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Sports in Brief

 
Published April 19, 2014

Tennis

Nadal suffers rare clay loss

MONACO — Rafael Nadal fell to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 7-6 (7-1), 6-4 in the quarters of the Monte Carlo Masters on Friday, his earliest exit at the clay tournament since the third round in 2003.

Nadal won the event from 2005-12 before losing to Novak Djokovic in last year's final. And the eight-time French Open champ had reached the final of 31 of 34 clay events since 2005.

"All losses feel bad but especially (bad) on clay," said Nadal, who had 44 unforced errors.

Ferrer faces Stanislas Wawrinka, who beat Milos Raonic 7-6 (7-5), 6-2. Djokovic beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 to set up a meeting with Roger Federer. Federer sat two points from losing (serving at 0-30 and 5-6 in the second set) before beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-1.

Colleges

Haith leaves Missouri to take over Tulsa

Tulsa hired Missouri basketball coach Frank Haith. Haith went 76-28 in three seasons at Missouri but twice lost his first NCAA Tournament game and went to the NIT in 2014. He replaces Danny Manning, who left for Wake Forest.

Duke: As expected, sophomore forward Rodney Hood declared for the draft.

USF: Sophomore forward Zach LeDay said, via Twitter, he will transfer. LeDay, who didn't indicate his plans, started 16 games this past season and averaged 3.5 points and 2.6 rebounds.

Baseball: DJ Stewart reached base for a 58th straight game, a ninth-inning single, to break the school record in Florida State's 7-1 win at Wake Forest. He broke the record of former Jesuit High standout and current St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Shane Robinson, set over two seasons in 2004-05.

Transfers: The Division I Leadership Council recommended athletes who transfer due to "difficult life circumstances" sit out one season but gain one back starting in 2015. Currently, hardship transfers don't have to sit.

Women's gymnastics: Defending champ Florida qualified for today's final of the NCAA meet in Birmingham, Ala. Also advancing: Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

Et cetera

Boxing: IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (54-6-2), 49, tries to become the oldest fighter to unify world titles tonight against WBA and IBA champion Beibut Shumenov (14-1), 30, tonight in Washington.

Soccer: Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, out four games with a sore left thigh, practiced and hopes to play in Tuesday's Champions League semifinal.

Joey Knight, Times staff writer, Times wires