Sports briefs for October 14, 2004

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 | 9:20 a.m.

Davenport takes over No. 1 spot in ratings

Lindsay Davenport, who said at Wimbledon she was considering retiring, will replace France's Amelie Mauresmo as the top-ranked player after winning her second- round match at tennis's Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

Davenport, 28, has won the most women's tournaments this year. She beat Russian Dinara Safina 6-4, 6-2 and will overtake Mauresmo to become world No. 1 for a sixth time when the rankings are released Monday, the WTA Tour said.

After losing in the Wimbledon semifinal to eventual champion Maria Sharapova, Davenport, who won the grass-court Grand Slam in 1999, said she probably won't play the tournament for a 12th time in 2005 and that she may retire this year.

Davenport previously held the No. 1 spot for a combined 37 weeks.

Sprint driver critical

Jimmy Weller III, an 18-year-old sprint-car driver from Liberty, Ohio, was in critical condition today in a Charlotte, N.C., hospital after crashing in a dirt-track race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Workers needed nearly an hour to remove Weller from his car after it slammed into a wall and slipped violently.

Panthers lose All-Pro

All-Pro defensive tackle Kris Jenkins was lost for the season because of a shoulder injury.

Wranglers get help

Three players -- center Dustin Johner, defenseman Deryk Engelland and left winger Jason Spence -- were assigned to the Las Vegas Wranglers from the Lowell Lock Monsters of the AHL.

Beckham apologizes

David Beckham apologized for deliberately getting a yellow card to draw a suspension for a World Cup qualifying game. Carrying a yellow card from a previous game, he fouled a Welsh player so he could serve the automatic ban while injured.