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MEN'S PLAYERS HAVE BEEN TARGETED BY GAMBLERS, DOUBLES STAR BRYAN SAYS

 
Published Aug. 9, 2007

TENNIS

Men's tour players have been asked, via anonymous phone calls, to influence the outcome of matches, doubles star Bob Bryan told the Los Angeles Times.

"I don't know of any players that have ever gambled on tennis," said Bryan, a member of the ATP Player Council. "But there have been some anonymous calls to players' rooms with some monetary offerings. ... And I know every player I've talked to has turned it down."

Bryan's disclosure comes amid an ATP probe into suspicious betting patterns involving Nikolay Davydenko, who retired with an injury in his second-round match last week in Poland against Martin Vassallo Arguello. A British bookmaker said it received about $7-million in bets - 10 times the usual amount - and most of the money was on Arguello to win, even after Davydenko won the first set 6-2.

Bryan, who said he has not been approached about match-fixing, did not name the players who had been but thought those to be "isolated incidents" that happened in small events.

In his first match since the loss, Davydenko beat Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) Wednesday in the Rogers Cup in Montreal. "It's pretty tough for me, and I get more pressure for this tournament," Davydenko said.

NBA

CELTICS TRY TO LURE MILLER, NEARLY 42, OUT OF RETIREMENT

The Celtics have spoken with Reggie Miller about coming out of retirement to help the once-proud franchise in its push for a 17th title.

"I've had limited discussions with Celtics management about their roster and a potential role for me," Miller said in a statement sent through the TNT network. "At this time, I'm enjoying my role as an analyst with TNT."

Both sides confirmed the possibility that Miller, who will turn 42 this month, would consider returning for the chance at a title he never won during an 18-year career, all with Pacers.

"(I have) contacted Reggie and he is contemplating a comeback with us," director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said through a Celtics spokesman. Miller's agent, Arn Tellem, declined comment.

Miller, who has been retired for two seasons, is 13th on the league's career scoring list with 25,279 points and the leader in 3-pointers made and attempted. His uniform No. 31 was retired by Indiana last season.

The Celtics, 24-58 last season, traded for Ray Allen at the draft and pulled off a seven-for-one trade with the Timberwolves for 2004 MVP Kevin Garnett.

ET CETERA

HORSES: Gato Del Sol, the winner of the 1982 Kentucky Derby and the second-oldest living Derby winner, died at 28. The horse was euthanized Tuesday because of age-related infirmities and buried on Stone Farm in Paris, Ky., where he was born and raised. Gato Del Sol, trained by the late Eddie Gregson and ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, went off at 21-1 in the 19-horse Derby field and charged from last to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Laser Light. The oldest surviving Derby winner is Genuine Risk (1980).

RUNNING: Enthusiasts with the backing of city and Allegheny County officials are working to revive the Pittsburgh Marathon for the city's 250th anniversary in May. The marathon began in 1985 and was last run in 2003 when then-Mayor Tom Murphy said the city could not afford police protection and other services.

SOCCER: David Beckham practiced with the Los Angeles Galaxy in Washington, offering hope that the 45,000 people who bought tickets for today's game against D.C. United will see him play. "It's looking up," he said. "Hopefully I'll get out there playing soon." Beckham still hasn't played a Major League Soccer game. If he plays (7 p.m., ESPN2), he said it would likely be for 10 or 20 minutes as a sub.