Sports briefs for June 7, 2004

Monday, June 7, 2004 | 9:54 a.m.

Hambrook named UNLV head coach

Owen Hambrook, who led the UNLV men's tennis team to a 10-win improvement in his first season overseeing the program as an interim coach, was rewarded for his efforts by getting the job permanently, the athletic department announced Sunday.

Now the sixth full-time head coach in UNLV tennis history, Hambrook took over a squad that had set a school record for futility in 2003 with a 2-14 record and eventually pushed the team into the national rankings for the first time in two years. UNLV's 12-7 overall mark in 2004 included a second-place regular-season finish in the Mountain West Conference and the best home record (9-2) since 1997.

Even though she's right-handed, the No. 2-ranked Clijsters uses a double-fisted backhand, making it difficult to play with an injured left hand.

Rain plagues 51s

Sunday's Pacific Coast League game between visiting Las Vegas and Tacoma was suspended due to rain. Las Vegas held a 1-0 lead after one complete inning when the game was suspended. The game will be resumed today at 5:05 p.m., to be followed by the regularly scheduled game.

3 Vikings arrested

Three Minnesota Vikings players were arrested after a fight outside a downtown bar early Sunday.

Vikings coach Mike Tice confirmed to the Associated Press the arrests of linebackers E.J. Henderson and Mike Nattiel, and tight end Steve Farmer.

The three players were arrested along with a fourth man after a fight outside the Tabu nightclub in the Minneapolis Warehouse District.

Police stations toured

An Olympic security team led by Greece's public order minister began a tour of key police operations around the country today to outline duties during the games.

The goal of the four-day trip is to "secure the highest level of vigilance and readiness," the ministry said.

Public Order Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis and other officials plan to visit the four cities outside Athens where soccer preliminaries will be played: Thessaloniki, Volos, Patras and Iraklion on the island of Crete. The delegation also plans talks along Greece's northern border and Aegean Sea islands, used as gateways by illegal immigrants trying to enter.