Sports briefs for August 30, 2004

Monday, Aug. 30, 2004 | 10:03 a.m.

Hewitt, Davenport in line for big payoff

Lleyton Hewitt and Lindsay Davenport could earn up to $500,000 extra at the U.S. Open because they finished atop the inaugural U.S. Open Series standings.

Hewitt tied defending Open champion Andy Roddick with 155 points by winning the TD Waterhouse Cup tuneup tournament Sunday. But Hewitt, the 2001 Open winner, takes first place by virtue of more match wins in the series' events (17-14).

Andre Agassi was third in the men's standings.

Davenport, who won her last four tournaments, and Amelie Mauresmo tied among women with 100 points each. But 1998 Open champion Davenport, like Hewitt, had more match wins (9-5). Elena Likhovtseva finished third.

The No. 1 man and woman in the series each will get a 50 percent bonus on top of whatever they earn in singles competition at the U.S. Open, where play starts today. The men's and women's Open singles champions win $1 million apiece.

The second-place finishers get a 25 percent bonus, and third-place finishers get 10 percent extra.

Oldest in channel

A retired Connecticut pilot has become the oldest person to swim the English Channel. George Brunstad, 70, left Dover, England, Saturday morning heading for the French Coast. He finished shortly after midnight, said Mike Oram of the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation.

Triple Crown threat

Hambletonian and Yonkers Trot winner Windsong's Legacy is one win from the Trotting Triple Crown after Saturday's Yonkers Trot win at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney, Ill. He'll go for the sweep in the Kentucky Futurity on Oct. 9. No horse has won all three legs since Super Bowl in 1972.

Kobe jury selections

About 100 Eagle County, Colo., residents were to be individually questioned today as attorneys and the judge in the case work to seat a jury in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault trial.

Southern Cal on top

Despite its struggles with Virginia Tech in Saturday's opener, Southern Cal remained No. 1 in the Associated Press college rankings.

Gwynn number retired

Tony Gwynn's uniform No. 19 will be retired by the San Diego Padres on Sept. 4.