Sports briefs for March 15, 2004

Monday, March 15, 2004 | 9:23 a.m.

U.S. women in smashing win

The U.S. women's soccer team beat France 5-1 Sunday on the first day of the Algarve Cup at Ferreiras, Portugal.

Abby Wambach scored the first goal for the United States on a free kick from Mia Hamm. Angela Hucles scored two goals, and Hamm added another to lift the Americans.

This is the United States' ninth appearance in the Algarve Cup, one of the world's most prestigious invitational tournaments.

They won the tournament championship in 2000 and 2003.

Federer, Roddick win

Top-ranked Roger Federer and No. 3 Andy Roddick breezed through their opening matches in the Pacific Life Open on a sweltering day in the desert.

Federer, last year's Wimbledon winner and the Australian Open champion this year, began play with a methodical 6-1, 6-1 victory against Andrei Pavel.

On a roll to begin the year, Federer extended his 2004 match record to 17-1.

Roddick, the reigning U.S. Open champion, downed Jan-Michael Gambill 7-6 (3), 6-2 as afternoon temperatures reached 102 degrees.

On the women's side, Lindsay Davenport beat Samantha Stosur 6-0, 6-3 in a third-round match.

Szabo won't run

Olympic 5,000-meter champion Gabriela Szabo will not defend her title at the Athens Games because of exhaustion. The star Romanian, who failed to finish an indoor 5,000 in Birmingham, England last month, said today she will take at least six months off from training and competition. "To be honest with you, at this moment, I feel nothing," Szabo said at a news conference with sports doctors at the Romanian Athletics Federation. "I see the stadium and I don't feel like running."

UNLV rally misses

After falling behind 13-0 after two innings, UNLV mounted a furious but futile rally at home against Central Michigan. The 16-10 loss dropped the Rebels' record to 12-7 on the season.