Sports briefs for November 19, 2003

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2003 | 10:49 a.m.

Meghann Shaughnessy edged Kirsten Fipkens 9-7 in the third set, and Lisa Raymond overpowered Els Callens, giving the United States a 2-0 lead against Belgium in their Fed Cup semifinal today at Moscow.

Neither team has its top players, with the U.S. squad missing Serena and Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati and Monica Seles. The Belgians are without Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters, who are ranked Nos. 1 and 2.

Shaughnessy came back to outlast Fipkens 6-7 (4), 7-6 (8), 9-7, after Raymond put the Americans ahead in the best-of-five series by beating Callens 6-2, 6-1 at Olympic Stadium.

Russia faces France in the other semifinal. The winners will meet in the Fed Cup final this week.

Mets fire Singer

Bill Singer was fired by the New York Mets, a week after the newly hired special assistant made racially insensitive remarks to a Los Angeles Dodgers executive.

Raiders verdict upheld

A judge in Sacramento upheld a jury verdict that the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum owes the Oakland Raiders $34 million for falsely promising a packed stadium as it successfully tried to lure the team back from Los Angeles.

UNLV signs five

New UNLV coach Lonni Alameda got her first recruiting class started with five girls signing national letters of intent -- Shannon Crisp (Centennial), Danielle Martinez (Sierra Vista), Brittany Meade (Tucson, Ariz.), Marissa Nichols (Diamond Bar, Calif.) and Caitlyn Paus (New Lenox, Ill.).

Blazers bust Bonzi

Portland Trail Blazers guard Bonzi Wells was suspended for two games without pay and stripped of his co-captaincy for cursing coach Maurice Cheeks after being taken out of Monday's loss at Dallas.

Nielsen jailed

Brian Nielsen, a silver medalist at the 1992 Olympics and a loser to Mike Tyson in their 2001 bout, was jailed in Copenhagen, Denmark, for a brawl with officers last weekend.