Sports briefs
U.S. women rout China in Portugal The United States routed China 4-0 at the Algarve Cup on Wednesday, and Denmark upset Women's World Cup champion Germany 1-0 on the opening day of the tournament in Albufeira, Portugal.
The five-time champion Americans got goals from Lindsay Tarpley, Tobin Heath, Abby Wambach and Carli Lloyd in Group B.
"I'm very happy with the way we played," United States coach Pia Sundhage said. "Four goals is fun."
IDITAROD
2007 runner-up has lead; 609 miles left Paul Gebhardt, the second-place finisher in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race last year, was the first musher out of Ophir on the 1,100-mile trail to Nome on Alaska's western coast Wednesday. Ophir is 609 miles from the finish line in Nome.
Gebhardt left the ghost town checkpoint at 12:52 p.m., hours before the next musher -- Hugh Neff of Skagway -- departed at 4:18 p.m.
Others arriving at Ophir included four-time champion Martin Buser of Big Lake and 2004 winner Mitch Seavey of Seward. Lance Mackey, who last year became the first ever to record back-to-back victories in the 1,100-mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race and the Iditarod, remained in Takotna for the mandatory 24-hour layover that no musher has yet completed in this race. Mackey won't be able to leave again until about 5 a.m. today.
COLLEGES
Jackie Robinson heads inductees Jackie Robinson was one of 12 former players and coaches elected for the third induction class of the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
UCLA's only four-sport athlete played baseball for the Bruins in 1940 after two seasons at Pasadena Junior College. He later broke major league baseball's color barrier when he made his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947.
Robinson, who died in 1972, joined Owen Carroll, a former pitcher at Holy Cross and coach at Seton Hall, and Billy Disch, who coached Texas to 22 Southwest Conference titles from 1911-39, as three Vintage-Era (before 1947) inductees.
Also elected were former major leaguers Steve Arlin (Ohio State), Eddie Bane (Arizona State), Floyd Bannister (Arizona State), Neal Heaton (Miami), Burt Hooten (Texas), the late Dick Howser (Florida State), Ben McDonald (LSU) and Greg Swindell (Texas). Former Oklahoma State and New Mexico State coach Gary Ward also was elected.
TENNIS
Roddick will face Nadal in quarters Victories by Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick set up a quarterfinal meeting between the two at the Dubai Tennis Championships in United Arab Emirates.
Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray also advanced.
• Serena Williams overcame a shaky start to defeat Tzipora Obziler 7-5, 6-0 to reach the quarterfinals of India's Bangalore Open.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
about the writer
Ranked No. 22 nationally at his position in the 2026 class, Justin Hopkins picked Minnesota over Georgia Tech, USC and Tennessee.