Bryan twins fail to win it for U.S.

Bob and Mike Bryan failed to win their doubles match Saturday, forcing the United States to wait another day before it can try to close out its Davis Cup quarterfinal match against France at Winston-Salem, N.C.

Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement rallied past the top-ranked twins, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-3, 6-4, to cut the Americans’ lead to 2-1 in the best-of-five competition.

The Bryans had been 14-1 in Davis Cup play and 5-0 in clinching situations, but they couldn’t secure a spot for the U.S. in the semifinals against Spain, which leads Germany, 3-0.

Andy Roddick will open against Paul-Henri Mathieu or Richard Gasquet if he’s recovered from a blister on his right hand. James Blake will play Llodra.

In Bremen, Germany, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber and Philipp Petzschner, 6-7, (3), 7-6 (1), 6-4, 2-6, 12-10. The clinching match lasted 4 hours 45 minutes.

Lindsay Davenport withdrew from the Bausch & Lomb Championships at Amelia Island, Fla., because of fever and aches before her semifinal against top-seeded Maria Sharapova.

Sharapova got a walkover into today’s title match. She will play Dominika Cibulkova, who defeated Alize Cornet, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

BOXING

Cotto and Margarito easily win title bouts

Miguel Cotto battered Alfonso Gomez for five rounds at Atlantic City, N.J., to retain his World Boxing Assn. welterweight title and set up a fight with new International Boxing Federation champion Antonio Margarito.

Cotto had no trouble with the Gomez and ran his record to 32-0 with 26 knockouts when Dr. Mark Schaber stopped the fight after the fifth round, in which Gomez went down for the third time.

Earlier, Margarito dominated Kermit Cintron, knocking him out in the sixth round.

GOLF

Ochoa takes charge with another 66

Lorena Ochoa closed in on the last point she needs to qualify for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame, shooting her third consecutive seven-under-par 66 to take a seven-stroke lead in the Corona Championship at Morelia, Mexico.

If she wins today, the 26-year-old will become the youngest player to qualify for the Hall of Fame. Se Ri Pak was 26 years and a few months older than Ochoa when she qualified by winning the 2004 Michelob Ultra Open.

SWIMMING

Coventry breaks another short-course record

Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, continuing her spectacular week at the short-course world championships in Manchester, England, broke the world’s oldest short-course record -- the 200-meter individual medley.

Coventry established her third world mark of the event -- and won her fourth gold medal -- in 2 minutes 6.13 seconds. The previous mark of 2:07.79 had been held by American Allison Wagner since the inaugural edition of the meet in December 1993.

HOCKEY

Boston College beats Notre Dame for title

Nathan Gerbe scored two goals and had two assists to lead Boston College to the NCAA championship with a 4-1 victory over Notre Dame at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Eagles, making their third consecutive appearance in the title game, lost to Wisconsin in 2006 and Michigan State last year.

The U.S. won its second women’s world championship, upsetting Canada, 4-3, at Harbin, China, behind two goals from Natalie Darwitz. The U.S. had lost to Canada in nine of the last 10 finals. The Americans won in 2005.

SOCCER

Ronaldinho close to leaving Barcelona

Ronaldinho is a step closer to leaving FC Barcelona and joining AC Milan, his agent told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Brazilian star midfielder has been sidelined because of a muscle injury since the beginning of the month and will likely sit out the rest of the season. He has a contract at Barcelona through 2010.

Milan is ready to offer Ronaldinho $12.7 million a season until 2012, according to La Gazzetta.

MOTOR RACING

Myers holds off Joanides for third Irwindale victory

Andrew Myers of Newport Beach held off Nick Joanides of Woodland Hills over the final three laps to win his third consecutive NASCAR Auto Club Late Model Division 40-lap feature race at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale.

Davi Millsaps raced to his second victory of the season, beating Timmy Ferry in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross event at Detroit’s Ford Field. Millsaps, riding for Red Bull Honda, led the final 18 laps in the 20-lap event.

FOOTBALL

Titans’ Jones to seek reinstatement again

Suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones will again ask NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to reinstate him, with his agent planning to send in his request on Tuesday.