Sports briefs for May 18, 2005

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 | 10:56 a.m.

Pedro pushed back after cortisone shot

New York Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez had a cortisone shot in his right hip Tuesday and his next scheduled start was pushed back from Friday until Sunday in this weekend's interleague series against the New York Yankees.

Martinez said he had sorness in the hip during his past two starts.

Victor Zambrano will start in Martinez's place in the series opener Friday against Kevin Brown, Kris Benson will start Saturday for the Mets against Randy Johnson, and Martinez will oppose Carl Pavano in Sunday's finale.

Venus cruises

Top-seeded Venus Williams routed Marta Marrero of Spain 6-0, 6-0 to reach the Istanbul Cup quarterfinals.

Third-seeded Anna Smashnova and No. 5 Anna-Lena Groenefeld won their first-round matches, but No. 6 Meghann Shaughnessy lost 6-3, 7-5 to Bulgarian qualifier Tszvetana Pironkova.

Other winners included Ivana Abramovic, Shahar Peer and Elena Vesnina.

Former top-10 player Chanda Rubin made her first appearance on tour since September, and lost to Jie Zheng of China 6-4, 6-2.

Davydenko will face Felix Mantilla, who upset fifth-seeded Mariano Puerta of Argentina 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5.

The United States plays Spain today, and a loss would end the Americans' chances of reaching Saturday's final.

UW-Milwaukee, Duke headline Preseason NIT

Duke and Wisconsin-Milwaukee, both of whom reached the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament last season, lead the field for the 2005 Preseason NIT.

The Blue Devils, who won the 16-team tournament in 1985 and 2000, will host Boston University in one of four opening-round games Nov. 14, the NIT said Tuesday.

Wisconsin-Milwaukee plays at Memphis in one of the four first-round games Nov. 15.

The Bruins will play Nevada in the second game; New Mexico will play Washington on Dec. 10 at Anaheim.

-- Sun wire services