 to 40 players for the final month of the season. So in addition to Ramirez the Angels added first baseman Efren Navarro, infielder Andrew Romine and outfielder Jeremy Moore from Salt Lake.

The first appearances by Navarro and Moore will mark the major league debut for each. Romine and Ramirez played with the Angels earlier this season with Romine going 1 for 9 in five games and Ramirez pitching five innings in seven appearances, giving up five earned runs.

Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said earlier this week he expected to call up as many as eight players for the stretch drive with the rest expected to join the team this weekend in Anaheim.

Navarro hit .317 with a career-high 12 homers this season but has a .424 batting average and a .924 slugging percentage since Aug. 12. He also leads Pacific Coast League first baseman with a .998 fielding percentage, having made just three errors in 1,326 chances.

Moore leads the PCL with 18 triples and is one of only two players in the league with double-digit totals for stolen bases (21), doubles (24), triples and home runs (15)

The Angels, 3 1/2 games behind the Texas Rangers in the American League West, close out a seven-game road trip Thursday night in Seattle before returning home to face the Minnesota Twins on Friday at Angel Stadium.

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-- Kevin Baxter in Seattle

Photo: Angels relief pitcher Horacio Ramirez gets a visit from catcher Jeff Mathis. Credit: Gina Ferazzi/ Los Angeles Times.

USC football: Willie Mack Garza resigns from coaching staff

 

Willie Mack Garza, USC’s secondary coach, has resigned, citing personal reasons "unrelated to USC."

"I stepped down today from my coaching duties at USC," Garza said in a statement. "I have some personal issues unrelated to USC that I need to address. I wish the Trojans the best and I am sorry I won't be with them in what I know will be a very successful season."

USC is in final preparations for Saturday’s season opener against Minnesota at the Coliseum.

Garza was not at practice Thursday morning. Asked afterward why Garza was absent Coach Lane Kiffin said, "Willie's dealing with a personal issue. That's all I can say."

Asked if he was still a member of the staff, Kiffin reiterated that Garza was dealing with a personal issue. "At this time, right now, that's all that I can say."

Kiffin informed players of Garza's resignation via text message at noon.

Athletic Director Pat Haden could not be immediately reached for comment.

Garza, 42, came with Kiffin from Tennessee, where the 2009 coaching staff was recently found to have committed 12 secondary violations of NCAA rules.

Haden has spoken of creating a "culture of compliance" at USC, which is still on probation after being hit with some of the most severe sanctions in college sports history. The penalties included a two-year bowl ban and the loss of 30 scholarships over three years.

Garza played at Texa and was in his 18th season of coaching college football. He was a graduate assistant at Texas and also coached at Western Michigan, Texas Christian, Tarleton (Texas) State and North Dakota State before joining Kiffin’s staff at Tennessee in 2009.

Former USC and NFL safety Sammy Knight is a graduate assistant on the staff and could oversee the secondary.

More later at latimes.com/sports

-- Gary Klein

Photo: Willie Mack Garza. Credit: Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times.

Kings voice Bob Miller to return for two more seasons

 

Bob Miller, the longtime voice of the Kings, didn’t mind going year-by-year when it came to renewing his contract. But this time, he and the club agreed to a two-year deal that will take him to 40 seasons, a remarkable milestone by any standards.

“And then we’ll see how many years we want to go,” Miller said Thursday. “They’ve been very cooperative and good to me.”

Miller will be 73 in October, a few days after the Kings open the 2011-12 season. He was honored with the Foster Hewitt award and a plaque in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000.

It's amazing that his 40-year tenure isn’t even the longest among Los Angeles sports broadcasters: Dodgers voice Vin Scully recently announced he will return for his 63rd season, and Spanish-language broadcaster Jaime Jarrin will return to the Dodgers for his 54th season.

“I’m not going to go 63 years like Vin,” Miller said, laughing. “If I did, in the 63rd year I’d be 98.

“I think in the last year there was more talk, even by me, along the lines of ‘How long are you going to do this?’ It crept into my mind, too. But every August and September I get enthusiastic about next season. From all indications the team is making strides. After all these years it’s not time to walk away.”

Miller’s broadcast partner, Jim Fox, is in the middle of a multiyear deal. Next season will be their 22nd working together.

“It's amazing what he's done coming after a playing career. He's not just an ex-athlete who walks in and thinks he knows everything. He works very hard at it,” Miller said. "I’m looking forward to getting started again."

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Former NHLer Wade Belak dead at 35

Three pennies for their thoughts as Kings prepare for season

-- Helene Elliott

Photo: Bob Miller. Credit: David McNew / Los Angeles Times.