Sports briefly
U.S. gains quarters in Davis Cup The defending champion United States advanced to the Davis Cup quarterfinals behind a commanding doubles victory by twins Bob and Mike Bryan on Saturday over Austria's Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer.
The Bryans won 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, giving the Americans an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five, first-round series in Vienna, Austria. The U.S. became the first nation to reach the quarters and will next play France on April 11-13. France won 3-0 at Romania.
In other World Group play, Argentina (over Britain) and the Czech Republic (over Belgium) advanced to the quarterfinals with 3-0 victories. Holding 2-1 leads were Russia (over Serbia), Israel (over Sweden) and Germany (over South Korea). Spain led Peru 2-0.
• Top-seeded Anna Chakvetadze rallied to defeat Marion Bartoli 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 and will face Agnes Szavay in the final of the Open Gaz de France in Paris today. Seventh-seeded Szavay outlasted fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.
WINTER SPORTS
Herbst wins slalom; Miller fails to finish While overall leader Bode Miller failed to finish, Reinfried Herbst put together the two fastest times and won a World Cup slalom in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
Herbst, capping his comeback from a serious knee injury, had a combined time of 1 minute, 42 seconds. The Austrian defeated Manfred Moelgg of Italy by 0.65 seconds; Ivica Kostelic of Croatia was third.
Miller straddled a gate halfway down the slope and did not finish the first run. He was not alone, though, as 13 other skiers did not finish on the tough slope.
Tim Ligety of the United States was seventh. Teammates Jimmy Cochran and Tim Kelley also didn't make it down the hill.
• Sandra Kiriasis of Germany clinched her sixth consecutive World Cup bobsled title in doubles by winning the season finale in Winterberg, Germany. Americans Shauna Rohbock and Valerie Fleming, the 2006 Olympic silver medalists, finished third in the race and fourth overall.
On the men's side, Andre Lange of Germany won his first World Cup doubles title despite finishing ninth in the men's final race.
HORSE RACING
3-year-old colts put on notice by Pyro Pyro staked his claim as one of the top 3-year-old colts in training at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans with a powerful victory in the Grade 3 $300,000 Risen Star Stakes, the final prep for the Louisiana Derby.
Last at the top of the stretch, Pyro angled out for running room under Shaun Bridgemohan and came roaring down the center of the track in the final furlong to win going away by two lengths over stablemate Z Fortune. Visionaire was another three-quarters of a length back in third.
Pyro paid $3.80, $2.60 and $2.20. Z Fortune returned $3.40 and $2.60, and Visionaire paid $3.60.
In the 3-year-old filly division, Indian Blessing ran her lifetime undefeated streak to five races after refusing to load into the gate before the start of the Grade 3 $200,000 Silverbulletday Stakes. Indian Blessing covered 11/16 miles in 1:43.75 and paid $3.40, $2.20 and $2.10.
AROUND THE HORN
Racewalking: Philip Dunn of San Diego won the U.S. men's 50-kilometer Olympic racewalking trials in Key Biscayne, Fla.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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